SONY Grand Wega(TM) SXRD 50" Rear Projection TV KDS-R50XBR1
By: Sony Average Rating: 3.0 Total Reviews: 24
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 On: 2008-03-03
Ive owned this TV since 10/2005, and it worked great until about a month ago. Now the greenish tint that others complain about has arrived. I do have an extended warrenty, and Sony did send a repairman to check my set. Yes, the light engine is out of whack. The service guy said it is covered by warrenty, but he isnt sure if Sony will replace the light engine or provide another set. Well see what happens next.
On: 2007-10-19
When "everyone" (friends, co-workers, consumer reviews) said the Sony Wega SXRD was THE BEST HDTV, I splurged and spent $2600 in January 2007 on a KDS-R50BR1 as a retirement gift for myself. The picture wasnt as sharp as I expected but I blamed it on the antiquated cable wiring in my apartment building. Nine months later the screen went black and the "fun" began - scheduling and waiting for repairmen, sending the set to the repair shop, waiting for part after back-ordered part to be tried in the set. After eight weeks of repeated phone calls to the dealer, repair shop and Sony, Sony finally gave me a replacement - a REFURBISHED set, the same model as the piece of junk that I bought. What a nightmare! Now that Im learning about all the problems others are having Im just waiting for it to start all over again. My confidence in Sony is shot.
On: 2007-10-18
When "everyone" (friends, co-workers, consumer reviews) said the Sony Wega SXRD was THE BEST HDTV, I splurged and spent $2600 in January 2007 on a KDS-R50BR1 as a retirement gift for myself. The picture wasnt as sharp as I expected but I blamed it on the antiquated cable wiring in my apartment building. Nine months later the screen went black and the "fun" began - scheduling and waiting for repairmen, sending the set to the repair shop, waiting for part after back-ordered part to be tried in the set. After eight weeks of repeated phone calls to the dealer, repair shop and Sony, Sony finally gave me a replacement - a REFURBISHED set, the same model as the piece of junk that I bought. What a nightmare! Now that Im learning about all the problems others are having Im just waiting for it to start all over again. My confidence in Sony is shot.
On: 2007-10-07
This model and the 60 " version
are on the recall list. Stay away
from this one. Defective light engine
which is the heart of the TV. Just had
mine replaced now the entire picture has
blue hue. This is a $1000 plus repair
Sony is only covering this part for another
year. Now I have a worked on $3000 plus piece
of junk. My $150 Target tube TV gets a better
overall picture. The underpaid Sony Reps could
care less, Just like upper management. Going
to sell this junk at a deep discount dont need
the aggravation with Sony or their service techs.
On: 2007-09-14
I held off for years on buying a large format TV because of the considerable cost. I bought this from Circuit City 14 months ago, and I am getting an ugly green tinge to the picture. I purchased the extended service plan, so I was thinking perhaps its just the light bulb going and Ill be all right. Well the serviceman walks in, looks for 2 seconds and says "I know whats causing it; we have been seeing a lot of this recently. He went on to explain, that of anything that could go wrong, this is the most expensive as it is essentially the heart of the system. Well at that point I stopped feeling better and felt I may be dealing with a bad design. I came to the Amazon website and read reviews of one person after another having issues with this model. Now I feel like Im screwed as I see no reason this wont keep repeating. Buyer Beware, Avoid Sony Products.
On: 2007-09-13
I held off for years on buying a large format TV because of the considerable cost. I bought this from Circuit City 14 months ago, and I am getting an ugly green tinge to the picture. I purchased the extended service plan, so I was thinking perhaps its just the light bulb going and Ill be all right. Well the serviceman walks in, looks for 2 seconds and says "I know whats causing it; we have been seeing a lot of this recently. He went on to explain, that of anything that could go wrong, this is the most expensive as it is essentially the heart of the system. Well at that point I stopped feeling better and felt I may be dealing with a bad design. I came to the Amazon website and read reviews of one person after another having issues with this model. Now I feel like Im screwed as I see no reason this wont keep repeating. Buyer Beware, Avoid Sony Products.
On: 2007-08-04
Mine has been going south with the vertical green bar problem for the past couple of months. Green bar(s) growing in intensity over time. No point in replacing parts, the fundamental technology is flawed; after another 9 months, it will fail again. I cannot believe Sony did not know about this defect in the system. My guess is that they released it to the field in an attempt to recoup their investment costs. For the first time ever, if a Class Action starts on this one, I will join.
DO NOT BUY INTO THIS TECHNOLOGY!!!
 On: 2007-06-15
i had just purchased this tv from bestbuy on sale $1799, lugged it home, dragged it up 2 flights of stairs, hooked up all wires and connections and did the initial setup. Picture looks great, but wait, whats that high pitch noise? Sounds like a smoke alarm only not as loud but very high pitched. Even when i turn off tv it still makes the noise. Only by unplugging did it solved the problem. Called customer service, when thru the whole ordeal of their step by step protocols and about 1 hr later, no fix but now they have all my info they collected from me to send me more promotions and advertisement. So now less than 3 hours from purchase i returned it to bestbuy, they tested it and found same problem but didnt have another model to exchange with. Disappointed at first, but later after reading more reviews im glad they were out of the tv. I knew there must have been a reason that a $2600 tv was now being sold for $1799.
 On: 2007-05-05
I have had this TV for about 9 months now, and I have loved every thing about it. But last night I noticed for the first time the "yellow fog" starting up in the right hand corner. Im very upset about this because my son bought the same 50" set a couple of months before I did, and last month he ended up having his TV replaced because of the same problem. He said the yellow spot starts out small, but as time goes by it ends up spreading over a lot of the screen. Fortunately, he had purchased a Circuit City extended warranty, and they actually replaced his TV with a new 60" at no charge. Evidently this is a really common problem with this TV and they dont even do the repair anymore. I dont have an extended warranty, so I guess Ill be doing my fighting with Sony. Wish me luck!
PS -- I just had a live internet chat with Sony customer service, and after they figured out that I knew that this has been an ongoing problem, they gave me a link to their website that says there is an extension of the original warranty due to this problem (its a malfunctioning part called the "optical block"). If Amazon lets me do this, the link is [...]
If you cant paste that into your browser, just go to the Sony website and the announcement and instructions are under "news and alerts".
On: 2007-04-27
Well, we bought our TV in 2/06 and were thrilled with the awsome picture quality. Then, 5 months later we had our first experience with the yellowish line down the right side. After hearing that the repair would take at least 3 hours and reading reports about the optical engine DEFECT on forums, we fought with the A/V specialty store we bought it from and were able to get a replacement TV.
Sony, the service company and the store all insisted that there was NO DEFECT, but the many people complaining on the forums and experiencing this problem knew otherwise!
The 2nd TV was great for 10 DAYS! Then it began experiencing the yellow line problem and the fight began again. But, we won that fight and tried one more KDS-R50XBR1, having read that there was a possibility that the optical engine defect had been corrected.
All was good, UNTIL TODAY! This is our 3rd TV! And, we have the same problem. Ironically, Sony sent out a notice about extending the warranty on the optical block in April.
I am so disgusted with this TV and it is unbelievable to think that we have to go through this again.
Yes, the picture is awsome...when it doesnt have a yellow line down the side. No way would I buy this TV until Sony has proven that the problem is fixed. Also, if you do buy it, get the extended warranty and get in writing that a replacement tv will be given to you if you encounter this problem. It is less painful than living through a minimum 3 hour in-home service repair, for the problem to return in a few months.
Better yet...dont buy this TV.
On: 2007-04-26
Well, we bought our TV in 2/06 and were thrilled with the awsome picture quality. Then, 5 months later we had our first experience with the yellowish line down the right side. After hearing that the repair would take at least 3 hours and reading reports about the optical engine DEFECT on forums, we fought with the A/V specialty store we bought it from and were able to get a replacement TV.
Sony, the service company and the store all insisted that there was NO DEFECT, but the many people complaining on the forums and experiencing this problem knew otherwise!
The 2nd TV was great for 10 DAYS! Then it began experiencing the yellow line problem and the fight began again. But, we won that fight and tried one more KDS-R50XBR1, having read that there was a possibility that the optical engine defect had been corrected.
All was good, UNTIL TODAY! This is our 3rd TV! And, we have the same problem. Ironically, Sony sent out a notice about extending the warranty on the optical block in April.
I am so disgusted with this TV and it is unbelievable to think that we have to go through this again.
Yes, the picture is awsome...when it doesnt have a yellow line down the side. No way would I buy this TV until Sony has proven that the problem is fixed. Also, if you do buy it, get the extended warranty and get in writing that a replacement tv will be given to you if you encounter this problem. It is less painful than living through a minimum 3 hour in-home service repair, for the problem to return in a few months.
Better yet...dont buy this TV.
On: 2007-01-16
I purchased SONY KDS-R60XBR1 TV April 2006. It is a bigger size TV which has same functions and capabilities. The TV was advertised as 1080p capable. Salesperson in a store said that it can show 1080p resolution pictures. He also said that I can watch movies in 1080p resolution where Blue-ray player is available. I have waited for the devices to be available at stores and finally bought a PlayStation 3 which has Blue-ray drive equipped. I connected the PS3 to this SONY KDS-R60XBR1 TV with Blue-Ray Movie put in the player by HDMI cable. I was frustrated by realizing this TV is not an actual 1080p TV. I called SONY. They say KDS-R60XBR1 is not a 1080p TV but 1080p display. SONY said that it just shows pictures that look like 1080p pictures. How can a TV with 1080p capability and 1080p term in the upfront not show any 1080p resolution pictures? Be careful this TV is not a 1080p TV. Its a 1080p display which the screen output may look like 1080p TV by their definitions. It sure does not make senses at all to me.
On: 2007-01-15
I purchased SONY KDS-R60XBR1 TV April 2006. It is a bigger size TV which has same functions and capabilities. The TV was advertised as 1080p capable. Salesperson in a store said that it can show 1080p resolution pictures. He also said that I can watch movies in 1080p resolution where Blue-ray player is available. I have waited for the devices to be available at stores and finally bought a PlayStation 3 which has Blue-ray drive equipped. I connected the PS3 to this SONY KDS-R60XBR1 TV with Blue-Ray Movie put in the player by HDMI cable. I was frustrated by realizing this TV is not an actual 1080p TV. I called SONY. They say KDS-R60XBR1 is not a 1080p TV but 1080p display. SONY said that it just shows pictures that look like 1080p pictures. How can a TV with 1080p capability and 1080p term in the upfront not show any 1080p resolution pictures? Be careful this TV is not a 1080p TV. Its a 1080p display which the screen output may look like 1080p TV by their definitions. It sure does not make senses at all to me.
On: 2006-12-16
Bought mine in Jan. 2006. I now have the infamous yellow stripe of death down the right side of the screen. I left the future of any sony purchases from this customer up to how sony dealt with this issue. Very poor... part is backordered and, from what Ive read, the new part has other imperfections. Only a few customers are getting full replacement tvs. They wouldnt replace mine, even when I wanted to pay extra for an upgraded set. Guess its who you know. Sony has gone down hill. I will never purchase another sony product again.
On: 2006-12-15
Bought mine in Jan. 2006. I now have the infamous yellow stripe of death down the right side of the screen. I left the future of any sony purchases from this customer up to how sony dealt with this issue. Very poor... part is backordered and, from what Ive read, the new part has other imperfections. Only a few customers are getting full replacement tvs. They wouldnt replace mine, even when I wanted to pay extra for an upgraded set. Guess its who you know. Sony has gone down hill. I will never purchase another sony product again.
On: 2006-11-27
I bought my 50" version of this television in February of 2006. For 6 months, it was the best picture I had ever seen, and I bragged about my setup to everyone who came over. However, my unit is now 9 months old and I too am having the same "burn-in" effect in the lower right of the screen. My setup is using THX-1000 Monster component cables coming from a Denon AVR-3805 receiver.
I cant believe that with the cost of this unit when compared to other models, that Sony allowed this type of defect to be proliferated in their flagship product.
I too am done with Sony TVs.
 On: 2006-11-19
I know Sony has come out with a newer model of this basic idea but I wanted to let people know that not all of these TVs blow up at 1 year. Ive had this TV for just over a year now and have had no problems with it at all. My sister has the 60" version and hers is still running strong as well. I did purchase the extended plan and a repair guy is coming to check basic maintainance on it but if it werent for the fact that Id already paid for that initially he wouldnt be coming.
The picture on this tv is still outstanding. I have had many Sony products over the years and only had 1 item ever break, which did take some extended dealing and more the 1 phone call but they fixed it for free.
On: 2006-11-09
The first year with the TV was great (Best picture Ive seen). However, about a week ago I noticed a green tint on the sides and bottom of the picture. Im probably looking at having to replace the light engine (probably the most expensive part in the TV). My next TV will use a DLP light engine. LCD (SXRD) technology is just not stable.
On: 2006-09-29
Similar to some of the other reviews on Amazon and other places on the net for this TV, I am experiencing the same "yellow-ish" tint on the right borders of the screen. Its getting worse over time and seems to be spreading to the rest of the screen. Its beginning to look like burn-in as a "ghost" image of a DVD menu is lingering on any light colored picture.
I purchased mine from Circuit City back in Febryary 06 and luckily bought the extended warranty. Howwever, the optical light engine, a $1400 part by the way, is backordered for about a month and a half from Sony. This is probably due to the fact that so many others are having the same problem. Sony has recently discontinued this model and now have a new one (which now fully supports 1080P).
Do yourself a favor, ban Sony products. Their quality, IMHO, has really gone down in the last several years. I wont even start on the whole laptop battery recall fiasco!
On: 2006-09-20
First off, Ive owned many Sonys over the past 20 years. I purchase about every 4 or 5 years and nearly always the flagship models.
This HDTV is a perfect 10 with one HUGE exception. When using the computer input, a yellow hue (tinge, etc.) becomes visable on the lower and right-hand sides of the screen. Sony phone support told me it doesnt effect all the TVs all of the time, just certain combinations of the tv with certain computers using input 8 (specifically designed for computers).
The yellow image builds-up noticably after about 30 minutes of input 8 use . The yellow image stays on the screen for between 30 minutes & several hours - no matter if you turn the television off & on again, or simply change the input from 8 to any other input.
I have an appointment for a repair shop to come pick-up the tv this morning. The tech there said its pretty common for both the 50" and 60" versions of the tv. This morning, I noticed an additional problem. When using the computer - again on the computer input 8 - I can now see what looks like an acutal screen burn (like the traditional RGB rear-projection big screens do)of the right-hand side scroll bar found in windows. Again, this looks more like screen burn than the yellow tint previously associated with this television.
I have no other complaints about this tv. But, for me, these problems bring the rating down from perfect to simply mediocre at best.
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind: Sony should recall these televisions. At what is double the price of other HDTV LCD units, this thing should operate without such a huge oversight. Its rediculous.
Im angry and yes - Im done with Sonys.
On: 2006-08-21
I purchased this set in March 2006. It does have an excellent picture but Sony is aware of failures with the optical engine which is a $1400 part. If you start to see a faint yellow line to the right of the set, you will soon see more yellow discoloration coming from the right side. Get an extended warranty and buy from a box-store with a good service department, as Sony will not exchange the set. Very dissapointed with Sony customer service, as they instruct their employees not to discuss the sets failures (understandable, but unacceptable when you consider the price for this tv.)
On: 2006-08-01
As many customers have reviewed, this is an excellent TV. Some common complaints are the speakers on the sides of the unit. Ill be honest, I like them there because it give better sound effects and increased distinction for the left and right channels. The new model of this unit is coming out as I write this, and it does not bother me that I purchased an old model. I would highly recommend this unit. Keep an eye out for sales as the price drops to make room for the new model which will have the speakers mounted on the bottom.
I also purchased the stand that was made for this unit. I have to somewhat large dogs and I was worried about them bumping into the TV or moving it in any way. With the Sony stand, the TV is locked in place so no need to worry.
As for problems with the unit breaking, I did purchase an extended warranty and I would recommend that as well. Im not worried about the unit breaking because I took the time to speak to some repair shops and they had positive things to say about Sony in general. I noticed that an earlier review stated that the unit malfunctioned within 16 months. I expect mine will have some problem in that same time frame because these are rear projection televisions which means that they use a bulb that goes out after time. This bulb costs several hundred dollars (they all do, its not just Sony or this TV) and will need to be replace from time to time. Im also not too concerned about it going out because replacement bulbs are covered under the warranty I purchased. I think thats an important part since I spent about $400 on the extended warranty.
It took me about two months and endless amounts of research to purchase this TV and Im glad I did. Ive owned it for about 2 months now and Im still amazed by the picture. I cant wait for the price of the HD-DVDs and Blue-ray discs to come down.
On: 2006-05-27
Yes, the picture is amazing IF youre watching something amazing on tv. Frankly, if you spend your days watching anything other than HD things, like National Geographic, dont waste your money. The other issue that is currently biting me in the backside is that my tv, which we bought only 16 months ago for a hefty price, is already broken, and the repair company says it will cost $478 to fix it. $478!!! That is ridiculous, first because its such a high price, but also because the stupid tv is only 16 months old! Things should not break with normal use after just 16 months. For two thousand dollars, the tv should last no fewer than 6 years before requiring attention, and even then, it should not cost 25% of the original price of the item. We will not be buying another Sony product again (not that we can afford to now).
Another thing to mention is that it took 5 phone calls and 3 sessions via Sony Instant Chat just to find out that the problem was going to be expensive to fix, and then Sony referred me to another company to schedule the repair. THAT took another 2 days of phone calls and waiting before anyone called us back to schedule the overpriced repair. The minimum service call for this product is $350, not including parts. Be warned.
 On: 2006-05-08
Ive had this TV for 2 years now,and the picture is still great. There have been major advances in LCDs since, but this picture still rivals all others.
On: 2006-04-24
I researched HDTV for the past year and decided to buy this TV and Im glad I did. The picture is simply beyond words! I LOVE THIS TV!
On: 2006-01-25
Im not one to get all technical on reviews, so I will simply say that this is the best tv Ive ever owned. The picture is stunning and it was well worth the money. I have mine hooked up to the Sony dream system (dav-fx100w) and it is AWESOME! I originally was going to buy another sony hdtv, just because it was more affordable, but Im glad I paid the extra money for this one. You cannot go wrong with this bad boy. It is the best tv out in the market today.
On: 2005-12-27
Thanks to an earlier post by someone else, I have been watching the prices of the Sony SXRD KBS-R50XBR1 and KBS-R60XBR1. As of 26 December 2005 Amazon.com is quoting $4000 for the 50 inch and $4100 for the 60 inch. What is the deal? Seems like amazon is flucuating between $3200 and $4000 for the 50 inch and between $4100 and $5000 for the 60 inch. I sure hope we are talking about new units and not refurbished units. See the display area at AVS Forum.com for consumer comments about occassional purple and green splotches (manufacturing defects). My advice is to only buy a new unit with generous return policy. I did get mine a few weeks ago and have had zero problems with it. The ISF calibration (optional) is excellent on these units and produces a life-like and film-like experience.
On: 2005-12-09
As always when shopping for merchandise in a competitive marketplaces, know your prices. Retailers are seeing a see-saw price war between Sony 1080p HDTV sets and JVCs 1080P HDTV sets. Recently I posted a glowing review of a Sony 1080P SXRD LCOS RPTV HDTV in an on-line retailers review site. I commented that the price had decreased 25% in two months. Well they must have cleared their backlog of inventory, because their asking price has increased again to full MSRP. However, as of December 8, 2005 Amazon.coms price on this particular item, KDS-R50XBR1 is very competitive. By the way folks, I cant keep you up to date on market trends after this posting, because company policy only allows one review per specific item (product). Best wishes to all. Im firmly convinced that due to geometry, a 1080P set is the only way to go in this day and age, IF you can afford it.
On: 2005-11-29
I looked at half a dozen 1080p true HDTVs in October 2005 before settling on the KDS-R50XBR1 (there is also a KDS-R60XBR1 60" big brother to this TV). I am thrilled with the picture quality, especially after fine-tuning the Brightness, Contrast, Picture, and RGB balance settings using the Avia calibration DVD. Especially on true HDTV 1920x1080 sources, this TV has an absolutely outstanding picture! In fact, its more like watching a film or looking out a window than a mere television picture. The SXRD picture is liquid smooth and silky with no screen door effect or harsh "graininess" you see in competing technologies such as DLP, LCD, and even plasma.
One important note: If you are debating between the 50" and 60" models, you should know that both models use the same 120 watt bulb. With the 60" model having approximately 20% more screen surface area to light up, that translates to approximately a 20% dimmer picture than the 50 inch model. (If you ask me, its not a "bright" idea to use the same bulb wattage for two projection TVs of different sizes, but I guess it keeps manufacturing costs down.)
Compare the two models side by side on the same HDTV content (I did) and youll see a marked difference in the vividness of the whites and bright colors. The KDS-R50XBR1 50" really "pops" (like looking out the window on a sunny day); whereas the KDS-R60XBR1 60" looks merely average in the brightness department (the overall picture is still excellent, just a bit dimmer).
For me, I decided that a smaller screen with a brighter picture was more important than a big screen with a slightly dimmer picture - especially since this TV sits in a daylight room. Hopefully Sony will correct this oversight in a future SXRD model because the 60" picture is considerably more impressive purely from a size perspective.
The pros: Its magnificent picture quality! SXRD is probably the finest picture you can buy for under $12,000. It has advanced picture fine-tuning feature for prosumers. The 50" model has a dazzling bright display that outshines everything Ive seen so far.
The cons: The side speakers are relatively weak with no bass response (as one would expect from their diminutive size). They are not detachable, and add a considerable amount of horizontal width to this TVs footprint. They ought to be made detachable or placed beneath the screen instead at the sides. Also, there are only 2 HDMI ports. It is quite conceivable that a person might have 3-4 HDMI devices (Bluray DVD, Playstation 3, Dish Network, Digital Cable, etc.) but most TVs on the market only have 1-2 HDMI ports so this is not unusual. Daytime viewing is generally very good as long as no direct light hits the TV screen; however, projection TVs still dont seem as bright as the old cathode ray tube (CRT) TVs.
On: 2005-11-28
I looked at half a dozen 1080p true HDTVs in October 2005 before settling on the KDS-R50XBR1 (there is also a KDS-R60XBR1 60" big brother to this TV). I am thrilled with the picture quality, especially after fine-tuning the Brightness, Contrast, Picture, and RGB balance settings using the Avia calibration DVD. Especially on true HDTV 1920x1080 sources, this TV has an absolutely outstanding picture! In fact, its more like watching a film or looking out a window than a mere television picture. The SXRD picture is liquid smooth and silky with no screen door effect or harsh "graininess" you see in competing technologies such as DLP, LCD, and even plasma.
One important note: If you are debating between the 50" and 60" models, you should know that both models use the same 120 watt bulb. With the 60" model having approximately 20% more screen surface area to light up, that translates to approximately a 20% dimmer picture than the 50 inch model. (If you ask me, its not a "bright" idea to use the same bulb wattage for two projection TVs of different sizes, but I guess it keeps manufacturing costs down.)
Compare the two models side by side on the same HDTV content (I did) and youll see a marked difference in the vividness of the whites and bright colors. The KDS-R50XBR1 50" really "pops" (like looking out the window on a sunny day); whereas the KDS-R60XBR1 60" looks merely average in the brightness department (the overall picture is still excellent, just a bit dimmer).
For me, I decided that a smaller screen with a brighter picture was more important than a big screen with a slightly dimmer picture - especially since this TV sits in a daylight room. Hopefully Sony will correct this oversight in a future SXRD model because the 60" picture is considerably more impressive purely from a size perspective.
The pros: Its magnificent picture quality! SXRD is probably the finest picture you can buy for under $12,000. It has advanced picture fine-tuning feature for prosumers. The 50" model has a dazzling bright display that outshines everything Ive seen so far.
The cons: The side speakers are relatively weak with no bass response (as one would expect from their diminutive size). They are not detachable, and add a considerable amount of horizontal width to this TVs footprint. They ought to be made detachable or placed beneath the screen instead at the sides. Also, there are only 2 HDMI ports. It is quite conceivable that a person might have 3-4 HDMI devices (Bluray DVD, Playstation 3, Dish Network, Digital Cable, etc.) but most TVs on the market only have 1-2 HDMI ports so this is not unusual. Daytime viewing is generally very good as long as no direct light hits the TV screen; however, projection TVs still dont seem as bright as the old cathode ray tube (CRT) TVs.
On: 2005-11-26
We ended up purchasing the 50" set as opposed to the stunning 60" set due to limited space in our living room.
Out of the box, the 50" produced the most stunning HDTV images I have ever seen. Nevermind the fact that I cannot pump any 1080p signals, Im talking 720p and 1080i. Even from my DirecTV HD feed, which is compressed up the wahzoo, it still looks remarkable.
Adjusting the set appropriately (which most casual users wont even need to do) took no time and inputs were a snap. I have a progressive scan DVD player hooked into it and its attempt at upconverting the signals makes watching standard-def DVDs a pleasure. For a real treat, pop on the new transfer of TOY STORY for eye-popping standard resolution.
And lets talk about the price? 3999 for THIS set? THIS TELEVISION? The last HD set I bought was the beautiful yet flawed Loewe 55" and that cost me over 8000 dollars. That was a DLP rear-projection that, until now, was the best RP image I have witnessed.
Anyway, I can go on and on with technical specs, but your best bet is to hit a Sony Store or a high-end electronics store and witness this beauty for yourself. Also, there is a glowing review in the recent Perfect Vision Magazine.
I honestly feel this is the best HD television on the market today. Sonys SXRD technology blows DLP out of the water and if any of you have witnessed the 70" Qualia rear-projection set Sony introduced last year, you can consider this television the "Baby" Qualia, because thats what it is.
Also, the light output is so strong that I can have all the windows open and the lights up and I can still see 90% of the image.
On: 2005-11-25
We ended up purchasing the 50" set as opposed to the stunning 60" set due to limited space in our living room.
Out of the box, the 50" produced the most stunning HDTV images I have ever seen. Nevermind the fact that I cannot pump any 1080p signals, Im talking 720p and 1080i. Even from my DirecTV HD feed, which is compressed up the wahzoo, it still looks remarkable.
Adjusting the set appropriately (which most casual users wont even need to do) took no time and inputs were a snap. I have a progressive scan DVD player hooked into it and its attempt at upconverting the signals makes watching standard-def DVDs a pleasure. For a real treat, pop on the new transfer of TOY STORY for eye-popping standard resolution.
And lets talk about the price? 3999 for THIS set? THIS TELEVISION? The last HD set I bought was the beautiful yet flawed Loewe 55" and that cost me over 8000 dollars. That was a DLP rear-projection that, until now, was the best RP image I have witnessed.
Anyway, I can go on and on with technical specs, but your best bet is to hit a Sony Store or a high-end electronics store and witness this beauty for yourself. Also, there is a glowing review in the recent Perfect Vision Magazine.
I honestly feel this is the best HD television on the market today. Sonys SXRD technology blows DLP out of the water and if any of you have witnessed the 70" Qualia rear-projection set Sony introduced last year, you can consider this television the "Baby" Qualia, because thats what it is.
Also, the light output is so strong that I can have all the windows open and the lights up and I can still see 90% of the image.
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