SXRD or not?

[rob7]

Browsing through reviews and threads and keep coming back to the Sony 50" SXRD. The measurements and features are just right for my use. But I'm 10'-11' away from the tv. Will also watch tv from the kitchen area which is 10'-15' behind the couch (a very open area).

Looked at the Sony LCDs as well, but I read about several Sony LCD problems on another site.

Not stuck on the Sony brand, but I was very impressed with my Sony 32" wega that died last week after several years of use/abuse.

Don't want to waste money on the 1080p if it will be of no benefit in my application, but it seems like I'm going in circles and coming back to this model because of everything else.

Any comments or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Rob

[elapsed]

Hi Rob - A 50" set is ideal for viewing 720p content at 10ft distance. However, in order for the human eye to resolve 1080p detail on a 50" set, you would need to be sitting 6.5" distance. For this reason, you won't get any benefit by purchasing a 1080p set from your viewing distance..

http://www.carltonbale.com/blog/2006/11/1080p-does-matter/
http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/tips/1137/maxing-out-resolution.html

In any case, under ideal lighting, the Sony SXRD and JVC D-ILA sets are arguably the best rear projection sets on the market. I wouldn't hesitate to purchase either, even for viewing a 720p source. :)

[rob7]

Thanks for the reply.

Do you or anyone else have any info on the other Sony LCD issues? Have those problems started clearing up? The bravias look interesting as well.

Thanks,

Rob

[edtyct]

I'm not up on the very latest news, but Sony has issued notice that it will replace faulty optical blocks in the KF and KDF series of 2003/4. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the 2005/6 LCD RPTVs were included as well, since the cutoff date for support is mid-2006. Check Sony's web support (http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/news-item.pl?mdl).

This matter, however, applies to only LCD rear- projection sets, not flat panels like the Bravias, which don't have optical blocks. The problem manifests as a pattern on some area of the screen that looks like a colored road map or circuit board. People have also reported hazy blobs of green around the edges of the screen. This is sometimes caused by dust or other contamination in the system, which may or may not be removable by a technician without swapping out any expensive parts.

[rob7]

Thank you, edtyct, for that info. The complaints that I had read were months old, at least. I imagined that the problems would have started to clear up.

Finally went to look at a few tvs. SXRD looks great--brighter than some of the other displays there, which is good because the wife likes to let the sunshine in. Bravias look good, too, but pricier than the SXRD, which still brings me back to that model.

Thanks again,

Rob

[topspeed]

If you have a lot of ambient light, SXRD or HD-iLA is safest best bet...by far. LCoS based systems are simply brighter than anything out there and thus better equipped to negate the affect of having all the shades open. I've got a HD-iLA and trust me, you could get a tan by this thing.

I got my dad a Bravia this past year and while it is the best LCD I've seen, I still far prefer my set, in particular on SD. LCD's simply don't do SD very well. Take a look at both SD and HD on each set and trust your eyes. The difference should be readily apparent.

[rob7]

Thanks, topspeed. I've looked at the JVCs as well. They look great, but they're just a bit too big for my set-up.

Anyone with any experience shopping at 'onecall'? They seem to have the best price/warranty options. Wasn't too impressed with the customer service or warranty deals at the local retailers.

Thanks,

Rob

[edtyct]

OneCall is a class act. You would do well to call them rather than buy directly online. The best price isn't always advertised.

[rob7]

Great info. I had generally heard that, but wanted to verify it.

Do you (anyone) have any comment on their warranty contracts? Price is right, unsure about actual service.

Thanks,

Rob

[edtyct]

Rob,

I don't know about their warranty service, but I do know that they are otherwise conscientious and responsive. Their sales staff appears to operate on a more knowledgeable and sophisticated level than that of most other internet stores; it doesn't hurt that they are also a brick and mortar operation. By the way, PM me. I just ran across a reputable store with extremely low prices on JVC DiLAs. I don't like to advertise for anyone on the web (though I just gave OneCall a plug. Oh well).

Ed

[Onabudgetguy]

Hey, saw this thread after posting my own.

Woot.com is has a JVC 61 inch set today (720p though).

No, I don't work for them, but they are a cool site, and their sales are only for one day, so thought I would post it before it goes away.

[rob7]

Thanks for the info. That's a great deal, but the JVCs are too big for my setup.