Thanks jwv651 for your input. Does anyone else who has seen the 60" SXRD feel the PQ is soft? I'm hoping it was just the source.

One reason I think the RP LCD's are out selling DLP is because the image is significantly sharper and crisper. This is easy for most people to see. It is much harder to see DLP's contrast advantage in a brightly lit store like BB or CC. Wobulation makes the DLP images soft--they call it "film-like," but it's just a marketing ploy for a soft image.

The big problem with trying to compare TV's at a store is you never know what video mode they are in, and how that mode is adjusted. My A-10 can look dreadful when on the VIVID mode at default settings. If I back the iris down to 3, and back the cartoonish color level down to around 32 it looks much better. Some shows look better on VIVID after adjustment, than they do on the other modes. Some shows look better on CUSTOM, after several tweaks of that mode. There is a huge variablilty from source to source, plus you have all the issues of how the TV is adjusted thrown in. It makes it very hard to say which TV at a store is the better one, unless it is displayed in a dark area, and you can mess with the video modes and settings. Too bad Letterman and Leno are on after most stores are closed. Those shows are really great to judge a TV's overall PQ. While I am ranting on here, why is CSI Miami so oversaturated with color? I watched it last nite...and while the pic was sharp and clear, the colors are way more intense than on other shows....you have to back the color control way down to get something close to natural color. As I have said before...the bigger problem with HDTV at this point is the source materal, rather than the TV's themselves.

At 8' away, the 60" might work (but for me that's a bit close). I'm currently at 7' with a 51" and that's enough. If at some point I change my viewing distance to 11 feet I may try to go for the 60".

I dare you to play Halo 2 and watch Bourne Identity 2 at 8' away from a 60". After you've recoverd from you seizure let me know ;)

Out of the 2 sets, wouldn't the 50" set have the better quality due to size? Trying to decide between the 50 and 60" sets since I'll be sitting about 8 feet away. Thanks.

Dave

I would find 8 feet to be too close for a 60. I have a 50 inch A-10, and 8 feet is as close as I would care to sit to it. (SDE issues are not the reason...it is just as close as I would care to be regardless of PQ). If you go for a 60, make sure you can exchange it.

So I went to my local Tweeter (Boylston St, Boston) looking for a DVI to HDMI cable for my new bedroom Sony LCD. He only had a $100 Monster cable so I asked if he had other options, as I didn't think the cable would make too much difference in a 19" LCD viewed at 10'. His quote was "We only carry the best" and then proceeded to extoll the virtues of Monster.

I then asked him about when they expect to have the new SXRD sets on display. He had absolutely no idea what I was talking about and could not understand that I was not talking about the A10's. *sigh* Apparently they don't hire the best. I ended up getting the same cable for $49 at Radio Shack a few doors away.

The guy at the SonyStyle three blocks away wasn't sure, but thought it would be in a week or two.

Anyone else in the Boston area have information on when/where these things can be seen soon? My wife is getting really antsy...and her being stuck at home with a severe foot sprain and no big TV is starting to escalate the situation! :)

So I went to my local Tweeter (Boylston St, Boston) looking for a DVI to HDMI cable for my new bedroom Sony LCD. He only had a $100 Monster cable so I asked if he had other options, as I didn't think the cable would make too much difference in a 19" LCD viewed at 10'. His quote was "We only carry the best" and then proceeded to extoll the virtues of Monster.

I then asked him about when they expect to have the new SXRD sets on display. He had absolutely no idea what I was talking about and could not understand that I was not talking about the A10's. *sigh* Apparently they don't hire the best. I ended up getting the same cable for $49 at Radio Shack a few doors away.

The guy at the SonyStyle three blocks away wasn't sure, but thought it would be in a week or two.

Anyone else in the Boston area have information on when/where these things can be seen soon? My wife is getting really antsy...and her being stuck at home with a severe foot sprain and no big TV is starting to escalate the situation! :)

The 'virtue' of Monster Cables is everyone in the supply chain is making a TON of $$$ on them! :D

Hi All,

Such a long thread!

Anyways, just saw this thread and thought I would post something. I ordered a 60" SXRD from SonyStyle back on August 16th. Just got off the phone with them to find out when to expect it and they said they have 50 coming in on September 26th (to their warehouse in PA). I was second in line to get one and starting next monday they will be shipped out.

I asked if it is possible that they may arrive sooner and all that was said was their inventory changes daily. I'm getting kind of excited, because I've always wanted a nice home theater system...I'm getting/got the following:

Sony SXRD 60" TV
5.1 Polk Audio Speakers
Sony 7100 ES Receiver
Panasonic S97 DVD
Xbox 360 (Expected: Nov 22nd)
P4 3.8 GHz, 2 Gig RAM, 220 Gig HD, WinXP Media Center
Monster Surge Protector
Using HDMI when I can (Monster 1000 Cables)
and Acoustic Research Master Series cables otherwise

So I purchased this thing at MSRP (4999 + tax). Hope the price can come down soon on SonyStyle so I can recoup some of it. However the No nothing for 18 months is awesome for financing. Will worry about paying it off next year!

Questions:
1. Does anyone know how much ventilation is required for this TV?

Note: I have an in-wall space that is fairly large, with a custom built entertainment center going right into it. (Nothing more than it being incased with a platform and some cubby holes at the bottom and one up top for the center channel) There will be decent room all the way around the TV.

2. Does anyone know if there are concerns for gaming on this TV?

3. Does anyone know if hooking up HDMI directly to the TV is anymore advantageous than passing it through the receiver?

4. Not that I care too much, but are those side speakers detachable?

5. Should I be concerned about the TV tilting forward?

Note: I'm having the belt attachment hooked in from the base cabinet to the TV and a special molding to fit over the base of the TV to keep it from moving.

Thanks in advance for any response.
Arv

I am currently watching a 57” CRT RPTV from 8’ and want to upgrade to a 65’ or 70” model, to be viewed from the same distance.

A 57” viewed from 8” is like sitting in the back row of a cinema, and provides the minimum acceptable THX viewing angle of 26 degrees
A 70” at 8’ is like sitting in the middle of the cinema and provides the recommended THX viewing angle or 36 degrees.

Cmon you guys know Monster is the bomb :)Dont be hatin cause you cant afford it :p I have Acoustic Research too...

AcousticResearch is nice for the money...


Hdmi ill buy the RamCable one...

Speaking of SonyStyle, I just registered my LCD TV for the bedroom on Sony's site, and now I have 30 days to purchase something from the rewards section and get 15% off. I see they have A10s and A20s in there...any chance the new SXRDs will show up as well?

Hi All,

So I purchased this thing at MSRP (4999 + tax). Hope the price can come down soon on SonyStyle so I can recoup some of it. However the No nothing for 18 months is awesome for financing. Will worry about paying it off next year!

Questions:
1. Does anyone know how much ventilation is required for this TV?

Note: I have an in-wall space that is fairly large, with a custom built entertainment center going right into it. (Nothing more than it being incased with a platform and some cubby holes at the bottom and one up top for the center channel) There will be decent room all the way around the TV.

2. Does anyone know if there are concerns for gaming on this TV?

3. Does anyone know if hooking up HDMI directly to the TV is anymore advantageous than passing it through the receiver?

4. Not that I care too much, but are those side speakers detachable?

5. Should I be concerned about the TV tilting forward?

Note: I'm having the belt attachment hooked in from the base cabinet to the TV and a special molding to fit over the base of the TV to keep it from moving.

Thanks in advance for any response.
Arv

Thanks for the information. I don't know where I am on the list; but I also ordered one from SonyStyle on 8/16 (around 1700) and would therefore expect to be in the first fifty. I'm probably less than 200 miles from their warehouse; so guess that I can start getting excited.

How do you recoup money if SonyStyle lowers the price at a later date?

Now, regarding your questions:
1) Owners Manual is available on Sony Style (section for TV specs). Manual includes diagram (near front of manual) for space requirements. Per my memory, 4 inches at back and on sides, and 12 inches on top. I'm also having an entertainment center built (by the Amish who do lots of furniture work here in northeast Ohio).
2) Should be no concerns for gaming. SXRD should have no problems with burn-in.
3) Your Sony Receiver should do a good job with the HDMI switching. However, I would go straight to the tv unless you need more than the 2 HDMI inputs available on the SXRD.
4) Speakers are not detachable. If you read much of this thread, you will see that the speakers are the "pet peeve" for many.
5). From what you described, you don't need to worry about tilt. I doubt that it is a big risk unless someone has kids who might grab it from the front and fall back (i.e., pulling it onto themselves). I ordered/received the "buckle" that goes into the back of the tv. I'll use it and a web belt which I'll attach somehow to the back of the entertainment center. As my mother used to say, "better safe than sorry".

Richard

Hi All,

Such a long thread!

Anyways, just saw this thread and thought I would post something. I ordered a 60" SXRD from SonyStyle back on August 16th. Just got off the phone with them to find out when to expect it and they said they have 50 coming in on September 26th (to their warehouse in PA). I was second in line to get one and starting next monday they will be shipped out.

I asked if it is possible that they may arrive sooner and all that was said was their inventory changes daily. I'm getting kind of excited, because I've always wanted a nice home theater system...I'm getting/got the following:

Sony SXRD 60" TV
5.1 Polk Audio Speakers
Sony 7100 ES Receiver
Panasonic S97 DVD
Xbox 360 (Expected: Nov 22nd)
P4 3.8 GHz, 2 Gig RAM, 220 Gig HD, WinXP Media Center
Monster Surge Protector
Using HDMI when I can (Monster 1000 Cables)
and Acoustic Research Master Series cables otherwise

So I purchased this thing at MSRP (4999 + tax). Hope the price can come down soon on SonyStyle so I can recoup some of it. However the No nothing for 18 months is awesome for financing. Will worry about paying it off next year!

Questions:
1. Does anyone know how much ventilation is required for this TV?

Note: I have an in-wall space that is fairly large, with a custom built entertainment center going right into it. (Nothing more than it being incased with a platform and some cubby holes at the bottom and one up top for the center channel) There will be decent room all the way around the TV.

2. Does anyone know if there are concerns for gaming on this TV?

3. Does anyone know if hooking up HDMI directly to the TV is anymore advantageous than passing it through the receiver?

4. Not that I care too much, but are those side speakers detachable?

5. Should I be concerned about the TV tilting forward?

Note: I'm having the belt attachment hooked in from the base cabinet to the TV and a special molding to fit over the base of the TV to keep it from moving.

Thanks in advance for any response.
Arv

As to ventilation, the manual says to keep the back 4" from the wall, and obviously, as much space around the tv as possible is good. These things do throw off a lot of heat.

The side speakers are NOT detachable. Many people here hate them for the looks or the size, i personally like them but if you dont, remember, they dont come off.

As to the tilting forward, the belt attachment should be fine.

I am currently watching a 57” CRT RPTV from 8’ and want to upgrade to a 65’ or 70” model, to be viewed from the same distance.

A 57” viewed from 8” is like sitting in the back row of a cinema, and provides the minimum acceptable THX viewing angle of 26 degrees
A 70” at 8’ is like sitting in the middle of the cinema and provides the recommended THX viewing angle or 36 degrees.

When I go to a cinema I like to sit mid-way or bit further back. I don't equate 8 foot to a 70 inch screen as being at all similar to that. It might be 'technically' similar, but in practice it sure doesn't seem so to me. I have a 50 inch, and have tried watching it at 8 feet, and found that to be borderline too close. There is no way that I agree with the THX suggestions for distance to a TV.....it would drive most people nuts. But if YOU like it..that is fine. I just think it is a poor guide relative to most people's taste, and could lead people into buying a way-too-large TV for their viewing distance. Safest thing in any purchase is make SURE you can exhange your new TV for a different size. Preferred viewing distance is too personal an issue to follow the guidelines of any 'expert' blindly.

Is it clear yet to people that there is no way to drive this set with 1:1 pixel mapping to an HTPC video resolution? I am looking to upgrade my old Pioneer RPTV to a new microdisplay, but it sure seems silly to me not be able to drive the display directly and avoid all the overscan nonsense.

I know the set won't take a direct 1080p input. The question is whether I can feed it at 1080i input without dealing with overscan etc...

thanks,
Mike

Thanks for the responses...my main concern with ventilation is the top of the TV.

See I'm kinda cheating in that I'm having a Center Channel right above it, so where that is (dead center) there won't be much room in-between the TV and the cubby that will house the speaker. However as far as the rest of the spacing, I think I'm well beyond the minimum requirements.


Richard - If SonyStyle lowers the price of anything they sell you from their site within thirty days of purchase then they will give you the difference in the price. Just keep checking the web site.

Oh and my viewing distance will be about 8' so the 60" was an obvious choice. However, if you question which size to get, first see if you have the 66" + 8" width requirement, then go for the 60" if you have the room. If you don't have the room for the TV, then most likely your room specs are designed for a smaller TV and you'll have to move the couch. :)

Thanks again for the quick responses.
Arv

The 50 and 60" SXRD's are now on the Canadian Sony Style site

http://www.sonystyle.ca/commerce/servlet/ProductDetailDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&productId=1001969

http://www.sonystyle.ca/commerce/servlet/ProductDetailDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&productId=1001970

In the features it lists -

"WEGA GATE™ - Easy Operation Guide"

which answers that question.

They are recommending this stand (SUGW12) ...

http://www.sonystyle.ca/commerce/servlet/ProductDetailDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&productId=1000434

Cmon you guys know Monster is the bomb :)Dont be hatin cause you cant afford it :p I have Acoustic Research too...

AcousticResearch is nice for the money...


Hdmi ill buy the RamCable one...

Z you should try Monster...
I heard that Acoustic Research causes SSE! :p :p :D :D :p :p :D :D

I have never owned a Sony TV...I just went there to see their SXRD 60"...If the 60" looked good I was in the market for a 50" for my bedroom and after seeing it thought at 14 feet there wasn't enough difference to pay the extra over a A10 50"...remember 14 feet away...yes the SXRD has excellent blacks, colors but this TV has a soft picture...I also have a Samsung 67" in my great room...and at 14 feet feel I could of got by with a 720P set...I have nothing to hide...and you should not feel skeptical of my review its cut and dry...I have nothing to gain here...its just what I seen with my own eyes.


Most Sonys I have seen have a soft pic. I have a plasma at work and it is soft compared to the others.

The 50 and 60" SXRD's are now on the Canadian Sony Style site

http://www.sonystyle.ca/commerce/servlet/ProductDetailDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&productId=1001969

http://www.sonystyle.ca/commerce/servlet/ProductDetailDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&productId=1001970

In the features it lists -

"WEGA GATE™ - Easy Operation Guide"

which answers that question.

They are recommending this stand (SUGW12) ...

http://www.sonystyle.ca/commerce/servlet/ProductDetailDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&productId=1000434


I believe it's been stated that this is a misprint or whatever. No "WEGA GATE™ - Easy Operation Guide"

Most Sonys I have seen have a soft pic. I have a plasma at work and it is soft compared to the others.

I totally disagree that Sony TV's have a 'soft' pic. They are usually the sharpest, and most defined picture in the store. The 3LCD's are far more detailed, and sharp than most other RPTV's. They have some weaknesses for sure...but sharpness has never been an issue at all. The one time I saw the SXRD, it was sharp also, but one viewing is too soon to really tell on those.

I did not see ebay list! Can some one pm me details?thnx

Z you should try Monster...
I heard that Acoustic Research causes SSE! :p :p :D :D :p :p :D :D


I agree...Monster cables are the way to go for video, but AR makes great audio cables. So for my HDMI cables I went with Monster, but optical and speaker wire plugs I went with Acoustic Research.

Now for a 19" TV you probably don't need such a high end cable. More noticable on bigger screens.

-Arv

As ridiculously overpriced as Monster Cable is, they're hardly the only game in town. In fact, Monster seems like quite a bargain compared to some of the brands on this list (http://www.fatwyre.com/intercon_b1_05.html). I can't believe there are actually people out there that would pay $12,800 for a .5 meter interconnect. I don't care how much money you have, that's just insane!

I agree...Monster cables are the way to go for video, but AR makes great audio cables. So for my HDMI cables I went with Monster, but optical and speaker wire plugs I went with Acoustic Research.

Now for a 19" TV you probably don't need such a high end cable. More noticable on bigger screens.

-Arv

I hope you're joking.

Well I have been reading this and reading but now I have to ask something that seems to be missing for me.

On SDTV how will it look on here in the passed I have read that some 50/60" tv really show how bad SD is. Well as there really is not that much HD content yet and reading though hear sounds like most is not that good anyways.

I would like to hear anyone thoughts on SD viewing on this new sets

As ridiculously overpriced as Monster Cable is, they're hardly the only game in town. In fact, Monster seems like quite a bargain compared to some of the brands on this list (http://www.fatwyre.com/intercon_b1_05.html). I can't believe there are actually people out there that would pay $12,800 for a .5 meter interconnect. I don't care how much money you have, that's just insane!


WHen your system costs $250,000. Are you going to put $20 cable on it? Regardless if it actually does anything, at least it looks prettier.

While I am ranting on here, why is CSI Miami so oversaturated with color? I watched it last nite...and while the pic was sharp and clear, the colors are way more intense than on other shows....you have to back the color control way down to get something close to natural color. As I have said before...the bigger problem with HDTV at this point is the source materal, rather than the TV's themselves.

My favorite topic. CSI:Miami has always had a different 'look' than the other shows,
'oversaturated' as you put it, just as is the other CSI:s. Also, it has a definite
color shift toward yellow, almost like looking through filter. Actually,
I kinda like this coloration, gives the show more drama somehow. Mostly,
CSI:xxx is almost graininess free, no video noise to obscure the beauty of
hi def like King of Queens, etc. Only direct HD camera with unprocessed
raw video is cleaner.
BTW, for what it's worth, I got some insight as to why the huge variation
in PQ. Since all these shows are CBS, why the huge variation?
CBS does not produce these shows, they contract with various production
studios like Newline, Roadshow, Sony Entertainment, MGM, etc.
CBS just passes on the finished product. That explains the variation.
Did you catch "Threshold" on CBS Friday night? I thought it looked
very god.

I know I said I want to get the 50" SXRD, but if I could have the 60" for $3,500 (eventually?), anyone want to hazard a guess like what month/Super Bowl Time? (February?) this might happen? If at all. Thanks to everyone who has helped me with my questions.

Per comments of viewing distance, I have always used my pip frequently, for sports, when commercials are on, listening to news while a game is on, etc. I plan to view my 60" sxrd at 8 ft. which will allow me a better look at the twin view due to my poor eyesight. You can zoom out or in making one channel small to listen to news programs and the other big to watch a game. That's the main reason I didn't get the A10 or A20. When viewing with the family, I don't do it as it drives them crazy and they sit 15' to 18' away, keep this in mind with the A10 or A20 if you do like twin-view, it doesn't have it.

The 50 and 60" SXRD's are now on the Canadian Sony Style site

http://www.sonystyle.ca/commerce/servlet/ProductDetailDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&productId=1001969

http://www.sonystyle.ca/commerce/servlet/ProductDetailDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&productId=1001970

In the features it lists -

"WEGA GATE™ - Easy Operation Guide"

which answers that question.

They are recommending this stand (SUGW12) ...

http://www.sonystyle.ca/commerce/servlet/ProductDetailDisplay?
storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&productId=1000434


Does it seem that Sony at one time must have planned on using "WEGA GATE" and somewhere along the way decided to just go with the Qualia 006's software?

I must have missed it somewhere but what's the big deal about WegaGate? The menus from both the A10 and SXRD sets look similar. What more does WegaGate allow you to do?

I know I said I want to get the 50" SXRD, but if I could have the 60" for $3,500 (eventually?), anyone want to hazard a guess like what month/Super Bowl Time? (February?) this might happen? If at all. Thanks to everyone who has helped me with my questions.

Check out Ebay - your almost there now...

I'm having a little trouble with the idea of paying $800 for a stand upon which to place my future 50" Sony SXRD. Has anybody got some other possibilities to consider?

If Monster Cables were as good as some other high-end cables, they might be worth the price. But forum sponsors like Better Cables make better stuff and guys like Blue Jeans make great stuff too. Generally, you need nothing more than decent cheap stuff, but some people like to spend money. With DVI / HDMI, if there are no sparkloies, your cable is good enough. Beyond that, have fun imagining the differences.

Oh, and on furniture, I'd check Ikea. There are a number of low stands that'll hold components for $100-300.

Yeah, those stands are quite the ripoff. I hope you IKEA stand holds up better than my bookshelf. Whenever I put another book on it I say a silent prayer in hopes that the whole thing won't come crashing down. ;)

I must have missed it somewhere but what's the big deal about WegaGate? The menus from both the A10 and SXRD sets look similar. What more does WegaGate allow you to do?

I agree, the whole WEGA GATE thing is way over rated! Who cares if it has a new menuing system? If its a little bit harder to navigate, so be it.

I'm having a little trouble with the idea of paying $800 for a stand upon which to place my future 50" Sony SXRD. Has anybody got some other possibilities to consider?

Sony's matching stand lists for $499.99. It can be purchased for less. Still not chump change, but IMO complements the set nicely.

My favorite topic. CSI:Miami has always had a different 'look' than the other shows,
'oversaturated' as you put it, just as is the other CSI:s. Also, it has a definite
color shift toward yellow, almost like looking through filter. Actually,
I kinda like this coloration, gives the show more drama somehow. Mostly,
CSI:xxx is almost graininess free, no video noise to obscure the beauty of
hi def like King of Queens, etc. Only direct HD camera with unprocessed
raw video is cleaner.
BTW, for what it's worth, I got some insight as to why the huge variation
in PQ. Since all these shows are CBS, why the huge variation?
CBS does not produce these shows, they contract with various production
studios like Newline, Roadshow, Sony Entertainment, MGM, etc.
CBS just passes on the finished product. That explains the variation.
Did you catch "Threshold" on CBS Friday night? I thought it looked
very god.

I agree that they maybe mean it to look dramatic...but I would prefer it look more natural....Miami has plenty of color as is..lol.

WHen your system costs $250,000. Are you going to put $20 cable on it? Regardless if it actually does anything, at least it looks prettier.
And THAT is another reason why Monster is so successful...:rolleyes: BTW, who's system costs $250k??? :eek: And what idiot that spent that much on a system would actually be stupid enough to buy Monster Cable...?? Are you sure you didn't mean $250? :p

Jason (...back on the bus...)

And THAT is another reason why Monster is so successful...:rolleyes: BTW, who's system costs $250k??? :eek: And what idiot that spent that much on a system would actually be stupid enough to buy Monster Cable...?? Are you sure you didn't mean $250? :p

Jason (...back on the bus...)

I wasn't talking about monster cable, I was talking about highend cables in general in response to some other users in the forum. My stereo gear alone is $20,000 and I know the more expensive cable doesn't sound any different, but it sure as hell looks hot with my setup.

It's all relative. To me, cabling is that hot cosmetic upgrade.

As ridiculously overpriced as Monster Cable is, they're hardly the only game in town. In fact, Monster seems like quite a bargain compared to some of the brands on this list (http://www.fatwyre.com/intercon_b1_05.html). I can't believe there are actually people out there that would pay $12,800 for a .5 meter interconnect. I don't care how much money you have, that's just insane!

Believe it or not the very expensive cables often do make a vast difference in things like detail, soundstage - with accurate positioning of voices and instruments, and tonal qualities. But at literally thousands of dollars per cable they are designed for people for whom money is not an issue. I guess if you are a neurosurgeon an expensive hobby might be justifiable. For me, I am always looking for the best deal. ;)

Believe it or not the very expensive cables often do make a vast difference in things like detail, soundstage with accurate position of voices and instruments, and tonal qualities. But at literally thousands of dollars per cable they are designed for people for whom money is not an issue. I guess if you are a neurosurgeon an expensive hobby might be justifiable. For me, I am always looking for the best deal. ;)

Oh man, wait till I get home from work. I need to find that article of the "golden eared" reviewers. That would refuse to take blind tests, because they know they are full of it.

Check out Ebay - your almost there now...

Thanks Tony, but I prefer to buy it a B&M Store.

Oh man, wait till I get home from work. I need to find that article of the "golden eared" reviewers. That would refuse to take blind tests, because they know they are full of it.

heheheeh ;)

Believe it or not the very expensive cables often do make a vast difference in things like detail, soundstage with accurate position of voices and instruments, and tonal qualities. But at literally thousands of dollars per cable they are designed for people for whom money is not an issue. I guess if you are a neurosurgeon an expensive hobby might be justifiable. For me, I am always looking for the best deal. ;)

A 'vast' difference? :rolleyes: That I rather doubt. In fact I would more attribute it to the placebo effect. ' I spent a ton on the cables...so of course I think they improve my sound, or PQ.' I doubt most people could hear, or see the difference at all in NORMAL use. It's the old sugar pill syndrome, more than any difference in performance. Same thing applies to Monster brand..save your cash IMHO.

Hmmmm, have a question. Hate to throw this out there. But if anyone is familiar or just even seen a Philip 34" 9819 (DVI) in action, which I own and think has SOFT PQ which I don't care for (don't ask, LOL), you think I would be disappointed in the SXRD ("film like" ["soft"]). I like TV's that have punch (crisp, clear) to it. Had I known the (34") XBR-910 (SUPER FINE PITCH [TUBE]) was going to be out shortly after I bought my Philips, I would have DEFINITLEY :( waited. Many thanks!

Hmmmm, have a question. Hate to throw this out there. But if anyone is familiar or just even seen a Philip 34" 9819 (DVI) in action, which I own and think has SOFT PQ which I don't care for (don't ask, LOL), you think I would be disappointed in the SXRD ("film like" ["soft"]). I like TV's that have punch (crisp, clear) to it. Had I known the (34") XBR-910 (SUPER FINE PITCH [TUBE]) was going to be out shortly after I bought my Philips, I would have DEFINITLY :( waited. Many thanks!

Hmmmm..so far only one person has said the SXRD had a soft PQ. I saw it at Cedia, and it didn't appear soft to me..but there was limited material to judge it by. If you like a sharp pic...the 50 inch A-10 certainly has one so long as you sit 8 feet plus from it to avoid the SDE. I look forward to hearing more reports on the SXRD, and seeing more of them in stores. For now though, I think the A-10 is working for me.

... I know the more expensive cable doesn't sound any different, but it sure as hell looks hot with my setup.

It's all relative. To me, cabling is that hot cosmetic upgrade.You must have a totally different kind of equipment rack than I do. All of my cables are completely hidden from view.

Quote:
Originally Posted by RowdyUSP40
Z you should try Monster...
I heard that Acoustic Research causes SSE!



I agree...Monster cables are the way to go for video, but AR makes great audio cables. So for my HDMI cables I went with Monster, but optical and speaker wire plugs I went with Acoustic Research.

Now for a 19" TV you probably don't need such a high end cable. More noticable on bigger screens.

-Arv

Sorry ABhatnagar... that was meant as a joke aimed at Zues about the SSE thing.

I don't use anything from Monster in my system. FWIW... I use just about all Cobalt Cables... I have some AudioQuest interconnects.

I said it before on other threads when I look for cables... I just want great shielding, build quality and something that looks good as well... because some of my cables (speaker cables) you can see. The Cobalt Cables fit that bill. (For ME)

I know the subject of cables can really get people going....

Hmmmm..so far only one person has said the SXRD had a soft PQ. I saw it at Cedia, and it didn't appear soft to me..but there was limited material to judge it by. If you like a sharp pic...the 50 inch A-10 certainly has one so long as you sit 8 feet plus from it to avoid the SDE. I look forward to hearing more reports on the SXRD, and seeing more of them in stores. For now though, I think the A-10 is working for me.

Thanks Alan. I knew I could count on your help (seriously). :) I'am glad that you're enjoying your A-10. If I do decide not to go with the SXRD, I'll go with the A10. I know after that one time I posted about just getting back from CC and seeing the A10 for the first time, and then a fellow forum member was kind of enough to tell me that the XS was also 3LCD, I will "just" go with the A10 for the Dynamic Iris. I just want this "research" :o I'm doing to be over with and enjoy my TV.

One thing I did notice about the A10 up close when I was at CC, was SDE. But when I did step back from where I "thought" I would be viewing the TV at home (approx. 8 ft), the SDE disappeared. Doh! Didn't thinking about it until now. I should have used the tape measured I ACTUALLY brought of bringing with me, to measure viewing distance. So much for "research."

I know the subject of cables can really get people going....


In this vast AVS Forum, somewhere along the way, every single thread gets into the cable chat. I don’t care if it’s a thread on “Best Pop Corn for DVD viewing on Tuesdays” or some other geeky topic—there is always a detour down cable alley.

:rolleyes: :D

Has anyone noticed that the Sears website has the SXRD's in their inventory, and they list their availability as "In stock for delivery" ? They also say you can buy online and pick up in store.
I haven't been to Sears this weekend, though. Has anyone seen these sets on the sales floor?

I'm having a little trouble with the idea of paying $800 for a stand upon which to place my future 50" Sony SXRD. Has anybody got some other possibilities to consider?

Well the official stand from Sony (SU-GW12) can be had from Circuit City for $440 currently. It is normally $500 (US). It is $800 in Canada.

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Sony-LCD-Rear-Projection-TV-Stand-SU-GW12-/sem/rpsm/oid/100659/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

I bought one last week since I am getting a 60" SXRD. The stand works with the KDF-E55A20, KDF-55WF655, KDF-55XS955, KDS-R50XBR1, KDF-E60A20, KDF-60WF655, KDF-60XS955 and KDS-R60XBR1.

The originally sold them for $800 (which was insane) but at $500 and expecially $440 I think it is a pretty good price and a really good quality stand that matches it perfectly.

Here is a pic...

http://www.sonystyle.com/intershoproot/eCS/Store/en/imagesProducts/650x650/SUGW12.jpg

and the manual...

http://www.sonystyle.com/intershoproot/eCS/Store/en/documents/specifications/SUGW12.pdf

Has anyone noticed that the Sears website has the SXRD's in their inventory, and they list their availability as "In stock for delivery" ? They also say you can buy online and pick up in store.
I haven't been to Sears this weekend, though. Has anyone seen these sets on the sales floor?

I ordered a 50" SXRD from the Sears store in Palm Desert, CA over a week ago, with a projected delivery date of Oct. 13. and I was first on their list. The salesman I dealt with said they expected a floor model very soon and would call me when it came in so I could take a look at it. No call yet. I'm sure availability and delivery dates will vary based on location and individual stores.

If Monster Cables were as good as some other high-end cables, they might be worth the price. But forum sponsors like Better Cables make better stuff and guys like Blue Jeans make great stuff too. Generally, you need nothing more than decent cheap stuff, but some people like to spend money. With DVI / HDMI, if there are no sparkloies, your cable is good enough. Beyond that, have fun imagining the differences.



Exactly.

[QUOTE=Treasure Hunter]Has anyone noticed that the Sears website has the SXRD's in their inventory, and they list their availability as "In stock for delivery" ? They also say you can buy online and pick up in store.

Their site said the same a couple weeks ago. People ordered and Sears subsequently cancelled the orders because there was no available stock. When I called Sears at the time I questioned the customer service rep that wanted to take my order. He really believed they had some in stock; but could confirm nothing beyond what was said on the site. I wouldn't be surprised if they currently have no stock.

Does anyone know what the height of the box will be? I'll be using my van to pick it up and the TV itself is 40 inches. For anyone with an 60XS955 if you could tell me I would imagine it would be a similar sized box. Thanks.

And THAT is another reason why Monster is so successful...:rolleyes: BTW, who's system costs $250k??? :eek: And what idiot that spent that much on a system would actually be stupid enough to buy Monster Cable...?? Are you sure you didn't mean $250? :p

Jason (...back on the bus...)

Welcome back! How was your adventure outside of the SXRD world? I ask this seriously as I am curious to hear of your opinions on the various options you checked out.

Quote:
Originally Posted by RowdyUSP40
Z you should try Monster...
I heard that Acoustic Research causes SSE!





Sorry ABhatnagar... that was meant as a joke aimed at Zues about the SSE thing.

I don't use anything from Monster in my system. FWIW... I use just about all Cobalt Cables... I have some AudioQuest interconnects.

I said it before on other threads when I look for cables... I just want great shielding, build quality and something that looks good as well... because some of my cables (speaker cables) you can see. The Cobalt Cables fit that bill. (For ME)

I know the subject of cables can really get people going....

No worries...I truly understand the need for high shielding. I'm certainly not a cable expert, but bought Monster cables for my original 36" tube TV and they are great. Got the high end HDMI/DVI Monster Cable, but didn't want to spend the same amount of money for Audio cables. So I did some research and found Acoustic Research to be fairly good (especially the Master Series), then like a beam of light from heaven I found an online store that is trying to get rid of their stock, so they have seriously discounted their cables (ac4l com).

The end result is that I have fairly decent cables with good shielding. What I like most about Monster cables and the surge protector is their warrenties. The surge protector guarentees upto $100,000 for equipment plugged into it and lifetime for its cables.

-Arv

Based on Wega Gate in the A10: The biggest benefit I find is that you can pull up a menu list of available external inputs and select the one you want rather than moving through them sequentially using the input button on the remote. Aside from that, its just a higher level menu for accessing settings, favorite channels, external inputs, cable or OTA tuner.

If the interface in the GW SXRDs is, as some have speculated, the same as the Q006, you can disable inputs that are not in use resulting in only the enabled inputs being cycled using the input button. But more importantly, each input has a discrete IR code and while the Q006 remote does not have individual input buttons to allow direct selection, a programmable universal remote will permite direct access ( I myself am using the Harmony 880 ).

If someone said you cant hear the difference Between Monster Audio cable vs cheapos id laugh :) The true test is in Car Audio were cheap cables have much more interference and distortion... Its not even close and just the cables make a Huge difference...

No worries...I truly understand the need for high shielding. I'm certainly not a cable expert, but bought Monster cables for my original 36" tube TV and they are great. Got the high end HDMI/DVI Monster Cable, but didn't want to spend the same amount of money for Audio cables. So I did some research and found Acoustic Research to be fairly good (especially the Master Series), then like a beam of light from heaven I found an online store that is trying to get rid of their stock, so they have seriously discounted their cables (ac4l com).

The end result is that I have fairly decent cables with good shielding. What I like most about Monster cables and the surge protector is their warrenties. The surge protector guarentees upto $100,000 for equipment plugged into it and lifetime for its cables.

-Arv


You have some nice Equipment :) I imagine your Sxrd will look as good as possible...

Cables - like all items have a diminishing return on investment. A cable 100 times more expensive will not be 100 times better. It probabely will be somewhat better.

As for digital cables - any cable that works - as long as your 0
s and 1's are getting transmitted correctly!

I do agree with the above poster about proper shieding too.

PC Richard had a date of 9-20-2005 and now they are saying 10-13-05 which is the date that Sears has. I just hope they don't drag this out and finally ship the sets.

More Cedia Pics:

D-ILA (JVC) @ http://www.cinenow.com/us/reportage.php/sid,1261/

The D-ILA is a little harder to judge due to the viewing material and the off-center picture.

Some D-ILA pics here http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=ja_en&trurl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.watch.impress.co.jp%2fav%2fdocs%2f200 50111%2fdg46.htm

Those look much better.

Based on Wega Gate in the A10: The biggest benefit I find is that you can pull up a menu list of available external inputs and select the one you want rather than moving through them sequentially using the input button on the remote. Aside from that, its just a higher level menu for accessing settings, favorite channels, external inputs, cable or OTA tuner.Thanks.

If someone said you cant hear the difference Between Monster Audio cable vs cheapos id laugh :) The true test is in Car Audio were cheap cables have much more interference and distortion... Its not even close and just the cables make a Huge difference...

I still don't buy this one...sorry. It think is mostly overpriced hype. Show me ONE 3rd party double blind test where people can tell the difference in normal use, and you can change my opinion. That is the only way to prove there is really a meaningful improvement. People hear what they want to hear IMHO.

I still don't buy this one...sorry. It think is mostly overpriced hype. Show me ONE 3rd party double blind test where people can tell the difference in normal use, and you can change my opinion. That is the only way to prove there is really a meaningful improvement. People hear what they want to hear IMHO.


Agreed.... PCworld did internal testings and came up with it pretty much don't matter how much they cost, they are all about the same. So save that money and put it toward a bigger tv :D

Here is the link to the PCworld Article

http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,121777,pg,1,00.asp

Where I definitely did hear a difference is when I switched from very basic speaker wire (basically lamp cord) to a high end speaker cable. There definitely was a significant improvement in the high and low end.

I have high end interconnects throughout my home theatre system ... does it make a difference? Lets just say they are better than the cheap ones that companies like Sony provide free with their TV's and other components.

I think it is ridiculous to spend money on expensive cables for any lower end system. Whether it is worth the money for use with high end components is up to the owner. If it gives you peace of mind that by having them you are getting every nuance from your components and you can afford them then buy them!

Cables definitely alter the sound, for better or for worse. Here are some of Transparent Cable's (the really expensive brand) considerations when making a cable. Hype or Truth? Only a select few can say...... ;)

http://www.transparentcable.com/design/destech_techtalk.html

"When I go to a cinema I like to sit mid-way or bit further back. I don't equate 8 foot to a 70 inch screen as being at all similar to that. It might be 'technically' similar, but in practice it sure doesn't seem so to me."

Alan, it isn't similar.

People here think that because THX tells them that when 34% of their visual field is filled all is the same that it's the same. But your brain actually knows how big the screen is, how far back you're sitting, etc. There are things in the room that allow you to figure out the actual size of what you're seeing and you'll react differently to the actual size than to the relative size.

Is it clear yet to people that there is no way to drive this set with 1:1 pixel mapping to an HTPC video resolution? I am looking to upgrade my old Pioneer RPTV to a new microdisplay, but it sure seems silly to me not be able to drive the display directly and avoid all the overscan nonsense.

I know the set won't take a direct 1080p input. The question is whether I can feed it at 1080i input without dealing with overscan etc...

thanks,
Mike

The SXRD will have overscan, its a TV not a monitor.
With a HTPC overscan is not a problem.
Just use a custom resolution inside standard 1080i timing, and you get no overscan and should be able to get 1:1 mapping.

This functionality is now standard on both Radeon and Nvidia drivers.

"When I go to a cinema I like to sit mid-way or bit further back. I don't equate 8 foot to a 70 inch screen as being at all similar to that. It might be 'technically' similar, but in practice it sure doesn't seem so to me."

Alan, it isn't similar.

People here think that because THX tells them that when 34% of their visual field is filled all is the same that it's the same. But your brain actually knows how big the screen is, how far back you're sitting, etc. There are things in the room that allow you to figure out the actual size of what you're seeing and you'll react differently to the actual size than to the relative size.


I’m not sure what you are saying there Rogo.
A 57” screen viewed from 8’ looks much smaller then a cinema screen to me.
PAL DVD’s upscaled and processed by a HTPC look really good, and 1080i HD looks simply sensational.
That is why I am keen to go too 65-70” to get a more immersive experience.

If a 70” SXRD cannot outperform my admittedly very highly tuned and modified CRT RPTV at the same 8’- 9’ viewing distance, I cant see any point in purchasing one.

My other option is a 65” 1080p Panasonic Plasma, when they become available, but I am concerned about black levels on the Plasma.

At least with the SXRD, if the blacks are close to good enough, I can remove the variable iris and install a smaller fixed one to get true blacks.

If SSE is a problem, I would consider replacing the screen with something better if is available.

You have some nice Equipment :) I imagine your Sxrd will look as good as possible...

Hope so...thanks.

"When I go to a cinema I like to sit mid-way or bit further back. I don't equate 8 foot to a 70 inch screen as being at all similar to that. It might be 'technically' similar, but in practice it sure doesn't seem so to me."

Alan, it isn't similar.

People here think that because THX tells them that when 34% of their visual field is filled all is the same that it's the same. But your brain actually knows how big the screen is, how far back you're sitting, etc. There are things in the room that allow you to figure out the actual size of what you're seeing and you'll react differently to the actual size than to the relative size.

That is a great explanation..very well said! When all is said and done, people should get the screen size that pleases them. My point is to use caution in picking a size, especially if you can't return, or exchange it. Thanks!

Cables - like all items have a diminishing return on investment. A cable 100 times more expensive will not be 100 times better. It probabely will be somewhat better.

As for digital cables - any cable that works - as long as your 0
s and 1's are getting transmitted correctly!

I do agree with the above poster about proper shieding too.


I have no idea why some people brag about spending so much money on a cable that is used for a digital feed. As long as their is some kind of shielding you should be fine.

Now if you want a good component cable, ok. If you want good speaker cables, it makes sense.

Paul: there is a "sucker" born every second.

The R, L, C, electrical parameters fully describe a cable's performance. False claims are a dime a dozen in the cable industry. Nothing but FRAUD in my book! There are many charlatans parading around as cable manufacturers. Beware!!!

Just ask any Electrical Engineer worth his/ her salt!!

I bought a couple component cables from BlueJeans Cable. They've done me good so far. If it's inexpensive and works, I'm all for it. BlueJeans has some solid stuff though. IMO, Monsters cables are way overpriced and not worth it. But to each his own.

Some are probably quite happy with the component cable that comes with your HD DVR (and that's all that matters in the end).

[QUOTE=Owen]

If a 70” SXRD cannot outperform my admittedly very highly tuned and modified CRT RPTV at the same 8’- 9’ viewing distance, I cant see any point in purchasing one.

QUOTE]

I agree with this. BUT, where they are going to get us is that our CRTs will not be able to show BluRay or HD-DVD at full resolution--making these new technologies "better" because they will have access to the best source...
Bastards.

I’m not worried about BluRay for two reasons.

1. There are already ways around HDCP to allow 1080i output over VGA-Component. :D

2. By the time BluRay gets of the ground we will have the next generation of SXRD’s, plus whatever else comes along in the mean time (1080p Plasma, SED).

I’m not worried about BluRay for two reasons.

1. There are already ways around HDCP to allow 1080i output over VGA-Component. :D

2. By the time BluRay gets of the ground we will have the next generation of SXRD’s, plus whatever else comes along in the mean time (1080p Plasma, SED).

Does make you wonder where the state of the art will be in 2 years?

If you have a reasonably good TV now, it probably makes better sense to wait.

I agree that they maybe mean it to look dramatic...but I would prefer it look more natural....Miami has plenty of color as is..lol.

You should check out "Office" on NBC. It is really a reality show although it
isn't classified as such. Anyhow, it is shot with a HD video cam, not
processed optical transfer, and is as clean and naturally as it gets. No
post processing at all. I keep an episode on my Hard drive to use as a
reference video source for critical A-B comparisons of various TV sets.

This is the way I look at the expensive cableing thing...

Those high end audiofile guys are nuts. They will take an issue...in theory...and try to resolve it through designing cables that try to eliminate or reduce the percieved issue. Things like eddy currents that can cause distortion, cable capacitance and so on. Can you HEAR the difference? Who knows? Can you see a difference using test equipment? maybe. But like it was mentioned earlier...you are not going to spend $150,000 on a pair of speakers and up to $100,000 on audio components and not spend the money on cables.

If you have ever been to the CES show, go to the Alexis hotel and check out the high end audio stuff. You WILL be blown away. I have never heard anything before like it, and look forward to going every year to listen again. That sound does not come cheap, but the reason they have the sound they do is because of the accumilation of everything in the system...speakers, amps, components, interconnects and speaker wire that acheive that sound. ANY weak link in a system like that CAN degregate the sound quality. The thing is that it is reletively not too expensive to reach a certain level of quality...but if you want to go really high end the prices skyrocket and the percentage of quality increase is not proportional to the money spent.

Think of an engine for a car. You can get a certain amount of power for a reletively small amount of money. Want more horsepower? A few things here and there for not too much money can yield some good improvements. If you want to go high end...like a top fuel dragster, it is going to cost bank. There are many very small things they do to reach the power levels they do...many of which you might scratch your head and say "no way, how could that make a difference?" Once again it is an accumilation of all the components and work done to the engine that makes it perform the way it does. They reason they do what they do is that if it could be a problem, even theoretically, they will try to eliminate it.

That being said, in our systems for audio and PQ, will we be able to tell a difference? Almost certainly not. Analog cables should have good shielding and cable materials, but that can be acheived for a reletively inexpensive price. On digital cables, especially optical, don't waste your money on so called High End cables.

But that is just my opinion.

You must have a totally different kind of equipment rack than I do. All of my cables are completely hidden from view.

My rack is completely open , the rack platters are only separated by thin metal tubing.

By the way, any of you ever open up your speakers before and looked at the wiring from the terminals to the crossover and the speakers? It is normal 14-16 gauge wire you can buy at home depot. I rest my case.

If the interface in the GW SXRDs is, as some have speculated, the same as the Q006, you can disable inputs that are not in use resulting in only the enabled inputs being cycled using the input button. But more importantly, each input has a discrete IR code and while the Q006 remote does not have individual input buttons to allow direct selection, a programmable universal remote will permite direct access ( I myself am using the Harmony 880 ).

Excellent, easily overlooked observation (by me, at least) and much appreciated! Thanks.

You should check out "Office" on NBC. It is really a reality show although it
isn't classified as such. Anyhow, it is shot with a HD video cam, not
processed optical transfer, and is as clean and naturally as it gets. No
post processing at all. I keep an episode on my Hard drive to use as a
reference video source for critical A-B comparisons of various TV sets.

I recorded that one last nite on my DVR cable box. It is truly a high quality program, and a great way to judge the quality of a HDTV. Leno, and Letterman are also in that class. I sure wish more shows were that good!

By the way, any of you ever open up your speakers before and looked at the wiring from the terminals to the crossover and the speakers? It is normal 14-16 gauge wire you can buy at home depot. I rest my case.

Maybe in your normal run of the mill speakers. Have you ever had the opportunity to look in some REAL high end speakers? You will se something very different. Also, the wire does not have to be thick to be good. I have seen high end wires that were smaller gauge, just made from high end materials.

Too, there is the issue of wire length. A small diameter wire for a very short distance, like the inside of a speaker, will not have as much of an effect as a long wire.

Maybe in your normal run of the mill speakers. Have you ever had the opportunity to look in some REAL high end speakers? You will se something very different. Also, the wire does not have to be thick to be good. I have seen high end wires that were smaller gauge, just made from high end materials.

Too, there is the issue of wire length. A small diameter wire for a very short distance, like the inside of a speaker, will not have as much of an effect as a long wire.

I have Totem Acoustic Forrests. They are $5000/pair and not exactly run of the mill. Granted they are not $25,000 speakers, but I would think if it was necessary Totem would have put a higher gauge wire in their 3rd best model line for $1 more.

And I am aware of wire length and building materials. Wire is wire, please don't get into this baloney argument. Transmission of the amount of electricity is directly affected by the gauge of the wire. By your logic, some super duper high end 16 gauge wire should be able to run a 20 amp circuit , rather than using the required 12gauge normal copper

I have Totem Acoustic Forrests. They are $5000/pair and not exactly run of the mill. Granted they are not $25,000 speakers, but I would think if it was necessary Totem would have put a higher gauge wire in their 3rd best model line for $1 more.

I am sure they are nice speakers, but I doubt very much they used Home Depot wire in them. Like I said earlier, there are some high end wires that are smaller diameter, and the smaller wire lengths of wire do not have the same affect on SQ as longer runs.

What amp you run?

I am sure they are nice speakers, but I doubt very much they used Home Depot wire in them. Like I said earlier, there are some high end wires that are smaller diameter, and the smaller wire lengths of wire do not have the same affect on SQ as longer runs.

What amp you run?

Trust me, it's normal wire you can pick up in the electrical dept of any home place. I'll take pics of it next time I open them up.


Currently I use a SimAudio I-5. Also a Bryston 3BSST when I'm feeling saucy.

OK, so we've had a few scattered reports of people who've seen SXRDs in stores now. So why hasn't somebody bought one yet?

OK, so we've had a few scattered reports of people who've seen SXRDs in stores now. So why hasn't somebody bought one yet?

I think most people are waiting to see one for themself before committing to buying one.

I figure it'll be week after next before they're in enough stores that some will be bought up and we'll start having 1st hand reports by owners. Then you have to make your way through the fog of having a new toy to try to get some good information, which will probably take another 3 or 4 weeks.

When I buy speaker wires and interconnects I look for a good quality cable with good sheilding and with quality connectors that are not going to come loose and corrode.

I don't give a damn what the reviewers say or anyone on these forums. The arguments are pointless ... you have so called experts on both sides of the fence.

I buy the cables and then just forget about them!

Just out of interest I am running Martin Logans with Classé CAV180.

I just want to actually see one in person, if I like the picture I'm buying it right there. I've lived with crappy video long enough :D

HiDef Bob...

I think you hit the nail on the head...Whatever makes you happy, that is what you should buy. People will do resarch, check stuff out and buy whatever makes them happy. There are some who fall into the trap of letting others tell them what will make them happy, but usually they spend too much money or are dissapointed with what they get.

I am not pushing either type of cable. I understand why the audiofile guys do what they do, so they guys who bag on them for spending the money they do on interconnects and wire may not have understood why they do what they do.

I do not have by any means a "High End" system at all. I purchased what sounded good to me for what I could afford. I just run a Sony ES reciever and Infinity speakers. Do I have high end cables? No way..could not see spending the money for the improvements over what I am currently using..I am kind of a tight wad that way. Am I happy with what I am running? Absolutely. I would rather save my money for Jeep stuff and my new 60" SXRD set. :D I just have to wait for associate night or special 10% event. I work for Sears and will get a 10% plus 10% discount when they do.

I just want to actually see one in person, if I like the picture I'm buying it right there. I've lived with crappy video long enough :D

I agree, the wait is bad! I am glad the SXRDs are coming out earlier than planned, but they can't come soon enough! What other sets/technologies have you been looking at? You seem to have good taste in equipment from your other posts :)

The reknowned audio engineer, Richard Heyser, referred to boutique cables as "audiophile jewelry": they look nice and make you feel better, but really do nothing to improve the system. In truth, cables can sound different for no other reason the the simple RLC differences. To put it in perspective, this is no different than slightly changing you tone controls. Nothing more. You will get a bigger difference in sound field by slightly changing your head position than getting new cables since the room-speaker interface has a far overwhelming effect on the sound. The only valid listening test I saw pretty much concluded that the thicker the cable the better.

Now, go look the lunatic fringe magazines like Sterophile and Absolute Sound and notice how many cable ads they have. They know where there bread is buttered so you will never see any legitimate comments about the effects of cables.

Paul

Now, go look the lunatic fringe magazines like Sterophile and Absolute Sound and notice how many cable ads they have. They know where there bread is buttered so you will never see any legitimate comments about the effects of cables. Paul

Agreed. I stopped subscribing to Stereophile for that very reason -- the reviewers were, uhhhh, quite into cables. I remember Sam Tellig composing an article about putting pennies on the top of his speakers and it made them sound better! He even had people writing in to thank him for the tip. Unbelievable...

Agreed. I stopped subscribing to Stereophile for that very reason -- the reviewers were, uhhhh, quite into cables. I remember Sam Tellig composing an article about putting pennies on the top of his speakers and it made them sound better! He even had people writing in to thank him for the tip. Unbelievable...

That doesn't work? :rolleyes:

That doesn't work? :rolleyes:

About as well as the:

- cable lifters the raise the cables off the ground to reduce "ground effects" in cables (I'm not kidding)

- $50 each Shun Mook hockey pucks that, when placed on the wall in a defined array, improve sound

- Tice Power Clock, which is nothing more than a $15 Ratshack clock that has been magically treated and when pugged in the room you're listening, improves the sound and sells for $300 (my personal favorite :D )

- green pen applied to the edge of CD's to impove the sound

- cleaning CDs with RainX to improve the ...

- cryogenically freezing CD's to improve the...

- not wearing a wristwatch with a beeper in you listening room because it distorts the sound

- VPI Magic Brick, that when placed on top of electronic components, improves...

These are among the many that come to mind off the top of my head.

Paul

In truth, cables can sound different for no other reason the the simple RLC differences. To put it in perspective, this is no different than slightly changing you tone controls. Nothing more.
Paul

I disagree a little with you here. If you think about it, What are crossover networks made out of? Resistors (R), Inductors (L) and Capacitors (C). If a cable has a high capacitance, the higher frequencies will do better than lower. If a cable has high inductance, low frequencies will do better. Of course these are extremes, but the quality of a cable CAN have a difference. If a cable is having an effect on bandwidth or overall frequency response, you can not correct that with a tone control. The point is that you get to a level of expense and quality where there is very little to no difference if you go up from there and you must decide for yourself if you think the added expense is worth it. Otherwise, everyone would just go to the 99 cent store and buy cables there.

Sorry to chime in, but can we keep this on topic. Looking for SXRD news and see nothing but cable news. Thanks

I agree, the wait is bad! I am glad the SXRDs are coming out earlier than planned, but they can't come soon enough! What other sets/technologies have you been looking at? You seem to have good taste in equipment from your other posts :)

I've been seriously looking at everything available.

DLP - My father was an early adopter of this technology with one of the very first Samsungs to be made, and it's been running flawlessly for years. Beautiful picture and I don't have any issue with seeing rainbows. It was the first tech I looked at, and I looked at them all. Samsungs quality has definitely gone downhill with their manufacturing, video lag etc. I just think that DLP might be one of those stepping stone technologies. Where at the time, it rocked for the price. You couldn't beat DLP for the price, now with all the other emerging techs in the same price range, it just doesn't seem worth potential aggravation from poor workmanship. I will say this though, this years Toshiba line was the most impressive DLP.

PLASMA - Too much buck for the bang. Colors beautiful, blacks alright, the blockiness I saw on a lot of them just turned me off. Don't get me wrong they are really nice sets, but $5000 for a panasonic 50inch, can be put into another technology with very close to the same results and a bigger screen. Plus burn in / life expectancy etc issues. Just something I don't want to deal with. Thickness of the tv means nothing to me.

LCD - I just don't like them, I don't know what it is. The blacks are crap, and it just doesn't feel real enough for me. I've always been wary of the whole LCD technology in the first place. We have an entire office full of them with no issues, but I don't need my investment with bad pixels.

LCOS - This seems to be the year for them. JVC's D-ILA impressed me a lot but there were a few quirks, especially dark transitions, grey bars on non widescreen signals and just overly bright. Sony's SXRD is going to be the last of the big ones for me too look at this year , and is really going to be the deciding point. As information is just slowly trickling in, it's a tough call, but it looks very promising. I will of course have to see in person first.

In the end...
Honestly the nicest picture quality at the $5000 mark I've seen is the Mitsubishi rear projection CRT and was very very close at grabbing one. Especially for the much cheaper price tag. Sony's also looked amazing as well.

We'll see what happens with the SXRD , if it doesn't impress me enough to make the justification for the cost, then I will probably end up with a DLP. I think they are overall the best value for the price and I will upgrade when something like SXRD matures more or a new tech comes around.

My biggest hope for the future is SED, I just wish it would mature a little more quickly.

PLASMA - Too much buck for the bang. Colors beautiful, blacks alright, the blockiness I saw on a lot of them just turned me off. Don't get me wrong they are really nice sets, but $5000 for a panasonic 50inch, can be put into another technology with very close to the same results and a bigger screen. Plus burn in / life expectancy etc issues. Just something I don't want to deal with. Thickness of the tv means nothing to me.
You're a bit high on the price for a 50" Panny. The MSRP for the 50PX50U is $3999, same as the 50" SXRD, and I'd bet you can find a better discount from MSRP on the Panny plasma. Life expectancy for the plasma is 60,000 hours.

I've been seriously looking at everything available.

DLP - My father was an early adopter of this technology with one of the very first Samsungs to be made, and it's been running flawlessly for years. Beautiful picture and I don't have any issue with seeing rainbows. It was the first tech I looked at, and I looked at them all. Samsungs quality has definitely gone downhill with their manufacturing, video lag etc. I just think that DLP might be one of those stepping stone technologies. Where at the time, it rocked for the price. You couldn't beat DLP for the price, now with all the other emerging techs in the same price range, it just doesn't seem worth potential aggravation from poor workmanship. I will say this though, this years Toshiba line was the most impressive DLP.

PLASMA - Too much buck for the bang. Colors beautiful, blacks alright, the blockiness I saw on a lot of them just turned me off. Don't get me wrong they are really nice sets, but $5000 for a panasonic 50inch, can be put into another technology with very close to the same results and a bigger screen. Plus burn in / life expectancy etc issues. Just something I don't want to deal with. Thickness of the tv means nothing to me.

LCD - I just don't like them, I don't know what it is. The blacks are crap, and it just doesn't feel real enough for me. I've always been wary of the whole LCD technology in the first place. We have an entire office full of them with no issues, but I don't need my investment with bad pixels.

LCOS - This seems to be the year for them. JVC's D-ILA impressed me a lot but there were a few quirks, especially dark transitions, grey bars on non widescreen signals and just overly bright. Sony's SXRD is going to be the last of the big ones for me too look at this year , and is really going to be the deciding point. As information is just slowly trickling in, it's a tough call, but it looks very promising. I will of course have to see in person first.

In the end...
Honestly the nicest picture quality at the $5000 mark I've seen is the Mitsubishi rear projection CRT and was very very close at grabbing one. Especially for the much cheaper price tag. Sony's also looked amazing as well.

We'll see what happens with the SXRD , if it doesn't impress me enough to make the justification for the cost, then I will probably end up with a DLP. I think they are overall the best value for the price and I will upgrade when something like SXRD matures more or a new tech comes around.

My biggest hope for the future is SED, I just wish it would mature a little more quickly.

I am out of the loop on this SED. What is it exactly? Is it the next thing for all we AVS geeks to cuss and discuss? I can't wait..lol

You're a bit high on the price for a 50" Panny. The MSRP for the 50PX50U is $3999, same as the 50" SXRD, and I'd bet you can find a better discount from MSRP on the Panny plasma. Life expectancy for the plasma is 60,000 hours.Exactly. That's my dilemma at the moment -- I like a lot of the bells and whistles of the SXRD, but if a plasma of the same size is right at the same price...or hundreds of dollars less, even...it's more of a toss-up. From 8 - 9 feet back, I would think SDE and the difference in resolution would kind of fade away.

I am out of the loop on this SED. What is it exactly? Is it the next thing for all we AVS geeks to cuss and discuss? I can't wait..lolThe Holy Grail, it sounds like: all the advantages of a microdisplay with the contrast/black levels of CRT. There's some discussion over in the Plasma/LCD forum (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=491741).

Exactly. That's my dilemma at the moment -- I like a lot of the bells and whistles of the SXRD, but if a plasma of the same size is right at the same price...or hundreds of dollars less, even...it's more of a toss-up.

The Holy Grail, it sounds like: all the advantages of a microdisplay with the contrast/black levels of CRT. There's some discussion over in the Plasma/LCD forum (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=491741).

Oh boy.....I can smell more of my $$ being spent already..lol Thanks for the link. From what I gather it is plasma like, but better in several respects...when the 60 inch is under 3 grand sign me up!

Haven't been following the thread as closely lately, anyone take delivery of a GW SXRD yet?

Exactly.
The Holy Grail, it sounds like: all the advantages of a microdisplay with the contrast/black levels of CRT. There's some discussion over in the Plasma/LCD forum (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=491741).

Won't SED be subject to burn-in? If so, I'll stay away from it. I've spent the last four years worried about burn-in on my CRT RPTV. I can't wait until our SXRD arrives, the Mits goes to our daughter's house, and I can forget about potential burn-in.

Oh boy.....I can smell more of my $$ being spent already..lol Thanks for the link. From what I gather it is plasma like, but better in several respects...when the 60 inch is under 3 grand sign me up!


ACtually it's more like CRT, just each pixel is basically a minitv. Now that is a ridiculous oversimplification but there you go.

Electrons collide with phosphors to creaet the image. But instead of one big emitter, there is a number equal to the number of pixels on the screen.

Won't SED be subject to burn-in? If so, I'll stay away from it. I've spent the last four years worried about burn-in on my CRT RPTV. I can't wait until our SXRD arrives, the Mits goes to our daughter's house, and I can forget about potential burn-in.

I would imagine it would have the same issue with phosphor burn in

About as well as the:

- cable lifters the raise the cables off the ground to reduce "ground effects" in cables (I'm not kidding)

- $50 each Shun Mook hockey pucks that, when placed on the wall in a defined array, improve sound

- Tice Power Clock, which is nothing more than a $15 Ratshack clock that has been magically treated and when pugged in the room you're listening, improves the sound and sells for $300 (my personal favorite :D )

- green pen applied to the edge of CD's to impove the sound

- cleaning CDs with RainX to improve the ...

- cryogenically freezing CD's to improve the...

- not wearing a wristwatch with a beeper in you listening room because it distorts the sound

- VPI Magic Brick, that when placed on top of electronic components, improves...

These are among the many that come to mind off the top of my head.

Paul

I bought a pair of magic rocks to wedge in the gap between case and the dumbo ears when I finally get my SXRD. They said it would make the speakers work in surround sound. Are you saying I've been had?

Oh well, at least I've still got my pixie dust to sprinkle on the screen and get rid of any SSE...

Toshiba, Canon Bet on New Flat-Panel TV Technology

Companies invest $1.7 billion in plant to produce TVs that are as bright as CRTs but use less energy than plasmas.

Paul Kallender, IDG News Service
Tuesday, May 31, 2005

TOKYO -- Toshiba and Canon are investing $1.7 billion to build a factory that will make panels for a new type of flat-panel TV based on SED (surface-conduction electron-emitter display) technology, Toshiba said Tuesday.


Advertisement




The investment cost of the factory--to be built at an existing Toshiba site in western Japan, in Himeji--will be split evenly between the two companies. Construction is scheduled to begin later this year, and the factory will start producing 15,000 50-inch panels per month in January 2007, according to Hiroko Mochida, a spokeswoman for Toshiba.

SED combines elements of CRT (cathode ray tube) and LCD (liquid crystal display) technologies and is being positioned by the companies to compete with plasma TVs.

SED TVs can produce pictures as bright as those of CRT TVs and without the slight time delay sometimes associated with LCD TVs, according to proponents of SED. The technology uses as little as two-thirds the power that plasma panels use, according to Toshiba and Canon, which have been developing the technology since the 1990s.

TVs Expected in 2006

The factory is the second major investment Toshiba and Canon have made in the new TV technology. Last September, they said they would spend $1.8 billion to form a joint venture called SED to mass-produce the TVs.

SED will run the new factory, which will increase its production to more than 70,000 panels per month by the end of December 2007, Mochida said.

Toshiba produced CRT TVs at Himeji until it closed that operation last September, she said. The site currently has 1,300 workers making a variety of TV components, she said.

The first SED TVs should go on sale before the end of March 2006. Toshiba has yet to announce screen sizes and prices, but the devices are likely to sell at a premium above plasma TVs of the same size, the company has said.

Burn in on SED and Plasma would not be as bad as a RPTV, although it could still be an issue.

In a RPTV there is typically a 7" picture tube that is running bright enough to illuminate a large screen around 8-10x larger than it is. I have seen sets that are a few hours old that have browning on the phosfur already. If there is a static image on the screen or a consistant scrolling, like stock market, burn in can happen reletively quick.

On a plasma or SED the phosfur is not burning nearly as bright, so burn in takes a lot longer.

My question on SED, does each pixel have it's own cathode? Does each cathode need it's own heater? I saw a prototype flat CRT in the panasonic booth at CES like 12 years ago. Each pixel had it's own cathode and almost the whole rear of the CRT looked like a heating element. It was interesting.

Does anyone know if there are any stores in So Cal that have the SXRD set yet?

I went to Leigh Adams at the Ontario mills to see if they had one. The salesman would do nothing but bag on Sony product. He let me see the new Mitsubishi 1080P though. The picture looked real good, but there was a weird thing I noticed with the picture. When the images were scrolling or moving straight up and down or left to right the picture was good. If the images were moving diaganally, there were what appeared to be scanning lines or something. It was not rainbows, but was very apparent. In taking a closer look, i noticed it had diamond shaped pixels. I wonder if that was the problem... Anyone else seen this?

Thanks
Bryan

I remember back in the "good old days" before Absolute Sound and Stereophile accepted any advertising they were much more credible. They did a very critical review one time of a Sony product. Sony wrote AS expressing their displeasure with the review. Absolute Sound's reply basically said, who the hell does Sony think they are? We answer to no one ... if the product sounds terrible then that is what we will report to our readers. Too bad that they succumbed to the dollar and they lost that independance!

The SXRD will have overscan, its a TV not a monitor.
With a HTPC overscan is not a problem.
Just use a custom resolution inside standard 1080i timing, and you get no overscan and should be able to get 1:1 mapping.

This functionality is now standard on both Radeon and Nvidia drivers.

I understand this. Overscan is definitely something that can be handled, but introduces a lot of hassle that shouldn't be needed. Sure the SXRD is a TV, but the TV electronics are driving a monitor. For HTPC operation, I want to bypass all the crap needed to deal with scaling and such and just talk to the monitor. Having my PC do scaling and having the SXRD do scaling and other processing as well isn't particularly efficient and introduces distortion that isn't needed.

This is like transcoding an MP3 audio track to WMA compressed. It's not as good quality sound as if you went from the original CD to the final format. This is why I store all my music in lossless format and transcode as needed from that, and why I just want to talk to the monitor.

I guess the SXRD isn't going to let me have this option.

Thanks,
Mike

This group may find this interesting. It is by Ed Milbourn reporting on 1080P at CEDIA and states:

"But DLP 1080p, while very good, was not the best. The best by any measurement was the SONY SXRD technology. SXRD is essentially a highly refined version of LcOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) technology. Sony has (evidently) succeeded is overcoming the LcOS very critical production challenges to offer a very high performance and cost-effective design, letting all the inherent benefits of LcOS technology to be showcased. "

The complete article is at the hdtvmagazine web site. Go to "Articles" and look for Sept. 11.

(As a new poster, I was prevented from entering the complete URL.)

...
Does anyone know if there are any stores in So Cal that have the SXRD set yet?
...

Thanks
Bryan

There's a SonyStyle store in the South Coast Plaza (Irvine? Costa Mesa?) that claims that they'll have them next week. Their store number is 714-754-6302

There's a SonyStyle store in the South Coast Plaza (Irvine? Costa Mesa?) that claims that they'll have them next week. Their store number is 714-754-6302

That is in Costa Mesa. Awesome mall - great Sonystyle store....

roybishop: Thanks for the post. I think Sony has a winner in these new sets.

There are now multiple threads in the RPTV area being spammed with information on a not-available flat-panel tech called SED.

I would politely ask that people stop discussing it here and go read some of the other threads in the flat panels area and post cmments and questions there.

Yes, that is the pixel structure of the "wobbulated" xHD4 chip showing. This only happens during camera movement or motion. Otherwise, the pixel structure is invisible. This differs from the previous HD2(+) chips that have a square pixel structure that is always visible. You should only be able to see the pixel structure from up close though and not at normal viewing distances.

The st I was looking at was a 73"? set. I was about 8 feet away and I saw it almost right away. I don't think I could live with it at all. But, I am sure "normal" viewing distance for that set would be further away. I think I would have still seen it even at 12' though. Must be the laser surgery.

I understand this. Overscan is definitely something that can be handled, but introduces a lot of hassle that shouldn't be needed. Sure the SXRD is a TV, but the TV electronics are driving a monitor. For HTPC operation, I want to bypass all the crap needed to deal with scaling and such and just talk to the monitor. Having my PC do scaling and having the SXRD do scaling and other processing as well isn't particularly efficient and introduces distortion that isn't needed.

This is like transcoding an MP3 audio track to WMA compressed. It's not as good quality sound as if you went from the original CD to the final format. This is why I store all my music in lossless format and transcode as needed from that, and why I just want to talk to the monitor.

I guess the SXRD isn't going to let me have this option.

Thanks,
Mike


The problem is that video is not always exactly the same size, and can have ragged ugly edges.
People don’t like to see the ragged edges of the video, so TV’s overscan to cut it off.

With a CRT it is easy to adjust screen size to make the image fit the screen or overscan as required, however digital fixed pixel displays cant do that without scaling the source and loosing 1:1 mapping.
You have probably noticed that TFT PC monitors run properly at only one resolution and have no picture size adjustment.

Plasma and LCD flat panel TV’s still need to overscan video for the same reasons, and achieve this by scaling the video to a size slightly larger then the panel resolution, thereby cutting off the edges (overscaning).

RPTV’s normally create overscan by designing the projection lens to project the image at a size larger then the back of the screen.
For a fixed pixel micro display this means that a certain percentage of pixel’s round the edge of the I image will be projected onto the back of the screen bezel and will never be visible on screen
A small amount of overscan also hides any minor geometry problem with the projection system.

So in the case of the SXRD with a micro display resolution of 1920x1080, the actual visible on screen pixel’s will be more like 1884x1060 or similar at best
Remember that the resolution has not changed, only the edges of the image have been cut off.
Obviously for PC use this is a PITA, as the task bare etc will be at least partially off screen.
The work around for a PC is to use a custom resolution like 1884x1060 inside standard 1080i timing.
What this means is that a normal 1920x1080 video signal is sent to the display, but only the centre 1884x1060 actually contains picture information.
This maintains 1:1 pixel mapping and removes overscan. Problem solved, at least for the desktop and PC applications.
There is only one issue remaining , and that is 1080 video will now be scaled down to 1884x1060 when displayed at full screen.
That’s not really a big issue, but if you want to get really anal, and want 1:1 mapping of 1080 video at full screen, the video image will need to be cropped to 1884x1060.
This can be done real time in software, and will provide 1:1 mapping of 1080 video at full screen.

If you are determined to have all 1920x1080 pixels appear on screen, there are only two options available.

1. Replace the projection lens for a zoom type to provide picture size adjustment.
2. Reposition the light engine closer to the internal mirror, thereby reducing the lens to screen projection distance, which in turn will reduce the image size.

Option one is impractical and potentially very expensive, however option two is definitely practical and very cheap to implement.
The only real potential problem is exaggerated geometric errors at the edges of the screen.

I have performed option two on my CRT RPTV, and it works great.
I was even able to create an underscan situation, and then enlarge the image on the CRT’s, thereby using more of the CRT surface area, resulting in greater resolution and color intensity.
Just like upgrading to larger CRT’s for free. :D
With a CRT system geometry is fully adjustable, unlike digital displays, so no problem there.

I came up with this little idea independently, and am not aware of any information on the net regarding the same technique.
I also posted this concept on this forum about a year ago, but it generated very little interest.
It appears not many people are brave or keen enough to attempt it, their lose I say.

Back on topic, Plasma and LCD panels may provide a PC type input that allows direct 1:1 pixel mapping to the displays native resolution, but it’s up to the manufacturer to provide it, and it is not guarantied to be available.
Digital RPTV’s could also have a similar option available, but they are less likely to do so.

Yeah enough on SED and PLEASE no more cabeling talk. That is so old hat. Even the SSE discussion was more interesting but not by much.

The problem is that video is not always exactly the same size, and can have ragged ugly edges.
People don’t like to see the ragged edges of the video, so TV’s overscan to cut it off.


I know that was true for analog. But is it true for digital? What does the ATSC spec say about overscan?

The problem is that video is not always exactly the same size, and can have ragged ugly edges.
People don’t like to see the ragged edges of the video, so TV’s overscan to cut it off.

With a CRT it is easy to adjust screen size to make the image fit the screen or overscan as required, however digital fixed pixel displays cant do that without scaling the source and loosing 1:1 mapping.
You have probably noticed that TFT PC monitors run properly at only one resolution and have no picture size adjustment.

Plasma and LCD flat panel TV’s still need to overscan video for the same reasons, and achieve this by scaling the video to a size slightly larger then the panel resolution, thereby cutting off the edges (overscaning).

RPTV’s normally create overscan by designing the projection lens to project the image at a size larger then the back of the screen.
For a fixed pixel micro display this means that a certain percentage of pixel’s round the edge of the I image will be projected onto the back of the screen bezel and will never be visible on screen
A small amount of overscan also hides any minor geometry problem with the projection system.

So in the case of the SXRD with a micro display resolution of 1920x1080, the actual visible on screen pixel’s will be more like 1884x1060 or similar at best
Remember that the resolution has not changed, only the edges of the image have been cut off.
Obviously for PC use this is a PITA, as the task bare etc will be at least partially off screen.
The work around for a PC is to use a custom resolution like 1884x1060 inside standard 1080i timing.
What this means is that a normal 1920x1080 video signal is sent to the display, but only the centre 1884x1060 actually contains picture information.
This maintains 1:1 pixel mapping and removes overscan. Problem solved, at least for the desktop and PC applications.
There is only one issue remaining , and that is 1080 video will now be scaled down to 1884x1060 when displayed at full screen.
That’s not really a big issue, but if you want to get really anal, and want 1:1 mapping of 1080 video at full screen, the video image will need to be cropped to 1884x1060.
This can be done real time in software, and will provide 1:1 mapping of 1080 video at full screen.

If you are determined to have all 1920x1080 pixels appear on screen, there are only two options available.

1. Replace the projection lens for a zoom type to provide picture size adjustment.
2. Reposition the light engine closer to the internal mirror, thereby reducing the lens to screen projection distance, which in turn will reduce the image size.

Option one is impractical and potentially very expensive, however option two is definitely practical and very cheap to implement.
The only real potential problem is exaggerated geometric errors at the edges of the screen.

That's a great summary of the issue with 1:1 mapping. You've explained everything. The last thing we need to know is what the overscan control option in Sony's menu does. If it scales the picture, then it's not 1:1 anymore. If it's an optical solution that reduces the projected image, then maybe it is 1:1. Would be nice.

Hey Guys,
Was just looking over the service manual for this set and found that the board that processes the HDMI to Y, PB, PR, it is called the PD board, is available as an individual part. It has the two HDMI ports and one set of analog audio inputs on it. As far as internal connections, it looks like just two ribbon connectors. The board also has a "Sub system Control" IC on it.

The reason I bring this up, is because if Sony wanted to offer a 1080P upgrade for the set, they could just sell the upgrade board by itself, and since it has the Sub System chip on it, this might be enough to tell the set it can recieve the new signal.

The original board is not yet pricing, but what do you think???

That could be an option. I was really interested in the SXRD technology and I was planning on getting one this fall until I found out that they don't accept a 1080p input through HDMI. I don't want to spend $5k on a TV I will have to upgrade when the 1080p inputs come out. I guess I'll have to wait until next year for a new HDTV as I don't think any RPTV's with 1080p HDMI are going to be released this year.

Hey Guys,
Was just looking over the service manual for this set and found that the board that processes the HDMI to Y, PB, PR, it is called the PD board, is available as an individual part. It has the two HDMI ports and one set of analog audio inputs on it. As far as internal connections, it looks like just two ribbon connectors. The board also has a "Sub system Control" IC on it.

The reason I bring this up, is because if Sony wanted to offer a 1080P upgrade for the set, they could just sell the upgrade board by itself, and since it has the Sub System chip on it, this might be enough to tell the set it can recieve the new signal.

The original board is not yet pricing, but what do you think???

Just because the input board is upgradable doesn't necessarily mean the
Sony SXRD can process ( or rather know to not process ) the 1080p input.

I have not been able to download manual on this set. Did I not see it on this site.

That could be an option. I was really interested in the SXRD technology and I was planning on getting one this fall until I found out that they don't accept a 1080p input through HDMI. I don't want to spend $5k on a TV I will have to upgrade when the 1080p inputs come out. I guess I'll have to wait until next year for a new HDTV as I don't think any RPTV's with 1080p HDMI are going to be released this year.

So let me get this straight, even this brand new, yet to be released 5g's SXRD will not accept 1080p? What the... what's the point of these 1080p sets without a way to input a 1080p source?

Man, I am running out of options, i am a new DLP owner that see's more rainbows than anyone should have too :( LCD with it's screen door effect and pixelation is not for me, crt with it's lousy viewing angles and constant need for calibration, plasma being ridiculousy over priced, left me with LCOS though I am not a fan of JVC i thought this new SXRD was going to be my ticket to ride... but I too will not spend 5g's on a 1080p tv that WILL NOT accept a 1080p input! :( whatever...

I am getting really frustrated here because I have been waiting for a good HDTV for years and I just got a mits 62525 for a closeout steal @ fry's but the rainbows have simply destroyed my love for dlp tech... so...

...is there going to be a SXRD 720p model for cheaper then? I'd rather buy a native 720p lcos for 3g's than some trumped up, fake *** 1080p SXRD for 5g's

and is 3 chip rainbow-less dlp coming anytime soon? man, i have never been so frustrated with TV technology as i am now :(

That could be an option. I was really interested in the SXRD technology and I was planning on getting one this fall until I found out that they don't accept a 1080p input through HDMI. I don't want to spend $5k on a TV I will have to upgrade when the 1080p inputs come out. I guess I'll have to wait until next year for a new HDTV as I don't think any RPTV's with 1080p HDMI are going to be released this year.

I've been waiting a while to get a nice Home Theater Setup...the technology before was new and is now at the point where the media is trying to catch up with the options available (e.g. 720p, 1080i, 1080p).

Well I'm tired of waiting and am diving right in...so will you really notice a difference between 1080 interlaced versus 1080 progressive? Also, I don't know of many source inputs that will send a 1080p currently (not saying there aren't any out there). Won't this set do 1080i and isn't that enough? Plus the new DirectTV satellite going into service 1st quarter of 2006 will only send a 1080i signal.

Thoughts?

-Arv

I've been waiting a while to get a nice Home Theater Setup...the technology before was new and is now at the point where the media is trying to catch up with the options available (e.g. 720p, 1080i, 1080p).

Well I'm tired of waiting and am diving right in...so will you really notice a difference between 1080 interlaced versus 1080 progressive? Also, I don't know of many source inputs that will send a 1080p currently (not saying there aren't any out there). Won't this set do 1080i and isn't that enough? Plus the new DirectTV satellite going into service 1st quarter of 2006 will only send a 1080i signal.

Thoughts?

-Arv

Unless you have a video processor, plan on hooking up your computer to your
TV, or are future PS3 gamer who wants to enjoy all four or five of the games
sure to be released in 1080p60fps there is not reason for a 1080p input.

Unless you have a video processor, plan on hooking up your computer to your
TV, or are future PS3 gamer who wants to enjoy all four or five of the games
sure to be released in 1080p60fps there is not reason for a 1080p input.

Thanks for proving my point...

-Arv

Unless you have a video processor, plan on hooking up your computer to your TV, or are future PS3 gamer ...

By the way, I am hooking up my PC to the new 60" SXRD via DVI to HDMI with Windows Media Center and am already pre-ordered for the Xbox 360 which will do 1080i (Not 1080p).

-Arv

So let me get this straight, even this brand new, yet to be released 5g's SXRD will not accept 1080p? What the... what's the point of these 1080p sets without a way to input a 1080p source?

Earlier in this thread there was an extensive discussion of this topic, and it got moved to another thread to leave the technical discussion to a more appropriate place. The basic summary is this:

1080p60 is not supported, however today there are almost no 1080p60 sources, and any consumer need for 1080p60 is obscure. The newer DVD players will have 1080p24 source material, which can easily be output as 1080i60 for the TV and reconverted by the TV internally to 1080p24. Note the TV internally can do 1080p, it just can't receive it from HDMI.

Also, HDTV OTA and cable and satellite feeds are either 720p or 1080i, either of which is fine. The only things I've seen about 1080p60 that I've seen which might prove a limitation on this TV are obscure professional equipment, some high-end home video cameras, and theoretically the Playstation 3.

It's not clear that the PS3 will really have 1080p60 content, but it seems to be the reason expressed by most of the skeptics here of the SXRDs.

I was somewhat disappointed after reading jwv651's thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=582346) about his experience with the SXRD over at The Little Guys. So yesterday after work, I drove out to Glenwood to check things out for myself - of course, only a total geek would be willing to drive 60 miles in the opposite direction of his house just to see a TV. :)

Let me start off by saying that the following are merely my opinions. Television viewing is a very subjective experience and there is no one perfect set for everyone.

That being said, the SXRD is pretty darn awesome! I watched the thing for about twenty five minutes and I was very impressed. In fact, the SXRD had a better picture than any other RP set in the store. They had a bunch of DLP sets on hand, and none of them could hold a candle to the SXRD. What I was most interested in, however, was how well the SXRD performed in direct comparison to the Sony 3LCDs. As jwv651 already pointed out, the store had a 50" A10, a 55" A20 and the Qualia 006 all in the same room as the SXRD. The A10 was actually right next to the SXRD which made it very easy to directly compare the two sets. While I was there, they were running a satellite feed of Discovery HD Theater on all of the sets including the Qualia. In order to make sure that I was comparing apples to apples, I initially set all of the sets to "standard" mode. The salesperson didn't seem to be thrilled with the idea of me messing around with the Qualia, so I left it alone. I have to say, though, that the Qualia did indeed look like crap in this store. I see why jwv651 was disappointed with it. I don't really know what the deal was. Perhaps the set is messed up, or maybe their ISF guy is on crack, but the thing just didn't look good at all. The fact that it was directly facing the main doors of the store certainly didn't help. There was so much sunlight shining on it that the glare was nearly intolerable. Nevertheless, I still love the Qualia. I have seen it at several other stores and have been blown away by it each and every time. The bottom line: if you want to see a Qualia in all its glory, avoid The Little Guys like the plague.

Getting back to the 60" SXRD, the thing that jumped out at me right away was how good the color saturation is. Compared to the 3LCDs, everything just looks a little more vivid and lifelike. I also found the SXRD to be sharper than the other sets. This is something that I examined very closely, because jwv651 stated that he felt the opposite was true. I kept on going back and forth between the A10 and the SXRD, and to my eyes the SXRD was definitely sharper. The difference is not dramatic, but it is noticeable, particularly on text. I also felt that 1080p yielded a significant improvement over 720p. I'll admit that you can't tell the difference if you are far back from the set, but once you get inside of ten feet, the difference becomes obvious. SDE on the A20 was quite bothersome to me at eight feet; a distance that many will choose to watch the set from. The SXRD, on the other hand, exhibited virtually no SDE at any distance.

I wasn't really able to judge the black levels very well given the material that was showing. If they had a DVD player hooked up, it would have made it much easier to compare the black levels as well as see how the various sets fared with SD. Based on what I saw, however, the contrast appears to be pretty decent on the SXRD, and I was impressed by how big of a difference the various iris settings made. I'm tempted to say that the overall contrast on the SXRD was slightly better than the A10, but it could have just been my mind playing tricks on me. When you keep on going back and forth between the sets, you tend to get a little desensitized.

Cosmetically, I think the SXRD is a beauty. While it would have been nice if the "Dumbo Ears" were detachable, they do lend a sort of cool modern look to the set. In case you are still wondering, the bezel is indeed glossy. I was a bit worried about this before I saw the set, but I have to say that it looks quite nice. It's not distracting at all, and it gives the set a touch of elegance. I also like how it says "SXRD" on the sides of the set.

As other reviewers have pointed out, SSE is present on the SXRD. I wish this wasn't the case, but it is. It kind of bothers me, but I found that the more you watch the set, the less you notice it. Interestingly, I discovered that if you keep slowly moving your head back and forth the SSE disappears. Of course, this is hardly a convenient way to watch TV. ;) Sony clearly solved the whole SSE thing on the Qualia, so I'm a bit confused as to why this problem still exists on their newer sets, but it's not like Sony is the only one dealing with this issue. With the exception of the Qualia, virtually every RP micro-display I've seen has SSE to one degree or another. For the time being, I guess it's just a sacrifice that you have to make if you want a large, high quality picture at a reasonable price.

So there you have it! I hope this rambling stream-of-consciousness I call a review contains at least a few nuggets of useful information. I really liked the set, and I think you will too.

I was somewhat disappointed after reading jwv651's thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=582346) about his experience with the SXRD over at The Little Guys. So yesterday after work, I drove out to Glenwood, Illinois to check out the set for myself - of course, only a total geek would be willing to drive 60 miles in the opposite direction of his house just to see a TV. :)

Let me start off by saying that the following are merely my opinions. Television viewing is a very subjective experience and there is no one perfect set for everyone.

That being said, the SXRD is pretty darn awesome! I watched the thing for about twenty five minutes and I was very impressed. In fact, the SXRD had a better picture than any other RP set in the store. They had a bunch of DLP sets on hand, and none of them could hold a candle to the SXRD. What I was most interested in, however, was how well the SXRD performed in direct comparison to the Sony 3LCDs. As jwv651 already pointed out, the store had a 50" A10, a 55" A20 and the Qualia 006 all in the same room as the SXRD. The A10 was actually right next to the SXRD which made it very easy to directly compare the two sets. While I was there, they were running a satellite feed of Discovery HD Theater on all of the sets including the Qualia. In order to make sure that I was comparing apples to apples, I set all of the sets to "standard" mode. The salesperson didn't seem to be thrilled with the idea of me messing around with the Qualia, so I left it alone. I have to say, though, that the Qualia did indeed look like crap in this store. I see why jwv651 was disappointed with it. I don't really know what the deal was. Perhaps the set is messed up, or maybe their ISF guy is on crack, but the thing just didn't look good at all. The fact that it was directly facing the main doors of the store certainly didn't help. There was so much sunlight shining on it that the glare was nearly intolerable. Nevertheless, I still love the Qualia. I have seen it at several other stores and have been blown away by it each and every time. The bottom line: if you want to see a Qualia in all its glory, avoid The Little Guys like the plague.

Getting back to the 60" SXRD, the thing that jumped out at me right away was how good the color saturation is. Compared to the 3LCDs, everything just looks a little more vivid and lifelike. I also found the SXRD to be sharper than the other sets. This is something that I examined very closely, because jwv651 stated that he felt the opposite was true. I kept on going back and forth between the A10 and the SXRD, and to my eyes the SXRD was definitely sharper. The difference is not dramatic, but it is noticeable, particularly on text. I also felt that 1080p yielded a significant improvement over 720p. I'll admit that you can't tell the difference if you are far back from the set, but once you get inside of ten feet, the difference becomes obvious. SDE on the A20 was quite bothersome to me at eight feet; a distance that many will choose to watch the set from. The SXRD, on the other hand, exhibited virtually no SDE at any distance.

I wasn't really able to judge the black levels very well given the material that was showing. If they had a DVD player hooked up, it would have made it much easier to compare the black levels as well as see how the various sets fared with SD. Based on what I saw, however, the contrast appears to be pretty decent on the SXRD, and I was impressed by how big of a difference the various iris settings made. I'm tempted to say that the overall contrast on the SXRD was slightly better than the A10, but it could have just been my mind playing tricks on me. When you keep on going back and forth between the sets, you tend to get a little desensitized.

Cosmetically, I think the SXRD is a beauty. While it would have been nice if the "Dumbo Ears" were detachable, they do lend a sort of cool modern look to the set. In case you are still wondering, the bezel is indeed glossy. I was a bit worried about this before I saw the set, but I have to say that it looks quite nice. It's not distracting at all, and it gives the set a touch of elegance. I also like how it says "SXRD" on the sides of the set.

As other reviewers have pointed out, SSE is present on the SXRD. I wish this wasn't the case, but it is. It kind of bothers me, but I found that the more you watch the set, the less you notice it. Interestingly, I discovered that if you keep slowly moving your head back and forth the SSE disappears. Of course, this is hardly a convenient way to watch TV. :) Sony clearly solved the whole SSE thing on the Qualia, so I'm a bit confused as to why this problem still exists on their newer sets, but it's not like Sony is the only one dealing with this issue. With the exception of the Qualia, virtually every RP micro-display I've seen has SSE to one degree or another. For the time being, I guess it's just a sacrifice that you have to make if you want a large, high quality picture at a reasonable price.

So there you have it! I hope this rambling stream-of-consciousness I call a review contains at least a few nuggets of useful information. I really liked the set, and I think you will too.

If the source is Discovery HD from DirecTV the PQ probably started off as
1280x1080 ( not 1920x1080) and then if a number of spliters were used to
split off the component cable this would degrade it further and then if long
component cable runs were used to connect each TV, well, I am not surprised it is
difficult to see the difference from the SXRD to the 3LCD. The 3LCDs are nice
don't get me wrong but there is absolutely no comparison to the Sony SXRD
when a high qualiity, hi-rez signal is connected, in my opinion...

The fact that the Qualia was not looking right with the same feeds certainly
leads me to believe that the rest were not up to par either. With poor quality
source it is hard to see a big difference between 1080p and 720p sets...

I haven't seen any pictures that would tell me if anything can be balanced on top of this TV. I currently have an old CRT RPTV and you can easily balance a large center speaker on top of it. I'm guessing I can't do this with an SXRD, but I thought I'd get confirmation from someone who has seen it.

Basically, if I can't put my large center speaker on top, it'll have to fit inside of whatever stand I buy for the TV, and that will constrain the stands that I can choose from.

gweempose: Thanks for the great review. I think that JWV had a few people freaked out who preordered the set. I'm glad to hear you saw a sharp picture. I had an A20 and never noticed SSE so I probably don't know what to look for but I was wondering if the SSE you saw was more pronounced on the new SXRD sets than the A20 set? Also, were you able to see any pixel structure at all on the SXRD? The other issue is macro blocking on fast scenes. Did you get a chance to check that out too? Thanks in advance.

If you believe the rumors...the Qualia line is going to be phased out:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=583211

Hopefully that quickens the launch for a 70 SXRD: Sony KDS-R70XBR1

If Sony is smart, they will have the new 70XBR ready to show by CES 2006 :)

The Qualia line is supposed to be phased out. I believe it was yesterday that Sony came out with it restructuring plan, in effect streamlining there HR&DA into future products that people want/request. In the past Sony has been a company that develops technology then tries to figure out how to sell it later. As of late, this has not been a good business model.

I hope Sony can turn it around with the SXRD being the first starting point.

I should know in about a week when I get my 60" SXRD set delivered.

If you believe the rumors...the Qualia line is going to be phased out:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=583211

Hopefully that quickens the launch for a 70 SXRD: Sony KDS-R70XBR1

If Sony is smart, they will have the new 70XBR ready to show by CES 2006 :)


If they're smart, they'll drop the current price of the 006 to make a pre emptive strike against JVC, Mits and others offering 70" screens. They're going to have to do something, so why not do it when it'll do the most good.

Oh lord, won’t you buy me a SX RD?
Dialing for dollars is trying to find me.
I wait for delivery each day until three,
So oh lord, won’t you buy me a SX RD?
;)

Is the SXRD worth 2 grand more than the A10 or A20?
Especially considering its 1st gen/model year.

I can justify if its a big leap, but if its marginal 2 grand a few years from now would seem better spent.

Is the SXRD worth 2 grand more than the A10 or A20?
Especially considering its 1st gen/model year.

I can justify if its a big leap, but if its marginal 2 grand a few years from now would seem better spent.

I felt that the SXRD is clearly better than the A-10 in 50 inch size, BUT not enough better to pay the extra $$ for it. I bought the A-10, and while it's not the perfect TV, it is better than most 50 inch RPTV's, and priced right to boot. My plan is use it for 2 to 4 years, and then see where technology has taken us by then. RPTV's of all types are probably as good as gone by the end of this decade, or soon thereafter.

Dear Clown,

You may get more responses by posting your question in the A10 thread.

I was somewhat disappointed after reading jwv651's thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=582346) about his experience ...


Nice review, however, I'm curous how they have a 60" SXRD TV when Sony does not have any available yet?

-Arv

It's probably a CEDIA leftover. Some SXRDs have also shown up in Toronto, I believe, and in a couple Sony stores too.

gweempose: You mentioned that you saw SSE on the SXRD. Was it any better or worse or the same as the A10 that you were comparing with.

Alan Buck: You mentioned that you saw SSE on the SXRD and you have a 50A10. Was the SSE any better or worse or the same on the SXRD that you saw relative to your A10?

JWV: Did you notice the SSE on the SXRD? If so, was it any better or worse or the same on the SXRD that you saw relative to your 6768?

I would say the SSE was similar on both TV's...maybe a tad less on the SXRD. It is there on both tv's, but not really a big problem.

gweempose: You mentioned that you saw SSE on the SXRD. Was it any better or worse or the same as the A10 that you were comparing with.

Alan Buck: You mentioned that you saw SSE on the SXRD and you have a 50A10. Was the SSE any better or worse or the same on the SXRD that you saw relative to your A10?

JWV: Did you notice the SSE on the SXRD? If so, was it any better or worse or the same on the SXRD that you saw relative to your 6768?


Here we go again :rolleyes: :D ;) ... I too am curious if Sxrd is worse than DLp as far as SSE..

... I'm curious how they have a 60" SXRD TV when Sony does not have any available yet?I asked the salesperson and all he said was "We have connections". :)



I haven't seen any pictures that would tell me if anything can be balanced on top of this TV. I currently have an old CRT RPTV and you can easily balance a large center speaker on top of it. I'm guessing I can't do this with an SXRD, but I thought I'd get confirmation from someone who has seen it.

Basically, if I can't put my large center speaker on top, it'll have to fit inside of whatever stand I buy for the TV, and that will constrain the stands that I can choose from.There is definitely no room for even a small center channel speaker on top of the SXRD. I have seen some special brackets that you can mount to the rear of the set, but I'm not a big fan of this approach. Like yourself, I will be buying a stand based on its ability to hold my center channel speaker on the shelf right below the TV. This is one of the reasons that the Sony stand won't work for me since my speaker is 8" tall.



I had an A20 and never noticed SSE so I probably don't know what to look for but I was wondering if the SSE you saw was more pronounced on the new SXRD sets than the A20 set? Also, were you able to see any pixel structure at all on the SXRD? The other issue is macro blocking on fast scenes. Did you get a chance to check that out too?The SSE was no worse on the SXRD than any of the other sets. It was about the same as the A20, but some of the other brands were actually much worse in this regard (i.e. Mitsubishis). I still don't understand how some people can't see SSE. If you are one of these people, you should consider yourself lucky. If you take SSE out of the equation, the SXRD is pretty darn near perfect. As far as visible pixel structure, all I can tell you is that you cannot see it at any reasonable viewing distance. I'm sure you could see it if you stuck your nose up to the screen (I didn't do this, of course), but I saw no SDE whatsoever even as close as 3-4 feet. I also didn't notice any macroblocking at all. I'm not saying that it doesn't exist on the SXRD, but is certainly wasn't evident on the Discover HD Theater feed that I was watching.



Is the SXRD worth 2 grand more than the A10 or A20?The SXRD is definitely better than the A10 and A20. I don't think anyone who has seen the SXRD would dispute this fact. Is it worth 2k more? Only you can make that decision. I think a lot of it depends on how desperate you are for a new set and what size you are looking at. In my mind, it's easier to justify the price difference if you're in the market for the 60 incher. The benefits of 1080p resolution really shine on a larger set.

Unfortunately, I'm in somewhat of a desperate situation. My trusty old 56" CRT RP broke down, and the TV season is suddenly upon us. I readily admit that my priorities may be screwed up, but I want a new TV ASAP. Since 50" isn't large enough for my viewing area, I only focused on 60" and larger TV's when doing my search. Based on my comparisons, the 60" SXRD is the best RP set on the market at the moment (Qualia excluded). Given all these facts, I can certainly justify the price difference over the older models. As I said before, your situation may be different. If I had a perfectly working A20, I doubt I would feel the need to upgrade right away.

Since nothing can be put on top of the set, such as a speaker, even the Bose cubes which i have (no comments please, I happen to like them!), where should they go?

Would the sound be better by building a small shelf just barely above the tv and putting the cubes there or simply putting them under the tv on the stand. I am leaning towards putting them on a shelf above the tv. My cubes are above the tv now, and i love the sound that way.

It seems a lot of people put the speakers below the set, but i am used to the sound coming from just above. Does it make a difference?

Since nothing can be put on top of the set, such as a speaker, even the Bose cubes which i have (no comments please, I happen to like them!), where should they go?

Would the sound be better by building a small shelf just barely above the tv and putting the cubes there or simply putting them under the tv on the stand. I am leaning towards putting them on a shelf above the tv. My cubes are above the tv now, and i love the sound that way.

It seems a lot of people put the speakers below the set, but i am used to the sound coming from just above. Does it make a difference?


Isn't there more than one type of Bose cubes?? Please post a URL so we can take a better look at which ones you have.

JWV: Did you notice the SSE on the SXRD? If so, was it any better or worse or the same on the SXRD that you saw relative to your 6768?I was viewing all these sets at around 13-14 feet away...this is the distance I sit at home from my own TV. One thing I noticed on the 60 SXRD when there was a white screen it had a shimmering effect..hard to explain...I have seen the same thing on my HLR6768...Looks like it is sparkling...I wouldn't consider it a problem.

NOTE!!! When I went there I did not touch any of the settings as gweempose did, so maybe he had a better feel for the PQ than I...when I seen the SXRD 60" to my own eyes it had a soft picture. :)

I was viewing all these sets at around 13-14 feet away...this is the distance I sit at home from my own TV. One thing I noticed on the 60 SXRD when there was a white screen it had a shimmering effect..hard to explain...I have seen the same thing on my HLR6768...Looks like it is sparkling...I wouldn't consider it a problem.

NOTE!!! When I went there I did not touch any of the settings as gweempose did, so maybe he had a better feel for the PQ than I...when I seen the SXRD 60" to my own eyes it had a soft picture. :)


I doubt if viewing DirecTV Discovery HD over long runs of component cables
switched between many TVs can give anyone a feel for the PQ - but hey, that's
just my opinion I guess :-)

Personally I prefer the softer image Sony provides. It's that more real than real warm film look. And honestly I think the whole SSE is blown way out of proportion, it exists yes, but it is not anywhere near a distraction, but rather something that people can nitpick about. Like "OOO LOOK, SEE THAT, I SAW A SPARKLE. THIS TV IS TERRIBLE".

Since nothing can be put on top of the set, such as a speaker, even the Bose cubes which i have (no comments please, I happen to like them!), where should they go?

Would the sound be better by building a small shelf just barely above the tv and putting the cubes there or simply putting them under the tv on the stand. I am leaning towards putting them on a shelf above the tv. My cubes are above the tv now, and i love the sound that way.

It seems a lot of people put the speakers below the set, but i am used to the sound coming from just above. Does it make a difference?

I'm having a custom in-wall entertainment center built. The manual says you should have 11" of nothing but space above the TV and 4" on either side and the back. All for ventilation.

Anyways, I'm cheating in that the entertainment center will have a single custom shelf mounted from the top just for my center channel. This will leave about a 3-4" gap between the TV and the bottom of the shelf for only the width of the center channel. So unless you are having something like this, the generality will be to probably put it below the TV.

Best of luck to ya.

-Arv

"
It seems a lot of people put the speakers below the set, but i am used to the sound coming from just above. Does it make a difference?"

Yes. If you like the sound from above, you should keep it above. :)

Unless you have a video processor, plan on hooking up your computer to your
TV, or are future PS3 gamer who wants to enjoy all four or five of the games
sure to be released in 1080p60fps there is not reason for a 1080p input.


Yes to all. Your cynicism is unwelcome and naive. Four or five games in 1080p@60Hz? You must be speaking about the launch titles. Sony confirmed 1080p as the standard resolution for the PS3 at E3.
IGN reports:
"UPDATE - 6:22PM - We have just been updated by our away team at the SCEA conference that not only will 1080p be supported by the system, but that this is considered the standard resolution for the system. Every game for the system will be in incredible, indelible, indubitable HD."

It appears you do or know very little about gaming on a high-end PC. Games are already being played at higher resolutions on the PC with a less powerful card than the RSX. With the 7800GTX you can play several titles like BF2 at 2048x1536. I'm running over 50fps with a slower card than the RSX at 2048x1536 in BF2. In SLI mode it's over 100fps!!! 3,145,728 pixels are a lot more than 2,073,600 (1920x1080) of them. The 7800GTX is already pushing more than 50 percent more pixels than 1080p with good fidelity. 1080p isn't just a fantasy with the PS3, it's a reality!

I already have a few HDTV's and I don't want another that can't do what I need it to do. I've heard some HP and Epson models can pass 1080p through HDMI but I don't really care for DLP or LCD tech. I am hoping that the JVC DILA's or the LG LCOS models will have this capability, but I'm not holding my breath.

Where to put the center channel speaker… hmmm

If you go with the custom wall unit, as just suggested, I guess aesthetical it would work. It should be perfect since it’s by design. But without a custom build, I can’t see any other choice but to stick the center channel underneath in an appropriate stand. Putting your (yankeeman) cubes, or any other speaker above the set—geeze, I hate that look, not to mention the WAF. Speakers, in my house, have to be heard and not seen, (to the best of their ability).

This just reinforces my hatred for the dumbo ears. For anyone who actually likes the current style of these sets, putting the center channel speaker above would lessen that “nice” look.

A center channel on top is like adding a forehead, turning it the elephant man.

I was viewing all these sets at around 13-14 feet away...this is the distance I sit at home from my own TV. One thing I noticed on the 60 SXRD when there was a white screen it had a shimmering effect..hard to explain...I have seen the same thing on my HLR6768...Looks like it is sparkling...I wouldn't consider it a problem.

NOTE!!! When I went there I did not touch any of the settings as gweempose did, so maybe he had a better feel for the PQ than I...when I seen the SXRD 60" to my own eyes it had a soft picture. :)

That 'shimmering' is what we call SSE (Silk Screen Effect) on AVS forum. And yes I saw it on the SXRD too. ( As on ALL micro-display RPTV's that I have seen). As said before, it's not a huge deal, but it is there. One reason I said the heck with the SXRD for now, and bought the cheaper A-10.

Yes to all. Your cynicism is unwelcome and naive. Four or five games in 1080p@60Hz? You must be speaking about the launch titles. Sony confirmed 1080p as the standard resolution for the PS3 at E3.
IGN reports:
"UPDATE - 6:22PM - We have just been updated by our away team at the SCEA conference that not only will 1080p be supported by the system, but that this is considered the standard resolution for the system. Every game for the system will be in incredible, indelible, indubitable HD."

It appears you do or know very little about gaming on a high-end PC. Games are already being played at higher resolutions on the PC with a less powerful card than the RSX. With the 7800GTX you can play several titles like BF2 at 2048x1536. I'm running over 50fps with a slower card than the RSX at 2048x1536 in BF2. In SLI mode it's over 100fps!!! 3,145,728 pixels are a lot more than 2,073,600 (1920x1080) of them. The 7800GTX is already pushing more than 50 percent more pixels than 1080p with good fidelity. 1080p isn't just a fantasy with the PS3, it's a reality!

I already have a few HDTV's and I don't want another that can't do what I need it to do. I've heard some HP and Epson models can pass 1080p through HDMI but I don't really care for DLP or LCD tech. I am hoping that the JVC DILA's or the LG LCOS models will have this capability, but I'm not holding my breath.

TonyDeluce = Burned

Oh and I heard of these two new standards that maybe you guys have heard of, they are called HD DVD and Blueray. Both are confirmed to roll 1080p for future movies in the next year (edit: HD-DVD has not been confirmed to have native 1080p and will most likely use 1080i on-disk at launch). But I guess I should just buy a $5000+ TV that will not be able to handle inputs that are certainly coming in less than 6 months. You must be very rich! When I spend $5k on anything it better take into account anything that is known to be 6 months or less away if possible.

Oh and I heard of these two new standards that maybe you guys have heard of, they are called HD DVD and Blueray. Both are confirmed to roll 1080p for future movies in the next year. But I guess I should just buy a $5000+ TV that will not be able to handle inputs that are certainly coming in less than 6 months. You must be very rich! When I spend $5k on anything it better take into account anything that is known to be 6 months or less away if possible.

Flash can you site a source for your HD-DVD and Bluray 1080p info? Thanks, I haven't heard about HD-DVD being 1080p.

This reminds me of the uproar a few years ago about Mitsubishi not having DVI. Then a year later, HDMI was the new standard.

Flash can you site a source for your HD-DVD and Bluray 1080p info? Thanks, I haven't heard about HD-DVD being 1080p.

That's because it isn't 1080p ;)

I don't think most people understand how much information is required for 1080p, it's DOUBLE the size of the new HD-DVD disks.

gweempose thanks for the info. it was very helpful and I'm even more excited about getting my new 60" SXRD. It doesn't sound like there is much room for improvement on these sets. To AlanB: Keep in mind that when the A20 was first released it was selling for 3,400.00 with no discounts. After a month it could be bought for 2,800.00 online. Therfore, your A10 sounds like great bang for the buck now but in the next 60 days I would bet that you will be able to get a 50" SXRD for about 3,000.00 Once the set hits the streets it wil begin to drop in price.

gweempose thanks for the info. it was very helpful and I'm even more excited about getting my new 60" SXRD. It doesn't sound like there is much room for improvement on these sets. To AlanB: Keep in mind that when the A20 was first released it was selling for 3,400.00 with no discounts. After a month it could be bought for 2,800.00 online. Therfore, your A10 sounds like great bang for the buck now but in the next 60 days I would bet that you will be able to get a 50" SXRD for about 3,000.00 Once the set hits the streets it wil begin to drop in price.

I agree...the price drops are endless on this stuff. Sony is losing tons of money on their electronics divsion...no wonder. The 50 inch GWIV was considered a 'bargain' at around 3 grand just 12 months ago...the A-10 can now be had for about 2 grand..that is a 33% drop in just one year! How low can we go? This begs a question...why are YOU buying the SXRD right away, instead of waiting for the impending price drops? :) LOL

My cubes are above the tv now, and i love the sound that way.

It seems a lot of people put the speakers below the set, but i am used to the sound coming from just above. Does it make a difference?

Your WHAT'S are above the TV???!!! Oh, C-ubes. That's different. Nevermind.

FWIW, I've used the speakers of my ancient Pio Elite CRT as the center channel for 10 years. They're below the screen and that setup sounds fine. Dialog appears to be coming right out of people's mouths, etc. I tried a dedicated center channel speaker sitting on top of the Pio. It did sound different to me, but not necessarily better. I just didn't like it.

A lot may depend upon the speaker characteristics, how acoustically alive the room is, etc. In my case, no carpets or drapes, 12 foot distance, no table in between speaker and seating position, etc. In the end, your personal hearing and room characteristics will determine which is better for you. The whole point is for the sound to appear to be emanating from within the screen and not from a nearby speaker.

And, I agree, mounting a speaker on top of that simply gorgeous, brilliantly designed, captivating, space-age SXRD cabinet would be unthinkable. Why, it would completely ruin the look. Hmmm, might be worth trying. :D

I was back at the Sony Store at Yorkdale Mall, Toronto today as the 60" sxrd arrived and was on display next to the 50". I had written a disappointingly unimpressed review of the 50" a few days ago and thought that I was back at square one looking for a new tv, having wasted these last few months on sxrd.

Thankfully, the 60" was much more impressive; the 1080p and other sxrd improvements were more apparent at the greater size, as I had hoped. Simply put, I enjoyed watching the 60" way more than I enjoyed watching the 50"; the similarity in PQ to the Qualia was now undeniable, smooth as silk.

I think those of us in the market for the 60" will be happy with sxrd, but I still think that those looking for a 50" will be better off with the A10, unless $$ isn't a factor - and if it isn't, then why wouldn't you buy the Qualia? ;)

A reason to get the 50" would be no sde if this is true and those that watch at 7-8 feet from tv.

Flash can you site a source for your HD-DVD and Bluray 1080p info? Thanks, I haven't heard about HD-DVD being 1080p.

You are correct, HD-DVD uses 1080i as the current default rez as of right now. However, the support for h.264, and Microsoft's next gen codecs (it supports all of the same codecs as Blue Ray) and its capacity will allow the discs to store 1080p. Otherwise the actual HD-DVD player would have to deinterlace the 1080i. But you are right, my post just assumes that Toshiba et al will come to their senses and let HD-DVD output the best source their disc is confirmed to be able to handle.

However, I will admit y first post was incorrect on its face, and as of now only Blue Ray has been confirmed to have 1080p available at launch. HD-DVD only has the potential on disc, and no one knows what the players will output (they could of course have on board deinterlacing superior to a 1080p input in the set which is then outputted by the player.)

Bottom line my above post could be misleading and I have edited it accordingly, sorry for any confusion.

TonyDeluce = Burned

Oh and I heard of these two new standards that maybe you guys have heard of, they are called HD DVD and Blueray. Both are confirmed to roll 1080p for future movies in the next year (edit: HD-DVD has not been confirmed to have native 1080p and will most likely use 1080i on-disk at launch). But I guess I should just buy a $5000+ TV that will not be able to handle inputs that are certainly coming in less than 6 months. You must be very rich! When I spend $5k on anything it better take into account anything that is known to be 6 months or less away if possible.

flashgordon333=LOST

It may be stored as 1080p but both players will output 1080i which
will be de-interlaced by the Sony SXRD and displayed at the native
rate of the Sony SXRD ( 1080p ).

Your WHAT'S are above the TV???!!! . :D

:D
Too funny!

It seems a lot of people put the speakers below the set, but i am used to the sound coming from just above. Does it make a difference?There is nothing wrong with positioning your center channel speaker below the TV. I would, however, recommend that you stick something underneath the front of it to slightly angle it up toward the viewing position. In theory, this should yield a noticeable improvement in the sound.

Gweempose, thanks for driving through 60 miles of Chicago traffic and giving us the great review.
On the subject of center channel speaker placement. You could consider one of these. (http://www.racksandstands.com/cats/All/Speaker-Stands-and-Mounts/Center-Channel-Speaker-Stands/0C276.htm)

Just a heads up, for those of you who don't know I just read on engadget's website that they have recieved work from sony that they will discontinue the Qualia line of products.

gweempose: Thanks for your helpful comments about your observations of the 60" set. That was a great report. Based on your observation, did the set look exactly like the KDF-60XS955, or maybe different or better?

Flashgordon,

Both HD-DVD and bluray have more than sufficent capacity to store 1080p content using either MPEG-4 H.264 or WMV-9. In fact, they both have sufficient capacity to put any of the Lord of the Rings films on a single-sided, multi-layer disk at 1080p/24. Also, quit trying to dictate to people what they should or shouldn't buy and don't berate them for making their own choice, either.

Thanks, and have a nice day!

[QUOTE=gweempose

I also like how it says "SXRD" on the sides of the set. /QUOTE]

GWEEMPOSE: Thanks for the review. Was curious to understand what you mean by side'S.' From my understanding, there is the words SXRD printed/"engraved" just under the right side of the bezel. Thanks.

Hi Guys,
I just wanted to update everyone on some ship dates for some of the upcoming TVs. I went to Nebraska Furniture Mart here in the Kansas City area earlier today, and asked them when they'd be getting some of the new TVs in. I saw these dates actually on their computer. I think these dates were actually for their warehouse in Omaha, Nebraska though (but I would expect them to come in to the local store very soon after)...
Sony SXRD - September 22 (today!) - I couldn't believe this one!
JVC DILA - in their system, but no ship date listed yet :(
HP DLP (I was surprised they were going to carry this set!) - "Late Sep 05" - whatever that means...

They had the Samsung DLPs and Mitsubishi DLPs in stock (Mits looked nicer FYI), and the Toshiba DLP is coming in but I didn't ask for a date on it... I should have asked about LG too, but I'm not interested in it.

For the Sony, they listed the 28th and a date in October as additional shipments (so the first batch arrives on the 22nd is what he said).

Heh, the guy I talked to thought all these new 1080p TVs accepted 1080P input on the HDMI ports :P TTYL,
--Kyle

There is nothing wrong with positioning your center channel speaker below the TV. I would, however, recommend that you stick something underneath the front of it to slightly angle it up toward the viewing position. In theory, this should yield a noticeable improvement in the sound.

Any suggestions?

I had the similar dilemma to many here in that I needed a stand that could hold a medium sized center channel. My added constraint was that it had to be WAF compatible, meaning no black, silver, glass, nor metal of any kind.

I ended up with DiamondCase Theater Tech 400, which is great give or take the $2295 plus tax plus shipping...

Anyway, the center will be in that unit, angled slightly upwards once I figure out what to put under the front.

I'm shocked, by the way, based on my limited exposure to these boards and the world of mid to high end audio, that there is not a company devoted to $400 "Under the Center Channel" doohickey's.

TonyDeluce = Burned

Oh and I heard of these two new standards that maybe you guys have heard of, they are called HD DVD and Blueray. Both are confirmed to roll 1080p for future movies in the next year (edit: HD-DVD has not been confirmed to have native 1080p and will most likely use 1080i on-disk at launch). But I guess I should just buy a $5000+ TV that will not be able to handle inputs that are certainly coming in less than 6 months. You must be very rich! When I spend $5k on anything it better take into account anything that is known to be 6 months or less away if possible.

The 1080p that you refer to is more specifically 1080p24. The HD-DVD or BluRay will output this as 1080i60 with 3:2 pulldown, and the TV will convert it right back to 1080p24. There is no loss of accuracy in this process. The SXRDs cannot input 1080p, but they handle it internally.

The question I think is much more interesting is whether the SXRD can internally change its screen update frequency between 24Hz and 60Hz, or some multiples thereof.

I am also going to have to figure something out for my center channel.

Has anyone looked into going to a cabinet maker and getting one custom built? I can't imagine it would cost nearly as much as the cost of some of the cabinets I have seen on line. I imagine it could be built with room for the center channel, components and whatever else you desired...beer keg tap, wine rack, frozen pizza storage w/ microwave. :D You could even have the wife help with the design for the WAF.

Hi Guys,
I just wanted to update everyone on some ship dates for some of the upcoming TVs. I went to Nebraska Furniture Mart here in the Kansas City area earlier today, and asked them when they'd be getting some of the new TVs in. I saw these dates actually on their computer. I think these dates were actually for their warehouse in Omaha, Nebraska though (but I would expect them to come in to the local store very soon after)...
Sony SXRD - September 22 (today!) - I couldn't believe this one!
JVC DILA - in their system, but no ship date listed yet :(
HP DLP (I was surprised they were going to carry this set!) - "Late Sep 05" - whatever that means...

They had the Samsung DLPs and Mitsubishi DLPs in stock (Mits looked nicer FYI), and the Toshiba DLP is coming in but I didn't ask for a date on it... I should have asked about LG too, but I'm not interested in it.

For the Sony, they listed the 28th and a date in October as additional shipments (so the first batch arrives on the 22nd is what he said).

Heh, the guy I talked to thought all these new 1080p TVs accepted 1080P input on the HDMI ports :P TTYL,
--KyleI'll be in Omaha on the 30th. My date on the 60" has been pushed back to 10/3 here in Phoenix. I might have to swing by NFM if they have them in. Thanks for the info.

A reason to get the 50" would be no sde if this is true and those that watch at 7-8 feet from tv.

Plus I want twin view/PIP on any new set. If they hadn't removed that I probably would have had an A10/A20 by now. But 15% off the 50" SXRD MSRP, makes the price a little more reasonable to pay.

Flashgordon,

Both HD-DVD and bluray have more than sufficent capacity to store 1080p content using either MPEG-4 H.264 or WMV-9. In fact, they both have sufficient capacity to put any of the Lord of the Rings films on a single-sided, multi-layer disk at 1080p/24. Also, quit trying to dictate to people what they should or shouldn't buy and don't berate them for making their own choice, either.

Thanks, and have a nice day!

I'll do as I please within the forum guidelines. Last I checked you are not a moderator so do not try to be one. I think everyone on this board can take some light hearted criticism and if not then tough.

Everyone knows that next gen discs have the capacity to hold the content, but the question is whether or not their standards will allow them to do so. Blueray, unlike HD-DVD, can and will output 1080P signal natively at launch. We all know what the capacities are, and of course they can hold a WMV file, you can do that with a DVDR now, but good luck popping that into a player and watching it unless the player is a PC.

Thanks and have a nice day.

Has anyone looked into going to a cabinet maker and getting one custom built? I can't imagine it would cost nearly as much as the cost of some of the cabinets I have seen on line. I imagine it could be built with room for the center channel, components and whatever else you desired...beer keg tap, wine rack, frozen pizza storage w/ microwave. :D You could even have the wife help with the design for the WAF.

We're having one built for the 60". I would have been satisfied with the Sony stand; but my wife used the TV as a "lever" to finally get her entertainment center (she has been patient but absolutely hated all my components and especially the interconnects). So, a primary objective of the center was to provide room in the base (102"(w)x19"(h)x18"(d)) for the components. It also has columns/cabinets with glass doors on both sides and a top making a total of four pieces that fit together. Opening for the TV is 74" wide by 44" high (48" high inside the front molding (i.e., total of 8" openspace on top vice the recommended 12"; but I've left the back totally open so I believe it will have enough ventilation). Top is flat (67" high) so I can keep my center speaker on the top. It will be functional and a nice large piece of cherry furniture with lots of decorative molding, etc.. My wife is more excited about the center than she is the TV. But, it cost almost as much as the TV.

Richard

Richard

There was this little "blurb" :rolleyes: I forgot to mention a couple of days ago. A few days ago at work, back BY the dumpster was a A10 55" box :D . I was tempted to take a part of the box home (a part that said Grand Wega) JUST because. A sign that I should get the A10, nah (NO offense to anyone with an A10, or A20 for that matter; BUT I thought it was just "funny"). :)

I have a few questions here for you all.


How many of you are concerned that this TV does not have 1080p inputs of any sort!

Does it really matter if I plan to buy HD DVD or Blu-Ray next year?

Am I the only one here that is waffling on the purchase of this TV? I have pre ordered 3 sets and cancelled all of them in fear that this TV will not display HD disks correctly. I need a TV now since I have an Audio/Video center that is empty. I think I can wait another year, but that seems so far away to wait for a TV. Am I being silly or am I justified by waiting?

Thanks, your support is appreciated!!

HiDef4all,

No disrespect intended. Please go back and read about 1080p content rather than have it discussed again, for the 100th time.

I have a few questions here for you all.


How many of you are concerned that this TV does not have 1080p inputs of any sort!

Does it really matter if I plan to buy HD DVD or Blu-Ray next year?

Am I the only one here that is waffling on the purchase of this TV? I have pre ordered 3 sets and cancelled all of them in fear that this TV will not display HD disks correctly. I need a TV now since I have an Audio/Video center that is empty. I think I can wait another year, but that seems so far away to wait for a TV. Am I being silly or am I justified by waiting?

Thanks, your support is apperciated!!

Yep, this TV will suck due to lack of 1080p inputs. Nevermind that HD DVD nor Blu-Ray are planning to offer 1080p out next year or that you would be hard pressed to find anyone who could actually tell the difference between a quality 1080i, 1080p, or 720p source.

Do a search in this thread or the in the main forum thread for the 1080p vs 1080i arguments. Bottomline is 1080p inputs would be a "nice to have" but the utility of it (assuming the internal Sony scaler is worth-a-crap) is debatable...

I would be concerned if I was hooking up to an HTPC, which I'm not, or planning to use a 1080p external scaler, which I'm not. 1080p input would be nice to have, but unless I heard some concrete announcement that there was any legitimate 1080p60 content headed down the pipe, I doubt I'd even spend $500 bucks for the 1080p input upgrade that according to rumor Sony may offer later on.

I would be concerned if I was hooking up to an HTPC, which I'm not, or planning to use a 1080p external scaler, which I'm not. 1080p input would be nice to have, but unless I heard some concrete announcement that there was any legitimate 1080p60 content headed down the pipe, I doubt I'd even spend $500 bucks for the 1080p input upgrade that according to rumor Sony may offer later on.

Agreed, and let me add I have not seen a definitive answer on 1080p via the PC input for HTPCs or 1394 inputs....not that it really matters...it's all about the PQ in my book...

Isn't there more than one type of Bose cubes?? Please post a URL so we can take a better look at which ones you have.

My cubes are 3" wide, 4" deep, and about 6" high total (one on top of the other).
I do have them angled differently so the sound spreads out a little.

Here is a link to the system, mine are white, and obviously i am talking about one pair of cubes: http://www.smarthome.com/972415.html

A couple of further comments to those who are very nicely trying to help me. My idea was to just make a real small shelf just for the speaker above the tv, or actually mount it on the wall. Also, as to it not looking good, well, i am a coca-cola memorabilia collector and the wall above the tv is covered with a million coca-cola items, and these little cube speakers would not stand out. Also, i will not be having any type of cabinet around the tv, it will be free-standing, but as i said, the whole wall above it will be coke collectibles. Also, i will be buying the official Sony stand. Is there enough room on the shelf beneath the tv to put the speakers (a little over 6" and more if i angle them upwards).

FYI..Pricing seems to be coming down in a hurry...I 've found multiple online etailers offering this set 25% off msrp....

I have a few questions here for you all.


How many of you are concerned that this TV does not have 1080p inputs of any sort!


.
Thanks, your support is appreciated!!

Yes, it concerns me about all of these 1080p sets. After all the debate and argument it still seems pretty stupid and short sighted for a tv not to accept its native resolution. Many people seemed to have accepted it now, but when it was first posted to the forum it was more shock and disbelief. If given a choice, I think a lot of people would pay a premium to get it. That being said, waiting until they fix this will probably just lead you to have to accept the next generations set of compromises.

It is usually difficult with technology moving so fast to know if you are future proofing or not. With these sets at least you know that you are not. It's more now a question of how much that matters to you

There is definitely no room for even a small center channel speaker on top of the SXRD. I have seen some special brackets that you can mount to the rear of the set, but I'm not a big fan of this approach. Like yourself, I will be buying a stand based on its ability to hold my center channel speaker on the shelf right below the TV. This is one of the reasons that the Sony stand won't work for me since my speaker is 8" tall.


Can't you just remove the center glass shelf from the SONY stand? I also have a center channel (Definitive Technology) that's 8.5" tall. I keep my electronics in another room and use an infrared repeater that I picked up for $15 at Fry's. Works beautifully, eliminated the clutter around the TV and keeps my wife happier. I can get by with putting as little as just the center channel in the stand.

I'll do as I please within the forum guidelines. Last I checked you are not a moderator so do not try to be one. I think everyone on this board can take some light hearted criticism and if not then tough.

Everyone knows that next gen discs have the capacity to hold the content, but the question is whether or not their standards will allow them to do so. Blueray, unlike HD-DVD, can and will output 1080P signal natively at launch. We all know what the capacities are, and of course they can hold a WMV file, you can do that with a DVDR now, but good luck popping that into a player and watching it unless the player is a PC.

Thanks and have a nice day.

Out of curiousity, have you, or anyone you know, seen the BD or HD-DVD Standards?

I'll be in Omaha on the 30th. My date on the 60" has been pushed back to 10/3 here in Phoenix. I might have to swing by NFM if they have them in. Thanks for the info.

You'll have to report here what you find (PM me if you think of it)! I might make it out to Nebraska Furniture Mart again, but I also might have to wait until the JVC comes out so I don't sucker myself into getting the Sony without comparing the two... :P

TTYL,
--Kyle

Agreed, and let me add I have not seen a definitive answer on 1080p via the PC input for HTPCs or 1394 inputs....not that it really matters...it's all about the PQ in my book...

A few pages back HiDef4all posted that he actually got to test an HTPC with the new SXRD and it displayed 1920x1080p on the VGA port. Unless the JVC will actually do 1080p on HDMI, that might have to be sufficient for me... Here's his post:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=6209790&&#post6209790
TTYL,
--Kyle

I saw the SXRD 50" and 60" today.

I thought they looked fantastic, playing ye old HD loop. Basically, they looked like the smaller versions of the Qualia that I figured they would. All in all to me they appear (on short viewing) to offer tremendous, cutting edge picture quality for an approachable price.

I also saw the A10 LCD RPTV (and the A20). They were superb as well, but my preference is for the SXRD images, which I find a little more natural and relaxed. (LCD displays of any technology still comes off a little digital, sterile to my eyes).

One thing though: I finally really notice SSE (Silk Screen Effect) on the SXRD models. It first jumped out at me on some brighter areas of an image and I thought "well, there it is, but no big deal really." Then I noticed a bit more, even overlaying some darker images, like a sparkly sheen over the image. And then there were scenes of winter and mountain skiing, at which point the SSE seemed to overlay almost every shot and I had to sort of re-concentrate my eyes on the image to try and forget about it (having been made too darned aware via the forums).

Since I never really noticed it much in the Qualia 006 (but have noticed it in LCD technology before), and this was the first time it really jumped out at me, I'm unsure how big a deal it woudl be for me. One one hand it seems like something that should be easy to ignore and forget about. On the other hand, once you start seeing it, it can be a bit hard to forget about it. I left thinking that the SSE shouldn't really be a determinin factor against the display, but that it would be nice to not have to deal with it at all.

Anyway, still a thumbs up on what I've seen from those two displays.

For those of you who are interested in price, just go to pricegrabber.com and key in the model number. Last Friday there were only 3 companies offering the Sony. This morning there were 9. Many listed the 60" as being in stock, but I would take that with a grain or two of salt.

I've looked at the Sammy and the Mits, but yet have to see the Sony SXRD. Saw the Qualia and was not all that impressed for $11K or so. The glare was terrible at Tweeters.

Hopefully, next week I'll get to see a SXRD in person.

FYI..Pricing seems to be coming down in a hurry...I 've found multiple online etailers offering this set 25% off msrp....

I doubt any of them are reputable.

I don't see any 25% discount, best I see is 20% on the 60" and no one beat what I got on the 50"

Hey Guys,
Was just looking over the service manual for this set and found that the board that processes the HDMI to Y, PB, PR, it is called the PD board, is available as an individual part. It has the two HDMI ports and one set of analog audio inputs on it. As far as internal connections, it looks like just two ribbon connectors. The board also has a "Sub system Control" IC on it.

The reason I bring this up, is because if Sony wanted to offer a 1080P upgrade for the set, they could just sell the upgrade board by itself, and since it has the Sub System chip on it, this might be enough to tell the set it can recieve the new signal.

The original board is not yet pricing, but what do you think???

A Sony rep has already said Sony may sell a kit for the KDS-R60XBR1 and KDS-R50XBR1. Here is the quote and link to the interview in PCworld:

"The rep said that at some point Sony may sell a kit to upgrade these sets to native 1080p, but it'll be a dealer-installed part."

I can't enter URL yet, but search under Google News for KDS-R60XBR1 and scroll down to the Sep 9th story from PCWorld.

Im only posting this to relieve some anxiety and misinformation. I won't respond to further posts about it.

BD and HD DVD are both going to put out 1080i, there will be no 1080p source from a major supplier in the near future.

After 2006 all bets are off but this is real. If you don't believe me read the specifications.

Ken

Can't you just remove the center glass shelf from the SONY stand? I also have a center channel (Definitive Technology) that's 8.5" tall. I keep my electronics in another room and use an infrared repeater that I picked up for $15 at Fry's. Works beautifully, eliminated the clutter around the TV and keeps my wife happier. I can get by with putting as little as just the center channel in the stand.


Dennis,

You can take the Glass out, but there is a frame that holds the Glass shelves. Your going to be limited to ~8 1/8 inches on the Bottom shelve. Without the glass it may get you ~8 3/8 but no way will you get 8 1/2 inches of speaker in there. :(

-Dave

A Sony rep has already said Sony may sell...

"The rep said that at some point Sony may sell a kit to upgrade these sets to native 1080p, but it'll be a dealer-installed part." .

In all honesty unless you can get that written in writing (perhaps blood?) from a Sony exec I wouldn't count that as a likely option. I've been told too many times before about magic upgrades that will surely be offered if they are necessary to take anything not written by the maker serious. That being said if Sony came out and did just that I would buy this TV tomorrow so I wish they would take it serious, but I know better. Yes they did it for the Qualia line, that was a $35k projector and heck Qualia has just been discontinued at that.

For those living in Vancouver, Canada I was told today by one of the salesman at the Sony Store on Broadway that the SXRD's will be in the store next week. He has my phone number to call as soon as they are on display. I cannot wait.

However, as much as I would like to purchase a 50" SXRD before the end of this year, from what I have been reading on this thread my gut is telling me to wait for next years model ... KDS-R50XBR2???. I remember after buying the Sony KV36XBR400 thinking that I should have waited for the KV36XBR450 which had a few nice improvements. That often happens with a new line of TV's. It is sometimes best to wait for the 2nd generation. Maybe the same will happen with the SXRD.

My cubes are 3" wide, 4" deep, and about 6" high total (one on top of the other).
I do have them angled differently so the sound spreads out a little.

Here is a link to the system, mine are white, and obviously i am talking about one pair of cubes: http://www.smarthome.com/972415.html

A couple of further comments to those who are very nicely trying to help me. My idea was to just make a real small shelf just for the speaker above the tv, or actually mount it on the wall. Also, as to it not looking good, well, i am a coca-cola memorabilia collector and the wall above the tv is covered with a million coca-cola items, and these little cube speakers would not stand out. Also, i will not be having any type of cabinet around the tv, it will be free-standing, but as i said, the whole wall above it will be coke collectibles. Also, i will be buying the official Sony stand. Is there enough room on the shelf beneath the tv to put the speakers (a little over 6" and more if i angle them upwards).


Thanks for the URL.

Considering that you've got a couple of different options for positioning it, I'd go with the one that gets it closest to the screen. Beyond a certain distance, there is a disconnect between people talking with the sound coming from another location. Be mindful that these speakers are designed to be in their upright position with the two boxes aimed in different directions. Probably a dipole design to make the speakers sound large without physically being large. So, its important to not lay them down to make them fit on a shelf.

Best of luck and let us know how it turns out.

...snip...

However, as much as I would like to purchase a 50" SXRD before the end of this year, from what I have been reading on this thread my gut is telling me to wait for next years model ... KDS-R50XBR2???. I remember after buying the Sony KV36XBR400 thinking that I should have waited for the KV36XBR450 which had a few nice improvements. That often happens with a new line of TV's. It is sometimes best to wait for the 2nd generation. Maybe the same will happen with the SXRD.

That's a struggle for many of us. Do you want to be an early adopter and start enjoying it sooner or wait a generation or two to get the bugs out, add features and prices to drop. or, do both. :rolleyes:

How is PIP going to work in this set? If I have to have a cable box to get digital/hd signals(which my cable provider may make me have), can i do PIP? Will I have to have 2 cable boxes, and can you have 2 cable boxes for one tv, and if you do, if you have a remote control, wouldnt it change both boxes at the same time? I know if i have another unit with a tuner, such as a dvd recorder, i can use that tuner, but do i need a second digital/hd cable box to be able to send a different station to that tuner?

One other question, which do you guys put in first, the digital/hd cable or the tv? I figure if the cable is in first, then when you get the tv you can make sure the hd signal is working well and that the tv is okay, but the cable company may say they need the tv there to test the hd cable. I dont know, but what do guys do about this, which should come in first?

It's amazing how fast the prices of these new sets drop in price. The new Samsung 67" is now under 4k. It's quite appealing since its width is less then the new Sony SXRD with 7" more vertical. I didn't like the Pic on the Samsung compared to the Panny Plasma and the older 720P sets. thought the older sets were sharper while the 1080P DLP sets from Samsung looked a little soft to me. I wish I could live with it and get the bigger set. That is the only thing attractive about JVC is that they have a 70" set which will probably less money then the 60" Sony in a few months. I guess I'm sticking with my 60" Sony for now. I just hope the PQ is that much better than DLP and the smaller set will be justified.

...it still seems pretty stupid and short sighted for a tv not to accept its native resolution...

As reported in the current issue of Sound & Vision , HP's 65" 1080p DLP set "is one of only a few mass-market 1080p sets that can actually accept a 1080p signal through its primary video inputs."

For full review: http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/article.asp?section_id=3&article_id=876

Too bad the set is butt-ugly, especially with those enormous side-speakers! :confused:

If your cable company offers a cable card solution you can use that as your second source especially if you want to watch PIP with premium channels. Otherwise you will have to get a cable box. As another solution you should be able to split the line from your cable company and run one directly into your tv. Generally this will only give you basic package cable package, then take the other line and run that to your box for your premium service.

Realize also that the SXRD TV will not show PIP of two HD sources, only one HD.

I do not know if the tv has antenna out, if so you can use that, great otherwise you can run the cable to you box first. If you want to split the line only do this one and at the source.

I do not know if the tv has antenna out, if so you can use that, great otherwise you can run the cable to you box first. If you want to split the line only do this one and at the source.

Per owners manual, no antenna out.

Per owners manual, no antenna out.


On page 25 of the 50" model, it does show antenna input for UHF/VHF which raises another question.

Am I missing something?? :)

gweempose: Thanks for your helpful comments about your observations of the 60" set. That was a great report. Based on your observation, did the set look exactly like the KDF-60XS955, or maybe different or better?The two cabinets are almost exactly the same. The main difference is the bezel. On the SXRD it's glossy, and on the XS it's more of a matte finish. In my opinion, the set looks great either way.



Thanks for the review. Was curious to understand what you mean by sides. From my understanding, there is the words SXRD printed/"engraved" just under the right side of the bezel. Thanks.I was referring to the actual sides of the cabinet. On each side of the set, the letters "SXRD" are physically molded into the plastic. It's a nice touch. The letters are fairly large and it makes it easy to instantly distinguish the SXRD's from the older models. You are correct, though, that there is also a small "SXRD" badge below the bezel on the front of the set. I sure wish I remembered to bring my camera with me. :)



Can't you just remove the center glass shelf from the SONY stand?I considered this, but I decided against this idea because I didn't want the center channel speaker to be too low. Ideally, the drivers in your center speaker should be the same height as the drivers in your left and right mains. Obviously, this is not feasible when you have a rear projection set. Therefore, the next best option is to position the center speaker as close to the bottom of the set as possible. I think a stand such as this one (http://www.bello.com/images/products/AVS-2663-Naked.jpg) is better suited for this task.



One thing though: I finally really notice SSE (Silk Screen Effect) on the SXRD models. It first jumped out at me on some brighter areas of an image and I thought "well, there it is, but no big deal really." Then I noticed a bit more, even overlaying some darker images, like a sparkly sheen over the image. And then there were scenes of winter and mountain skiing, at which point the SSE seemed to overlay almost every shot and I had to sort of re-concentrate my eyes on the image to try and forget about it (having been made too darned aware via the forums).

Since I never really noticed it much in the Qualia 006 (but have noticed it in LCD technology before), and this was the first time it really jumped out at me, I'm unsure how big a deal it woudl be for me. On one hand it seems like something that should be easy to ignore and forget about. On the other hand, once you start seeing it, it can be a bit hard to forget about it. I left thinking that the SSE shouldn't really be a determinin factor against the display, but that it would be nice to not have to deal with it at all.As far as I'm concerned, the jury is still out on the whole SSE thing. I'm hoping that I can learn to live with it, but I won't know for sure until I get the set in my house and start watching it extensively. I just wish Sony would deliver the goods already! :)

Any rumors of a 70 inch model later next year that will except 1080p via HDMI?

I'll do as I please within the forum guidelines. Last I checked you are not a moderator so do not try to be one. I think everyone on this board can take some light hearted criticism and if not then tough.

Everyone knows that next gen discs have the capacity to hold the content, but the question is whether or not their standards will allow them to do so. Blueray, unlike HD-DVD, can and will output 1080P signal natively at launch. We all know what the capacities are, and of course they can hold a WMV file, you can do that with a DVDR now, but good luck popping that into a player and watching it unless the player is a PC.

Thanks and have a nice day.
Your post is full of lies, conjecture, and misinformation. I wouldn't even know where to begin debunking your post--and I don't know that I have the energy--but, I must at least point out that WMV-9 players have been available for awhile.

http://www.iodata.com/usa/products/products.php?cat=HNP&sc=AVEL&pId=AVLP2%2FDVDLA

My cubes are 3" wide, 4" deep, and about 6" high total (one on top of the other).
I do have them angled differently so the sound spreads out a little.

Here is a link to the system, mine are white, and obviously i am talking about one pair of cubes: http://www.smarthome.com/972415.html

A couple of further comments to those who are very nicely trying to help me. My idea was to just make a real small shelf just for the speaker above the tv, or actually mount it on the wall. Also, as to it not looking good, well, i am a coca-cola memorabilia collector and the wall above the tv is covered with a million coca-cola items, and these little cube speakers would not stand out. Also, i will not be having any type of cabinet around the tv, it will be free-standing, but as i said, the whole wall above it will be coke collectibles. Also, i will be buying the official Sony stand. Is there enough room on the shelf beneath the tv to put the speakers (a little over 6" and more if i angle them upwards).

Allow me to atone for yesterday's attempt to use your C-ubes for tacky humor.

In the specs for your speakers it mentions "allow both horizontal and vertical adjustment of speakers." I cannot imagine a speaker that can be used as a center channel speaker that could not be positioned horizontally. Indeed, most stand alone center channel speakers I've seen are oriented horizontally.

If this is true, then you would only need 3" of vertical height to position your center channel speaker below the tv. The Sony stand has approximately 5" of height on the first shelf.

I, too, would be hesitant to use the lower shelf of the Sony stand. It may well be too far from the tv screen. Or you may have heavy carpets, etc., that could reduce the speaker's "presence" or "brilliance," altering the quality of dialogue and other higher frequency sounds.
Only a supposition on my part though. You'd need to test it with everything in place.

Of course, if you prefer the sound coming from above the screen, go for it! I just think using the Sony stand is a viable option.

I would have to remove the centre shelf of the stand because my centre channel speaker is so big (8"x33" HxW) ... Martin Logan Cinema. I will just have to angle it up ... I might get the mount for this speaker to accomplish that.

Most large home theatre system that I have heard in store show rooms have the speaker below the screen ... even on the floor ... and they sound very good. The sound does seem to come from the screen.

With the speaker sitting on top of my KV36XBR400 the sound seems to be coming from a source that is to high, even though I have it slightly angled down.

BuTal63 wrote:
Allow me to atone for yesterday's attempt to use your C-ubes for tacky humor.

Hey - i love tacky humor! The tackier the better!!!!

Thanks to you all and all who are giving me ideas.

Another option for someone with a large center channel speaker is BDI's Icon 9427 (http://www.bdiusa.com/avfurniture/icon_9427.shtml). The shelf is elevated off the floor a little, and it has a nice big opening (9.5"H x 55"W). It comes in either silver or gloss black. I've seen this stand in person, and it's really sharp looking.

As reported in the current issue of Sound & Vision , HP's 65" 1080p DLP set "is one of only a few mass-market 1080p sets that can actually accept a 1080p signal through its primary video inputs."
[...]
As reported in another thread, HP's own specs seem to indicate that they only take 1080p/24 and 1080p/30:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?dlc=en&lc=en&product=472490&cc=us&docname=c00372604

I was hoping to get my hands on an SXRD by grabbing one from a warehouse next week. They were due to ship from Sony on the 26th to arrive at wholesaler and dealer warehouses on the 27th - next Tuesday. Just got off the phone with Sony and confirmed that the new tentative ship date is Oct. 13th and reading between the lines i'd be surprised if it didn't wind up being a little later. This info is only for the East Coast, but i would be very surprised if anyone is able to take delivery of an SXRD anywhere before then since the East Coast rates to be getting them first:(

Another option for someone with a large center channel speaker is BDI's Icon 9427 (http://www.bdiusa.com/avfurniture/icon_9427.shtml). The shelf is elevated off the floor a little, and it has a nice big opening (9.5"H x 55"W). It comes in either silver or gloss black. I've seen this stand in person, and it's really sharp looking.

Thanks for the tip!

I was hoping to get my hands on an SXRD by grabbing one from a warehouse next week. They were due to ship from Sony on the 26th to arrive at wholesaler and dealer warehouses on the 27th - next Tuesday. Just got off the phone with Sony and the new ship date is Oct. 13th and reading between the lines i'd be surprised if it didn't wind up being a little later. This info is only for the East Coast, but i would be very surprised if anyone is able to take delivery of an SXRD anywhere before then since the East Coast rates to be getting them first:(Has anyone offered any reason for the delays?

As reported in another thread, HP's own specs seem to indicate that they only take 1080p/24 and 1080p/30:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?dlc=en&lc=en&product=472490&cc=us&docname=c00372604So would this be any different finished quality than the SXRD taking 1080i/60 content and performing it's own 3:2 pulldown internally? Where would you be finding a 1080p/24 or 30 source? An external scaler that is doing the same thing the SXRD does internally?

BTW, thanks for the link.

I just received an e-mail from HD Library (an off shoot from HDTV Magazine) reporting on CEDIA ...

"The Sony SXRD version of LCoS for RPTV looked incredible at the CEDIA show but at this time we know nothing about them in terms of performance and controls. All of these have suffered from black level problems and the big news this year is using a dynamic iris to tame them yet rather than provide the option for a variable iris system we are stuck with a dynamic system to create better contrast ratio numbers for the spec sheets to impress consumers who don't know that spec sheets tell us little about imaging science and performance."

It is interesting that they mention "black level problems". This may have been a problem with LCoS but from what I have read it certainly is not a problem with SXRD.

For more comments on the SXRD from the HD Library ...

http://www.hdlibrary.com/viewtopic.php?t=2455

"These huge contrast ratios are coming from the use of a dynamic iris which changes the light output based on image content to create blacker blacks." So, what is the negative effect to the viewer?

I think he's referring to pre-iris LCOS models like the JVC, which are notorious poor black-level performers. Also, according to both the manual and A10 owners, he's wrong when he says there is no option for disabling the dynamic iris and using it as a variable iris instead.

With the speaker sitting on top of my KV36XBR400 the sound seems to be coming from a source that is to high, even though I have it slightly angled down.

Yep! That was exactly my reaction when I tried a dedicated center channel speaker on top of my Pio Elite 55. The 60SXRD and Sony stand combination are actually a little higher than my Pio, so the problem would be exacerbated for me. I really need to be able to squeeze a speaker into the stand below the screen.

After all this time and with so many complaints, wouldn't you think Sony would allow for using the set's speakers as the center channel? Although, now that I think about it, that probably won't work very well until we get the XBR2, with speakers below the screen instead of being spread out as they are now.

Hmmm...."exacerbated"....oughta' be a shot at some more tacky humor there. Naaah, I'm too new here. Don't wanta' wear out my welcome. :)

I believe the JVC iris has three settings. Apparently it may not be dynamic as is the one for the SXRD...but I can't confirm this (I'm just going by what I remember reading somewhere).

I'd like to have all the options. Allow me to turn the thing on and off, allow dynamic function, but also give me some pre-sets too. A win-win for everyone. Hopefully that's the case with the SXRDs and maybe the new JVCs.

FYI, I went to Sears today (in Overland Park, KS - Kansas City area), and they looked up the 60" SXRD on their computer and it showed a delivery date of 10/3 to their warehouse and 10/6 in the store.

I called Nebraska Furniture Mart here, and they said the SXRDs will be in at the end of next week (30th?), maybe a little later :( Bummer since yesterday they said they might be in that day! This guy sounded like he really knew what he was talking about, so hopefully next week will be it...

A local non-chain home theater store said November though - ugh! TTYL,
--Kyle

Unfortunately it seems the actual date they start shipping these sets will be closer to November 1st than October 1st (which is next week already). I really wish there was evidence to the contrary. A lot of us pre-ordered and keep watching our estimated ship date jump from mid-September to now mid-October, and let's admit it: those estimated ship dates are usually quite optimistic. Granted online retailers and the stores will tell you an earlier date or even say they're "in stock" to get you to buy from them which to me is a little unethical, but that's business. I've heard way too many "we'll have 'em at the end of next week" and then they don't have them stories just on this board alone to believe these things are anywhere near being shipped out in any sort of large quantity. I'd say those who haven't pre-ordered are probably looking at closer to Thanksgiving rather than Halloween for being able to actually have one of these sets which is closer to the original release date anyway.

FYI, I went to Sears today (in Overland Park, KS - Kansas City area), and they looked up the 60" SXRD on their computer and it showed a delivery date of 10/3 to their warehouse and 10/6 in the store.

I called Nebraska Furniture Mart here, and they said the SXRDs will be in at the end of next week (30th?), maybe a little later :( Bummer since yesterday they said they might be in that day! This guy sounded like he really knew what he was talking about, so hopefully next week will be it...

A local non-chain home theater store said November though - ugh! TTYL,
--Kyle

I would take these dates with a grain of salt - doubt you'll find a spot where you can take one home earlier than mid October at the earliest...

http://www.shopsunshine.com/images/kdsr60xbr1.jpg

GWEEMPOSE: Thanks for your response about the engraving on the side of each speakers.

EVERYONE: Would I be doing myself a "dis-service" by not waiting to the end of CES to see what's coming down the "pipeline"? Does/has Sony ever "announced" (displayed) any TV's at CES? If not, do they always do at "their" Line Show (Orlando)? Can't wait to hear a response about when I might be able to hear SOMETHING :D about next year's model(s). Thanks.

http://www.shopsunshine.com/images/kdsr60xbr1.jpgCan I get that box for pickup or delivery? :cool:

WTF??? Made in Japan?

GWEEMPOSE: Thanks for your response about the engraving on the side of each speakers.

EVERYONE: Would I be doing myself a "dis-service" by not waiting to the end of CES to see what's coming down the "pipeline"? Does/has Sony ever "announced" (displayed) any TV's at CES? If not, do they always do at "their" Line Show (Orlando)? Can't wait to hear a response about when I might be able to hear SOMETHING :D about next year's model(s). Thanks.Yea, I said that about this time last year. :eek:

I had some great news from Sears today. I checked their corp. website and the availability dates they were showing for my local store (Palm Desert, CA) had moved up to 11-13 days (they had gone from showing 20-some days to "out-of-stock" just a few days ago). I have a 50" on order with them, and my home delivery date was Oct. 13. I called up the store, my salesman checked (he was unaware of the change) and sure enough, he was able to set up a new delivery date of Oct. 3! The fact that I'm first on their list probably helps. He seemed to think this would be pretty firm. At least things are going in the right direction here and I got a pretty good deal with them. I feel a whole lot better than I did a few weeks ago when my original order with the Sears website was cancelled and I was swearing I'd never do business with them again.

Can I get that box for pickup or delivery? :cool:

WTF??? Made in Japan?

Made in Japan, assembled in America!

Made in Japan, assembled in America!Profit back to Japan :(

I believe the JVC iris has three settings. Apparently it may not be dynamic as is the one for the SXRD...but I can't confirm this (I'm just going by what I remember reading somewhere).

I'd like to have all the options. Allow me to turn the thing on and off, allow dynamic function, but also give me some pre-sets too. A win-win for everyone. Hopefully that's the case with the SXRDs and maybe the new JVCs.

My understanding is the JVC has 3 preset options with no dynamic capability. The iris in the SXRD can be set to a stationary level with the Iris option in the main video menu, and the amount of dynamic adjustment can be set in the Advanced Iris setting in the advanced video menu, which also lets you disable dynamic adjustment completely. Any A10 owners can correct me if I'm wrong.

I was hoping to get my hands on an SXRD by grabbing one from a warehouse next week. They were due to ship from Sony on the 26th to arrive at wholesaler and dealer warehouses on the 27th - next Tuesday. Just got off the phone with Sony and confirmed that the new tentative ship date is Oct. 13th and reading between the lines i'd be surprised if it didn't wind up being a little later. This info is only for the East Coast, but i would be very surprised if anyone is able to take delivery of an SXRD anywhere before then since the East Coast rates to be getting them first:(

I purchased the KDS-R60XBR1 and it is scheduled to be delivered at my house on Monday Sept. 26. The shipper contacted me to schedule delivery already. They reportedly have it on their truck and are on the way. :)

I purchased the KDS-R60XBR1 and it is scheduled to be delivered at my house on Monday Sept. 26. The shipper contacted me to schedule delivery already. They reportedly have it on their truck and are on the way. :)

Helps living in the same city where the TVs are made, doesn't it? Of course, we'll all be expecting a FULL REPORT when it arrives, thank you very much.

I purchased the KDS-R60XBR1 and it is scheduled to be delivered at my house on Monday Sept. 26. The shipper contacted me to schedule delivery already. They reportedly have it on their truck and are on the way. :)

AWESOME - Congratulations! Go Steelers!

Great news, congrats!