Best 1080p for the money
Written: Sep 13 '07
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Pros: Price, 1080p, XMB GUI, lightweight
Cons: (2) HDMI ports, no PIP
The Bottom Line: Best picture quality for the price. Check it out in SD and HD.
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| sinatrax5's Full Review: Sony BRAVIA E Series KDF-50E3000 50 in. HDTV LCD T... |
I have been searching high and low for a quality 1080p TV. Having an 2 LCD's at my home, I wanted to give rear projection a try... mostly because I know that when I replace the bulb a few years from now, I will be renewing my TV as if it was brand new.
When I was looking at the different technology, I really liked the JVC LcOS and Sony SXRD models. The silicone technology seemed to give off the best picture quality. LED technology is still too new and too expensive. When making my decision I decided to lean towards Sony as the picture just seemed to be a bit more better then the rest. I was set on purchasing the A3000 when I saw the E3000. Though 3LCD is not a emerging technology... I believe Sony did a great job with the 1080p resolution along with adding their Bravia imaging innovation.
Upon further research, I noticed that the picture was just as if not better then the A3000. I was shocked to see how close they really were. After a few adjustments I was able to tune the picture quality to an acceptable level... whereas the A3000 took a bit more to tune... but to be fair, the A3000 is the TV to go for if you have the money.
The new E3000 betters it's older version by adding the 1080p and dropping the WEGA for the Bravia badge. I'm not sure what other features Sony put into this TV, but the picture quality is amazing. Blue Ray discs play clear and produce great color. I also like the XMB interface for changing settings. Very similar to the PSP and PS3 interface. Overall, if you are looking for a great 1080p rear projection set - this E3000 will surprise you... so much so that I went ahead and purchased it over the A3000 and I am pretty satisfied. The unit is light and the case is very modern. Black colors come off extremely well and the backlighting is perfect. Watching football in HD on the Vivid setting makes you feel like you really are there on the field!
Also, I avoided the retail store warranty and opted for Sony's extended warranty service as it was a lot cheaper for 5 years. It does not cover bulb replacments (but other extended warranty programs do - just research them on the web), but I'd rather get the manufacturer to cover my TV then some middleman. The other thing is that Sony will use the same local repair techs that a retail store would use to service your TV. Just my two cents.
Other thing is that some people may think that rear projection is a technology that is on it's way out since LCD's have come down in price. Like I said, I have 2 LCD's at home and the picture quality is good, but the contrast on the rear projections are so much better. See it for yourself. And on top of that, replacing the lamp after a few years means that you are basically getting a brand new TV again since the bulb is what dictates the picture quality. Sony's commitment to add 1080p to their rear projection line shows me that this aging technology will still be around even when LCD prices drop even further.
Only cons are that it only has 2 HDMI inputs so I had to get a splitter and there is no PIP function on this TV. Other then those two things... for the price, this is the best bang for the buck.
I have a PS3, WII and Xbox 360 hooked up to this TV. The PS3 is pure 1080p, Xbox is at 1080i bc I have it hooked up via component. Standard Definition (SD) channels actually come out better then with LCD and since only a handful of channels come in HD, you have to consider this when purchasing your next big investment. In the past, rear projection has been pretty good when trying to display SD channels. Just keep that in mind before you make any TV purchases as the retail houses usually feed their TV's HD images.
Also I have my PC hooked up to this TV via HDMI to DVI - and it is a lot better then my VGA hookup to my LCD. The resolution is good enough... If you really want a good internet browsing experience... purchase the PS3 and use their web browser along with any wireless keyboard/mouse or bluetooth combo. It's amazing!
Hope you guys find my review helpful... there aren't too many reviews on this TV yet, but I am very happy with my purchase and I saved about $500 by not going with the A3000.
Happy viewing....
EnjoiOC
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 1599.99
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Epinions.com ID:
sinatrax5
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Location: Orange County
Reviews written: 14
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About Me:
Hi-Tech Gadget Junkie
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