Deal of the Century at $449. Great for the price
Written: Jan 21 '09 (Updated Jan 22 '09)
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Pros: Price Price, Sony technology, good colours and blacks (of course not the best), good sound
Cons: Matt finish, No swivel stand
The Bottom Line: Definitely great for the price if you get a deal. Picture is good esp if this is your first LCD. Still good as a second TV
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| namabeer's Full Review: Sony BRAVIA KDL-32L4000 32 in. HDTV TV |
Got this as an after Xmas sale at The Source (Cda's version of Circuit City. I couldn't believe how cheap they have become esp a 32".
As a background, i have 4 HDTV's already - 46" /32" and a 19" LCD ones and one projection 43". The lastest was about 1 1/2 yrs old samsung 1080p with 10,000:1 Contrast Ratio
The Sony is a great machine. 720p is sufficient esp given 32". No need to pay more for 1080p or 120Mhz on a 32". The other feature that gets over rated is contrast ratio. This TV only lists 2,000:1 True contrast ratio and does not specify a dynamic contrast ratio spec. I'm not sure why not. What counts is the TRUE not the DYNAMIC. Besides no 2 manufacturers have the same measurements. So don't get mislead by all the marketing you hear from salemen or magazines which advertise 30,000:1 or 50:000:1 CR. For example a 2,000:1 True could equate to a 10,000:1 Dynamic CR. The key to any tv is to adjust the set once you get it. You cannot compare sets in the showroom as each manufacturer has different setting out of the box.
So yes you may see differences at the showroom but you may not be comparing apples.
I found that by calibrating this set to
Contrast 85
Brightness 43
Sharpness 30
Hues: Nuetral
Colours 55
will result in deep blacks and great contrast. When compare this to my 1080p Samsung costing $1500, there was not a noticeable difference upon a quick glance. So I was quite impressed with the Sony given the price.
Picture:
Great HD, and ok Std Definition (no diff from any other LCDs). This TV only has Bravia engine not Bravia 2 Engine. Not sure if it's worth the $200 extra for the 2. esp when this one only cost $449 (that would be another 50% of the price!!! If there is a big price diff then go for this model. If not so much you may want to consider the M model (which has Bravia 2 and slightly better contrast ratio). To the naked eye i didn't see an obvious diff to warrant a $200 PREMIUM for the M model
Set Up:
Was a breeze with the auto scan of channel. Whether you use a HD box or just regular cable input. The built in ATSC tuner allows you to pick up High Def even with out a cable box. Rabbit ears are sufficient.
Inputs:
Ton and sufficient with HDMI / Components. However i didn't see a headphone jack. You could use a audio RCA hookup instead.
Look:
Frame is matt black rather than the shiney black of other TVs. I prefer the shiny as it causes the appearance of contrast on the picture (sort of like a black photo frame). But the matt with do with the hollow bottom.
Yes the unit does not swivel but you could easily move the stand as the unit is light.
Overall, this TV is great given the price esp if it's for a spare or gaming TV. But with LCDs, you can never stay ahead of the game unless you pay a premium. It like computers. At the rates these TVs are falling in prices and the quick advancement of new technology, with the extra money you save from the higher models, you could buy another more advanced TV in a few years. So this unit is just fine!!!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 449
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Epinions.com ID:
namabeer
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Member: Dave
Reviews written: 68
Trusted by: 3 members
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