Sony Grand WEGA KDP-65XBR2 65 in. TV
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- Aspect Ratio: 16:9 4:3 Enhanced 14:9
- Weight: 319 lb.
- Screen Size: 65 inch
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Great TV that's overpriced, but what else is new, Sony?
Pros
Bright and sharp picture. Two HD component inputs. Quality.
Cons
PRICE.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
In summary, I think that this is a well built unit that will be a technologically up-to-date part of my home for many years to come.
The first time I saw an HDTV at the local high-end stereo/TV store, I knew that I would be the first person I knew to get one, and I was. My old Panasonic Prism TV was getting quite old and I figured the time was right to start shopping for an HDTV. My friends all suggested that I get a nice 40" standard TV and wait a couple of years for the prices to drop but that's not my MO. My price point was $5000.00 and the size had to be 65". I love movies and the large 16:9 screen was also a must.
I wish I could tell you that the process of buying an HDTV was effortless, but it wasn't. I found that I was better informed than the general managers of ALL of the stereo/tv stores in my area, (not to mention the salesmen). I was misinformed and led astray at every possible turn - to the extent that the TV I have now is the THIRD 65" HDTV I've had in my home! My advice to you is to DO YOUR HOMEWORK! Epinions.com is a wonderful place to educate yourself so you can avoid the myriad mistakes that lurk around every corner.
About the TV: I love it! Even though I've seen other 65" HDTVs for 1/3 the asking price, ($6000), I remain convinced that the quality of the image this Sony generates is worth the difference. It would be nice if it was a little bit less expensive, though.
I don't use the built in speakers, but when I first got the unit, the sound was great. One small gripe: It would have been nice if they had added a speaker connector on the back so that you could hook the center channel output from your home theater amplifier to the TVs speakers as a center channel, instead of having to stack a separate center channel speaker on top. The 65XBR2 is advertised as having a built-in center channel speaker, but it only works if you plug all your other surround speakers directly into the TV and use the TV's audio system instead of an external home theater amp. That may be the one thing that Sony could have done better on this TV.
Image-wise, the Sony 65XBR2 does give you a bright and crisp image with accurate, natural colors. Watching HDTV broadcasts from satellite or off-air is nothing short of breathtaking. The color depth will exceed your expectations, and watching a DVD using a quality player yields a very film-like experience. It's exactly like showing a film in your home.
The only shortcomings I can think of involve the limitations of satellite TV and have nothing to do with the Sony itself. For instance, there are a couple of preview settings where you can see several screens at once, but only if you are using an antenna or basic cable. It's not Sony's fault that you can only view one premium channel at a time, therefore no multi-screen views of HBO or more importantly... Sunday Ticket. Again, not Sony's fault.
There are two i.Link Firewire connectors on the back of this TV, which don't do anything since there are no devices (worth mentioning) that use them, but Sony says they are coming out with a variety of products that will. I can only imagine what a top of the line Vaio computer could do connected to this TV!
If I had it all to do over again, I would buy this TV, no doubt about it. I got to watch the Winter Olympics this year in HD and that alone was worth the price of the Sony 65 XBR2! I have friends who paid $10,000 each to go to Salt Lake City, ride busses 200 miles each way from their hotel to the games only to find out that they couldn't get into the events they had tickets for. In comparison, I think I came out smelling like a rose!
I wish I could tell you that the process of buying an HDTV was effortless, but it wasn't. I found that I was better informed than the general managers of ALL of the stereo/tv stores in my area, (not to mention the salesmen). I was misinformed and led astray at every possible turn - to the extent that the TV I have now is the THIRD 65" HDTV I've had in my home! My advice to you is to DO YOUR HOMEWORK! Epinions.com is a wonderful place to educate yourself so you can avoid the myriad mistakes that lurk around every corner.
About the TV: I love it! Even though I've seen other 65" HDTVs for 1/3 the asking price, ($6000), I remain convinced that the quality of the image this Sony generates is worth the difference. It would be nice if it was a little bit less expensive, though.
I don't use the built in speakers, but when I first got the unit, the sound was great. One small gripe: It would have been nice if they had added a speaker connector on the back so that you could hook the center channel output from your home theater amplifier to the TVs speakers as a center channel, instead of having to stack a separate center channel speaker on top. The 65XBR2 is advertised as having a built-in center channel speaker, but it only works if you plug all your other surround speakers directly into the TV and use the TV's audio system instead of an external home theater amp. That may be the one thing that Sony could have done better on this TV.
Image-wise, the Sony 65XBR2 does give you a bright and crisp image with accurate, natural colors. Watching HDTV broadcasts from satellite or off-air is nothing short of breathtaking. The color depth will exceed your expectations, and watching a DVD using a quality player yields a very film-like experience. It's exactly like showing a film in your home.
The only shortcomings I can think of involve the limitations of satellite TV and have nothing to do with the Sony itself. For instance, there are a couple of preview settings where you can see several screens at once, but only if you are using an antenna or basic cable. It's not Sony's fault that you can only view one premium channel at a time, therefore no multi-screen views of HBO or more importantly... Sunday Ticket. Again, not Sony's fault.
There are two i.Link Firewire connectors on the back of this TV, which don't do anything since there are no devices (worth mentioning) that use them, but Sony says they are coming out with a variety of products that will. I can only imagine what a top of the line Vaio computer could do connected to this TV!
If I had it all to do over again, I would buy this TV, no doubt about it. I got to watch the Winter Olympics this year in HD and that alone was worth the price of the Sony 65 XBR2! I have friends who paid $10,000 each to go to Salt Lake City, ride busses 200 miles each way from their hotel to the games only to find out that they couldn't get into the events they had tickets for. In comparison, I think I came out smelling like a rose!
