Sony's new 70" LCD - KDF70XBR950
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Planet1960 | I just took a road trip to the Sony Store in NYC. Here's the low-down on the new KDF70XBR950. It has a very good picture and an excellent design. The $1000 stand is almost essential, considering that it has a clutch mechanism to hold the unit in place. It also looks much nicer than what I've seen in 2D on the websites. The only downside is that it is a bit wider (25" deep) and heavier (220+ lbs) than I would have liked, however its low profile design makes the size look much less intimidating. For those of you concerned about the "screen door" effect, I can only say that this is evident only when you walk right up to the screen and try to focus on one small area. The picture is bright and beautiful. The set was unobtrusive and very impressive to all in the room. The bottom line is this... if you truly want a large screen tv (60 - 70"), plasmas range from $20K to $45K. Personally that's not in my price range. There is no perfect technology and one can always find fault if they are so inclined. This set exceeds my expectations and I ordered it last night. |
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NeilR | Thanks for the posting....i just bought one (sight unseen) and your comments were helpful. I'm putting it in a very large room (23 by 40) and hoped that it would still have a "large" presence. It sounds like it will. |
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John G | I have the Sony KDF-60XBR950 and agree that the screen door effect on these sets is minimal and less obtrusive that the pixel pattern on most plasmas I've seen. However,I disagree about the $1000 Sony stand--this set is quite stable on any stand deep enough (23 inches on the 60 inch) and strong enough for the weight. These two new Sony Grand Wega LCD RPTVs are heavier than most other LCD/DLP RPTVs but still lighter than 36"-40" CRTs. |
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Planet1960 | NeilR - You are quite welcome. I'm sure that you won't be disappointed. Just curious... what's the lead time? I'm being told early December. It's nice to see that some people are starting to take delivery already... like John G. John G - It turns out the $1K stand can be had for $699, although what's most important of course is personal preference. I almost opted for the Sanus, but after seeing the Sony stand "live", I was quite surprised how nice it looked. Thanks for the input on the potential for other stands... and good point about the weight. When did you take delivery? It looks like prices are coming down a bit. I'm wondering about some of the newer type features/inputs on the set and hope to continue this discussion in the future. |
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NeilR | Planet 1960. I'm taking shipment in 2 weeks. I bought in on e-bay for $6000. I am debating if I want the stand. I saw the tv and stand at a local store and it sits rather low. The shelving below is somewhat limiting for all of my A/V "stuff". The set looked great!!! The best in the store. |
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| I am torn on whether to get the 60" or the 70" KDF XBR950. My viewing distance will be 9-10 feet and thought the 60" would be plenty but am leaning now to going for the 70". Is 9-10' too close for the 70? |
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Jay | Brian, check out this page on screen size and viewing distance. http://www.myhometheater.homestead.com/viewingdistancecalculator.html If you want a cinema experience, 70" at 9.5 feet just meets the minimum requirements. If you want a more "TV in living room" feel, the 60" looks great from this distance. Just checked out both the 60" and 70" today. Picture was sharp and even, just a tad darker than 50" and 42" plasma screens but still bright enough. For all of you, when |
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| Thank you Jay! That is cool! I've concluded that if I want the cinema experience, I can sit 8-10 inches closer to the 60" & get the same effect. The 60" becomes a 75". Almost relative. At the 9 foot distance, actually things should look a tad bit sharper being smaller. Brian  |
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Planet1960 | Hey guys... Considering that the 70" model is so tall, Sony recommends the lower stand for optimum viewing angle. In fact, the Sanus that I looked at would have raised this set too high. I personally didn't care for the Sony stand on the 60" set... the same model stand is used for both models although it appears to have been designed for the 70". My room is about 14' X 25'. Unfortunately, I can't take advantage of the 25' side because of window placement. I also have to subtract two feet from the 14' width due to the TV depth. From what I've seen, it should be fine. I'll let you know. One important advantage of the 70" set is that when you are in 4:3 viewing mode (which could be quite often) you are then watching a 60" set. Now that's cool. |
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Matt | Hello all, I just received my new KDF-70XBR950 last night and am thrilled with it. To go over the positives first, the front of the unit looks beautiful, as does the picture with HDTV (almost like looking through a window). DVDs look great when you make a few adjustments to the picture, and even regular cable TV looks good when you shrink it down from the full 70" size. For really poor-quality signals, you can simply use the TwinView feature to really shrink it down to the conventional TV size. This way the TV provides the best of all worlds...and will keep you future-ready for the day when all cable channels are offered in HD. There are more ways to adjust the picture quality, noise level, contrast, brightness, package video setting adjustments etc. than anyone but an expert could possibly be familiar with...meaning virtually any signal can be made to look good if you tweak it enough. It looks great even at a sitting distance of only 8' - even in complete 70" mode, so long as the signal is DVD or HDTV. The screen reflectivity problem others have mentioned isn't really any worse than the CRT TV I used to own. As far as the outrageously overpriced GW3 stand that was made to go along with it...the saleman in the store insisted that the 50% cheaper GW1 would work just fine with it. And indeed, the display model of this TV in the store was resting on the GW1. On the negative side (AND THESE THINGS SHRINK IN COMPARISON TO THE JOYS OF OWNERSHIP), from the sides the set looks ungainly and unfinished - seeing it from the side as I walk into the apartment is the one time I wish I had gone with plasma. I live in Hawaii and enjoy the beautiful sunshine streaming into my apartment, but need to draw the shades to really see the screen clearly during the day. And finally, TwinView doesn't work with TWO HDTV inputs - so the second signal must be analog cable/TV. Overall it's an awesome home theater experience. A (positive?) word of caution, however: you can be made nauseous when you're watching a fast-paced scene where the filming camera was bouncing up and down (e.g. battle scenes from Saving Private Ryan) - because once you've tweaked the image to virtual perfection, the screen is so big you really feel like a part of what you're seeing! If you can get over the OTHER source of nausea - the price - then you won't be disappointed. |
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| Matt, Regarding your 70xbr950. I want to purchase the 60"xbr950 model. One thing I'm concern with is black level. Have you noticed a better black level on your set? When I ran the black level test pattern from my "video essentials" dvd on my sister's 42we610 lcd model, the black level test bars didn't even show up. I had to crank the brightness and contrast settings to see them, and even at that they showed up as green. I'm worried that during dark scenes that picture detail won't be evident (when compared to crt). So, I'm just wondering if you have seen an improvement in this area. Thanks Don |
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Planet1960 | Matt - I ordered my set the first week of November... still waiting. J&R tells me that Sony reps have pushed the ETA to "sometime in December". I'm wondering if there might be a better alternative. My pre-order price is $5700. |
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Matt | Hi, First to Don - Sony advertises that the new "Cinema Black" feature introduced on this model improves the black level, and I see no defects with it. I haven't tried calibrating it with one of those DVDs like your "Video Essentials," but I remember reading on the CNET website that the company that makes that DVD has come up with a revised "Video Essentials" DVD for the more modern, digital TVs. Did you use that new one, or the one from circa 1997? Anyway, I just went through the video menu for the TV and adjusted each setting to my own preference, without using one of those calibration DVDs. The set will remember your individual preferences for each of the 7 video inputs, plus cable/antenna, separately. So you could turn up the sharpness, etc. for HDTV inputs, and make everything softer - to hide the noise - with poor cable signal. There are "Black Corrector" and "Cinema Black" tweaking options under the Advanced Video Menu, not to mention countless others available for adjusting. And I do definitely notice a nice dark black in the image after setting those things (especially as compared to the surrounding screen that is not utilized by the image when watching a 4:3 signal). Planet1960, does your (very good) price include shipping? What would be your return costs, restocking fee etc. if you decided to return it? I noticed prices like you mentioned on the net but decided to go with a local retailer since they have no restocking fees, and if I decide to return it, they'll come and pick it up for only another delivery fee ($40-$65). Consider seriously Sears or Circuit City. Sears tends to offer 10% off if you sign up for one of their free charge cards; Circuit City will give you a gift card worth $300 (or something like that), and if you order from their website they'll deliver for only a very small fee. Then, if you don't like it, you can return it to your local store instead of paying for the shipping back. I think Crutchfield also has a free shipping rate. PLEASE read the fine print regarding any possible restocking fees...I remember one web discounter stating that it could be as high as 50%!!!!! Having said all of that, I'm keeping mine and am delighted with it...you probably will be too. Let's all keep pushing for the cable companies to increase the number of channels they offer in HD. What do you all think of the purported need for top-of-the-line designer cables (e.g. Monster THX) for the best picture and sound? Is this nonsense? |
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Rick | Planet1960, I'm curious too. What site or location did you purchase your set and got that great price??? I'm considering on purchasing Sony's KDF-70XBR950. Heard good things about this set above. A retailer told me the black color level is not as clear as compare to the Fujitsu 50" plasma and heard from other people that gaming like PS2,XBOX,etc.. are not to be consider to be utilize on these types of sets due to screen image burn. Is this true? Can anyone help? Especially the people who currently own one and have already tried gaming as a option to use on your LCD RPTVs. |
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| I purchased a sony KDF7XBR950 last Monday from Brandsmart, Miami, Fl. The design is beautifull and by far the nicest TV in display, why I chose to buy it. I also purchased a DTV reciever model 300 from Circuit City. I installed the HD dish, HD antena,with reciever to TV thru DVI. The high defenition channels are incredibly sharp and the colors are to die for BUT - all local and DTV none HD channels are horrible. So bad you can't even see the numbers on the players shirt on a basketball game or a persons face on a commercial. For the last few days I have invited friends and all have said the same, horrible pictures. I even called sony and no luck. All other TV's to dish are fine. I've tried everything, even new cable from dish to receiver. I'm between 13 to 15 feet away and no luck. The only time it gets better is when you make screen smaller, to normal size and still looks horrible. A sony Tech is coming over today to check TV but he already told me thats is probably because of the size 70, nothing he can do. There is no way I will pay this amount of $ for only 12 HD channels including locals. If all channels were HD, I will be in heaven!! I can't even sleep at night thinking of solutions. I have 30 days to return the set. My question is, will the KDF60 have a better picture? Has anyone else had this problem? Any and all help is appreciated!  |
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Planet1960 | My price with shipping is $5850. The stand was $699 plus $160 shipping. Good point about the restock price... I'll have to check it out. The stand was delivered last week, so if I really don't like the TV, I hope returning the stand won't be a problem. I've bought from JandR.com for years and they have been great to deal with. I spent a good deal of time watching the TV in the store, both HD and DVDs. Personally, I wouldn't have a major problem using the set primarily for DVD movies and taking the HD channels as they come. There can't be a broadcaster on the planet that isn't well on their way to offering HD in the next year or two. |
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Planet1960 | Rick - There is no screen burn in on LCD televisions... that's why many people choose to buy them. Conventional rear projection TV manufacturers recommended viewing 4:3 ratio on a 16:9 screen should be limited to 25% of total time to avoid burn in. Gaming should not be a problem, although I would be interested in feedback on PS2 graphics on the XBR950s. Also, contrast ratio is 1000:1, which should give a 20% improvement in blacks. Pely - keep us posted on how you make out. |
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Matt | Pely - So sorry you're having a bad experience with DTV non-HD! I've heard other, similarly poor experiences from other DTV users. From my experience comparing the 60" and 70" models in the retail stores, the 60" won't really look any better than the 70" in terms of graininess/pixelation; just smaller. I'm having a very good experience using digital cable (even non-HD); have you considered switching? Also, have you really gone through the entire video options menus - all of them - and adjusted everything to your own preference? Don't forget to set the overall mode to Pro instead of Vivid (the factory preset), and turn on all of the softening, noise reduction and black enhacement options. Rick, I too have heard, like Planet1960, that there is no burn-in with LCDs; that problem is far more likely with plasmas. I'm also hearing universally that when a plasma screen fails, it's finished; fixing it would cost as much as a whole new unit. But with the LCD RPTVs, after about every 2000-5000 hours all you have to do is replace the bulb (abt $200). The sets themselves purportedly then last 10-15 years. Planet1960 - think you're going to be so pleased with this set that returning it won't be an issue anyway; it's just that you might want the option. That's a great price for the stand; I would like to order it from them but they don't deliver outside of the NY metro area for that item - for unclear reasons. |
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| Matt - Thanks for the advise. I have played with all the options and you are right, pro is a little darker but sharper than vivid or standard. I noticed that they all have different settings so you need to change them individually. Some chanels are a little better but not what I hoped for. Again, the HD channels are excellent. The Tech finally came today and told me that he has been to numerous locations with similar complaints, first time with the KDF70 but all LCD sets. He said that they cannot be as sharp as tube sets until all HD channels are available. I don't know how true that is but made sence. He said to try rca instead of DVI, that was a mistake, HD channels got worse. I might try another HD receiver, an rca or something. I also will take your advise and try cable, if it works better then I might cancel DTV. I have an older PlayStation 2, the larger model and I played grand torismo III, the intro is sharp and nice but the game itself not as sharp but cool to play. Midnight club II, intro and game are not sharp but the large picture makes it cool to play. Here's where I get a bit confused. I decided to try a DVD so I put on something to loose and noticed that the quality was nothing like the HD channels but sharper than regular channels. I can live with the picture but a bit disappointed. I then played Heat and The Eagles reunion and all were un-impressive. I went and bought finding nemo and wow, great picture, colors, and sharpness, but does it count? It still looks awsome. Here's my new question, are there such a thing as HD DVD or all they all the same? |
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Planet1960 | Hello Matt - The $699 price for the stand was only about $100 cheaper than what I've seen at most web sites... then I paid a premium for delivery - $180. You may be able to do a bit better. Also, the assembly was a breeze. Everything, right down to the individual bags of hardware, was clearly labeled. This stand is extremely well built. As far as my great J&R price for the TV, it reminds me of an old story... A woman goes into a deli to order a pound of ground beef. The butcher says "That will be $10". The woman says "$10 dollars?... across the street they sell it for $6". The butcher says "then why don't you buy it across the street?". The woman says "Because they're all out". The butcher says "When I'm all out, I sell it for $4 a pound". I want this TV for my family for Christmas. Let's hope they deliver... |
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James | Hi all - I'm looking at getting the 70XBR as well. I checked out J&R as recommended and found they do have a good price. Just under $6000... However, they won't deliver beyond a 75 mile radius and shipping is almost $500.00. If I try to pick it up locally, I get slammed with the 8.62% sales tax; which is more than the shipping. My other current option is to get the unit from CC. Which is selling it for $6500. However, I would have to pay the local Sales Tax of 4.3%. The extra expense I think might be justified since it's a local purchase and if I have problems I can get it resolved easier. Also, they are offering no payments or interest til Mar 2005; so I wouldn't have fork out the bucks right away. What do you think? Does anyone have any other options I may pursue? In reference to the LCD burn-in, I've had a Sharp LCD projector since 91' and have never had a problem playing video games on it. A note on plasma. From the reasearch I've done on plasma and having one at the office, I've found that burn-in will occure on it. Also, Plasma is a phosphor which degrades over time. If you use a plasma screen like a regular TV, you will typically loose 50% of the brightness in 3 years. Their is no way to fix it without replacing the pixil display. It really urks me to see the industry boasting this inferior technology and they don't tell you the down side of it unless you dig for it. LCD on the other hand uses a back light (flat panel) or bulb as in the 70XBR which is replaceable. I don't know what it will cost for the LCD Flat panel TV's, but I know NEC LCD computer monitors are pointless to repair, because theirs only one authorized repair center in the country and they don't sell parts. Typically they want to charge you so much that your forced to go out an buy a new one for less. Anyway, your comments are appreciated and what I've read so far has been helpful... Thanks... |
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Matt | Pely - one of the salemen at Sears told me that there are a few "high bit-rate" DVDs now available, but that the corresponding DVD players are about $1000. Around the web one can find discussions of the coming DVD HD competing standards, e.g. "BluRay" or something like that, vs. JVC's models of HDTV VCRs (currently available, some as low as $430). Posted reviews have said the JVC VCRs are capable of actually recording 1080i, and look phenomenal in playback. Big video stores like BlockBuster are expected to start offering video rentals in one of these HD formats within the next few years. Meantime, DVDs definitely aren't up to that standard yet...I could only guess why some look better than others currently. |
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Anonymous | Does anyone know what the three "iLink" connections are used for? |
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Rob | Does anyone have the "dead pixels" problem? |
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Planet1960 | Pely - I went to Circuit City this afternoon and experienced your pain. They have the 60" xbr950 on display and the picture was terrible. In fact, there was another lower model Sony 65" ($2800) with built in HD that blew it away. The picture looked like you could climb right into it. I put every setting on both TVs exacly the same... no luck. I was devestated, since I have the 70" on order. I was just ready to leave in disgust, when the salesperson realized the xbr950 was receiveing an anolog signal. He switched to digital and it was more incredible than I can describe. I took a couple of deep breaths and drove back to work. It took me so long (like many of you) to finally find what I was looking for. I guess I am buying the set based on it's capabilities and realize that some of the signals have to come up to par. |
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PKD | Rob- I've had the 70"-XBR950 for about 3 weeks and I don't see any dead pixels, but I get lime green vertical lines. They're about 1/8" thick and 3/4" apart going uniformly across the screen. It looks like everyone is in a jail with green bars. I called Sony and they pointed the finger at everything connected to my set and didn't want to do anything until I had service techs inspect my cable and all my connected equipment. It wasn't until I reminded him that I had disconnected EVERYTHING but the power cord and still had green lines. At that point he thought for a few minutes before agreeing the set should be looked at. When I mentioned this problem to my dealer, they are just as happy to take this one back and give me a new one. I should have a new one soon. As others have mentioned, regular cable signals can be a bit disappointing, but when displaying a picture as large as this, there's only so much resolution to display. Hence, the image doesn't seem terribly clear. Aside from the problem I mentioned above, I can't say enough good things about this set. I waited 3 years for the technology reach this level, and I'm ever so glad I did. |
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Rob | PKD, Thanks for the info. Maybe Sony has fixed the dead pixels problem they had with KF-60XBR800. I am going to Circuit City tonight and get myself one. |
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Matt | No dead pixels yet on my set after 9 days. PKD - I've heard others occassionally have the lines problem. It makes me a little fearful of what may happen just after the warranty expires. But top evaluation outfits like Consumers Union generally say that the defects in electronics tend to show up right away, so they shun extended warranties. |
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| Matt - Thanks again, I have decided to KEEP my set. I dont know much about sets but I have been reading alot lately, of course after I bought mine but decided that if the 60 has the same or similar issue, then why change. I have always liked SONY and the HD channels are so damn good that I can't wait for more. I will order digital cable and hope for the best. Will let you know if better. I don't want to mislead anyone, see them and make your own decision. PKD - I looked carefully on mine and I don't see any green lines, hopefully you can get a new one and solve that problem. Good luck. |
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| Planet1960... Excuse my ignorance, but I'm rather new to this game and am thinking about taking the plunge into a big screen LCD (I game a lot) and the last time I was at CC I saw the previous 800 series LCD's which, everytime they put it on regular Dish Network, looked awful. When you say the salesperson realized it was an "analog" signal versus a "digital" one, exactly what do you mean? Is this something anyone with Dish Network could do themselves, or is using a digital connection something above and beyond (i.e. extra devices or programming changes etc.). My ideal thing is to get a 60 or 70 LCD that looks at least acceptable on regular Dish channels, and awesome on HD and DVD's and Xbox. Would my regular Dish receiver provide digital connections or would I need to upgrade to one of their higher end boxes? Thanks much for any help...and again, excuse my newbieness. lol |
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PKD | Pely- Thanks much. As for the green lines: no need to even look closely. They are intrusive enough that its hard to look through them to see images on the screen. Sounds like you're in the clear. |
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HouseSold | Circuit City was more than generous with me here in California. I dealt with the manager who made me feel like I was one of his family, very comfortable. I merely printed several googled stores' ($5595-$5895) prices and after listening to the best price, showed him what was available. He ended selling it for $6050 to me and I opted for a somewhat pricey 4 year extended warranty that made sure covered 100% including bulbs and at home service and was renewable and if it wasn't repairable after 2 tries, would be replaced. I choked at the $995 Sony stand, but found another capable stand (not too tall since I had an entertainment area raised 22" high built in) Short of going to the 'Dish" we have to wait 2 months for Adelphia to finish our HDTV signal in our neighborhood. Any thoughts about cable vs Dish would be appreciated. $199 for the stand was alot more palatible than $995 and ther's no sacrifice in quality since it's Sony as well. |
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Serick | Hey all. I thought I would chime in on a few of the items discussed above. First, let me say that I haven't bought one of these beauties yet, but am close to doing so. I've seen both the 70" and the 60" sets and have absolutely fallen in love with both. I've been researching LCD and DLP sets for about 6 months now on AVSForum.com and have concluded that the 60" XBR950 is the set for me. I read on AVSforum that a MPLS man bought the 70" set from UE for between $5000 and $5500 plus an extended warranty. Also, a salesman at CC told me that their cost on the 60" set is $4418. I think I may be able to get it for around $4500 if I agree to buy the 4 year warranty for another $500. DC, as for your question about analog vs. digital, DISH network is 100% digital, so if that's what you're using, you need not worry. HDTV's like LCD and DLP don't handle analog signals very well as a general rule, so you definitely want to have a digital source. For those who have digital cable, be warned that channels 1-100 on digital cable are actually analog. Only channels over 100 are digital. I have digital cable and most of the channels I watch are between 1-100, so I plan to move to Dish or DirecTV when I buy my tv. If you want to learn about these sets from true videophiles, do yourself a favor and visit AVSForum.com. Go to the rear projection forum on their website and just start reading. There are a ton of discussions about which technology is best, which tv is best, what the best setup for each tv is, etc. After many months of researching TV's, I've concluded that this is the set for me. Happy hunting! |
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| Serick: Thanks for the info, good to know. I did some research since my first post and I noticed Dish Network offers 2 "HD" receivers (I currently have the base model receiver) and I'm assuming I'd have to upgrade, which is fine. But...even though Dish Network is all digital as you said, the connections must obviously make some difference. Currently on my regular TV I'm just RCA's, so do the upgrade Dish Network boxes connect differently? I've heard about DVI and that it's supposed to be a superior way to connect your TV, but then others have said to just use S-Video. So without seeing the HD receivers, do you know how they'll connect and what's the best way to do it based on getting either the 60 or 70" Sony? Thanks again... |
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Anonymous | Serek, has the pixel issue been put to bed? Seemed to be a big worry on earlier postings with xbr60, haven't read as much about it in recent posts. |
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Anonymous | Serick, Thanks for the info, I too am trying to decide between the 70'' and the 60" model. What would you say were the determining factors in your decision? My viewing distance will be between 10 - 11 ft. I'm concerned this will be too close for a 70". I'm also a little concerned about the analog discussion above. What are your (or anyone else's for that matter)thoughts on this? Right now, I have Cox digital cable, so analog won't be an issue (unless it's true that Cox only broadscasts digital on channels 100+ - didn't know that). I don't want to invest this much in a tv only to discover the picture quality is only so-so on digital channels, and then have to wait 1 year plus on more HD TV channels to get the true effect of my set. I might as well wait another year or so then. As you can tell I'm a bit torn. Thoughts from Serick and others are welcome. Thanks in advance. - Big D |
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emkmd | Try the following web site for viewing distances. As far as the lcd, watch out for dead pixels. http://www.myhometheater.homestead.com/viewingdistancecalculator.html -E |
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Karl K | Hello all, after quite a bit of research and lurking here, I just picked up my 70" XBR this weekend and it is getting delivered today. Just thought I'd pass along the pricing info. I ended up purchasing from CC here in Dallas for $5999 plus the stand for $700. I got them to this price after agreeing to purchase the extended warranty (which I'll probably just cancel this week...I read the contract and you can just cancel the warranty in 30 days at any store for a full refund...after that it is prorated). I thought about purchasing online, but didn't think it made a lot of sense only something this big and expensive. Plus I showed the CC Store Manager the sites where they were for sale online for $5500 as I was negotiating. I'll post again once I get the TV setup and going. I have Dish Network but don't have a High Def receiver. I'm waiting on the new PVR 921's that are out. I also bought an OTA antenna to receive local HD so I'll see how that works. Plus I guess I can "suffer" with 480p DVD. The last thing I need to do now is figure out what to do with my old TV. Anyone want to buy a Sony KP-61XBR200? -Karl |
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Tim | I've had my 60'XBR (with a Comcast Motorola High Def. cable box)for almost two weeks. I'm still looking for a copy of DVE to optimize it, but here are a few comments based on my limited experience with the set. High Def looks awsome - The blacks don't look as good as I saw in the store, but I think that is related to the fact that most settings are still factory default. The HD PBS loop looks awesome. DVD 480P looks great! The digital feed of the major networks (when the networks aren't broadcasting HD) look fine. Analog stations (2-99) vary show to show. Some shows look tolerable but all would be better viewed on my old 35" mitsubishi. As far as dead pixels, I have thoroughly searched for them and found only one on the day the set arrived(blue one always on) and have not seen any new ones since(and I check every couple of days). It is impossible to see the dead pixel from distances beyond 2 feet. And nooone that has come to see the set has ever noticed it. I searched for HDTV for over a year reading sites like this and looking at hundreds of sets. I seriously considered the Samsung and the old xbr800 and this was the first set that made me want to finally get my wallet out. FYI... I typically sit about 10-12' from the television and I think the 60" is just right. Also, if you have a digital camera with memory stick, popping a memeory stick in the tv and looking at pictures is great. (looking at an almost full screen picture makes me glad I bought the 5 megapixel sony). Any questions about the set or suggestions on optimizing the set are welcome. |
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rob | Does anyone know the best OTA antenna to get for the xbr950 and where to get them? |
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Serick | DC You're correct that HD is an upgrade. I think you're looking at $300 to $500 for an HD box and then another $10-20 per month for the subscription. Also, HD requires a different satellite. Although some are upgrading to HD, most are waiting until more HD channels are available. If you buy the XBR, I would recommend against upgrading to HD satellite and instead purchase an HD antennae. If you didn't know, one of the nice features of the XBR is that it has an internal HD tuner, so you can buy a fairly low cost HD antennae and pick up local channels in HD. Most metropolitan areas should offer 4-6 HD channels over the air. That appears to be a better deal than upgrading satellite service at this point. Anonymous, I'm not sure what you're referring to with the pixel problem. Can you elaborate? You may be referring to something on last year's XBR models. If so, this year's model is light years advanced from that one. Anonymous 2: Factors that went into my decision are: I decided on LCD technology over DLP and CRT because CRT has so many limitations - size, weight, viewing angle, and many mfgrs are announcing plans to stop producing CRT rear projection TV's. DLP is a better technology at this point that LCD, but the only DLP's on the market right now are single gun units that create 'rainbows'. Very few people are susciptiple to rainbows, but those who are say the technology is virtually unwatchable. Also, DLP is generally about $1000 more than LCD for equivalent units. LCD is my personal preference for technology because the picture looks great, and I'm not that concerned about the main LCD drawbacks, which are stuck pixels and poor black levels. I've found from my research that stuck pixels aren't as big a deal as made out to be and black levels are much improved over earlier models. As for the XBR, it is easily the best LCD RP tv available right now. The cabinet is beautiful, the screen gives the tv a plasma look, and the picture is stunning in HD. My guess is that standard def won't look that good on the 70" unless you sit far away, but HD looked stunning even from 5 feet. Sony added a number of improvements to this TV over its last model. It also has better contrast rations than other LCD's and it has good black levels. Hope this helps. If you haven't seen one, go see it. They are stunning!!!! Gotta go. |
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van k, | Hi all, I have a couple of concerns: I noticed that the xbr 70" goes up to 125 channels without a box. All my HD channels are above that...don't know why Sony did that? Also, you know there are only a hand full of HD channels. Is watching standard TV on the 70 XBR Unbearable to watch? Can I make any improvements on this? Lastly, Does anyone know if PLASMA has a better picture quality than the sony 70 xbr LCD??? Thanks Any imput greatly appreciated!!! vankay |
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van k. | Oh ya one last question: Has anyone used the 70XBR on viewing a vhs tape? What is the picture quality? |
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Serick | Anonymous: As for picture quality on standard def programs, the standard response on AVSForum applies - garbage in garbage out. Many standard def programs look good, but many do not. Much of it has to do with the quality of the picture. The standard def programs I saw on the 70" looked decent though. In addition, I've heard positive things on AVSforum about how well the XBR handles standard def pictures. With that said, its true that the larger the screen, the more likely that a bad picture will look bad. I recommend going to a local store and comparing a standard def picture on this set vs. others. As for the pixel problem, you may be referring to the dreaded 'screen door effect' or the 'silk screen effect'. Both are much improved in the XBR over other LCD units. I don't know what Sony did differently to minimize SDE, but it shows in the quality of the picture. As for the SSE, this is a non-issue with the new screen. The trade off is that the screen is more reflective than the traditional LCD and DLP screens. I like the tradeoff because it gives the unit a plasma look, but those who have a lot of lights and windows may not like it. Van K I think most would agree that a good plasma unit offers a better picture than the XBR. Contrast ratios, black levels, and viewing angle are all better. Of course, a 70" plasma will set you back about $30,000 and a 60" plasma around 20k. With that said, I think the XBR is a stunning set. |
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Dennis | Van K On the vsh tape my xbr-70 does a pretty good job. Where I live there is no ota ant that will get anything, it's either dish or cable. I just use the dish and it does a excllent job with that. If your thinking of getting one I doubt that you would be disappointed. |
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van k. | Thank you for all your help on this. Unfortunatly I measured the room the xbr is going in and thought that the 60"xbr would work best. Just FYI the 60" is going for $4800. I am going to buy it tommorow. By the way the 60" is identical to the 70". I also believe and not sure but the 70 came out first and the 60 later. I think maybe sony may have tweeked up the 60 after intoducing the 70. But I am not sure....Good luck everyone on your xbr!!! |
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| Update: Well I got my 70XBR installed and up and running from this past weekend and all I can say is that the HDTV picture is AMAZING. I found myself watching men's lacross and womens collegiate synchronized swimming of all things just because the picture is so incredible. I sprung for the stand which took me about an hour to put together and was quite heavy....much heavier than the tv. It looks quite nice with the tv now although you can see all the cords in back since it is see-thru which was something I didn't anticipate. It does feature a locking mechanism which secures the base to the tv. Although I have Dish Network, I don't have a High Def satellite receiver and am just receiving OTA antenna broadcasts of local stations here in Dallas. I bought a Terk TV55 antenna that I mounted outside the house and it is working really well. Although it says indoor/outdoor, I didn't have any luck inside on the first floor and eventually had to mount outside on the roof. (I live quite far from the broadcast towers though). For the picture quality, I have noticed some stark differences depending on the quality of the source. (I have done no adjustment of tv settings, picture, etc). For OTA HDTV signals, picture is outstanding, almost like you can reach out and touch it. For regular Dish Network satellite channels, picture quality is very good...even somewhat improved over my old Sony KP-61XBR200 which even had a line doubler. For DVD's in 480p, once again the picture is amazing and rich. For some reason, certain stations on satellite and OTA get a really crappy picture that is almost blurry. I attribute this to a few factors. The first is that a poor quality source is going to look worse the larger the screen size is. The second is that your eyes get adjusted to the HD picture and then you go back to a regular picture and it of course looks "bad". I think it is analogous to the first DVD you watched and then popping in a VHS tape and saying "wow this tv must not do a good job with VHS". Well, it isn't the tv's fault, it is just the DVD source is so much better than VHS. Couple of other comment: -No dead pixels. -No articfact issues with fast moving sports or action scenes -No screen door effect...I think you'd have to sit like a foot from the tv to have this happen. -I'll probably hold off on getting a HD satellite receiver for a while...I'm quite happy with the OTA antenna for now and there just aren't enough HD stations on satellite to justify the price of a new receiver. Plus I mostly watch the prime time programs (ABC, NBC, CBS) which I can get over the air for free. |
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van Unregistered guest | Hi everyone, I just recieved my xbr and I saw two bright pinks spots on the upper part of my screen. They are about 1 millimeter each. Is this dead pixels? And if so is there anything I can do? Should I worry about this? Thanks any imput would be greatly appreciated! van k, |
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dev Unregistered guest | Van K You may want to look in here there is a lot to read. I believe that I saw something like you were asking about posted there. http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=440bc530a5c60cd52c37b28394986a3e &threadid=320952 |
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van Unregistered guest | Thanks, Can't seem to find my answer there but thanks for thte help. Again I bought an xbr and the day I got it I saw 2 bright pink spots that are approxamately 1 millimeter in diameter. No matter what movie I watch it is there. Can anyone tell me is there anything I can do? Am I being overly picky here? And should I ask the dealer for a new xbr? And most importantly is this anything to worry about ?? Maybe dead pixels? Any imput would be GREATLY apreciated!!!!! van k. |
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New member Username: SerickPost Number: 1 Registered: 12-2003 | Van: What you have sounds like 'stuck' pixels. Stuck pixels are different than dead pixels. Dead pixels won't show any color - stuck pixels will display the color that they are stuck on. As for whether to return it, I guess you need to decide whether the bright pink spots will irritate you for the life of the tv. If they will, I would return it and continue to return successive tv's until you get one you're happy with. Many people have reported that once they see dead or stuck pixels, they find themselves drawn to them whenever they watch the tv. That may be reason enough to return it. For the record, the consensus among LCD RP tv owners is that stuck and dead pixels are a result of the manufacturing process, not something that develops over time. Serick |
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Anonymous | If the XBR950s have a built in HDTV tuner, then why do you have to buy a seperate one for the dish networks/cable? I thought the built in tuner eliminated having to buy anything else. With all the HD "ready" sets out there, and cable/satellite providers offering all-in-one receivers, is there any advantage to the built in HDTV tuner? |
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Rob Unregistered guest | I just got the 60" Sony LCD. The TV came with an insert that said it was normal to have some of these 'stuck' pixels. What BS! I think that it is poor manufacturing and they just want to sell the sets anyway. So far I haven't noticed any on my set. If you have a 30 day return policy I would consider returning it. |
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New member Username: Van_kPost Number: 1 Registered: 12-2003 | Hi everyone I guess I have a problem with my new replaced xbr lcd. At the bottom of the picture if yoiu watch cnbc and watch the ticker tape run across the bottom of the screen...that is the stocks or the numbers. It looks as if and it is actually doing it. That is the numbers or the letters are crawling higher from one side of the screen to the other. About a half inch difference from one end of the screen to the other! Can anyone tell me what I can do to adjust this??? Need help thanks! van k |
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Cathode Unregistered guest | ......... just got the 60" Sony LCD. The TV came with an insert that said it was normal to have some of these 'stuck' pixels. What BS! I think that it is poor manufacturing and they just want to sell the sets anyway. So far I haven't noticed any on my set. If you have a 30 day return policy I would consider returning it. ..................... If there was a zero tolerance for dead or stuck pixels during the manfacturing process you wouldn't have to worry about returning one because you probably wouldn't be able to afford it. |
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pithousand Unregistered guest | Thx to all the posts on the KDF70XBR950! We just got ours set up and we love it! The TV and the SUGW3 stand make a beautiful pair; we don't have any dead or stuck pixels; and the blacks look fine to us. Thx for all the info! |
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webdzynes Unregistered guest | Is the KDF70XBR950 the latest set available and are there any serious alternative contenders in this price range? |
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New member Username: WebdzynesPost Number: 1 Registered: 12-2003 | HouseSold - Would you kindly email me your email address. I'd like to ask you a question. Thanks. webdzynes@yahoo.com |
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New member Username: BitheadPost Number: 2 Registered: 01-2004 | I am also looking for a device that would be a great PC montitor. I was supprised to hear that this unit does not include VGA only DVI port. My PC is VGA output only. I can upgrade the PC to DVI but first wanted to ask the following: I was wondering if anyone has had a chance to use the DVI connector between a PC and the 70XBR950? How does this look? what setting on the PC and the TV? Is it recommended?? Has anyone used a VGA to DVI converter? what converter? How does this look? Thanks in advance. Bithead |
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New member Username: CcarlsonPost Number: 1 Registered: 01-2004 | Does anyone know if there is a TIVO which will give a digital signal ? I take it from previous posts that there are DISH receivers which will give a digital signal, I guess even from regular (non HDTV stations) ? |
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Anonymous | According to Circuit City, it is coming February-March 2004, thus all the TIVO deals even at Costco. Also DVD players are down as low as $29.95 since the next generation HD models will be here by April. |
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Unregistered guest | I am going to buy the 70'' sony xbr lcd..BUT i have NO idea what all this 480p 480 i and I am scared that i will be crazy with always "tweaking" the damn thing...is there a way to just get it set up and forget about having to "tweek" i am going to get the dish network 921 hd dual tuner PVR....either hook it up with the dvi or component..which video input do i use? and then how do i set the damn thing LOL thanks in advance for all your help and suggestions Jeff |
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Bill Whelpley Unregistered guest | Jovan, the dvi interface is not for pc use according to the owners manual. you can use the s video interface instead. |
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New member Username: MikeytmaxxPost Number: 3 Registered: 01-2004 | In response to porscheman's comment and to all the rest who have or are considering buying the xbr 60 or 70 you should and I repeat SHOULD have the set calibrated by a certified ISF technition that is the only and best way you will get the BEST picture quality out of the set forget about these dvd's that help you ajust the picture quality like video essentials and all the rest a certified ISF technician has state of the art calibrating equiptment which costs thousands of dollars let me give you a example for those who dont know out the box the xbr's are pushing a color temperature of anywhere from 9,000 to 11,000 kelvins which is way too warm the ideal temperature for the "BEST" picture quality is around 6,500 kelvins a ISF certified technition has a the proper and very expensive equipment to make the changes to the set properly just so you know I own the xbr950 60 inch had it calibrated by a technition here in NY, It is a little pricey but well worth the dollar for the 60 inch depending on the tech. you will pay around $400 dollars like I stated before well worth it for a tv thats worth a lot more tan $400 dollars ISF stands for Imaging science foundation and was created by Joel Silver you can find a certified tech. in your area by going to www.imagingscience.com have it done speaking from experience it makes the tv's picture quality insanely beautiful |
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David S Unregistered guest | does anybody have any thoughts on getting a warranty? it seems like if has problems it would do so in the 1st year but I don't really know if this technology has differences that cause it to break more or less. Thanks! |
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Unregistered guest | I have you rec your KDF70 XBR 950 from J&R yet or are they still on back order . I have just order one and I was told it will be 6 to 8 weeks before it is delivered. |
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Unregistered guest | Has anyone seen a LCOS TV yet and compared it to the sony KDF70 xbr 950 |
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