Customer Reviews

Sony KV-32XBR450 32" XBR Wega Flat-Screen HDTV Monitor with PIP

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This set is surprisingly good in the following ways:

After owning this set for four months, I am astonished at how BAD other televisions look. When my friend bought a 32 inch WEGA (non XBR) and had us over to take a look, I was appalled by the overdriven picture, extensive red push and large gap between scan lines. It was like watching television through a set of venetian blinds. The same with another friend's Toshiba flat tube set.

Further, if you're a gadget-type person. you'll appreciate the fantastically in-depth service menu. Every conceivable internal setting of the television can be accessed through the remote. We have dropped the red push altogether and the picture is considerably more pleasing than when the set was new.

Finally, the resolution of the picture tube is so much better than standard televisions that flaws, edits, and manipulations in NTSC sources can easily be detected with the naked eye. This could be a turn-off for some casual owners; other television sets are too blurry and inaccurate to reveal the flaws in a broadcast. Not the XBR! With this set, the difference between high quality and inferior broadcasts is as plain as day.

To sum up, this television is superior in every way. In fact, its superiority makes some common NTSC programming look pretty bad. Some owners won't like it, preferring to hide the flaws in the signal by watching through an inferior set.

... high-end 32" & 36" (4:3 conventional tube) TVs at national chain super store. The XBR series absolutely blew me away at 25 ft. The difference was even more astounding the closer I got. Nothing, not even the other Sony WEGA models compared to the XBR. I had to stick my face to within serval inches from the screen in order to notice the razor thin horizontal scan lines. I wasn't really planning on spending that much on a TV but I did not hesitate for a moment to reach for my check book for the XBR. With a little bargaining, I think I got mine for about... I've had it now for almost a year and I still marvel at quality of this unit. It has more AV I/Os than most users will ever need (component, s-video, and composite) 6 in all. I even replaced a fairly new DVD player for a model that had progressive scan so I could take advantage of the 480p feature of the XBR ("fabulous"). Also, my new XBOX (w/ the HD AV kit) really looks super on the XBR too.

Go, shop, compare, see for yourself. I think only the LCD HDTVs have a better picture quality but they're still too expensive and have very little content to offer today and, I think It'll be a while before they do. So, 4:3 is still the way to go. Besides, the XBR is HDTV ready. I just wish that I could have bought the 36" XBR but it wouldn't fit into my entertainment center.

I just got the 32XBR450 yesterday (2/9/02) and I absolutely love it. I wasn't intending on buying this TV when I went shopping but once I saw the picture and other features compared to the "regular" flat screen TV's I had to have it. The picture's incredible, the colors are perfect and the skin tones are right on the money. I havent hooked it up to a home theater system yet but the TV audio on its own is wonderful. I connected a DVD player that has the progressive scan feature (only works with HDTV TV's) and I used the component video cable connection. All I can say about the picture quality while watching a DVD is WOW!!!! It's crystal clear. It was just like being in a movie theater except that my recliner is much more comfortable and the picture was actually better. The picture-in-picture feature is better than any I've seen. It's called Twin-View and instead of a small box in the corner of the screen it comes up in a split screen so both channels take up half the screen. Then you can resize either one you want and as one gets bigger the other gets smaller. You can also use the picture-in-picture mode while viewing a DVD, VHS, video game system or any other input you have hooked up. There are also plenty of in-put jacks (6) so you can hook up just about anything you want. Overall it's just the best TV I've seen. The ONLY reason I didnt give it 5-stars is because of the price. I paid the same price thats advertised here but I got the stand included. Oh ya and it's HDTV (ready) so when all broadcasts go over to HDTV in a few years you'll be all set. If you can pay the price then go out and get this TV NOW!!!

We've had our 32" XBR450 for about three months, and the whole family loves it. Coupled with a progressive scan DVD player (we have the Sony DVP-NS700P, also a great product), the picture is nothing short of amazing. Even VHS tapes look better with this TV, thanks to the line-doubling up-conversion process the signal goes through. The sound quality is also excellent--even has treble/bass adjustments--and has surprising bass output for a TV set. The picture-and-picture feature (scalable side-by-side twin views) is really cool; however, be aware that you won't be able to view two channels at once if you get satellite service. (You can still view different sources simultaneously, though.) The unit also has plenty of inputs, including two component video inputs (for high-definition sources) so you can hook up a DVD player as well as an HDTV receiver. While the price is high, for the quality, features and flexibility, you can't beat this Sony for 32" models. I would recommend this TV to anyone who can afford it.

I bought this TV last year and I love it. I have an elliptical satellite dish
and a Toshiba HDTV receiver.
The picture quality is what sold me on this model, whether you are watching the news or a DVD on a
progressive scan player (with component video cables)
Sony gives you the option of four different screen modes, from vivid to
'pro'...that is all picture adjustments in the default position.
The control over every aspect of the picture is daunting at first but in no
time you'll have the four picture modes perfectly tailored to your tastes.
The "split screen" is very cool, you can watch a DVD and monitor a program, minimize or maximize the two screens and have the sound
from whichever source you want Even the built in speaker system is sufficient for my taste, to me the picture quality is of utmost importance.
I could go on and on raving about this TV.
I only have one regret, the price keeps going down!
j.nomograms

This TV is the best we ever purchased. Of course going from a 19 inch model to the 32 inch is a change, the clarity of televsion, video and DVD's is incredible. We read many reviews of Sony WEGA from many sources. Though we spent some bucks, it was well worth it!

And was it ever worth it! This TV is, in a word, incredible! We were shopping for a 32 inch TV and we kept going back to look at this set. Nothing else even comes close. The picture is perfect. We love nature shows, and you will not believe how they look on this set. We got a progressive scan DVD player and, Holy Cow, I am blown away every time I watch a movie. The TV has more features and hookups than you will ever need. I will not get into all the technical jargon, because once you see the picture you will want this set! Definitely the best available right now. My only criticism is that the speakers are small and not all that dynamic, but no matter since this TV begs to be hooked up to an amplifier. Expensive, but absolutely worth every cent.

Just received mine. It is an amazing TV. Expensive, but should serve us well for some time. The pictures are breathtaking (and we aren't planning to get to the HDTV signals until there is more product available). I had seen many sets in stores before my purchase, but it wasn't until I got to one where they know how to set up the picture that I truly appreciated the quality represented in this set. I'd buy it again in a second.

It's a great TV but I do perfer picture-in-picture (PIP). This model though has only Picture-AND-Picture (PAP) which is quite different. PIP allows you you to have one full screen picture with a small picture superimposed over it in a corner. It also allows you to quick change between the two. Picture AND picture tries to split the viewing screen area into two equal pictures, displaying both channels ... leaving a lot of unused real estate.

I bought this TV about 3 days go and still love it. It has all the input's you need, 2 coaxial/RF, 2 HD component, 3 s-video OR composite, and 1 plain composite. You can also label the input's, so when scrolling through the tv/video list you know which is which. The picture is fan tastic, the best 32 inch HDTV picture I have seen but i'm not an electronics expert. The sounds is above average but I use a reciever for surround sound. The twin view is quite possibly the best feature outside of the picture. Worth the money..