SONY does it again with this beauty!

I suppose being the Director of Home Theatre for a large electronics store is a blessing in a way! You get to try out all the goodies and play with them. You also get to see them all side by side, to be able to make a more educated judgment! Sometimes new models only mean new cosmetics and higher prices, but that is not the case with this 46" SONY LCD TV!

The XBR 3 line is the third generation of flat screen LCD televisions developed by SONY! I am happy to say, they have really improved with this generation and not just raised prices! Actually, SONY just notified all of their retailers that they have just declared a price drop on their entire line of LCD sets! Great for the consumer this holiday buying season!

You know, people are always asking me, should I buy a plasma or an LCD set? The answer to that question is also how will it be used? For video game use I always recommend LCD since there is no burn-in possibility of the intense graphics. Plasmas also tend to me more reflective, and reflect bright objects on their screens. The rule of thumb is usually dark room, use plasma if desired; light room, always use LCD because it will not wash out that much with more light! My personal opinion is that plasma sets still have problems. After about two years or so, there is a reduction in brightness. LCD displays do not suffer from this problem, and supposedly have a much longer life span. No one is positive, since these sets have not been out long enough to set a pattern!

My personal favorites are some of the SONY rear projection sets, but the problem with them is you can not hang them from a wall, if that's what you want to do! We have sold a few of the new 70" SONY's with a great picture, but these are LCD sets and not flat!

Well, let's not get off the subject here, which is the new 46" XBR3. Okay, what makes this set better from previous models, and is it worth buying the new model instead of the older one? If you can get a very low price on the previous model, fine. It is a good solid set that you will enjoy for years. If you want the latest in technology, this newest 46" set is for you.

First of all, it is capable of reproducing a true 1080P high-definition signal! When the BluRay and HD-DVD 1080P high-definition DVD's are out, you will be able to enjoy a true, clear stunning picture with this set. That is about all you can see in 1080P right now, as no broadcasts are in 1080P as yet!

SONY has also improved the backlight inside the set, which is a bulb you do not have to replace. They call it a Wide Color Gamut Backlight, which simply means better color rendition, truer whites and a brighter picture all around. This set also has the new high gloss black finish surrounding the LCD display, with a clear "Floating" plastic around that. It really is a very unique and stunning design.

It also has nice features like being able to adjust the settings for each video input individually, so the settings for Video 1 do not have to be the same as Video 2, and so on! The set, as I said is capable of reproducing a full 1920 x 1080 pixels. again, quite stunning video.

It is fitted with component video inputs as well as the new HDMI inputs. HDMI, which stands for High Definition Multimedia Interface, is a fully digital signal that handles audio as well as video! Nice having one cable going from the cable box to the set, instead of 3, 4 or even 5! One hint, if you want to use the HDMI from your cable box to the set, make sure your cable company provides a box with an HDMI output! Not all high definition cable boxes have HDMI outputs! Don't worry, if you can't use HDMI, component video will be almost the same. It would be very hard to tell the difference between the two. Don't go out and purchase a $100 HDMI or component cable either! A good cable made by a reputable manufacturer should be fine. Spending the additional money will not give you any more bang for the buck! I never push high price cables on customers, because it is unethical to do so. If you can spend less money for a good quality cable, it is just as good!

As we all know, there are a lot of people who like reading the specs about these sets, so for all of you technical junkies, here are the full specs on this set:


» high-definition TV — receives and decodes digital standard-definition and HDTV signals from over-the-air broadcasts (antenna required)
» S-PVA (Super Patterned Vertical Alignment) LCD panel for improved off-axis viewing
» widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio
» 1920 x 1080 pixels
» ultra-fast pixel response time (8 milliseconds)
» 1300:1 contrast ratio (7000:1 dynamic)
» 178°(H) x 178°(V) viewing angle
» adjustable Wide Color Gamut fluorescent backlight for more accurate colors
» BRAVIA Engine™ Pro digital video processing
» adjustable DRC MultiFunction v2.5 (upconverts video signals to 1080p)
» built-in stereo speakers (11 watts x 2)
» multibrand remote control
» picture settings memory for each video input
» 8 A/V inputs, including:
• 3 composite video (2 rear, 1 side)
• 1 S-video
• 2 component video (accepts 1080i/720p/480p/480i signals)
• 3 HDMI digital audio/video inputs (2 rear, 1 side) — accepts signals up to 1080p
» PC input: analog RGB (D-Sub 15-pin)
» 2 RF inputs for antenna/cable signals
» optical digital audio output for Dolby® Digital
» Energy Star® compliant
» detachable stand (stand "footprint" is 19-5/8"W x 12-5/8"D)
» wall-mountable (bracket not included)
» 49-5/8"W x 28-7/8"H x 5"D (31-3/8"H x 12-5/8"D on stand)
» weight: 79.4 lbs. (without stand)
» warranty: 18 months parts & labor — in-home service

So there you have the hard facts. One thing that SONY did try to improve on this version was menu setup. The menus in these sets were getting quite cumbersome and totally confusing! You needed a friend at NASA to go through the menus with you! This set has much easier menu navigation utilizing the press of only a few buttons. No sub, sub menus to get into any more. Much easier to use and program. More setup guides and automated programming too. They wanted to make this set more consumer friendly as the SONY rep described it! By the way, not to forget you audio people, the sound out of the built in speakers is pretty good. No more tinny sound like the old transistor radios. Nice clear audio even at higher levels. Of course you will enjoy the audio more going through a stereo receiver, but using the speakers that come with the set will be quite adequate!

So there you have it. A really improved set from SONY with a dynamite picture. You may not have anything yet to enjoy the full range of 1080P, but you will soon, and when you see true full range high-definition on this 46" beauty, the pictures will jump out at you! I saw a demo of the BluRay DVD with this set and I could not believe the clarity and definition! It was gorgeous!

If you need help or advice, please e-mail me as I am always happy to help a fellow Epinion person with information or great discounts!