Sony LCD 55WF655 (1 Viewer)

[Paul D G]

I'm strongly attracted to this model but my one concern is how it handles 4:3. I went to two CC and two BBs today. Despite selling it neither of the BBs even had the unit on display.

Neither of the CCs could show me 4:3 in it's native format (oddly both put on the exact same channel when asked and seemed unable to select anything else I requested -- like CNN). Is it possible to see 4:3 in it's proper dimensions on this set? All we could get was either streched, zoomed, and stretched and zoomed.

I'm trading in my Tosh DLP due to RBE sickness and I really like the mode which only stretches out the edges while keeping the primary part of the image intact. Can this TV do this? Any others?

Thanks,

-paul

 

[Michael TLV]

Greetings

The 55" is the same as the 60 and the 50 and the 42 ...

They all have a 4:3 mode and a wide zoom mode that does the gradual stretch.

Regards

 

[ScottHH]

Paul,

I have the 60WF655, which I purchased after seeing my buddy's 55WF655. I am extremely happy with the TV. My father subsequently purchased the 42WE655 (which I haven't seen yet). So I recommend this TV.

Sony has the manual available online if you wish to look at it.

You can watch 4:3 material in 4 modes (page 70 of the manual):

"Wide zoom enlarges the center portion of the picture. The left and right edges of the picture are streched to fill the 16:9 screen.
Normal displays the 4:3 picture in its original size. Side bars are shown to fill the 16:9 screen.
Full stretches the 4:3 picture horizontally, to fill the 16:9 screen.
Zoom enlarges the 4:4 picture proportionately to fill the 16:9 screen. Zoom is useful for watching Letterbox movies."



Yes, "Wide zoom" mode.

Finally, if you go back to the store: "Press Wide (on the remote control) repeatedly to toggle through the...screen mode settings." Since the salespeople can't seem to figure it out.

 

[Paul D G]

Thanks guys, and for directing me to the manual online.

I wasn't sure about the zooming in and doing the gradual strech but when I played with my Toshiba I realized it zoomed in the image slightly as well. So I will go with this set. (I should have in the first place, always been a Sony man!)

I would really like to get the 60" but my wife says it's "too damn big" and the 55" is already more than we wanted to spend.

-paul