Good quality picture

Check written labels on the bottom of the screen. When watching CNN, CNBC, C-SPAN the names at the middle bottom of the screen appears to be bowed upwards. 16:9 picture does not show perfect rectangular picture. The bottom portion is bowed. No adjustment available for this. Sony authorized service dealer recommends exchanging the set. No power on-off light;big hassle Bulky OK sound

Picture on this set is great. DVD and Sattelite reception is awesome.

Similar Products Used:

none

Good looking style. Nice sound quality. Good picture.

Bad color in corners.

I bought KV-36XBR450 about three weeks ago. After using for two days, I found out that the color on lower-left-hand corner is kind of yellow smash. I called Sony, they said it is magnetic problem. But there is no speaker or other magnetic objects near by. Sony still send a technician from its authorized dealer one week later. The tech said it is normal unless the yellow smash area is bigger. So I went to other stores to check. Some of them are good. But some of them have the same problem. Except that problem, the TV work fine. But I refund the TV anyway.

Similar Products Used:

n/a

picture(especially in HD), nice menus, multimode DRC, anamorphic squeeze, ability to disable/enable inputs

Is it really worth the price premium over similar sets?

I previously owned a panasonic tau 32". It was a nice set except that the isf tech couldnt get the colour temp below 7800K(1080i source material required apparently) my panasonic suffered from none of the bad geometry problems noted elsewhere.(hovever from what I've seen ALL flatscreens have very slightly imperfect geometry.) I wanted a larger set for viewing anamorphic dvd's. I looked at Toshba's 34" widescreen, Toshiba 36", Philips 34', XBR 36" and 40".I ruled out another panasonic due to the calibration issue, although they are really nice sets. I ruled out the 34" widescreens right away as the widesreen image from a 36" in anamorphic squeeze is nearly exactly the same size as a 34" widescreen and still 99% of programming is in 4:3. The 40" xbr was gorgeous and I would have bought it in an instant If I could have gotten into my wall unit(yeah right!) That left the 36"XBR and the Toshiba. The Toshiba was very nice-but lacked the finish on the cabinet, the nice menus, multimode line doubler(Ive heard others complain about the 960i only line doubler on the 400 model-this one on the 450 is better than on my panasonic with the ability to do 960i, 480p, and 480p with revers 3:2 pulldown-really nice). The pictures on both sets were comparable-both very nice, and both with ever so slight geometry errors(believe me NO flatscreen has perfect geometry, but on both of these you had to look REALLY hard) For almost$1000 more canadian($3700 I paid vs. $2999 for the Toshiba) most people would think I'm crazy to buy the Sony over the Toshiba(HFX70-I don't know if its available in the U.S.) But to me it had the right combination of styling and features that made it worthwhile. After I got it home and navigated the service menus I was really impressed with the level of control available and to me it further justified my choice. In my mind the XBR line are the best consumer sets on the market, however that may not justify the premium Sony is asking for them.

Similar Products Used:

panasonic, toshiba

Large image size for both 4:3 and 16:9 formats, easy to use menu, simple manual, excellent remote, great color and HD image quality.

HORRIBLE off-the-air and cable picture, very heavy, sub-par speakers, matching stand too expensive.

This TV is definitely a mixed bag. When it's good, it's awesome, when it's bad, it makes me sad to have spent so much money (I realize there are more expensive sets out there, but I can only afford so much!)

First, it's a solidly built set with the exception of the flimsy input panel on the back. They need to back it up with some more support because when you connect tight cables, the panel wants to bend in and I bet I'll break it one day. The finish is first rate and I can't see any other cosmetic problems. No annoying lights and numbers on the front panel to distract you either save for power standby and stereo indicator LEDs. Otherwise, an elegantly understated addition to ANY room.

The remote is also solid and easy to use with a great joystick you can control with your thumb. Only problems are that the flip up panel (to access other components and the VCR controls) is too tough to open with one hand and the MUTE switch is way out of reach on the upper left instead on the right where your thumb is. It glows in the dark too so that's handy.

The image quality in High Definition is spectacular. The best I've seen is the PBS HD broadcasts in 1080 format. They say you'll think you're looking out a window and it's true. Very sharp, excellent color balance and almost perfect brightness and contrast (though I have set it up a bit dark using the AVIA Guide to Home Theater DVD). This image is a sight to behold.

DVDs can be finicky but 95% of my discs look stunning on this set; no washed out blurry images, the 3:2 pulldown coupled with a good DVD player combo is excellent and you can use the Digital Reality Creation (DRC) button to switch between interlaced, progressive and "CineMotion" modes but they don't really seem to make THAT much of a difference given the great basic image quality.

There are plenty of adjustments you can make with the excellent on screen menus and the sound from the TV is ok if you don't have a home stereo, but if you do, you'll probably listen through that instead. All in all a pretty good high definition display.

THE BAD: A standard off the air broadcast or cable signal will disappoint you and you really have to know this going in. The internal line doubler (it takes the 480i broadcast signal and doubles the number of lines displayed to 920) really exacerbates the flaws in a subpar signal and can not be switched off.

I am completely unhappy with my "regular TV" watching and many stations are blurry, blotchy, look like a poorly compressed JPEG image, are almost illegible when showing text, etc. I have a signal amplifier and it helps, but not enough. I asked about this in the various showrooms and the dealers always said it was because they had their signal split so many times between all the other sets in the store so that was degrading the picture quality; it would be better when I got home, but that is definitely not true. It is horrible at home.

Note: an input from an SVHS VCR is sometimes good, sometimes bad depending on the quality of the recording.

You MUST go to a showroom and look at the standard TV signals and decide if you can live with it until digital TV and higher definition broadcasts become mainstream. Otherwise, you will be happier with a regular TV as I have seen stunning regular definition signals on regular TV sets that put this image to shame.

I have a Sony SAT-HD100 digital/DirecTV set top box attached and when it recieves a digital broadcast, much of what I get is just digital standard definition and it looks marginally better than the regular analog signal. When the digial signal is that of a HD broadcast, this combination works very well (remember my comment about the PBS HD transmission!) Unfortunately 90% of my viewing is not yet broadcast in High Definition so I am stuck right now.

There are those who have posted elsewhere that their cable signals are strong and their off the air broadcasts are great, but they are definitely the exception as more people have stated the standard definition signals are pretty poor. I strongly suggest you check out both the HD and regular definition capabilities of this set BEFORE you buy it to make sure you can stand it until digital/HD becomes normal.

I like the TV, I just don't love it.

Similar Products Used:

None, replacing a 9 year old Mitsubishi 27" direct view set.

Amazing picture, inputs galore, and oh yes amazing picture

so heavy it put my neighbors back out of place moving it

First of all I am not one to write long reviews. You might be wondering why I would buy a tube type set when I have an x-400 data projector? This set is excellent to watch every day, enery now and then I watch a dvd on the data projector but for most of my viewing now it's the sony all the way. I have read mixed reviews on this set because it is important to have good inputs to this set. The only inputs I normally feed this is dish tv (I used an s-video cable and that really cleaned it up) and I have a pioneer 301 disk dvd player. It is not progressive scan but with the line doubler and drc you do not need it. All in all, my wife and I really love this set and am glad we spent the money for it. A joy to watch from almost anywhere in the room, not limited like your projection tv's. If you buy one of these sets and have good inputs you won't be dissapointed.

Similar Products Used:

mitsubishi x-400 3000 lumen data projector

Good looking, easy navigating, RF out and Aux in ...

Picture not square (or rather rectangular), RF out turns off unless tuned to AUX.

This is my second set. The first set had some tuning problem with the main tuner (which could easily be blamed on the cable signal), CC replaced a new one and the picture is perfect with some exceptions:

1. The picture horizontal edges bend in. Most noticable is the bottom edge especially when viewing moving text.

2. I notice the volume has to be turned up quite a bit more to get the same level of sound the previous set produced. I would not think that this would be the cause of the problem in my first set. However, I am quite disappointed in the level of consistency between sets. Shouldn't they be identical or at least close to be?

3. The RF output is wonderful but what good does it do when it does not let anysignal pass through unless you tune to AUX? I follow Sony advice to use RF out for my cable box. Guess what? I will need to turn the TV on and tune to AUX to be able to listen to FM music!

Over all, I am happy with the set but I would expect more from Sony, at least at that price.

Similar Products Used:

N/A

Incredibly clear, sharp, revealing picture.

The price included the new V-style Sony base. I decided on that versus the older enclosed glass doors because I thought it would be easier to keep clean and make the initial hook up connections to the receiver. I was concerned that the hanging shelf wouldn't support the weight of our receiver (Marantz SR-18) but it does just fine. I did go to a local glass shop and had them cut a larger piece of glass that would fit under the SR-18 as the stock one is just a little small since the receiver cannot butt up directly against the back of the base because of the speaker and interconnect connectors.

First off the picture is extremely revealing. For those who commented on a poor picture from digital cable, satellite, or other sources, I will say that the XBR will show you the quality of your source. If you have a unclear, fuzzy, or blurry source, that is what you will see. If you have an excellent source, that is what you will see.

We bought this set in mid-July '01. I wanted to wait awhile before posting a review to see if any of the negative things developed on this tv. None have. No color blotches, no unequal banding while watching letterbox discs, no speaker grilles falling off.

After we got the tv, I went up to the roof and readjusted the satellite. It had been several years since I had done the initial set up. I was able to increase my signal strength of the satellite and the picture improved noticeably.

With a good DVD, the picture is incredibly clear. It's very impressive. Friends who have come over to watch are quickly mesmorized by the detail and focus of the picture. I have sometimes made adjustments to the picture on some of the DVDs. Adjustments to the different menus are easily accessed.

Our kids like the front inputs behind the hidden panel. It allows them easy access to connect their video games so they don't have to go around to the back to hook up/disconnect their games.

I like the ability to choose your video labeling for the inputs (SAT, VHS, LD, DVD, Game, etc.)in the order you want and the channel labeling for each channel you select (FOX, CBS, NBC, ABC, etc.) I looked at the Panasonic HX41 and didn't care for their "paddle boat wheel" type of menuing system. I also thought the labeling on the rear panel inputs was more clearly defined on the Sony, although it feels very flimsey when making your input connections.

Our old XBR had buttons on the remote for each input that you could select without cycling through the entire input menu (Video 1, Video 2, etc.) I wish that carried over to this XBR remote. I do like the remote much better than our Pioneer Elite CLD-90 LD/DVD player. The Pioneer requires you to hit several buttons if you want to turn off the player and then return to the same spot in the movie compared to the Sony that only requires one button (pause).

On the weight issue, yes, it is very heavy. I still have an '84 19" Sony Profeel monitor with a net weight (minus tuner and speakrs) of about 68#s. That was heavy back then. The only thing I'll say about the XBR450s weight is if the store you bought it at doesn't deliver/set up for you (mine did) you should probably line up 2-3 guys to help you, maybe one more if you have any stairs to deal with. And you should decide ahead of time where it's "final resting place" will be.

It makes a loud noise when you turn it on. I don't know if it's that Magnetic Quadra Pole feature that is mentioned on the Sony website. I couldn't find out anything about it. The Panasonic has a magnetic feature on it too. Our tv is set up East/West orientation and no problems. I have Martin Logan Aerius speakers (unshielded woofer) about 2' from the tv and no problems with color distortion, etc.

Bottom line; excellent tv.

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Replaces a 27" '91 Sony XBR

Unbelievable color and detail! Lots of inputs! Variable split screen, 4 picture setings, appearance

Weight-238 pounds! (At least it won't be stolen) Some minor things outlined below.

From the moment I laid eyes on this set almost a year ago, I "had" to have it. I couldn't justify the price but Future Shop threw in a $300.00 stand and gave me no interest for a year. I chose the enclosed stand to store items rather than the pedestal type model. Build quality was super and was better than most I've seen. Not just a piece of wood!

Overhearing another customer who had just purchased this model was the "arm-twisting" factor. Nothing like talking to one who has this unit! Knowing that this set is ready for Hi-Def digital signal connections (HD1080i) was a contributing factor. It was delivered on time and the packaging for this model was "bullet-proof". The stand was easy to assemble BUT the TV was an ordeal to lift onto it. The STAND weighed more than my last TV!

I cannot say enough about the picture quality. Watching "Shrek" through component cables on my Toshiba SD3750 progressive scan DVD player still blows me away. What a great way to "show-off" this set. Even some of the TV channels coming straight through on cable was phenominal. Some have switched to a HiDef or digital signal. Please don't ask me why many of them look better than a lot of the channels coming through on the digital reciever from the cable company. I thought that regular VHS movies would look bad but I was pleasantly surprised to see them more than acceptable. Rule of thumb is that the larger the screen, the worse the detail appears. Selecting "Movie" mode gave the picture a smooth, soft texture.

The variable size, split screen picture-in-picture feature (or "twin-view) is terrific. Being able to "freeze" a channel is also a bonus when writing down ordering information. The remote is decent but wish it was backlit. This one really is an impovement considering some I've seen. It has a lot of useful features and seems (to me) to be fairly well laid out. A lot of reviews (for most electronics) criticize the remote. (An example is my Toshiba DVD remote - what a joke!) The "picture mode" offering 4 preset color temperatures/enhancements is a plus. The video/audio setup is good and is a snap to use - it's all right in front of you. The manual is well organized and easy to follow.

The sound quality is decent, but not the greatest. What can you expect from two small speakers? Any real audiophile would run the sound through the receiver for greater sound definition. I thought that since Toshiba has produced great sound through some of their "cinema series" models, Sony could do the same. The pure flat screen helps to eliminate a lot of glare. The "vertical line enhancement" or velocity modulation works. Oh yeah, almost forgot... Do you hate those annoying commercials that seem to blast through during the show? "Steady Sound" equalizes the volume levels. Nice!

There are enough inputs to satisfy mnost people. There'll always be complainers. I really dislike running out of audio/video inputs/outputs on anything for that matter. The first thing I checked was the back (which produced a satisfied "smile" on my face).

I do have have minor gripes: I didn't see much difference in the "cinemotion", progressive and interlaced setting. The channel labeling ran out after 20. I don't know why there isn't enough memory to label all of them since some channels don't always display their logo. With well over a hundred cable choices, this would have been nice.

The "blacks" on this set are SO black that at times the unit appears to be off. The power button is NOT lit and sometimes the set gets left on. Remember, the power consumption is 245 watts!

Would I buy this set again? Definitely! Recommend it? If you can afford the difference, go for it! Sony is renowned for camcorders and TVs. (Forget about their DVD players) Get the "no hassle-worry free" extended life policy - it's a BIG set to bring back to the repair shop!

Similar Products Used:

Proscan 52" rear projection, Sony 32", Toshiba 28" cinema series

VIDEO QUALITY, INPUTS AND OUTPUTS, RREMOTE CONTROL, MENUS.

WEIGHT AND PRICE

There are many reviews of the KV-36XBR450 listed on the reviews for the XBR400.
Like I said on one of those reviews, I tried the KV-36HS20 and the KV-36S13 before keeping the XBR450.
I should have kept the KV-36HS20 because I really don't see any difference between those 2 sets(except for the price).
The KV-36S13 is another story: if you have one of these, go to the store and try to exchange it! The defference in video and audio quality is incredible!
After trying the HS20 and S13 I finally tried the XBR450 and I decided to keep it because I knew I had the top of the line and there was nothing else to try.
I played with the new "Die Hard" DVD on both the S13 and the XBR450...WHAT A DIFFERENCE!! The contrast between the darker and brighter scenes is noticeable 200 miles away! On the S13 there was no contrast, while on the XBR450, the contrast is right ther...it's just beautiful!
I don't think you can go wrong with the XBR450.
I can't say anything about the HDTV signal because I don't have it.But I saw a display at Sound Advice and it looks awesome.

Similar Products Used:

KV36S13
KV36HS20