Sony Direct View Or Lcd? (1 Viewer)

[Louisp]

Which Sony television unit will provide a better overall viewing experience in a 16x18x8 room equipped with DirecTV HDTV and a Denon 2200 DVD the:

Sony 42 in. Grand WEGA™ Rear Projection LCD TV/HDTV KDF-42WE655"

or the

Sony 36 in. Wega Direct View CRT TV/HDTV KV-36HS420?

 

[John S]

Oh man, This is totally opinion, your going to get proponents on the side of both of these displays.

For me, size is still key for a more true theater like experience. So the bigger one, is my opinion.

I'm still a CRT Projection lover though myself. But these newer Sony LCD Projection displays are winning me over for sure.

 

[Michael TLV]

Greetings

42" 16:9 image or 33" 16:9 image. What is more enveloping?

The 4:3 image will be roughly the same size ... without geometric distortion.

The tube set will have more geometric distortions to it compared to the LCD unit ... like unnatural curved lines closer to the edges ... annoying once you see them ...

Go bigger ...

Regards

 

[Arthur S]

Louis

The Sony KDF-50WE655 did not score well in the Consumers Reports test of microdisplay rear projection sets. I would guess the 42 inch version would test out similarly.

Also, even the best LCD sets don't match the black levels of CRT.

So, strictly speaking about picture quality, the traditional CRT KV-36HS420 will produce better picture quality than any LCD rear projector.

But when you talk about a "better overall viewing experience" that could get into the question of screen size and shape. A 42 inch 16:9 may be more enjoyable if you do a lot of DVD viewing. On the other hand, a 42 inch 16:9 will only give you a 34.3 inch diagonal 4:3 image. So if you watch a lot of TV with 4:3 material, you lose some picture size compared to a 36 inch 4:3.

There are compromises to be made. Only you can determine which compromises make the most sense for you based on absolute picture quality, cost, viewing distance, picture size, source material, broadcast trends, etc.

Artie

 

[DaveF]

I have the 36" Sony Wega from '02, and I wouldn't get either of your options now. I'd get a ~51" CRT RPTV for about $1600.

Out of your two options, if had to choose, I'd get the LCD RPTV.

While I like my direct-view TV, I now wish I had a larger, lighter, RPTV with better geometry.

 

[Steve Schaffer]

Lewis,

In an 18x16x8 room, how far from the screen are you going to be sitting? My guess would be at least 12-14 feet?

In that case the answer is none of the above. If your room is not an out and out sunporch I'd also recommend a larger crt based rptv, at least 57".

Using Consumer Reports as the be-all and end-all of tv reviewing is sorta like trusting an aging has-been golf pro to make decisions on motor oil.

Of the microdisplay sets around (lcd, dlp, lcos rptvs) the Sony lcds actually have the fewest problems as far as motion blur, clayfaces, etc, don't have rainbows and audio synch problems like the dlps, etc.

If you must have a set that's suitable for a brightly lit room, then microdisplay rptvs are the way to go for pic size, but if you have some light control and don't mind the big box, crt rptvs can give you a much larger screen, potentially better pq, at a very much lower price.

 

[Steve Berger]

A 51" to 65" CRT RPTV is probably about the same depth as a 36" CRT. (at least in the Sony lineup)

Consumer reports tends to judge new technologies and designs using old standards before there is any service history on the products. They have done this repeatedly on consumer electronic products over the 33 years that I have been servicing them. I believe that it will be 2 or 3 more years before they are qualified to comment on LCD , Plasma , or microdisplay RPTV's. I am not even convinced that they have enough data to even judge any HDTV ready set since the technology has been changing due to the 480 vs 720 vs 1080 and HDTV vs EDTV and internal vs external vs cablecard tuner issues that have caused redesigns every year so far.