thinking of buying a HDTV but want your opinion

[sergey semak]

first of all, great forums, been a reader for a long time, first post of mine..

anyway, i want to buy a HDTV for my room and i've been searching for weeks now and i like this model ( SONY KLV s19a10e )..

i think the size is enough ( as i said, the tv is for my room ) and it really has all the stuff i want on it..

-resolution: 1280 x 768 ( can this tv display 720p and 1080i?? )

-HDMI input ( this will be replacing DVI in the future i think??? )

-response time : 10ms

-contrast: 800:1

-brightness : 500cd/m

-50/60 Hz ( not sure about this one )

-can use it as pc monitor

but i need your help.. the specs above are from my research so if you see anything wrong about them please tell me..also, what do you tgink that are the pros and cons about the model??

if you want to leave your opinion you're welcome..

stay cool guys

 

[sergey semak]

forgot to give you a link if you want to check the model..here it goes

http://www.sony.co.uk/view/ShowProd...B&pageType=TechnicalSpecs&category=TVP+LCD+TV

 

[kyleb]

-resolution: 1280 x 768 ( can this tv display 720p and 1080i?? )
To be called "HD Ready" over on your side of the pond the TV has to be able to display both. It resamples both to 1280x768 as that is number of physical pixels on the display, just check out the display in person to assure that it does a good job with both.

-HDMI input ( this will be replacing DVI in the future i think??? )
HDMI or DVI with HDCP is also required in the "HD Ready" guidelines. HDMI is the same digital video as DVI on a different plug that alows for digital audio signals to be passed though it as well, so yeah it is basicly the newer and better verson.

As for the the TV itself; the specs look good but I haven't seen one in person so the most I can say is that Sony displays tend to live up to their specs well.

 

[sergey semak]

thansk for clarifying me.. i just remembered something.. the aspect ratio is 15:9.. can this be a problem??

i saw this tv in action and i haven't noticed anything but i think you guys know these things better than me!i want your opinion on this matter

thanks again for your input

 

[kyleb]

Oh wow, yeah, I didn't even notice that. Most 1280x768 displays I have seen sold as TVs are 16:9, they just don't have square pixels. But yeah, with 15:9 you'd want to make sure you can at least run with a bit of letterboxing to correct for that, or perhaps just look for a different display that is built around the 16:9 standard.

 

[sergey semak]

can you explain better? i'm not that good with this stuff..

 

[sergey semak]

i will buy the tv for mainly to connect with my ps2 and with ps3 in the future..will the 15:9 be a problem?

 

[kyleb]

It will make everything look a little bit tall and skiny since 15:9 isn't quite as wide as 16:9. That is unless the display has the option to correct the aspect ratio, in which case you'll be able to run with little black bars at the top and the bottom to properly fit a 16:9 image inside the 15:9 screen.

 

[sergey semak]

thats odd!i checked this tv and i didn't notice any problem with the aspect of the image! anyway thanks for helping me out here..

one last question..a guy told me that the image settings are all screwed up when we buy a new tv and that we need to fix it by changing the factory settings..ca you tell me the important settings to change? he also said to me that changing the settings scratches the lenses..

 

[muzz]

What lenses would those be?
Panels?

Hogwash.

As far as tuning the set is concerned, most of the problems are these:
Contrast is set WAY too high from the factory, supposed to make it bright and punchy(and shine- under terrible showroom lighting), this causes blooming.
Red push- I guess manufacturers think people really have redder than red skin, maybe they should stop hanging out at the beach only in the springtime.

Both of these are supposed to help sell sets in the showroom.

Get Avia or DVE to adjust set if your that worried, but check out the picture first.

 

[pascal]

I am not sure you can use this specific Sony TV as PC monitor.
edited: this specific HDMI will not work with a PC (see the manual).

It has an specific PC RGB input.
Download and read the manual.

 

[epicstruggle]

Do you need to buy the tv right away? If at all possible try waiting to get it as close to the release of ps3 as possible. You will certainly get it cheaper or even find a better model.

epic

 

[Geo]

Do you need to buy the tv right away? If at all possible try waiting to get it as close to the release of ps3 as possible. You will certainly get it cheaper or even find a better model.

epic

What he said. 1080p is ramping up, and that will just make 720p stuff cheaper. And with Xmas and Superbowl past, prices will start drifting down in preparation for the new models which usually seem to become available in the summer.

Re 1080i, "fixed pixel" displays like LCD and DLP that are at 720p "native" (like this one), *can* show 1080i content. . .but it will show it as 720p with a built in scaler. We have two fixed-pixel display HDTV (one DLP and one LCD) and both show 1080i (which is most American broadcast TV --I think ABC broadcasts 720p) just fine so far as I can tell.

 

[London Geezer]

1080p is all nice and all but let's stay in context here:

- the guy is in the UK, and 1080p here is gonna be a non-issue for YEARS.
- the guy is looking to buy a 19" set, meaning he wants that kind of size. 1080p panels won't be on such small panels for years, if they even bother making them. 1080p will probably never come to sets smaller than 32" and even that is pushing it. No point in telling the guy there are 50" 1080p DLP sets coming out in the next few months if he really just wants a little thing for his bedroom!

Sergey, just to clarify:

If you buy a set that has the HD-Ready logo (most LCDs these days do, but i think some smaller ones don't, so you might want to be careful), the set WILL have the following:

- HDMI (or DVI-HDCP, same thing really apart from sound)
- Component
- Able to display at least 720p, meaning it needs to have at least 720 vertical lines (NO minimum has been set for horizontal pixels though)
- Able to display BOTH 50Hz and 60Hz
- Able to take a HD signal through Component.

If you get a HD-Ready set without one of the above, you can return it as it shouldn't really be HD-Ready and the shop has misled you (come do, they just put the HD-Ready sticky on TVs that are not compliant).

The Sony is a good set, but if you're looking to buy such a small set, you might want to try other brands. At the price of that 19" Sony you can probably buy a bigger Samsung or other brands. At such sizes, any difference in IQ becomes very hard to notice anyway.

 

[sergey semak]

well.. you guys are being very helpfull,you really are and now i just might lost my mind for this model

http://www.sony.co.uk/view/ShowProd...w_en_GB&pageType=Features&category=TVP+LCD+TV

basically its the same model but it has more features and the screen size is 26"!!what do you guys think of this option??

i know that 1080p models will be available in a near future but i think that a very few ps3 games will support that resolution.. anyway, if i wait a bit longer the 720p model prices will suffer a slash!! can anyone tell me so, buying one of those sets will be "wasting money"...when are these models supposed to hit the market?

thanks

 

[pascal]

The KDL-V32A12U has great image quality and wider color range, much better contrast and black levels.
No digital conection to the PC, only analog.

Philips are excellent and have better connectivity options.
Panasonics are very good.

Samsungs are good and cheap. IIRC also have good PC connectivity.

 

[sergey semak]

so do you think that not going with a sony bravia and buy another set is a better deal?can you be more specific and point particular models??

 

[Geo]

1080p is all nice and all but let's stay in context here:

Well, the context was in the impact on 720p pricing, so far as waiting as long as possible for a guy who really wants it for PS3 (which isn't available yet, of course).

 

[sergey semak]

thats a point, right now i will not have any advantage by buying that tv.. when will 1080p models hit europe? this is crucial to the price cuts on 720p models

 

[pascal]

First, I must say I like Sony as my previous CRT was a Sony Trinitron and my current LCD monitor is Sony. I also have two Sony trinitrons TVs and other gadgets.
I am too looking for a new HDTV.

I saw the Bravia S-series in the stores and I was not impressed (KLV-S26A12U). http://www.sony.co.uk/view/ShowProd...w_en_GB&pageType=Overview&category=TVP+LCD+TV
Unfortunatelly I could not do my own configurations/tests, then maybe I will change my mind after some tests.
Also from information from the manuals we cannot connect the PC to the HDMI interface. We have to use the vga interface (analog) if we want it as a PC monitor.
This maybe is not a problem for you.

The Bravia V-series you linked (KDL-V26A12U) I didnt saw myself but from www.avforums.com the image quality is better, with deeper blacks.
But it still dont have HDMI connectivity to the PC and is more expensive.

People like very much the Philips 32PF9830: http://www.consumer.philips.com/con...&proxybuster=VBBTITGKQ1NS5J0RMRCSHP3HKFSESI5P
Good image quality, lots of media access, lots of interfaces including DVI with HDCP.
Maybe the Sony v-series have better blacks. It is expensive.

Samsung has these new LE26M51/M61 panels. http://www.samsung.com/uk/products/television/tftlcd/le26m51bxxeu.asp
The HDMI is DVI compatible. Usually Samsungs are cheaper than Sony and Philips.

The best thing to do is see it for yourself in some store and ask to do some tests.

Anyway, technology is changing fast. If PS3 is your concern then maybe is better wait.
Hope this help.