40" BRAVIA

[SourDieseL NYC]

So it looks like there are a ton of HDTV, LCD, PLASMA threads in here so I thought I'd add my contribution. Recently poor due to my current investment.

I just purchased the new Sony Bravia 40" LCDTV/HDTV/yadda yadda yadda.

Alright, I'm sure you can go out there and grab the specs if you are really that interested in such an investment. I'll give you a user point of view, less tech and more practicality.

My main purpose for the TV was the obvious, it's a huge flat screen HDTV. And that it is. It weights roughly 45lbs (35 w/out the stand) and is about 40" horizontal and about 6"deep - don't quote me on those specs.

What do I have connected to it?

XBox, PS2

Sony STR DE998 7.1 Surround Sound (optical out from TV).

Time Warner Digital Cable (HDMI)

AMD 2800+ (ATI x800 - DVI OUT)

Picture Quality Rating

Analog [Coaxial 6/10] [RCA 6.5/10]

Digital [HDMI 10/10] *obvious*

PS2 [RCA 7/10]

XBox [RCA 7/10]

PC [DVI 9/10] *Native Res 4:3*

Sound

TV TruSurroundXT (tv speakers) [7/10]

Optical Out [10/10] *obvious*

Overall

I give this TV a 10/10, it's simply amazing.

Comments

Pros

-7 video inputs (rca) + ability to label external devices - wega engine inspired

-thin border as the onboard TV speakers are located at the bottom of the TV

-stand swivel is limited but gives you a decent range of motion

-overall one of the best that i've seen in 16:9 and 4:3

Cons

-at 5ft away, image retains some pixelation (currently set at 7ft)

-remote is the as long as culinary knife (8"+)

-stand has anchor, still top heavy to be honest!

If you have the money to invest and the real estate to fit, I'd recommend going out and purchasing this TV. I've compared it to LG and Samsung comparable size and simply amazed at this unit.

The only real down side to the Bravia LCD line that sony put out is they've stretched the size limitations and sort of left out the middle guys. It's available in 32" and then in 40". I can honestly say if there was a 36-37 it might have been my preferred choice be it that the price would probably fit adequate to my budget. In this case, bigger was better, but only by 8" compared to the 32. The 32 simply did not cut it for me, so the 40 it was.

Sony?s 40" KDL-V40XBR1 BRAVIA? XBR? LCD Flat Panel Television.

[SourDieseL NYC]

Whats with the For women part of that tv? Are the menu's like really nice and easy to use or something?

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For women part of that tv? Sorry, didn't think about that - single bachelor pad in manhattan. Ok well the Wega Engine Menu is customizable in different colors, but that's hard to accent as the main feature when you're watching football on espnHD on sunday's. Does that help the for women cause? Probably not, but fear not, I'm sure if you went out and bought a copy of The Notebook, you'd be able to persuade any woman how she can enjoy such a romance movie on such a large screen. :blink:

[Liquid]

Whats with the For women part of that tv? Are the menu's like really nice and easy to use or something?

[Arpit]

just wondering.. what was the diff from 6/10 and 6.5/10 that you noticed from coax and rca??...and the surround sound for that matter 7/10.. i mean, how did you evaluate that?

congrats on the tv though, looks awesome

[gunnerhkjp]

Wow. Nice TV.

I wonder which is better. The new Sharp LCD or this one.

I'm personally more partial towards the Sony picture processor, but I heard that Sharp's panel kicks some ass.

Either way, you are very lucky to be able to own one of these.

[SourDieseL NYC]

just wondering.. what was the diff from 6/10 and 6.5/10 that you noticed from coax and rca??...and the surround sound for that matter 7/10.. i mean, how did you evaluate that?

congrats on the tv though, looks awesome

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The pixel spacing was greater with coaxial, less by say 1/3 of a pixel with RCA. At this size tv which I have sitting on a dresser currently, you can go right up to the TV and pretty much narrow in on the matrix.

As for the surround sound, I kind of expected this as the speakers are located at the bottom portion of the TV. Obvious not a true surround sound, although the audio engine does sound fairly powerful. Compared to a low-level audio out to my 7.1 receiver versus the high-level out to a low-level amplified sound. Just basic testing, I didn't run any light diode testing or volt-meter tests (lol).

I think the best way to guage electronics isn't by paper specs, but by sensory loads. Meaning, you just test it on how you react to it. Sit 3,5,7,10ft from the tv at different audio intervals.

Also forgot to note that the Wega Engine is equipped with a light sensor, obviously the darker the more illumination, the brighter the less (auto-config). There is a plethora of settings which I won't get into detail, but if you are serious in considering this investment, go to an electronics store and test what you want. I was able to check analog and digital inputs prior to purchasing.

ps-thanks, the tv essentially made my apartment...talk about the center piece!

[Veedems Veteran]

The TV is a beautiful set. Definitely the best LCD we have at work right now.

[quick]

How come you are running your PC at 4:3 ? Get that sucker at 16:9 WS :)

[SourDieseL NYC]

How come you are running your PC at 4:3 ? Get that sucker at 16:9 WS :)

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HA! I was waiting for that question...honestly, I haven't had the time to run anything from the PC onto the LCD. I left it as 4:3 as a shared desktop, I just don't have the time to play with the TV and the x800 settings. I'd like to run an avi and gauge the picture quality. I work 8-6 for a fortune 500 publishing company, that translates into 8-8 literally. especially for sales operations and systems people, such a great investment that i have to squeeze in whatever time to enjoy my investment. 80% of a week it's left unused, so I decided to dustcover it while submit myself to corporate slavery. I will soon, real soon!

*edit*

sorry I don't think I can run with you KF-50WE610, puppy fighting for a dog's bone!

[quick]

Heh, ok. Its hooked up w/ DVI so it will look as good as the quality of the AVI can give.

[Eduard]

what is the difference between 40" BRAVIA? XBR? LCD Flat Panel HDTV and SAMSUNG LE40R51B "HD ready" 40" 16:9 LCD television?

sony coast a lot more!

what is the best choice??

if it's sony...i will be buying 32" instead of 40"...(the sony bravia 40"coast too much)

SAMSUNG LE40R51B specs:

Format 16/9

Screen size 40 inches (101 cm)

Luminosity (in cd/m?) 500

Contrast 3000:1

Response time (in ms) ????

Resolution (horizontal x vertical - in pixels) 1366 x 768

Angle of vision (horizontal/vertical - in?) 170/170

Audio Audio Power 2 x 10 W

Mono/Stereo Sound NICAM Stereo/ A2

Speakers 2

Connectivity Connectivity 1 HDMI/HDCP input

1 DVI input

1 Y/Pb/Pr input

1 video input

1 S-Video input

1 PC D-SUB input

1 audio input

SCART connectors 2

DVI Input Yes

HDMI Input Yes

PC Input Yes

Audio outlet Yes

Tuner Standard Information not provided

Double Tuner No

Functions TV text 1000 pages

Other functions DNIe, My Color Control (MMC), Picture in Picture in PC mode, SRS Tru Surround XT sound

General Remote control Yes

Accessories supplied Remote control, base

Dimensions (mm) 989 x 110 x 702.6

Weight (kg) 27.2

[sin-ergy]

You lucky ******!! I'm going to be picking up the younger cousin (32inch) hopefully by december (XBOX360 HD GOODNESS!) ... the 40incher is a little big for an apartment. Isn't the best viewing distance at like 10 feet for those suckers?

[Eduard]

i think that sony is the best choice...i see the specifications... :yes: it's a very good tv!

but what is the time response? :huh:

[Mrbinaryx]

Good Review

What Part of New York City You In

[sin-ergy]

i think that sony is the best choice...i see the specifications... :yes: it's a very good tv!

but what is the  time response? :huh:

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12ms

[JnCoKiLLa]

sounds good but its not true HD....only 720p

[Antiprophet]

Good Review

What Part of New York City You In

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clearly someone wants to tea-leaf your new tv

[Eduard]

which it is the best one? sony or samsung?

why sony lcd coast a lot more, and the samsung is more (very more) cheaper?

[sin-ergy]

sounds good but its not true HD....only 720p

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I'm confused. What's true HD? :huh:

[sin-ergy]

which it is the best one? sony or samsung?

why sony lcd coast a lot more, and the samsung is more (very more) cheaper?

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With sony, you're paying a lot for the brand name. What do you intend to do most with the TV? The sony I've heard is good for gaming and the HD dvd quality is quite good. The samsung, I haven't heard much about.

If you want to get something cheaper with comparable quality, check out the Sharp Aquos line :)

[SourDieseL NYC]

You lucky ******!! I'm going to be picking up the younger cousin (32inch) hopefully by december (XBOX360 HD GOODNESS!) ... the 40incher is a little big for an apartment.  Isn't the best viewing distance at like 10 feet for those suckers?

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Well where it's situated, it's pretty big for the size of my apartment and like I said earlier, it essentially is the centerpiece to the apartment. I say optimal is 10ft, 7-8 is acceptable too. My workstation faces my TV which is about 10ft, right infront of my workstation (L-Shape Desk) is my couch so figure 2-3ft closer which is about 7-8ft from the TV.

Good Review

What Part of New York City You In

586667903[/snapback]

In an apartment in Manhattan.

sounds good but its not true HD....only 720p

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TrueHD in a 320 sq ft studio in Manhattan? I don't think you'll notice that much of a difference in any environment - ok maybe at 12ft away in a 500sq ft room with proper lighting you can distinguish if you're getting true HD. My justification is comparing Analog to Digital, then the situation changes greatly!

clearly someone wants to tea-leaf your new tv

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He can try although I'm not exactly going to give him my address. Besides, my building has a doorman, patroling security, and I have 4 security cameras in my apartment (front door, corner view apartment, balcony entrance, and opposing corner view) - it helps being tech savy which I'm sure 99.9% of you readers are. So yea, I can see my apartment over the net any time anywhere as long as i'm linked.

which it is the best one? sony or samsung?

why sony lcd coast a lot more, and the samsung is more (very more) cheaper?

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Alot of people will talk gibberish about branding, manufacturer acquisitions, etc. Point being, Sony's designs (or designs that they've purchased and fully admit that they do) are simply my style. I enjoy slim, sleek, brushed aluminum electronics. Ok sure, there is better bang for your buck, I don't believe so. I believe what you pay for is what you get. Example, I passed up on a LG Plasma which would of costed me a FRACTION ($1100 vs 3K)of the price I paid for the Sony and it would fit to my apartment (36-37") perfectly but I let a friend of mine jump on the deal. 3wks after purchase, literally one whole row of pixels dead. He warranty replaced it and shipped back to LG. He waited 4months for it to come back. And within that 4months, I saved to make my Sony purchase. He got his TV returned when I was able to afford and it had finally be shipped to my retailer, literally at the same time.

[Eduard]

therefore SONY is the best one?

i can choose between Samsung LCD 16/9 40'' (101 cm) ''HD ready'' LE40R51B and SONY LCD 16/9 32" (82 cm) "HD ready" KLV-V32A10E...the price is equal...

[SourDieseL NYC]

therefore SONY is the best one?

i can choose between Samsung LCD 16/9 40'' (101 cm) ''HD ready'' LE40R51B and SONY LCD 16/9 32" (82 cm) "HD ready" KLV-V32A10E...the price is equal...

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I posted earlier, you shouldn't really guage electronics by paper spec. You can use it to baseline or narrow your selection. The best way to determine what is "BEST" is to go and see for yourself how it preforms. Sensory organs are who we are as humans. Your opinion/taste is much more important than what others will say or recommend. That's where the phrase "Go with your gut feeling" comes from. It's your money, it's the TV youre gonna be watching, please don't base any monetary decision by what you read here. This is just my review, my opinion, I would hate to feel responsible if youve purchased something of my recommendation that did not meet your needs. (Not saying you'll be blaming me or anything haha)

I obviously am a Sony supporter (which I'm sure alot will flame me for but so be it) and in comparison to Samsung, I just find the manufacturing of Sony products to be much better than Samsungs (or any for that matter). Ok maybe not quality wise (ie: BA, Onkyo, McIntosh, etc) in certain classes of electronics (pro audio/home audio).

[Veedems Veteran]

I obviously am a Sony supporter (which I'm sure alot will flame me for but so be it) and in comparison to Samsung, I just find the manufacturing of Sony products to be much better than Samsungs (or any for that matter).  Ok maybe not quality wise (ie: BA, Onkyo, McIntosh, etc) in certain classes of electronics (pro audio/home audio).

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I'm not trying to be a jerk, but the internals for the Sony's and Samsungs are made in the same plant the two companies opened together.

[gunnerhkjp]

I'm not trying to be a jerk, but the internals for the Sony's and Samsungs are made in the same plant the two companies opened together.

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You make it sound like they are the same thing.

Sony sources its panels from S-LCD (Plant opened by Sony and Samsong) and Hitachi, but the image processor in Bravia is all Sony.

Its that Sony image processor is what makes it stand out above the rest.