Customer Reviews

Sony Bravia XBR-Series KDL-37XBR6 37-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If you're looking for a great 37 inch HDTV, there aren't many choices. I found Samsung, Sharp and Sony as the highest rated in this size. Unfortunately all the best technology is only available at 40 inches and up, so you will be making some sacrifices to stay under 40".

PICTURE QUALITY

One of the factors that influenced my decision was an Amazon review for the 37" Samsung, which compared it to this Sony and claimed the Sony was 120Hz. Let me make it clear -- this TV is NOT 120Hz. It is 60Hz.

Due to the fact this TV uses 8-bit processing instead of 10-bit, there is major banding of gradients. As a web graphics professional it is extremely obvious to me, to the point of being annoying and distracting when there are scenes that have strong gradients. But I may be more sensitive to this due to my profession. Had I known that 10-bit processing alleviates this problem I would have made that a must-have feature for my TV purchase. Other than the banding issues, I'm very happy with the picture quality.

INTERFACE

The interface for the TV is sensational. Very adjustable, and very sexy and enjoyable to use. The only nit is the interface for changing inputs. If you are using a TiVo remote, you will find it tedious. Pressing the input button will first show you a menu of all possible inputs. The one you are currently on is highlighted. You must hit the input button again to highlight the next input. Then you must wait a few seconds, and the TV will select the new input. The interface insists on showing all possible inputs in the menu -- and there are ELEVEN! Unused inputs are grayed out and cannot be selected. Still, it's extremely annoying to see ELEVEN inputs when I'm only using two.

HARDWARE

The bezel is nice and thin, which means this TV doesn't take up much space for a 37-incher. The Sony styling is very appealing -- much nicer than the best Samsung and Sharp in this size. However, the status lights ( in the clear area below the TV but above the speakers ) are almost impossible to see in a well lit room. It takes a while for the TV to turn on and it makes no sound when powered up. Without the feedback of a green light, it can be difficult to tell if you've succeeded in turning the TV on.

The TV is also quite thin and light. I had no problems mounting it on a stand myself.

EXTRAS

It supports Bravia Link, which makes life with my Sony DVD player a lot easier. By using an HDMI cable, the TV is able to control the DVD player. The DVD player turns off and on automatically as needed and the TV remote can play, pause forward, etc. One less remote on my coffee table. Wonderful!

This TV is also has a DMEX connector, so you can use all the latest pricey add-ons that Sony is making, like the Internet Video Link.

REMOTE

The included remote is one of the nicest I've had with a TV in a long time. It looks beautiful, is simple, nicely sized, and doesn't feel cheap. I only use the remote when I want to watch a DVD, so I may not be the ideal candidate to speak about the remote. I did notice the channel and volume buttons are placed quite low and far away from the circular directional control.

IN SUMMARY

You make sacrifices today when you get a TV under 40 inches. There's a lot to like about this TV, but it seems that the Sharp Aquos LC37D64U has 10-bit processing which makes a significant difference when there are scenes that require lots of subtle shades of the same color. This TV doesn't handle those kinds of scenes well -- lots of banding. I haven't seen the Sharp myself, but based on the tech specs I would advise anyone looking for a TV in this size and price range to check it out.

The 37XBR6 is a great TV for movie buffs. The CineMotion technology on the 37XBR6 creates amazing, life-like motion in movies. Even older movies come to life with this technology. The picture color has a very natural look that doesn't look over-saturated like other TVs. The black level on the TV is amazing. I see details in movies I never saw before with my other HD TV. Also, videogames look great with no lag. A great purchase that I am very happy about.

I had been searching for a large HDTV for some time, and had settled on either the latest Samsung 46 LCD or Panasonic 50 Plasma. But I still had a nagging bad feeling about the picture quality. I finally saw the Pioneer Kuro Elite 50 and knew that that was the ultimate. To get a larger screen though, I was going to need a new TV stand. When all was said and done, a 37" did not have the stretched pixel effect I was seeing in the larger screen sizes, and I wouldn't need a new stand. Then, as if by magic, the Sony XBR6 came out in a 37" size that had 24 frames per second capability, and I was sold. I have not been disappointed. The picture quality is awesome, and the integration with my Onkyo TX-SR606 and Panasonic DMP-BD30K is terrific (all support HDMI 1.3 so less cables - yeag!). This is one great TV, and Amazon's partner's price was great.

The picture quality of this TV is unreal. I have to 2 other Sony LCDs, a 32 and 40 inch TV. This XBR make them look like piles of garbage. Don't even consider buying anything else other than a SONY XBR series.

This HDTV is outstanding. But, where is the Sony quality these days? Within two days this TV developed a vertical pixel line and that means it is defective - therefore 4 stars instead of 5. Amazon is replacing, but what happened to Sony quality. This is my second Sony purchase in the past few months that I have not been satisfied with. Thank goodness for Amazon customer service.

TV has all the up-to-date inputs and outputs. Very attractive package, highest quality screen that I have ever seen in the competition.

I have been looking at this TV for a while in the stores near my home. When I saw it on Amazon for about $250.00 less than the stores charge and free shipping I thought it was too good to be true! But what a suprise, the shipping company contacted us prior to delivery, delivered it inside our home and unwrapped it so we could see that there was no damage. What a pleasure to deal with these people. I guess the faith I've developed in Amazon.com for always coming through has been well placed. Thank you! Do no hesitate to purchase a big ticket item such as this through them.

The price is right from Amazon. Delivered on time, the guy opened the box
and made sure it worked before he left.
The picture on both tuner and dvd met expectations, both fine.
If you want to tinker there are more than enough picture adjustments.
Be sure you lower brightness and contrast to standard, they are way too
high from the factory.
I looked at the panasonic 37" but it seemed a seemed somewhat lower in
quality.
Update: After about a month usage, both the HD and DVD pictures
are simply beautiful.

As I write this it is two months since I purchased the Sony TV. I was happy the day it arrived, and am still happy. First off, it arrived days ahead of schedule. Secondly, it was brought right to my apartment and set up exactly where I wanted it. Thirdly -- and most important -- it worked just fine, right out of the box. It takes a bit of study to master all the various adjustments, but the reward for this is a really good TV experience.

The Sony Bravia 37" LCD HDTV is what you'd expect from Sony - not cheap, but outstanding quality. The picture is superb, with the highest resolution currently available (not that most sources can provide it yet), and no blurring during action scenes (at least to my eyes).

There's a large number and variety of inputs that should match anyone's needs, and outputs for audio if you wan't to send it to a receiver. I have it hooked to a TIVO Series 3 and an Onkyo Audio/Video receiver.

I could sum up this review in two words. It's beautiful! My five year old daughter laid in the floor and watched Wild Hogs and she said, "wow mom I feel like I am in the movie!" There are plenty of HDMI hook ups and this is a perfect size. The only complaint I might give this is what another person wrote about the backlight shining through when the entire screen is black but it seems like the more I've watched it I don't even see that. Also, I must say that it ABSOLUTELY in NO WAY seems to affect the way you would watch this TV. Love this product!