Sony KP-53V85 53 in. TV

I challenge you to tell me what Sony forgot in the development of the KP-53V85. In fact, $100 to the person who tells me what they missed. Hey, no cheating! You can search all the available resources and you will not find it. I promise.

Well, the holidays have ended and the 'rents purchased one of these mammoth TV sets since my last visit. I thought they were happy with what they had before- a 36" Proscan- but, they decided that it was time to find a TV that provided a few more technologically advanced gizmos. Unfortunately, they did not consult me and I am sure they forgot there is a little web site called epinions that they could consult. However, they did well and apparently they would not have gotten much help from the reviews on the KP-53V85. Actually, they real well.

I first saw the new TV over Christmas and was blown away by how good it looked in the corner. Yeah, I know- who cares what it looks like. How does the thing perform? Blown away, yet again.

I recently purchased a Sony flat screen for my apartment and thought it was a great TV. It is, but the KP-53V85 provides a few examples as to why it runs for around $2500 and my flat screen retails for a measly $650 or so. But, before describing the wonders of the KP, a little dose of what you are getting yourself into:

* 53" inch screen
* 3D digital comb filter
* Center speaker
* Dolby surround sound
* 181 channel tuning
* On- screen menu
* Program pre- sets
* Picture- in- picture
* Favorite channel settings (eight channels)
* V-Chip parental controls

What does all this mean? Not much if you are not versed in the inner workings of a TV. I am not, and, therefore decided to leave out some of the more technical stuff that appears in the features. The bottom line is that Sony has been around the block more than a few times and they know how to make an excellent TV. In this case, they outdid themselves.

The first thing that I found to be "special" was the sound. The TV was on, but I was not facing it. I heard the sound and thought that somehow I had mixed up the stereo remote with the TV remote. No, I was not losing the few remaining brain cells I have left. The sound was simply that good. The nice thing about the sound is that it is so clear that you can keep the volume low and still hear everything. In other words, there is not the drop off in sound quality that often exists when the volume diminishes. Furthermore, when the volume is turned up you would not be ruled completely nuts to think you were in a theater. Yes, the sound is that good.

So, after figuring out that I had the correct remote, I noticed the picture. Wow! I have seen many "big" screen TV's and often find that as the screen reaches a certain size, the picture quality falls off. The KP does not have this problem. In fact, the picture was excellent. Colors appeared bright and there was no "bleeding" of the color. Finally, the screen is able to block out a good bit of the reflections that can make watching TV during a sunny day a problem.

The final point that deserves mention is the simplicity of the KP. The set is really nothing more than a rectangular box (Duh! Most TV's are) with a speaker underneath. Pretty simple and common. However, the remote and the on screen menu make setting things up as easy heating something up in the microwave. I can state this fact in all honesty for the simple reason that my technologically inept parents managed to get everything programmed without any help. Yes, my mom even asked me if I was surprised.

Are there any negatives? About the only negative that I could find is the size. Now, this is not a negative if you know what you are getting into. However, if you are planning the KP in a small room, you might want to think twice. Sometimes people do not realize how big a 53" screen really is. One way to measure is to think about how tall you are and then realize that the KP has a screen that is about four and half feet. Obviously, not something you want to place in a room that is not rather large.

I would guess that most of you have figured out that I would purchase the KP in a second. You would be correct. Just keep in mind that it is not cheap and that the size can be overwhelming. Otherwise, I would be a buyer in a heartbeat. Finally, what did Sony forget? The answer is as simple as one word- marketing. Have you seen any advertisements for the KP? Heard any gossip about the KP? I have not and am surprised since they have such a wonderful product.