Sony 32FD1

Paden · 27-12-2002, 3:30 AM

I very rarely use the onboard speakers but have noticed that sometimes the sound cuts out from one of them.
It can be sorted by turning the volume up high & then it kicks back in.
It's not a cable or speaker problem & I vaguely remember some talk of dry joints on one of the boards in the set.
Has anyone had this fault & knows the solution

Cheers, Paul

Melvin · 28-12-2002, 10:36 PM

I own the same TV as you do. My 32FD1 doesn't have the problem that you mention.
While we are on the subject of faults. Do you detect a faint black bar in dark scenes in RGB mode? This usually appears just off center and only under extreme conditions. Apart from this fault, I think this TV is Sony's finest example of a flat screen TV so far. The funny thing is that this TV is around five years old.. Have TV's got progressively worse since?

Paden · 28-12-2002, 10:55 PM

Yes Melvin, my set has the same bar up the middle, notice it most when the screen fades to grey.
Doesn't look as though CRT's have moved on much further since it came out, it really was a Rolls Royce.
Looking at the current thread on the well thought of Toshiba 36ZD26P, I was suprised to see that it doesn't actually have a flat screen

Think I'd get a plasma panel if I had the chance

Cheers, Paul

Placebo2 · 29-12-2002, 10:06 PM

Hi guys!
Also have this TV and it's a beauty! But feel it's time for a plasma ;-) How much do you reckon this TV is worth now?

Cheers,
John

Paden · 29-12-2002, 10:58 PM

Good question!
Unless you have another AV enthusiast interested then I'd reckon about £200.
To Joe Public it's a nice 32" TV, which they could get down Curry's for around £800.
Not much of a dent in the price of a plasma!
Probably better off putting it in your bedroom.
Had you any thoughts on how much you'd ask?

Cheers, Paul

Placebo2 · 29-12-2002, 11:01 PM

Hi Paul,
Thanks for the reply. I think your right, I can't see anyone on this forum paying more than £500 for it, a bit gauling when you consider that it cost me nearly £2000! Oh well.
What do you reckon about putting it on Ebay?
Really would like around £600 for it.

Cheers,
John

Paden · 30-12-2002, 4:19 PM

'fraid I've never used Ebay John, but I'd guess you've got nothing to loose as you can put a reserve price on it I believe.
Good luck!

Cheers, Paul

karyboue · 02-01-2003, 6:43 PM

Got a FD1 too and the black bar in th middle.

Has someone tried to plug in svga mode a PC for prog scan and scaling ?
It should work and I'll go for that on tests in a few weeks.

Melvin · 03-01-2003, 2:50 AM

Karyboue,
I think you'll find that the FD1 does not have an svga input. It is only vga compatible (640 x 480). If you do test this input with a progressive PC input, could you please post the results, as I was thinking of going down that route myself. It should also bypass the black band problem as it does not appear on the vga input (to my knowledge).

Cheers...

p.s Some of the Philips recordable DVD players have vga ouput ports.

karyboue · 03-01-2003, 3:20 AM

It has a 800*600 from 56 to 72 or 75hz svga input according to my computeur videocard.
Otherwise, have a look in the service menu and you can see that the geometry settings are available in vga and svga mode.

I already tried with my computeur but I am limited to 4/3 dvds because it's one of the first model with a decoding mpeg2 card and not powerfull enough to manage a good software decoding. It doesn't anamorphoses or de-interlaces.

All I can say is that even interlaced it's far better than my Cambridge dvd 300 + QED rgb only scart to scart. The tv seems completly translucid, backgrounds are impressive, noise is absent and fluidity is there because of the lower refreshing frequency. The bad point is that the gama level seems rather cold but it might be fixed inside the tv or by the PC.

The last good point is that a scaler/de-interlacer PC only should not cost more than 200-300 £. It's not as plug and play as my cambridge, not very silent too, but the image should be awesome.

I'll let you know in a few weeks beause first I need to check around about mother boards, video cards, hd etc... software is free : http://deinterlace.sourceforge.net/

Melvin · 07-01-2003, 2:57 AM

Karyboue,
Sorry to keep hassle-ing you. Can you tell me how you access the service menu on this TV?

Cheers..

karyboue · 07-01-2003, 3:56 AM

No problemo

TV off, press at the same time on the set : program "+" and "-" and it turns on in TT mode (displayed in the up right corner of the screen). Then press 2 times "menu" on the remote and there you are. Welcome in the other world it's truly a fun.

Be aware, before you modify anything, keep the original settings on paper and don't lose it (not like me). And NEVER validate any TT number, if you want to change channels use "+" and "-" on the remote or set and not the numbers.

What's great to do, for exemple, is to disconnect the unused scart and vga entries in that mode.

If you find something good, let me know, I wonder what is DVD "on".

Melvin · 08-01-2003, 2:56 AM

Karyboue,
Thanks for the info. How do you get out of the service mode? Is it just a case of switching the TV off? Is there anything in the TT mode that might get rid of the unsightly black bar in RGB mode?

Cheers..

p.s I won't try the service mode unless I'm 100% sober. Knowing my luck I'll cause irreperable damage.

karyboue · 08-01-2003, 7:48 AM

Unfortunately, there's nothing to do to get rid of the black bar. All I can say is that the better cables are, the more appears the bar. I'm now using QED RGB only scart cable... just imagine it's not only one bar I see but some kind of very very slight veil from center to right side.
You can comfort yourself thinking It's the sony signature ;-)

Melvin · 09-01-2003, 9:03 PM

Karyboue,
Thanks for your reply. I guess I'm going to have to live with the black bar problem. I am currently using a top notch Kimber RGB (picture only) scart lead. Luckily for me, I haven't got the veil fault that you mentioned. Maybe each individual set has its own manifistation of the problem.

Cheers..

p.s How do you get out of the service mode once you are in it?

karyboue · 09-01-2003, 10:01 PM

To quit, all you have to to is turn off the set with the remote.

*Jason* · 14-01-2003, 6:41 AM

To quit the install menu hit menu to go back to the normal on screen menu then press 00. Sorted.

karyboue · 30-03-2003, 8:47 AM

Here it goes : an FD1 + PC (well in fact an apple powerbook reading Divx movies

). Works fine 800*600 @ 75 hz in full screen mode.

I have taken pictures if you want some.

One question.
When you turn the set on, in 4/3 mode are the vertical black bars straight, or does it take time to have them "stabilized" ?
On my set it take 15 to 20 minutes. I don't remember having noticed that before.

karyboue · 24-09-2003, 3:08 AM

This is it, I added a PCscaler to the FD1 and it works great. The image is fantastic. Video Noise level of the DB15 inputs are very very low with good cables (chord silver s-vhs and RG59 VGA<>VGA).
The set in vga/svga has a cold T° but the computer can warm it easily.

If you have a computer just play it or using your DVD player get an Xcapture : £ 35) + Dscaler : free (I prefer that way, the image is more "natural") and there it goes for perfect progressive. It's really really worth.