Customer Reviews

Sony KV-36HS420 36-Inch FD Trinitron WEGA Hi-Scan 1080i HD-Ready TV

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

 

 

Contrary to popular opinion, you don't have to buy an expensive plasma or LCD (liquid crystal display) TV to get a great high-definition picure. In fact, many experts (including Consumer Reports) assert that high-definition TVs using traditional cathode-ray tube technology -- as this high-definition Sony does -- currently offer a sharper picture than plasma and LCD TVs plus are lower priced and more reliable. This Sony HD TV has an excellent picture with standard broadcasts and a superb picture with HD broadcasts.

Yes, this model -- despite being a high-definition TV -- has the traditional 4:3 aspect ratio rather than a widescreen 16:9 ratio. But my cable system currently broadcasts 175 channels in the traditional 4:3 aspect ratio and only 9 widescreen channels. How many widescreen channels do you currently receive? Widescreen 16:9 TVs have smaller pictures with gray bars on the side when displaying traditional 4:3 channels. Furthermore, because the screen on this TV is so large, when widescreen pictures are played on this set, although there will be letter-boxing bars above and below the widescreen picture, the picture will still be the same size as on a 34" 16:9 TV within a fraction of an inch. Thus, compared to a 34" 16:9 set, this TV will give you bigger pictures from conventional 4:3 channels and virtually the same size pictures when watching 16:9 channels or widescreen DVDs.

Widescreen high-definition broadcasts and widescreen high-definition TVs will be the norm in a few years, at which time the prices of such sets will be significantly lower than they are now. However, with the current situation where most channels still display traditional 4:3 pictures and only a few are in widescreen and high definition, a large screen 4:3 HD TV, such as this 36" Sony, is a good economical choice for many people at this time.

I'm surprised there are not more reviews on this TV because I think it is a very popular model. Everything I have ever read about this is the best HD tube TV out there. Mine lasted all of four hours but I'll give what's good about it first.

The picture with a progressive scan DVD player is amazing. Almost as good as the HD feeds I have seen on the showroom floors. Everyones jaws dropped when I put in the Finding Nemo DVD. I don't have HD at home yet though so I really can't comment on that. I do have a Dish Network receiver (standard definition) with a built in digital video recorder. The S-video picture out of the recorder was not as good as it is with my 32 inch standard Toshiba TV (nothing fancy). It seemed very pixelated. But I never really had time to mess with the video settings before the TV died. I also spent some time with my Xbox playing Halo 2. Again, I didn't have time to get the HD connections for the Xbox but the standard connections made an impressive picture.

The TV also has a lot of connections. I think there are 6 in the back (6 composite, 2 component, and 2 S-video) and 1 one the front (1 composite and 1 S-video). Remote is standard Sony remote.

Sound is nothing great. It seems to me that the simulated surround sound that some of these TV's sound worse than the plain old stereo sound. The manufactures need to figure out that if people want good sound most everyone has a seperate sound system. I'd rather have good, plain stereo sound to watch sitcoms and the news. I'll fire up my sound system when I want good surround sound.

This TV is unbelievably heavy. Over 220 pounds. It takes 2 strong people and even then don't move it any further than necessary. And were gloves, the bottom will actually cut your hands. I've always liked the CRT TVs better than plasmas, projections, and LCDs because they have a better picture and are cheaper. And I figured the weight didn't matter because I would move it in, set it up, and forget about it. I'm rethinking that theory now. It's a pain to move and difficult to find furniture that will support the weight. I would strongly suggest paying someone to move it in wherever it will stay.

Now the bad....Finally got the TV moved in. Watched half a DVD and then player some Xbox. The next day my wife was watching the satellite and the TV just went dead. Getting power but wouldn't start up the screen. First to the Sony hotline. I don't know about anyone else, but I despise these computers that think they can understand human speech. I would much rather do the touchtone phone thing. It couldn't understand my street address and I was ready to stomp my phone in the ground but I finally got through to a living, breathing person. Their advice unplug it and wait a minute, blah, blah, blah. Nothing. He gave me a number for Sony in-home service. After being on hold for 15 minutes Sony doesn't do in home service in my state. So I called Circuit City and got someone to come out the next day. The guy from Circuit City did a great job but still wasn't able to fix it because he needed to order the parts. I guess it was something with the power supply. He said he had never seen it from a Sony TV and it was a one in a million thing. I just didn't feel comfortable keeping the TV so I had to load the monster back up and return it to the store. This was way to much cash to lay down to wonder when it was going to decide to die again. Circuit City took it back no ploblem.

So now I am back to researching again. LCD prices will probably be down by the time I figure out what I want.

I had this TV for 2 years in my 15 x 16 foot living room. Sat on a large entertainment center that could support the 240lbs it weighed. Was a monster to get in place but I thought "i'll never move it again for a long time." Picture is just incredible and the sound was also very good. I hardly did watch TV as it was and didn't use it alot in the 2 years but always enjoyed showing off the HD picture channels on the TV to friends. One nite w/ my g/f we were watching a DVD and when it was over I went to switch the video mode back to TV and there was no sound. I too had very similiar experience as did James above. I was told by Sony to deal w/ Circuit City since my warranty was out from Sony but still good w/ Circuit city. thank god I bought the extended. The repair company showed up in a few days and looked at it for 30 min, tryin to reset, thinkin forever that it was the mute button or a wire was off on the back. He told me he never saw a sony tv w/ no sound like this. He said "there is only 2 circuit boards in it and it has to be one of them that is bad." so he was gonna order parts. 3 weeks i heard nothing from him and tried callin him w/ no call back. I had to go to circuit city to get an answer and the store manager was very helpful. He found out that the guy didn't call me cause he was waiting on an answer from sony. He had no idea what was wrong w/ my tv so he called sony to ask them. Seems to me that not many service companies want to work on these tv's from what I am reading from reviews. I too must be the one in a million that had a fluke tv, but now they no longer sell this tv and I would have to go w/ the 34" wega. LCD and plasma just don't interest me cause of the problems they too have and there life spans. I am currently after 2 1/2 months of the tv broke waitin on a confirmation number from this "Todds electronics" so I can get my store credit and pick something else out. I will miss this TV alot and hope that the 34 will be close to the same screen size. I have found my tv online still available but circuit city only lets u do store credit. NOw I have to go through moving this Tv again thinkin I wouldn't be doing this for a long time.. LOL IF i could get another one though I would, because it's a great tv and I guess I was just the one in a million w/ a bad one.

This is, simply put, the best television set I have ever owned. The picture is terrific, the sound is awesome (weven when you turn it up all the way, there is no scratchiness), and when you place the TV in a dark room, you feel like you are in a movie theatre. The picture rivals the skinny flat screens that currently dot the Best Buy Landscape.

My only reservation is that this TV weighs anywhere from 215-235 pounds, depending on which model version you buy. It is a beast. You'll need two or more strong people to help you move it, and good luck trying to find someone to help you if you ever need to carry it up a flight of stairs!

Moreover, it is a bulky set that needs a sizeable corner or wall.

But if you already know where you will put your TV, then this is a great buy. I've had this TV for almost two years, and it still plays and looks brand new!

The remote control requires a bit of a learning curve, but we use our Dish Network remote, so no problem there. The only thing is that if you are watching satellite TV in Video Mode, you won't be able to use the PIP feature (no bif loss for me).

To be honest, if I was buying a TV now, I'd get something lighter. But if you want a traditional set, than this one is awesome.

Recommend to avoid Sony Wega Trinitron CRT televisions due to overwhelming
problems resulting in failed units in 1-4 years. Check the blogs for
yourself. My 4 year old Wega in resting with its friends in the local scrap yard.
Sony has been recalcitrant in its resistance to provide information on a fix.
Sony has been so bad that we can no long buy any Sony product with any confidence.

I've had this TV for over 4 years now and I am having such a hard time deciding whether or not to part with it because it still performs well. The picture is crisp and sharp and the sound is exquisite....it's just so heavy. That's not a problem if you have a couple of strong men to move the 240 lb. monster. I think the next best picture I've seen since this TV is the XBR6 series and that's what I'm wanting to put on a wall mount. Quite an expense to justify when this TV is still perfect. I think I'll wait since I'm still very much enjoying my first HDTV.

I too bought this tv in December 2004 and here we are July 2008 and it already has failed me, not even 4 years. The problem I had is that whenever I would turn on the tv by remote or finger, the tv would come on then turn off by itself. It happened so many times that I finally gave up and called a repairman. He came out and 49.00 bucks later said he would take the board with him to have it repaired to a tune of 300.00 I stupidly paid him the 300 total and now I have it for sale. Dont buy this dumb tv its too heavy you need about 4 guys to load it and unload it if you dont break your back first or cut your hand. I would never buy another sony again. The repairman says he sees these tvs a loft with this problem. The only person getting rich here is the repairman. Run, dont walk, away from the sony.