4K TV Reviews

Sony XBR-65A1E OLED Ultra HDTV Review Settings

Settings
Unit-to-unit sample variations, the viewing environment, and the source might render these recommendations less than optimum. They are only provided as a potentially useful starting place.

The settings here that are most likely to translate reliably from one sample to another are those involving specific features with only a few selections, such as Gamma and Noise Reduction. The ones most likely to be subject to sample variations are video controls offering a wide range of adjustment, such as white balance (grayscale) and color management (where available). Even relatively small differences in the common control settings, such as Contrast, Black level, and Gamma, can shift the white balance, though the resulting visible change may be minor. Production tolerances can do the same.

We strongly recommend that you find the optimum basic video settings for your sample by using one of the many available display setup discs, such as DVE HD Basics (Blu-ray). (As of this writing, such discs are only available for 1080p/standard dynamic range.) These will help you to set the basic controls, Brightness (Black level), Contrast (called “Picture” in earlier Sony sets), Sharpness, and sometimes Color and Tint, correctly. Experimenting with the more complex color calibration and other controls in the user menus will do no harm; the changes may be easily reset. But adjusting these by eye is unlikely to produce an accurate result and is no substitute for a full calibration. The latter is best left to a trained and properly equipped technician such as those certified by the Imaging Science Foundation (ISF) or THX.

SD and HDUHD/HDR
Picture modeCinema proCustom home
Auto picture modeOffOff
BrightnessMaxMax
Color5050
Light sensorOff---
Advanced settings
BrightnessMaxMax
Contrast: 95Max
Gamma: -2 2
Black level: 5051
Black adjust: OffOff
Adv. contrast enhancer: OffMedium
X-tended Dynamic Range LowHigh
Color: 5050
Hue: 00
Color temperature: Expert 1Expert 1
Adv. color temperature
Basic
Gain: Red -4, Green Max, Blue -3Red -6, Green -3, Blue -4
Bias: Red 2, Green 0, Blue 2 Red 2, Green 0, Blue -1
Multi point (10p): (not used)
Live ColorLoOff
Sharpness 5050
Reality Creation OffOff
Mastered in 4K------
Random noise reduction OffOff
Digital noise reduction OffOff
Smooth gradationOffLow
Motionflow OffOff
Clearness------
CinemotionHighHigh
HDR modeAutoAuto
HDMI video rangeAutoAuto
Color spaceAutoAuto
COMPANY INFO
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(877) 865-SONY
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ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
brenro's picture
Submitted by brenro on October 13, 2017 - 12:32pm

The C7P undercuts the Sony by $1000 and bests it in black level and shadow detail.

dm29's picture
Submitted by dm29 on December 3, 2017 - 3:11am

Touching the Bias settings apparently has the side effect of elevated black levels according to a few that have tinkered with the calibration far more extensively.
When done properly this part of the equation is already a non-factor. Secondly the gamma is elevated on the Sony by design in the lower regions precisely to give more shadow detail.
And of course the sky is not truly black (when viewed from earth) :D

drny's picture
Submitted by drny on October 13, 2017 - 1:46pm

The problem with OLED models is price cost.
LG moved their C6 and B6 2016 model OLEDs when they cut their price to $3,000. 2017 C7 and B7 models are now competitively price with LED's, at least up to 65"screen size.
Sony just won't move enough of their A1E OLEDs at $4,200.
Personally I prefer Sony's 940E 75"screen size to any 65"OLED.
With the right 4k content the 940E wows. At a street price of $4,200 is a bargain.
Yes the 77" OLED's are visually mesmerizing but their cost (10,000 for LG and $18,000 for Sony) puts them in competition with 4k Projectors (Sony, Epson, JVC, Optoma) that can produce stunning images in 130+"screens.

dommyluc's picture
Submitted by dommyluc on October 15, 2017 - 2:25pm

I hear so many people complaining about the price of OLED TVs (and I agree that Sony seems to be overpricing their models as compared to the ones from LG), but many of these same people wax nostalgic about the bygone Pioneer Kuro Elite plasma TVs from a few years back (and they were beautiful TVs, BTW). But they seem to have forgotten that the pioneer Elite Kuro Pro-151FD 60" beauty had a MSRP of $5800 in 2009. No streaming. No 4K. No HDR or Dolby Vision. I'll bet that list price is at least $6500 after inflation in 2017. You can get a pretty sweet LG E7P with all the bells and whistles you need for about $3500 today.
As I have said: I am not trying to put down the plasmas; they were spectacular televisions, the supreme TVs of their time. But people have very selective memories about things like price. Don't forget, in the late '70s a top-of-the-line VHS VCR could run you nearly $1000!

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