Sony Bravia XBR-Series KDL-40XBR4 40-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV

I love this TV. I have a PS3, Wii, XBox 360 Elite and DirectTV connected no problem and getting maximum quality out of each. Blu-Ray anything on this TV will make you drool. It's in a naturally lit room resulting in minimal glare. Viewing angles are impressive. Check for deals, I got it for $1599 and it's been worth every penny!

I've been a Sony video guy forever. I still own a SLHF-1000 Beta VCR, and this XBR is replacing a 27" Trinitron as my main television (which is still going strong after 12 years, and will for many more, undoubtedly). I finally caved in to the modern era when I found this TV for $1349 at a major big box retailer. Now is the time to buy XBR4 models, as the new XBR 6/7 models are about to be released, and if you can find the XBR4/5 on clearance.

Although Samsung shares some components and R&D with Sony, it's not just the LCD display you're buying when you buy a Sony. It's the other electronics, firmware and other important aspects, too (and it plays nice with other Sony equipment and remote controls you might have). The Sony picture looks better than any Samsung I've looked at. Sony is simply the King of the LCD TV Hill, just as Pioneer and Panasonic share that reputation on the plasma side. In my opinion, you simply can't do any better.

Pictures are very good out of the box on Standard video setting; although, "Vivid" is apparently just for the showroom, or for someone who wears sunglasses while watching TV. Audio and stereo separation is very good for in-TV speakers (hence the much wider bezel compared to many lesser sets with skinny speakers on the side, or cheat and place the speakers underneath the screen). A friend's Samsung TV's speakers rattle and distort like a crappy 20 year old RCA, and analog channels looked just horrible; analog pics on the XBR look almost as good as on my tube Trinitron. Buyers of Vizios and other cheap manufacturers are today's VHS 8-hours-on-a-T120 crowd, while the real video aficionados who used to buy Betamax, EDBeta (or maybe SuperVHS) are now enjoying XBR LCD (or Pioneer plasma).

With the 120 Hertz refresh rate, motion blur is almost unnoticeable. For less blur and quality of picture, you'd need to go to a high-end plasma.

Concerning the comments of a couple reviewers: I hear no fan noise (and there is a Sony fix for earlier-manufactured sets with that issue). At least, the Sony does not have Samsung's huge problem with TVs turning off by themselves that require a firmware update.

I highly recommend this TV (or it's big brothers in 46 and 52 inch) highly, especially if you can grab one for a clearance price.

Let's review the thought process from the beginning.

- Purchased first flat screen was a 37 inch plasma Panasonic Viera 3 years ago: excellent buy.
- I was sure my next tv would be a plasma Viera as well until I started reading that the black levels of LCD have improved significantly.
- Checked out the Samsungs (red frame versions) but what caught my eye in a circuit city store was the Bravias with the "motion enhancers" features. The Bravia pictures truly look like it was window or portal through which you can reach through and touch the characters. It was **unbeleivable**.
- I happened to be driving across the USA at the time and hence, I stopped by 3 more Circuit City or Best Buy stores in different cities. Confirmed that the stunning Bravia picture quality is due to the TV alone (and not due to variation in connection or poor feeds etc etc). In each of the stores, I checked out the equivalent Samsung LCDs and the picture quality was no up to par.
- Received my Bravia today (amazon delivery was effective) and yes, the picture quality is truly stunning (I am using a HDMI)

Conclusion: At time zero, the Bravia is a clear win!


Additional thoughts on impact of Blue Ray:

- Using the Bravia with a PS3 (40Gb) box as the Blue Ray player. As a test to confirm what all the Blue Ray hyperbole is about, I loaded a rented Blue Ray DVD "3:10 to Yuma" and of course, the picture quality was stunning. I also happen to own the regular DVD version and when I loaded it immediately for comparison, I really cannot see any degradation or significant difference. For both DVDs, the quality is truly great.

Bottom Line: I don't plan on running out and spending $ to upgrade my existing DVD collection to Blue Rays version. Any new releases specially designed for Blue Ray technology, of course, maybe that is a different story.

This is truly an exceptional television.

After reading Consumer Reports, CNET, etc. regarding various televisions to use, I had concluded that an LCD television was the right kind to buy. There is no danger of images "burning" into the monitor (as plasma televisions have a history of doing). There are also less maintenance issues involved that rear projection televisions may have (such as cleaning the tiny mirrors used to project the image).

Once I decided that LCD was right for me, I began researching all types of LCD televisions. Again, I went to the various sources (including reading various reviews on Amazon) as well as talking to a couple of friends of mine that had recently purchased this product.

The HD pictures are top notch. There are also some great features to tweak the pictures (including a Theater mode which slightly dims the picture for optimal viewing when the lights are off).

If you're in the market for a 40"+ LCD, this is one product that is worth taking a look at.

This is our first Sony TV. Previously, JVC has been our family standard. Crisp, precise images combined with vivid, life-like colors makes this TV a thing of technological beauty and a real pleasure to watch. Our TV service is Comcast Digital, using their HD Cable Box ( with HDMI connections and DVR) and remote with one-touch all-on/all-off functionality. Our TV viewing experience has never been this enjoyable, especially for sporting events - e.g., the just concluded NHL Stanley Cup Finals. We can hardly wait for the NFL and PAC-10 football to start.