Hi,
Before I start off, I am writing the review of the currently available sony 29 inches TV. (Purchase date being 9th Julyl 04) The model no is KV-XR29M80/50.
I was already using sony wega 21 inches TV since a year. This TV was a requirement for my parents’ house. The very minute my dad said that he wanted to buy a TV and that it was a 29 inches Videocon TV, I asked him to hold on.
The specification I drew was very clear. It should be a 29’’ TV, with very good picture quality and crisp clear audio quality, basically with a DVD component in, basically I wanted to use the TV as an input to an audio system or if requred wanted to use the TV’s output as audio - audio/Video inputs and outputs, and finally a provision for headphones. This specification is much much simpler and is almost available in all brands. Hence I decided to give the maximum preference to two of the most basic but highly important functions (not even features) in a TV.
Video
Audio.
Let me give a brief of what all went into my selection procedure before finalizing a 29’’ Sony TV.
I first went on to take individual demos of all TVs available in the near by popular shops. I first saw LG. I was impressed with its audio quality Then I saw Samsung. I found it quite good. Later took the demo of Philips Eye-Fi and was not satisfied with its audio performance as well as output. Finally on the first day, I took demo of Panasonic. Compared to all other brands, I found Panasonic’s picture quality somewhat match up to the standards of Sony’s picture quality. By the end of the day one, I was fed up, frankly. I had watched sony 21’’ for the past one year and was always having a feeling, whenever I took a demo of other TV, that something was missing in this TV.
I decided to immediately go home and take a careful demo of my currently existing Sony 21’’ TV again, and WOW! I said to myself, what a great TV sony is. I just couldnt get this simple clear video and audio quality what I was looking for in any other brand.
Day two and final deciding day, I decided to take my parents to a shop in Mysore which obliged me to give demos of various brands - all together to get a feel of both the picture quality and audio quality. I asked him to set up the following brands and also asked him to tune up the cable so that we get the same quality reception to each of the TV brand. We set up Samsung, Videocon, LG, National Panasonic and Sony together. It was such a simple test.
All the TVs were 29’’, brand new, all were set to Star Movies, all TVs were adjusted to same volume, same picture quality - like adjusting sharpness, picture, colour - all to the best that can come out of that individual brand. After this set-up, all the TVs were made mute. We didnt go for other brands like sansui which never can be compared, nor did we go for Onida which gave extra stands, charged for it, and hence was much more expensive than Sony.
Now started the comparison. Each brand was compared to Sony. None of the above brands could give such true picture clarity as that of Sony. Only panasonic matched up to a large extent, which we said could be compared to Sony. But only LG matched up (again to a large extent only, not full extent) to the audio crispness and clarity to that of Sony (taking away the extra distortion generated - like hissss sound). So now, cost wise, only Panasonic was way cheaper (by around 5 thousand), but its audio quality was pathetic.
Now going through this test who would want to buy another TV other than SONY. Its alright if you spend a few thousand rupees more, but believe me its a life time assest, best in its class, which you would be proud of, for ever.
Truly I found its always a SONY, AGAIN, which is numero uno in Televisions!!!