Poor Sony TV Picture Quality

JimtownSteve

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Hello,

I'm new to this forum and I'm hoping someone can help. I purchased a 55 inch Sony X950H tv several months ago and the picture quality is very dissapointing. Most programs look more like SD quality than the HD or 4K source that are supposed to be when they are available. Some customer reviews describe the picture as sharp as a tack out of the box. Mine is more like sharp as a wet sponge. Every once in a while there is a program that is very sharp. For example, there is three part program about dogs on Hulu that looks very good but it is the exception. Because of that dog porogram I can see what the TV is capable of so I don't think there is an actual defect in the TV but maybe there is. I missed the window to return it otherwise I would because it;s making my enjoyment of TV watching miserable. The 10 year old Samsung that it replaced was better.

Everything is streamed off the Internet and download speeds over a DSL connection vary between 40 and 60 mbs. Upload is about 5 mbs.

I have tried three source devices and the results are roughly the same: The native apps on the TV, Roku Streaming Stick+, 4th generation Apple TV.

I subscribe to the following services and the results are roughly the same even on Netflix and Amazon programs that say they are 4K: Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu, and Apple +. With Netflix it is set to stream 4K as is Hulu. I'm not aware of Amazon or Apple+ having such a setting

I have tried may adjustments in the picture settings to try improve things but to no avail. That included talking to Sony support and using their recommendations and reading many articles about adjusting the bloody thing. Nothing helps in any appreciable way. I have tried adjusting the picture using the THX app connected wirelessy from mu iPhone. The sttings don't improve sharpness of the streaming programing but the static images from THX look sharp/

I appreciate any help that may hopefully lead to a breakthrough.

Steve
 
I've got no idea unfortunately as my XH95 has amazing picture quality. Upscaling is great and UHD and HDR is awesome. There are only two options really for the cause of your problem. One is your source content/internet speed isn't good enough as these televisions show poor source quality. Or you have a faulty set.
 
There are only two options really for the cause of your problem. One is your source content/internet speed isn't good enough as these televisions show poor source quality. Or you have a faulty set.
I had similar thoughts. The speed is well above what the services say is needed but maybe there’s a speed issue. I don’t have a Blue Ray player but will see if I can borrow one. I’ve seen some people say that’s a way to test a TV.
 
I had similar thoughts. The speed is well above what the services say is needed but maybe there’s a speed issue. I don’t have a Blue Ray player but will see if I can borrow one. I’ve seen some people say that’s a way to test a TV.

Do you have the top netflix package? If not get it and use that to test. Our Planet and much of the content is uhd HDR. If you see problems with the picture quality on that then it's definitely a issue with your speeds and/or set itself.
 
I had similar thoughts. The speed is well above what the services say is needed but maybe there’s a speed issue. I don’t have a Blue Ray player but will see if I can borrow one. I’ve seen some people say that’s a way to test a TV.

Do you have the top netflix package? If not get it and use that to test. Our Planet and much of the content is uhd HDR. If you see problems with the picture quality on that then it's definitely a issue with your speeds and/or set itself.


BBC iplayer also has a few uhd things as well to test.
 
Hello,

I'm new to this forum and I'm hoping someone can help. I purchased a 55 inch Sony X950H tv several months ago and the picture quality is very dissapointing. Most programs look more like SD quality than the HD or 4K source that are supposed to be when they are available. Some customer reviews describe the picture as sharp as a tack out of the box. Mine is more like sharp as a wet sponge. Every once in a while there is a program that is very sharp. For example, there is three part program about dogs on Hulu that looks very good but it is the exception. Because of that dog porogram I can see what the TV is capable of so I don't think there is an actual defect in the TV but maybe there is. I missed the window to return it otherwise I would because it;s making my enjoyment of TV watching miserable. The 10 year old Samsung that it replaced was better.

Everything is streamed off the Internet and download speeds over a DSL connection vary between 40 and 60 mbs. Upload is about 5 mbs.

I have tried three source devices and the results are roughly the same: The native apps on the TV, Roku Streaming Stick+, 4th generation Apple TV.

I subscribe to the following services and the results are roughly the same even on Netflix and Amazon programs that say they are 4K: Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu, and Apple +. With Netflix it is set to stream 4K as is Hulu. I'm not aware of Amazon or Apple+ having such a setting

I have tried may adjustments in the picture settings to try improve things but to no avail. That included talking to Sony support and using their recommendations and reading many articles about adjusting the bloody thing. Nothing helps in any appreciable way. I have tried adjusting the picture using the THX app connected wirelessy from mu iPhone. The sttings don't improve sharpness of the streaming programing but the static images from THX look sharp/

I appreciate any help that may hopefully lead to a breakthrough.

Steve

Hi Steve, I am in exactly the same boat (and I could have wrote your post word-for-word - without owning the set for months, as I only received my 950H yesterday). It does worry me slightly that you say 'months' and you are still to adjust to the set.

You want to know what my feeling is? I think the 4K is potentially ruining much of the viewing by trying to upscale the content, and it is not working. Like you say, some of the content is fantastic, but there is just no consistency when watching different channels, and from different sources.

It's odd to say the least, because the other two chaps on here, who have been very helpful, claim it an excellent set, so something is amiss I feel, but I'll be testing everything that moves over the next week.

My internet is also faultless. I work in IT, from home, so I know my set up on the speed is fine.

I went from a 46" Sony, to the 49" 950H, not thinking there would be that much difference, but there definitely is a size difference, which has also thrown me - not in screen size (just 3"'s), but the picture size seems much larger, if that makes sense - almost like the picture has been zoomed in, which then loses all quality.

The only time I can 'think' I'm getting consistency, is if I step maybe 5 metres from the screen, from the usual 2.5 metres, but I just cannot put my finger on the issue, and I'm extremely analytical when trying to solve issues like this - especially due to the cost.
 
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Just a thought. You have both set the hdmi ports to enhanced content haven't you? I also turn off the light sensor as I find it makes things too dark.

Maybe worth us comparing when our sets were made etc in case there has been an issue with a certain batch? Mine was July 2020 in Belgium.
 
Just a thought. You have both set the hdmi ports to enhanced content haven't you? I also turn off the light sensor as I find it makes things too dark.

Maybe worth us comparing when our sets were made etc in case there has been an issue with a certain batch? Mine was July 2020 in Belgium.

Hmmm.... I will be checking that for sure. I've definitely seen that setting, but I'm sure I have not changed anything other than what was default.

How would you check batch, where is that quoted?
 
Hmmm.... I will be checking that for sure. I've definitely seen that setting, but I'm sure I have not changed anything other than what was default.

How would you check batch, where is that quoted?

Check settings - Watching TV - External inputs - HDMI Format - then select each HDMI and make sure you turn on Enhanced format.

As for the batch and manufacture date that should be on the white sticker on the lower back of the set.
 

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