Sony Bravia and Motionflow

Hello fsense ...

We have (3) different Sonys & there have been numerous others given to family as gifts plus I "assist" here locally with any that need it to switch from their CRT sets .... long story short, I have YET to ever use or leave ANY of those with the Motionflow other than " off!"

In a single instance, strictly on the input port for a new Blu Ray, did I ever observe a "better" display with it 'on.'

By-the-way . . . . there are SEVERAL others that also should be turned ' off ' or set to ' min.'

Lastly, I can't find within your post if the satellite service HAS been 'flipped' to a HD, with a corresponding, new HD box?

Very nominal added 'fee' and WELL worth it !

SUPER that you do have an outside antenna for those locals in HD!

eli

Hello fsense ...

<<snip>>

By-the-way . . . . there are SEVERAL others that also should be turned ' off ' or set to ' min.'

Lastly, I can't find within your post if the satellite service HAS been 'flipped' to a HD, with a corresponding, new HD box?

Very nominal added 'fee' and WELL worth it !

SUPER that you do have an outside antenna for those locals in HD!

eli


OK - good info on the Motionflow. I tried all the inputs today and couldn't find an instance where it improved anything - even with blu-ray input. I sent a question to Sony "tech support - ha" and their reply just told me how to turn it off.

What are the other parameters you'd suggest setting to off or min?

We get something like 24 digital channels off the antenna here, with about half of those in HD. Right now I'm considering changing my satellite service to Dish, where I can get 100% HD channels (all the ones we watch included) for half the price of DirecTV in SD. That's now an unadvertised offering that you can order only by telephone and not over the Internet. Requires a 2 year commitment, but the low price continues past the 2 years.

fsense ...

Good morning !

" IF " you do switch to DISH TV, a couple of points, pls ?

* DO insist upon a package or assortment of services which will use their VIP-722 only! {not their 'standard' HD Recorder/Receiver!}

* DO also get their ~ $5.99/monthly "home protection or extended" warranty ! .... otherwise, none of their equipment will be covered whenever they might go 'dead!' Plus, it provides for N/C or reduced-fee home Service Calls.

* Don't pay DISH TV their added fee for your local HD channels, obviously - just continue w/ your antenna. Sole disadvantage will be that you can not record them on the DISH TV set top box, of course.

* Make sure that your view to the 'low horizon' is free of obstructions - - - that all-new roof dish will be a much lower angle for HD.

Yes, for both satellite companies, anyone getting HD service must agree to a very-controlled / legally-binding 18 - 24 months contract! SO - please be mindful / NOT something to consider lightly in these days of unexpected or sudden unemployment!

About the 'other' settings . . . sharpness, noise reduction or MPEG noise reduction, are some.
By now, you must have already changed from "Vivid" to the other ...

You might care to consider getting / using a Blu Ray version of (1) of the various D.I.Y. Calibration DVDs .... performs what you are doing (manually) with filters, in a progressive sequence, etc..

MUST have an approved UL Surge Protector to avoid rendering that Sony Warranty 'dead!' I have used countless of the Philips units from SAMsClub @ $19.95 - great / appropriate as well as includes the customary "zillion dollar insurance IF" ...

{link} = http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/naviga ... +8+Outlets

Consider [Before the 59th day from the sales slip date] going to the www.sonystyle.com web site to price their maximum extended warranty plan .... the majority of the Sony sets which I have came via their "Outlet Store" which always offer that in a (5) year version as well as @ reduction - BUT - their regular four years plan does provide great value, too, IMO !

Available for purchase directly from Sony separately, irregardless of purchase store as long as it WAS an authorized dealer, of course!

(link) = http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/sto ... langId=-1#

Good Viewing !

eli
P.S --

DON'T actually believe them via the telephone marketer . . . . Your monthly most-certainly WILL increase the first day after the 24th month is up!!

MUST have an approved UL Surge Protector to avoid rendering that Sony Warranty 'dead!

Only if the user has a known issue with lightning or power surges. Many do not use these products and it won't matter - they don't live in an area where this is a concern. Rather than key in on the protection I would note that most users likely need a power strip and your suggestion provides that along with lightning/power surge protection if installed properly at a very low price.

AC Surge/Lightning Suppressors
http://www.hdtvmagazine.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3497

Morning Richard --

Absolutely true - - - HOW well I recall that endless thread from the recent past !

except that Sony has a binding, separate condition or stipulation in their warranty which makes one mandatory, regardless. And, certainly, one can & should always confirm that the outlet IS a proper sort, with the grounding terminal working!
eli

Can you provide a link to the warranty documentation?

fsense ...

Another very important project for you to consider / research WILL be some sort of 5.1, etc., Surround Sound System !

From my experiences with many different Brands / Types, it IS at the very least ~ 50% of the total " HD " experience, particularly with those wonderful PBS Special Programs during the upcoming Fall & Holiday programing! { "Live @ Lincoln Center / New Years From Vienna / etc..} ...

eli

Hi Richard ....

This IS an older {link} - but, this "mandatory" statement has always been also highlighted in their documentation to me in their (5) years paperwork as well on all the purchases, including the latest set in April - - - - http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/sto ... langId=-1#

"Terms & Conditions - Part 2 - Power Surge & Spike ...

And, @ ~ $20, I shan't challenge it, for sure .....

eli

I would like to offer a hurrah for DISH.

Despite having gone to FiOS - for the internet and more (but not all things), I was a happy subscriber to DISH for many years. I found them, especially of late to be an extremely good service, good support, with great set top DVR boxes, for the best price.

I am a big confused on the "be a much lower angle for HD. " I am under the impression that they - all video source and XM but not Sirrus - use Geo synchronous satellites. They all MUST be exactly at the equator, exactly 23,700 miles up (or close to that number). So I am not sure how HD could be lower? Perhaps a bit east or west of standard, but always the same elevation relative to your latitude.

I would like to offer a hurrah for DISH.
<<snip>>
I am a big confused on the "be a much lower angle for HD. " I am under the impression that they - all video source and XM but not Sirrus - use Geo synchronous satellites. They all MUST be exactly at the equator, exactly 23,700 miles up (or close to that number). So I am not sure how HD could be lower? Perhaps a bit east or west of standard, but always the same elevation relative to your latitude.

I'll leave it to others to explain the reasons, but having gone back and forth between DirecTV and Dish twice, I can tell you for sure that the Dish satellite we were pointed at was lower in the sky by several degrees from the DirecTV satellite. I have a dense woods to the south of the house and while the DirecTV sightline cleared the trees, the Dish sightline did not (pointed out to me by the installing technician). So, the Dish dish had to be moved to a different position with a clear sightline. We also noticed that rainstorms moving in from the south west created more and longer outages on Dish than on DirecTV (had them both hooked up at once for a short time). There could, of course, be multiple reasons for that difference, but I suspect the lower angle for the Dish satellite was partly the cause. And - the DirecTV receiver recovered much more quickly from loss of signal than the Dish receiver did. Also noticed that for SD satellite channels at least, the Dish picture had much more noticeable digital artifacts that degraded the picture somewhat.

I went to the DISH site, they have a satellite details page. I they are all specified to be in parked orbits, meaning they are Geosynchronous and must be directly over the equator. But they spread from (rounded) 60 (south of Bermuda), 110, 120, 150 (over the Pacific?) degrees west longitude.

Direct TV satellites are mostly about 90-110 degrees west longitude.

Thus, depending on your lattitude, you could be almost looking east, to west across the horizon - with DISH going considerably farther west.

That then would determine what got in the way, and be different for almost any different location we could discuss. In south texas, the dishes probably point close to straight up, and in Nothern Montana, very low.

I would guess you are living pretty far up north. That would mean the dish would have to point low, and the signals go through more atmosphere - or more succintly, more rain when it occurred. Also, it would be another, more detailed investigation to find out how much power - at what time - any particular satellite is putting out. I hear they adjust for storms etc. to get the maximum efficiency.

<<snip>>
I would guess you are living pretty far up north. That would mean the dish would have to point low, and the signals go through more atmosphere - or more succintly, more rain when it occurred. Also, it would be another, more detailed investigation to find out how much power - at what time - any particular satellite is putting out. I hear they adjust for storms etc. to get the maximum efficiency.

We're in North Carolina. I believe the installer said the satellite we were using was at an elevation of 38 degrees. The DirecTV satellite was something like 40-42 degrees. Last month I was on Prince Edward Island in Canada and the dishes there were pointed just about at the horizon.

North Carolina....well that explains the heavy rain. I'm in LA - I think only once in 5 years did I have a DISH problem with rain. Might have been the only time it rained. (Just Kidding!). But we don't get much.

In all this discussion of DISH...and satellites, I do always now recommend FiOS if available. The internet is just screaming fast (and not near what they are capable of), and while the set top box is disappointing (esp. the guide info), it is reliable, accessible from the web, and anything with a good signal give a good image. But, I can not compare even to my old DISH system as I now have new TVs so even my memory is invalid (if it ever was!).

stevekaden . . .

Terrific " posts " re: positioning & definite technical differences / contrasts betwixt the two satellite outfits!

Very much appreciated.

Regards,

eli

p.s. - - - also agree with "FIOS" and their application of fiber-to-the-home in order to get the very fastest Service for surfing our Internet !

This link has all the original product warranties for Sony

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/sto ... reId=10151

I looked at Computer Displays, Flat Panel Color TV and XBR LCD Color TV. There is no statement about the requiring an AC lightning/surge protector. This is the same standard boilerplate language for a limited warranty that I have been dealing with for 28 years. There are two gray areas that vary from manufacturer to manufacturer; is the warranty transferable and is the warranty limited to consumer applications versus commercial. Sony could care less as long as you can produce a valid dales receipt.

Back to the Sony Extended Warranty.

This is not administered by Sony and your contract is with Service Net Solutions, LLC, an extended warranty underwriter and services provider. It would be a misrepresentation to imply that the Sony Authorized Service Network will be handling the repair. Often times it will be but once the product is past the original Sony warranty, Service Net Solutions can select any electronics service company they wish for your repair whether they are Sony authorized or not. That is not the issue as much as the fact that Service Net Solutions, like any other extended warranty provider, will choose the service facility giving them the best labor rates, not necessarily the best service. Like any other extended warranty, buyer beware!

The link you provided states:

Service Plans include:
* Complete protection against unexpected, costly service bills
* Coverage on all Sony Consumer Electronics
* All covered parts and labor for the term of your Service Plan
* Lightning/surge protection
* 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week, 365-day-a-year access to service representatives via our toll-free number

Moving over to the terms and conditions link
Power Surge and Spike: This service plan protects against operational failure of a covered product if a failure occurs while connected to a surge protector approved by the Underwriter

Hi Richard . . .

Certainly never intended to cause you so much research or start such a 'fuss!'

In future, I'll be more specific in that I ONLY have / give Sony sets which always do have that added Service Net warranty for the (5) years .... and, even w/o same and in a locale that's never has a lot of problems regarding local lightning, I see no "disadvantage" to spending the $20 & having that Philips unit regardless ... their included "insurance" might be of use, come-to-that.

Home Owners' Policies are certainly of very little worth, because of the customary ~ ~ large deductible.

Thanks for investing all the effort! And, I'll be more careful of the wording hereafter!
eli

Don't pay DISH TV their added fee for your local HD channels, obviously - just continue w/ your antenna. Sole disadvantage will be that you can not record them on the DISH TV set top box, of course.

Not true, Dishnet DVR's display local channels and program guilde as the satellite ones and can be recorded in a similar fashion.

Same for DirecTV. The only downside is if you need to rotate your antenna for different channels - that can't be done for unattended recording. My antenna stays put but I only use the OTA channels as a backup now. They came in handy during the Falcons game and Nascar race on Sunday when we had torrential rain.

Hello runter -

Not true, Dishnet DVR's display local channels and program guilde as the satellite ones and can be recorded in a similar fashion.

BUT - the "key wording" IS that DISH TV charges additional for that ability on 'HD' currently ....

eli

"Don't pay DISH TV their added fee for your local HD channels, obviously - just continue w/ your antenna. Sole disadvantage will be that you can not record them on the DISH TV set top box, of course. "

Not true, Dishnet DVR's display local channels and program guilde as the satellite ones and can be recorded in a similar fashion.

That's not exactly true either. If you don't pay the $5.00 monthly for the Dish locals, you will not see the program information in the guide, just "Digital Service." You would be able to record, ala VCR, time and date, but not by program.