This is another favorite child from Sony’s line of flat panel televisions. It is beautiful, easy to use, and has plenty of features to keep the tech-savvy happy for quite some time.

The view.
For an LCD that picture was very good. Change that, it looks down right awesome. Now one of the issues with LCD’s and plasma, vs. CRT, is the contrast and black colors. The black just does not look as good on these LCD’s and this television is no exception. But if you are comparing this particular LCD television with it’s older Sony siblings you will be impressed. They are slowly addressing that issue My brother-in-laws television was just that and it can’t hold a candle to this display as far as signal quality and blackness is concerned. So if you’re a perfectionist get a CRT.

There is also one problem that really isn’t a problem. When you are viewing an inferior signal sent into the television it will look worse on this television than on others. The reason is two fold. First the television is pretty big so you see a lot of detail, so because the picture quality is so good that you see every small imperfection. When we first started to fine tune it we found that the signal sent from the component inputs didn’t seem to be the highest quality. We did everything we could to “fix” the picture. Then we read the manual for advice, it stated that your picture may look terrible because DVD players and other such advice do not produce in high definition, so they will not look as good as you would expect them too. But once we were watching a HD station any of these issues with imperfections was solved.

Does it look good with a computer plugged in?
The short answer is yes it does. When we first plugged that laptop in I noticed that the screen was a bit fuzzy and wobbly. But after my father-in-law changed the resolution it was perfect. After that the image was awesome. With this you really do not need a separate monitor for your laptop, just use this (if the rest of your family would let you that is.) It is awesome and the whole family can easily view what you put on the television.

Viewing angle
The viewing angle is very wide. It is around 150 degrees so it is good if you have a lot of people over. Unlike my Toshiba 57 inch, I have had not view problems when I am sitting on the ground playing video games.

Main features
BBE digital.
Dolby digital.
SRS true sound.
HDMI inputs.
1080p max resolution.

The inputs.
1- Composite and s-video. (located on the back of the television)
2- Composite, s-video. (back)
3- Composite. (side)
4- Component (back)
5- Component (back)
6- HDMI with audio, red/white plugs. ( back)
7- HDMI.
8- Computer monitor input.

There is also a headphone output, rca audio output, digital audio output, and RF connection.

One of the things I like is there are not inputs on the front of the television. Instead they put an input on the side. This adds a sleekness to the television instead of having ugly cable hanging out of the front.

The front controls
Menu button, tv/video button, volume button, channel button, power button.

The sound
I did not find the sound to be all that special. It just did not wow me. But on the same not I could hear any flaws in it either. Now I wouldn’t use these speakers for movies in 5.1 but for the news and kids cartoons the speakers are just fine. The speakers are listed at 10 watts each.

Other features
Auto SAP
Closed caption
channel label
favorite channel
V-Chip
Sleep timer (12,30,45,60,90,off)
two even timers
clock
power save mode
freeze picture
energy star compliant.

Can you mount it on the wall.
You can fix it to the wall with a wall mount (bought separately). Sony recommends you have a professional install it. It does not come with the wall mount.

Who is this for?
I recommend this television to anyone that has the money, has a fine taste for televisions, and doesn’t mind a black that isn’t quite black enough.

Cleaning
They recommend that you only clean it with a dry cloth. For stubborn stains (like greasy kid hand stains) you can use a mild soap/water solution. But do not use a solvent.

A warning about circulation
Make sure that the television has plenty of airflow around it so the television can cool itself appropriately.

Can I use it outside
You could, but it is not weather resistant and will be destroyed in a light rain.

What it came with
Remote,
The swivel pedestal for mounting on a flat surface.
2 AA batteries,
HD15 cable.

What I like.
Doesn’t take up much space.
Low weight.
Beautiful crisp picture.
Plenty of inputs.

What I do not like.
Black aren’t as black as a CRT.
Only 2 HDMI inputs.
Expensive.

Weight and dimensions
Weight: 70.55 lbs
Depth: 4.5 inches. (plus room for the plugs.)
Diagonal viewing: 46 inches.
Height: 31.5 inches. (including stand)
Stand footprint: 21.75 x 12.25 x 2 1/8.

© Common Loon Productions

Other reviews you might be interested in.
Sony 34 inch WEGA CRT television
Panasonic LCD projection television
Toshiba 57 inch projection television.
Nintendo Wii game console


Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 2800