When you say modified - is that chipped to accept them?
BTW: is the issue with grain only on certain region DVD/BD is it?
Actually, thinking about it, I've got a slightly older Sony KDL screen (only a 32")
Things to try (as settings are input specific):
1. Plug the HDMI cable from your BDP into the other HDMI socket
- will identify if there's an issue with the socket or a problem with the picture settings on the input
2. Make sure Picture mode on the input is set to "Cinema" - not dynamic or vivid, or something
3, Set Noise reduction off/minimum for the input
4. Check the "Advanced settings" for the input - what are Advanced Contrast Enhancer and Live Colour set to
- BTW, if you can't see these, it means your picture settings are set to "Vivid"
5. Is "Film mode" set to Auto? (can't remember where you set this - turn it off it is. (think it's in "Features"
6. What is Video/Photo set to? Set it to Video.(in Features)
Also - on the Pioneer, check the picture settings...
- Make sure it's set to 16:9 / 1080p output
- Color space - see if swapping between YCbCr [444] and YCbCr 422 makes a difference (think 422 is the default)
- Also Pioneer defaults to optimisations for a Plasma screen (wants to work with a Pioneer Kuro...) - set it to LCD?
- actually, there's probably a 1080/24 setting somewhere, worth trying as the Sony supports it (stops 1080/60 being sent)
- and there's a pure cinema setting on the Pioneer, somewhere, worth trying