Some questions on Sony 34XS955...little bummed on PQ

I've had my Sony XS955 for a couple of days now..and to honest I'm a little bummed on the quality of the HD signal. Prior to this set I had a JVC 32" AV32S575 where the HD although letterboxed was simply outstanding. The colors seemed much more alive and jumped right out at you.

I tried playing with the color settings a bit and have made some progress but....I did purchase the Avia CD...I looked at it for a bit on the JVC set but didn't really have the time to get to far into it...looked difficult and a lot of stuff to remember. If I invest the time into the Avia should that improve the PQ at all?

Best way I can describe it is the JVC in the letterbox HD gave me a "Holy Smokes, I can reach out and touch what is on TV"(like looking through a window) to the XS955 "Wow, that is a really fabulous pic"(a really good TV pic)...in comparison wheras the JVC was bright and colorful and alive the XS955 seems to be a bit duller pic without as much life to it. Any settings to liven it up?

Another thing I have noticed is that I am noticing a bit of pixelation onscreen of some stuff, especially some hoop games I Have been watching....never noticed that at all of the JVC...does the wider 34" screen show of more errors than the 32"? Also noticed it on other sports like the Gravity Games and some boxing.... My hookup right now is using the component cables that came with the SA8300 but I do have an HDMI cable on the way (Philips TX1000). Should that help in the pixelation issue?

Sorry for all the questions and rants but I'm a little steamed at the HD PQ I'm getting on a set that ran me about 1400 dollars more than the 32" JVC. (599 for a 32" HDTV ...was going to return it but....maybe going in the bedroom)

Ok I'm tired and rambling and not making much sense now so I'm going to bed....any info or advice appreciated :)

Where are you getting your HD signal from? What kind of connections are you using? You've got a really top TV & PQ should be astounding!

Avia is intended to help you adjust your settings for the best image. It works well if you follow directions carefully.

Getting HD through Adelphia cable and a SA8300 box. Using the component cables that came with the SA8300 box. Like I said, the picture is great, it just isn't crisp as the JVC 32" letterbox pic....it looks sort of washed out and it I try to brighten it, the pic gets even a little more washed out.

I'm not seeing the knock me on my butt, blow me away picture that I got on the other set when I first saw HD. This is especially evident on Discovery HD Theatre. Picture is not as crisp and vibrant....ok I'm starting to be a broken record. Perhaps JVC just makes a better tube? I wouldn't think so...

This is a great set from all reports, you just need settings adjusted. Have you considered having it ISF calibrated?

I'm going to see what I can do with the Avia disks first....does bigger tube= lesser PQ especially in HD?

I'm going to see what I can do with the Avia disks first....does bigger tube= lesser PQ especially in HD?

Going from 32" LB to 34" WS shouldn't be the problem since the pixel size difference would be negligible. Now if you went to a 60" set other than a CRT that's a different story.

You said you played with the color settings. Can I assume you also tried all the other settings? My 34" Zenith has the following options in the video setup menu:

1. EZ Picture
2. Contrast
3. Brightness
4. Color
5. Sharpness
6. Tint
7. Color Temperature
8. Z-View
9. Video Preset

It has been almost a year since I set mine up, but if I recall correctly, I had to tinker with a lot of these. I think most sets need at least some adjustment to the factory settings. (I've heard they intentionally set them very bright and colorful to look good in the stores, but I wouldn't swear to it) You might want to explore a little further and experiment if you have not already done so. Your Sony should give you that "Holy Smokes ..." feeling.

Also, I remember when Comcast hooked me up they used component cables like you have. But at first the picture was really horrible. Then we noticed he hadn't pushed in all 3 cables completely, and doing that made a huge difference. That probably isn't the problem in your case, but it could be something like one little setting or connection that needs attention. Good Luck!

Goosey, lower brightness & increase color.

Thanks for the tips guys....I will try that Mr Wizard :)


The NCAA on CBS looks great but when I switch to some other HD stations ehhhhh...not as great...I have everything upconverting to 1080i.......

Tinker is the key word here that is for sure.... :D

btw I hooked it up HDMI and to tell the truth I can't notice any difference at all...maybe once get the settiungs down it will come into play

btw I hooked it up HDMI and to tell the truth I can't notice any difference at all...maybe once get the settiungs down it will come into play

I also did not notice any difference when I went from component cables to DVI, but I keep it hooked up that way because:

a) I've heard it's supposed to be better, and
b) It cost me $100 bucks for the DVI cable

I've never seen a side-by-side comparison, and that's probably the only way to tell for sure. I guess it would have to be significantly different between the 2 in order to tell by switching back and forth. And that I can't do because I get the dreaded "HDCP" message if I flip off of DVI on the TV input while the STB is still on.