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Sony hx729 - Page 24

post #691 of 714
1/7/13 at 12:13pm
I usually do the whole screen and if I see a swirl that I missed later on, i just buff it off. It took me years to use this screen cleaner. I had it but only used the microfiber cloth slightly dampened in water. Once I saw the Apple Store sold it for my 27" iMac, i took a deep breath and tried it. Give it a try, you can always remove it with a damp, clean microfiber cloth.
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post #692 of 714
1/7/13 at 12:34pm
I got the LCD screen cleaner from BJs (comes with a couple of bottles and a couple of microfiber cloths) and it worked well ~ $20 I think. Costco should also have a similar selection, and they're both cheaper then getting it at Best Buy or Sony. I've only used it once since it's mounted on a wall and my son is too small to reach it.

Monoprice.com also has screen cleaners for a good price. For $60, they have a combo-package that comes with: 200 ml cleaner, microfiber cloth, 2-6' High Speed HDMI cables and Disney WOW calibration Blu-Ray which is a fair deal if you have a need for all of those items. http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=109&cp_id=10902&cs_id=1090201&p_id=9498&seq=1&format=2
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post #693 of 714
1/7/13 at 8:23pm
That's exactly what I will be doing, - taking a deep breath and holding it! wish me luck!

THANKS.
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post #694 of 714
1/11/13 at 11:44am
Monoprice has a product as well... http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=109&cp_id=10902&cs_id=1090201&p_id=5177&seq=1&format=2 and it is only a few bucks with a very high rating 92% with 94 reviews...

All there cleaning products are here: http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=109&cp_id=10902

Edit: I haven't used this one, have used the Monster brand and love it... just saw it recently and the prices is too good not to share...
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post #695 of 714
2/28/13 at 12:08pm
It's been quite a while since anyone posted on this thread, but I'll give it a shot.

I have the choice of buying either an "open box" 55HX929 with full Sony warranty from a reputable e-tailer for $2000 OR a used 55HX729 in excellent condition (less than 1500 panel hours with no anomalies) from a private seller for about $1000. I will use it primarily for cable TV (via TiVo) and DVD/BR movies in 2D only (I have no interest in 3D for now) and will be upgrading from a 46XBR5.

Do any of you have any thoughts on the pros and cons and relative value of these two alternatives? I'm intimately familiar with the characteristics of both models and am just looking for subjective opinions (especially yours, Steve Ans). TIA for your feedback.
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post #696 of 714
2/28/13 at 1:00pm
That's a tough one. Open box could very well mean the floor sample that was on 12 hours a day for a year or a return. It's also 2 X the price but it is the XBR. I have the 55HX729 bought new for $1399 Black Friday 2011 and have been very happy with it. If the seller of the used HX729 will take less...like $750, I might go with that.
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post #697 of 714
2/28/13 at 1:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by steve ans View Post

That's a tough one. Open box could very well mean the floor sample that was on 12 hours a day for a year or a return. It's also 2 X the price but it is the XBR. I have the 55HX729 bought new for $1399 Black Friday 2011 and have been very happy with it. If the seller of the used HX729 will take less...like $750, I might go with that.

Thanks, Steve. Glad to see that you're still lurking!

I presume that the "open box" 55HX929's are customer returns, but they could conceivably be display models as well. Note that, in addition to the full 18-month Sony warranty, the e-tailer also has a 30-day return policy (although I could be subject to a 15% restocking fee unless I can document a significant defect).

In your opinion, $1000 for the used 55HX729 in excellent condition is not a sufficiently good deal to make the move from my 46XBR5?
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post #698 of 714
2/28/13 at 2:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by chi_guy50 View Post

Thanks, Steve. Glad to see that you're still lurking!

I presume that the "open box" 55HX929's are customer returns, but they could conceivably be display models as well. Note that, in addition to the full 18-month Sony warranty, the e-tailer also has a 30-day return policy (although I could be subject to a 15% restocking fee unless I can document a significant defect).

In your opinion, $1000 for the used 55HX729 in excellent condition is not a sufficiently good deal to make the move from my 46XBR5?

biggrin.gif !!!
The KDL-55HX729 averaged a retail of about $1899-2299 from a list of $2699 (sets were definitely more expensive during the 2011 model year) except for the above mentioned Black Friday w/e. I wouldn't feel I was getting a deal unless it was less than $1000. I also wouldn't trust the open box e dealer for the XBR. The HX729 is definitely a step up from the HX750 that came later (no X Reality Pro Engine, frame dimming as opposed to local (edge) dimming). But still, for $499 more you could step down a bit and get a new TV. The BEST TV of the 2012 model year was the HX850 which was suddenly pulled a few months ago. No, I don't think $1000 is a good price for a used TV with 1500 hours. Good luck. Maybe see what other forum members say.
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post #699 of 714
2/28/13 at 2:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by chi_guy50 View Post

It's been quite a while since anyone posted on this thread, but I'll give it a shot.

I have the choice of buying either an "open box" 55HX929 with full Sony warranty from a reputable e-tailer for $2000 OR a used 55HX729 in excellent condition (less than 1500 panel hours with no anomalies) from a private seller for about $1000. I will use it primarily for cable TV (via TiVo) and DVD/BR movies in 2D only (I have no interest in 3D for now) and will be upgrading from a 46XBR5.

Do any of you have any thoughts on the pros and cons and relative value of these two alternatives? I'm intimately familiar with the characteristics of both models and am just looking for subjective opinions (especially yours, Steve Ans). TIA for your feedback.

Used HX729 for $1,000 or Open Box HX929 for $2,000? I vote for neither.

I have had the HX729 for 15 months and I love it. I did a side by side at Sony Style and could see no difference between the picture quality on the the more expensive HX929 versus the HX729. I bought the HX729 for $1,750 + tax. As for performance, the 729 is pretty slow when using the on board menus so I bought a Sony 3D BluRay player that was much faster than the HX729 and I only paid $89 for it at Costco. I use the Blu Ray instead of the native TV apps.

This week, I was hired by a contractor to find a comparable 55" Sony for a client who wanted nothing to do with 3D but did want a Sony. I found the affordable EX640 at Best Buy for $1,299 but discovered this model was no longer available from Sony - in other words - old iron. I called Sony and they recommended the KDL55HX750. The advantage of the HX750 is that it has a newer more user friendly GUI and a faster chip set. The system menus are more tablet like and this TV can be used as a computer monitor via Wifi a feature not found on the older HX729 and HX929. Amazon.com sells the HX750 for $1,498 + tax. Some local Costco's might sell this model, but ours did not offer it.

This boils down to:

1. Open Box HX929 = $2,000
2. Used HX729 = $1,000
3. Clearance model EX640 = $1,299
3. New HX750 = $1,498

Refurbs maybe, open box or used - not a chance. This is a no brainer for me, buy the newer, faster, HX750 at Best Buy or Amazon for $1498 + free shipping. The modest price differential of $200 over the older EX640 is more than worth it to go with the newer model with the faster processor, improved interface and richer wifi app set.
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post #700 of 714
2/28/13 at 3:17pm
Also, if you have a local Best Buy, they will p/u and exchange it at no charge if there's a problem. I vote with Leftcoastdave.
Edited by steve ans - 2/28/13 at 3:29pm
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post #701 of 714
2/28/13 at 3:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by steve ans View Post

biggrin.gif !!!
The KDL-55HX729 averaged a retail of about $1899-2299 from a list of $2699 (sets were definitely more expensive during the 2011 model year) except for the above mentioned Black Friday w/e. I wouldn't feel I was getting a deal unless it was less than $1000. I also wouldn't trust the open box e dealer for the XBR. The HX729 is definitely a step up from the HX750 that came later (no X Reality Pro Engine, frame dimming as opposed to local (edge) dimming). But still, for $499 more you could step down a bit and get a new TV. The BEST TV of the 2012 model year was the HX850 which was suddenly pulled a few months ago. No, I don't think $1000 is a good price for a used TV with 1500 hours. Good luck. Maybe see what other forum members say.

Thanks for that, Steve. I was originally targeting the newer HX850, but it is/was more $$$ than remaining models of the older HX729 and I actually like the styling of the latter better.

I think the HX750 actually represents the best bang for the buck among Sony's 2012 models, but I would not be willing to step down from the X-Reality Pro engine.
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post #702 of 714
2/28/13 at 3:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Leftcoastdave View Post

Used HX729 for $1,000 or Open Box HX929 for $2,000? I vote for neither.

I have had the HX729 for 15 months and I love it. I did a side by side at Sony Style and could see no difference between the picture quality on the the more expensive HX929 versus the HX729. I bought the HX729 for $1,750 + tax. As for performance, the 729 is pretty slow when using the on board menus so I bought a Sony 3D BluRay player that was much faster than the HX729 and I only paid $89 for it at Costco. I use the Blu Ray instead of the native TV apps.

This week, I was hired by a contractor to find a comparable 55" Sony for a client who wanted nothing to do with 3D but did want a Sony. I found the affordable EX640 at Best Buy for $1,299 but discovered this model was no longer available from Sony - in other words - old iron. I called Sony and they recommended the KDL55HX750. The advantage of the HX750 is that it has a newer more user friendly GUI and a faster chip set. The system menus are more tablet like and this TV can be used as a computer monitor via Wifi a feature not found on the older HX729 and HX929. Amazon.com sells the HX750 for $1,498 + tax. Some local Costco's might sell this model, but ours did not offer it.

This boils down to:

1. Open Box HX929 = $2,000
2. Used HX729 = $1,000
3. Clearance model EX640 = $1,299
3. New HX750 = $1,498

Refurbs maybe, open box or used - not a chance. This is a no brainer for me, buy the newer, faster, HX750 at Best Buy or Amazon for $1498 + free shipping. The modest price differential of $200 over the older EX640 is more than worth it to go with the newer model with the faster processor, improved interface and richer wifi app set.

Thanks for the input; you've got some very pertinent points. But, as I stated above, I wouldn't be happy with a lesser video processor than the X-Reality Pro. I've looked at all of these sets (except for the HX729) in showrooms and found the PQ of the HX750 decent but not exceptional and that of the EX640/645 vastly inferior compared to the HX850/929/950 (X-Reality Pro models). And the apps mean nothing to me; I use my TV as a monitor only. Any other functions (tuners, streaming, web browsing) are handled by my TiVo, AVR, BRP, et al.

BTW, I purchased my Denon AVR-3311CI as an open-box item at a big discount 18 months ago and haven't had a problem with it. Same with my Sony BDP-S570. YMMV
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post #703 of 714
3/1/13 at 11:03am
Just following up on my original posts 670 & 672, re: disparity between audio and video, coax vs. HDMI.

Still haven't pulled the trigger on the Dish Hopper. I was going to run the coax from the satellite out to the Marantz AVR instead of the coax in the back of the Sony. Surprisingly, there wasn't a coax input on the AVR. So I left it going into the back of the HX729.

The one change I made was the HDMI input from the AVR from port 1 to port 2 on the Sony.

Viola! (sic) Now, the audio and video quality are improved, and required no setup changes to the AVR settings.

Kind of weird, and there was something written on the HDMI 1 input, as if it were intended for something specific. Don't recall what it was, and didn't look it up online or the manual. Regardless, it's working as it should now.

Thanks for your input, folks!

Doug
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post #704 of 714
3/1/13 at 4:33pm
My roommate has a 55HX729 and we just noticed a few dead pixels. It looks like it was shot with a pellet, but there is no external damage. Is this common?




Edited by tbris84 - 3/1/13 at 4:38pm
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post #705 of 714
3/1/13 at 8:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tbris84 View Post

My roommate has a 55HX729 and we just noticed a few dead pixels. It looks like it was shot with a pellet, but there is no external damage. Is this common?




I don't think those are dead pixels. Looks more like an internal crack with the spidering. Only a matter of time before that cracks all the way.
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post #706 of 714
3/2/13 at 4:45pm
Yeah, well they're sending him a replacement TV of similar specifications. Would be nice if they sent him another HX950, lol.
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post #707 of 714
3/2/13 at 9:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tbris84 View Post

Yeah, well they're sending him a replacement TV of similar specifications. Would be nice if they sent him another HX950, lol.

Good thing it wasn't a Samsung that cracked. Tons of unresolved warranty claims of Samsung plasmas that spontaneously cracked with Samsung always claiming the crack was caused from external damage.
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post #708 of 714
3/3/13 at 6:45am
Well "crack" was never mentioned on the phone, just dead pixels. The cracking can't be seen with a human eye, it wasn't until I pressed the lens of my camera against the glass that it even became visible.
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post #709 of 714
3/3/13 at 7:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by chi_guy50 View Post

It's been quite a while since anyone posted on this thread, but I'll give it a shot.

I have the choice of buying either an "open box" 55HX929 with full Sony warranty from a reputable e-tailer for $2000 OR a used 55HX729 in excellent condition (less than 1500 panel hours with no anomalies) from a private seller for about $1000. I will use it primarily for cable TV (via TiVo) and DVD/BR movies in 2D only (I have no interest in 3D for now) and will be upgrading from a 46XBR5.

Do any of you have any thoughts on the pros and cons and relative value of these two alternatives? I'm intimately familiar with the characteristics of both models and am just looking for subjective opinions (especially yours, Steve Ans). TIA for your feedback.

Well, I went ahead and ordered the XBR-55HX929 from newegg. Final price delivered is $1930, and I have a 30-day free return window with no restocking fee so I can give it a thorough check-out before deciding whether to keep it. I am told it was a customer return with no known defects, but I will do my due diligence once it arrives.

The used 55HX729 sold on eBay for $940 shipped (including one set of Sony 250 3D glasses). I would have jumped on this one for under 1K if it had been new; but with about 1400 hours on the panel I think it was not as good a potential deal as the like-new HX929 for under 2K w/full warranty.

Thanks again, Steve and Dave, for your input. It's much appreciated.
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post #710 of 714
3/11/13 at 8:39am
I am just putting this out for anyone looking to buy this Sony LCD tv kdl65 Hx 729 that lives near Denver I reserved a refurbished one for only 1299 from a authorized dealer but now I am told they can not ship it must be picked up at store in Denver and I am located in milwaukee Wisconsin way to far of a drive for me and I am absolutely bummed to get this 65" LCD for that price is incredible even if it is factory refurbished.
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post #711 of 714
5/8/13 at 7:45am
Does anyone know if I there is a way to hook up my laptop to the tv to view my laptop video & audio? Looking to watch the Bulls vs Heat tonight via the TNT Overtime Website.

Thanks!
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post #712 of 714
5/8/13 at 8:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by club1820 View Post

Does anyone know if I there is a way to hook up my laptop to the tv to view my laptop video & audio? Looking to watch the Bulls vs Heat tonight via the TNT Overtime Website.

Thanks!
No, not sure. But, if you have a Mac and Apple TV, you can use Airplay and mirror it onto the TV.
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post #713 of 714
5/8/13 at 8:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by cmay91472 View Post



I don't think those are dead pixels. Looks more like an internal crack with the spidering. Only a matter of time before that cracks all the way.
I have the 55HX729 with no issues but I also have a KDL-52EX701 that has some dead pixels and a crack in the panel (sort of like a very thin spidery line maybe an inch long) and it never travelled anywhere in the 4 years I've owned it. It never got worse. I didn't love having the defects but it was a replacement for another one sent by Sony and didn't want to bother at that point. However, it never got worse and can only be seen up super close with your eyes about an inch from the screen. As far as dead/stuck pixels, yes I hate them but you can't see them from a normal viewing distance.
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post #714 of 714
5/9/13 at 8:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by steve ans View Post

No, not sure. But, if you have a Mac and Apple TV, you can use Airplay and mirror it onto the TV.

Turns out all I needed to do was hook up HDMI from my laptop to the TV. Simple as that. The Bulls performance last night, well that was another story. Hopefully they'll do better tomorrow night at home. GO BULLS!
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