Sony Trinitron KVX2172u - picture tweaks

[Cade Mentality]

Hi all. Newby here. Great site, loving your work. I have a few queries regarding the Sony Trin kvx2172u.
It's a great CRT but I would love to tweak it to improve the native scanlines. I have tried the "TT" test function, that doesn't work. I tried Fagin's teletext button trick, which I hoped would work, but it didn't.
Lastly I tried the one that says press display, 5 and all that shite-no good either!

Do any of you guys know if I can enter the service menu on this particular model, or mod for better scanlines! I have only tried it with my SNES so far. Did have my DC hooked up just after Xmas but that's now in the garage stored.

[DarkSlayer]

Iv been having similair problems with a SOny Trinitron as well. Howw new is your model? and also dosnt snes output at 240p? (therefore having scan lines) or am i missing your question>?

[Cade Mentality]

I believe my CRT is circa 1994, or so it said on some random button press I made Yeah I think SNES does output 240p but, I was really wanting to make the scanlines more prominent; I thought I may be able to do this?
Ideally I'd love there to be a reachable service menu as I dont think I'll be taking the case off. Unfortunately I am not a nerd in the soldering and modding scene, hopefully one day!

[ThEmperorIsDead]

Is your snes PAL by any chance?

[Ed Oscuro]

On all the Sony Trinitrons I've looked at (and on almost all TVs in general) the manufacture date is on the sticker at the back of the chassis, if you're interested to see that. This did look like a slightly older model when I looked it up earlier.

[Cade Mentality]

Is your snes PAL by any chance?

Yes indeed, my SNES is 50Hz. SADLY! Is this the main reason?

[ThEmperorIsDead]

Is your snes PAL by any chance?

Yes indeed, my SNES is 50Hz. SADLY! Is this the main reason?

Yes the letter boxed image probably isn't helping the size of the scanlines, a temporary fix might be to enter the service menu and stretch the image to full screen using VSize or something of the like.
To access most Trinitron's service menu try this with the TV on standby: The info button (button with "i" on) > button 5 > Volume Up > Button with the blank screen icon.
The buttons are in different places on different models but I have found the combination usually works on most Trinitrons.
This video although not in English shows it clearly: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9HjJI8MyTc
Also make sure you are using a RGB scart cable.
I can mod your snes for 50/60hz Eng/Jap, if you want.

[Cade Mentality]

I am sure I have the only Sony CRT in which I cant get to the servie menu, via remote. I did see that YT video but unfortunately my (bloody) remote does not have an " i " button. I see the blank screen icon, i also have a blank screen icon with plus in it(??!). Yeah I am using a SCART cable, although I am not sure if its any good; audible humming on the sound! Yes, I would be keen for a 60hz mod. You can PM some details and we can sort it! Thank you.

My CRT is what is known as a Hi Black Trinitron. I wonder if needed to acquire a Super Trinitron?

[ThEmperorIsDead]

That's annoying, can you post a pic of your remote?
I just found this if it's any use: "Sony models from the early 1990s incorporated a Service switch at the rear of the television, near the antenna or video-in jacks. If you find such a switch, hold it down while turning on power to the television to enter Service mode".

[Cade Mentality]

cheers. I did have a check at the back of the set, I will have to look again, in brighter light.
I'll get a pic of the remote as soon as I can.

[fagin]

This set uses the BA-3 chassis....

Use the following to access the Service Menu:

DISPLAY -> 5 -> VOL(+) -> POWER

The DISPLAY button will be the one with i+ or ? on it (if my memory serves me correctly).

[Cade Mentality]

This set uses the BA-3 chassis....

Use the following to access the Service Menu:

DISPLAY -> 5 -> VOL(+) -> POWER

The DISPLAY button will be the one with i+ or ? on it (if my memory serves me correctly).

I'll try that, thanks man. Hopefully this works. Let you guys know. Here is the remote mean while...........No it's no good. Still doesn't allow service screen to show!!

[ThEmperorIsDead]

From what I can make out, this looks like it might be the display button. It should bring up the source info on screen when pressed.

[Cade Mentality]

Yes, I have tried that button, no good. Gona have to scour the net again. Surely someone has owned the tv and wanted to change the geometry!! I'm hoping!

[Ed Oscuro]

If you are going to enter service mode, be sure to write down any settings you encounter and change, because there is no automatic "factory settings" reversion (since individual TVs were set with unique values at the factory).

[fagin]

My bad..... wrong chassis identification. Yours is a AE-2B.

Press any two buttons pressed on your front panel (on the TV), keep them pressed whilst switching the TV on.

[Cade Mentality]

Yes, I get to the TT mode from here. Tried this but it doesn't give me any options for geom settings. I bashed a few buttons in order to display a config display but nothing. I have seen various YT vids where a service menu is displayed, nothing of that kind with my TV!! It literally just displays TT in the famous green Trinitron text! Any ideas on how to navigate in this mode? Thanks for your help btw!

[Fudoh]

Usually, once the TT is displayed, you can cycle through the menu/service menu pages with the standard menu button.

[Cade Mentality]

Right, firstly thank you to all that have been kind enough to spend time & effort helping me on this one. We cracked it, and OM MY am I pleased. I will tell you why in a minute. Thank you to Fagin, you genious It was you that advised what chassis my CRT had and so I looked up the manual and found a PDF online. This is a serious service menu - I can change all manner of things. I have taken an image of each screen I propose to change, so I never come unstuck.

The menu (apart from the normal V/H size, V linearity, tilt, angle etc) has FREE RUN 60Hz, SYS 60Hz, Double scan & Interlace options. I instantly chose FREE RUN 60Hz (on my PAL SNES) and it pushed the picture to 60Hz, almost zero PAL borders top & bottom and decent scanlines! Fagin, any idea how this does this? As my SNES is 50Hz, so I guess its just the TV forcing the 60 Hz refresh frequency my game still plays at 50Hz right??

Anyway, this is what you need to do in order to get to the Service menu: TV on standby and press and hold the two buttons (plus & minus, on the front panel of the TV next to the input jacks) until the TV comes on. On the remote press MENU. go down to DEMO & press OK. This takes you into the Devices service menu i.e CXA1587, CDX2018. Take pictures of all these settings before you starting modding any!!

Thank you chaps, great team work. Hopefully I can be of help to you guys in future.

[Fudoh]

so I guess its just the TV forcing the 60 Hz refresh frequency my game still plays at 50Hz right??

Very interesting option - never heard of that. Should be a a framerate conversion. Well, has to be, but should also introduce some unwanted effects like tearing if you have a 50fps game running.

[fagin]

Right, firstly thank you to all that have been kind enough to spend time & effort helping me on this one. We cracked it, and OM MY am I pleased. I will tell you why in a minute. Thank you to Fagin, you genious It was you that advised what chassis my CRT had and so I looked up the manual and found a PDF online. This is a serious service menu - I can change all manner of things. I have taken an image of each screen I propose to change, so I never come unstuck.

The menu (apart from the normal V/H size, V linearity, tilt, angle etc) has FREE RUN 60Hz, SYS 60Hz, Double scan & Interlace options. I instantly chose FREE RUN 60Hz (on my PAL SNES) and it pushed the picture to 60Hz, almost zero PAL borders top & bottom and decent scanlines! Fagin, any idea how this does this? As my SNES is 50Hz, so I guess its just the TV forcing the 60 Hz refresh frequency my game still plays at 50Hz right??

Anyway, this is what you need to do in order to get to the Service menu: TV on standby and press and hold the two buttons (plus & minus, on the front panel of the TV next to the input jacks) until the TV comes on. On the remote press MENU. go down to DEMO & press OK. This takes you into the Devices service menu i.e CXA1587, CDX2018. Take pictures of all these settings before you starting modding any!!

Thank you chaps, great team work. Hopefully I can be of help to you guys in future.

Glad it all worked in the end.

With regards to your experience with "FREE RUN 60HZ", if the TV is infact converting the 50hz image to a 60hz image you will get scrolling issues. Since the timing will be to pot on the PAL to NTSC conversion. I don't actually know what that mode means in reality.

[fagin]

SNAP!

[ThEmperorIsDead]

Glad you got sorted.

[Cade Mentality]

thanks guys

[Beaps]

I managed to get into the service menu by holding 2 buttons on the front and powering on, I get the TT but when I press MENU nothing happens, I only want to move the horizontal over to the right.

Any ideas

[Beaps]

Anyone