Just bought the SONY 40" XBR

jqp · « **on:** 19 Apr 2003, 09:44 pm »

I have been eying these things for 3 or 4 years now. Got it for $2500 including the stand, which was the right price to finally motivate me. I will use it for cable TV, XBox, and DVDs via the XBox. It will replace a 27" Sony with SVHS input.

Anyone else have this or similar models?

It gives a bigger widescreen at 37", even with letterboxing, than the new Sony widescreen crt, which I think is 34".

It will be delivered Tuesday. I am finally getting closer to a "home theater"!

HarleyMYK · « **Reply #1 on:** 20 Apr 2003, 12:35 am »

Yes, I have the KV-34XBR800. You can find a lot of information about the Sony TVs here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=64 - or at least the KV-34XBR800. There is a very long FAQ thread and a Service mode thread.

I am very happy with it. The best picture I have found for standard TV in its price range and great HDTV. Does yours have the DVI input?

Enjoy!!

PS. You can see pictures of my setup here (you need to scroll down a bit):
http://www.norh.com/news/0303/index.html

jqp · « **Reply #2 on:** 20 Apr 2003, 05:43 pm »

Thanks Harley looks like a really good forum for this TV. Found a thread about getting the new cable HDTV box connected to my TV, which is where I will probably be going next.

At what height do you have your TV - does not look like the Sony stand - which one did you get? Or is it a rack?

Yes this one has the DVI plug...but what can I use it for?

How do you like the 4.1? I have Marble 9.0s...

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #3 on:** 20 Apr 2003, 05:49 pm »

That'd be a wicked TV for my bedroom system! I have a couple videogames connected in my room; I bet HALO rocks on that thing.

HarleyMYK · « **Reply #4 on:** 20 Apr 2003, 10:35 pm »

The TV is in our bedroom, where we have a couple of low shelving units opposite the bed on the wall. So the TV needed to sit on these. I wanted to raise it up as little as possible and be able to get the receiver, DVD player, and VHS player under it. I used an extra shelf from a Sanus unit - http://www.audioadvisor.com/store/productdetail.asp?sku=SANEFVS2&product_name=EFVS%20MkII%20Extra%20Modular%20Video%20Shelf,
bought the hardware for the base unit (feet pads and bolts) and then anchored the shelf to the studs in the wall so the unit does not tip forward.

Some of the new HD boxes have DVI output - as would some HTPCs.

I think the 4.1 looks great, but is not nearly as detailed and tight as the mini 9s. The full sized marble 9s are far more beautiful than the SM, but I wanted to keep the speakers as small as I could in the bedroom.

randog · « **Reply #5 on:** 21 Apr 2003, 04:00 am »

I hope you have better luck than me!

I bought JVC's top of the line 36" HDTV-compatible tube I'Art which was selling out at the Good Guys for half of retail. The performance of this model compares favorably to the Sony. I finally found one factory-sealed and drove an hour to get it. It lasted all of 2-1/2 months before going 'poof'.

Any TV over 27" they state an in-home warranty repair, but guess what? I live in the country and none of the warranty centers were willing to drive out here to fix it. So... load the 200lb TV back up and bring it in for repair. 3 weeks later I just got it back and it looks beautiful again... for now.

JVC warranty is 1 year p&l, 2 years on the tube. I believe Sony is worse at 90 days labor (for a $2500 TV?). I declined the extended warranty because there are no moving parts and TV's last forever... don't they? Well they used to... I pulled my 20 year old RCA TV (the first table-top model) back into service while my 2002 model was being repaired. The RCA never has been.

So... a pet-peeve of mine is that it is my impression that the TV industry is so cut-throat even in their top of the line models that inferior components are used throughout to pinch the pennies out. Sure wish you could pay an extra hundred or two for top shelf components... I'd do it in a heartbeat. Sort-of Sony's philosophy with their ES line. I was naive to think I may have purchased a 10-year (or more) TV. That kind of thinking is a pipedream anymore.

Good luck! The big tubes are awesome when you don't need to lift'em!

Randog

HarleyMYK · « **Reply #6 on:** 21 Apr 2003, 02:12 pm »

I can't speak for the 40" set, but my 34" Sony XBR has 2 years parts and labor. I also got them to throw in an additional 3 year extended GE Warrenty, free delivery, and give me a pretty good discount. So far (seven months), no problems -- knock on plastic.

The things I found important in setup:
Set it to skip sources you are not using!
Use Pro Mode (under color settings) and adjust from there.
Adjust the x axis tilt and Y axis of the picture (not sure if applicable in 4:3 set).
Cut back the bass on the sound to your liking.

If the xbox doesn't have progressive output, you may want to get a DVD player that does - or at least try it to see if it makes a noticable difference.

We watched Mansoon Wedding last night. A very nice movie.

randog · « **Reply #7 on:** 21 Apr 2003, 03:17 pm »

You're right. My bad!

http://products.sel.sony.com/SEL/service/conselec/contact/warranty.shtml

XBR's have 2 years... but standard Wega's have 90 days labor (wtf?)... it made in difference when I was out looking.

MY JVC retailed for $2500 and I got it for around $1300. Extended warranty would have been over $400 since they base it on the retail price. That was just too much compared to what I paid. We'll see how much my lower back regrets *that* in 4 years!

Randog

bob82274 · « **Reply #8 on:** 21 Apr 2003, 04:12 pm »

I am curious as to why people here bought a direct view set over a RPTV for the price range. I am probably missing something so set me straight. For reference I have a 27" Sony WEGA (after buying a Samsung taking it home and find out it has component but no SVHS inputs).

HarleyMYK · « **Reply #9 on:** 21 Apr 2003, 04:27 pm »

RPTV was too tall to put on the counter above the shelving. I actually bought a small Toshiba RPTV that I loved, but it looked too silly sitting up so high -- so I took it back (sorry Best Buy).

The picture on the single CRTs is marginally better with arguably less convergence problems. In my opinion, the RPTVs are a better deal if you can fit one in your spot. I couldn't.

randog · « **Reply #10 on:** 21 Apr 2003, 04:37 pm »

Hey HarleyMYK, I changed my avatar. That's my 52.

HarleyMYK · « **Reply #11 on:** 22 Apr 2003, 01:17 am »

Cool - which Pan is it (FL, EL, etc)?

I think I told you that I used to have a 48 EL with a foot clutch and 4 speeds on the tank. 48 was the last year with the springer fork. It had a huge leather tractor saddle with lots of fring. Unfortunately, it was stolen soon after I rebuilt it.

DTH · « **Reply #12 on:** 22 Apr 2003, 03:31 am »

Quote from: HarleyMYK

Some of the new HD boxes have DVI output - as would some HTPCs.

Can anyone elaborate on this? I am curious if the DVI on these sets will take an input from a PC, or if it is just for a STB or one of the new DVD players. I have received conflicting info on this.

jqp · « **Reply #13 on:** 22 Apr 2003, 03:35 am »

Quote from: bob82274

I am curious as to why people here bought a direct view set over a RPTV for the price range. I am probably missing something so set me straight. For reference I have a 27" Sony WEGA (after buying a Samsung taking it home and find out it has component but no SVHS inputs).

For me it was a question of overall image quality and reliability for the money. ANd a friend has said he will never get a projection TV again - of course he would not pay to get his ISFed.

I have not seen a better picture than the 40XBR800. The size is "only" 40" which is fine for my viewing position. I figured that to be happy with a projection TV I would need to spend 5-6K. Plus more for maintenance (and bulbs if it is an FPTV).

As i said i got it for $2500 with free delivery and the stand for free. This was to match an ad at another place. I also got a 5 year on-site warranty for 200. Then I got zero interest for a year.

Today I swung by and picked up the 70 pound stand and assembled it and placed it in the proper position. The TV is, I believe, a 280 lb beast.

I may place the stand on a platform to raise the TV up a bit. The stand is 18" tall and the TV would be 52" to the top. I think I want the stand to be 24 or 26" because of my seating height.