Sony FS76

SimonO · 19-02-2003, 2:20 PM

I've lived with the set for one week now, and these are my initial observations...

My FS76 replaced a 32" FQ75...

Geometry, convergence, purity are all well over 95%... I've got very small downwards screen bend at the top, but it's about as good as I've seen before... Convergence is perfect, and the purity is very good, with only a very slight yellowing on white in the bottom right hand corner... All in all for a 36" CRT the set is as good as you will get on the above... (I've had 4 FQ75's with various problems in the past so I know what to look for..!)...

I should be very happy... But I'm not...

I read the first review on the set and was concerned by the comments as I'm sure others were... But went ahead with the purchase after reading the more recent review which was much better...

Unfortunately, and it's only my opinion, the first review is much closer to the 'truth' than the second... The colour on the set is very washed out... It does improve via my DVD using a QED RGB Sqart but it's not even close to the quality of the FQ75...

I've adjusted the the set to improve things by increasing the brightness +8, contrast -2, and colour +1 but it's still not good...

After all the hassle I've had with these TV's, and having read the Philips threads, I'm seriously considering spending the extra on a Pioneer plasma...

I really want to like this set, but the more I watch it, the more I dislike it... Oh and I've also noticed light coloured vertical lines evenly spaced across the screen... But that's another story..!

Am I out on a limb here or do others agree... Maybe like me, you have had so many problems with TV's you just can't face sending another one back...

Waiting with interest...

19-02-2003, 2:41 PM

No picture quality probs here at all mate, just the damm thing wont display a RGB image(currently waiting on 'customer service' to get back to me). I do agree with the second review which said its not very forgiving with low quality sources though. But fed with a top class DVD signal and boy does the picture come to life. To my eyes the colour is excellent.

SimonO · 19-02-2003, 6:29 PM

I think maybe it's just me, because everyone who has watched the TV thinks the picture is great... My wife thinks it's more 'natural' than our previous set (she also thinks I'm insane..!)...

I agree it's better with a high quality source, but I don't think I can live with it, so unless JL will exchange it I will put it up for sale privately and go for a plasma...

Anyone interested...

PS (If you like the colour tone then this set in all other respects is very very good..!)

PPS (The TV is still sitting on its carton with the stand flat packed in its box..!)

Roman · 19-02-2003, 6:44 PM

Sony recently replaced my FS70 with an FS76 following scrolling bar problems. I also have a slight downward bend at top right of the screen. But apart from that the geometry is near perfect, far better than the old FS70.

I have to say that I couldn't quite believe the first review I read giving it 2 stars, because I've found it to be one of the best pictures I have ever seen (outside of the Hi Def pictures I have seen in the US).

I use it with a Tag DVD Player and a Sky Digi box. The reviews are right though in that if you feed it with an average quality source you get below average pictures.

Cheers, Roman

SimonO · 19-02-2003, 7:32 PM

Maybe it's time to upgrade my DVD player (Nakamichi DVD-10s)..?

I'm still thinking of changing to a plasma though...

19-02-2003, 7:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SimonO
I think maybe it's just me, because everyone who has watched the TV thinks the picture is great... My wife thinks it's more 'natural' than our previous set (she also thinks I'm insane..!)...

I agree it's better with a high quality source, but I don't think I can live with it, so unless JL will exchange it I will put it up for sale privately and go for a plasma...

Anyone interested...

PS (If you like the colour tone then this set in all other respects is very very good..!)

PPS (The TV is still sitting on its carton with the stand flat packed in its box..!)

If you cant live with the TVs picture quality fair enough, but are there actually any Plasmas that will give a better picture than your Sony can??

(forgive me if im wrong about that, as im not really a plasma expert, although a panasonic 42" that i saw was impressive)

19-02-2003, 9:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Roman
Sony recently replaced my FS70 with an FS76 following scrolling bar problems. I also have a slight downward bend at top right of the screen. But apart from that the geometry is near perfect, far better than the old FS70.

I have to say that I couldn't quite believe the first review I read giving it 2 stars, because I've found it to be one of the best pictures I have ever seen (outside of the Hi Def pictures I have seen in the US).

I use it with a Tag DVD Player and a Sky Digi box. The reviews are right though in that if you feed it with an average quality source you get below average pictures.

Cheers, Roman

I also have a slight downward bend at top right of the screen...but my problem is the buzzing and the black paths on dark scenes...I also think my set is better on "DRC50" than "DRC100" because on 100 one can see the horisontal lines on the set much clearer than on 50 and that is enoying.....and 100 is useless when watching sports. I'm glad I can choose between 50 and 100.

20-02-2003, 5:56 AM

What can I say, I love this TV but boy do I hope my third set (arriving this Friday morning) is A OK!?

My first was perfect to my eyes apart from it would randomly turn itself off. My second had a very noticable downturn/bend of the picture in the top left corner of the screen and HORRENDOUS picture quality, difficult to discribe but something seriously amiss!

If the 3rd FS76 is faulty I am considering venturing into the plasma market? BUT I don't want to because to my eyes the colour sound and picture quality is great on the FS76.

I am very concerned however about the volume of reports of faulty FS76's??? Maybe its a case of the happy customers don't say much?

My conclusions, great tv, just get me one that works.

Tom

Roman · 20-02-2003, 1:40 PM

I guess despite TV sets being mass produced, each has it's own 'personality'. I find DRC100 better than DRC50. However, despite received wisdom to the contrary, I also find that with my Sky Digi box it is better to have the Noise Reduction set to 'low' rather than 'off' as it reduces pixelation on the lower bit-rate channels.

I may very well have been lucky with the actual TV set, but I went through 3 stands and 3 months of arguing with Sony before I got one that was complete.

SimonO · 20-02-2003, 3:59 PM

My stand was scratched, and the powder coat finish on the metal legs was flaking off...

Fortunately I don't need the stand, but I have to say that the quality of these products is very poor... Sony are probably the best of a very bad bunch...

What can you do..?

20-02-2003, 9:59 PM

Interesting that you find it bland with TV but excellent with DVD, thus its a source problem, the tone is very neutral and some progs are dull, like the Bill ( the other half watches it).
I've said before that my friend went for a plasma ( after 36 CRT fun, including the awlful P+ no hoper) and its v.impressive, but....to my eyes to rich in colour and its not adjustable ( panny 5 I believe)
Matt

PS. What do you mean by adjusting levels by 8 or 2 as its a sliding bar.
Do you mean you;ve checked the levels in the service menus then adjust in the user, then re-checked their values in the service again?

SimonO · 21-02-2003, 5:28 AM

Yes it's a sliding bar, but it does go up and down in increments if you press the button once rather than holding it down...

I just counted the number of increments from the default (grey) position...

What 'personal' settings are you using..?

ScottyToo · 22-02-2003, 12:26 AM

What's the advice on Noise Reduction settings and also AI?

I can't find any guidance on either so have put AI on and Noise Reduction on high. What are the downsides to this?

SimonO · 22-02-2003, 4:48 AM

I've always had the AI off & the noise reduction on low or sometimes off if I'm watching a DVD...

SimonO · 25-02-2003, 4:53 AM

I think I was way out with my initial 'personal' settings... I've now got the contrast -4, brightness -2, colour +1, and sharpness -2... The picture is much darker but the quality has improved..!

I have noticed that in 'movie' mode the picture is much more defined... Even if I change the 'personal' settings to the same as 'movie' the picture just isn't as clear...

Could this be the effect of reduced Scanning Velocity Modulation (SVM)..? This is listed as VN - Level in an 'older' Sony service menu but I can't find it for the FS76..? Does anyone know if SVM is a feature of this set, and if so, how to turn it off..?

astonbilla · 25-02-2003, 7:17 PM

I went from an FQ75 to 2 DX100s to 2 FQ80s, on to a Philips 9607 and now the FS76.

I don't like the image this TV provides, i really think its a fault as all you guys have great pictures. Mine is grainy and very black around edges. In fact for those xbox owners out there, when i get the white screen with microsoft written on it, the black text has white lines encroahing inside the outlines - its horrible.

I have been waiting since Christmas for a replacement from unbeatable, but nowt as yet. IN FACT, i wrote an email last week asking how long it would be and they tried to tell me due to the costs of shipping it they wouldn't send anymore. They have now agreed to send one more, i'm not the problem though i have had a few dodgy sets from them (2 fq 80s, 9607 and now the FS76).

Their service up till now cannot be faulted though, really.

Anyways what should i do?

25-02-2003, 8:50 PM

From what sources do you have these grainy images AstonBilla?

The reason i ask is that my set wont display a RGB image, (STILL waiting for customer service to move their asses)so im using SVideo for DVDs,(which look fine) but standard Video also displays the same impurities that you speak of.

astonbilla · 25-02-2003, 8:58 PM

Sky Digital through RGB is terrible most nights. Eastenders (the wife, THE WIFE) always has fuzzy grain in the background or dancing boxes.

Sony 725 DVD through RGB always has grain in the background, and things always look too edgy. My sharpness is lower than the default by the way.

I have noise reduction on low for sky and off for DVD.

Consoles look fine generally, but i have shadows accross the screen that appear when the screen is moving top to bottom (or vice versa)

i'm just so fed up with TVs in general, ban all connections except RF, then we couldn't see the bloody faults.

25-02-2003, 10:27 PM

Could it be anything to do with you DRC settings?

mh66639 · 26-02-2003, 3:11 AM

ScottyToo,

My understanding is:

NR - softer picture, less resolution/sharpness

AI - varies contrast/brightness pending on TV environment

I turn both these off. DRC100 always; I've set my settings to personal and:

Contrast 50%
Brightness 40%
Colour 50%
sharpness 25%

I get a great picture. The sharpness seems to make a big difference try putting it as low as you can to reduce the 'falseness'.

The pixelation seen could be due to poor signals/bit rates and/or the quality of the TV in showing all the imperfections of a compressed signal.

HTH.

Matt.

SimonO · 22-03-2003, 10:04 PM

Just to let you all know... The reviewer who gave this set a poor score for colour was right & mine was also poor...

However it has improved greatly over the past few weeks to a point now where skin tones look pretty natural...

Maybe my set just took a little time to 'run in'..?

24-03-2003, 4:15 PM

I have posted elsewhere,
but at risk of abuse i will repeat,
my fs76 when delivered had appauling picture quality.
This is the case for all sources rf,sky,cheap dvd
this has improved a little after a couple of weeks, but only on occassions.
mid and far distant focusing is dreadful most of the time, forground focus is pretty good.
some days picture quality good, in fact when focus is close for the majority of the programme,film - the picture is pretty stunning.

Poor picture quality best seen on golf, football etc where majority of pictures are mid,far focus.
focus on players when a mid/distant shot is blurred,grainy and appears to be out of focus, trees in golf are a green blotch, footballers have no visible legs.

suppler maintains nothing wrong with picture quality,
'works as intended' but have offered a replacement.
this has been accepted but i don't feel 100% confident after reading these posts,

surely blurry,grainy,unfocused pictures of objects in mid and far distance cannot be acceptable as the norm on a tv of this price and supposed quality.

20-02-2003, 5:56 AM	#8
Tommo24 Guest Posts: n/a	ONTO MY 3RD FS76!! What can I say, I love this TV but boy do I hope my third set (arriving this Friday morning) is A OK!? My first was perfect to my eyes apart from it would randomly turn itself off. My second had a very noticable downturn/bend of the picture in the top left corner of the screen and HORRENDOUS picture quality, difficult to discribe but something seriously amiss! If the 3rd FS76 is faulty I am considering venturing into the plasma market? BUT I don't want to because to my eyes the colour sound and picture quality is great on the FS76. I am very concerned however about the volume of reports of faulty FS76's??? Maybe its a case of the happy customers don't say much? My conclusions, great tv, just get me one that works. Tom
	Quote

20-02-2003, 9:59 PM	#11
mattheu Guest Posts: n/a	Interesting that you find it bland with TV but excellent with DVD, thus its a source problem, the tone is very neutral and some progs are dull, like the Bill ( the other half watches it). I've said before that my friend went for a plasma ( after 36 CRT fun, including the awlful P+ no hoper) and its v.impressive, but....to my eyes to rich in colour and its not adjustable ( panny 5 I believe) Matt PS. What do you mean by adjusting levels by 8 or 2 as its a sliding bar. Do you mean you;ve checked the levels in the service menus then adjust in the user, then re-checked their values in the service again? Last edited by mattheu; 20-02-2003 at 10:10 PM.
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19-02-2003, 2:41 PM	#2
Manuman Guest Posts: n/a	No picture quality probs here at all mate, just the damm thing wont display a RGB image(currently waiting on 'customer service' to get back to me). I do agree with the second review which said its not very forgiving with low quality sources though. But fed with a top class DVD signal and boy does the picture come to life. To my eyes the colour is excellent.
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25-02-2003, 8:50 PM	#17
Manuman Guest Posts: n/a	From what sources do you have these grainy images AstonBilla? The reason i ask is that my set wont display a RGB image, (STILL waiting for customer service to move their asses)so im using SVideo for DVDs,(which look fine) but standard Video also displays the same impurities that you speak of.
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25-02-2003, 10:27 PM	#19
Manuman Guest Posts: n/a	Could it be anything to do with you DRC settings?
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24-03-2003, 4:15 PM	#22
bluebull Guest Posts: n/a	I have posted elsewhere, but at risk of abuse i will repeat, my fs76 when delivered had appauling picture quality. This is the case for all sources rf,sky,cheap dvd this has improved a little after a couple of weeks, but only on occassions. mid and far distant focusing is dreadful most of the time, forground focus is pretty good. some days picture quality good, in fact when focus is close for the majority of the programme,film - the picture is pretty stunning. Poor picture quality best seen on golf, football etc where majority of pictures are mid,far focus. focus on players when a mid/distant shot is blurred,grainy and appears to be out of focus, trees in golf are a green blotch, footballers have no visible legs. suppler maintains nothing wrong with picture quality, 'works as intended' but have offered a replacement. this has been accepted but i don't feel 100% confident after reading these posts, surely blurry,grainy,unfocused pictures of objects in mid and far distance cannot be acceptable as the norm on a tv of this price and supposed quality.
	Quote