Sony PVM-2530 25" RGB monitor TATE guide

EOJ · Post by **EOJ** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 3:34 am

I recently bought a Sony PVM-2530 25" RGB monitor off of GaijinPunch, before he moved back to Tokyo. As many people have mentioned, this monitor is notorious for having color problems when put in a vertical (=TATE) position. However, I think I figured out how to keep it in "permatate".

On my monitor, if I rotate it vertically from a horizontal position, there is normally always a somewhat large "faded" discoloration on the purples and reds on the left side of the screen. It's playable, but not ideal. Others have reported problems with greens on these monitors as well. I bought and used a professional degausser more than once and this did NOT fix the problem.

Following GJP's advice, I tried rotating the monitor from hori>vert while it is still on, after being in a hori position (powered on) for about 30 min. That is the key. I don't know how he thought of that, but I can't thank him enough for that info. It really works. However, as GJP noted, after 5-6 hours of play, the discoloration comes back, and so I would have to rotate it over and over every couple days.

And then I found a way to have "permatate". About a week and a half ago I turned the monitor horizontal and kept it running for about 30 min. I kept it on and rotated it like I did before. No discoloration, as usual. However, each time after I am done playing, right after I turn off the monitor I immediately unplug the power cord from the outlet. I do it when I can still hear the power down static sound on the monitor. I plug it back in only right before I am about to turn it on.
I do not press the degauss button on the monitor, I just turn it on and it's fine. Since I have been doing this, I have kept it in TATE and have played at least 20 hours on it, and it's still perfect. I haven't had to rotate it.

So, if any of you have one of these, try this method and see if it works for you too. The PVM-2530 is a beautiful and affordable 25" RGB monitor, and being able to use it in TATE without discoloration and without constant rotating every other day (as the thing is ridiculously heavy, like 130lbs), is a dream come true.

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 11:20 pm

Nice. Glad to hear that you've found a nice way to keep it on it's side for extended periods of time. Even though it's heavey, I found TATE'ing it easy do to it's very rectangular shape. My Sony Wega I have here has rounded sides... making it lean back a bit when it's on it's side.... kind of arcade cab-ish though, so I like it.

I had some good times with that PVM though.

elvis · Post by **elvis** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 5:18 am

Do any of you people own degauss wands?

The cure for all your ills. ExcellentCom stock them for $4. Definitely not wallet busters.

zakk · Post by **zakk** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 5:44 am

elvis wrote:Do any of you people own degauss wands?

The cure for all your ills. ExcellentCom stock them for $4. Definitely not wallet busters.

I bought and used a professional degausser more than once and this did NOT fix the problem.

segasonicfan · Post by **segasonicfan** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 2:04 pm

lol...

anyway thanks for the informative post. I have a pvm 2530 but just upgraded to a pvm 2950q. this info would have been really helpful a year ago

great monitors but I gotta say they don't quite compare to the great wells gardner ones I've seen. those are....magnificent. PVMs got more features though, so Im looking to get one of each

-Segasonicfan

scrilla4rella · Post by **scrilla4rella** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 6:44 pm

nice! Looks like I will be in the market for an RGB enabled monitor very soon, after my 15" Amiga just died on me. I have been eyeing these 25" PVMs for awhile now...

It looks like I may be moving to Japan this fall so any new monitor purchase will have to wait until then.

Hey GP, where did you purchase the monitor? Yahoo auctions?

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 4:02 pm

elvis wrote:Do any of you people own degauss wands?

This monitor has a degauss button, and it works most of the time. This is a small section that is largely unaffected by degaussing though. I don't think a wand will help.

Hey GP, where did you purchase the monitor? Yahoo auctions?

The PVM I bought in Hawaii from Wanderer. He & Matt picked up 4 of them at a military auction. While I was there, I saw four (3 2530's and a 2950) go for about $75. I would check something like that in your area. You can have them cheap.

For those that care, the Japanese equivalement is the Sony Pro Feel. Same model, in a little snazzier case, 21-pin RGB connector instead of the 25-pin D-sub, and speakers as an option. I've never seen one though. A Wega TV is a better option for someone in Japan. No TATE issues found above, service menu to check horizontal & vertical sizes, speakers, etc. great TVs.

scrilla4rella · Post by **scrilla4rella** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 9:21 pm

Wega are nice indeed. I got a small 19" that is perfect for tate, too bad no RGB tho. The S-video is nice and thankfully my Sigma AV5000 outputs S-video.

It would be awsome to find some auction, in the real world, to score some big monitors...

EOJ · Post by **EOJ** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 10:01 am

Just an update on this- the monitor is still running perfect with no discoloration. It's been TATEd for over 3 weeks straight now, and I've still been unplugging it *every time* immediately after power-down. I must have played at least 30 hours on it now.

I'm a bit afraid to move it horizontal, fearing I'll screw up the perfect situation I've found, but it's currently not a problem as I have no YOKO PCBs and I still don't have a PS2 RGB cable for the monitor.

@elvis: As I stated above I bought a heavy-duty professional degaussing coil and used it many times on this monitor. NO EFFECT. The only permanent cure I've found is the method I've described in this thread. I have no idea why, the PVM-2530s are bizarre monitors in this regard.

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 3:26 pm

scrilla4rella wrote:Wega are nice indeed. I got a small 19" that is perfect for tate, too bad no RGB tho.

JPN & European models do. US got fucked.

scrilla4rella · Post by **scrilla4rella** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 10:13 am

"JPN & European models do. US got fucked."

shitty, well now I know that I don't have to go hunting for some random-ass comercial grade monitor is I end up relocating. Too bad i'll have to settle for S-video til then.

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 11:38 am

I wonder how much it would run to locate some type of RGB input and pay someone to install it.