So Now the Question Becomes...Used SXRD or Newer Flat Panel?

[Hillside Trece]

If we decide to go with a 70" screen rather than a 65", should we be looking, perhaps, at finding a 70" SXRD for sale somewhere being that we've had good performance from our 50A2020 (save for the size), or going new with a current flat panel of some kind? What would make sense?

The TV will not be hung on the wall, BTW.

[hometheatergeek]

Are you unaware that the SXRDs ended up in a class action lawsuit? I had to get rid of mine....the 2000 series... because of the crappy optical block and you are thinking of buying a used one? I would not recommend it.

[Hillside Trece]

Originally Posted by hometheatergeek

Are you unaware that the SXRDs ended up in a class action lawsuit? I had to get rid of mine....the 2000 series... because of the crappy optical block and you are thinking of buying a used one? I would not recommend it.

Al,

Thank you for your response. I am indeed aware of the optical block problems these sets exhibited; my A2020 doesn't seem to have been plagued by any problems like this thus far (keeping fingers crossed)...

I only asked because if it wasn't for the size issue, we love the build quality and "next best thing to front projection" characteristics our SXRD exhibits; to us, there's no comparison to the solidity these sets display compared to today's flat panel sets, which seem like, if you don't wall mount them, will just wobble and fall over on their pedestals with only a hint of pressure put to them. In contrast, the SXRD's seem like solidly built, heavy-cabinet pieces (of course, this is rear projection versus flat panel we're talking about, but I'm just expressing how I feel about it) and we are constantly saying when we sit in front of it how we wish we could just "stretch" our 50" magically to become a 70" SXRD...

I thought maybe for our needs, a 70" SXRD on the gently used market would make more sense than looking for a new flat panel of 70 inches; but perhaps we will take your sentiment of not going with a used SXRD to heart.

Anyone else with any insight here, or any other members in agreement with Al?

[Hillside Trece]

Originally Posted by hometheatergeek

Are you unaware that the SXRDs ended up in a class action lawsuit? I had to get rid of mine....the 2000 series... because of the crappy optical block and you are thinking of buying a used one? I would not recommend it.

BTW,

Love your avatar! Can't wait for May to see The Avengers!

Also -- I checked out your gallery; how do you like the Sharp 70" LCD? We're thinking of going with that screen...do you like it? How do you like it compared to your SXRD?

[Hillside Trece]

Anyone else? Should I be looking at a used 70" SXRD?

[hometheatergeek]

Originally Posted by Hillside Trece

BTW,

Love your avatar! Can't wait for May to see The Avengers!

Also -- I checked out your gallery; how do you like the Sharp 70" LCD? We're thinking of going with that screen...do you like it? How do you like it compared to your SXRD?

Sorry for the late response. I know of no SXRD that has lasted longer then 10,000 hours before the OB starts to go bad. You wrote:

my A2020 doesn't seem to have been plagued by any problems like this thus far

So do you know how many total hours you have on your 2020? I averaged 2000hrs per year and right after I had owned the set for 5 years 1 month it went bad. So if you don't use the set much your best bet is to hold on to it as long as you can then start shopping for something else.

I do like the Sharp a lot. Blacks are a lot better then the SXRD and so is the contrast levels. It is easy watching a dark movie during the day time now where the SXRD had trouble with dark movies. However the screen on the 70 is more reflective then the SXRD so that can cause an issue in some rooms with direct sunlight.

[Captain Kirk]

My SXRD had four bad optical blocks, a bad fan, and a dead HDMI port - all in the span of four years. Due to all the bad things with the TV, Sony ended up letting me buy a Bravia at a discount. I have never had it wobble or anything on its pedestal. If you tightly mount it in the pedestal it should only be able to shift after you push it. My panel can go side to side, but has never moved without force.

If you like the SXRD build and look, I would look into a Mitsubishi 73 inch DLP instead. The body is similar, the build quality is better, and it has a comparable picture quality.

[Hillside Trece]

Originally Posted by Serendipity

My SXRD had four bad optical blocks, a bad fan, and a dead HDMI port - all in the span of four years. Due to all the bad things with the TV, Sony ended up letting me buy a Bravia at a discount. I have never had it wobble or anything on its pedestal. If you tightly mount it in the pedestal it should only be able to shift after you push it. My panel can go side to side, but has never moved without force.

If you like the SXRD build and look, I would look into a Mitsubishi 73 inch DLP instead. The body is similar, the build quality is better, and it has a comparable picture quality.

Thanks, 'Dipity!

Wow -- you had a lot of issues with your SXRD. In the five years of owning mine, I haven't experienced one of those things...the only thing we've done is replace the lamp once.

As for your Bravia, I am only going by what I saw at my local Best Buy -- of course, they may not have had the thing screwed together properly for their display models, but the ones I did see wobbled horribly like they were made out of cardboard. I'm not exaggerating. I also read in an issue of Home Theater in which they reviewed a new Bravia LCD, and the writer mentioned that his sample wobbled horribly as well...

How do you like your Bravia vs. the SXRD? Do you have any pics to share of the new set?

Thanks for your input regarding the Mitsubishi -- indeed, we're aware that if we want the "build quality" that a rear pro offers versus the flat panels, the Mitsubishi DLPs are the only way to go. The thing is, I don't think we can do a 73", and I am uncertain of the picture quality of these sets -- we've seen a couple of really bad examples in stores we have been to. I wasn't impressed.

Do you really believe the Mitsubishis offer a better build quality than the Sony SXRDs?

[Hillside Trece]

Originally Posted by hometheatergeek

Sorry for the late response. I know of no SXRD that has lasted longer then 10,000 hours before the OB starts to go bad. You wrote: So do you know how many total hours you have on your 2020? I averaged 2000hrs per year and right after I had owned the set for 5 years 1 month it went bad. So if you don't use the set much your best bet is to hold on to it as long as you can then start shopping for something else.

The set doesn't really get used all that much, save for the evening film watching and my wife watching her daytime soaps; the reason why we want to replace it is only because of its size -- we want something much bigger, but otherwise, we would keep the SXRD...

As for the amount of hours we have on the set, I'm not really positive -- we have had the set a good five or so years, and have only replaced the lamp once (first one since the factory bulb).

I do like the Sharp a lot. Blacks are a lot better then the SXRD and so is the contrast levels. It is easy watching a dark movie during the day time now where the SXRD had trouble with dark movies. However the screen on the 70 is more reflective then the SXRD so that can cause an issue in some rooms with direct sunlight.

Thanks for the input; do Blu-rays look good on the Sharp? Do they have a detailed, three-dimensional-like appearance? What picture mode do you run in?

[hometheatergeek]

Originally Posted by Hillside Trece

The set doesn't really get used all that much, save for the evening film watching and my wife watching her daytime soaps; the reason why we want to replace it is only because of its size -- we want something much bigger, but otherwise, we would keep the SXRD...

As for the amount of hours we have on the set, I'm not really positive -- we have had the set a good five or so years, and have only replaced the lamp once (first one since the factory bulb).



Thanks for the input; do Blu-rays look good on the Sharp? Do they have a detailed, three-dimensional-like appearance? What picture mode do you run in?

That is were the Sharp is the best looking. The TV is real picky on the source. It will show flaws and look really bad on certain TV shows (the SXRD was more forgiving in that aspect) but once it is feed a pristine picture from a blu-ray player that is when the Sharp looks the best.