257 of 261 people found the following review helpful:
Let me clear up some misconceptions...
This is a great HDTV. Hands down is one of the most beautiful displays in this size. You can buy a fancier ultra-thin 32" TV from Samsung right now but it's almost twice the price!
Pros: The blacks are black! When you start it up, the Bravia logo appears on a black background and it's as black as when the TV is off! People say that edge LED lighting will...
139 of 174 people found the following review helpful:
MUST READ - A step in the wrong direction for SONY KDL-32XBR9
MUST READ - A step in the wrong direction for SONY KDL-32XBR9
I bought two of these TVs a week ago and just set one up a couple of days ago. I am a true sony fan since the WEGA editions and have stayed true to them. My largest screen 46" is the an XBR5 model and I have loved it since. So when it came time to buy TVs for my bedrooms, I naturally thought the...
This review is from: Sony BRAVIA XBR KDL-32XBR9 32-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV (Electronics)
This is a great HDTV. Hands down is one of the most beautiful displays in this size. You can buy a fancier ultra-thin 32" TV from Samsung right now but it's almost twice the price!
Pros: The blacks are black! When you start it up, the Bravia logo appears on a black background and it's as black as when the TV is off! People say that edge LED lighting will make the blacks truer with less backlight bleeding but this TV is already great in this aspect. The colors and settings are very good out of the box for a few of the styles but need adjustment like any TV. The nice thing is that when you change your input, the TV remembers all the settings for that input! So it's like you never have to re-adjust your settings unless you plug your stuff in differently.
The motionflow frame interpolation technology is astounding! 120HZ with the motionflow is worth every penny for bluray and other high-def sources. That's why I waited for this over the XBR6. I however prefer the lifelike "soap-opera" look, but that's me (I have to say PE or the Pirates movies look stunning with it on!). You can turn it off or have this appear more more subtle (the default). The motionflow is basically a side-effect of the necessity to combat blurriness and the staggering "judder" effect inherent to LCDs. It adds one or more frames in between each frame of your source by interpolating entirely NEW frames that were never there by the TV's processor. technology is amazing, isn't it? You have to see it in person to get exactly what this looks like. Other companies are following suit but I find others like the 32 TOC Samsung have more motion artifacts (basically errors ie grabbing parts of the audience behind a fast-moving player in a sports event and dragging them along for the ride). Sony's Bravia processor is second to none. For upconverted sources not originally in 1080 and compressed 1080 cable, the motion technology is less noticeable. So the overall effectiveness depends on how clear the material is.
This is important--with the game mode on, which turns off most processing, there is almost NO LAG. I am one of those demanding gamers who is very sensitive and complains about miniscule things like how much play there is in a joystick. So I can tell you that there is still a little lag but the game mode makes fast games like Smash Bros and shooters play like my CRT. So losing the motionflow in the game mode might seem bad, but it's only a small difference especially on something like the 480p Wii. And Wii games with anti-aliasing like Metroid Prime 3 still look AWESOME in contrast to what most say. The PS3 does look AMAZING either with or without motionflow anyway!
Cons: Not many but the sound is tinny. What do you expect from such small speakers? If you spent this much on a 32 TV and don't have speakers then you should not complain.
There is no headphone jack. I use a mixer with a control-room out to get around this and it works fine.
The autodim is annoying but mainly happens for me when the room is VERY dark. In normal light I do not see it. And you cannot turn it off but with as many people as are complaining about it, all Sony has to do is release a firmware update to allow the switching on and off of it (Sony, are you reading this?)...
CLARIFICATIONS-----
Here are some points that I thought were incorrect in some other reviews so I felt compelled to make this clear to potential buyers.
Okay some people just don't do their research in TVs. Sony's top line of HDTVs is the XBR line. The XBRs are split into the standard and then two higher end levels. Last year we had the XBR6s (standard XBR), XBR7s (larger fancier models) and XBR8 (larger still fancier models). This XBR9 IS NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR XBR8!! It replaces the XBR6 and the XBR8 was WAY more money and there was not even a 32" one available! The reviewer who complained about there being no LED backlighting is wrong in getting upset because the XBR6 never had LED lighting and the XBR8 is a higher end unit which is different that the XBR9s. Sony will undoubtedly release an XBR10 and XBR11 or something to replace those two higher lines. Maybe in the next few years Sony will add edge LED lighting to the standard XBR line unless something like OLED takes off...
Next the TV takes about as long to start up as my over 10-year-old Sony Trinitron 32" XBR CRT does. Some models take longer some don't but it certainly is not 30 seconds! That reviewer must have gotten a problem unit or need a firmware update or something. Also, to change input, all you have to do is push "Input" then push that arrows up or down and that's it. Wow if that is too much for you, then technology is not your thing. Maybe you should hire someone to push the buttons for you so you don't have to. Come on.
The thing has many inputs and, yes, some are on the side. On bigger TVs this would probably get covered up so on this one you can see some cabling if you have a thick cable that cannot bend easily. If you are clever you can use the cord-management strap to clean this up but my thick Monstercable does not bend that easily so I do see it. Oh well. So with thinner types of cables that bend back easily you should be fine. It's common knowledge that you get the same quality in a $5 HDMI cable as a $200 one because it is digital; getting a cheap thin one should solve the side cable-view problem. I wanted a more durable cable though.
This is a relatively high-end HDTV that means it's designed to be used primarily to view HD content over a HDMI cables. That's why over half it's inputs are HDMI. So if you have a ton of stuff in composite or component, sorry, but Sony is trying to cater to the people who utilize the TV primarily for what it was designed for. Get a splitter/switcher or upgrade your cables to HDMI because, again, no matter how crappy your HDMI cables are, there is NO signal loss. There's an advantage to update anyway.
Also contrary to popular belief numbers across different manufacturers ARE NOT EQUIVALENT. So comparing Lg to Sony to Samsung is not at all accurate. Think of comparing HP numbers in cars--measuring at the flywheel or tire gets you VERY different results and this often misleads consumers. Trust your eyes on a calibrated set with the same source. I can tell you this TV has more than enough contrast and is improved over last years model.
----
So far I have not had any problems with the TV and it looks amazing. I would recommend this to anyone and if you are internet savvy and find a good company to work with, you can find it for only slightly more than the closeout or last-year's KDL32XBR6 model--about $850 (or less, as in my case) :D
EDIT: Thanks to other posters for mentioning this--Sony has released a firmware update that apparently makes the menus easier to navigate (faster?) and FIXES THE AUTODIM PROBLEM! I am trying to figure out how to install it now...
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This review is from: Sony BRAVIA XBR KDL-32XBR9 32-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV (Electronics)
First, let me say this TV excels on many levels. Picture quality is great, pre-set picture settings are almost spot on, but plenty of flexibility to adjust, decent off-angel viewing, matte screen deals well w/ bright lighting (we have a lamp directly across from the TV and only notice a reflection in truly dark scenes), and of course the long history of Sony quality standing behind it. However, unless the 120hz is a must for you, see if you can get your hands on a XBR6 on clearance. The XBR9 doesn't add much more, and you do lose some features, like the on-screen tv guide, PAP/PIP, and the proprietary input for things like the ipod dock, etc.
Minor Issues: Sound quality is decent for a TV of this size, but audiophiles will want to add an external speaker system. The bezel is highly reflective, which can be distracting depending on the lighting in the room. Another thing to note is that the input menu has to be navigated with the arrow keys on the remote - can't just keep hitting the input button to scroll through - so depending on your satellite or cable remote, like us (we have DirectTV), you may not be able to use it to change inputs, and will have to use the Sony remote to switch b/t the SD box and HD antenna.
Major Issue: The biggest drawback on this set, for me, is the function that automatically adjusts the backlight based on screen brightness, and, so far, we cannot find any way to shut this off. (Note, this is NOT the same as the light sensor, which you can, and I think should disable, as I think it produces kind of a muddy picture in all but optimal room light conditions.) For average viewing, this is not a problem, and we did not discover the issue until watching The Prestige on TV a few weeks ago - the movie has many dark, candle/lamp lit scenes, and the dark-bright-dark-bright adjustments made the movie almost unwatchable at times. It wouldn't be so bad if the adjustment was smoother, but generally a couple of seconds after the screen brightness changes there is a abrupt and significant darkening or brightening of the screen. So if your main interest is gaming or watching movies that tend to have a lot of dark scenes, then this might not be the TV for you. Even though we use this TV mainly to watch TV and the occasional DVD from NetFlix, and so will probably have to deal w/ this only occasionally, it's distracting enough when it does happen that, if we'd known about this issue in advance, we probably would not have purchased the TV.
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This review is from: Sony BRAVIA XBR KDL-32XBR9 32-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV (Electronics)
We were unhappy with this TV and then found that Sony has fixed the back light issue so you can adjust it or turn it off and this has fixed the screen changing from dark to light with different scenes. It was easy to down load this onto a usb memory stick and the TV automatically did the update. The channels seem to change faster also. Here is the web site for downloading it from Sony - just make sure you follow all of the steps and read the info first. They will mail you the update on stick also.
[...]
Darlene
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This review is from: Sony BRAVIA XBR KDL-32XBR9 32-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV (Electronics)
We bought this for our master bedroom - my wife loves the picture, thinks the sound is fine and doesn't mind waiting for 30 seconds or so for the TV to "boot up" as she believes that following the Energy Star guidelines is the right thing to do.
The one issue we had is that this unit had clearly been opened previously. Although the box was sealed and it was delivered by the outfit Amazon uses in our area, when I opened the box, it was clear that this was probably a return unit. The packaging was not sealed with blue tape that you often see on Sony products and the screws for the stand were missing. I called the Sony hotline and they were very nice and willing to send me the four screws, but it would take about a week or so. So, I asked the agent for the size of the screws or the part number which took her only about 2-3 minutes to retrieve. She didn't know the size, but when she told me the part number, it was obvious that the 4 missing screws were metric (M5 X 12). So, a quick trip to ACE yielded replacement screws for 19 cents apiece and I was able to attach the stand and set the TV up.
This experience has made me wonder about how carefully Amazon is monitoring its vendors. This was clearly not a factory-sealed item - so one immediately jumps to the conclusion that there might be other ways to sell items for less than just volume buying. However, I must say that our general experience with Amazon has been outstanding, so this could just be a one-off, isolated incident. Anyway, if you end up needing the correct screws to attach the stand, now you know to purchase M5 X 12.
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This review is from: Sony BRAVIA XBR KDL-32XBR9 32-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV (Electronics)
MUST READ - A step in the wrong direction for SONY KDL-32XBR9
I bought two of these TVs a week ago and just set one up a couple of days ago. I am a true sony fan since the WEGA editions and have stayed true to them. My largest screen 46" is the an XBR5 model and I have loved it since. So when it came time to buy TVs for my bedrooms, I naturally thought the latest XBR would be just as good. How wrong was I?
PROS:
Picture quality is very good, one of the best. Glossy finish is classy and the sound quality is as best as it gets for this size TV.
CONS
OK, last year's model the XBR8 line used LED lighting which is supposed to be much better (read the reviews). Why did we go backward with the new XBR9 models?
The TV takes 30 seconds to come on from the time the power button is pressed! My old Sony comes on instantly ....what is wrong with this TV and why did Sony put it on the market with such an annoying flaw? This slow response also happens when you cycle between inputs, not just when you turn the TV on. So fi you press the input button to change inputs from your TV to your Blu-Ray/DVD player, expect to wait another 30 seconds before you can see a picture ...go make you a cup of coffee!
The video inputs are on the side of the TV. So expect cables to be visible from the side of the TV unless you spend money rewiring your AV with L cables. Also be warned, if you currently have two separate devices using S-Video and composite video (yellow), then you'll have to find a converter or adapter for one device because on this TV, Sony decided to place both inputs on the same video channel! So you can only use one or the other and there is only a single audio connection on that channel! I have an old home theater system for my bedroom with uses S-video and I love it (it's one of those things you buy with low expectations and it surprises you)! I also have surveillance security cameras using composite video. Now I have to buy an adapter to convert one input or lose it!
Also you cannot press the input button multiple times to cycle between inputs. When you press input key multiple times, you can cycle through the top -> button inputs list but you cannot cycle back around to the top unless you use you up/down arrow keys to change/select the input you want. Expect to wait an additional 30 seconds to see a picture each time you change inputs! This makes switch back and forth between inputs a time consuming annoyance!
Finally, don't let anyone fool you that the changing contrast on dark scenes is a minor issue. When watching regular TV, recorded TV, DVD/Blu-Ray, or HDTV, it takes about 15 seconds into a dark scene then all over a sudden the TV realizes it's a dark scene and instead of compensating by brightening the scene for better clarity ... it makes it darker! So when watching dark scenes, be prepared for them to get darker and this is drastic and very visible. Then when you return to a bright scene, the Tv does the reverse and brightens the scene. This is also sudden and visible...not to mention annoying! This, feature has no menu options to disable. I have gone through my entire TV menu and disabled all the advanced picture enhancements and it's still annoyingly there! Trust me, this is a deal breaker for me!
FINAL TAKE:
If you watch HDTV or use AT&T U-Verse, make sure you go to your receiver's Menu>Options>System Settings>Aspect ratio and change your TV size to 1080i for optimal picture.
I wish I could suggest going back to the XBR6 model but I will loose 120Hz refresh rate plus I will get a TV that is about 2 -3 years old already ...doesn't sound right.
I will be returning these TVs back to the store and replacing them with the Samsung LN32B650. I feel so sad and betrayed by Sony. It's like realizing that someone you have loved and been loyal to just betrayed you and you don't want to leave but you know that you have to; for your own sanity! So long Sony ...welcome Samsung...and you better act right!
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This review is from: Sony BRAVIA XBR KDL-32XBR9 32-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV (Electronics)
I bought an XBR-6 a few eeeks ago and absolutely loved it 5 stars. So I figured an XBR-9 would be that much better. Wrong!! The picture is great as long as you turn off all of the light enhancing features. Don't know why they even bother with them. Nothing beats self adjusting.
The 9 takes much longer to start up. Its like booting up a computer.The menu is more complex for no appearant reason.
The XBR-6 has double the sound quality of the XBR=9. The sixes speakers are bigger and the surround sound is far superior to 9.
I also find there to be a lag in the remote on the XBR-9. The 6 is instant in response. I bought the XBR-6 for $749. in early April. I got the XBR-9 for $969. on tax day. Now the XBR-6 is at $969. Seems like others are making the same discovery I did.
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This review is from: Sony BRAVIA XBR KDL-32XBR9 32-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV (Electronics)
Buying a new LCD TV can be a nightmare with all the choices. We had a Sony XBR4 which died 2 months ago after only 20 months but luckily I remembered that Mastercard doubled the one year warranty and got a check back for $1,080 to buy a new set. At first, I was drawn to the amazing $1,300 Samsung LED with what seemed to be the clearest picture (the store had the Samsung LED on it's own Blue Ray player which was deceiving). Then I went to a big box retailer and looked at all the LCD (and LED) sets on the wall. The Sony XBR9 had the blackest blacks and the best picture by far! Then I did some research and found out that Sony sends out a free USB stick with updated programing for an even better picture. The picture now is downright amazing and golf on HD looks like you are right there. If I only had $400, I would go with the Vizio at Wallyworld. But at a $700 price point, the Sony XBR9 is a great deal. Keep in mind that LCD's will only last 5 to 7 years given that LCD is less durable than the old tube sets. So if anyone knows where to get a cheap extended warranty please let me know. If you get the set, please remember to call Sony and get the USB stick to upgrade the picture!
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This review is from: Sony BRAVIA XBR KDL-32XBR9 32-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV (Electronics)
Sony 32" XBR9 is a good TV with great picture.
I have read review that this model dim in and out and got darker on a dark scene. I found out if you used HDMI line with a upconverting DVD player, this problem will happen. I think in the process of upconverting 480 to 1080 it causes the dimming and darken effect in the dark scene. If you used component and composite line, this problem will be solved. Try it and enjoy your Sony 32" XBR9.
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This review is from: Sony BRAVIA XBR KDL-32XBR9 32-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV (Electronics)
Well there was no review for this item so I figured I would right one. I recently started doing internet research since I wanted a new computer monitor and something to watch my Blu-rays on that was high definition. I wanted 1080P for maximum resolution and to make my Blu-rays look the best so the smallest you can get that in is 32' right now. Also right now there are only like 5 TV companies I think that have 32 with 1080P. After looking at them for a while I would say if you want the best it is this one I think it is the only one I found with 120hz refresh all the rest have 60hz. Also it had the second best contrast ratio but I think the Lg's was only 10000 above and all the others were way below. I was also looking at the Sharp AQUOS mainly because it says it has a gaming accelerator thing which it was still 60hz so I doubt that it would make up for it.
So in the end I went to best buy and bought one mainly because I wanted the 4 year best buy warranty since it is my first HDTV and so far everything seems to work great. It has a an advanced contrast adjuster which 2 times now has made the image darken during a movie for a a couple seconds but I probably just need to adjust the settings or shut it off. Also I have had heard people complain about the sound which I think is good when you put a movie on with the simulated surround sound on you have to turn the volume way up but it works nice.
Anyway this was my first review hope I did ok.
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This review is from: Sony BRAVIA XBR KDL-32XBR9 32-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV (Electronics)
Sony makes some of best LCD HDTV's and this 32"XBR9 is no exception.
This is a great set for anybody who wants 120hz, and doesn't care about getting a bargain deal on a XBR6.
In regards to the picture dimming, this is an inherent factor that has plagued many of the past Sony models.
You can turn off the light sensor for the auto dim, but presently there is no way to completely eliminate this problem.
This is well documented on many AV forums.
Other than this slightly annoying problem, this set excels on many levels.
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