Any plans for 16x9 WEGAs in the US? (1 Viewer)

[SteveA]

I know that Sony is selling 16x9 WEGA TVs overseas. Does anyone know if they plan to start selling them in the US? Are there any more direct view 16x9 sets on the horizon? So far, the only one I've seen is the 38" RCA.

 

[Marque D]

Sony currently has the SONY KW 34-HD1 . It's about 2 years old maybe 2 and a half. It was one of Sony first HDTV's. This fall they will be replacing it with the KW 34-HD2. It will have Firewire, a 5C interface (new digital television copy protection system) it will have a much cheaper price than the original. I have been thinking about going with the 34-HD2 but I think I going to go ahead and get a Sampo SME-34WHD5
Toshiba, Panasonic, Samsung as well as some others also have dirct-view 16:9 sets.

 

[Robert D Davis]

I believe the KD-34HD2 is now being called the KW-34XBR2. Which means Best Buy probably won't carry it since they shy away from the XBR series like the plague (those idiots).
Robert

 

[Lewis]

Does anyone know why Best buy does not carry the XBR series?

 

[Adam Nixon]

Best Buy tends to cater to the mass market. Last time I checked, they didn't even carry Sony's "V" series. My guess is that they figure their customer base is the non-enthusiast who couldn't justify (or see any difference)the purchase of an XBR.

 

[Robert D Davis]

Ok, I can't hold back any longer on this story about BB and XBRs. I was in BB a few weeks ago, and I was just casually walking around the TV area when a pretty, young BB employee came up to me and asked if she could help me with anything. Not looking for anything in particular, I decided to inquire if BB would ever carry the XBR series. The girl bit her lip in a manner that suggested she was relatively new to TV sales, and then directed my question to another employee that I would assume had worked there longer. This other employee, the apple of BB's eye that he was, promptly boasted that BB doesn't need to carry the XBRs because they only difference between the XBRs and the WEGAs that BB carried were "the speakers." Astounded at this response, I inquired further, asking just what exactly he meant. He went on to say that he went to a BB training seminar "a year ago" and said that they showed them the difference between a "standard WEGA" and an "XBR", and that the training manager said the only difference was that the XBR had "better speakers." I immediately retorted that the XBRs had several more differences than just speakers, and I immediately pointed out that the XBRs were the first to capable of displaying HDTV signals. He then pointed to the new Hi-Scan WEGAs that they had and said that they do the same thing. Determined to make him see the light, I tried to explain that the new XBRs like the 450s have 3:2 pulldown built-in, among other things, which the HS series do not. He then said, "Well, I've never heard of an XBR450 before." It was hopeless at this point to try and make him understand, but I continued and made the point that it sounds like he is trying to compare WEGAs that he saw over a year ago with the HS series. I went on to say to him that "a lot changes in a year" regarding TVs. By this point, there was nothing more to be said, he was being stubborn and there was just no changing that. Whatever happened to the saying that the "customer is always right?" I guess BB doesn't teach the young punks that they hire nowadays such a virtue.

 

[Lisel]

I remember reading reports, out of CES this past January, about a forthcoming Grand Wega, a 40-inch, 16:9, HDTV-ready direct-view that would list for four grand. Haven't heard a peep about it since though.
Lisel

 

[Chuck C]

GRRRR! I hate Best Buy! Let me work there, and the entire world would learn the facts about Dolby Digital, DTS, HDTV, 3:2, Sensitivity & Impedance, Hi-Current, SPL, component v. s-vid, etc. They'd also learn that Best Buy doesn't carry anything GOOD (for the most part). I'd tell them customers the facts about Bose, and where the frig are the XBRs and FV Wegas?? Why isn't the 65" Tosh ever on display? Why monster cable isn't the best! ahhhhhh!
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Chuck
Chuckster's HT Equipment List

 

[Carol Curtis]

BB probably doesn't carry the XBR sets because Sony won't sell them XBR's. Sony doesn't just sell XBR sets to just anyone, at least that's what I was told & a lot of other cpompanies do the same thing with their top of the line models. CAN YOU SAY MITSUBISHI

 

[Lewis]

I have been hunting around for a digital video camera and I went to Best Buy to get idea's on pricing. I have to say that the help was well informed about the difference between the Sony and Panasonic cameras. I was also interested in purchasing a firewire card and the computer guy was also helpful.

 

[Robert D Davis]

I went to another BB last Fall for the same thing (looking for a digital camera) and was hard pressed to find anyone even willing to help me. Can anyone else verify that Sony may not allow BB to carry the XBRs? Basically, what this all comes down to me for is, even though I hate BB, I really love their 12-18 months no-interest payment plans. Furthermore, I'm looking forward to purchasing the KW-34XBR2, and I would love to be able to do it using such a payment method.