Around Black Friday there were sales of these screens for $299 at Best Buy and I almost went for one - but held back and regretted it. A few days later the price went back up, of course. The regret just grew and grew. I had already bought an LG 23" IPS screen that was pretty good, plus some speakers, so I couldn't justify the extra expenditure. But I kept on going back to the BB website, seeing if this screen was back on sale. Well, Amazon showed this refurb unit for even less money and so I instantaneously bought it - too impulsive? Maybe. And the delivery was incredibly quick - next day. So not enough time for buyer's remorse. As it turns out, the screen arrived not only quickly but also in great shape, no dead pixels, packaged well and with the free Motorstorm game still sealed. There was even some charge in the glasses so you could use them straight away. And I must say, while I am generally skeptical about 3D cinema, for certain games there is an incredibly immersive 'wow' factor. Also, even for non-3D games the screen is extremely clear and the widescreen format is great for certain games like FPS - Battlefield 1942 looks beautiful. We haven't tried seeing films or Netflix yet, but frankly I am delighted with this screen and will be selling my previous equipment - this is neater, has good sound, fewer cables, includes HDMI and has a great resolution. I'm actively seeking out 3D games to try out, and the build quality is superb. Great stuff Sony - you don't always get it right but in this case you have hit the sweet spot for quality and affordability. I was thinking about purchasing a huge 50" screen previously, but we don't watch TV. So having a smaller, beautifully designed screen like this, for the occasional 3D game or Blu-Ray, is a strange but pragmatic compromise. Recommended.
EDIT 1: It is now three weeks later. I think you know what to expect at this point. After being wowed by the display, and downloading Crysis especially to play in 3D (it still plays well after these years, and in 3D it's a dream)... well, the red light of death. Hadn't used it for a while, went to turn it on and... nothing, the lights cycled through colors but no display whatsoever. Usually I balk at Sony's high prices for electronic products but you know that at least the build quality is decent. Not any more - how many hundred of people are complaining about this exact problem, the blank screen after a few weeks? This is gonna cost Sony in terms of brand loyalty as well as return shipments. A real shame - I now have no monitor or TV in the house, and am wary of ordering another of these. I have changed my rating from 5 stars to 1. Very disappointed.
EDIT 2: I'm updating this due to a comment just received below - it reminded me to edit the review. Because a strange thing happened after I returned my screen. I saw another one through the Amazon Warehouse Deals for less money, and decided to go for it. Open box, but everything was there. A gamble. But it paid off. The screen arrived in immaculate condition, and nervously I turned it. It worked each day and every day and is still working without problem. The screen has never blanked out or stopped working. The sound doesn't seem as good as my previous one, but that could be a psychological effect (the sound is never excellent on these screens anyway). The upshot: in the end, if you get a good one rather than a dud one, they are pretty great screens.
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First of all I'd like to say I would recommend this to any/everyone.With that being said, When I ordered this the estimated delivery said it was December 19, 2012 - January 7, 2013 but arrived December 18th 2012 so I was very excited!! lol I was surprised though at how it was shipped it wasn't in an ordinary brown colored box with my shipping info on it it arrived just like how you see it in the image above with my shipping details super glued or taped to the box. When I received it from UPS the box arrived in ware and tear condition, so I was a little worried for the actual product itself so I took it into my room and unboxed it Everything was there and fully intact especially the display which I was pleased considering... I am basically using this as a TV set that I have a Comcast HD Cable Box hooked up to it!Pros:Quality is amazing (Full HD 1080p) but using a HD Box that boadcasts in 1080i it's fine still looks good (1080i) but not as great (1080p)Cons:Power cord is a bit short (I'd say about 3' or so) so if you plan on setting it up on a high TV stand or something then use an extension cord.240Hz refresh rate only works with Blu-Ray media not TV (Which is depressing but I'm fine with)
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