Sony Grand WEGA KDF-42WE655 42-Inch LCD Projection Television with Integrated HDTV Tuner
Stunning picture, and it won't break the bank.
I had been shopping for a new television for the better part of three months, and had gone from plasma to LCD and back, before finally settling on the Sony 42\\" Grand WEGA HDTV projection LCD television. It is, hands down, the absolute best value for the money I could find.<br /><br />PICTURE CLARITY<br /><br />The HDTV quality is simply amazing, even breathtaking. I have found myself watching 2-hour documentaries about the now defunct whaling industry in Croatia just for the fact that is was broadcast in HDTV. DVD quality is also quite good, and regular digital cable is also rather sharp (and while analog signals will be tolerable, they pale in comparison to the others). Video games are as crisp as they could be, and the television also works great as a secondary monitor (invest in a TV-out video card and a wireless keyboard/mouse, and your couch is now your new home office).<br /><br />LCD TVs still have some minor issues with either incredibly rapid movement and/or bright flashes of light. There is a small distortion; a pixilation that will briefly flash across the screen but it is at best a minor annoyance. Also, the blacks are not as black as they could/should be, so if you are watching a movie or program where the setting is very dark, there will be a slight glow around the black areas that can be a little annoying.<br /><br />The short of it is this; if you are in any way normal, you will be blown away by the clarity and intensity of the images this set can produce. If you are a TV snob (and you know who you are), and could rant for ten minutes about the red push, or how optical audio out only passes digital signals via the tuner, then you may have a few complaints. The rest of us will be quite happy.<br /><br />PICTURE CLAIRITY RUNDOWN:<br /><br />HDTV: Aside from the above mentioned black levels, flawless, crisp and shockingly bright.<br /><br />DVD: Good picture, though not quite as good as I expected. Animated/Digitally generated DVD (think Shrek) are nearly as good as HDTV. I suspect this has to do with the set being an LCD projector.<br /><br />Digital Cable: Average to good, depending on channel, but most fall within the good range (Note: This is based on Comcast digital cable service in Washington DC).<br /><br />Regular Cable: N/A (I don't have it, so I don't know)<br /><br />Video Games: Sharp, crisp, and oh-so big. Very Good. (Note: Based on a first gen Sony PS2)<br /><br />Computer Monitor: Another task that I suspected would be a major hassle that actually went off with little incident was adding a TV out video card to my PC and hooking it directly to my Sony. The picture and resolution are flawless, and with a wireless mouse and keyboard, my sofa has become an extension of my home office.<br /><br />SOUND<br /><br />Its...well, its actually not too bad, to be honest. I expected it to be crap, and compared to any decent surround-sound system it does seem rather anemic, but all in all they are quite good, and the audio options are numerous. I sill suggest a decent surround sound system, but you can live without it.<br /><br />EASE OF USE<br /><br />I think out of everything, this surprised me the most. I had purchased a new all-in-one Sony surround sound/DVD player with the television, and had my digital/HDTV cable box delivered a day before. I now had the daunting task of trying to coble all of this together.<br /><br />I won't lie about this; I was scared. The TV I had before this one was a 27\\" GE that I first purchased when I joined the Navy, and the only input it had was a singular hookup for coaxial cable.<br /><br />To my surprise (and everlasting gratitude) It was amazingly easy. Three cables is all that it took (four if you count the Playstation), and it worked like a charm the first time around. Also here are 8 video input channels for this television, so I can't imagine I would ever run out of room for more devices.<br /><br />One note on this: With a set this good, and assuming you plan to hook it up to a 5.1 surround sound system, it is going to cost you about 300 bucks for new wires and a decent surge protector. Factor that into your final cost for this big-ticket item.hook it up to a 5.1 surround sound system, it is going to cost you about 300 bucks for new wires and a decent surge protector. Factor that into your final cost for this big-ticket item.