Superb picture
Good sound
Great looking cabinet and stand

Displays every flaw in the signal source
Expensive

I bought this set about a week ago with some hesitation because of all the problems reported on this and other web sites. However, my set has a beautiful picture, performs perfectly, and seems to be free of all the problems I've seen mentioned.

Specifically, when I first brought it home I thought I could see the "text is too bright" problem, but once I used the Video Essentials DVD to adjust the picture settings this problem disappeared. All it took was turning down the 'sharpness' control.

I can't see the "brightness banding" problem at all either. I use 4 different video inputs: cable, satellite, VCR, and DVD. Each of them looks great. I've looked for the brightness problem with all blue screens, black screens, gray screens, light backgrounds, dark backgrounds, letterbox DVDs, etc. I just can't see it on my set. Again, this is after making adjustments using the Video Essentials DVD.

I think this TV is a lot like a very accurate loud speaker. Any flaw in the signal or the subject matter itself becomes visible. When the light is reflecting off the TV news anchor's pancake makeup, you can really see it with this TV.

On the other hand, when both the signal and subject matter are good, this TV is amazing. Nothing else looks better unless you pay 3 times the price or more.

Similar Products Used:

Sony 27" Trinitron

Unbelievable picture, good connectivity, decent remote

expensive, heavy, and only one s-video in the back (the other is in front--just in case you wanted to buy an s-vhs video cam)

This is the best 32" picture I found. Have you ever seen real green, blue, yellow and red at the same time on a TV? You will here and it's good quality, too. Like another poster mentioned, bad signals will look bad, good signals will look great. One really nice feature: for widescreen DBS and DVD, it vertically compresses the picture, giving you full resolution. Very nice quality--as near to HDTV as you'll get.

Great picture, excellent features - easy to use remote, and the headsets are awesome!

none - except I will say the build it yourself stand needs to have better hardware. The wood, fiberboard and glass doors are OK, but they could have done a little bit better :(

We looked at 5 different TV's - the sony, Proscan, RCA, panasonic, and Toshiba. Tweeter's gave us the first glimpse of the sony. We did want a 36" set, but we were having trouble swallowing the $2100. Tweeter's wanted. Went to our local guy in Groton, who we bought TVs from for years, and there was the panasonic. But it didn't have the composite video input or the 3 DY filter, nor the headsets (as I am half deaf).
We finally went to a local specialty shop in New London, where he had the 32" and 36" set. We at first went for the 36" set, but realized we may be alittle overwelmed by the size in our small family room. We thought, based on his suggestion, we try the 32" set. He gave us a discount of $120, as we took the stand and built it ourselves in about an hour. finally, when we put the set on the stand and fired it off. WOW! the screen is georgeous! $1600. and it was worth it! (the stand was $200).
The Tweeter guys had done some testing on the panasonic and the sony XBR and they thought bought sets blew away all the rest, but the sony had the added simple features I wanted. We are very, very happy with the set. does all we want to do - DVD, VCR, and regular TV. We didn't buy it from tweeter because the set would have to come down from northern connecticut, and who would service it? Tweeter also wanted to con me into buying a service plan. Well, thanks, but no thanks. I settled with Roberts in New London..

Similar Products Used:

panasonic CT36X81, 36SF35

Flat Screen, Outstanding Picture, Cool Headphones

Pricy, Accompanying stand could be wider or taller

I've had my sights on this TV for awhile now, and was finally able to pick it up. I love this thing. Could be a little less expensive -- especially with more and more digital TV's entering the market.

Strengths? Picture is outstanding, (used the Video Essentials DVD, made a marginal difference from the standard mode factory settings) and really does look beatiful in the special widescreen mode. The headphones that come with it are really nice. I don't have any interference problems whatsoever with them -- crystal clear sound. Other than that it is just downright cool looking. The TV speakers are more than enough, even though you may never end up using them.

Weaknesses? Not too many. Paid a little much for it (1600), and feel that the price should be deflating now that better tv's are being released all the time (they are digital, but whatever).

I notice the black band on the left side as well. But as to it ruining any movie experience, thats BS. You only notice it when most of the screen is dark, and then only if you are looking for it. If the screen has *any* brightness on the left side you can't even make it out, and if you can you're trying too hard. In other words, at least with my set, don't worry about it.

Last bit of discouragement is the stand that comes with the TV. You can't fit components side by side in the stand, and can't stack more than three (sometimes two) because of the height. I know the stand isn't included in the package, but consider getting another model if you have more than 3 components you need close to the TV (that component cable gets expensive).

If you've got the money and want a 32" tube tv, get this one.

Looks cool in your living room, 16:9, Awesome on DVD, lots of inputs

SPORTS- this thing sucks at sports

I admit that I do not own this set- but I was going to buy one. I have two brothers that have these sets and have watched for hours. They both have DSS and digital cable. For DVD these units excel. But if you watch sports- BEWARE-look elsewhere. Here is what happens- the TV's almost try to get TOO accuract. The normal wideangle sports camera look "blocky" and pixellated on these VEGA's. The remedy is this- change the set to Movie mode which softens the picture. And dims it a lot- as mentioned in other reviews on this website. You can the brighten the picture somewhat, but in the end you have a picture that looks NO BETTER THAN A $550 SAMSUNG that you can buy at Best Buy!! That is NOT what you and I plunk down $1800 for. So I am NOT buying this set becasue I have seen the LIGHT and found the BEST TV set available-

The RCA MM36100. Yes- RCA. NO I do not work for them, and like you have the impression that RCA is an old line American manufacturer that sucks at electronics. Nut there is NO SET at this price ($2100 or so) available anywhere. First of all it has 930 lines of resolution- versus 550 for the VEGA's!! This is a huge difference. The picture is the most sharpest clearest picture that you will see on ANY TV- almost sharper than Plasma and THOUSANDS of $ less. Yes it needs DSS or Digital cable. It looks like a standard black 36" (no 32" available yet- hopefully soon) TV, not nearly as cool in your lving rooms as the VEGAS look. But the picture is a 100% on the WOW factor- crystal clear and butter smooth. Football and hockey have NEVER looked like this.
And it is a computer monitor to boot- with USB ports on the front- XGA resolution- plug your laptop into it- play games on it. THis thing is the BOMB (to coin an overused phrase)

Take my advice- do NOT buy a TV until you investigate this thing- go to Best Buy or another retailer and see the future. You can then email me and thank me when you have it in your living room. Again I am NOT an RCA employee nor do I know one. THis is just the best TV that money can buy.

Similar Products Used:

NONE- yet

Style, Setup flexibility, Picture quality

Weight, Silver front panel color could be distracting, Price

Before I made my decision to buy this TV set I checked this archive and was very concerned with some reported problems. This applies to picture quality when using cable as a source and then also reported geometry problems. Some users reported problems with dark(er) vertical strip on the left side of the screen as well. When I checked the competition models with all the features that I was looking for, I found nothing that compares to this Sony model. Panasonic GAOO has only one model with component video inputs, and that one comes with subwoofer built in. Even that model has been discontinued and hard or impossible to find. I didn't like the look of the Toshiba Cinema Series, and pisture quality was not as good as Sony's. Panasonic had acceptable picture quality , not as good as Sony, but if it had component video inputs on the model without subwoofer built in, you could save few hundreds of dollars this way. Panasonic model also has 3D-comb filter same as Sony XBR.

Now few words about Sony XBR-250. Very heavy box. Over 200 pounds easily. Once you put it in the room and on the stand, you will forget all the hassle you had to bring it in. Picture quality on cable is very good. At odd times it will become somewhat fussy or colors will become blurry when the signal quality drops, but I had the same problem with my Sony Trinitron before. I didn't have any geometry problems , except when I was using DVD as a source - I had to adjust the tilt, but having this option to adjust the picture tilt is great. I also had to play with different picture setings. Available ones didn't work for me , so I re-set everything to my liking. Very easy and straight forward. When watching movies from DVD in letterbox format, black boxes on the top and bottom could be darker. I noticed that darker vertical strip on the left side of the screen, but only when there was no image on the screen. I couldn't see it when there was something going on on the screen although I was looking for it very hard. Remote control is very simple and ergonomic. If you are buying this TV, buy it with the original stand. It looks immaculate... All in all, being a very picky person as I am, I am very satisfied that I made this decision. Any other option would just fall short from fulfilling all my requirements.

Similar Products Used:

Panasonic, Toshiba, Sony trinitron

Excellent picture
16:9 compression

Heavy
No guide+ gold

The old addage is that a chain is only as strong as it's weakest link. A meal is only as good as it's ingredients. That holds true with respect to the input signal to this TV. Reviews on this site have indicated that this TV exacerbates a poor signal i.e. cable. I can certainly agree with that statement. However, the better the signal, the better the picture. I have seen satellite broadcasts on the 36" model and I have seen digital cable on my model as well as DVD. It is by far the best picture of any non-HD set on the market. I seriously considered the Proscan 32700 but was disappointed with the repair history and despite it's supposed 820 lines of resolution, it didn't even come close to this TV. I paid $1500 US which did not include a stand. My main disappointment is that despite it's price it doesn't have guide+ gold which is available on much cheaper Sony TVs. The only other gripe is that you can't get a less expensive version of the TV without PIP and/or infrared headphones. I have to think that removal of these items could lower the price without affecting the quality of the TV (obviously).

Similar Products Used:

Sony KV-27XBR15

top-notch performance in conjuction with dvd player

no picture setting memory for various inputs; not too impressive cable performance

contrary to statements made on the net by some self-proclaimed owners of sony xbr sets, it has no memory function for more than one video input. That was confirmed to me by a sony rep. Lack of memory is extremely annoying, for it makes one readjust the picture settings once the input is switched from dvd to vcr or cable. Otherwise, images will start to look cartoonish, especially on cable. The only acceptable setting for watching cable that i found was in movie mode with temperature either at NTSC or medium. Still, to me the picture is a touch too soft. This set begins to shine only when playing dvd programs. Get hold of any disc transferred from a master copy shot with 3-CCD chip digital camera and prepare to hold up your jaw. And get rid of that rubbish $1.00 S-cable that came with your player. After I replaced mine with a 75-ohm ISF-certified component cable, Jim Carey's Lamborghini
in Dumb & Dumber turned from pinkish into Corrida Red.

Similar Products Used:

panasonic ct32xf55

Picture

Price

I purchased this set for $2500 Canadian about 3 months ago.
I was really reluctant given the terrible geometry problems reported by owners of the previous years' XBR200. Apparently, Sony learned from their mistakes, as this set has almost perfect geometry according to the test patterns on AVIA (by the way I strongly recommend using this test dvd to fine tune the set - it really made a big difference as the factory settings were pretty poor). The only problem with the set is an uneven brightness banding problem that has been well documented by other owners - see:
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/uub/Forum14/HTML/003705.html
for details. It is somewhat noticeable in certain conditions, but not enough of a problem to really get me angry or trade it in (besides, there is nothing out there that it is comparable to trade for). This issue aside, the set really has an impressive picture. My wife had her doubts (especially when I told her how much I paid for it), but she went to visit her parents a few weeks ago, and she couldn't believe how bad her parents 2 year old 32" trinitron looked in comparison - and believe me she is not usually one that would even care about a tv or stereo, so for her to even notice says something). It has the best comb filter I have ever seen - cable tv never looked so good. But in order to really enjoy this set, you really need a dvd player and a few anamorphic dvd's. This set's automatic compression of the anamorphic material is simply unbelievable. To see for yourself, go to a sony dealer and get them to do a side by side of the same dvd playing into the same set with one dvd player on regular mode and the other on widescreen and you will probably buy this set right on the spot. One of my friends is a real movie buff (probably goes to 2 movies per week) and she could not believe when I popped in my copy of Ronin (car chase scene of course). She said it looked better than film at a movie theater. Anyways, as long as you can afford it (and are strong enough to lift it - ouch) you will not be dissapointed in this tv.

Picture, sound, multiple inputs

Signal from spotty analog cable service, picture "modes" kind of useless, remote doesn't seem as though it was designed smartly

i was in the market for a flat-screen tv, read consumer reviews, et cetera, finally decided on the 32XBR250...

i bought mine at a circuit city at union square, nyc, and i'll admit i was a little wary of the sales pitch and "facts" about the unit the c.c. salesperson was going to hit me with...amazingly, the salesperson was educated about the sony wega units, answered all my questions without once stammering, and even pointed me toward an open-box 32XBR250 that was $300 less than a new one...

anyone who's mentioned the lousy picture quality coming from standard cable service and a low-quality connection from a vcr is absolutely right...i was aghast when i saw how many of my time-warner channels looked like complete garbage...my wife entered the living room as i was watching a particular crappy-looking channel and said, "so, we paid $1500 for *that*?" i then popped in "the matrix" dvd and, after that, "soul calibur" for dreamcast...she was pleased...

i'm gonna use composite video connectors for the dvd player so i can free up the rear s-video input for the playstation...

the remote is solid, and i like being able to control every damn component i've got with it, but the little flap you gotta flip to access dvd/vcr controls is annoying...i find that i do a lot of open-close, open-close...so now i use my dvd remote for the dvd player...poor me...

all in all, this is a damn fine product for a reasonable price...i didn't get the unassembled sony stand some have mentioned, but did buy an excellent stand for $200 that looks sort of art deco-y and sports no fewer than six "mini" stands for components...