Home > Consumer Reviews > Sony Bravia S-Series KDL-26S3000 26-Inch 720p LCD HDTV

Never really concentrated to much on the sony products because of the prices of them. For the money, you can get a larger sized samsung like a 32", or for the same size TV you can save big bucks by going with a westinghouse or other bargain priced TV's sized at 26" which is ideal for a bedroom. After purchasing a 26" westinghouse and not being extremely happy I bought a 32" Vizio. Still not satisfied, I left the bargain TV basement and took the plunge and bought this TV. Wow, what a difference. At $300-$400 dollars more than the westy, I'm not sure if it's that much better if tied to a budget, but if you've got it (cash), get it (sony). As far as specs go, read the description, but rest assured this TV is really nice. Sound is better than expected for a 26", menus are nice, picture is B.A. On XBOX 360, the best and most graphically demanding game is by far Gears of War. This TV makes it look incredible. The darks are dark enough in the spooky parts unlike other TVs I've tried out which looked washed out and lame. This set really makes the whole thing look alot better. I have been switching between the 3 presets (vivid, cinema, standard) and haven't made any tweaks yet exept for turning on the dynamic lighting. I'm sure you could make the picture even better with some adjustments but it's unnecessary.

I am very happy with the sony lcd tv. I narrowed down the 26" lcd tv's to a couple and checked them out at local stores. I liked the picture of the sony over samsung which was my 2nd choice. plus the sony did not have large speakers on the sides or bottom making it too large for the small opening in my entertainment center. the price was comparable and sony quality has always been good for me.

This LCD is great, i was nervous because it is the first flat screen that the wife and I have ever bought. We set it up and it was a breeze, plugged our DVD player in and it also worked great. The picture quality with standard TV is very nice, but the HD picture quality is superb. I had to adjust the picture settings out of the box, but that is to be expected. Over all, I am very, very pleased with this product and Amazon's quick delivery.

I got this LCD a week ago and LOVE IT. PC Richards lowered their price to $699. So I took their ad to a competitor retailer and they matched it. PCR is still selling it for that price.

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It is in my bedroom and connected to basic cable, no box. My cable signal was too weak up there and I could not get the free HD channels. I did not want another cable box due to the expense. So, I bought a Motorla signal booster and connected it into the main splitter inside the house and it solved my problem. I am now getting 7 free HD stations in the bedroom and a much better picture in the rest of the house. I also replaced the coax cable from the wall with some RG6 cable that is better for HD.

Dislikes:

1. The remote is designed funny. The channel up/down buttons are on the bottom of the remote and are not easy to access for channel surfing. They should have put it in the middle of the remote, IMO.
2. The analog picture is OK. A little grainy. Get a box if this is an issue for you. The signal booster helped enough to increase the picture quality to satisfy me.
3. The small shiny green (power) light on the bottom center of the TV is slightly annoying. It should have been off to the side of the tv, IMO.

Likes:

1. HD reception is great. I'm getting 480i, 720p and 1080i from basic cable which the TV converts to 720p and the picture is incredible. I really like watching this TV, esp at night with no lights. WOW!
2. I like the matte finish. I never liked that high glossy look due to the glare and dust that black gloss cabinetry brings.
3. When hooked up to a Sony upconvert dvd player via HDMI, the picture was impressive.
4. The tuner is very strong. It found 35 digital channels including some one HBO channel (which I subscribe to via cable box downstairs).
5. The "Wide Zoom" option is good for the non-HD channels as it doesn't make the faces too wide. I have set it to auto so I don't have to change it every time I watch a non-HD channel.
6. The sound is loud enough for me. No external speakers required. And the Sony S-Force "simulated surround" is awesome.
7. Quick channel changes via the remote. Maybe 1-2 seconds. Unlike some other LCDs out there that take 3 seconds.
8. The Xross Media Bar is the best menu system I have used on a TV.

This model was made in 2006 and sold in 2007, so it should be on sale now until the Spring 08 models arrive. Buy it if its around $700-725. I am very glad I bought this TV. It is the best 26 inch LCD out there and I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for this size TV.

I replaced a Westinghouse LCD with this Sony. It is outstanding. It cost more but it is worth the expense. You won't be sorry.