Lovely fluid picture, typical of quality 100hz.

100hz for fast sports/very fast movies scenes leaves bluring. Some dvd players poor compatability in rgb mode causes flickering.

This review is for the Sony KV28FX68. Audioreview weirdly doesn't list this popular product for review. I bought this product for a then bargain price from Empire Direct in May 2004. I wanted the Toshiba ZP28p which had just been discontinued and I couldn't find it anywhere. So settled for this non progressive scan 100hz beauty. The picture is really fluid and has a lovely "sheen" over it, like someone has just polished it up! Been very happy with it, and still no lcd has matched it yet IMO. The 100hz does obviously flicker in fast scenes in films, and on sports like football, rugby - but not often. It's still very watchable. Mine does, or rather did have vertical band problems in blacks on dvd. This hasn't been the case on my latest dvd player in s-video, a Pioneer dv-575a. Either the TV has settled down in time or the superior DVD player has cured it. RGB and S-Video are exactly the same on this tv, except more fluid colours in rgb.

Price, picture

slight geometry problem

Well, this set certainly lives up to Sony's standards, and I only had to pay 800 pounds for it, which is a bargain. There is a slight upwarsds bow at the bottom which I wasn't able to correct from the service menu (details: http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/lindos/fxmen.htm).
For some reason, the set as delivered has severe problems with NTSC S-video connections, something that caused me considerable worry as I have to connect my DVD player via an S-video connection. Fortunately, this can be corrected by changing the 'Auto NTSC Y/C' setting to ON (why was the set shipped with it set off? For some reason, the set still filters the NTSC Y signal at 3.58MHz, as can be seen with Video Essentials, even though this is unnescesary. Turning the comb filter off did nothing to disble the filter. Resolution goes up to around 420 lines.
The picture is excellent, the stytling is attractive, and the price is amazing. The onboard sound is very acceptable, and I'm glad Sony decided not to waste money on integrated Prologic.

Similar Products Used:

SONY XBR in US

Flat screen, widescreen

With advanced mode it is 10sec very good, 10sec very bad, etc

Well this is the greatest mistake I made, buying this TV, when you watch a DVD(yes, I've tried other players, real expensive cables s-video) in advanced mode it looks great 10 seconds, but the ten seconds after that is just really bad, when there is horizontal movement you see preditor-like figure behind the persons, cars, etc. And when I used AV-3 thw screen jumps to 14:9 or zoom auto with no reasons for it, even when I turned off "automatic size" so I would rather search for another TV, like panasonic or JVC, BTW I've got one with a PAL 100Hz the NTSC 100-Hz doesn't even work with mine!
you'll understand this will be a no star review

Fantastic contrast level and colour definition.
Clarity and detail of picture with DVD.

Geometry.
Sony service.

I bought this set during the first week that Wega TV's arrived in my local Sony Store. Initially I was blown away by the picture, and generally I haven't seen anything yet that can equal the 'almost 3D' clarity that this set can offer.

However, my set suffers from very poor geometry in my opinion, but unfortunately Sony engineers say the set is 'within spec' and refuse to do anything about it. The is a curvature of over half-an-inch across the bottom of the screen which is very annoying with 2.35:1 movies or TV logos that dispaly horizontally across the bottom of the screen (they arch). You probably wouldn't even notice this on a normal set, but it really stands out as everything about the set shrieks square, clean lines.

If you use DVD, switch Digital processing to 'Normal' and the picture is fabulous. The other digital modes seriously detract from picture detail with a high-end source, such as DVD, but may be useful for off-air broadcasts.

I recommend this set if you get a good one, but make sure you check it carefully because Sony doesn't seem to give a damn after your 28-day statutory rights period is over!

Amazing WEGA picture quality and surprisingly rich sound for only a 28" set.

Lack of PIP, side-by-side teletext, no component inputs on UK version, annoying TeleText page catching function, RGB on Scart Port 1 only.

Firstly lets make no mistake about this television: it's a WEGA set which, in my (humble) opinion, has the best picture you can currently buy. The clarity/definition, contrast, flat screen, well basically everything is perfect. Oh, and the case looks aesthetically pleasing too, with a sleek silver design which blows most of the competition out of the water. In fact, unless you consider Plasma screens, the only other production television that look this good is the Panasonic Tau range (although I don't think they're known as that outside the UK), but they are far more expensive. And this price difference is what Sony is playing on in this set; they have taken their best and cut off all the extras, which is a shame, because I like extras! For example, no Picture-In-Picture, no component or S-Video inputs (on the UK version at least), RGB input on Scart-1 only (which is damned annoying when trying to hook up the RGB only Dreamcast and a DVD player at the same time). I wouldn't mind, but they've left the buttons for all these things on the remote, they just don't work! Are they trying to rub it into our faces that we didn't buy the FD1? But anyway, what this set does, it does with a touch of class. The sound is deep and rich, with a subwoofer integral in the case and 2x15W RMS speakers. Only a stereo (NICAM) set, the KV28-FX60 does justice to stereo DVD soutdtracks, keeping dialogue in focus while still managing to pull a punch with a big explosion; however, if you outgrow these integral speakers, external outputs are provided. There's also a nice simplistic Sony remote, but with a really annoying "joystick", which is far to easy to click when you just want to move the onscreen cursor (this in turn activates a "page catching" function in the Teletext mode, which I stil haven't worked out how to get out of without clicking Menu twice).
You might think I've been a little harsh, but these issues are minor when compared with the price, which you can get for as low as £900 in the UK - which frankly is amazing for this set. If you've never has widescreen before, there's no better introduction than this, although I warn you, you may be disappointed when you go the cinema next: there's not much difference! I have no heistation in giving this a 5/5.

Similar Products Used:

Sony FD1.

dsad as

dsa sa

amazing picture quality, I checked this out a lot before taking the plunge but it's the best 1000 off quid I have ever spent -

honestly couldn't find any. If you are just someone who wants value for money for a great picture (esp dvd) without spenidng crazy cash, this is the set for you.

as per strengths/weaknesses

Similar Products Used:

cannot compare

A very good TV. For those who can't afford the FD-1 this is a good altenative.The 100% flat screen gives you a great picture quality and high contrast.
The advanced 100 hz digital plus brings a flicker free picture.
It is a dream to watch. If you have a home theater this is one of the best tv's you can buy. Specially when you own a DVD player.
It has lots of extra's but could do with more. It is to expensive to have no PIP. But that the only negative thing i can think of. And the price..but hey it's a sony.

vibrant colours.

format options - autoformat switching - picture geometry - extremely susceptible to stray magnetic fields the instruction manual is feeble.

The picture formats their description and execution are hopelessly confusing. Switching off autoformat is the best option I have found so far, but does not solve all the problems. (Autoformat switches formats from scene to scene on occasions!) Beware 'Normal' mode from the digital mode menu this produces all the juddering and flickering of a 50Hz picture to my eyes although the digital filter effects are also (benefitially?) removed.

The 'BOX' is enormous, roll-on affordable flat TV!

There are far too many picture and audio modes, most are pointless. 'Movie' mode is so dull that it is useless 'live' is so bright that it makes everything glare. There seems to be no way to permanently store changes to these preset modes, changes reset on channel changing! The 'personal mode has sufficient controls and permanence to be useful. It does not need to be changed between movies and live for acceptable results.

The remote is a fiddly piece of equipment the joystick is anything but a joy! Navigation through the menus has not advanced over the last 8+ years from my kv-25. you miss one setting and are thrown back to the begining of the selection process.

The picture geometry out of the box is poor, and needs a lot of tweeking in service mode to get right. Service mode is a very dangerous place to undertake simple pincushion, and the like, distortion corrections. (They are usually corrected using controls on the front of any PC monitor (VDU/CRT) why not on a television?)

Sound quality is fair. Set against audiophile equipment it is dull and lifeless constrained boxy coloured and bassless. Space mode is a phase shifting effect that destroys any stereo imaging but then the speakers are so close together that 'stereo' is a curious descrition for the sound presentation It may be technically correct but is audibly monophonic from anything more than a few feet away.

Despite other manufacturers offering comparable picture quality none seems able to achieve the solidity of image of this TV. You simply cannot see the RGB 'dots' that the picture is composed of, from more than a couple of feet away, the dots 'merge' in a very pleasing manner.

Some outdoor scenes are simply beautiful pictures.

However some VHS rental videos can look 'cartoony' with the characters appearing to be thin film cut-outs superimposed on the background. A strange but not displeasing effect. Colours on Broadcast television look supersaturated at times. With copper skin tones and a brighter and bolder than life effect. This depends on the broadcaster the BBC seem to get this much more to my liking than e.g. SKY.

I consider the inclusion of tv tuner and all the audio, video controls, power amps and loudspeakers a waste of money hence my value rating - if you don't have a VCR,DVD or digital set top box or hi-fi system they are of course essential. If you do have these items then you are paying a lot of money for overcomplicated controls for cheap and chearful audio components.

Susceptability to stray magnetic fields, from for example unshielded Hi-Fi loudspeakers, is extreme. Any closer than 1 meter will produce colour purity problems with quite modest bookshelf loudspeakers. Magnetically sheilded loudspeakers are essential. Even the steel cases of Hi-Fi equipment can cause problems. The set is very sensitive to movement and will need degaussing (switching off and on using the main power switch with at least 10 minutes rest between) even if rotated slightly on its axis. Easily the most sensitive TV or monitor I have ever encountered in 30+ years of working with colour TV and video monitors. This is presumably the price you pay for such a large flat apperture grill.

The user manual gives almost no information to explain the various video formats and what they are for. What there is is confusing and needs a lot of experimentation to discover what is going on.

Similar Products Used:

SONY kv-e2542u (The KV28fx60 replaces this set)