Overall champion of the RP HDTV class
Written: Dec 26 '07
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Pros: Excellent picture with any material, light and shallow, easy to use.
Cons: Not much in the way of sound.
The Bottom Line: One of the best pictures in HDTV regardless of price. Can't go wrong with this one.
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| cruz3's Full Review: Sony BRAVIA KDS-60A3000 60 in. HDTV SXRD TV |
After much (and I mean muuuuuuch) research, test viewing, angst, and consideration, I retired my 51" Sony HDTV from 2002 and replaced it with the KDS-60A3000. I can't say enough good things about the set and anyone who has a burning desire to get into HDTV or upgrade an older set should consider this one. My brother has a KDS-60A2000 (the KDS-60A2020 is identical), which is very similar, minus a few inputs and menu options.
The biggest things that make this set stand out are:
1. Razor sharp picture and contrast. Get a calibration DVD, go home, and mess with it. The store setups don't even come close to what the set can do with a little setup time. The non-TV geek version of what I said is that black is black, white is white, and everything in between looks good and has no fuzziness. Have to crank the brightness when you play video games? Not on this set.
2. Excellent upconversion. Standard def channels look pretty good and everything in 480p and better is really great - better than 720/1080i stuff on my older set.
3. Impressive capability and control. 3 HDMI, two components, digital audio out, etc. allows you to hook this sucker up in a wide variety of ways. The menus allow you to control just about everything without resorting to 'service menus' from the internet.
4. Viewing angle. This set, unlike many other rear projection (RP) setss, looks from a wide variety of angles - both vertical and horizontal. Handy for the family with a Wii or a smaller room.
So why get a rear projector (RP) vs. a LCD or Plasma? I was on the fence on this point for a while. RP's offer higher native resolution (1080P is commonplace) for about 1/2 the price. They are very light and usually consume less energy. There are no burn-in fears. Downsides? Viewing angles can be narrow or shallow (aka "it looks funny when I stand up") and the picture may not be bright enough for viewing in a well lit room, or one with lots of windows. They will use up projector bulbs at $200 or so every few years.
The biggest advantages of LCD and Plasma sets are brightness, viewing angle, and size (thickness). These sets are like giant computer monitors and are easily viewed in bright rooms. Price, energy consumption, and burn in (not as big a deal as 5 years ago, but still possible with plasma - LCD is immune). We wanted a 60" and believed the A3000 offered the best overall combination of performance and price, with very few RP weaknesses.
We have had the set for a month and really like it. Even old cartoons from the satellite dish look great. There really isn't any way to go wrong with the picture. I use it with a Dish Network HD DVR and a Toshiba A3 HD-DVD (I was weak - it was on sale). I used my old non-upconverting DVD player and was still impressed with the performance on the picture. Movies play with no artifacts, rainbow, stutter, etc. Videogames are clear, crisp, and easy to see even in the dark parts. On older, non-HD content, you can see some granularity in explosions - but nothing else. These go away if you are careful with menu options and processing tools.
The sound quality is so-so. Better than most flat panels (there is a bit of cabinet - maybe 18" deep, so it will develop some extra bass). We use it as part of a full home theater setup, but do use the speakers for late night video game sessions.
It's fast as well. Actions are pretty quick - including changing channels and menu switches. This bucks an annoying trend in home electronics that take a minute or two to boot up. The controls are intuitive and easy to use.
Sony has a ton of information about their LCoS technology and its advantages. In short, this is like 3 projectors on one chip. DLP uses tiny mirrors to redirect light and can develop 'rainbow' artifacts on fast material - like explosions.
Again, I looked at JVC, Toshiba, Samsung, Mitsubishi, Pioneer, etc. and at sets up to $5000. This was by far one of the best pictures and most certainly an exceptional value. Can't go wrong with this one no matter what kind of set you are looking at and it is definitely the king of the hill in RP.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 1899
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Epinions.com ID:
cruz3
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Location: Pasco, WA, USA
Reviews written: 29
Trusted by: 1 member
About Me:
Mechanical engineer who loves his family and toys.
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