Any opinions about this Sony's PQ and/or technology used?

Model: KDF37H1000

Any opinions about this Sony's PQ and/or technology used?

Model: KDF37H1000
I don't get the sense of a 37" RPTV? Other than the cheap price 37" is pathetic size for HT IMO with flat panels ruling that size and still much more space efficient than even a so-called Thin RPTV.

Pretty bold when RPTV's have been relegated to the side aisles and flat panels now rule the main display areas of most stores. Just filling some kind of market niche they may think exists but doubtful. RPTV's rule in large size period HT sizes and cost per inch = value over FP's - 40 million plus LCD's will be sold this year and a 37" RPTV isn't going to get much of that market. Doesn't make sense going that small IMO. :)

I've had tha Sony KDF 37 H1000 for a couple weeks now. It was the only 37 inch screen I could find under 35 3/4 inches wide to replace my 200 lb 32 inch SD CRT. I really like this set the HD OTA tuner is great and the picture very good on both HD and SD. The sound on it is also very good. I don't think the previous poster understood that some of us have this funrniture still that we would like to use. BTW I also have a 50A2000 fyi.

This TV seems like a really good replacement for a 4X3 CRT.
And it is at an excellent price point.
I think the cosmetics are somewhat lacking but for the price I can see why.

Does anybody know if it display both odd and even fields?

I'd also like to hear any comments on this unit. I'm searching for my parents who are very shell shocked at how much tv's cost. They still have a 21 inch Hitachi console from the mid 80's! 37 - 40" would be the best fit and all LCD flats are over 1200.

I haven't really followed rear projections, but since this is a LCD rear projection as opposed to the DLP, will this model possibly nead bulb replacements at any time?

Does anybody know if it display both odd and even fields?[/QUOTE]

Could you give that question to me in English? I have this TV.

I'd also like to hear any comments on this unit. I'm searching for my parents who are very shell shocked at how much tv's cost. They still have a 21 inch Hitachi console from the mid 80's! 37 - 40" would be the best fit and all LCD flats are over 1200.

I haven't really followed rear projections, but since this is a LCD rear projection as opposed to the DLP, will this model possibly nead bulb replacements at any time?


Yes they will someday need a bulb. I have a 50 inch Sony for almost 4 years now that has not needed a bulb yet. I think the bulbs are rated around 6000 hours. That is a lot of time. By then they'll probably be $100 or less on ebay. LOL

My 42A10 will be 2 years old in August and I still have the same bulb. So it does't concern me.

dolphan,

I am asking the bob and weave question.
There are 2 video fields that make up a video frame.
An odd numbered field is displayed every 60th of second, then the even numbered field is displayed the next 60th of a second to make up a frame that is displayed every 30th of a second. (2 fields = 1 frame)
Some TVs display only 1 field then display it again to make up the video frame. They effectively throw away a even or odd field.
just wanted to make sure that this new Sony displays both fields. My 42A10 does.

Best Buy and online stores are advertising this TV w/ tax or shipping for less than $1000
all day long.
I would expect to see it for less than $800 by the Fall.

My 42A10 will be 2 years old in August and I still have the same bulb. So it does't concern me.

dolphan,

I am asking the bob and weave question.
There are 2 video fields that make up a video frame.
An odd numbered field is displayed every 60th of second, then the even numbered field is displayed the next 60th of a second to make up a frame that is displayed every 30th of a second. (2 fields = 1 frame)
Some TVs display only 1 field then display it again to make up the video frame. They effectively throw away a even or odd field.
just wanted to make sure that this new Sony displays both fields. My 42A10 does.

I looked in the manual and don't see anythin about that. The only thing it says is 1280 x 768 and the bulb should be changed every 8000 hours. You are over my head on the "bob and weave". :D

I bought a 10% off coupon for Sonystyle on ebay for $4 and got free shipping. The TV was $899 after coupon delivered Fedex Express. I agree you'll get the set for $800 in the fall. I did not want to wait.

Is there an "official" thread for this set? I haven't seen any. This tv is a great price point and fits my needs perfectly. Looking for more reviews...

Is there an "official" thread for this set? I haven't seen any. This tv is a great price point and fits my needs perfectly. Looking for more reviews...

I have not seen one. Go ahead and start it. I would like to get some other folks screen settings

I saw one at BB. It had less screen door effect than other rear projection LCDs. But I can still see some ugly grid like effect especially when compared to the LCD and plasmas that it was next to. If you sit far enough back this may not be a problem but then this is only a 37" screen so how far back can you sit? The price is great and cabinet looks nice. But LCD prices are coming down so much that I would rather have a 40" LCD for a couple of hundred more.

I saw one at BB. It had less screen door effect than other rear projection LCDs. But I can still see some ugly grid like effect especially when compared to the LCD and plasmas that it was next to. If you sit far enough back this may not be a problem but then this is only a 37" screen so how far back can you sit? The price is great and cabinet looks nice. But LCD prices are coming down so much that I would rather have a 40" LCD for a couple of hundred more.

Don't the LCD's have much slower refresh rate than the rear projections, especially the lower priced LCD's? You have to decide which bothers you less. I also could not find one under 36" wide in a 37" model to fit in my cabinet.

I don't get the sense of a 37" RPTV? Other than the cheap price 37" is pathetic size for HT IMO with flat panels ruling that size and still much more space efficient than even a so-called Thin RPTV. ...Pretty bold when RPTV's have been relegated to the side aisles and flat panels now rule the main display areas of most stores.

I wondered about that too, although I think you may be exaggerating the degree to which RP is being pushed out of stores, at least from what I see around here. Of course Sony has their own stores so can write their own rules for store display. Some people simply don't like the PQ of LCD flat-panels, certainly the ones in the price range of the 37H1000. In addition, flat-panels are thin but are also wider which for some people like dolphan may be what's important, so small micro-displays may meet a need.

My only problem with this set is the bulb. I've got a GWIII and I'm on my 3rd bulb now. I've had the TV since June 04. GRANTED the first replacement was covered under my warrenty, this last one was not.

I'd love to get this set for the bedroom, cause as mentioned before, it WILL fit in the furniture the wife has in there

I'm interested in this set for the size and because of my experience with Sony's RPTVs and SD material.

I had a 42" a10 last year and I thought it was incredible with standard def sources and the bottom line is I still watch quite a bit and don't see that changing in the near future. But 42" was just downright oppressive in my smaller space. I haven't found an LCD in the same price range that didn't do very nicely on the standard def sources (although admittedly I've never put the XBR2 through its paces in that regard.)

I was all set to get the best 32" LCD I could find when this TV appeared on the market. If you had 1000 - 1300 in the budget, is there an LCD you would grab (probably 32") over this set given my requirements for standard def?

So does anyone else have one? got any reports and or reviews?

So does anyone else have one? got any reports and or reviews?

I'm still enjoying mine. Why don't you get one from a store that has a return policy and decide for yourself. It only weighs 46 lbs. so it is not much work to install. :)

I saw this one in a sony store today. I was considering a 32" S3000 for about the same price when I saw this one. Looked like it would fit nicely in a condo.

Wonder what it would be like near a window though. In the sony store it was in the darkest room possible.

We just got this TV and love it. Its very light and the picture is fine with the TV near a window. The one thing I noticed is that it takes longer to see the picture when you flip through channels than the Sony Grand Wega 46" HDTV that we just bought a few months ago. We still have it set to the factory settings though and the picture is a little too colorful - can anyone direct me on how to configure the settings to get the best quality picture?

Juliealv since you have both the 46E2000 and the 37H1000 what set has the best SD viewing?

Juliealv since you have both the 46E2000 and the 37H1000 what set has the best SD viewing?

I have my TV next to a window with no issues as well. It is also very good on SD programming. I really like the S Force Front Surround feature. It goes from normal levels during dialog, to all heck beaking loose around you volume, in action scenes.

I just got this TV and I am not real happy with the picture when watching SD sports programs via S-video. Any advice or feedback would be helpful.

I'm not sure what you would expect from an S-Video connection.


when I had a 42" for a bit last year, I knew it was the end of the living room road for my series 2 TiVo, it would have to move in to the bedroom.


there was no real disappointment, just an understood consequence.


the standard def material I referred to earlier as looking so good was coming off my Moto cable co DVR (which wasn't that bad a device - couldn't hold a TiVo's bedpan, but it wasn't that bad.)

I just got this TV and I am not real happy with the picture when watching SD sports programs via S-video. Any advice or feedback would be helpful.

Like said above. Go with a better connection. I've got a GWIII 60" and watch ALOT of standard def on it. It's anoying, but with a DVI (HDMI) conection it does get better.

You can get a westinghouse 37" 1080P LCD set for only $800 from Costco. This Sony set needs to drop by a few hundred to make it a viable replacement for a tube set.

I'm not sure what you would expect from an S-Video connection.


when I had a 42" for a bit last year, I knew it was the end of the living room road for my series 2 TiVo, it would have to move in to the bedroom.


there was no real disappointment, just an understood consequence.


the standard def material I referred to earlier as looking so good was coming off my Moto cable co DVR (which wasn't that bad a device - couldn't hold a TiVo's bedpan, but it wasn't that bad.)


I have a 27" ILO LCD that I was using (also on S-video) before I bought the Sony. The SD for sports is near tube quality on the ILO, so I expected it to be that good on the Sony.

I imagine even VHS would look good on a 27"

to each its own, sorry you were disappointed

I picked up one of these for the master bedroom last night while Best Buy had one of their 12% off coupon weekends going on. This TV truly is the absolute perfect size as we have an older TV stand that was made to hold a 32" CRT SDTV. Sure enough, after getting it home and on the stand, this 37" Sony is a perfect fit. My wife loves the way it looks in the room and is very happy with the picture quality as well.

My only complaint with it at all so far is that I do notice some SSE with this set. It may be because I'm used to watching the larger Mits DLP we have in our living room and I've never really noticed any SSE on that TV at all. But since this Sony is in the bedroom, it won't log nearly the kind of hours that our DLP in the living room does anyway, so think I can live with it. Otherwise, the picture is excellent hooked up to a DirecTV HD receiver via Component. I haven't had the chance to watch a DVD on it yet, but HD channels look very good.

I have 30 days to return it if we decide to, but due to the perfect size of this set and the very good price that we got on it, so far I'm very happy with it after one evening of viewing at least anyway.

I picked up one of these for the master bedroom last night while Best Buy had one of their 12% off coupon weekends going on. This TV truly is the absolute perfect size as we have an older TV stand that was made to hold a 32" CRT SDTV. Sure enough, after getting it home and on the stand, this 37" Sony is a perfect fit. My wife loves the way it looks in the room and is very happy with the picture quality as well.

My only complaint with it at all so far is that I do notice some SSE with this set. It may be because I'm used to watching the larger Mits DLP we have in our living room and I've never really noticed any SSE on that TV at all. But since this Sony is in the bedroom, it won't log nearly the kind of hours that our DLP in the living room does anyway, so think I can live with it. Otherwise, the picture is excellent hooked up to a DirecTV HD receiver via Component. I haven't had the chance to watch a DVD on it yet, but HD channels look very good.

I have 30 days to return it if we decide to, but due to the perfect size of this set and the very good price that we got on it, so far I'm very happy with it after one evening of viewing at least anyway.

What is SSE?

What is SSE?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silk_screen_effect

Let's post some picture settings we use. I have Cinema set like this.

Advanced Iris; Auto 1
Picture; 63
Brightness; 42
Color; 43
Hue; G1
Temperature; Neutral
Sharpness; 50
Everything else; OFF

Just picked up one of these yesterday from CC. Ended up paying less than if I'd ordered it over the web.

It's not perfect, but it just fits in our av center, which was one of the criteria the wife insisted any new tv meet.

Haven't calibrated it yet, but it does look a lot nicer than my 15 year old Panasonic 29" multi system tube. Sure is nice to watch movies with very little letter boxing.

This tv is replacing a 32" Sony that could not be repaired (32HV600). That tube had such a beautiful picture. but anyways, I had to only pay few bucks for the 37H1000. I am glad I did not have to pay full price. This is the worst TV I have ever seen as far as Sony goes. It takes about half a minute to turn on. The picture looks washed out and I am using HDMI. I don't know if it is becuase I am used to looking at the beautiful picture the 32in tube was displaying or I am used to the new plasma that replaced the main tv room tv. I know they are different technologies but this tv has the worst picture I ever seen. I had it for about a month now. It does not get used much as it is sitting in a spare bedroom. I was just really shocked on the picture. It looks like your looking through a screen door. The picture is not sharp at all even while viewing HDTV. The sound quality is kind of like coming out of a soup can. I think this was Sonys' desperate attempt to come out with an affordalble HDTV to replace out old tubes. I would stay clear away from this tv

This is the worst TV I have ever seen as far as Sony goes ... this tv has the worst picture I ever seen.And yet you paid for this TV rather than go for a $20 flea market special which I guess has a better picture according to your review? Hmm...

I recently bought this TV and will add a review shortly. I also own a 50 inch Sony GWIII and a 26 inch Olevia LCD. So, I will see how this compares.

I'm anxious to hear another opinion. I like mine. It replaced a 32 Sony CRT. Waaaay better.

I've had this tv for about 3 weeks now and love it. I did adjust the color, etc. with the aid of Video Essentials and it looked even better afterwards. HD picture quality is as good or better than my Epson 57" RP LCD. SD picture quality is ok, somewhat better than I expected. Our viewing distance is about 9 feet in the bedroom and I haven't noticed any screen door lines or any other noise from there. So far I' am only using it as a monitor with 2 HDMI sources so I can't comment on the tuner.

The biggest selling point for me was the fact that it fit perfectly in a armoire that I had a 30" CRT in before. All of the 37" flat panels that I looked at were too wide. And at about 44 lbs. I could lift it myself, not so with the CRT!

So Far so good. :)

I just got the tv a couple of days ago and i love it. The size is absolutley perfect for the Armoire it is in. The price was great also. I have it hooked up to a hi def cable box with the HDMI cable and the hi def channels are awsome. the other channels are graet also. for the price this tv is unbeatable as a replacement for a tube tv. The sound is much better than i expected as well. I do need to calibrate the picture and any help with that would be appreciated.

I'm excited about the 37H1000 because it should fit in an existing EC that only has a ~35" opening.

I could have put a 32" LCD in that space long ago but my 4:3 area would have been smaller than the current 27" CRT in that spot....

Only problem is, I wish the 37H1000 had more rez than 720p and I really can't stand SSE.

I'm also waiting for prices to come down, CC and BB currently want $900 for this and I think that's about $100 too much...

Even so...I'm starting to think there's a 37H1000 in my future.

I have the settings, updated, after using the DVE calibration posted earlier in this thread.

I have had a few days with this TV now and here is my review.

Picture Quality - The TV has excellent PQ both in SD and HD. I also have a GWIII and a Olevia LCD and this is a slight step up from the Wega and far superior to the LCD. It has very good blacks which I find to be an issue with many LCDs. It is probably not up to CRT quality but I would rank it as equal or better than the higher priced LCDs.

Sound quality - Is quite good as well. The surround sound feature is very nice thought certainly far short of a HT system.

Features - It has a lot of nice features including 2 HDMI connections, side component connections, and a sleep timer (my wife likes this).

The biggest downside to this TV compared to an LCD is style. It is not a flat panel and indeed is as deep as the larger size LCD projection TVs. But it does look great inside an armoire which is really what it is designed for.

I haven't noticed much in the way of a screen door effect that others have mentioned. I think one problem is that a number of people who have bought this tv were using CRTs. And a rear projection just can't match a CRT in terms of picture quality, especially for a videophile.

So, overall I am very happy with my purchase and look forward to watching many football games and movies with it!

Dolphan,

Thanks for the settings suggestions. I don't see in the menu where I can change the sharpness, the rest of the fields I have no problem locating. thanks

Let's post some picture settings we use. I have Cinema set like this.

Advanced Iris; Auto 1
Picture; 63
Brightness; 42
Color; 43
Hue; G1
Temperature; Neutral
Sharpness; 50
Everything else; OFF

. I don't see in the menu where I can change the sharpness, the rest of the fields I have no problem locating. thanks

I couldn't find the sharpness at first either. If you keep arrowing down on the first menu page it will take you to the 2nd page that has the sharpness and some other settings.

I'm really thinking of getting this to fit into an armoire. Based on the size specs, it should fit perfectly.

For those that own this - how annoying is the long start-up time? I've read a couple times now of the long start-up and shut-off times. Do you find that this is a big deal?

I'm really thinking of getting this to fit into an armoire. Based on the size specs, it should fit perfectly.

For those that own this - how annoying is the long start-up time? I've read a couple times now of the long start-up and shut-off times. Do you find that this is a big deal?


No!

For those that own this - how annoying is the long start-up time? I've read a couple times now of the long start-up and shut-off times. Do you find that this is a big deal?

Only if you're super impatient. I tend to turn mine on manually when I walk in the room and by the time I sit down and get comfortable it's all started-up (if that's a word).

I'm really thinking of getting this to fit into an armoire. Based on the size specs, it should fit perfectly.

For those that own this - how annoying is the long start-up time? I've read a couple times now of the long start-up and shut-off times. Do you find that this is a big deal?

We've had ours for about a 1.5 months and I have to say that it was worth the $800 we paid for it. The tube is gone, the picture is great and the startup time isn't that big a deal.

PS3, HD-DVD, HD-DirecTiVo & Wii all look great on it. I' glad we bought it but wish more manufacturers would get the clue and make their 37" models fit in a 35 3/4" space.

"No, I don't WANT the speakers on the side and YOU aren't going to force me into buying a new armoire. NO sale for you!"

We've had ours for about a 1.5 months and I have to say that it was worth the $800 we paid for it. The tube is gone, the picture is great and the startup time isn't that big a deal.

PS3, HD-DVD, HD-DirecTiVo & Wii all look great on it. I' glad we bought it but wish more manufacturers would get the clue and make their 37" models fit in a 35 3/4" space.

"No, I don't WANT the speakers on the side and YOU aren't going to force me into buying a new armoire. NO sale for you!"

You hit the nail on the head!

Folks, I have been following this thread because I am looking to replace a 32" CRT for the bedroom. The Sony 37" BRAVIA LCD RPHDTV sounds like a winner, and now waiting for CC to get down to the $799 price point.

In the meantime, I was also following the Vizio 37" LCD thread. People that have them, love them (for the price). So, I am wondering if the Sony is just yesterday's technology (Rear Projection) versus LCD.

Has anyone also considered the Vizio at essentially the same price?

I just picked up this tv last night, and it fits perfect in my tv cabinet. Now, I am a pretty picky guy as I haven't owned a TV for about 2 years... I was all projection screen all the time from a Panasonic projector.

Anyway, I noticed that there is always a brighter spot in the center of my screen. Typically, we have lights on, or there is light coming in the window, but this spot doesn't shift with the change in lighting. If it's on and all dark screen, I see kind what looks like a lighter spot about 2 inchs wide and maybe 4 high. If I have it on an all white screen, you can clearly see there is a smaller white spot in the center and then some triangular beams of light going up and down from the white spot. It's obvious that there is some internal reflection going on. Can you all see this on your screen? Or did I get a unit that has some internal problem... Btw, it's easier to see the light spot on a dark screen from farther back, and then move right up by the tv to see the light spot on a white screen. Anyway, let me know what you guys find. Thanks!

Peter,

Vizio doesn't have that good of rep for quality, but aside from that most 37" direct-view LCDs are wider than the RP Bravia.

So for many of us with ~35" opening, typical 37" LCDs won't fit.

James,

Maybe the bright spot you're seeing is the bulb (?), might be more visible due to the small size of the display.

Vizio doesn't have that good of rep for quality

Just curious Frank, where did you hear that?

As far as W dimensions, I do not want to get any wider than what I currently have....around 36" would work. My original question was for Sony 37" RPHDTV owners that considered the Vizio.

Peter

Anyway, I noticed that there is always a brighter spot in the center of my screen ... I see kind what looks like a lighter spot about 2 inchs wide and maybe 4 high. If I have it on an all white screen, you can clearly see there is a smaller white spot in the center and then some triangular beams of light going up and down from the white spot. It's obvious that there is some internal reflection going on.

I would take it back. I did a quick search and found some sony issues that are similar:

http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/2/2904.html
http://esupport.sony.com/perl/news-item.pl?news_id=206&mdl=KDF55WF655

I just picked up this tv last night, and it fits perfect in my tv cabinet. Now, I am a pretty picky guy as I haven't owned a TV for about 2 years... I was all projection screen all the time from a Panasonic projector.

Anyway, I noticed that there is always a brighter spot in the center of my screen. Typically, we have lights on, or there is light coming in the window, but this spot doesn't shift with the change in lighting. If it's on and all dark screen, I see kind what looks like a lighter spot about 2 inchs wide and maybe 4 high. If I have it on an all white screen, you can clearly see there is a smaller white spot in the center and then some triangular beams of light going up and down from the white spot. It's obvious that there is some internal reflection going on. Can you all see this on your screen? Or did I get a unit that has some internal problem... Btw, it's easier to see the light spot on a dark screen from farther back, and then move right up by the tv to see the light spot on a white screen. Anyway, let me know what you guys find. Thanks!

I checked mine with a black screen and it does not have a bright spot.

It isn't super bright, and It's easier to see at some angles than others. Can you also try a white screen for me? Just put something really bright or totally white on the screen, then walk up to the screen and look down. If you can't see it like that, then I'll know it's just my set and not some internal reflection. On one of those links you sent me, some people had it, and some didn't. They even mentioned that some other manufacturers had a similar kind of effect. *sigh*

If it's something that will be present to some small degree, then I might just try to live with it. If there is really something wrong with my set, then I'll hassle with my local Best Buy to get it exchanged. And it will be a hassle as I had to specifically have them order this set as my local store doesn't stock this particular model. Thanks a ton!

Jim

I can see this "spot" on mine but mainly when the set is turned off. I haven't really noticed it while watching anything dark or light. It may depend on your viewing distance and angle. Also If you haven't done so already you should turn the brightness and contrast down from the factory settings. Like most tv's this one comes with things turned up way too high which can cause all kinds of problems including shortened bulb life. Others have posted settings to try.

My 57" Epson RP LCD has an area in the center that stands out from the rest of the screen too so I think that it is just the nature of this type of technology to have something like this.

I can see this "spot" on mine but mainly when the set is turned off. I haven't really noticed it while watching anything dark or light. It may depend on your viewing distance and angle. Also If you haven't done so already you should turn the brightness and contrast down from the factory settings. Like most tv's this one comes with things turned up way too high which can cause all kinds of problems including shortened bulb life. Others have posted settings to try.

My 57" Epson RP LCD has an area in the center that stands out from the rest of the screen too so I think that it is just the nature of this type of technology to have something like this.

I have my settings posted earlier in this thread using the DVE disc. I agree you have to turn down the settings.

I stopped by the local Best Buy today and examined their RPTVs much more closely than I had in the past. I checked out a couple of rear projection Sony LCD units as well as a couple of Samsung DLP sets. It seems that they all had a similar effect, but the larger the TV was, the less pronounced it was. My room at home is much brighter than Best Buy, too, so that is probably making the effect worse for me. Well, If that's the way it is, then I can live with it. I also have the HD Digital Video Essentials disc at home. I'll run that through and calibrate my set. I am sure that my settings will be similar to the ones listed earlier, but my room lighting and source may change it slightly. Thanks for the help everyone!

Jim

I stopped by the local Best Buy today and examined their RPTVs much more closely than I had in the past. I checked out a couple of rear projection Sony LCD units as well as a couple of Samsung DLP sets. It seems that they all had a similar effect, but the larger the TV was, the less pronounced it was. My room at home is much brighter than Best Buy, too, so that is probably making the effect worse for me. Well, If that's the way it is, then I can live with it. I also have the HD Digital Video Essentials disc at home. I'll run that through and calibrate my set. I am sure that my settings will be similar to the ones listed earlier, but my room lighting and source may change it slightly. Thanks for the help everyone!

Jim

I only used the SD side of the DVE disc. Let me know the settings you get with the HD side.

Well, I didn't get a chance to hook up my HD-DVD player to this set last night, but I did use it for a little while with the Nintendo Wii. While using that particular device, it goes from all black to all white frequently as you are transitioning from one thing to another. The light spot became more and more annoying as I used the Wii. Argh!! In any case, I am thinking about returning it, but I have tried to do some research on other 37" tvs that would fit my space, and their problems seem even worse! Why can't these large companies make nearly perfect TVs, dang it! *sigh*

Anyway, I'll try to get my Toshiba HD-A2 player hooked up tonight and give it the run through with DVE. I know that I can't remove the internal reflection from the lights in my room, but at least I'll feel better knowing it's calibrated otherwise.

I did buy it at Best Buy, so I have a couple of weeks to decide if it's something I can live with...

(mumbling to myself: TVs aren't perfect, TVs aren't perfect ) :-/

I would say you probably have a bad unit and you should return it for a replacement. But given that you had to special order it then that make a simple exchange more difficult. What you really need to do is see how a "good" unit behaves to verify that this one is defective.

Ok, I didn't hook up the HD-DVD player yet, but I just used the SD version of Digital Video Essentials, and here is what I came up with:

Advanced Iris: Auto 2
(Auto 1 seemed to change the pic shading too dramatically and was a little slow, as well, this is personal preference...)

Picture: 85
Brightness: 46
(I have a pretty bright room, so this didn't go down too much)

Color: 51
Hue: Center
Temperature: Neutral
(The color seemed pretty dead on! I could shift the hue to Red and make it come out perfect with R1, but then the Green would be farther off, or if I shifted the hue to G5 the green would be perfect and the blue and red would both be off. I chose to leave the hue in the middle as it was pretty darn close anyway. This is one of the best sets I have seen as far as not having a huge amount of red push and being pretty calibrated out of the box.)

Sharpness: 28
(Really, I could have left it at 0, and probably should have to make images seem more film like, but right around 27,28,29ish range, there was just a hint of sharpening that made the test pattern stand out a bit and made text more clear.)

Advanced Menu:
Enhanced Black Level: Low
Noise Reduction: Low
The other stuff to off...
(I liked having the system turn just the darker colors down just a bit. Again, this one is personal preference. It seemed that messing with the contrast and brightness didn't have quite the right effect on the producing a good contrast between darks and lights while the Enhanced Black Level did. Anyway, it may depend on your room lighting.)



Ok, so that's my set. And, of course, I have been complaining about the slightly lighter area in the middle of my set... Well, I went to Best Buy AGAIN yesterday, and noticed it on all of the RP tvs that were 55" and smaller. It seems that it must be from external lighting in the room or perhaps the way the screen is made. Now, you can see from my settings that I am a super picky person when it comes to video, so it's possible that others may never even notice it. You really can't see it unless the scene is virtually black, or virtually white, anyway. Well, those are my settings and experiences thus far. Later all!

Jim

Do you spend a lot of time looking at the sun? :cool:

I try to. Especially at lunch time... That way when I come back in the building and can't read my computer monitor, I get a break before my eye-site returns. *laugh*

Hey guys. I am thinking about replacing my Samsung LNT-3253h LCD to either Sony KDF-37H1000 or Samsung HL-T4675S DLP. I just couldn't tolerate the response time for my xbox360. Could you guys tell me if these two TV's have a fast response time and if they are good for gaming? I would really appreciate your response. Thanks!

I haven't tried this unit with my 360 yet, but I am guessing it will be much better than a DLP set for video gaming. There is a "Game" setting in the menu on a per input basis. I have played Halo2 on the 42" version of this set, and there was no perceivable lag on it. In my opinion, the DLP sets aren't good for fast gaming, as the color wheel / rainbow effect become very apparent and nothing seems to flow well. Anyway, my recommendation would be to stick with the Sony...

I haven't tried this unit with my 360 yet, but I am guessing it will be much better than a DLP set for video gaming. There is a "Game" setting in the menu on a per input basis. I have played Halo2 on the 42" version of this set, and there was no perceivable lag on it. In my opinion, the DLP sets aren't good for fast gaming, as the color wheel / rainbow effect become very apparent and nothing seems to flow well. Anyway, my recommendation would be to stick with the Sony...

The Sony one is a LCD rear projection right? Shouldn't it have the same response time or Lag as a LCD tv?

Yes, the Sony 37H1000 is a rear projection screen. I think the lag time is typically less on RP LCD units than flat panel units. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, I think the small chips respond faster to input than the huge LCD panels. This is a guess, but you usually don't see much smearing on RP sets or projectors. Many LCD flat panels have smearing / blurring problems. Second, most sets at 37" or smaller are actually 768p, and not a true 720p. That means no single input comes into the flat panel at its native resolution, and it takes some amount of time to scale it. The 360 outputs at 1280x720, and not 1366x768 unless you use the vga cable. You could buy a 1080p flat panel, but then the lag will come from the 360 or other device doing the scaling instead of the TV. I really prefer to use my 360 at a true 720p output because of the lag issue. This Sony TV is a true 720p display, so no extra time is needed for scaling in the set or in the console. Hope this helps...

Jim

I am glad I found this thread. I recently had to downsize my hometheater due to a move and sold my 65" Mits RPTV. Needless to say I miss it, as I have an HDDVD player and Xbox 360 that I can't use in any mode accept 480i.
For the next year or so I will be limited to the space in my entertainment center....35.4". I want to get the biggest TV I can get in there, and so far the only 37" HDTV I can find is KDF-37H1000. It looks like a quality TV but I like to have options. I have done quite a bit of searching but thought maybe someone on this board had come across another TV that might work. I will be using it for movies/xbox as well as everyday TV watching.
One other question that someone might have insight on: if I buy this TV it will fit by MAYBE 1/16" per side. Anyone think this might cause any adverse effects as far as heating goes? The back of the TV would be open to the wall. Thanks

I am glad I found this thread. I recently had to downsize my hometheater due to a move and sold my 65" Mits RPTV. Needless to say I miss it, as I have an HDDVD player and Xbox 360 that I can't use in any mode accept 480i.
For the next year or so I will be limited to the space in my entertainment center....35.4". I want to get the biggest TV I can get in there, and so far the only 37" HDTV I can find is KDF-37H1000. It looks like a quality TV but I like to have options. I have done quite a bit of searching but thought maybe someone on this board had come across another TV that might work. I will be using it for movies/xbox as well as everyday TV watching.
One other question that someone might have insight on: if I buy this TV it will fit by MAYBE 1/16" per side. Anyone think this might cause any adverse effects as far as heating goes? The back of the TV would be open to the wall. Thanks

This is the only set I could find under 35 3/4 inches with a 37 inch screen. Sony seems to have the monopoly so far.

Ok, I didn't hook up the HD-DVD player yet, but I just used the SD version of Digital Video Essentials, and here is what I came up with:

Advanced Iris: Auto 2
(Auto 1 seemed to change the pic shading too dramatically and was a little slow, as well, this is personal preference...)

Picture: 85
Brightness: 46
(I have a pretty bright room, so this didn't go down too much)

Color: 51
Hue: Center
Temperature: Neutral
(The color seemed pretty dead on! I could shift the hue to Red and make it come out perfect with R1, but then the Green would be farther off, or if I shifted the hue to G5 the green would be perfect and the blue and red would both be off. I chose to leave the hue in the middle as it was pretty darn close anyway. This is one of the best sets I have seen as far as not having a huge amount of red push and being pretty calibrated out of the box.)

Sharpness: 28
(Really, I could have left it at 0, and probably should have to make images seem more film like, but right around 27,28,29ish range, there was just a hint of sharpening that made the test pattern stand out a bit and made text more clear.)

Advanced Menu:
Enhanced Black Level: Low
Noise Reduction: Low
The other stuff to off...
(I liked having the system turn just the darker colors down just a bit. Again, this one is personal preference. It seemed that messing with the contrast and brightness didn't have quite the right effect on the producing a good contrast between darks and lights while the Enhanced Black Level did. Anyway, it may depend on your room lighting.)



Ok, so that's my set. And, of course, I have been complaining about the slightly lighter area in the middle of my set... Well, I went to Best Buy AGAIN yesterday, and noticed it on all of the RP tvs that were 55" and smaller. It seems that it must be from external lighting in the room or perhaps the way the screen is made. Now, you can see from my settings that I am a super picky person when it comes to video, so it's possible that others may never even notice it. You really can't see it unless the scene is virtually black, or virtually white, anyway. Well, those are my settings and experiences thus far. Later all!

Jim

I used your Auto 2, Sharpness and Enhanced black Level setting. Thanks!

I stuffed mine into a cabinet with very little ventilation. Sometimes I try to check it to see if it's getting too hot, but it seems to be ok. I did buy the Best Buy warranty, figuring it would fry it's bulb or something else faster than normal as a precaution. Anyway, it'll probably be ok, but an extended warranty might save you some grief down the line. Btw, do you have an option to have a hole of some kind in the back or your cabinet? Any extra space for the heat to escape would help. Oh, and there is a high altitude mode that makes the internal fan run faster. You could probably use that setting, as well. Couldn't hurt, anyway. Later...

Yes, the back of the entertainment center is cardboard with the wood finish on it. I already cut part of the bottom off for the 32" SDTV I have in there. I could just about cut a hole the height of the TV and have the back all the way open to the wall. Hopefully it would be ok.
Another question: anyone use an xbox 360 or PS3 with this TV? How does it do, any noticable lag? Thanks again

Can some more folks that used Avia and DVE post their settings?

Also, looking over at the the Official Sony E2000 series thread, I wonder if their settings would copy to the 37" (it is the next set up on the Sony site).

Anyone? I get the feeling everyone returned their sets....;)

Ive been thinking about getting this tv. I mostly watch SD channels and im wondering how the PQ will be on SD channels.

I was looking for a cheaper model lcd flat panel but after buying a 37" vizio and a 32" westinghouse i dont think its going to work with the poor PQ on SD channels. After looking at more expensive lcds i am thinking this is still going to be an issue so i have been researching this tv.

i have a one bedroom condo with a small living room so 37" would be ideal for my situation. i have a 27" sony trinitron tube tv right now and i want to replace it.

Peter,

You have to consider that even HT geeks are going to spend less time tweaking/obsessing over a smaller, less expensive set.

Even if I bought the 37" set, I wouldn't be that worried about settings (unlike my 1080p baby).

Otherwise, this thread would probably be a lot longer.

Anyone? I get the feeling everyone returned their sets....;)

This certainly isn't the most popular set on AVS. Not because it isn't a good set, but because it is more of a niche product. I actually just ordered one yesterday and it should be here Monday. I ordered this set for a few reasons... first my 13 year old 31" tube appears to be going on the fritz and I need a new set very soon. I can't afford to spend the money right now on my 'ultimate' HD set so this is a relatively affordable stop-gap set that allows me to get on the HD bandwagon cheap. It also means I can wait another year or so for the RPTV and Plasma tech to mature/reduce in price before I spend the big bucks. Finally when I do upgrade to a bigger set, this set will fit perfectly in a piece of bedroom furniture. I'm not the type that will spend the money to upgrade every year or so, so this was the best path for me at this time. The reason it is more of a niche product is because for the price I could have gotten a larger set. But the larger set will be too big for the bedroom. I looked at 37" LCD but again, just slightly too big to fit the bedroom. For the time being Sony has a lock on this small segment. Over the long term it may not be the best choice as bulb replacements might equal half or more of the cost of the set when new. So I think this is more of a niche product.

I think the image quality, at least to me, is more pleasing to the eye than LCD of the same size, and this set is cheaper. I think SD will look just fine on this set.

I mostly watch SD channels and im wondering how the PQ will be on SD channels.

I have been extremely happy with SD and DVD on this set.

As many others have noted, it's not the ultimate HDTV, but it does fit in places that others don't and it won't break the bank.

SD off of our S1 DirecTiVo looks good in "Normal" and just okay in "Zoom" (for watching letter boxed OTA full size.

We also have both HD DVD and BluRay (HD-A2 / 60gb PS3 bought at the same time as the tv, WITH spouse approval because it still came in well under our budget.) and both look amazing. Planet Earth is jaw dropping even at 720p and up-converted SD DVD's look great!

I have the HD DVD version of DVE, but have yet to run it all the way through. Perhaps I'll put that on the weekend to do list...

My 12+ year old 31" Toshiba was going on the fritz and I needed a quick and cheap replacement. I had been looking at this set for the bedroom, but decided it will have to do duty in the living room for now so I can get rid of the old set. I still have the original receipt. I paid $1230 for this set over 12 years ago. Adjusting for inflation that is $1680 in today's dollars. I bought the new Sony for just over half that price. So while it seems these sets are expensive, in comparison it was a bargain!

Well my 37H1000 arrived today. It wasn't scheduled to arrive until Monday so I'm not complaining. I ordered this set Tuesday night from 1-call (Spokane WA) and it arrived in Houston 3 days later. Double boxed and the set was in perfect condition. The only issue is that Sony failed to include the users manual. A quick call to One Call and they are fixing that. I will definitely make future purchases through 1-call!

I also bought some cables from Monoprice that night. They came today as well. 2 HDMI, 1 S-video, 3 TosLinks, and 1 15' USB shipped for under 33 bucks! These are nice cables too. So for less than the cost of an HDMI cable at a B&M I'm all set. I will NEVER buy a cable anywhere else. Cheap, fast, and quality.... can't beat it.

Earlier Tuesday night I dropped by Fry's and picked up a Sony DVPNS77H for 80 bucks. For now a 1080P up-converting DVD player will do until the HD stuff settles down, and I'm trying to do this cheap. Plus it support BRAVIA TheaterSync so I thought I'd give that a try.

The FedEx guy was kind enough to help me get the 140 pound Toshiba off the TV stand. I offered to give it to him but he didn't want it. The new set is only 40 pounds and can be easily handled by one person. A few quick cable connections (DVD player via HDMI and my DirecTivo via S-video, best it has) and the set was up and running. After doing some rudimentary adjustments the picture looked great. Now this is only 720p but being only 37" it handles it well. The SD picture coming from the DirecTivo via S-video is sharp and clear. I was pleasantly surprised. DVD's via HDMI look great. Had to adjust the DVD output down to 720p to get the best picture. I haven't begun to adjust the picture settings and I'm not very experienced at doing that. I've put it in Standard mode and turned down the brightness a bit and I can't really complain. Very happy with this set. The sound is pretty good too. There is a synthetic surround sound feature which works nicely, but not like true surround of course. That is for later when I have more disposable income.

The TheatherSync is kind of neat. With a DVD loaded in the player, even if it is off, just hitting "play" will power up the DVD player, switch the set to HDMI1 and you are ready to enjoy. Slick... it means a few less movements of my thumb which maximizes my couch potato experience. :p

My ChannelMaster is on back order so it will be awhile until I can get some OTA HD but for less than 1 grand including cables, DVD player, and antenna I'm a happy camper. Compared to what I spent 12 years ago it is even more of a bargain.

This set may not be for everyone, but in my instance it was a perfect match for my needs. If I can figure out how to post some pictures I will.

One thing I've noticed is that I can hear the fan even sitting 14 feet away. Now I can't hear it with the volume at any decent level, but if I pause my Tivo I can hear a low humming sound. Not really annoying but I figured the fan would not be that loud. I also have the set in a niche and that might be amplifying the fan noise. Not sure. This might be an issue if I move this set one day to the bedroom. Set still looks great though.

I've had this TV for about a month and love it so far. With the settings, I have a copy of AVIA handy, but after doing a THX set-up, I realized I'd rather tinker with it myself (which I did during a viewing of Batman Begins).

I kind of wonder why it features a 1080p mode when it's native resolution is 720? But I use it with my PS3 a lot and have experienced no noticeable lag. Blu-ray movies look fantastic and it picks up a handful of HD channels from my cable coming straight from the wall. I'm not thrilled about replacing the bulb down the line, but at or around that time I'll be in the market for a much bigger TV anyway.

Does anyone know why this set is no longer available at Best Buy? Circuit City has it but it is gone from the BB web site (and presumably their stores, too).
Thanks

Does anyone know why this set is no longer available at Best Buy?

BB is getting out of RPs as fast as they can, going to flat-panels that offer more profit and less after-market service obligations.

BB is getting out of RPs as fast as they can, going to flat-panels that offer more profit and less after-market service obligations.

Is this your opinion or do you have an inside source?

Does anyone know why this set is no longer available at Best Buy?

They had one on display at a Best Buy in Tampa when I was in there this morning.

Is this your opinion or do you have an inside source?

There's been several threads recently. Multiple reports from various posters looking at various stores, plus some employees. Future Shop and CC ditto. In addition there have been several on-line articles on CNET, Sound and Vision, Display Daily and HDTV Expert.

The last time I was in my local BB and FS here in Ottawa, a few weeks ago, there were maybe 4 RPs compared to a couple of dozen FPs, so I believe it. Interestingly, my store, a smaller high-end AV outlet, has a lot of RPs including the first JVC 998 model I've ever seen, so there's still some interest.

I bought a KDF-37H1000 this week. The retailer I bought it from said the model has been discontinued (they had one left). I did manage to get a very sharp price as a result. As to the TV itself, it does exactly what it was marketed for - it fits perfectly in our entertainment center that previosly held a 32 inch CRT (my overiding selection criterion). PQ is just OK for 480i and pretty good for HD OTA. I have now decided to go for the HD package with DTV so hopefully a lot of our viewing henceforth will be HD. This set compliments our Sony KDA-60A2020 1080p set which serves as our home theater. The A2020 is a much better set for both SD and HD programs but since it is in the basement, the 37H1000 will get most of the watching (family room).
Mark

FYI guys/gals, I just picked on of these sony's up at BB yesturday. they are on clearance (well, some stores had them on clearance and some didnt), so i called and they put one on clearance for me since the other stores were blowing them out. not sure if i can list the price but figured i would post it in case some of you just picked them up at CC or even BB and payed full price. not sure if they have "price protection" or something, but i will say it would be worth your time to check into it.. yes, i got it for "THAT" cheap. let me know if i can post details and i will. havent hooked it up yet cause i'm waiting for some help on getting the 250lb monster 35" GE out of the armoire. i think for those of us with a tv cabinet/armoire, this is about the best option considering price and picture.. but time will tell. Bill

This is a really nice tv! I just picked it up at BB for REALLY CHEAP!! Did I say REALLY CHEAP? This tv is very light and hooked it up via HDMI to my cable box and it looks fantastic! Still need to tweak the settings. It was really late when I got home. I had to travel over an hour to get this set. It appears it is worth it so far. Thanks everyone!!

It appears Sony is replacing this model with a flat panel LCD "M" series with pretty much the exact measurements. It is Sony's first 37" LCD and it is being marketed just as this set was to fit where a 32" tube set fits. It is hard to find right now, but Amazon and Crutchfield have it. Sony must be abandoning the small RPTV market.

This must be why there are some deals out there on this RP set (I am looking myself right now).

Here is a link:

KDL37M3000 at Sony Style Canada (http://www.sonystyle.ca/commerce/servlet/ProductDetailDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=10001&productId=1004261&navigationPath=32050n100188)

Or if you want a smaller XBR4 for the same price:

KDL32XBR4 at Sony Style Canada (http://www.sonystyle.ca/commerce/servlet/ProductDetailDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=10001&productId=1003860&navigationPath=32050n100188)

OK so here's the question: it now seems there are at least 6 LCD flat panels that fit where this tv does. Four 37"ers and the Toshiba 40" set.

Two of these are 1080P and the rest are 768, doesn't matter to me.

If you had it to do over, would you go to flat panel for the same price (Vizio), pay $100 more for Samung, $200 more for Toshiba, $300 more for JVC 1080P or $1000 more for the Toshiba 1080 40"er?

That Tosh 40 inch slim bezel is awesome but even on sale it was twice what I paid for the sony RP and so far I'm fine with the Sony. Saved enough to buy a PS3, HDMI cables and still saved $400 over what that Tosh would have cost. If money were no issue, I would have gone for the Tosh but only for the extra 3 inches in screen size.

I only have a cheap rca connection right now. Can any of you experts tell me what kind of improvement in PQ I might expect when my HDMI cable is hooked up? Right now on 4:3 broadcasts I see the "white line of ants" at the top which I can only get rid of if I Zoom the picture. My undeerstanding is this is broadcast material - possibly closed caption info and is not the tv. It's annoying nonetheless. Possible HDMI will help with this issue? I love the HD PQ and SD is decent - probably better than most flat panel LCD's but of course doesn't match the CRT this tv replaced. Sound is awesome. I cannot do a HT in my bedroom.

I only have a cheap rca connection right now. Can any of you experts tell me what kind of improvement in PQ I might expect when my HDMI cable is hooked up? Right now on 4:3 broadcasts I see the "white line of ants" at the top which I can only get rid of if I Zoom the picture. My undeerstanding is this is broadcast material - possibly closed caption info and is not the tv. It's annoying nonetheless. Possible HDMI will help with this issue? I love the HD PQ and SD is decent - probably better than most flat panel LCD's but of course doesn't match the CRT this tv replaced. Sound is awesome. I cannot do a HT in my bedroom.

Read the manual. That "white line of ants" is actually quite easy to get rid of in the settings on the TV (under "Screen" in the menus)- you can either stretch the screen slightly vertically, or you can enlarge the whole screen by one or two clicks. Either creates overscan which puts the data line outside of the viewable area. There is more than one way to accomplish that. One of the great things about this set over many others.

OK, so I got a great deal and bought this over the flat panels. The main reason was SD picture quality. After calibration, this is as good as any fixed pixel display is ever going to get with regular cable, etc. I tried a Samsung from Costco and the SD was absolutely unwatchable. So I went to Circuit City and asked to see the various sets with regualr TV and they were able to do that for me. It was no contest between this set and the FPs.

I only have a cheap rca connection right now. Can any of you experts tell me what kind of improvement in PQ I might expect when my HDMI cable is hooked up? Right now on 4:3 broadcasts I see the "white line of ants" at the top which I can only get rid of if I Zoom the picture. My undeerstanding is this is broadcast material - possibly closed caption info and is not the tv. It's annoying nonetheless. Possible HDMI will help with this issue? I love the HD PQ and SD is decent - probably better than most flat panel LCD's but of course doesn't match the CRT this tv replaced. Sound is awesome. I cannot do a HT in my bedroom.

By the way, when you say cheap RCA, do you mean component cables (RGB)? If anything other than that or HDMI, you are not getting HD. And, please don't take that the wrong way. I was reading a thread today and someone asked why their HD looked so bad and they had their HD cable boxs connected via coax on ch.3 and thought they were getting HD.

Ok, I'm a noob. I am using the rca yellow,red,white cable but the HD pic looks fantastic. I have another HDTV that does have the component cable and the PQ to me looks the same or maybe even slightly worse than this set with the rca cable.Are you saying it will look that much better with component or HDMI? Oh, and I DO know about stretching the pic. I did it and the artifact line just moved up too. It does it only on analogue programs tuned into HD channels - i.e. I was watching ESPN 2 HD and they had billiards. - Side bars on the screen and top and bottom. THere was an artifact line but on ESPN HD - monday night football - no line because it was digital on a HD channel.

Ok, I'm a noob. I am using the rca yellow,red,white cable but the HD pic looks fantastic. I have another HDTV that does have the component cable and the PQ to me looks the same or maybe even slightly worse than this set with the rca cable.Are you saying it will look that much better with component or HDMI? Oh, and I DO know about stretching the pic. I did it and the artifact line just moved up too. It does it only on analogue programs tuned into HD channels - i.e. I was watching ESPN 2 HD and they had billiards. - Side bars on the screen and top and bottom. THere was an artifact line but on ESPN HD - monday night football - no line because it was digital on a HD channel.

You are definitely not watching HD if you are using the yellow, red and white cables plugged into the yellow, red and white jacks on the TV. Only the component, DVI or HDMI connections are capable of carrying an HD signal. You also would never have the white lines on an HD source unless it is being downrezzed to standard definition. You also need to make sure that you cable box or sat box is set to output 1080i or 720p and not 480i or 480p. Realize that no matter what it is set for, though, the cable boxes or sat boxes always downconvert the signal to 480i over the yellow connector. Try this and see just how much better the picture can look.

Try this: plug the yellow, red and white cables into the green, blue and red outputs on your cable or sat box (use yellow to green, white to blue and red to red to make it easy), then plug the other end of the cable into the component inputs of the TV (use the same color matchups as above). Then tune the TV to that input and make sure the cable or sat box is set for 1080i or 720p output. You won't have any sound at that point, but you'll see just how good high def SHOULD look.

I just picked mine up at Circuit city yesterday. Xbox 360 look great. I am so happy.

Since this is a discontinued product I don't think it would be a big deal for people to list what type of prices they are getting. Anyone care to share?

A couple of local stores are selling these for $799.

I went to BB a few weeks ago when I heard this set was de-listed.

They told me there were no more being made or shipped, but the price was still $900.

F-that...

I got it for 799 at circuit city, plus 10% off for in store pickup

I just picked mine up at Circuit city yesterday. Xbox 360 look great. I am so happy.

That's good to hear. My family just bought my Grandmother this set for Christmas. Got a pretty good deal on it and it looks like it produces a good picture (from what I saw in the store).

Since they are discontinued I paid $404 for my set at BB. I have had this tv for a few weeks now and its great!

Un-frickin'-believeable...why is my BB still $900?

Since they are discontinued I paid $404 for my set at BB. I have had this tv for a few weeks now and its great!

Please tell me you paid $404 for a floor model, because that is an insane steal.

One of my co-workers has the same 32" furniture issue + kids, and the more we talked about it, rear projection made more sense than any flat panel. Keep the expensive bits tucked behind the screen out of harm's way.

Please tell me you paid $404 for a floor model, because that is an insane steal.

One of my co-workers has the same 32" furniture issue + kids, and the more we talked about it, rear projection made more sense than any flat panel. Keep the expensive bits tucked behind the screen out of harm's way.

No I am not kidding! I could scan the receipt if you would like.:D I really like the set so far. It was the last one in the box too! The floor model was still on the floor. What was odd was the floor model didn't have a price on it or a tag of any sort.

I just found out on another website is was on clearance. I found a BB that was quite a distance but saved me a ton of money. The HH Gregg ad just advertised this set for 799.:eek:

Can some owners of this set comment on this thread?

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=959038&highlight=KDF-37H1000

I am interestead in the answer.

Thanks

Jordan

I picked this up at Best Buy for $540 and I'm really happy with it, especially for the price I paid. Great HD quality, good SD quality, and all the inputs I need and its the perfect size for my bedroom.

I picked this up at Best Buy for $540 and I'm really happy with it, especially for the price I paid. Great HD quality, good SD quality, and all the inputs I need and its the perfect size for my bedroom.

Damn, I paid $360 more than you just 3 months ago! Can't say I'm disappointed at all though; I love it so far. Did you snag the BB extended service plan? I figured it was worth it given that includes a bulb replacement, which effectively means it will it pay for itself within the next four years.

Can some owners of this set comment on this thread?

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=959038&highlight=KDF-37H1000

I am interestead in the answer.

Thanks

Jordan

One can easily change from the factory defauly grey side bar color to black in the TV menu.

Paid $849 minus about $500 in Sony Reward Points. So I paid about $350 + tax when said and done. Wish I could have found some of those clearance models. Nice catch!

FYI, I have found out (somewhat accidentily) that this TV supports 24 frames per second for HD movies. I have a Samsung 1200 Blu-ray player that I was planning to bring to my condo but instead hooked it up to our KDF37H1000 and discovered that I was able to select the 24 fps option in the 1200's menu and in fact it shows that the movie is playing in 1080P/24 fps when I hit Display on the TV remote. I have two other HDTV's and this is the only one that supports 24 fps. Thought you'd like to know that...

I saw this set at H.H. Gregg on sale for $799. My only concern is how long will Sony make replacement bulbs for it?

Think I read that Sony has a new repacement ('08 model) for the 37H1000...anyone else heard that?

But this set didn't seem to sell well and no one seems to be carrying anything like this anymore.

Hope the new model is 1080p and is the same size (only reason most people want unit to begin with).

If I bought this set to replace a 32 inch Sony SD KDFS170, do you think I would notice a big difference in picture quality? Enough to justify paying $799 for this set?

I got this model yesterday for $720 ($799-10% for the floor model). It was a vast improvement from the 27" 1080i CRT that it replaced, but I'm thinking about returning it, and here's why.....

I got it at Sears, and was worried about having to get a replacement bulb for a RPLCD, and the sales guy told me that it would be covered under the service plan. Knowing full well that the replacement bulbs are currently $200, and sure to go higher, buying the 5 year plan for $289 seemed like a pretty good deal if I ever need to get even a single bulb replaced in 5 years.

What I didn't put together right then was that I spent $1k plus on the 37" TV that doesn't do 720p, and that I'll never be able to hang on the wall should I ever want to.

For only $200 or so more (still in a brick and mortar store), I could get a TV a bit bigger (40-42"), with 1080p resolution, that's wall mountable.

My question is, technically, how does the picture quality of this set compare to the picture quality of a flat panel LCD? I've got 29 days to return this no questions asked......

mattty, I think you'd get much better PQ out of an LCD flat panel. I was seriously considering this tv and I think Sony's focus was really about form factor (a tv that could replace all the tube tvs out there and still fit on the same stand) than picture quality. This TV suffers the same woes the 42" lcd projections have.

I'd also return it if I were you. Now if you got it for $499 or something that would be compelling enough to keep it.

mattty, I think you'd get much better PQ out of an LCD flat panel. I was seriously considering this tv and I think Sony's focus was really about form factor (a tv that could replace all the tube tvs out there and still fit on the same stand) than picture quality.

+1

This TV is about fitting in a space first. That said, for me the price was right, it fit in the space I have and it's a HUGE improvement over my old SD set.

even a 42" 1080p Vizio? I haven't been able to find any definitive specs on this TV (response time, contrast ratio.....). Will the 42" inch "inexpensive' flat panel have a better PQ?

I've decided to wait for the 37" XBR6 LCD coming out late spring or summer. 1080P with all the latest processing and the XBR picture quality, black levels etc. Sounds like it should be well under $2000. It has a nice new simple style as well. Someday it could be a good second TV but might be a little large for that depending on the room.

If I don't wait, I might pick up the 32" XBR4 LCD. Only 720P but again would someday make a nice 2nd TV for a smaller room.

I think the ultra black, thin, energy efficient plasmas coming out in 2009/2010 or the slim LED backlit LCDs with Dolby Contrast maybe coming out in the same timeframe will make a great primary TV.

Well, fate came knocking for me yesterday. I found this same model at my local CC last night for $250 less than what I already paid at Sears. I'm taking the one back to Sears this week, and going to be happy with my $450 37" TV for the remainder of the 4 year service plan I got with CC. CC claims that you can get up to 2 replacement lamps "whether you need them or not" over the course of the 4 years. Can anyone confirm or deny this? This sounds too good to be true, as I can just order 2 now and have them for right when I need them.

Well I just bought this tv from hhgregg for $699+tax and I'm happy with it but apparently if I can find it somewhere else (brick and mortor) for less than I'll have to go that route. Thanks for the price listings. I went to all those store first before hhgregg but I was looking at 37" flat panel lcds.

I like the Tv, just hope I can find it for less, so then I can get the warranty for bulb replacement.

Is there any evidence that the XBR6 line will have a 37" rear-projected 3LCD set like the 37H1000?

The only reason most people want this set is because it will fit in most 32" spec entertainment centers.

Unless Sony is planning a 1080p version of the 37H1000, it won't help most readers of this thread.

Hmmm... reading through this thread makes me a bit upset about how I got my tv.

I got this TV off of craigslist used. I talked to the guy (who owns a tv repair business) and he said it was shipped to best buy w/ a broken mirror. He bought it and sold to me for 450$ WITH A SCRATCHED LENSE. He's since replaced the lens (for an additional 25$) and I'm on my way. (it still had all the BB stickers on it and a brand new bulb... I'm sure it had never been used before... but no warranties. :/ )

anyhow
Like everyone else I bought the tv because it fit the room and I couldn't justify spending that much more money for a flat/plasma for the wall at this size.

I'm now looking to hook it up to an HTPC and I can't find out if it's HDCP complient. Some websites sell it as a HDCP Tv but we all know those marketing people know jack crap about the hardware they sell. I've searched the manual but can't find anything about it. Maybe someone could enlighten me. :)

Also, on a good note. Before while buying I was only looking for 720p and understood I was buying a 720p Tv but today looking at the manual it says this tv supports 1080p using HDMI cables. Could this be true? Is it real??? Am I mistaken here?

Thanks for reading. I know it was a long post.

Is there any evidence that the XBR6 line will have a 37" rear-projected 3LCD set like the 37H1000?

The only reason most people want this set is because it will fit in most 32" spec entertainment centers.

Unless Sony is planning a 1080p version of the 37H1000, it won't help most readers of this thread.

This is what I'm confused about.

The manual says w/ hdmi it supports 1080p.

It will probably accept 1080 but downconvert to 720. That's all it means. It doesn't really matter though. Whatever you hook up to it will be able to output 720.

I don't think HDCP is an issue. I don't think you can buy any Blu-Ray or HD-DVD discs that implement it yet. Plus there are/will be ways around it.

"Luckily rumours suggest the movie studios unofficially agreed to avoid ICT flags on discs until 2010, which is great news for owners of non-HDCP displays and graphics cards."

http://www.computing.co.uk/personal-computer-world/features/2188076/hands-watch-blu-ray-discs-media

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060327-6473.html

These are getting rediculously cheap where I work, I'm thinking the next clearence markdown will take it well under 600 w/ my discount. I still dunno if I want to shell out for a bulb based TV, seems like replacing the bulb every 2 years will be too annoying. Maybe I'll just wait it out and see how low they go. We have 3 or 4 left new in the box, so I have time. Not like anyone's actually buying RPTV's these days it seems.

Do these use a generic sony lamp, or something specific only for this TV? Offhand, how much are the bulbs? I absolutely refuse to buy the protection plans at work.

I don't regret buying mine. I was replacing a dying CRT and wanted something that would eventually go in the bedroom. This was the largest screen that would fit. The picture is very nice, but the fan is a little loud for me. I may try to find a replacement fan someday. I do kind of dread buying a bulb for it. In a few years it might be hard and/or expensive to find one. It uses a Sony bulb, XL2500 I think. Probably in time there will be after market bulbs.

Later this year when I get more cash and 2008 prices have dropped I will get a 52" LCD.

This set still hi on my list...
I've been waiting/putting off buying a new (my first HD) TV for more than a year.
Been leaning towards larger sets lately as they are all "affordable" now...

But, 37" is all I need - especially coming from a 27" CRT.
The price is right - allows me to put more $$ into finishing/tweaking audio end of my very small "HT Room" + go ahead & get upconvert DVD player.
Of everything I've viewed, this set has most consistent SD quality - and there is still plenty of SD viewing in my home.
After another year or so, this set would be good size for main living area when I finally jump to flatpanel/larger display for "HT room" & may have made the jump to BluRay...

I may as well go ahead & commit to this set - makes sense for me in many ways:)
Local HHGregg has at good price & maybe can get them to deal even more:cool:

I know I can look it up - but what is the life expectancy for the lamp in this set???

We marked it down to like 459 bucks at work. Still have 3 or 4 left, but i don't even know if it's worth it at that price. I'll buy one if we still have some left in 30 days.

We marked it down to like 459 bucks at work. Still have 3 or 4 left, but i don't even know if it's worth it at that price. I'll buy one if we still have some left in 30 days.

OK - so where do you work?;)

yeah, How could you leave "where" out of your post

It's seriously YMMV, I work at sears, and the clearance markdown price is 699. The system was automatically taking 30% off of clearance prices when we assign it to the "991 table" so the TV's were marked down to like 489 i believe. I'm doubting many other stores will have the same price. Company wide, they tend to let clearance sit forever, instead of marking it down like most places do. We're a smaller store and swimming in old inventory, so we had to be aggressive.

Think I may have to stroll to my local Sears, just in case...:cool:

You can get sharp and vibrant picture quality with this model. The Bravia Engine and Bravia Theater control the entire home cinema.

Anyone know the remote code sequence to get at the bulb hours for this set? I'b like to check my 1.5 year old set which gets the bulk of our TV viewing. TIA.

Anyone know the remote code sequence to get at the bulb hours for this set? I'b like to check my 1.5 year old set which gets the bulk of our TV viewing. TIA.

This set is similar to the "E" series rp sets. You may want to seach in those threads.

I can't recall if these screens give bulb hours but you can try...

With the set OFF... Display > 5 > Vol Up > Pwr ON will get you the service menu (caution!!!!!)

With the set OFF... Display > 5 > Vol Dn > Pwr ON will get you a self test page. May want to try this first.

Thanks Speedy. I'll give these a try.

I just wanted to let everybody know that, on 10/23/2009, Sony issued warranty extension alerts for all of their 2007 rear-projection TVs. Now, every Sony rear-projection model ever produced (2003-2007) has been the subject of a warranty extension, a class-action lawsuit, or both. See my informational web site for links and additional information:
http://sites.google.com/site/sonylcdrptvproblems/

This also reveals a disturbing, but perhaps not surprising, reality related to the class-action lawsuit Sony settled for the 2005 SXRD models. The "Opinion and Order" in that settlement stated on page 4 that Sony had fully resolved the yellow stain issue by September 2006, and that no TVs or replacement optical blocks manufactured after that date should have problems with green or yellow discolorations. Yet, I have emails from owners with SXRD models manufactured in 2007 that got the yellow stains, and this latest warranty extension suggests that it is another widespread problem.

The newly covered TVs are:
KDS-50A2020 (KDS-50AL120)
KDS-55A2020 (KDS-55AL120)
KDS-60A2020 (KDS-60AL120)
KDS-50A3000
KDS-55A3000
KDS-60A3000
KDF-37H1000
KDF-46E3000
KDF-50E3000

IMPORTANT NOTICE

I maintain the informational web site (https://sites.google.com/site/sonylcdrptvproblems/) on Sony optical block and related problems with their 2002-2007 rear projection liquid crystal TVs. Sony had been running an "optical block program" for about 1-1/2 years in which owners of these failed TVs received discounts off newer direct-view LCD TVs in exchange for a legal release. This program was abruptly terminated today, and the "I Have A Defective Sony TV" Facebook page, with tens of thousands of customer posts, was turned off.

If you have a pending settlement with Sony for a failed optical block, you should probably try to resolve it quickly, as it is unknown whether Sony will be offering any future program. There is an alternative Facebook page called "I Still Have a Defective Sony TV (https://www.facebook.com/pages/I-Still-Have-a-Defective-Sony-TV/200792536623139)" that can be used for general discussion/complaints.

I had been noticing for some time the picture getting dimmer on my Sony KDS-37H1000. I was very satisfied with the TV when I purchased it almost 4 years ago and it is about the right size for my room, so I went ahead and ordered a new XL-2500 lamp. I was a bit worried how difficult the owner's manual made it sound to take off the outer and inner door to the lamp compartment. That was actually quite easy. The old lamp also easily pulled right out.
What was difficult was getting the new lamp in securely. I could feel that it was still loose even though the electrical connection on the left was made. Sure enough on the first try the red light on the front of the TV blinked 6 times, meaning the lamp was not seated properly. I tried again and saw that the lamp just needed to be pushed in a bit further. I had to hold the opposite end of the TV to avoid pushing it off of the shelf, and finally got the nerve to give it a good hard shove. It clicked into place.
I am very happy with the results. It is just like a new TV for $80. I just wanted to encourage anyone pondering whether to replace the lamp or get a new TV that it can be done with good results. Just don't be afraid to really push that new lamp in there.