Sony and Hitachi HDTV's (1 Viewer)

[MattGuyOR]

I read a lot about Toshiba and Mitsubishi sets, but little to none about Sony or Hitachi. Are their sets decent? I know the Sony's are pretty spendy but I know someone who can get me one at cost. Are they worth it?

 

[NickSo]

There's no competition between a Mits/Toshiba and a Sony...
Sonys (sonies?) are way overpriced, and the components are not as good as the stuff in the Toshibas. The DRC is no match for the ISDCPro, and the image on the the Sony are not as good as Tosh's or Mits...
I dunno bout hitatchi...
------------------
The So Family Home Theater!
http://www.multimania.com/sonick182/ht/index.html
You're all entitled to your opinion, but you're all wrong!!! - Paul Dalmine
ICQ: 8593599

 

[MattGuyOR]

The 65 inch Sony got a great review in Sound and Vision magazine. That must say something.

 

[Steve Schaffer]

I was a big Hitachi fan having been very happy with a 4/3 analog Ultravision I bought in 99.
In mid september I started looking at widescreen hd-ready models and couldn't find a Mits widescreen on display at any of 3 stores that did not have major problems with discoloration and geometry, and thier line-doublers were horrible.
Toshiba and Hitachi looked much better, got an Hitachi based on my good experience with the ntsc set.
I put both brands on regular ntsc sources in the stores, and found their line-doublers to be pretty much identical. Both sets convert 480i to your choice of 540p or 1080i, both accept 480i, 480p, 720p, or 1080i. The Tosh had one more stretch mode than the hitachi, but both sets looked the same as far as the quality of line doubling and the amount of digital artifacting added by the stretch mode processing.
In actual use, the Hitachi line doubler and stretch mode was barely tolerable for ntsc material from cable. DVD and HD from a Toshiba DST-3000 were very nice. The set exhibitted a nasty green tinge in the lower brightness ranges of the grayscale, and I could not correct it satisfactorily with the screen trimpots inside the set (no service menu drive and cut adjustments on Hitachi).
Did more research and read about ghost ringing problems with the new Toshibas, so took a look at a Sony KP51HW40. This set looked better than anything else I'd seen so I did more research over at Home Theater Spot and found no complaints so far.
I don't know if Nick has seen this new model yet, but it's DRC is much improved, and looks much better to me than the Toshibas and Hitachis I've seen playing ntsc in the stores--much sharper and clearer.
I took delivery of a KP57HW40 Saturday morning, and it's a quantum leap above the Hitachi in color reproduction, not just in the fact that the green tinge in dark areas is gone, but also in it's ability to display subtle color differences and realistic fleshtones. My old Hitachi Ultravision had the high quality guns and 6 element lenses and excelled in color rendition. I don't know what cheap junk this Sony has inside, but it performs just as well if not better at color reproduction. It also displays none of the ringing and ghost lines reported by Toshiba owners, and has minimal red push unlike the Mits.
I honestly think Sony has a great product in this line of sets, Sony bashers notwithstanding. (and I wonder how many have actually taken one apart themselves to find those cheap parts!) I've been a sony basher myself, having had a bad experience with one of their V series rptvs a few years ago, but this new H series has changed my mind about their rptvs. I was not fond of the softness of the DRC on past Sonys, but this appears to be a different and much improved version.
I have also not seen any sign of the banding problem that the first generation H series Sonys suffered from.
------------------
Steve S.
I prefer not to push the subwoofers until they're properly run in.
[Edited last by Steve Schaffer on October 14, 2001 at 11:54 PM]

 

[MattGuyOR]

Thanks for the info Nick and Steve.
Steve: Are there any 65 inch Sony models that are comparable to the 57 inch model you purchased? I'd like to get the same quality TV, but in the larger size.

 

[Steve Schaffer]

Matt,
The HW40 Sonys only come in 51 and 57" sizes.
Their website lists a 65" model in the XBR series, which has the HD tuner built in as well as some other upgrades, the functional extent of which I am not certain.
The models they list on thier website in the XBR series are the KP57XBR10 and KP65XBR10. These models are a year old, and I know the 57 has been replaced by an XBR2 model, and would assume the same is true of the 65 incher. I have read comparisons of the XBR10 and HW40 series, and most report the DRC (doubling) on the HW40 is better, so I would hold out for the newer xbr2 model. These are very expensive, however, approaching Pioneer Elite territory.
------------------
Steve S.
I prefer not to push the subwoofers until they're properly run in.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Next week, I should have a 65XBR2! Originally, I ordered a Mit 65819 but after some wheeling and dealing with my regular Sony dealer, I was able to get a great and I mean great discount off the $6500.00 MSRP of the 65XBR2. It was too good of an offer to pass on while the 65819 wasn't scheduled to be delivered until November 10th at the earliest. Needless to say, I canceled my Mit order. I checked out the Sony 57HW40 on display and was very impressed with the picture while at the same time researched the XBR specifications.
Crawdaddy
------------------
Peter Staddon: "I didn't say you can put 'Monkeybone' back!"
[Edited last by Robert Crawford on October 17, 2001 at 09:48 PM]

 

[Dan Driscoll]

You might also consider taking a look at the new Pioneer sets. Not the Elites, but the Home series, specifically the SD-533HD5 and SD-643HD5. These 53" and 64" sets are as good as or better than anything on the market for less than $3500, IMO.
------------------
Dan