JVC 56FN97 or Sony KDS-50A2000?

Search on 'green push' for the Sonys, and I also hate Sony with a violent bloody passion for a number of reasons (rootkit, proprietary memory and disc formats, historically-accurate giant crabs, don't get me started).

Downsides for the 56FN97 are noticeable fan noise (I have it on a glass tabletop though, I'll try putting some padding between the set and the stand), mediocre remote, slow channel and source changing, no 1080p via component, crappy input via DB15 VGA. Fan noise is not as loud as an XBox 360 in high dudgeon, but it's noticeable in quiet passages of movies or TV.

Upsides for the 56FN97: GORGEOUS BRIGHT picture after 1m warmup phase, internal QAM coax tuner (no STB for Comcast OTA, music channels, some SDTV basic-cable channels like History), good upconversion of 480i DVD via component, SPDIF out so you can put the TV sound thru your receiver. Gears of War looks F--KING AMAZING on this set, no lag whatsoever.

So far, after a week of tweaking and playing, I'm pretty blown away with the JVC. It's just the right size for my viewing arrangement (8-9' away from the couch), 61" would be a smidge too big. My 32" Panasonic "flat" CRT set has been a good solid unit for 11 years, but it's now going into the bedroom (when I can find a new table that can hold it

Best of luck!

I am in the same boat but am leaning toward the JVC mainly because of all of the problems that I have read here and elsewhere with the Sony's. Not that the JVC threads don't talk about problems too but there seem to be more issues with the Sony's.

I was all set on getting a Sony originally after comparing it with the Samsung 1080p DLP as my girlfriend's father just got the Samung and my best friend has the Sony.
Neither have had any problems after a few months of ownership but it just seems that the Sony's have more issues than the JVC's and I ruled out the DLP just because I feel the fewer moving parts the better. The DLP's are a great deal for the money but spending a few hundred more on the JVC is OK with me.

Anyway, you can go nuts with all of the research and who knows, I may change my mind again before I take the plunge, which I hope to do soon but for now I am sticking with the JVC.

I narrowed my search down to the 56FN97 and the 55A2000. I went to a local mom & pop shop that carried both, and had both on display next to each other...and used my own eyes to judge which was better. IMHO, they are both great sets, with the picture of the Sony looking just a tad better. (Again, IMHO.) I've read all the "Green Blob" threads on this board over and over again...discussed it with the owner of the store, etc. In the end, I purchased the Sony with a $250 extended warranty. (And I usually NEVER buy those things.) I've since had the set for 6 weeks...no problems.


...and the picture...WOW!!!

The JVC was my first choice until Black Friday, when I was able to get a 60A2000 for about the same price. I'd always thought the A2000 looked a tad softer (both have been on display side by side for months at my local BB) but my Nov. build A2000 is not soft looking like the set at BB which may be an early production example.

I've had zero problems so far and love the Sony menu and overall adjustability, as well as ability to save 3 different sets of adjustments for each input individually.

I just plunked down the bucks for a 55A2000 today. It's coming tomorrow from local warehouse (Big Screen Store) and I'll be running Comcast through it. Updates as I get it setup up but for the price, I couldn't see buying anything else. I'm one of those lucky 12% that see rainbows plus since most of my viewing is sports, DLP just wasn't for me at all. Motion artifacts, etc. Can't wait to see a clean (well - relatively compared to DirecTV) HD signal running through it. Actually - can't wait for Verizon FiOS to hurry up and get to this part of Ellicott City so I can tell Comcast to kiss my grits.................

I just purchased the JVC 56" unit on Sunday - love it! Have a 'normal' Onkyo DVD player with an HDMI output connected, plus my digital cable box has an HDMI output. Looks wonderfull. Nice and bright. My first entry into HDTV, so nothing but old TV to compare it to.

Rob

I've had both in in our home and we kept the JVC. Both my wife and I felt that the JVC processed SD better and that the HD was sharper as well. The fan noise is not an issue for us and we could not be happier with the JVC. Either one is great though....we just preferred the JVC.

Do you remember the build date on your A2000? I noticed the comparative softness of the A2000 vs JVC at BB, both sets right next to each other on the same feed, but haven't noticed it on my Nov. build date A2000. Sony said that there was a service menu setting that was wrong on the first month or two's production on the A2000, issued a service bulletin, and revised the setting on later production models.

Hopefully I'll be purchasing the JVC in the next week or two. My Hitachi is out for repair and it doesn't look like it's going to end well, so I started looking a few days ago. I walked in to Bestbuy, and I kid you not... I spotted the JVC from all the way at the front of the store to all the way in the back. When I got there, I was not disappointed. The picture was the most beautiful big screen picture I have ever seen. Bright, sharp, excellent color. It was right next to the Sony and right above the Samsung HL-S5087, all showing the same feed. I asked the rep when the T.V.'s were last calibrated and he said they did it right after Christmas, so they should have all been in peak shape. I'm just waiting for the final word on my Hitachi... If they say it can't be repaired I'm gonna get the JVC immediately.

Bought the Sony after looking at several for quite awhile. Thought it looked a little more natural and actually a tad brighter after adjustment.
To be fair, if pricing had been an issue that would probably have tilted me one way or another-the sets were very close.

I don't remember the exact month but I do know that I checked it and it was recent....October or November since I got it in mid-December....in fact, I'd be willing to bet a lunch that it was a November build.

Interesting on the Sony issue....I had not heard that. No matter, I'm very happy with JVC, though I would have likely been happy with the Sony (especially if I had never seen the JVC

Enjoy. Wish I could do the same right now.