I have the above mentioned set, and have noticed that in the top left corner of the screen, the 3D is not working properly. If you view through either lens, you always get both images. As you move down the screen, or to the right, the lenses begin to isolate the left and right views properly... as you can see from this image. Sorry about the quality, it's hard work trying to hold the glasses, and my phone, and press the shutter button on the phone, whilst trying to keep it all aligned. 
It means that 3D is unwatchable on the set, because it is ruined by the double images in that corner. I have tried multiple sets of the glasses that come with the TV, and they all show the same problem. Has anyone else had the same problem, and found a solution? Or does it seem like the panel is faulty?
Just for information purposes, the words in the corners and centre have their depth set in front of the viewing plane. The words "Behind" are set to be shown behind the viewing plane.
After doing some extensive testing last night, I came to a final conclusion... the set is just garbage for 3D. Maybe the reviewers got properly working versions of this set. Or maybe the reviewers got free versions of this set, to keep... as a reward for skimming over the crosstalk problem.
I watched one of the samples from the Sony 3D app in the TV, it was one of the conservation films showing underwater scenes, with overlaid text. At times, the whole screen was just a mass of ghosting (I will try and get a clear photo later), to the extent where it made your eyes hurt, trying to work out what was actual image, and what was ghosting. I can't see any way I could watch more than 2 minutes of anything in 3D on this set.
I get occasional crosstalk on my Epson active 3D projector, but nothing on the scale that I get from this TV. Clearly, I should have just bought an expensive 2D TV, because that's all that I have been left with. 
Ok, so I finally found the problem with this, and I have been in contact with Sony, as I was so shocked at the cause. I spent a good while testing various 3D clips, then suddenly noticed that when I leaned forward, the ghosting got less. So as it turned out, the reason I was getting all the ghosting, is... my eyes were a mere 8 inches (20cm) above the centre of the set, from over 13 feet away. I can be several feet below the centre of my 3D projector screen, but not a few inches above the centre of my TV.
The only way for me to solve this, is to sit on the floor. Or I could go round the furniture stores with a tape measure, and try and find a combination of seating and TV display unit, that resulted in my eyes being perfectly level with the centre of the set. Of course, should someone taller or shorter come round, they will have to suffer with the ghosting.
I get that there might be limitations to how this 3D works, but 8 inches above centre at 13 feet, is a stupidly tight tolerence. My biggest gripe though, is this tolerence is not mentioned anywhere. No salesperson ever mentioned this, and I've never seen the restriction mentioned in any videos or reviews. There is nothing on the Sony site about vertical viewing angle restrictions, and nothing in the 3D troubleshooting section of the i-Manual. Nothing about my setup is non-standard, so I am pretty angry with Sony about this. If a piece of equipment has restrictions that are this severe, then it should be made perfectly clear at the point of sale.
So I have to amend my earlier statement... the set might be great for 3D, but it is not great at fitting in with existing seating and display units, unless they just happen to be the exact height required, to get the centre of the set at the precise height requirement. So now I have a fight with Sony, because like usual, they don't really care, having got my money. I pity all those families that buy the set, because some of them are going to end up with potential health issues, or they will have to miss out on the 3D films when they get shown.
So there you have it... if you're going to buy one of these sets, measure twice, buy once. Who'd have thought that advice would ever apply to buying a TV.
Actually, an analogy with audio is not quite the same. I have a pair of floorstanding Kef Q500 speakers, if I sit down, I get perfect stereo. If I stand up, I get perfect stereo... that's how sound works. If I stood up and got distorted sound, then the analogy would be more accurate, but I don't. If you move sideways, you introduce milliseconds worth of delay from either speaker, but the effect is negligible... but modern speakers are better designed to cater for that.
You actually asked the one question Sony should have asked "If the set is so critical with regards to vertical viewing angles, shouldn't there be a way to move the set?". Which is why PC monitors usually have tilt adjustment. If you have a TN screen, the vertical viewing angles are critical. I have a pair of NEC 20WGX2 Pro IPS monitors that don't need tilt adjustment, because they are IPS and vertical viewing angles are flexible. If you think about it, it is far easier to slightly rotate a TV on a TV stand, yet they added swivel adjustment. Doesn't that seem kinda crazy to you, when horizontal alignment is less critical?
I have no doubt that I could slap an unsightly 8 inch thick block of something on my TV stand. Would you accept that as a solution to a problem with a £900 TV? Had Sony given the stand a square base, it would have been easier to slightly raise the front edge, to tilt the screen upwards, but instead, they gave it a round base. Placing anything in the centre to raise the stand, would compromise the stability and support of the base. This is unfortunately, what the "style over substance" method of designing gets you. The Xperia Tablet Z has the exact same problem, looks great, but has serious usability issues as a result of the design.
Had this problem been made clear at the point of sale, I could have checked measurements, and made an educated decision. As I told Sony, I suspect that had they done that, nobody would buy their set. But I have stood up watching passive 3D on an LG TV, from just a few feet away, so had no real reason to suspect that technology varied to such a degree, across different brands of TV. The fact that there seems to be no mention of it anywhere, on their website, or in documentation, makes me think Sony are going out of their way to keep the fact under wraps. That's a dangerous approach to take.
Note: I edited that as the first line seemed overly aggressive. I am angry at Sony and I am trying my hardest, to not direct that at forum users. The reason I live alone, is my wife passed away not too long ago, and that has made me a very intolerant, and often angry person. I don't intend to offend, but I know I sometimes do.
I can fully understand where your coming from. If you are given all the information before purchasing (whether its sales rep or internet based) you can make an informed decision. Maybe the audio analogy was out a little, but the only one I could think of at the time.
In 2011 I purchased my TV for £1,200 and the 3D is not good at all. However my main issues are different, as the viewing 3D more than an hour gives me a headache, and a household member has less than 20% vision in one eye. Hence 3D is no longer important to me at this moment. However this is different in your case, where 3D is very important to you.
Once apon a time, Sony made a tilt stand for the monolithic designed TV's, which gave a 6degree tilt (see pic below), this is no longer the case.
From my understanding the W8 series uses the IPS LCD panels, which is suppose to give a greater viewing angle (however from your experience, I assume its more horizontal, than vertical)
My only suggestion (of which you are doing anyhow) is to pursue a refund as its not fit for purpose.
Hope everything goes well for you in the end.
EDIT: Just a thought, Have you experimented using OverUnder 3D (Top and Bottom) instead of Side-by-Side, or vice-versa? Just curious on the difference, as I have been reading that OU is better on passive 3D.
0online
1855118posts