Differences between the Sony KD34XS955 and KD34XBR960 Televisions? (1 Viewer)

[Daniel Johnson]

A friend presented me with this question as an XBR960 owner, and I honestly didn't know. A quick Google only produced the Picture-in-picture feature, Cable Card slot and a 10-bit comb filter on the XBR. Other than that, they seem to be the same (use the same picture tube, have the same built-in HD tuner, etc). He doesn't need Cable Card or PIP, so would he be better off saving a couple hundred bucks and going with the non-XBR, or are there other noteworthy differences?

 

[Jack Briggs]

Daniel, please ask about displays in the Display Devices area.

As to your question, at least back to the XBR910 days, the top-of-the-line, 34-inch WEGA (the XBR960) has a super fine-pitched aperture grill. Don't know if the lesser models have this. (I do know Sony's 4:3, HD-capable screens don't have the super fine-pitched grill.) And it does make a difference. The KV-34XBR960 is the best direct-view, CRT-based display I've ever seen.

 

[Daniel Johnson]

Ahh, sorry. (Hopefully) Won't happen again.

By the way, both of the aforementioned sets have the Super Fine Pitch CRT. They seem to be essentially the same set, with the XBR having a couple of extra features, but I want to make sure before I tell him they're going to have about the same PQ.