Sony KDL32D3000 Review

[eddie]

I went to see this model in the Sound & Vision showroom, and I wasn't impressed.  The £200 cheaper JVC next to it had a much brighter crisper picture.   The Sony appeared rather drab and dull.   I pointed this out to the salesman, and suprisingly he said that he thought earlier Sony models were much better.   I asked him to change the adjust the setting to see if the picture could be improved, which he did, but without much improvement.  He said the problem was that all the settings needed to be at maximum, which really didn't give much room for improvement.   Well I thought theres something wrong here, maybe its a duff set or not set up properly so I went to see this model in Currys.    The model in Currys did look better, but the picture still looked dark and soft against many of the other models.

I was pretty sure that the problem was something to do with the ambient light sensor, which did not seem to be improved very much when the backlight settingwas set to maximum.
 
Despite my reservations I puchased this model from Sound and Vision, and when I first switched it on the curtains were drawn, because I was a bright sunny day.   The picture was really disappointing, because it was much too dull, and I really thought that I had made a mistake.. Then I drew back the curtains and wow! what a difference.  I could see then why it had such a good review.

The problem was solved by switching off the ambient light sensor.  So what is the point of having an ambient light sensor if it does not do the job properly, or is it just me and the salesman at Sound and Vision, who think that the low light setting is overdone.

I find it strange that nobody else has mentioned this feature, and that it wasn't picked up in the HDTV review.

[D3000]

Hi eddie,
U're totally right. Desactivate the ambient light sensor is absolutly needed ! Put the color temperature on Warm2 (expert mode for the picture mode), U'll find Ur D3000 much better.

@ Vincent,
I always wait my answer for the soft/video used for the Motionflow video did for the KDL32D3000 

See U,
D3000.

[morelli]

I have the Pioneer DVR 545HX-S and am trying to connect it to a Sony KLD-32D3000 via HDMI (can play back via SCART on AV2 and HDMI on AV4).   Although the Pioneer HDMI indicator light is 'on' the Sony fails to detect it using the HDMI menue option.  I dare say there is a simple answer but I need some help finding a solution.
Apart from that I am very impressed with the Sony's picture quality and would have no hesitation in recommending it.
Morelli

[sangean]

Hi!

1.
Can you explain what AFD (Auto Format Detect) means? I know that Auto 16:9 (line 23) automatically switches the TV to 16:9 full-screen mode upon receipt of an encoded signal supplied by a broadcasting station. But what is AFD?

2.
What is Input Skip? Is it the button to directly select source on the remote control under the blue button? KDL-32D3000

3.
How do I activate Demo Mode?

4.
What are the extra settings you can have in Service Mode that you dont have in the normal mode?

5.
Can I adjust the ambient light sensor under the Service Menu? It would need a little fine tuning, coz when ambient light sensor is activated and its dark in the room then the TV overdoes this functionality and picture gets too dark.

.

[eli]

Please discuss our Sony KDL32D3000 review article in this thread. The first 4 pages are up... and the rest should follow by this weekend.

Hello Vincent,
I very much enjoyed reading your excellent review.
Could you be a little more specific regarding your 'jackpot' combination between the Motion Enhancer and the Film  Mode selections?
Thanks again,

[fixit]

  Hi... Guys. I have ordered a Sony KDL32D3000 for £705 form BT shop (dabs.com) and should be arriving any day now.
  I really enjoyed reading your test reviews...really sounds like you know what your doing. Nice test Criteria. Extensive testing.... shame no PS3 Test (i know it wasn't available at the time)
 After reading this thread I'm a bit concerned with people's commits about over saturation (green) and another person mentioned something else about colours.
  I'll be using the PS3 most of the time and like the fact that both are Sony brands.
  I hope i haven't made a bad choice. Maybe i should of ordered a Sharp LC32X20E as it's full HD. But didn't know much about it or have seen it on display in any shops.
  After spending 2 weeks popping in and out of the Sony center on Tottenham court road and actually seeing the latest V,W and D series side by side watching Sky HD Preview of the Hustle and various random clips.
  I decided based on what I saw. The 32D3000 had the most captivating picture I've seen. Apart from 52" X series which was breathtaking.
  I was all set to buy the 40W3000. until a few days ago.
  I can say that the 32D3000 is the best in that range. I think i would have to buy the X series to be truly happy with my purchase. I don't want to spend that kind of money yet.

 I'll post again when I've given the 32D3000 a good thrashing.

[matj]

I too have just got this TV , I had the Samsung 32R87BDX as a few of my firends have this TV but I was unimpressed , the Sony is a huge step up and Im happy with it. I am looking for some help like how to access the service settings for the greyscale and some advise on getting the best picture settings with DTV/SKY
 

[fixit]

Just got a confirmation email saying it will arrive tomorrow. Shame i won't have much time to play with it on Saturday. Hoping it would come today. Never mind.

I'll be back..

[Colebox]

Maybe a bit late in joining this thread but I just wanted to say that this review and the forum posts were extremely helpful in setting up my Sony KDL32D3000, which I picked up for £640 in a High Street from an independent outlet.

In the shop, the television was showing an upscaled DVD and the picture was so impressive I bought it on the spot.

This is the first LCD that I have owned as previously I have been one of the "LCD hasn't caught up with CRT yet" brigade. It was time that I took the plunge.

Firstly, like other posters to this thread, I initially thought I had made a mistake when I got the television home to find a dull lifeless picture. My partner's 26" Samsung was much brighter and I even wondered that I had got myself a faulty model.

Thanks to the mention of turning off the Light Sensor the picture is much brighter and richer. Thank goodness for that!

Secondly, I have been very impressed with the picture for things like football. The Freeview smudgy mess that I was used to on my 32" Loewe CRT was cleaned up to a crisp picture. Pity England aren't going to the Euro Finals this year... 

I have been using this as a radio too and like the fact that I can turn off the screen independently (remember, this is my first LCD).

An excellent first LCD and thanks for the help.

[piter_neo]

What about input lag on this TV? How big it is?

Does this tv have pixel mappind 1:1 by HDMI with ps3/X360 signal, so there will be 1280x720 image with black frame?

Does montion flow works with HD signal through HDMI (ps3/X360)?

[glyg]

I do have a question to the reviewer.

The main selling point or diff betwen this D series and the cheaper V and S series is the 100hz motion enhancer feature on the D series. The D-series actually costs twice as much as the V and S series. The V and S series being standard 50hz.

However, in the review, I quote :
[Bumping [Motion Enhancer] to "High" would infuse even more fluidity into the action, but then frames would start to disintegrate which caused occasional blurring. In the end I settled on "Standard", which was so easy on the eyes that ]..................................

My question is : what does settling on "standard" means ? Does it means switching off the 100hz motion enhancer and settling back on the standard 50hz? If so, why pay double the price to have this feature when all ther features and picture quality is similar to the V and S series ?

Please clarify ? thanks

[Vincent]

What about input lag on this TV? How big it is?

Does this tv have pixel mappind 1:1 by HDMI with ps3/X360 signal, so there will be 1280x720 image with black frame?

Does montion flow works with HD signal through HDMI (ps3/X360)?

When I reviewed the Sony KDL32D3000 last year, I haven't started measuring input lag, but if it's any indication the Sony KDL40V3000 I tested recently was on par with a Samsung F96 in [Game Mode] in this department.

Again, I didn't test PS3 signal on the D3000 because I haven't acquired the PS3 at that time.

I do have a question to the reviewer.

The main selling point or diff betwen this D series and the cheaper V and S series is the 100hz motion enhancer feature on the D series. The D-series actually costs twice as much as the V and S series. The V and S series being standard 50hz.

However, in the review, I quote :
[Bumping [Motion Enhancer] to "High" would infuse even more fluidity into the action, but then frames would start to disintegrate which caused occasional blurring. In the end I settled on "Standard", which was so easy on the eyes that ]..................................

My question is : what does settling on "standard" means ? Does it means switching off the 100hz motion enhancer and settling back on the standard 50hz? If so, why pay double the price to have this feature when all ther features and picture quality is similar to the V and S series ?

Please clarify ? thanks

There are 3 settings available in the [Motion Enhancer] option: "High", "Standard" or "Off". With "Standard", 100Hz motion flow is still engaged.

Warmest regards
Vincent

[glyg]

Thanks Vincent,

3 more questions on the 100hz motion enhancer:

1. With the D series 100hz motion enhancer set to standard, it does have a significant improvement compared to the other regular 50hz types right?

2. Obviously, one would leave the motion enhancer activated all the time right? why would anyone want to switch it off and why is there an off option? there must be some trade-offs I suppose ?

3. the motion enhancer is a software thing and not hardware right?

Question on the 10bit color :
1. You did not say anything about the panel 10bit which is uniqu only to the 32" D series. The regular ones are 8bit. Is there a significant diff or just hype?

Thanks
 

[Colebox]

Now that I have used the Telly for a while, I might add some further notes:

Watching Freeview via a Sony DVD Recorder (in my case a RDR-HXD870) set at 1080p gives a superior picture to the television's native freeview picture (well, it would; it's up scaled). With the TV's 100mhz set at max (but all other picture enhancement at low) the picture is brighter and more colourful. Watching this year's Doctor Who has been more of a pleasure than usual. Even recorded at SP, there is a noticeable drop in picture quality but at up scaled 100htz it is still excellent.

There can be an odd ripple to the picture at times when there are things like trees or prison bars panning across the picture but this is so rare as not to worry about.

There is very little, or no, lag that I can recall even on my off-air recordings from older equipment when played up scaled.

I have also recently bought a Humax Freesat box; this is at 1080i but the High-Definition picture is jaw-dropping; especially if you're used to ordinary Freeview.

After a few months I am still very pleased that I bought this model.

[grey]

Hi Vincent!

After i read your review  9 months ago i decided to buy that top notch lcd tv (at that time)!

But know i'm wondering if you could compare the W4000 , W4500 and the D3000 what points would you give each of them?

For example:

D3000 is a 8
W4000 is a 9
W4500 is a 10 ?


or in other words what do you think are the leading points that makes the W-Series better than the D-Series?
If you just compare the test results and the calibration and picture quality facts? From your experienced opinion what would you say?
And if you look at all the pictures (Blu Ray, Ps3, Analog and Digital TV) from W-Series and D-Series what do you think?
Is there a big gap? Or did the picture quality just improved a bit?


ohh and by the way 1 question what panels do D3000 W4000/W45000 do you?


It would be a big pleasure if you could answer !! Thank you!!!