Many problems Sony 46W4500

[Anonymous]

I like you was concerned when reading this forum, however I finally decided to go ahead and and have taken delivery of a 40W4500 which I am pleased to say delivers a great picture even in SD and for me fully justifies the TV of the year award.

I think that sometimes on these forums it is easy to get a distorted view of the extent of problems and whilst it is clear that there some problems which may or may not be batch related remember there are a lot of satisfied customers who have not posted any comments. For those with a problems I hope they are soon resolved

I bought the set from a local family run high street TV shop for £990 including glass stand (black), HDMI lead and 5 year Sony warranty .

In addition they delivered it FOC, assembled the stand, set up the TV and carried my old 32 inch CRT TV upstairs and checked that it was also working OK before leaving. A level of service that I had almost forgotten still exists. So don't forget that its worth checking your local dealer out as well as the internet etc. not only to get a good service but also a competitive price

PS I agree with your comment to D.J. Krime concerning his plasma banner waving.

 

[Alsone]

Firstly I apologise if I duplicate anything anyone else has said, I don't have time to read all 14 pages of comment at the moment but would make the following observations:

ALPER:

The problems:

1. The backlight is flickering and I can see it on bright images. Looks like a 20-year-old CRT TV. (HDMI or SCART connection backlight level min, 1, 2, 3 and 4) It's also flickering on level 5 ->10 but you have to focus very good on the screen if you want to notice it. I can notice the flickering of the backlight most clearly with ''reduced power'' ON. This is a serious problem! Can anyone confirm that his TV doesn't have flickering on bright images? (Connection: HDMI and SCART)

2. There is noise from back of the TV. Especially if I open a document with a lot of text (by example: word). Then, the high buzzing is really annoying. From 3 meters you can't hear it, but if you are in a very silent room it's a problem. The volume must be on if you don't want to hear buzzing.

3. Clouds and bleed. This is a big problem when I'm in a completely dark room. It seemed to have been resolved, but that was temporary. Maybe it has to do with heat. Who knows?
When I turn on the lights I can see still bad backlight bleed/clouding. I think Sony has just more problems with clouds and that is a fact. (read forums on the internet) The clouds are all over the screen and not only in the corners but also in the middle. (they are everywhere!)

4. When you look from an angle you see terrible backlight bleed (very sloppy). It is very ugly. The light comes from the bottom and goes upwards. On a black screen it is clearly visible. You are required to sit right in front of the TV and otherwise you just have a blurred image. Really a failure IMO.

5. On quick images the TV has smearing. Especially on colors: red, blue, black and grey. Not really a problem for me.

6. I see flashes of white lines on the screen. I have tryed changing my HDMI cable but no difference, still getting random flashes of white lines. It's really annoying me. Today I've seen more then ever. It's becoming worser!! The flashing/blinking lines are everywhere now. (Every 30 - 40 seconds) It's only via HDMI and I see sometimes also flashing lines on SCART.
The problems are getting bigger and bigger.

Problem:

1. Flickering looks excessive although difficult to tell from video as video doesn't record well from tv and it can be video setting dependant. It shouldn't be noticible (although all LCDs do flicker as theres a fluorscent tube in there its usually too fast a frequency to see under normal conditions).

2. Buzzing isn't uncommon on flat panels - it comes from the transformers. On my Pioneer 428XD you can hear slight buzzing with the volume off / extremely low (below normal listening volumes). I've hardly heard of a larger flat panel where this isn't problem. Its only usually of concern if so so loud as to be audible when the volume is at normal listening levels.

3. Clouds - this looks abnormal to me - as Clare said on Page 2, it looks like a damaged panel. An LCD should manage a good even black albeit not always as black as plasma.

4. Backlight bleed is common on all LCD panels although it varies in intensity. It shouldn't really be that noticible on a good TV though. More noticible on PC monitors.

5. Movement smearing is a Characteristic of LCD - the response can't keep up with the movement. If you want blur free viewing, you need plasma (even then fast moving titles at the end of a movie may blur with plasma although the films / programmes themselves will always be blur free).

6. White Lines - Sounds abnormal - again suspect damage or poor aerial connection if happens on broadcast only. White lines can be a syptom of broadcast problems / reception problems so need ot verify it happens on DVD also. If so, then again sounds like a fault.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Andy Clough:For what it's worth I've owned a Sony KDL-40V2000, bought from a Sony Centre, for a couple of years now and have never had any of these problems at all. It's still working perfectly.

Same here with the W2000. My brother in law has a Pioneer plasma (about 4 years old but he paid £4-5000 for it) and he was over last week to check out Bluray for the first time and he raved and raved over the PQ. The clouding problem is obviously not normal and they are damaged screens.

 

[Anonymous]

Clare

With the issues with the sony 46W4500, what do you think the best 46inch LCD tv is? I was all set to buy this model based on WHF awards but due to this thread, have seriouse reservations about it. Would a Z series be a better bet, or would they also run the risk of having this problem. ( Have to have an LCD as my room is so light the plasma's are too reflective. Looked at the pioneer LCD but they have but a glass screen on it so is also affected by reflection issues?) Any recomendations for those of us who are in the market to buy a 46inch LCD?

Please help

 

[Clare Newsome]

If it were my money, i'd still buy the Sony, but just make sure the retailer was well aware i'd be returning it if any clouding was evident (as mentioned, i've just ordered a 40W4500 for my Dad with the same caveat).

But if this issue has really put you off Sony - and their continuing lack of credible response really isn't going to help! - then i'd take a look at the new 8 series LCDs from Samsung, which are looking strong so far (though we haven't tested the 46 just yet ).

No sign of new X or Z series Sonys just yet - though a Z set is rumoured to be on its way over the next few weeks....

 

[Anonymous]

HienoKaveri:

Decided to chip in. I just got my much anticipated 52W4500 last nite, and can confirm clouding as is evident in this picture.

I live in Finland. Have contaced the retailer (email) requesting for info on what to do. Apart from this clouding, the set is awesome. Goddamn I need toget rid of this problem somehow. Coulding is clearly visible in darker scenes.

Wow, that is awful. Mine is crystal clear

and yes the TV is turned on, but it is just on a black photo, and sorry about the noise my camara turned the ISO up because i turned the flash off

 

[cmf]

HI tomw93

can you please tell us what the model number of your tv is and where is was made ?

 

[rob_981]

I have to say, my 40W4500 looks exactly the same as tom's. I have been looking for evidence of clouding whenever I watch anything with large areas of black, and I genuinely cannot see any.

For reference, the serial number is 4002894, and was manufactured in August 08 in Spain.

 

[pete321]

Ginder:pete321:

No, 40's have it as well, look my post above yours.

You don't notice it when watching something, it's only when there's a completely black screen, although I can't say I've noticed it even with space shots from Star Wars etc.

But are you reffering to the Sony KDL-40W2000 or the Sony KDL-40W4500?

I had it with the 40W2000, but it has been a problem with most Bravia LCD's as far as I can make out. The problem seems to vary in severity, mine was not too bad, but others seem to have it to a greater degree. My point was that given the problem has been there since at least the W2000, Sony should have most definately addressed it by now and not just bury their head in the sand and pretend there's nothing wrong.

I 've recently set-up a 40W4000 for my mother-in-law, it had the clouding to about the same extent as my old W2000, not a major problem, but nethertheless still there.

I didn't want to take the chance of getting a duffer and have just bought a Pioneer plasma to replace my not very old, but not 24fps compatible W2000.

 

[Anonymous]

Got a pic of my 46W4500

Not as bad as some of you guys but that area in the bottom right is visable in darker scenes, and god damn annoys the hell out of me.

What you think?should this be a return to the retailler?

My old S2000 didn't have a think on the screen.

 

[Anonymous]

as you can see in my previous post theres no picture to this.

Any one help me with adding the photo in here.

I've got the photo uploaded on to flickr and just copied the URL across.

 

[Anonymous]

use image codes. [*IMG] before the link and [*/IMG]after but without the *

 

[avnut]

with 212 posts on this subject i will be surprised if anybody buys one again.it put me off on 50 posts

 

[Anonymous]

 

[Anonymous]

not all 215 posts are bad things about the TV though. i bought mine and it is fine, just look at the bottom of the page before this one.

 

[Anonymous]

 

[Anonymous]

Cheers for that Tom but no luck.

added img before and after the URl and all i get is either the name i've added with a box around or just a black line.

What should the size of the image be and all the border sizes?

 

[Anonymous]

hmm i dont know what is wrong. try uploading them to photobucket, i know that, that works because i use it. and the photos should be 400pixels wide i think

 

[Anonymous]

just updated my previous post and ayou can see where it say 46w4500

i can right click it and go view image and it works.

I am terrible at this.

 

[Anonymous]

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[Anonymous]

I had my problems with this set and posted a few on this subject, i was lucky enough to have the set exchanged by my retailer,(Digitech, who have the cheapest sets online and where great to deal with) i have now swapped it with a Panasonic, TH46PZ81, and i am more than happy, what a great set!

As for the Sony, it is such a shame because i have aways been a loyal purchaser of their products but this has put me off a bit! it is great that WHFI are trying to get some answers from Sony and hope that you keep it going...

If any are thinking of getting this set, just look into it and test the set in store before you buy, but i am a total Plazma fan now! and for the same money get yourself the TH46PZ81, Fantastic HD , brilliant blacks, sports look brilliant, and handles SD well

Mesha

 

[Anonymous]

Iv just noticed very slight clouding on mine jus on one lil patch, cant notice it in normal viewing just on the black screen, dont even notice it on widescreen films...dunno what to do, keep it or get back to Sony Centre...any advice?

 

[Anonymous]

i'm thinking the same thing.

I can notice mine but only on extended scenes of blackness.

Do I take it back to swap, maybe the new one might be worse.

Where do I go from there.

I am a avid buyer of sony gear. this is a sad period for me and i'm sure many other w4500 buyers.

Whne you spend over a grand on a TV you want it to be perfect. and perfect it should be.

 

[Anonymous]

Ginder:Iv just noticed very slight clouding on mine jus on one lil patch, cant notice it in normal viewing just on the black screen, dont even notice it on widescreen films...dunno what to do, keep it or get back to Sony Centre...any advice?

Depends how much it annoys you mate,when things like this happen you tend to find yourself keep looking at it,personally i would take it back like i did with mine,you have paid good money for this set so you should have a perfect tv,thats what i would do anyway

 

[Anonymous]

I think the annoying factor is that it is there lol i mean iv got 28 days to take it back for full refund before the shop says its gotta go to Sony to test out, hopefully Sony will respond to the WHF team hey. Couldnt see it yesterday thought id got away with it. Noticed it today when connecting my BDP S350 to it.