Customer Reviews

Sony KDF-55WF655 55-Inch HD-Ready LCD Projection Television

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

 

 

A new adopter of this 55-inch set, I have a few caveats for those who are thinking of plunking down the dough. First, if you are not planning on going all-out digital with your television broadcasts, then forget buying this unit. Any non-digital/non-high-definition source will look totally grainy and pixilated on the screen. This is not the fault of the TV or of the manufacturer, SONY. Basically this type of TV, like all HDTVs, is meant for digital television viewing. Watching normal TV on this set is hard on my eyes because the image is sometimes fuzzy and sometimes pixilated, and I can see some artifacts and ghosting.

However, if you can get digital cable or HD satellite (DirecTV, Dish, Voom) then you're good to go. Mind you -- these companies also provide an antenna for "off-air" viewing, which means to get local HD television broadcasts, you must use an antenna (pointing in the right direction of course) to receive the signal, but this is free. In fact, if you want to skip digital cable or satellite, then you can buy an antenna yourself and hook it up to this unit, which has an integrated HD TV (DTV) tuner. In a major metro area like San Francisco, we can get the signal easily -- we are within 3.5 miles of a major broadcast tower.

As for viewing DVDs, this model really shines and happens to be a perfect compromise between the 50" and 60". I used two DVDs to test the picture when the unit arrived: Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and the 2004 edition of The Empire Strikes Back. I used Two Towers to test action sequences, shadows, and contrast. The unit performed brilliantly. I used Empire Strikes Back to test black levels. Brilliant. I had heard that black levels were problematic in LCDs, especially the previous version of this unit class, but I closely watched Darth Vader and all the space scenes to detect any flaws but there were NONE. I only got the truest of black; nothing appeared dark grey when it was supposed to be black, and the shadows were perfect, especially when watching Luke's confrontation with Vader in the carbon-freezing room. Darth Vader's shiny and matte black uniform looked exactly as it should, so I found no flaws with the blacks on this unit. In fact, both DVDs were awesome to watch, and I did sit through both to look for any kind of visual distraction.

One last note about such a large screen. If you don't have ample room between your sofa and the screen, forget about getting such a large screen TV. You need ample room because watching TV close to one of these screens hurts your eyes. I sit anywhere from 7-9 feet back, and sometimes I still want to move back a little.

I recommend this unit without hesitation to anyone who is going all digital and who is willing to pay for the necessary evils of an all-digital experience. If you can't, then I don't recommend any HDTV because you're only going to see worse-than-normal-TV images on-screen.

Now that we've had this Sony 55" LCD in the house and used a great deal, I have a few comments for potential buyers.

This is my personal setup-
Comcast HD Digital Cable feed
Digital CableCard
Sony DVD with progressive scan toggled on
Component Video from DVD to HDTV
Surround Sound (5.1) from DVD player
8-12 feet from HDTV to seating area
Low lighting in room; little to no natual lighting

Overall, I am very happy with this purchase. My family, the kids and friends, really love it! Family members are so impressed with the DVD & HDTV picture quality that it's fun to hear their reaction.

The HDTV from Comcast is 1080i and very good. Some channels are better then others, so set your expectations for quality on what is broadcasted from each channel. The best quality is coming from DiscoveryHD and INHD, INHD2 for general topics. ESPN-HD is also great. Some local HD channels are mixed and quality is on/off depending upon the technology in the camera used.

I also have a SONY DVD Progressive Scan/5.1 surround sound player. DVD Component Video output to either of the two Sony HDTV Component Video-In provides the better picture. Don't go cheap on the Component Video cables.

Combined with the surround sound audio, progressive scan video to this Sony HDTV provides results that are just wonderful and entertaining. It's amazing for family and friends that have not seen or heard DVD/HDTV combo yet.

We just finished watching Lord of the Rings, Extended versions for all three movies - one each weekend. The picture quality is so very clear; action sequences are great but my most enjoyable seens are the landscapes in Return of the King. You will find yourself "looking around the HDTV", focusing on areas of the picture and noticing things never before seen or observed. The surround sound DVD player is a major component of enjoyment.

Picture quality is very sharp with recent animated DVD videos from Toy Story, Shrek, Incredibles, and others.

We just love it.

ROOM TO IMPROVE Areas:
The remote is less then friendly and logical. Buttons are too small, most used functions are spread around the unit. Lighting in dark rooms isn't there. Getting the remote pointed DIRECTLY at the HDTV is annoying. Other cautions - there is a button or more to switch between Cable and Antenna inputs!! That caused me pain solving that mystery out. If Sony could redesign the remote and keep it compatable, I'll be one of the first to buy it.

The cold power-on and warm-up time seems long. It may take 15 seconds or more to get the bright, clear picture so be patient.

At times, the picture and sound get off queue by maybe a second. This may not be the HDTV, but I've noticed it more now then with the old CRT TV set.

When using a Sony Memory Stick for pictures, the HDTV provided music is great, except when it repeats itself over and over in 15-20 second segments. Too bad Sony didn't include more lengthy music segments. Another item, why is Sony only accepting their own "picture card" and not other standards such as Compact Flash, SD Cards, etc.

First let me say that the sound quality and the picture quality are above average for televisions made at this time. But it would be irresponsible for someone to sell you this television with telling you about the known issues associated with this model. First and foremost, the optical block will not last very long. This is the main image creating device for this model. To replace and/or fix the model will cost upwards of a thousand dollars. Also, the bulbs only last a few years if you're lucky, and those run around 150-250 a piece, depending on whether you buy factor or after-market parts, and if there is service involved.

Do a google search about the 'optical block' and 'Sony Grand WEGA' or 'kdf-55wf655' for yourself before buying this one. It's a shame because when it does work, it really has a beautiful picture.

This is an amazing TV. The picture quality is outstanding - even on analog channels. The HD channels and DVDs can seem almost 3-dimensioanl.

I've had this SONY TV for six years. I've never had any problems. The quality of the picture is excellent for this generation of technology. The quality of the sound through the built-in speakers is good, though I usually run the sound through an external sound system. Even after six years, I haven't yet had to replace the bulb, though I know that time will come. Apparently the cost of the bulbs has dropped considerably. It's been well worth the price.

Great TV except in high light areas. Works best in a dark place. Also, it doesn't do well with fast motion HD such as sports. There is a lot of pixelation. But while watching HD in low light areas, it's terrific. I'm replacing the lamp now though after only 3.5 years. I guess this is a normal time with normal use. But dropping $200 on a new lamp is annoying. I can't wait until the lamp goes again. Then I can justify upgrading to a Plasma or LCD.

I would reccomend this TV to a friend if the price is right.

I was sceptical about ordering such a high priced item off of the internet but after receiving the item I had no regrets. The Sony TV is great, the picture is amazing and set-up was a snap. The TV is a real value!

Since the TV is now obsolete by the next year model, I wanted to comment on the shipping. After reading a few of the horror stories and awaiting order confirmation, I did start getting nervous. The delay in the order shipping was due to lack of inventory, since it was near the end of the model line. This wait resulted in a $500 savings when compared to Best Buy and Circuit City. Once shipped, the TV was delivered promptly to my house by very courteous guys. They helped open the box and look things over in a preliminary inspection to insure things worked. Although things were a little stressful in the middle of the process, I am happy in the end.

I've had this tv for about 15 months. Up until about a week ago this tv was total greatness. BUT now I am beside myself I am so livid and doubt I'll get another Sony anything!! It's become almost impossible to watch because the tv loses picture and sound for about 30 seconds and then it comes back. The standby light blinks about 38-42 times while this is going on. Sony "customer support" was no help and it's likely to fix it is going to cost an exhorbitant amount of money. This is the second Sony tv I've had crap out on me like this.