Sony KP-53HS10 53" Projection TV

Rating:
Summary: Especially for those who enjoy TV as a primary entertainment
Review: I've been a fan of rear projection TVs since I bought my first one in 1989. I'm not rich by any means, and although it seemed like the set cost the earth at the time, it was still one of my better investments. Unlike many things I've purchased in the past-including living room couches, computers, and other higher ticket items-it still resides in my living room. There's nothing I like better than putting a log on the fireplace and watching a favorite TV program-Law and Order, Babylon Five, Mash or the Simpsons at our house-or a DVD. I couldn't help but notice over the years that the features of newer models kept increasing while the prices kept decreasing, so when the old smaller TV in the bedroom died, we decided to replace it with a Sony 53" HD Projection TV. It sits nicely in a closet with the sliding closet doors making a perfect armoire for it. The shelves above provide housing for peripheral equipment like the DVD player, the cable box, and so on.

The image quality of digital cable programs varies with the quality of the original film, with old programs showing less vivid colors and grainier surfaces while newer programs-and commercials of course--come through crystal clear. Videos are as good as they can be, and again this depends upon the video itself. Most minor failings can easily be fixed by adjusting the sharpness setting. DVDs are spectacular. The motion, facial features, hair and clothing of CGI characters in works like Shrek or Final Fantasy, for instance, are impressive, as are the special effects of 2010. The large screen gives the action and locale of films like 13th Warrior, The Mask of Zorro, or Gladiator full range and the viewer a sense of truly "being there." If you are a wide screen afficionado, you may prefer a wide screen as opposed to this more standard shape, because wide screen versions of videos and DVDs exhibit a "pictureframe" banding along the top and bottom of the screen which can be distracting to some. Personally, I've come to see this as "normal" when watching a wide screen version of a film.

Although a TV of this size would be a major purchase for most families, it probably would also provide the maximum enjoyment per dollar spent and with the greatest variety than any other form of entertainment. When the older projection TV goes, I hope to have the wherewithal to get a 61 inch for the living room!

Rating:
Summary: Especially for those who enjoy TV as a primary entertainment
Review: I've been a fan of rear projection TVs since I bought my first one in 1989. I'm not rich by any means, and although it seemed like the set cost the earth at the time, it was still one of my better investments. Unlike many things I've purchased in the past-including living room couches, computers, and other higher ticket items-it still resides in my living room. There's nothing I like better than putting a log on the fireplace and watching a favorite TV program-Law and Order, Babylon Five, Mash or the Simpsons at our house-or a DVD. I couldn't help but notice over the years that the features of newer models kept increasing while the prices kept decreasing, so when the old smaller TV in the bedroom died, we decided to replace it with a Sony 53" HD Projection TV. It sits nicely in a closet with the sliding closet doors making a perfect armoire for it. The shelves above provide housing for peripheral equipment like the DVD player, the cable box, and so on.

The image quality of digital cable programs varies with the quality of the original film, with old programs showing less vivid colors and grainier surfaces while newer programs-and commercials of course--come through crystal clear. Videos are as good as they can be, and again this depends upon the video itself. Most minor failings can easily be fixed by adjusting the sharpness setting. DVDs are spectacular. The motion, facial features, hair and clothing of CGI characters in works like Shrek or Final Fantasy, for instance, are impressive, as are the special effects of 2010. The large screen gives the action and locale of films like 13th Warrior, The Mask of Zorro, or Gladiator full range and the viewer a sense of truly "being there." If you are a wide screen afficionado, you may prefer a wide screen as opposed to this more standard shape, because wide screen versions of videos and DVDs exhibit a "pictureframe" banding along the top and bottom of the screen which can be distracting to some. Personally, I've come to see this as "normal" when watching a wide screen version of a film.

Although a TV of this size would be a major purchase for most families, it probably would also provide the maximum enjoyment per dollar spent and with the greatest variety than any other form of entertainment. When the older projection TV goes, I hope to have the wherewithal to get a 61 inch for the living room!

Rating:
Summary: Best Choice for Cable Viewers
Review: If you are mainly watching standard cable TV than the Sony KP-53HS10 is an excellent choice. Why? The scan doubler makes analog broadcasts look super. It upscales 480i to 960i. Same is true for VCR movies. Watch some DVD's? They'll look great w/ component input. You'll never wish you got a $1200 to $1800 conventional set . . . and HDTV is a long way away so why spend $4000 and up? This set is digital capable, too. How about PIP where you can use the joy stick on the remote to move/size the two displays? Or how about twelve channels displayed around the perimeter, with one in the middle? By the way, the sound is excellent also. Worth considering, especially if you lack a digital source such as satellite dish. Friends and neighbors have been very impressed.

Rating:
Summary: Best Choice for Cable Viewers
Review: If you are mainly watching standard cable TV than the Sony KP-53HS10 is an excellent choice. Why? The scan doubler makes analog broadcasts look super. It upscales 480i to 960i. Same is true for VCR movies. Watch some DVD's? They'll look great w/ component input. You'll never wish you got a $1200 to $1800 conventional set . . . and HDTV is a long way away so why spend $4000 and up? This set is digital capable, too. How about PIP where you can use the joy stick on the remote to move/size the two displays? Or how about twelve channels displayed around the perimeter, with one in the middle? By the way, the sound is excellent also. Worth considering, especially if you lack a digital source such as satellite dish. Friends and neighbors have been very impressed.