Sony PVM-20L4 Picture Settings

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k1ngarth3r
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Sony PVM-20L4 Picture Settings

Post by k1ngarth3r »

I'm trying to get a decent picture on my monitor but the current settings seem to be way out.

I can get to the engineers service menu by the following button presses:

Menu
Enter + Degauss

Does anyone have any recommended settings they could share with me so I can make a start getting a good picture.

Here's what the picture looks like using a PAL RGB NES

Image

SIG

Level-1
Y Black:
PB Black:
Chroma PB:
Chroma PR
Y Level
CLP P DLY

Level-2
G-Y/B Level:
G-Y/R Level:
PB Level:
PR Level:

White Balance
Sub Contrast:
Sub Bright:
Colour Temp:
Manual/Auto:
Start:
X:
Y:
Ref Value:

Decoder Colour
HP:
CLP:
Burst Gate PLS:
XTAL FO:
Sub Phase:
Acc Phase:
R-Y Phase:

Decoder Level:
Dec Y Level:
Dec B-Y Level:
Dec R-Y Level:
Acc Level:

Deflection:

Focus
H Duty:
HFV Sense:
HFC Control:
H DF Phase:
H DF Para:
Landing:
Last edited by k1ngarth3r on July 2nd, 2016, 3:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Sony PVM-20L4 Picture Settings

Post by nem »

k1ngarth3r wrote:Does anyone have any recommended settings they could share with me so I can make a start getting a good picture.
There are no recommended settings, every monitor (especially since these are old) will be differently set up.

Write down the current settings and start playing around with them. It will be easier if you can a get a test screen up with color bars (240p test suite is super handy for this). If not, your best try it is with a game that is familiar to you.
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Re: Sony PVM-20L4 Picture Settings

Post by k1ngarth3r »

nem wrote:
k1ngarth3r wrote:Does anyone have any recommended settings they could share with me so I can make a start getting a good picture.
There are no recommended settings, every monitor (especially since these are old) will be differently set up.

Write down the current settings and start playing around with them. It will be easier if you can a get a test screen up with color bars (240p test suite is super handy for this). If not, your best try it is with a game that is familiar to you.
I probably should have worded it better, but the settings seem to be way off so wanted to take someone else's settings to go off and then tweak from there.

I've adjusted quite a few of the settings and go a better picture but this I'll try the 240p test suite somehow cheers.
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Re: Sony PVM-20L4 Picture Settings

Post by Brettster »

Not sure if these are like the 20f1e BVM monitors but they have an "all reset" option to put all the settings to factory settings and start from there
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Re: Sony PVM-20L4 Picture Settings

Post by k1ngarth3r »

That would be ideal if it has - I will have a look through the service menus to see if I can find the option.
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Re: Sony PVM-20L4 Picture Settings

Post by skate323k137 »

Most have a reset. Also defaults should be listed in the service manuals.
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Re: Sony PVM-20L4 Picture Settings

Post by k1ngarth3r »

I can't see the defaults in the service manual :(

Will look for the reset this afternoon.
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Re: Sony PVM-20L4 Picture Settings

Post by LEGENOARYNINLIA »

The reset might make things worse.
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Re: Sony PVM-20L4 Picture Settings

Post by k1ngarth3r »

You could be right! I will make sure to capture all the settings before pressing it :awe:
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Re: Sony PVM-20L4 Picture Settings

Post by RoZioN »

Sorry but have you tried tried the buttons in the front, it looks like the blueonly setting is on or something, or the sync on green is ****? are you sure the RGB is connected correctly?
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Re: Sony PVM-20L4 Picture Settings

Post by trev1976 »

I need to get me one of these PVM's too ,I'm sure it will go great when sorted
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Re: Sony PVM-20L4 Picture Settings

Post by Reco1210 »

Did you get this sorted after? I got the same monitor. I can check my settings and let you know what they are if you want.
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Re: Sony PVM-20L4 Picture Settings

Post by k1ngarth3r »

Well just got some news today in fact...

I ordered an everdrive for the mega drive so I could run 240p test suite (I don't have any consoles with optical drives except the Saturn) which arrived today.

I've performed a factory reset on the PVM and it seems better for sure but the colours don't seem deep still.

I haven't tried Zelda again but will shortly.

I've still got tweaking to do but not sure on which settings to focus the tweaking on tbh.

If you could share your settings that would certainly be helpful just for reference :D
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Re: Sony PVM-20L4 Picture Settings

Post by Brettster »

not so sure on these monitors but you could check that the termination is turned on if it has a switch. the BVM monitor that I had needed 75 Ohm BNC terminators on the output BNC connectors otherwise it looked washed out
the smaller PVM's that I have have automatic termination or external you just slide a switch to enable it

I've also found not all consoles output the same signal strength found the megadrive with resistors in the scart plug to give the nicest most vivid picture
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Re: Sony PVM-20L4 Picture Settings

Post by Frankfjs »

Judging by your first pic I'd say that the issue is with a connection/cable problem rather than your monitors settings. Are you using a scart to bnc breakout cable? If so are you sure that it's plugged in correctly/firmly and that there's no broken connection(s)?
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Re: Sony PVM-20L4 Picture Settings

Post by k1ngarth3r »

Thanks for the advice guys, I'll check out the suggestions later today / tomorrow.

I'll check the manual to see If I need to manually terminate output but think it does this automatically.

I'll list the cables that I'm using along with the pictures of other systems and how they look later too.

It could be the RGB cable I'm using for my NES - I bought the RGB NES with the cable, all other cables was purchased from https://www.retrogamingcables.co.uk.
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Re: Sony PVM-20L4 Picture Settings

Post by Frankfjs »

I bought a pvm cable from the same place and had issues with it. He changed to a new design at some point and the bnc plugs were too large to make a proper connection with the monitor plugs. Does your cable have the big gold bnc plugs? If so it's from the bad batch. With my cable I had to really press the plugs in tight otherwise it wouldn't make a stable connection.

I've since bought a new cable elsewhere.
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Re: Sony PVM-20L4 Picture Settings

Post by Gamez »

Maybe your monitor has really been used a lot.

I've tested nearly 100 of these monitors and there are differences between the same models when comparing.

Best way to test would be to connect two together.
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Re: Sony PVM-20L4 Picture Settings

Post by k1ngarth3r »

Here's an example of the display I get for some of the system's I have setup.

Currently these are all being manually swapped over to to the PVM via "Female RGBS SCART to BNC adapter cable for Sony PVM/ BVM monitors" from Retro Gaming Cables.

First we have a PAL Mega Drive with Switchless Mod connected with the following cable

Sega Mega Drive Megadrive 1 Genesis 1 audio video AV RGB SCART / JP21 cable TV cord lead
- Output: EuroSCART
- Sync : Composite Video + Sync

Image

Next the PAL NES which has the RGB mod and 3 different colour palette switch

The cable was supplied with the system so don't know who made it.

Image

NB: This is after the factory reset

Next the PAL Sega Master System MK2 with Switchless Mod / RGB mod

The cable also came with the system

Image

Next the NEO-GEO AES US version factory stock

Comes with a cable from Retro Gaming Cables (From 2014) SNK Neo Geo AES stereo sound RGB SCART cable
Item Number AES stereo , SYNC:

Image

I do have other systems but thought this was a good enough example.

I think the picture is pretty good on all now.

The Neo-Geo has always looked sharp to be fair though.
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Re: Sony PVM-20L4 Picture Settings

Post by k1ngarth3r »

Just an update...

Today I switched over the PVM to Female scart to a new PVM to male scart to connect to my new switch box.

The colours are now all corrected and look amazing... Previous pictures posted look **** compared.
Last edited by k1ngarth3r on August 13th, 2016, 9:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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