Sony Grand WEGA KDF-42WE655 42-Inch LCD Projection Television with Integrated HDTV Tuner

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Product Details

Product Manual [5.95mb PDF]

• Shipping Weight: 88 pounds
• Shipping: This item can only be shipped to the 48 contiguous states. We regret it cannot be shipped to APO/FPO, Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico.
• ASIN: B00061ZNVE
• Item model number: KDF42WE655
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #55,574 in Electronics (See Bestsellers in Electronics)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 14, 2004

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

From its integrated NTSC and ATSC (HDTV) tuners to Sony's WEGA Engine system and the HDMI digital-video interface, the 42-inch KDF-42WE655 LCD projection television is loaded with features to make your eyes pop. The 64-pound LCD projection television is also easy to position, and its relatively modest chassis--standing just 15 inches deep--won't push you out of your house.

The set's liquid-crystal display frees you from having to make convergence adjustments or having to worry about image burn-in. Instead you get incredible detail (more than 3 million pixels), high contrast, and corner-to-corner brightness from the set's user-replaceable 100-watt UHP (ultra high pressure) lamp.

The screen features a wide, 16:9 aspect ratio to match the dimension of most movies and HDTV broadcasts, and the KDF-42WE655 offers compatibility with standard-definition 480i, enhanced-definition 480p, and high-definition 720p and 1080i signals. Sony's Digital Reality Creation (DRC) circuitry ensures high picture resolution, while proprietary Direct Digital Circuitry increases a video signal's signal-to-noise ratio before it reaches the DRC circuit, ensuring rich, natural-looking images from any source.

Sony's CineMotion 3:2 pulldown detection and reversal is a handy feature for watching progressive-scan movie programs in their native 24-frame format. Digital video mastering introduces a common distortion when adjusting 24 frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video; 3:2 pulldown digitally corrects this distortion, removing the redundant information to display a film-frame-accurate picture.

The set's WEGA Engine system maximizes picture performance from any video source by minimizing the number of digital-to-analog conversion processes. This full digital processing engine includes Sony's MID-X (Multi Image Driver), which maintains the integrity of a converted signal by minimizing image loss in the scaling process; and a proprietary optical engine, which employs a trio of Sony's wide-XGA, high-resolution LCD panels, 1 for each of the RGB signals (resulting in a total of 3.28 million dots of resolution).

The optical engine also features a special 11-element lens system responsible for the lightweight, ultra-slim cabinet. The lens system bends the light path, creating an ultra-short focal point while maintaining high brightness. This proprietary system delivers vivid images from the center of the screen all the way to the edges.

The set includes numerous other features:

• TwinView PIP (picture-in-picture) lets you view any 2 sources simultaneously, even at different image resolutions, while the built-in Memory Stick media slot offers ready display of both JPEG images and MPEG-1 video.
• A Memory Stick media slot (compatible with Memory Stick Pro and Memory Stick Duo media) grants convenient viewing of JPEG and MPEG-1 files. It can also display customized slide shows using MP3 files for background music.
• Channel Fix lets you select a specific TV channel (3, for example) for cable box reception. Then you can control a compatible cable box via the TV remote without inadvertently changing the TV from Channel 3.
• Authorized CableCARD ability means the set will receive digital cable television systems services directly from the cable operator without requiring a bulky, external cable box.
• Sony's exclusive S-Master 1-bit digital amplifier produces 15 watts per channel (x 2), ensuring high power for superb, clear dialog.

HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is a lossless, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface to link the set with any audio/video source (such as a set-top box, DVD player, or AV receiver). HDMI supports standard-definition (SD), enhanced definition (ED), or high-definition (HD) video, plus multichannel digital audio--all using a single cable. It transmits all ATSC HDTV standards and supports up to 8-channel digital audio, with bandwidth to spare to accommodate future enhancements and requirements.

What's in the Box
TV, remote control, remote batteries, a user's manual, and warranty/registration information.

Product Description

The broad lineup of Grand WEGA televisions offers a wide choice in cosmetic styling. These televisions utilize a proprietary LCD Optical Engine with Sony's WEGA Engine system to deliver exceptional, detailed picture quality from any video source by minimizing the digital-to-analog conversion process.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

73 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great picture. Great price. Space saver. Versatile., January 8, 2005

By	30-year Technology Consumer "8-tracks to 802.11" (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews

After completing a basement renovation, we were ready for a big screen to watch New Years and January football games. The shopping and selectio process for this was long and hard, and the high end of our budget range certainly included some plasmas and flat panel LCDs near (but mostly above) the price of this TV.

If you are a technology consumer, you know the deal: early adopters of LCD and plasmas are going to take a beating as prices for these fall. These technologies are not yet mature, and there are lingering issues, such as burn-in with plasma, and the sheer expense of LCDs. This set offers an excellent value for the size while the super thin formats settle in the marketplace.

The picture is astonishing, and even more if you are lucky enough to live in an area served by HDTV. Even though not a true flat panel, it is only 15 inches deep and weighs less than 60 pounds. Getting it where you want to sit will probably take two people, but once there, it can be moved for cabling access easily by one person.It has more input options than most of us could ever affort to populate.

Its user guide is complete and clearly written. I give only a B+ to some of the on-screen menu options; not all of them are immediately intutitive. This is a minor complaint for a TV that delivers every bit of the picture quality that the Sony enjoys a reputation for (going back to the days of "a Sony of my owny..."

Terrifc TV, Makes me never want to leave home:-)

46 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great TV for half plasma price, November 28, 2004

By	Czar Paul (Piscataway NJ USA) - See all my reviews

Considering the price, this tv is a great value. I've been waiting for prices to come down and made the purchase soon after this model came out. There are multiple connections of all types including the cable card slot, which lets you get HDTV from your cable company without a set top box. The only drawback to this is that you don't get the program guide or any interactive features (program guide, PPV) with this feature. Hooked up to a HDTV signal, the picture is incredible. Football is super clear, and movies from HBO etc in HD also look great. Hook up a progressive scan DVD player and the picture is fantastic. The speakers are very good. Only drawback is that like any projection TV, there is an optimal viewing angle. You will notice a dimming of the picture as you move around. When you see this TV, it's best to view it at an angle that you will be seeing it at home, even if that means looking silly in the showroom by crouching down when you look at it. Also be aware that you will have to replace the bulb on this type of tv as it ages.

Added 2/08 To clarify my point about the picture dimming as you move, I really meant that you need to look at the TV at the correct height. The picture is much different if you stand higher than it rather that look at it direct on. I have not noticed a problem in the side to side viewing angle. Sorry for any confusion. After 3 months, I still love this set.

44 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Stunning picture, and it won't break the bank., March 1, 2005

By	Aram R. Vartian (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I had been shopping for a new television for the better part of three months, and had gone from plasma to LCD and back, before finally settling on the Sony 42" Grand WEGA™ HDTV projection LCD television. It is, hands down, the absolute best value for the money I could find.

PICTURE CLARITY
The HDTV quality is simply amazing, even breathtaking. I have found myself watching 2-hour documentaries about the now defunct whaling industry in Croatia just for the fact that is was broadcast in HDTV. DVD quality is also quite good, and regular digital cable is also rather sharp (and while analog signals will be tolerable, they pale in comparison to the others). Video games are as crisp as they could be, and the television also works great as a secondary monitor (invest in a TV-out video card and a wireless keyboard/mouse, and your couch is now your new home office).

LCD TVs still have some minor issues with either incredibly rapid movement and/or bright flashes of light. There is a small distortion; a pixilation that will briefly flash across the screen but it is at best a minor annoyance. Also, the blacks are not as black as they could/should be, so if you are watching a movie or program where the setting is very dark, there will be a slight glow around the black areas that can be a little annoying.

The short of it is this; if you are in any way normal, you will be blown away by the clarity and intensity of the images this set can produce. If you are a TV snob (and you know who you are), and could rant for ten minutes about the red push, or how optical audio out only passes digital signals via the tuner, then you may have a few complaints. The rest of us will be quite happy.

PICTURE CLAIRITY RUNDOWN:
HDTV: Aside from the above mentioned black levels, flawless, crisp and shockingly bright.

DVD: Good picture, though not quite as good as I expected. Animated/Digitally generated DVD (think Shrek) are nearly as good as HDTV. I suspect this has to do with the set being an LCD projector.

Digital Cable: Average to good, depending on channel, but most fall within the good range (Note: This is based on Comcast digital cable service in Washington DC).

Regular Cable: N/A (I don't have it, so I don't know)

Video Games: Sharp, crisp, and oh-so big. Very Good. (Note: Based on a first gen Sony PS2)

Computer Monitor: Another task that I suspected would be a major hassle that actually went off with little incident was adding a TV out video card to my PC and hooking it directly to my Sony. The picture and resolution are flawless, and with a wireless mouse and keyboard, my sofa has become an extension of my home office.

SOUND
Its...well, its actually not too bad, to be honest. I expected it to be crap, and compared to any decent surround-sound system it does seem rather anemic, but all in all they are quite good, and the audio options are numerous. I sill suggest a decent surround sound system, but you can live without it.

EASE OF USE
I think out of everything, this surprised me the most. I had purchased a new all-in-one Sony surround sound/DVD player with the television, and had my digital/HDTV cable box delivered a day before. I now had the daunting task of trying to coble all of this together.

I won't lie about this; I was scared. The TV I had before this one was a 27" GE that I first purchased when I joined the Navy, and the only input it had was a singular hookup for coaxial cable.

To my surprise (and everlasting gratitude) It was amazingly easy. Three cables is all that it took (four if you count the Playstation), and it worked like a charm the first time around. Also here are 8 video input channels for this television, so I can't imagine I would ever run out of room for more devices.

One note on this: With a set this good, and assuming you plan to hook it up to a 5.1 surround sound system, it is going to cost you about 300 bucks for new wires and a decent surge protector. Factor that into your final cost for this big-ticket item.