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| Date Reviewed: 02/02/2008 |
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Strengths: Semi-matte screen significantly reduces glare, terrific picture, very deep blacks for a matte LCD, 120Hz refresh rate, lit remote
Weaknesses: Extra wide bezel styling make the TV unnecessarily wide, Non-ergonomic remote, crushes blacks more than Samsung 71 series, changing channels much slower than my old WEGA
Summary: I finally bought the 52XBR4 after three month's research, and I've had the TV setup for 2 days now. The other 2 contenders for my purchase were a Sony W3000 series, Samsung 71 series. After playing with calibration settings in the store, I firmly believe the Samsung 71 has a better picture, mainly because it handles blacks very well. The XBR4 has very good blacks for matte LCD, but the Samsung has exceptional low-light-picture performance. The W3000 series seems very similar to the XBR4, but it doesn't have the 120Hz refresh with MotionFlow, the speakers are positioned below the panel instead of on the sides, and it has much more conservative styling.
The main reasons I chose the XBR4 over the 71 were that the 71's glossy panel has too much glare and reflection for my TV viewing room, and I observed more than one 71 series TV with jerky picture panning and triple ball effect. Some people seem to have had success getting rid of the triple ball effect via a firmware upgrade, but I've read several forum posts indicating this is an ongoing issue for many owners.
I went for the XBR4 over the W3000 because I thought I might get better sports viewing performance out of the 120Hz refresh with MotionFlow and the side-mounted speakers may provide better stereo performance.
As of yet, I don't have any external sources connected to the TV, but I am receiving all of my standard analog cable channels along with 4 HD channels through unencrypted QAM. I'm very happy with the picture performance so far, and I'm hoping the superbowl will provide a good opportunity to test the MotionFlow. I'm very happy with the matte finish even though the black performance isn't as good as the Samsung 71's with is glossy panel.
My biggest complaint about the TV is that the excessive styling makes the TV about 8" wider than it needs to be. Unless side speakers do deliver superior audio performance, I'd much rather have them placed at the bottom of the TV to reduce overall width. I also haven't had much of a chance to test whether the MotionFlow improves anything. In my brief testing so far with HD basketball, I didn't see any significant MotionFlow improvement.
My overall recommendation would be:
1. If you want the best picture, you're not afraid of potential Triple Ball Effect issues (may be fixable through firmware), and your lighting situation is glare-friendly, buy the Samsung 71 series.
2. If you don't plan to use the TV's speakers, you want a less-wide, less-styled TV, buy the Sony W3000 series.
3. If you want a well-styled TV, plan to use the TV's speakers, really want 120Hz refresh and MotionFlow, and don't have issues with the excessive width, buy the XBR4.
I definitely wouldn't pay any extra for an XBR5. The only differences are a glossy bezel on the XBR5 and an obscure port on the back that no one has a use for.
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| Date Reviewed: 01/23/2008 |
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Strengths: Bright Colorful Picture, good sound and fast refresh for fast motion. 3 HDMI inputs. A beautiful TV.
Weaknesses: It is SONY = Expensive.
Summary: I had some research on LCD TV before selecting SONY Bravia. My main concern was the clarity, richness and smoothness of the picture when viewing HD broadcasts. Sony's colors compared to the Samsung or Sharp LCDs were more saturated, and had richer blacks. The multiple HDMI inputs are a big plus. It can easliy hook up my Xbox, PS3 and receiver.
I think the speakers on the Sony are adequate. The look of this set is sharp, modern and looks beautiful mounting on the wall. Being a 52" set this is important as it is the biggest thing in the room.
Setup was easy. Right out of the box this thing started right up with no picture adjustments needed. One quick cable plug in and we were rolling. So far I have had no need to adjust the picture controls. It has Motionflow 120 HZ with Full HD high frame rate which makes fast motions much smoother and makes movies and sports with a greater sense of realism.
Overall , I am happy with this purchase.
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| Date Reviewed: 03/21/2008 |
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Strengths: 120Hz refresh, terrific picture and sound clarity, excellent finish, and the glass frame!
Weaknesses: High selling price, artifacts produced on screen depending on type of input.
Summary: I originally planned to buy a big-screen LCD or plasma TV with a budget of about $1500. When I researched the available products and their offerings, I found out rather quickly that the ones available for the price I had in mind were very low-end models and did not have the features I was looking for.
After much research into the available features, I decided on getting a TV that meets the following requirements:
* Future proof -
* 120Hz refresh rate,
* 1080P capability,
* 2 or more HDMI inputs,
* LCD preferred over plasma (no burn-in).
* 50" or larger,
* Sleek and space-saving design (easier to move, if required).
The ones that were available in the market were Samsung, Sony, Philips, Toshiba and Mitsubishi. I excluded the ones with DLP and rear-projection televisions. Visually comparing a LCD with a DLP television, I could not tell any noticeable difference, but I did not have choices with manufacturers of DLP televisions. Rear-projections were a big no-no as they were heavy and difficult to move, if necessary.
Comparing the Samsung, Sony and Philips in LCD 1080P, the feature offerings were similar, but the one that immediately captured my attention was the XBR4/XBR5 series from Sony. The 52" ones looked much bigger (due to the glass frame and the attached speakers) and looked stunning.
With my attention fixed on the XBR series, I compared this with the features on the new Samsung 71/81 series. While Samsung promised 120Hz on the 71 and 81 series, the local store had some 71 series TVs with only 60Hz. The price difference between the Samsungs and the Sonys were about $300, with the Sonys being more expensive.
After a lot of hunting and deciding, I ended up getting the Sony XBR4. Once it was delivered, I tried many different inputs - the composites, S-Video and HDMI. The sources I used were my laptop (S-Video and composite), a Motorola HD set-top box (resolution up to 1080i) and a Philips up-converting DVD player (resolution up to 1080P).
The DVD player up-converted a home-made video and I could see the results of a 480i input up-converted to 1080p. While the overall picture was smooth, one could especially make out the pixel blocks over the eyes on the video.
I streamed a south-asian TV channel to my PC using Windows Media Player, and moved this to the XBR4 over composite cables. With a high bit-rate stream, I could not tell the difference between an over-the-air standard transmission, and this video stream. The results were stunningly clear watching the feed on the 52" television from a distance of about 8 feet.
With HD input from the Motorola set-top-box at 1080i, I could make out a number of artifacts with fast-paced action or very slow movements. To a certain extent, turning down or switching off motion-flow on the TV reduced this, but could not remove it completely. I came across online forums where people discuss this in extent, and concluded that this is an issue a lot of people are facing.
I paid more than I had originally budgeted, but I am sure I am going to use this tv for a number of years to come. As with all electronics, the price of this TV will drop when newer models come out, and when it gets phased out.
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| Date Reviewed: 03/08/2008 |
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Strengths: Amazing picture. Because it's an LCD - it does not suffer from glare or room brightness issues.
Weaknesses: Pricey and the settings out of the box need adjusted for best viewing.
Summary: So far, I love this TV. If you get this TV make sure you change the default settings so that you get the best picture! I used the settings/calibrations provided in the avsforum and am very happy. LINK: www.avsforum.com/avs-v... Many sales people tried to push me to plasmas that were similar sized and similar priced - but for me the glare on plasmas (even plasmas that are supposed to not have much glare) pushed me back to LCD. If you can get this TV for low 3k or under - there is no comparison.
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| Date Reviewed: 02/04/2008 |
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Strengths: This set has absolutely the BEST panel/picture available on the market!!!
Weaknesses: VERY wide (my old plasma was MUCH sleaker)
Summary: We have had this set for a few days now, and I must say all the leg-work I did in picking out the "perfect LCD" really paid off. I looked at all the specs and talked everyone's ears off on which sets they preferred and why... EVERYONE said SONY had the absolute BEST picture! And, they were all right!
Downsides? Well, the tv was a bit costly (if you wait a few more months it will surely come down some). I wish some of the "obvious settings" (like setting the motion flow option) were factory defaults... since we thought MAYBE something was wrong when we popped it out of the box. But once we got lots of individual settings tweaked to us... seems fine. Also, this TV is VERY think... much thinker than our first HD set/Panasonic plamsa. I also feel that added width to the screen/TV caused by the attached speakers is UNFORTUNATE! Think of it... if you spend this kind of money on a set, don't you think MOST PEOPLE have it hooked up to a fairly decent HT? If so, why would I want to play my TV through the factory speakers? Doesn't make sense.
Everything said... the picture (especially on the super bowl!!!) is INCREDIBLE! Sometimes it almost looks SOOO real that it appears to be "fake", or like a cartoon drawing... but people are SO lifelike/real that they POP out of the screen... WELL worth the money if looking for the BEST lcd TV on the market!!!
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| Date Reviewed: 01/22/2008 |
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Strengths: Glass looking frame around picture. Clear 1080 High Res. Several different hookups in back for components.
Weaknesses: Price is high!
Summary: This is one awesome LCD TV!! If you're looking for the mother of all 52" LCD TV's look no further. The Sony XBR TV's are the flagships of Sony's TV line and it doesn't get any better then this. Hook this TV up to a Blu-ray player and you'll be in heaven. This Sony LCD TV looks fabulous mounted on a wall. We have this TV in our den and it looks stunning. Make this Sony 52" LCD TV the centerpiece of your theater system; you won't be disappointed!
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| Date Reviewed: 01/21/2008 |
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Strengths: Fantastic overall picture quality, great color/contrast/black level, 120hz MotionFlow can be a plus depending on source/personal taste, good speakers, quality build, NO GLARE!
Weaknesses: Black level is not true black, but inherent in LCD design. Heavy. No swivel stand. PRICE.
Summary: Okay, if you are reading this then it probably means that you are thinking about spending $$$$ for this class of TV. Which would mean you want a large screen and are willing to go above projection-based TV's (which gives best size/price). Thus, the debate then resides in which brand of LCD and between LCD/plasma.
Brand comparison:
We spend a long time comparing the Samsung xx71 and Sony XBR4. Here's what swayed us toward Sony and it is really what your eyes/heart prefers. Some of this is contingent on adjustments that I can figure out in the store, so the mileage may vary somewhat. But if you read most professional reviews the general trend is true.
Sony (+): Better dark details (Samsung's dark contrast is pretty bad despite maxing out brightness), no glare on screen surface = key for daytime sports, better/accurate color reproduction (natural and soothing to look at for hours, but capable of vivid colors/contrast with adjustment), much better speakers, better 120hz technology.
Samsung (+): cheaper, swivel stand, the boasted high contrast ratio sounds good but black detail is lost and a shiney screen is needed. Samsung's color processing tends to exaggerate colors/contrast, which some might prefer.
LCD vs plasma: I have to admit we didn't consider the Pioneer's due to $$$$. The other plasmas including the Panasonic actually looked worse and I could not perceive a noticeable black level surperiority. I guess despite plasmas having the best black level, it's still not truly black. So, we went with the LCD because the Sony fared well in these areas of LCD weaknesses:
-Black level: Black level is pretty darn good even in dark room, will not distract in dark scenes. The great contrast helps your eyes overcome that. For example, does the black text on white background that you read on a LCD monitor appear gray? No, because your eye/brain is most concerned with the contrast.
-Motion blur: there is still some, but the 120Hz motionflow eliminates that and works pretty well for most sources. Set on HIGH some scenes does look somewhat artificial. The unexpected effect of 120Hz is that images look very "life-like" or "3D", I think because the images are refreshed at 120 instead of 60 (although some claim this panel is always 120Hz regardless of Motionflow setting).
-Power/burn-in: Currently, LCD's still consume less power, not prone to burn-in's. New plasmas less prone but would you experiment?
Unless you like watching all your TV in a dark room or think the black level on the plasma is that much better, you have to take a look at this Sony.
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