Sony Grand WEGA KF-50WE610 50-Inch HDTV-Ready LCD Rear Projection TV
Great Picture with HD but stopped working after two weeks
I want to describe my experience with this TV even though Amazon does not currently offer it. (Perhaps with good reason.)<BR>My television worked fine for two weeks. Then it developed the buzz at start-up that others have described. After a few days it would not turn on. I purchased this from Cr*tchfie*d (four thou). I am going to find out if they really honor their 30 day money back guarantee.<br />The picture quality with HD broadcasts was superb. Quality for SD DirecTV broadcasts was only fair to poor. Some channels appeared muddy or out-of focus with an overall smudgy appearance. Even the best SD channels were worse than my old 50 inch Pioneer rear projection TV which never failed to turn on in ten years.<br />This was actually the second tv that I received. The first came with several cracks running through the screen image and a heavily dented chassis. <br />The manufacture date for my set is December 2003. The problem with the buzz comes from the television's very expensive (two hundred fifty) halogen lamp. The lamp is either no good or something in the television's circuitry is causing them to burn out prematurely. Sony rates them to work for approximately 1 year of average viewing. <br />In searching the internet I have found dozens of complaints similar to mine. Some people report exchanging one tv only to have its replacemnt develop the same problem. There was even one who had three televsions develop this problem. I have seen posts that claim that Sony is aware of this problem and has taken steps to correct it with recently manufactured televsions not having the problem. <br />In a way a problem that presents immediately is better than a problem that appears after several months when the only option left is to be at the mercy of Sony's guarantee and face several weeks of waiting for in-home repair visits. I present this review as a warning to others so that they can avoid this painful experience.