flat screen, 3D digital filter, component and 2 S-video inputs

Sony could have provided speaker outputs to allow use of better outboard speakers powered by the 15-watt amplifier in the TV

This is a review of the current model, KV-27FV17. I debated getting the 32FV27, but that would require a separate stand at extra cost. The flat tube is a marvel to watch. The "standard" picture mode is best all around. "Movie" is fine on some DVD''s but may look too warm. This model is a step up from the 27FS13, and includes a 3D digital filter which eliminates dot crawl: on NBC news channel, the 2 lines of moving text are very straight and clear. And you get PIP, 15 watt x2 amp, 2-way speakers, various sound enhancements, and 2 S-video inputs. Like Travis (Jan. 22/02), I found the picture was tilted when first powered up. But on page 35 of the manual there are instructions for adjusting the tilt. I have tried the enhanced widescreen mode on DVD''s, but the picture is vertically squeezed too much. It is clearer than the regular letterboxing from the DVD player. Comparing this set to others from Panasonic and Toshiba, I kept coming back to the Sony for its natural colours, and sense of depth.

Picture clarity w/ PS2, DVD. Television appearence. PIP, 16/9.

Picture clarity w/ cable.

I purchased this T.V. at Best Buy. The 27" televisions it was next to, could not compare. I also got a deal buying it for $530. It came with no remote and out of box, worth it to save $170. I purchased the 4 year in home warranty, for $60. It's a good idea considering the weight of the set. You do not want to bring this set out of your house for repairs. The clarity is unbelievable when put to use with a DVD player or my favorite the Playstation 2.

Flat screen, 16:9 enhanced mode, different picture modes,
PIP, component input. Nice modern look.

The only weaknesses I found were my arms when I tried to lift it. Just kidding. This thing is heavy 108 lbs. to be exact.
Sony has always made it impossible to set a center speaker on top of their TV's.

I never thought I would end up buying a Wega (pronounced Vay-guh). But after Best Buy put one right next to all the other normal plastic looking 27" tv's for $699.99 it had to be mine. You can also buy the $599.99 one if you don't need picture in picture. It is very heavy so make sure you have a few buddies helping you out. I hate to feel how heavy one of those 36" ones are. And make sure you get one of the Custom Wega stands for it. It will make your TV set really snappy looking, and if you don't your stand will probably collapse if you try and set it on something else. The first thing I noticed was like all other Sony tv's it is rather hard to set a speaker on top of it. Another thing that made me mad was when I was going through the set up, mine didn't have the SRS, or the audio stabilizer that the manual said I had. It's ok since its hooked up to my reciever, but I would be mad if I were one of the people who paid extra for those features. The last thing that I noticed were the horizontal lines, they really stand out. Well enough with it's weaknesses, and onto its strengths. Its placed in my bedroom which is really small. I swear I think sony put a 32" in the box instead of the 27". Because the screen is a lot bigger looking than any other 27" i've looked at. The onscreen menu is easy to get through and is nicely colored. Playstation looks great on it. The 16:9 enhanced mode is really usefull. And there are plenty of inputs on the back and one on the front. The multibrand remote is easy to use, figures since my dad owns a normal trinitron. The only thing I didn't like about the remote is that the record button doesn't work with my VCR and it is even a Sony. If you have any questions e-mail me. I give it 4 stars for value because I paid more money for features that didn't even come with it. And an overall value of 5 stars.

Similar Products Used:

Dad's 35" trinitron.
Old Panasonic 19".

Picture, Menu, Remote, Surprisingly easy to move

None

Best Picture I have ever seen especially with S-Video. Made my eyes bug out and my tongue hit the floor. First thing me and my rommies did was watch Gladiator on DVD, had to watch it three times befor we were able to get off the picture quality and into the movie. A must have!

Picture detail, clarity, incredible color balance and all sony customizing features.

The hardware could have been better, not so accurate on geometrical figures display.

Well, it's a Sony they say!, The greatest display I have seen on a T.V. The images are so detailed even with the Velocity Modulation feature turned off, The color temps. work superbly, the customizing features are sufficient to match it to your own taste (image and sound). Totally loaded for a complte Home Theater Set-up. Every possible connection for audio and video can be done, even audio out.

Well lets go technical, the figures are so good I imagine how the digital step-up will look like. Sony sets the standard in video image, the colors are natural and pure, absolutely impressive.

The only turn-offs are it's construction, kind off weak front hardware and you can notice it's geometrical defects on the display. But don't get dissapointed that's an electronics reviewer's secret, normally you'll not notice. But I'm here to show you what to look for besides clarity and detail. Look closely at the corners specially the lower sides of the display, all TVs have the geometrical defects (curved lines), of course some more than others, and logically the least noticeable the better. I know this set has them but to a tolerable degree, I've seen worst in so called better brands.

All in all this is a great TV, probably the best and ultimate display before HDTV Standards itself.

Similar Products Used:

Toshiba 26" (fabulous), Samsung 27" Tantus, RCA 21" (fair)

Good Picture quality, good components, 5 on the 27 inch or bigger models.

Bad sound quality, without a reciever, this beast is very heavy to lift.

Its A great TV for its price. As a matter of fact its the best flat screen tv around. For the extra couple hundred bucks you spend on the sony, you wont regret it. You get what you pay for, thats all there is to it.

Similar Products Used:

None

Great picture, reliable, can leave it on for hours, easy to use menues

no a/c or cup holders

great TV, i wasn't sure about paying that much for a TV but when the semi pulled up to the front of my apt. i kne that this was serious business. setup took only a few minutes.
I have read about some of the problems people are reporting, pink lines and what not, i have not experienced any of these.
Great for dvd's, i was blown away when i first threw on in. everyone that watches a dvd on it compliments on how clear the picture is. I recomend this to everyone, the way i look at it is that i won't have to buy another tv for the next 10 years, this makes the price a little easier to swallow.

Similar Products Used:

old as hell panasonic 19", no a/v's

Style, Flat Screen, 16:9 enhancement, shallow depth

Weight (99lbs.)

Bought this second TV for the bedroom. It has the EXACT dimensions I needed to make it fit in the Armoire perfectly. I got a good price because it was an open box item that was returned the day after Christmas. It was missing the remote and manual which can be bought for $40 combined from Sony. Considering their sale price was $669, this was a steal! I did notice a lot of static on the screen because my cable runs from my satellite receiver to the TV are LONG. The cable runs from the downstairs entertainment unit to the attic then to the junction box at the front of the house and then up to the bedroom upstairs. I want to know if putting a 10DB signal amplifier would help? I do not want to buy another DSS receiver right now. Other than that this TV is nice. I also found out that if you have a mid-grade Sony VCR with a remote that has directional arrows for menu navigation, It allows you to perform 90% of the features of the TV remote.

One question though. How do you activate the 16:9 enhancement mode? On the menu it is grayed out and not selectable.

Similar Products Used:

Toshiba 50" RPTV

Flat screen with little distortion; Super sharp images for a non-digital TV; Cool silver case; Plenty of inputs in rear; PIP; Lots of menu-accessible features.

Expensive for a TV; Sharp picture enhances limitations of video source (ie Cable or rabbit ears); I didn't get the same discount the guy below got!

I first noticed this TV while out shopping for something totally unrelated and thought, 'Wow'. That first encounter was what made me want to buy a new TV. The model I saw was the KV-27FS12 (non-PIP model) but the picture was the same. As I had been without a TV for a long time now and wanted to be able to watch videos and DVDs, I shopped around but could not find any of the FS12 models as they had been sold out since Christmas.
I must say that I am impressed with the picture quality. No fisheye distortion like some TVs and, if you set it up in the right spot, there is no glare from other light sources. The sharpness is excellent compared to normal TVs but I don't have DVD yet to test (enjoy) this further. There are plenty of inputs in the back and even outputs for plugging into your mini-stereo (poor man's theater sound).
I read that some are having problems accessing certain menu functions, but I had no problems; just remember that certain input sources will not have access to certain features. The 16:9 mode is only available with video sources like VCR or DVD--not TV or Cable.
My only concern with this TV is that fact that the other two Sony TVs that I've had experience with eventually failed in the exact same way--the tuner stopped working so you had to use a VCR or external tuner to watch TV. Since this has dual tuners, maybe I can workaround this. Hmmmm.....we'll see....

Similar Products Used:

Sony 32" monster; Philips 19"; RCA 27", Sony 19"

Sharp picture, great looks. Great PIP tuner, no need to connect an extra source.

Heavy.
Also, the horizontal lines really stand out.

Men is that TV heavy made a big mistake buying it alone. Took me at least an hour to get it in my apartment. Once inside, easy to set up. loved the PIP 2 tuner feature. One thing I didn't like that much was the horizontal lines standing out. The TV made me change to Digital Cable, and I am still thinking of getting a dish.
The TV looks and feels bigger than a 27 inch. The price will get you but if you enjoy quality, it is well worth the price. The sound sucks, but hey, I use a receiver, so it doesn't really matter.

Similar Products Used:

Samsung TXJ2768