Sony Bravia S-Series KDL-32S3000 32-Inch 720p LCD HDTV

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Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 31.1 x 3.9 x 20.9 inches ; 32 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 41 pounds
• Shipping: This item can only be shipped to the 48 contiguous states. We regret it cannot be shipped to APO/FPO, Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico.
• ASIN: B000P6R6CY
• Item model number: KDL-32S3000
• Batteries: 2 AA batteries required. (included)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #19,119 in Electronics (See Bestsellers in Electronics)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 2, 2001

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Sit back and enjoy an unprecedented level of depth, color and clarity with this 32" Class (31.5" diagonal) BRAVIA S-Series digital LCD HDTV. Beautifully styled and built to the highest standards, this television adds class to any room while its picture makes watching your favorite movies and TV programs even more enjoyable. With the BRAVIA Engine full digital video processor, you immediately notice improved color and sharper details, no matter what you're watching. For uncompressed, all-digital audio and video integration, this HDTV features HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) and PC connectivity that lets you seamlessly hook up compatible PCs and components to the large display. An innovative light sensor also monitors ambient light in the room and automatically adjusts screen brightness, making it much more comfortable for viewing.

BRAVIA Engine Full Digital Video Processor
BRAVIA S-Series LCD televisions use Sony's BRAVIA Engine full digital video processor for crisp and clear images. Several special picture enhancement technologies are integrated into the processor to create better gradations with more detail, enhance contrast, and dynamically improve color performance. > Digital Noise Reduction Circuits: Reduces block noise and mosquito noise by using pixel-level filtering to reproduce a clean and clear picture. And Motion Vector Noise Reduction reduces just the noise in the video signal for video further reducing unwanted noise and blur artifacts. Digital Contrast Enhancer circuit: Improves contrast by enhancing all areas from dark to bright in parallel with texture control providing a three dimensional picture. > Color Reality signal processing enables the expression of all the colors of life in vivid detail for dark and bright scenes. Details in dark areas of the picture are there, just like they are supposed to be.

Live Color Creation (featuring WCG-CCFL)
Live Color Creation is a special Sony function that achieves precise, wide color reproduction using a combination of advanced chroma signal processing algorithms. A special wide color gamut backlight (WCG-CCFL) is coupled with Sony’s Live Color Creation circuitry. The benefit is clear blues, natural greens and overall vibrant colors in all scenes.

Xross Media Bar (XMB) On-Screen Menu System
Xross Media Bar is Sony’s Emmy Award2 winning on-screen navigation that provides quick access to various set up functions and features. For instance selecting different types of media is made fun and easy by scrolling horizontally across icons until you find the type of media you are looking for. After selecting the media type, a list of its content appears as vertical thumbnails. Key set up menus and features work the same way. The main benefit of the XMB is that users can navigate through on-screen menus without taking their eyes off of their TV.

DMe Compatibility
DMex compatibility allows the connection and operation of a whole new category of products that is being developed by Sony (sold separately). The first of these products is the optional BRAVIA Internet Video Link module.

BRAVIA Theatre Sync
BRAVIA Theatre Sync reduces the hassle and time consuming job of powering up, changing the signal routing, and adjusting other functions to the simple push of one button. All you need to do is to connect BRAVIA Theatre Sync capable products to each other via one HDMI cable. The rest is easy. For instance, the One Push Play function activates by touching the play button on the remote and BRAVIA Theatre Sync takes over from there. The BRAVIA Home Theatre System and TV turn on. The DVD input on the BRAVIA Theatre system and TV activates. The TV mutes. And finally the DVD plays. There are two other BRAVIA Theatre Sync functions - One-Push Theatre Settings, which provides optimal picture and sound settings for movies and One-Push System Shut Down for turning off the entire home entertainment system.

BRAVIA Internet Video Link
The first DMex product to be introduced to the market is the DMX-NV1 BRAVIA Internet Video Link module (sold separately). BIVL, as it is affectionately called, can stream available Internet video from select content providers directly to your TV with a broadband connection3 without the need for a PC.

S-Force Front Surround
S-Force Front Surround is a virtual surround sound experience made possible using just two front speakers in select BRAVIA models. To accomplish this, Sony spent several years studying how our ears work. By understanding exactly how we recognize the origin, direction, volume and timing differences in sound right and left ear, Sony was able to create complex audio processing that delivers dynamic virtual surround sound without the need to bounce sound off walls and back to the listener.

HDMI and PC Connectivity
Designed for maximum versatility, Sony’s BRAVIA S-Series Digital LCD TV line is equipped with a comprehensive range of input interfaces. The HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is the first industry-supported, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface. HDMI technology supports enhanced or High Definition video, together with multi-channel digital audio to provide matchless image and sound reproduction. The HDMI and PC inputs (HD-15-pin) offer easy connection to your PC, allowing you to use your high resolution BRAVIA S-Series Digital TV as a computer monitor.

Light Sensor-2
Intelligently adjusts the screen brightness to match the ambient light in a room, ensuring a comfortable viewing experience. In a dim room for example the screen automatically reduces brightness making it much more comfortable for viewing.
Freeze Function
Sony’s Freeze Function is a useful function that allows you to temporarily freeze the picture in a separate screen while the programming continues to display. This comes in handy when you want to copy a recipe, phone number, etc. that flashes too quickly across your screen. Simply touch the "Freeze" button on the remote control and copy the details down at your convenience.

Product Description

BRAVIA Engine¿ Full Digital Video Processor --- BRAVIA¿ S-Series LCD televisions use Sony's BRAVIA Engine¿ full digital video processor for crisp and clear images. Several special picture enhancement technologies are integrated into the processor to create better gradations and details, enhance contrast, and dynamically improve color. HDMI¿ and PC Connectivity --- Designed for maximum versatility, Sony's BRAVIA S-Series Digital LCD TV line is equipped with a comprehensive range of input interfaces. The HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is the first industry-supported, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface. HDMI technology supports enhanced or High Definition video, together with multi-channel digital audio to provide matchless image and sound reproduction. The PC input (HD-15-pin) offers easy connection to your PC, allowing you to use your high resolution BRAVIA S-Series Digital TV as a computer monitor.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

196 of 200 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Oh yeah!! Sock it to me with this!, June 20, 2007

By	Twiddles42 (MN, USA) - See all my reviews

No stupid "Dynamic contrast ratio: 8000:1" gimmicks that merely flicker the backlight when the set's AI decides it ought to be, which is disconcerting and not to mention misleading in terms of real display quality...

Just a true, real contrast ratio that allows numerous shadow and hue detail that you're not going to see so clearly in any competitor's 32" set.

No washed out or dull colors, either - this Sony is a worthy replacement for dead-end, electricity guzzling, heat generating CRT technology.

And I looked at 6 brands, looking at every nuance, black level, color saturation, sharpness, detail, features, menu functions, et cetera, noting all TVs were at out-of-box conditions. I'd love to namedrop the worst ones, but that's a no-no... Here's a hint - those models are "inexpensive for their size". :)

Sony costs more, yes, but the difference in visual quality is formidable - worth every penny. Detail is exceptional, and sharp. Other models may not be as bright, may give edges jagged lines, colors may be flat, and so on...

If you are a videophile, this is THE set to get. Every setting under the sun can be changed (brightness, 'picture' (contrast), tint, et cetera). And this monitor also, much to my surprise and delight, includes filters to make DVDs (MPEG2) and broadcast signals look less grainy/noisy and sharper. You bet I'm a happy couch potato.

Casual viewers would probably be satisfied with any competing model, but why? As with lower quality screen technology, the hardware quality is bound to be lower as well. You do get what you pay for. If you read up on competing models where people say "it broke after 1.5 years", you'll see a pattern forming...

And if you looked at the competing model next to the Sony, you'd be tempted to buy the Sony anyway. Even if the cost difference was a mere $150.

I also apologizing for sounding like a shill for Sony. I'm not.

One small addendum (06/30/07): The stores' labels say it's 1600:1, the sticker on the left side of the monitor claims 8000:1. This TV set does alter the backlight's brightness - solely on the level of ambient light in the room, not the incoming signal. Either way, I've still had no negative issues with visual quality on DVD playback, NTSC TV, HD broadcast, or PC display (if your computer cannot handle 1366x768, try 1280x720 if possible.)

69 of 69 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply the Best in Every Way!, October 18, 2007

By	Mighty Mac (El Dorado, AR United States) - See all my reviews

We're in the "senior citizen" class and were looking to replace our 27" Panasonic tube TV (which did serve us well for more than 10 years.) Being in our 70s did not mean I didn't THOROUGHLY check out and compare EVERY high-rated 32" LCD HDTV on the market--at Sears, Circuit City, Wal-Mart and other brick&mortar stores. I searched on-line, read technical reviews, and paid particular attention to what buyers said about the products. The hands-down winner for us (and apparently all accompanying buyer-reviews) is this awesome Sony product. It is in our opinion simply the best in every way. Period. ("Consumers Report" magazine recently also ranked this product best in its category.) [...]Now we enjoy a superb television picture with startling sound clarity. I like it when a plan comes together.

96 of 100 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fantastic television!, July 25, 2007

By	soulelement "soulelement" (CA United States) - See all my reviews

I am a first-time buyer of a HD-LCD and just picked this television set up yesterday. Overall I am very pleased with the performance I am seeing. I went through two Samsung television sets: the first being the Samsung LN-S4095D 40" 1080p LCD and the second being the Samsung LNT3253H 32" LCD HDTV (after realizing I needed something smaller). Both models are full of video-tearing and audio-muting issues that Samsung has failed to resolve, so I decided that before any of these problems severely affected me, I would return them before the 30-day return policy expired. The sales person even mentioned that the LNT3242 model by Samsung was returned to his store over 7 times by the same customer (possibly in hopes of finding a non-defective set).

I ended up purchasing the Sony KDL-32S3000 and am very satsified with the purchase. I was initially hesitant to purchase a Sony, especially after hearing about the issues of clouding on XBR2 & XBR3 models.. but it seems now that most issues have been resolved for both the S-Series set & the new XBR4 model. I can certainly say it out performed the two Samsungs I purchased, especially in terms of picture quality. While both manufacturers have good television sets, the Samsung, while maintaining softer imagery, did not have as sharp and vibrant of picture-quality. From what I understand, the new Bravias (2007) are equipped with a 10-bit video processor, unlike the previous Bravia Models equipped with 8-bit processors (BR2-3 Models); thus creating more vibrant colors & making previous models look inferior. Sound-wise, this TV also does better than the Samsungs. The Sammys had a less than mediocre output from the speakers (no deep lows whatsoever & mostly high-ends).

In terms of the User Interface, the Sony sports a menu similar to that of PSP and PS3 interfaces. It can be confusing for the first time user, but I find the system to be rather easy to navigate through. The set itself is loaded with many options for tweaking video output, but does not have enough options to flexibly tweak color temperature (I.E. cool, warm, etc). It also comes with an Internet Link option, mainly for streaming HD to your television from the Internet using a proprietary Sony device. I am not sure if I would take advantage of this, but the option of having it is nice. The built-in tuner was also able to pick up a variety of HD 1080i and SD 420i channels. They look fantastic on screen.

If you are a gamer looking to use your PS3 on this, you will be pleased to know that games do output on this set at 1080p resolution. DVDs also display (according to the television information) at 1080p. Mpeg2-noise reduction is also available, in case you would like to reduce the amount of noise on DVD output. There is a PC-input on this television, which also displays very nicely, but only displays at a max resolution of 1360x768.

From my understanding, the only major difference between this set and the XBR4 set (the higher end consumer model) is the option of having "motion-flow" 120-hz display; however, according to other users who have purchased the XBR4 set, motion-flow is still not fully developed. Apparently, the system creates artifical frames in between frames in order to create a much more fluid and realistic picture (which I hear is quite amazing), but this also creates artifacts and other miscellaneous noise in the process. All in all, the picture quality is improved with this system, but whether you want to take a 200-300 dollar gamble on this is purely up to you.

I am usually not inclined to give products a 5-star rating and I do believe that there are products that are far-superior.. but this television is definitley worth its bang for the couple extra bucks.