I have a KDL-40HX803 and BDP-S470 blu-ray player. I'm running the latest firmware updates.

When playing 3D movies in normal (general) mode, I notice that some images, especially lighter images (skies etc) have a substantial flicker. It is almost painful to watch.

I've noticed that putting the TV into theatre mode reduces the flicker. This is not ideal because it simply darkens the picture, masking the problem, and this seems to reduce the 3D effect. The images seem more vibrant and more 3D running in the general mode, but this increases the flicker to almost unwatchable.

Something else I've tried is adjusting the glasses brightness setting from Auto to Low. This seems to be quite effective. I'm wondering if Auto works at all.

This has all been tested in a room with no other light source and total blackness.

Do people have the same problem as me? Is this a feature of all Sony 3D TVs or do I have a faulty unit? What recommendations can people make for flicker-free 3D viewing whilst retaining bright, vibrant images?