Sony Plasma 42 HDTV
Hit And Miss In Sony HDTV
A lot of consumers will argue that Sony is the top brand in the television market. While, there are those that will dispute this, it is easy to conclude that Sony is definitely is among those settling at the top of the order of best TV manufacturers.
Sony has rolled out a range of plasma TV’s specially designed for HDTV programming. Do these new TV’s perform as good as they are advertised or fail to continue the tradition of Sony in rolling out product that are the top of its class.
KDE-42XS955
One of Sony’s latest releases is the new KDE-42XS955. This 42-inch plasma TV has lagged other products studied by several professional review sites online. According to Ecoustics.com, the KDE-42XS955 ranked seventh overall of all TV’s it tested in. The main edge of the Sony is its sound, as the output of the 25-watt integrated side speakers and rear-mounted subwoofer was exceptional.
However, the judges of Ecoustics.com were disappointed over the soft details and timid color. The “Pro” preset of the KDE-42XS955 was supposedly presented the best match to its criteria. However, the setting had muted color and there was no way to make adjustments. Upon selecting the “Standard” setting did not help in the achieving the best results from this 42-inch plasma HD-ready TV.
Accuracy was compromised when the color was increased. It’s sad that the KDE-42XS955 does not allow viewers to adjust primary colors individually. In terms of tweaking options, the KDE-42XS955 is a poor performer.
The KDE-42XS955 boasts of an elegant look given its silver-and-gray cabinet design. A card reader is situation on the side panel and this allows users to view digital pictures from a camera.
However, this feature can only be used if the camera uses the Memory Stick flash media format. Sony can be classified as very protective of its products, as using third-party components will be a daunting task. If you are using the SD Card and CompactFlash, you’re out of luck.
With a list price of $5,999 the Sony 42-inch KE-42XS910 is not hard to ignore in an electronics stores. This TV along with its “bigger brother” the KDE-42XBR950 are arguably among the most attractive plasma TV available in the market. The most noticeable parts of the KDE-42XBR950 is the blue-backlit Sony logo and its distinctive glass frame.
This Sony boasts of huge array of features and connectivity options. However, the major flaw of the KDE-42XBR950 is the rather average picture quality. Those that are not knowledgeable on tweaking TV sets will be bothered by this shortcoming, as major adjustments need to be right out of the box.
The KDE-42XBR950 is a plasma TV that can be attached to the wall. The 42-inch screen has a very solid frame that both elegant in terms of style and design. However, its high-end looks do not necessarily translate to high-end performance. The overall look of the plasma TV is that it looks like a painting sandwiched between a pair slim speakers.
Watching HDTV programming in the KDE-42XBR950 proved to be easy on the eyes. In Watching Discovery HD’ Artic Mission: Eyes of Inuit, details were greatly highlighted in every shot. The picture quality was top notch when an Eskimo was features. Every hair on the fisherman’s mittens could be distinguished.
Reproduction of color and details is outstanding. Skin tones are also natural but somewhat pale and greenish in some scenes. In the movie Gothika, Miranda (played by Halle Berry) looked very natural and reds were surprisingly unexaggerated unlike in other displays.
The video processing of the KDE-42XBR950 is also top notch. The 2:3 pulldown was easily detected in CineMotion. Sony has also made available several Digital Reality Creation modes. However, using a standard-definition cable signal is the best option to improve picture quality.
In terms of design, the Sony KDE-42XBR950 is in a class of its own. While, the high price tag may raise a few eyebrows, the quality that it delivers makes it an excellent purchase for those that want to truly experience HDTV at its best.
