Sony KP-53HS30 53 in. HDTV-Ready CRT TV
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- Digital TV Standard: HDTV-Ready
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3 16:9 Enhanced
- Weight: 168 lb.
- Projector Technology: CRT
- Built-in Tuner: NTSC
- Screen Size: 53 inch
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Superb HDTV-ready system for home theater experience (Updated Jan 11 '02)
Pros
Great picture quality. 2-tuner PIP. 13 channel display. Easy remote and menus. Plenty of inputs.
Cons
720-line resolution gets downgraded to 480. Protective layer may cause reflections if facing window.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
If you can get it at a great price, this HDTV-ready TV is worth it! It works well with existing and future technology. It provides an excellent home theater experience.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: If you've read this review before, skip to the PICTURE QUALITY section. I made an important update!
INTRO
I purchased the Sony KP-53HS30 for my living room. The screen is not wide-screen (16:9). Instead it's the standard 4:3 aspect ratio. I chose this type because it works better for regular TV, satellite TV, and video games. It's HDTV-ready, which means it doesn't have the HD receiver built in but it can display HDTV video. You can add a separate HD receiver in the future.
It's a beautiful work of art! The cabinet and screen are in dark shades of gray. It matches my black speakers just fine. This model (unlike the KP-53HS20 which costs about $200 less) has an extra outer layer to protect the screen.
It has two TV tuners so you can watch two regular TV shows at once (variable split-screen, audio is selectable by pressing left or right). The channel index feature displays 13 channels on the screen at once. It's perfect for watching several shows at once or figuring out what shows are on. The remote (which can flip open for more functions) and on-screen controls are easy and intuitive. I've been able to configure the remote to control my DVD player and my satellite receiver. The cabinet has four wheels underneath so you can roll the TV around the room. The one-button convergence feature (to re-focus the picture) is convenient.
There are a total of six sets of audio/video inputs so you can connect composite (RCA-type), S-Video, and component cables from six devices. There are two sets of audio/video outputs. There is also support for two cable connections and one connection for a roof antennae.
PICTURE QUALITY
I don't have a HD receiver so I can't describe the 1080i resolution (1080 lines) picture quality. But I do have it connected to a progressive scan DVD player (using component video cables) which displays at a resolution of 480p. Watching DVD movies is amazing. The picture quality is as good as any HDTV (playing a DVD movie) that I've seen in the electronics stores.
If you see this HDTV in an electronics store they may not have set the options correctly and you may think this HDTV is less capable than other HDTVs. But here's what you need to do: enable the "Enhanced for 16:9" widescreen option in the setup menu _and_ enable your DVD player's settings to output at an aspect ratio of 16:9 if the movie is a widescreen version. Having done that, you will get an incredible picture!
I've also tried playing Gran Turismo 3 on my Playstation 2 using a component video cable connection. The graphics are AWESOME! You may need to adjust the brightness a little. Of course, as with any rear-projection HDTV, you should not play video games too long because stationary logos and icons (common in video games) can cause an image to be permanently "burned" onto the screen.
This Sony model has built-in "2:3 Pulldown" circuitry to convert 24 frames/sec movies into 60 frames/sec for HDTV. Sony calls it CineMotion. It does almost as good a job as my progressive scan DVD player! So, watching DVDs with a regular DVD player works well on this HDTV.
This HDTV does a good job of displaying regular (free) TV signals. Remember, regular TV signals are only 330 lines of resolution and you're forcing this HDTV to display it on a big screen that is capable of 1080 lines. It's no easy task. I think it does a very good job. In fact, Sony uses an enhancement technology to increase the density of the picture by four times. If your roof antennae has good reception, the picture quality is very good. However, if your reception is poor, don't expect an acceptable picture. Also, if you hook it up to a non-HDTV satellite system (like DishNet or DirecTV) the picture quality is good on the movie/PPV channels but on some other channels it is at a disappointing low resolution.
On the down side, this HDTV does not natively support resolutions of 720p or 720i. It will still work, but the video will be downgraded to 480 lines of resolution. But at the time of this review, most affordable HDTVs I've seen don't support 720 natively anyway, and I don't know of many devices running at 720 lines of resolution.
Another possible low point is that the protective screen can be a problem because it reflects light. If you have a big window facing it, you'll have to increase the brightness much more. Luckily my living room doesn't have any light sources facing the HDTV.
SOUND
It has a sophisticated TruSurrund system, but I don't use it at all. In fact, I turn off its speakers entirely. I have the audio output connected to my receiver/amplifier instead, which outputs to my separate speaker system.
COMPETITION
I considered the Mitsubishi WT-46809, Panasonic PT47WX51 and PT-51HX41, and Sony KP-51HW40. Although the Mitsubishi is a 46 inch widescreen HDTV (16:9 aspect ratio), I wanted something bigger. It probably would have been just as good as this Sony because it has similar picture enhancement technology. The Panasonics were relatively less expensive, but the descriptions given on their web site didn't appeal to me. I just didn't get the impression that Panasonic has the same quality of 2:3 Pulldown circuitry built into the HDTV (or if it had it at all). The Sony KP-51HW40 was a very strong consideration because it has basically the same specifications as the KP-53HS30 except for the screen's aspect ratio. It is HUGE, considering that it's a widescreen HDTV at 51 inches, and it only costs about $200 more. But in the end I chose the KP-53HS30 because it is a regular 4:3 (standard aspect ratio) and it's plenty big at 53 inches. Even if I watch 16:9 aspect DVD movies on it with the top and bottom black bars, the overall screen size is still large enough for me. I prefer a 4:3 aspect ratio because it works better for regular TV, satellite receivers, and video games.
PRICE
Don't be scared away by the MSRP. You can find many good HDTVs for around $1500 to $2100 if you shop around. I got this one at less than $2100 total (including delivery). There's no point in buying a regular analog big-screen TV anymore. The price differences are only a couple of hundred dollars and you'd be better off having a HDTV.
CONCLUSION
The Sony KP-53HS30 is my first big screen TV. Overall I am very satisfied with the product, especially considering the price I got it at and how it works with existing TV signals as well as future technology. I could have saved a couple of hundred dollars by purchasing the KP-53HS20, but I feel the protective screen layer is necessary for me. This HDTV has fulfilled my desire for a movie theater experience at home.
INTRO
I purchased the Sony KP-53HS30 for my living room. The screen is not wide-screen (16:9). Instead it's the standard 4:3 aspect ratio. I chose this type because it works better for regular TV, satellite TV, and video games. It's HDTV-ready, which means it doesn't have the HD receiver built in but it can display HDTV video. You can add a separate HD receiver in the future.
It's a beautiful work of art! The cabinet and screen are in dark shades of gray. It matches my black speakers just fine. This model (unlike the KP-53HS20 which costs about $200 less) has an extra outer layer to protect the screen.
It has two TV tuners so you can watch two regular TV shows at once (variable split-screen, audio is selectable by pressing left or right). The channel index feature displays 13 channels on the screen at once. It's perfect for watching several shows at once or figuring out what shows are on. The remote (which can flip open for more functions) and on-screen controls are easy and intuitive. I've been able to configure the remote to control my DVD player and my satellite receiver. The cabinet has four wheels underneath so you can roll the TV around the room. The one-button convergence feature (to re-focus the picture) is convenient.
There are a total of six sets of audio/video inputs so you can connect composite (RCA-type), S-Video, and component cables from six devices. There are two sets of audio/video outputs. There is also support for two cable connections and one connection for a roof antennae.
PICTURE QUALITY
I don't have a HD receiver so I can't describe the 1080i resolution (1080 lines) picture quality. But I do have it connected to a progressive scan DVD player (using component video cables) which displays at a resolution of 480p. Watching DVD movies is amazing. The picture quality is as good as any HDTV (playing a DVD movie) that I've seen in the electronics stores.
If you see this HDTV in an electronics store they may not have set the options correctly and you may think this HDTV is less capable than other HDTVs. But here's what you need to do: enable the "Enhanced for 16:9" widescreen option in the setup menu _and_ enable your DVD player's settings to output at an aspect ratio of 16:9 if the movie is a widescreen version. Having done that, you will get an incredible picture!
I've also tried playing Gran Turismo 3 on my Playstation 2 using a component video cable connection. The graphics are AWESOME! You may need to adjust the brightness a little. Of course, as with any rear-projection HDTV, you should not play video games too long because stationary logos and icons (common in video games) can cause an image to be permanently "burned" onto the screen.
This Sony model has built-in "2:3 Pulldown" circuitry to convert 24 frames/sec movies into 60 frames/sec for HDTV. Sony calls it CineMotion. It does almost as good a job as my progressive scan DVD player! So, watching DVDs with a regular DVD player works well on this HDTV.
This HDTV does a good job of displaying regular (free) TV signals. Remember, regular TV signals are only 330 lines of resolution and you're forcing this HDTV to display it on a big screen that is capable of 1080 lines. It's no easy task. I think it does a very good job. In fact, Sony uses an enhancement technology to increase the density of the picture by four times. If your roof antennae has good reception, the picture quality is very good. However, if your reception is poor, don't expect an acceptable picture. Also, if you hook it up to a non-HDTV satellite system (like DishNet or DirecTV) the picture quality is good on the movie/PPV channels but on some other channels it is at a disappointing low resolution.
On the down side, this HDTV does not natively support resolutions of 720p or 720i. It will still work, but the video will be downgraded to 480 lines of resolution. But at the time of this review, most affordable HDTVs I've seen don't support 720 natively anyway, and I don't know of many devices running at 720 lines of resolution.
Another possible low point is that the protective screen can be a problem because it reflects light. If you have a big window facing it, you'll have to increase the brightness much more. Luckily my living room doesn't have any light sources facing the HDTV.
SOUND
It has a sophisticated TruSurrund system, but I don't use it at all. In fact, I turn off its speakers entirely. I have the audio output connected to my receiver/amplifier instead, which outputs to my separate speaker system.
COMPETITION
I considered the Mitsubishi WT-46809, Panasonic PT47WX51 and PT-51HX41, and Sony KP-51HW40. Although the Mitsubishi is a 46 inch widescreen HDTV (16:9 aspect ratio), I wanted something bigger. It probably would have been just as good as this Sony because it has similar picture enhancement technology. The Panasonics were relatively less expensive, but the descriptions given on their web site didn't appeal to me. I just didn't get the impression that Panasonic has the same quality of 2:3 Pulldown circuitry built into the HDTV (or if it had it at all). The Sony KP-51HW40 was a very strong consideration because it has basically the same specifications as the KP-53HS30 except for the screen's aspect ratio. It is HUGE, considering that it's a widescreen HDTV at 51 inches, and it only costs about $200 more. But in the end I chose the KP-53HS30 because it is a regular 4:3 (standard aspect ratio) and it's plenty big at 53 inches. Even if I watch 16:9 aspect DVD movies on it with the top and bottom black bars, the overall screen size is still large enough for me. I prefer a 4:3 aspect ratio because it works better for regular TV, satellite receivers, and video games.
PRICE
Don't be scared away by the MSRP. You can find many good HDTVs for around $1500 to $2100 if you shop around. I got this one at less than $2100 total (including delivery). There's no point in buying a regular analog big-screen TV anymore. The price differences are only a couple of hundred dollars and you'd be better off having a HDTV.
CONCLUSION
The Sony KP-53HS30 is my first big screen TV. Overall I am very satisfied with the product, especially considering the price I got it at and how it works with existing TV signals as well as future technology. I could have saved a couple of hundred dollars by purchasing the KP-53HS20, but I feel the protective screen layer is necessary for me. This HDTV has fulfilled my desire for a movie theater experience at home.
