Customer Reviews

Sony Grand WEGA KDS-60A2000 60-Inch SXRD 1080p Rear Projection HDTV

5 star:		(61)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

...you have to calibrate the display (as you should with ANY television), and because of the incredible detail possible with a 1080p picture, the "garbage in, garbage out" tenet of picture quality really holds here.

I can't stress those two points enough. If you cannot afford a full calibration by an ISF technician, you should at least purchase Digital Video Essentials or Avia Guide to Home Theater (both available at Amazon) and calibrate the brightness, contrast, color, and grayscale tracking of the display. It is not fair to gauge the picture quality of the display when using factory settings, which are set to "torch" mode (super-bright, super-contrast) to attract ignorant buyers at Best Circuit Buy City. You MUST calibrate the TV for your viewing environment. Note that the A2000 remembers calibration settings PER INPUT and PER RESOLUTION. That means if you have an HD cable box that is in "pass-through" mode - meaning it might send 480i, 720p, or 1080i, depending on the source - for best results you will want to calibrate using the same input as the cable box, and at all resolutions. If you can't do that, you should at least calibrate at one of the resolutions, then copy the settings to other resolutions and tweak for best picture.

After doing a basic calibration, evaluate picture quality using high-quality sources (OTA high-definition, progressive-scan DVD, HTPC, etc.) and the best connection you can (HDMI or component). Most standard definition cable content is crap, and blowing crap up to 60" and (comparitively) ultra-high-resolution will result in big, high-resolution crap. In my opinion, after proper calibration and judicious use of the noise-reducing/picture-enhancing features of the A2000, standard-definition content looks pretty good. It'll never look as good as your old 27" CRT, due mostly to being blown up to 4x the size. Compared to other 60"-class HDTVs, the SD quality is excellent. Check your cable signal strength, and compare several SD channels - some have better overall picture than others.

OK, rant over. Here are my thoughts on high and low points:

High Points
- Amazing HD picture quality
- Good SD picture quality, keeping in mind GIGO
- Quite bright enough to be usable in a well-lit room
- Accepts 1080p natively (hello HD-DVD)
- Low-reflectivity screen
- Blacks are very deep
- Plenty of inputs
- Plenty of calibration/configuration options (even without going into the service menu)
- Immune to "rainbow effect" of DLP sets
- Immune to burn-in (CRT, plasma)
- Good viewing angles
- User-replaceable bulb

Low Points
- No picture-in-picture or picture-and-picture (has "freeze" feature, which seems of dubious usefulness)
- Silver bezel (this is strictly a matter of opinion; I prefer an all-matte-black bezel)
- No bulb timer (to gauge lifespan of bulb)

To add some context to my opinions: I watch 60% SD content and 40% HD content, plus Xbox 360 gaming and the occasional DVD. I am not a 'videophile', but I do have enough skill to calibrate the display including service-menu adjustments. My viewing environment has a WNW-facing window shaded by trees. During the afternoon/early evening, the room is pretty well lit, but without direct sunlight hitting the TV. At night, I watch TV with some lights on in the room. The A2000 is more than bright enough for all viewing conditions I encounter, and has very low reflectivity (the old Tosh was like a mirror when dark). If you have a light-controlled home theater and bias lighting, I expect you will have even better results than I.

For more information on the A2000 (buyers' experiences, calibration, tweaks, etc.) see these AVS Forum threads:

[...]

This is my second HD set, and it's much much better than what I had. Not only does this have an excellent HD 1080p, but the picture from standard def sources is the best I've seen. The internal scaler (which converts SD to 1080p) is among the best made.

One thing that happens, though, is that people hook up devices that have their own (inferior) scalers and then complain about the Standard def. This happens often with "hi-def" cable boxes, where the installer sets the cable box to do all the converting before it gets to the TV. Not much the TV can do when the cable box has already mucked things up. The proper thing to do is to set up the cable box to "pass-through" mode (i.e. leave the signal alone!) so the $3000 TV's scaler is used instead of the junk in the $80 cable box.

When set up properly, regular TV looks like DVD used to, DVD looks hi-def, and true HD is eye-popping.

AMAZON is the only way to purchase large screen HD-TV's like this.

They don't publicize it as much as they should, but they ship all large screen TV's with WHITE GLOVE service, at no extra charge. When you compare what all the other online retailers charge for this service, AMAZON is the LEAST EXPENSIVE. And to cap it all, they also have a no quibble/no cost return policy.

AMAZON delivered my TV with free (White glove) shipping in 4 days.

Unfortunately, after a few days trying to set it up for my DVD player I noticed a HORRIBLE HALO around dark objects when set against bright background.

My immediate reaction was to RETURN the TV to AMAZON. But SONY included a notice with the TV asking that if there is any problem with the set, if I called their customer service number, they would look after me.

So I called SONY and reported the problem. But rather than look after me as they promised they merely gave me numbers of two local TV repair firms to call - not what I call excellent service.

I called them, and both said they could come in 10-14 days - so much for responsiveness.

A tech came, and immediately recognized the fault. He said he needed to discuss it with SONY. He returned 10 days later with a very large circuit board. Replacing the board was no mean feat. He removed around 40 screws to remove three covers, which he pushed and pulled for two hours before getting the new board installed.

But when he switched the TV on, NOTHING would work. The TV was now totally broken. He spent another hour putting the old board back but it was still totally broken. He then admitted it was now unrepairable.

We both called SONY and explained the situation, and asked SONY to send a new TV.

SONY refused - even after I escalated the issue to Customer Relations. They said it was their policy to NEVER replace TV's, and if I wanted a new unit I would have to sue the repair tech.

So then I called AMAZON to explain the situation. They immediately took sympathy, and even though the TV was delivered over 30 days ago, they gave me two options:

a) To collect the TV and refund all money paid by me, including shipping, or

b) To bring a replacement TV, and take the old one away at no additional cost to me.

I chose the latter and the new TV arrived four days later.

So the moral is - DO NOT TRUST SONY. If you have a problem - send it back and don't let SONY try to fix it. They don't have clue.

Thank you AMAZON, your service is wonderful!

SONY, you should be totally ashamed. Your customer service is a disgrace!

I've owned the KDS-60A2000 since mid-October but wanted to experiment with it for a while before making any comments. My feeling is when we make a large purchase based on individual choice we tend to "justify it" initially. A little time always helps the perspective. I've returned enough mistakes in my life to freely admit when I have made the wrong choice.

Firstly, I am not new to home theater or large screen television. For most of my life I have been an early adopter of both. I owned one of the first DVD players in the Kansas City area and currently have over 500 DVD's in my library. My former main viewing setup(s) were an Infocus DLP projector (non-HD) with an 84" screen and a 60" Sony XBR (tube RPTV). While that does not make me an expert by any means, I am not a "newbie". In selecting the Sony, I looked very seriously at the JVC, Toshiba, Pioneer, Samsung, and Mitsubishi. I researched all of them extensively and spent countless hours in Best Buy and Circuit City viewing each one. I looked at both 720 and 1080. Like most of you, I was limited to a price point (roughly $3,000), wanted a 60" if possible, and probably had a bias for DLP due to the above-mentioned Infocus.

To make a long story short, it came down to the Mitsubishi 65" DLP (WD65731) and the Sony. It was simply a result of the various reviews, recommendations of friends in the industry, personal past experience, and a lot of in-store viewing and tweaking. I won't offer negative comments on the others. The six color wheel line of Mitsubishi's and the Sony SXRD line offered the absolute best picture for the money. I probably could have live with either but in the end I was unable to resolve a "blue shift" in the Mitsubishi (could have been unique to that particular sample). The Sony on the other hand offered complete control over every picture characteristic. Same price, less size, more control, and in my opinion, a slightly better picture.

I currently have the Sony connected to Direct TV, a Winegard off-air HD antenna, and a Sony NS75H DVD player (up converts to 720/1080). All video connections to the Sony are through the two HDMI connections. I do have a lot of control over the light in the room.

The standard definition picture from Direct TV is great. I can't speak to the comments made in some reviews regarding mediocre 480 performances except to say that I have several relatives with HDTV's connected to cable (Cox) and their picture is NOT even close to good on non-digital / non-HD channels. I suspect the culprit is analog in nature, or just lousy performance from the cable company. High-Definition (720p and 1080i) pictures on the Sony are simply stunning. The off-air transmissions especially are unbelievable (and free). Hopefully, unless the FCC caves in again, all broadcasts will be in HD by February 2009 (editorial comment). Up-converted DVD's at 1080i are a real plus and I highly recommend the Sony NS75H as a perfect match for this TV.

Having said all that, I do have a couple of small items that Sony could improve. The remote does not have direct inputs so you are forced to cycle through each input (unless bypassed in the setup menu). The codes exist so there's no reason why Sony couldn't have included them on the remote. If you have a programmable remote like a Pronto or Home Theater Master you can download the direct input codes. Changing inputs takes longer than it should. I know the electronics have to sense the input type/resolution and configure the display but it shouldn't take 5 or 6 seconds. Another consideration (for some) is the lack of any real "sound processing". The basic two speaker stereo setup could be improved considering this is a $3,500 piece of electronics. There are both analog and digital outputs on the TV however the digital output will not convert or pass through analog. I recommend just running the sound through a surround sound system and bypassing the TV altogether. Lastly, the manual is typical Sony so count on the Internet for any real information on the myriad settings and their meaning / impact (see below).

The above small complaints aside, I'm extremely happy with this TV. In the final analysis, it is "all about the picture" and the Sony KDS-60A2000 delivers. Family, friends, and neighbors are amazed at the picture, even standard resolution from Direct TV. Two family members have purchased it already and one is considering replacing his plasma.

As for the settings, I found the out-of-the-box settings to be typical but inadequate. You really owe it to yourself to adjust them. I do understand that different people have different opinions about what a pleasing picture is (I'm not a slave to the NTSC guidelines). There are three basic groups of settings (Vivid, Standard, and Custom) controllable from the Picture setting button on the remote and in the setup menu. Vivid is a joke and should be avoided by everyone (sorry Best Buy and Circuit City). It should only be used if the TV is located on the middle of a beach. Standard is better but best used in a room with a lot of conflicting light. This TV can generate a BRIGHT picture and Standard mode is still a little too bright for my tastes. I occasionally use Standard for casual daytime viewing when all the blinds and windows are open. Custom is the "personal favorite" mode and is the one I have applied the below settings to. It's a good starting point for someone trying to get used to the "approved standard" but it does imply some level of light control. My settings are the result of tweaking recommendations from several "experts" with far more expensive test equipment than I will ever have (CNET, Sound and Vision, etc.). Still, I know what I like. It may not be what you like. These settings are for a dark or fairly dark viewing environment.

Settings for Picture Mode CUSTOM

Advanced Iris = Min

Picture = 84

Brightness = 56

Color = 41

Hue = 0

Color Temp = Warm1

Sharpness = 65

Noise Reduction = Off

DRC Mode = High Density (applies to 480i only)

Advanced Settings

Black Corrector = Low

Gamma = Off

Clear White = Off

Live Color = Off

White Balance = See Below

Detail Enhancer = Low

Edge Enhancer = Off

White Balance

R-Gain = -4

G-Gain = -4

B-Gain = 0

R-Bias = 0

G-Bias = -2

B-Bias = -1

Hope this helps you in your buying decision.

I just bought this television for our new "media" room, and I have been blown away. I spent months visiting Best Buy and Circuit City trying to figure our which HDTV to buy. I knew, based on the size of the room we were furnishing, that I needed something bigger than 55 inches. Further research indicated that I couldn't really afford a quality plasma screen of that size. Checking out websites like [...] Comparing them side by side I was first drawn to the more vibrant colors of the Samsung. The Samsung also seemed to me to do a better job producing a blacker black in dark scenes. I was worried that the Sony might not be bright enough in a well-lit room. But after looking at both these TVs for a while I drew a couple of conclusions:

1. The Samsung does seem to favor more vibrant, intense colors by design, but the Sony seems to me to do a better job reproducing a truer, more lifelike image. If you like more color, you can easily switch the Sony into "vivid" mode or crank up the color, but I like more natural hues.

2. While Samsung does appear to have higher contrast ratios and handle the deep blacks better, I think the Sony did a better job in reducing or eliminating noise from the image. With the Samsung I was seeing tiny flickers of white in the deep black backgrounds of some scenes, as well as in other places. I didn't notice any such flickering in the Sony. Also, while both TVs looked great showing HD programming, it seemed to me that the Sony did a better job handling lower quality signals (such as the analog signal you get when watching "regular" TV channels).

So, based upon the more natural colors and the better noise reduction I bit the bullet and bought the Sony. It certainly didn't hurt that I have had Sony TVs in the past and have always been happy with them.

Since the TV has been delivered and set up, I have been just amazed. I bought the TV to watch sports and it has been phenomenal. Notre Dame football and the World Series have been awesome. It is amazing what you see in high-definition on such a big screen, and the clarity of the SXRD picture is beyond words. When they show a close-up of the pitcher, you can count his individual whiskers and differentiate the gray whiskers from the black ones. When they pan the dugout, you can read the papers that are thumbtacked to the wall. This TV is not as good as being at the game - it is probably much better than being at the game!

Before the TV arrived I was worried about at least three things:

1. Would the picture be bright enough in a normally-lit room? The TV is in the same room with our desk and computer, so the lights are usually on. I was worried that the room lighting would wash out the picture. This is absolutely not a problem. I've actually toned the picture brightness down a little bit because it was so bright when first set up.

2. Would my cable box degrade the HD signal and make it less than razor sharp? It does not. I have Cox HD cable service and am using an HDMI connection from the cable box to the TV. The picture is crystal clear on the HD channels, and still very good on the non-HD channels.

3. Would the cable box interfere with the auto-size function of the TV? With my older, 32-inch conventional 4:3 TV, the cable box and TV combination was less than optimal in figuring out how to display the different types of signals. I usually had to change the settings by hand when I switched from 4:3 to 16:9. This TV gives you about 5 options on how you want it to handle the different sized images, and then carries out your preferences flawlessly.

All in all, as you can probably tell, I am thrilled with my new HDTV. The only drawback is that my old TV, a very nice 32" Sony WEGA flat screen is now about as useful as a paperweight. After watching the SXRD for a while, the old TV seems so small, and the 4:3 screen is just annoying. I guess the kids can watch it.

I own this spendid TV and I have had it for a little over two weeks. I love it to pieces. I put it in a two story high very spacious family room with two stories of windows letting in bright light. As long as I am sitting down at an appropriate viewing angle it is always clearly visible with negligable screen glare even in the most bright sunlight. Anything less than full summer sunlight and the viewing angle becomes almost anywhere you can actually get line of sight on the TV.

You need to be about 10 feet away to watch standard definition TV on this screen and have it look acceptable. DVD's look great from that distance and look pretty good from five or six feet away. HDTV and HD DVD looks incredible from two and a half feet away. My advice, this TV is made to show HD and I wouln't bother with it if you are going to watch SD all the time. Upconversion helps a little, but it is no subsitute for really having a DVD or HD quality signal.

All that praise aside, there are DLPs that are probably just as good in terms of picture quality, actually have a few more features than this TV and are somewhat cheaper. This leaves me with the feeling that maybe I paid a little too much and got a TV that maybe is a little too good for me to really apreaciate it fully. But then again, what is an extra 10% or so to ensure that your purchase is of the absolutely highest quality.

This review covers the Sony KDS-R60XBR2 and Sony KDS-60A2000.

I first heard rumors about Sony's new XBR2 and A2000 product lines in spring 2006, when considering the replacement of a 25 year old RCA 25" console TV. I decided to delay the purchase of a new TV until the Sony KDS-R60XBR2 was available locally, so that I could see first-hand how the TV compared to other models. In that time frame I looked at several different TV models with great interest, but always found one or two limitations that kept the TV from being ideal. The greatest limitations of the TVs were limited viewing angle and either no support to display 1080p or an inability to feed a 1080p signal to the TV.

Two months ago I had the opportunity to see a Sony KDS-60A2000 up close in a local store, and compared its picture with those of LCD, plasma, and DLP sets. From just about any angle, the KDS-60A2000 picture was brighter and easier to view than any other TV on display. Some of the other TVs suffered from screen door effect (I never understood why this was objectionable until I compared the picture to that displayed on the KDS-60A2000), slow screen refreshes, and "blocky" or blurry pictures. None of these problems were present in the KDS-60A2000 picture. Failing to find a KDS-R60XBR2 to compare, I visited another local store that advertised the KDS-R60XBR2 on their website. The KDS-R60XBR2 was in stock at the second store, even though it was currently unavailable for sale as of that time on Amazon. It only took one look at the picture quality of the KDS-R60XBR2, playing back a movie from a DVD, to be convinced that the TV was perfect, and that it would squeeze through the entry door with about 1/16" to spare.

On December 24, 2006 I placed an order with Amazon for a Sony KDS-60A2000, which was to be given as a late Christmas present to my parents. Much to my surprise, the TV arrived at one of the Eagle shipping company's hubs on December 29, which is located about 70 miles from its final destination, but by the shipping company's schedule, the TV would not have been delivered until January 2 (January 2 was still a week earlier than expected). Eagle permitted me to pick up the TV at their hub and take it to its final destination.

How do the KDS-R60XBR2 and the KDS-60A2000 compare?

Both TVs offer the same exceptional picture quality, and clearly highlight the need to transition to high definition digital broadcasts. The KDS-R60XBR2 was tested with over-the-air analog and digital broadcasts, as well as with a seven year old Sony DVD player. The KDS-60A2000 was tested with over-the-air analog and digital broadcasts, standard definition cable, and a new Sony DVD player. Both TVs display exceptional quality high definition 1080i and 720p as well as 480i digital broadcasts, even when the analog versions of those channels showed excessive ghosting to the point that the analog version was impossible to view (this was primarily a problem with analog stations located within 30 miles, and was a problem on the older TVs as well). The Sony DVD players were connected using component cables (three for video, two for sound). Even on fast action scenes, the picture quality was very good, although the lower resolution of the DVD playback, compared to the over the air 1080i and 720p digital signals, was very obvious. This may have to do with the sharpness of the picture, compared to other TVs that provide a slightly blurry image which covers up the limitations of the lower resolutions. Standard definition cable playback on the KDS-60A2000 looked OK, but not impressive - the same can be said for over-the-air analog broadcasts on both TVs. As far as I can tell, the picture quality of the two TVs is identical, and even the same image customization features are available on both TVs.

Differences: The KDS-R60XBR2 ships with a remote that has a brushed aluminum finish, while the remote for the other TV is a matte gray color. The remote for the KDS-R60XBR2 includes one additional button (twin view) and has another button labeled "TV Guide", while the corresponding button on the other remote is labeled "Guide" - theses differences hint at important differences in the two TVs. The twin view button allows an analog TV signal to appear in a window at the right of the screen, with either a digital or analog picture to appear in a window at the left of the screen - the size of the windows can be scaled larger or smaller. Twin view is not an option on the KDS-60A2000. Pressing the "TV Guide" button on the remote for the KDS-R60XBR2 displays a listing of scheduled programming for specifically defined TV channels for several days, as well as a small window that shows the picture for the current TV channel. The TV Guide can be used to search for specific program titles or program descriptions, and then set reminders on the TV to optionally display a message on the TV, tune it to the correct channel and/or turn on the TV just prior to the start of the show. Descriptions of each show appear in the TV Guide as a program is selected - this can make it slow to navigate through the TV Guide, as the TV tends to pause when long program descriptions appear on screen. Pressing the "Guide" button on the KDS-60A2000 does not display the same TV Guide screen as seen on the other TV. Instead a simple listing of all channel numbers is provided, along with a means of selecting alternate audio broadcasts; a long description of the current program and time remaining appears on screen when a channel is selected on the KDS-60A2000, while the other TV just shows the program title and time remaining.

The input capabilities of the two TVs differ slightly as well. The KDS-R60XBR2 offers one additional input. The front HDMI input on the KDS-R60XBR2 supports 1080p, while the same front input on the KDS-60A2000 supports 1080i. The VGA style video connector (used for computer connections) on the KDS-R60XBR2 supports up to 1280x1024 at 75Hz or 1920x1080 at 60Hz, while the KDS-60A2000 is limited to maximum video resolutions roughly equivalent to 720p. With the speakers at the side, the KDS-R60XBR2 appears to provide a more distinct stereo separation between left and right channels, than does the speaker configuration on the KDS-60A2000, which places the speakers below the picture. The speaker configuration on the KDS-R60XBR2 also gives the possibly unintentional illusion that the picture size is larger. The KDS-R60XBR2 includes a free replacement bulb, while the other TV does not. A cable card slot is present on the KDS-R60XBR2, while no such slot is available on the other TV.

Both TVs offer several highly desirable features, some of which are disabled by default. Automatic control of volume levels when switching from one channel to the next is very helpful. Both TVs can simulate surround sound, to some extent, using just the two stereo speakers. The menu system is easy to navigate, although it would be nice to have a button on the remote to quickly switch between antenna and cable input (two separate jacks are provided on the back, one for cable, and one for over-the-air broadcasts).

Not everything is perfect. It seems to take 30 to 60 seconds for the TV to turn on. Switching between the digital and analog tuners seems slow, when using the channel up/down button on the remote. The number of cascading menus needed to navigate to the digital channel discovery section (and diagnostics) seems excessive. Digital channels are sometimes discovered on their physical channel, rather than their mapped channel - this seems to be dependent on the direction of the antenna when the digital channel is discovered. For example, the digital versions of channel 8, which should appear on 8.1, 8.2, and 8.3 were discovered on 7.3, 7.4, and 7.5 and could not be discovered on their correctly mapped channels without completely re-running the analog and digital channel discovery process. If a digital channel is incorrectly added, there is no way to add specific channels, for example 8.1, 8.2, and 8.3, to the channel up/down selector on the remote. The software controlling the TV Guide on the KDS-R60XBR2 still needs a bit of work. The search feature sometimes fails to locate shows by partial program title - it might find a program on one PBS station, but miss the same show title on two or three other PBS stations. Long delays may be experienced when navigating through the program listings. Not all station call letters that can be received are included in the available call letters list, and there is no way to manually enter a station's call letters; manually specifying a different station's call letters assignment for a channel just as a place holder in TV Guide causes those call letters to incorrectly appear at the top right of the screen when the channel is tuned in using the remote, over-riding the correct call letters that had appeared on screen. Digital channels that could not be discovered on the correctly mapped channels can be added to TV Guide in the correctly mapped location.

Even with the minor imperfections, I am very impressed with both TVs. The KDS-60A2000 is perfect for people who just wish to watch TV, while the KDS-R60XBR2 throws in several extras to expand the potential TV experience.

Although I have been a satisfied customer of Amazon for many years now, I was quite concerned about purchasing such a large, in size and cost, item from Amazon. The tranasaction, from beginning to end, could not have gone better. The price, with no sales tax, and no delivery fee, was about $700 less that Circuit City, Best Buy or Sears. Shipment was on time as promised, but actual delivery was 10 days ahead of schedule. My TV was delivered by Air Freight. They put the TV in the room, took it out of the box, and removed the box. They would not put it on the stand for fear that the stand would not support it properly. The deliver men commented that Amazon is very careful and thorough with deliveries like this. I was truly impressed, and kept looking for something to go wrong! If it sound too good to be true, it probably is - Not So - Now, as for the TV. The picture quality is awesome! I have a digital cable box, so I hooked the cable up two ways, With a splitter, I directed one side to the cable box, and the other straight into the TV. To my surprise, a channel search on the straight cable turned up many Digital and HD channel I did not know I had!. I connected the sound output to my SONY surround sound receiver (pro logic) and connected my SONY DVD/VCR player to the TV. I am old enough to remember the introduction of Cinemascope movies with stero sound back in the '50s. I remember what some of the great movies of that time looked like and sounded like. The great Rogers and Hammerstein musicals filmed in the 50's were truly an experience when seen in a large theatre with all the latest screening and sound equipment. Well, my new TV lets me relive those experiences, only better. We just purchased Sound of Music, King and I, and Carousel DVDs from Amazon. The picture is absolutely amazing! The sound is super! I have one minor problem and that is my connection from my VCR. I can't seem to get the right combination to be able to record programs. Hookup directions for the TV call for a simple audio/video cable connected to one of the standard inputs. We are little by little, replacing our favorite movies (VCR) with new DVD versions. Judy Garland's A Star Is Born just arrived, and next will be Ben Hur. In closing, don't hesitate to purchase and iten if this size from Amazon. One more thing, in the past, I had a service contract from Sears on another old large screen TV and was really happy with their service. I went to a Sears retail store and asked if they would consider a service contract on my new TV and they said no. I went to Sears Home Service on the internet, got a contact, and the confirmation arrived last week. It includes replacement of all parts, including the bulb!

I've been waiting for this TV for several months and have had it for a week now.All I can say is totally Awsome! 5 STAR, standard def is as good as it gets and HD is the best I have seen and I looked at a couple of dozen sets.Check out the few reviews that are out there its amazing I bought this at one call and got a great price and they were very good to work with.

Paul from Iowa

I've had this SonyKDSA2000 for 3 weeks and have already had a factory tech come and replace something called an optical block. This part had a scratch on it and caused the screen to show a baseball sized gray spot that showed itself on bright scenes. Now the lighter colored backgrounds look like fine woven fabric and are very distracting. Maybe I got a lemon. Mine never looked nearly as impressive as the one on display which was shockingly beautiful. I've viewed this in all light conditions from 10 feet away and have only set the picture to standard since vivid was a bit too much. Any advice? If I get it worked out I'll edit this review.

Update!!!
My screen has now gone completely green. Not a little green but green green. Sony has a class action suit against them and apparently they've settled. A royal screwing for the consumers though. For this model they will now do nothing for you. This was bad engineering. Short term beautiful picture but will not last.
No more sony products for me.