Some help... Sony XBR9 or Z Series...

[Minimejer05]

So I went to Ultimate Electronics looking to possibly purchase the 55 inch 120ghz V series TV(model KDL55V5100) for about 1784 with a free blu ray player. I really liked the 55 inch size and 120hz motionflow. He than leaded me over to the XBR9 52 inch 240hz for 1999. He said that this TV has much deeper blacks and a brighter picture. He also said that it is 3D ready.

So I went home with both TVs in mind... was leaning towards the XBR9 because its 240hz compared to 120hz and the major thing was the 3D ready.

But than I looked in the add and noticed the 52 inch Z series TV(Model KDL52Z5100) for 1994.

So my question is... which is the better TV? The 55 inch V series with 120hz. The 52 inch XBR9 with 240hz. or the Z series 240hz?

I am terrible when it comes to TV... all I pretty much know is that 1080p is great and anything above 120hz is something I like.

Are any one of those 3 any better or worse than the others? I mean I think they all come with 4HDMI imports and they all looked very nice from visiting the store.

Any thoughts?

[Nick4Blu_81]

Originally Posted by Minimejer05

So I went to Ultimate Electronics looking to possibly purchase the 55 inch 120ghz V series TV(model KDL55V5100) for about 1784 with a free blu ray player. I really liked the 55 inch size and 120hz motionflow. He than leaded me over to the XBR9 52 inch 240hz for 1999. He said that this TV has much deeper blacks and a brighter picture. He also said that it is 3D ready.

So I went home with both TVs in mind... was leaning towards the XBR9 because its 240hz compared to 120hz and the major thing was the 3D ready.

But than I looked in the add and noticed the 52 inch Z series TV(Model KDL52Z5100) for 1994.

So my question is... which is the better TV? The 55 inch V series with 120hz. The 52 inch XBR9 with 240hz. or the Z series 240hz?


I am terrible when it comes to TV... all I pretty much know is that 1080p is great and anything above 120hz is something I like.

Are any one of those 3 any better or worse than the others? I mean I think they all come with 4HDMI imports and they all looked very nice from visiting the store.

Any thoughts?

I own a KDL52W4100 120HZ and it has a great picture. With that said, the XBR9 will provide you a far superior picture. Have you demoed them in person yet.

[Minimejer05]

I saw the V series which looked nice. But when he took me over to the other TV I wasnt sure if it was the XBR9 or the Z series.. I just remember it being 240hz and 52 inches. That TV looked wonderful...

[phish00]

The XBR9 is a great t.v. and at that price it's a really good deal I would deff go with the XBR9 you're getting a great picture t.v. with good sound.

[Nick4Blu_81]

Originally Posted by phish00

The XBR9 is a great t.v. and at that price it's a really good deal I would deff go with the XBR9 you're getting a great picture t.v. with good sound.

I agree with Phish00. The XBR9 came out after I bought my W series. Had I known, I would have held off and waited for the XBR9.

[Minimejer05]

Sounds good guys. I plan on going in and hopefully getting the XBR9. If the TV I ended up seeing was infact the Z series and not the XBR9..would that still be a good deal?

[wicked]

I have the Z series. I compared the XBR9 and the Z series in the Sony showroom and I walked out withthe Z series. The picture was just as good as the XBR9. The XBR is essentially the same screen as the Z series. I liked the aesthitics (sp?) of the Z series better than the XBR9.. If they had an XBR8 then it would have been a different story

[Minimejer05]

Ended up walking out with the XBR9 46 inch. They were all out of the 52 which happens to be a good thing because I dont think I would have been able to fit that in my designated area. Loving this thing so far... I dont however notice a difference when I turn the motionflow from standard to high. I personally love the "fast moving" picture. But it doesnt seem to look different in between those settings. The guy at Best Buy said to never do high or it will look weird

[steve1971]

Originally Posted by Minimejer05

Ended up walking out with the XBR9 46 inch. They were all out of the 52 which happens to be a good thing because I dont think I would have been able to fit that in my designated area. Loving this thing so far... I dont however notice a difference when I turn the motionflow from standard to high. I personally love the "fast moving" picture. But it doesnt seem to look different in between those settings. The guy at Best Buy said to never do high or it will look weird

Nice buy. The XBR9 is a great tv and the Z series aint to far behind. I settled for the 46V5100 because of the price and all I wanted was the 120hz feature. On some movies you can notice if you have the Motionflow set to high which will give the pic a 3-D type look. Some like it others dont me personally? I only use it on Blu ray movies but otherwise its set to standard. Post some pics when you get the chance.

[LordOfRuin]

Hello fella, there are two settings for the motion flow that will make a lot of difference. The first you seem to have found is the motion flow bit, the other is under it, and is something like film type or something. Type 1, type 2 and off. Type two is good for most things, and does a good job, but type 1 is something else entirely. Unfortunately, the processor in my older KDL40X3000 isn't quite up to fast moving action, where it often breaks down into blockyness around moving objects, and sometimes stutters when a pan or moving object changes speed. On calmer movement, the type 1 makes everything look amazing, if a little too smooth. It all depends on the movie. Solaris looks very special indeed when MF is max, whilst something like Apocalypto would be too much for the processor and turn blocky.

LordOfRuin

[Minimejer05]

Originally Posted by LordOfRuin

Hello fella, there are two settings for the motion flow that will make a lot of difference. The first you seem to have found is the motion flow bit, the other is under it, and is something like film type or something. Type 1, type 2 and off. Type two is good for most things, and does a good job, but type 1 is something else entirely. Unfortunately, the processor in my older KDL40X3000 isn't quite up to fast moving action, where it often breaks down into blockyness around moving objects, and sometimes stutters when a pan or moving object changes speed. On calmer movement, the type 1 makes everything look amazing, if a little too smooth. It all depends on the movie. Solaris looks very special indeed when MF is max, whilst something like Apocalypto would be too much for the processor and turn blocky.

LordOfRuin

Thanks for the suggestions. I will be fooling around with the types and seeing what looks best.

I do plan on posting some pics soon. All I have is my camera on my phone though. I guess there better than nothing. Will try to get those posted tonight.

Another thing I noticed is after I put the TV in the stand it came with. The TV tends to lean forward. Its only noticeable from the side. But its kinda weird. Couldnt figure out how to get it straight.

[steve1971]

Originally Posted by Minimejer05

Thanks for the suggestions. I will be fooling around with the types and seeing what looks best.

I do plan on posting some pics soon. All I have is my camera on my phone though. I guess there better than nothing. Will try to get those posted tonight.

Another thing I noticed is after I put the TV in the stand it came with. The TV tends to lean forward. Its only noticeable from the side. But its kinda weird. Couldnt figure out how to get it straight.

Mine does the same thing as far as the stand goes and there is no way to fix it. At least nothing that I have tried works anyway. Its not bad but like you I noticed it from the side. Also be careful if your tv wobbles alot because to me the stands are weak and they could break. I dont know if you have the problem or not but if you do just be careful.

[Minimejer05]

Originally Posted by steve1971

Mine does the same thing as far as the stand goes and there is no way to fix it. At least nothing that I have tried works anyway. Its not bad but like you I noticed it from the side. Also be careful if your tv wobbles alot because to me the stands are weak and they could break. I dont know if you have the problem or not but if you do just be careful.

I noticed that aswell! I was plugging in my HDMI for my PS3 and I barely touched the TV and it was getting very wobbly. My friend suggested I get a wall mount but I have never been a fan of those. I guess I will just try and be careful whenever I need to actually touch the TV.

[Minimejer05]

I decided to upload some pics from my camera on my phone. Not the best quality.

The first two pics were out of pure excitement of having the TV! Took one while it was off, then I popped in Pirates Of The Caribbean.





While I was watching Invention Of Lying I figured I would snap a few more pics. First is just a front shot. Second is to show the slight tilt it has forward. Than I tried zooming in to see if it was more noticeable.

[p1rates]

Congrats on your new XBR9! Welcome to the family. I have the 40 inch model. You should try out the Home Theater Magazine settings for the XBR9. Make sure you update the TV to the latest firmware if it isn't already updated.

[progers13]

Originally Posted by steve1971

Mine does the same thing as far as the stand goes and there is no way to fix it. At least nothing that I have tried works anyway. Its not bad but like you I noticed it from the side. Also be careful if your tv wobbles alot because to me the stands are weak and they could break. I dont know if you have the problem or not but if you do just be careful.

Originally Posted by Minimejer05

I noticed that aswell! I was plugging in my HDMI for my PS3 and I barely touched the TV and it was getting very wobbly. My friend suggested I get a wall mount but I have never been a fan of those. I guess I will just try and be careful whenever I need to actually touch the TV.

Sony highly recommends that you anchor the TV to a wall to prevent tipping. Even though the flat panels these days are so much lighter than the old CRT TVs, they are considerably less stable. It's almost as if wall mounting them was the supreme design and adding a stand was a mere after thought. My 52" was very wobbly on the stand, and (had I not mounted it) I would have anchored it to the wall to prevent tipping. If I'm not mistaken, check your manual. There should be something in there to help you out.

[Minimejer05]

Originally Posted by p1rates

Congrats on your new XBR9! Welcome to the family. I have the 40 inch model. You should try out the Home Theater Magazine settings for the XBR9. Make sure you update the TV to the latest firmware if it isn't already updated.

How does one update the firmware on the TV? Plus would you have a link to the settings?

I was toggling with the settings and I noticed that the "Vivid" picture mode looks so much brighter and detailed...but I was afraid it might suck the life out of my TV if I keep it on there.

Im so new to the high def tv world(last tv was DLP..never really changed any settings) Ive never actually tinkered with any TV settings and modes... didnt know if certain ones would cut my TVs life in half or not.

Also... for the wall anchoring.. is it difficult? I read the manual fast when it said to get chains and hook it up, was kinda odd looking. Do you think my TV could last a month or so on the stand? I was looking into a mount. There all like 200 dollars though

[progers13]

Originally Posted by Minimejer05

How does one update the firmware on the TV? Plus would you have a link to the settings?

I was toggling with the settings and I noticed that the "Vivid" picture mode looks so much brighter and detailed...but I was afraid it might suck the life out of my TV if I keep it on there.

Im so new to the high def tv world(last tv was DLP..never really changed any settings) Ive never actually tinkered with any TV settings and modes... didnt know if certain ones would cut my TVs life in half or not.

Also... for the wall anchoring.. is it difficult? I read the manual fast when it said to get chains and hook it up, was kinda odd looking. Do you think my TV could last a month or so on the stand? I was looking into a mount. There all like 200 dollars though

Do NOT buy a mount from Best Buy (or any other big box store retailer). Start with monoprice.com; if you search around the threads here, you will see that many people use their products and recommend them, and their prices are a fraction of what you see in Best Buy. Remember - stores like Best Buy make most of their profits off over priced sales of HDMI cables and Monster products (nothing against Monster as far as the quality of their products, only that the price is not justified).

As for the VIVID setting, most of us tend to stay way away from that. But it really depends on your preference. I'm not aware of it hurting your TV or shortening its life, only that you may see a higher electric bill.

As a side note, the Vivid setting is something that would best be suited in a very well lit or very bright room. Most people's homes do not experience the kind of intensity of light seen in the stores. I've found the Cinema setting provides a very detailed and accurate picture (the key here is lifelike). Vivid is bright and makes that image "pop", but usually you sacrifice a lot of the detail and get a washed out picture. Again, it's really your preference and won't hurt your TV if you decide to use it.

Anchoring isn't too hard, other than finding the stud behind the drywall and attaching the anchor and tether. Your manual should really tell you step by step how to do that, and your TV may have even come with the hardware.

Any other questions, let me know. We're here to help you learn so you can get the most out of your HD experience!

[Minimejer05]

Originally Posted by progers13

Do NOT buy a mount from Best Buy (or any other big box store retailer). Start with monoprice.com; if you search around the threads here, you will see that many people use their products and recommend them, and their prices are a fraction of what you see in Best Buy. Remember - stores like Best Buy make most of their profits off over priced sales of HDMI cables and Monster products (nothing against Monster as far as the quality of their products, only that the price is not justified).

As for the VIVID setting, most of us tend to stay way away from that. But it really depends on your preference. I'm not aware of it hurting your TV or shortening its life, only that you may see a higher electric bill.

As a side note, the Vivid setting is something that would best be suited in a very well lit or very bright room. Most people's homes do not experience the kind of intensity of light seen in the stores. I've found the Cinema setting provides a very detailed and accurate picture (the key here is lifelike). Vivid is bright and makes that image "pop", but usually you sacrifice a lot of the detail and get a washed out picture. Again, it's really your preference and won't hurt your TV if you decide to use it.

Anchoring isn't too hard, other than finding the stud behind the drywall and attaching the anchor and tether. Your manual should really tell you step by step how to do that, and your TV may have even come with the hardware.

Any other questions, let me know. We're here to help you learn so you can get the most out of your HD experience!

Thank you very much for your help. I wasnt aware that Best Buy overpriced items other than HDMI cables(learned that the hard way...bought a 150 dollar cable a few years back) I get what you mean about the VIVID settings now.. I tried it for 20 or so minutes on the movie 9 and I did loose alot of my detail. I really think that I will have to try and find a mount because the anchoring seems to hard. I didnt find anything else in the box other than 4 screws(for screwing the TV into the stand) Im just paranoid that my TV will fall now lol.

I had one more question which I kinda addressed earlier. Would turning the motionflow to high give me the "fastest" picture? I loved watching the scene in Pirates Of Carribean 2 when the crackens massive arms were flying through the ship and the fast moving picture was so damn clear. I tried watching that scene earlier today and it just didnt look the same.

Its hard to explain but I AM a fan of the soap opera,real life, fast picture look. Any idea how I can view that the best? I keep hearing that if I turn it on high it will start having little image blocks and such.

Thanks again for all your help. Really loving the LCD life! Sonys the way to go.

[progers13]

Originally Posted by Minimejer05

Thank you very much for your help. I wasnt aware that Best Buy overpriced items other than HDMI cables(learned that the hard way...bought a 150 dollar cable a few years back) I get what you mean about the VIVID settings now.. I tried it for 20 or so minutes on the movie 9 and I did loose alot of my detail. I really think that I will have to try and find a mount because the anchoring seems to hard. I didnt find anything else in the box other than 4 screws(for screwing the TV into the stand) Im just paranoid that my TV will fall now lol.

I had one more question which I kinda addressed earlier. Would turning the motionflow to high give me the "fastest" picture? I loved watching the scene in Pirates Of Carribean 2 when the crackens massive arms were flying through the ship and the fast moving picture was so damn clear. I tried watching that scene earlier today and it just didnt look the same.

Its hard to explain but I AM a fan of the soap opera,real life, fast picture look. Any idea how I can view that the best? I keep hearing that if I turn it on high it will start having little image blocks and such.

Thanks again for all your help. Really loving the LCD life! Sonys the way to go.

No problem, buddy. We all started somewhere and had to learn somehow! Very nice TV, by the way. My W-series probably doesn't stand up against yours, but I'm quite happy with the picture I get.

As for the MotionFlow "soap opera" look, you will get very mixed reactions about that. I personally like it for sports and cable, but I turn it OFF for blus. This is a matter of preference as well, and if you love it then by all means, use it. No one is going to pop up at your door and bash you over the head. I will say that it has a tendency to introduce artifacts. When I use it, I use it on Standard and never on High. Artifacts are little anomalies that appear on the screen as a result of the interpolation algorithm. In other words, it makes little distracting things appear as a side-effect of smoothing the motion. They may not bother you, but they do bother many other people. Look for them in scenes with subtitles on the screen or if there's a chain link fence, mesh, things of that nature. As for your settings, probably use Standard on Motionflow if you like that look, and Auto 1 for Cinemotion.

Also, pickup DVE Basics calibration disc (I saw it in Best Buy the other day for $25, but Amazon may have it cheaper). This will help you to calibrate the picture on your new TV to get the best detail and image out of it (reduce black crush and over saturated colors).

Good luck!!! You'll love it, and be prepared to start upgrading other parts of your HT. Beware the bite of the upgrade bug!