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The price is right from Amazon. Delivered on time, the guy opened the boxand made sure it worked before he left.The picture on both tuner and dvd met expectations, both fine.If you want to tinker there are more than enough picture adjustments.Be sure you lower brightness and contrast to standard, they are way toohigh from the factory.I looked at the panasonic 37" but it seemed a seemed somewhat lower inquality.Update: After about a month usage, both the HD and DVD picturesare simply beautiful.
It was delivered within a few days. The TV has the most life-like picture. It also sounds great. Very pleased with my purchae. I shopped around and found Amazon.com offered it for the best price. I'm a big fan of SONY products and this TV only reassures me that SONY makes a superior product.
I does what it says it will do and do it very well. As we all know that is not always true with a lot of products. I especially like the pc hook-up. This was the best tv I found from doing on line and in store research. I've always like Sony tvs, and this one is no exception. Works really well with my Macbook Pro.
IN SUMMARYYou make sacrifices today when you get a TV under 40 inches. By using an HDMI cable, the TV is able to control the DVD player. As a web graphics professional it is extremely obvious to me, to the point of being annoying and distracting when there are scenes that have strong gradients. Due to the fact this TV uses 8-bit processing instead of 10-bit, there is major banding of gradients.
I had no problems mounting it on a stand myself.EXTRASIt supports Bravia Link, which makes life with my Sony DVD player a lot easier. It looks beautiful, is simple, nicely sized, and doesn't feel cheap. The only nit is the interface for changing inputs. Without the feedback of a green light, it can be difficult to tell if you've succeeded in turning the TV on.The TV is also quite thin and light. One less remote on my coffee table. There's a lot to like about this TV, but it seems that the Sharp Aquos LC37D64U has 10-bit processing which makes a significant difference when there are scenes that require lots of subtle shades of the same color. However, the status lights ( in the clear area below the TV but above the speakers ) are almost impossible to see in a well lit room.
HARDWAREThe bezel is nice and thin, which means this TV doesn't take up much space for a 37-incher. Had I known that 10-bit processing alleviates this problem I would have made that a must-have feature for my TV purchase. Pressing the input button will first show you a menu of all possible inputs. I did notice the channel and volume buttons are placed quite low and far away from the circular directional control.
The DVD player turns off and on automatically as needed and the TV remote can play, pause forward, etc. Very adjustable, and very sexy and enjoyable to use. Then you must wait a few seconds, and the TV will select the new input. It takes a while for the TV to turn on and it makes no sound when powered up. Let me make it clear -- this TV is NOT 120Hz. If you are using a TiVo remote, you will find it tedious. INTERFACEThe interface for the TV is sensational. This TV doesn't handle those kinds of scenes well -- lots of banding.
Still, it's extremely annoying to see ELEVEN inputs when I'm only using two. It is 60Hz. The one you are currently on is highlighted. Unused inputs are grayed out and cannot be selected. Unfortunately all the best technology is only available at 40 inches and up, so you will be making some sacrifices to stay under 40".PICTURE QUALITYOne of the factors that influenced my decision was an Amazon review for the 37" Samsung, which compared it to this Sony and claimed the Sony was 120Hz. Wonderful.This TV is also has a DMEX connector, so you can use all the latest pricey add-ons that Sony is making, like the Internet Video Link.REMOTEThe included remote is one of the nicest I've had with a TV in a long time. The Sony styling is very appealing -- much nicer than the best Samsung and Sharp in this size.
I only use the remote when I want to watch a DVD, so I may not be the ideal candidate to speak about the remote. If you're looking for a great 37 inch HDTV, there aren't many choices. The interface insists on showing all possible inputs in the menu -- and there are ELEVEN. I found Samsung, Sharp and Sony as the highest rated in this size. You must hit the input button again to highlight the next input. But I may be more sensitive to this due to my profession. Other than the banding issues, I'm very happy with the picture quality.
I haven't seen the Sharp myself, but based on the tech specs I would advise anyone looking for a TV in this size and price range to check it out.
It is a fantastic product. I have never been more pleased than with my purchase of the Sony Bravia XBR6 37" TV. From order to delivery, it was a wonderful experience.
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