Sony KDL XBR 8

[RIPSeanTaylor21]

Originally Posted by stockstar1138

Sony Style

Yes, it was BD, can't remember which player but it was typical Sony HDMI cables.

I mean, lets not kid ourselves the TV was awesome, I think I was just expecting to be floored and I wasn't.

I was floored when I saw the 9 series Sammy. i didn't know LCD could look that good.

The Sam 950, is the best LCD on the Market Right NOW...TRUST ME

[J6P]

Originally Posted by RIPSeanTaylor21

The Sam 950, is the best LCD on the Market Right NOW...TRUST ME

I'm sure you do an awesome job at your Best Buy and all, but I'll trust UltimateAVMag's fully controlled and calibrated side by side comparison over your uncalibrated glance back and forth between screens. Thanks.

[coolmilo]

Originally Posted by MarcosG

How does the Kuro compare to your old XBR4? Is it significantly better or slightly better?

check out the price tag on this XBR7 UNREAL!

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/...52921665532063

I think the XBR4 is a good LCD. But the Kuro (my first plasma) just blows the XBR4 away in picture detail, shadow, contrast, color accuracy, etc. Well encoded Blu-ray movies look 3 dimensional on the Kuro and SD DVD also looks very good. As good as the Kuro looks out of the box; there is a special hidden configuration option that allows ISF calibrators to really make the Kuro picture pop. I plan to have it calibrated professionally next March, after the Kuro has completed the break-in period.

Back to the difference, I was watching scenes from the Fifth Element (source that I am very familiar with) and I noticed detail and color accuracy that I have never seen before. It is really mind blowing how good the Kuro Elite plasma's are. I have read that the XBR8 is very close to the Kuro.
I paid $3500 for the Kuro and I hope the XBR8 drops below that price very soon.

[JR8300]

I couldn't agree more... the 950 blows it out of the water..it doesn't have the blooming issues that the XBR 8 has and has much more accurate colors. Also, LED backlit LCDs can rival the black levels of any Plasma currently on the market (even the Kuro)...go ahead and test it out for yourself before you post some snide comment.

[J6P]

Originally Posted by JR8300

I couldn't agree more... the 950 blows it out of the water..it doesn't have the blooming issues that the XBR 8 has and has much more accurate colors. Also, LED backlit LCDs can rival the black levels of any Plasma currently on the market (even the Kuro)...go ahead and test it out for yourself before you post some snide comment.

I like the second part, but where do you get the first part? Professional reviewers say exactly the opposite, as has already been mentioned in this thread.

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by JR8300

Also, LED backlit LCDs can rival the black levels of any Plasma currently on the market (even the Kuro)...go ahead and test it out for yourself before you post some snide comment.

The actual contrast ratio of the Elite Kuro is over 40,000:1

No TV on the market gets within 20,000:1 of that right now.

[J6P]

Originally Posted by dobyblue

The actual contrast ratio of the Elite Kuro is over 40,000:1

No TV on the market gets within 20,000:1 of that right now.

With Local Dimming OFF, very true. Can't touch that native contrast ratio this generation.

As I say any time this discussion comes up (which is a lot lately), the KURO is a monster. I love it, and would own one for sure if the minor downsides of plasma were immaterial to me, as they are to many others. For many of us, we simply must have the best LCD available, as plasma just doesn't enter into the race for us. It's not a good fit for how I use my television.

But I love watching other people's KUROs. Enjoy 'em, but not for me.

[coolmilo]

Originally Posted by J6P

With Local Dimming OFF, very true. Can't touch that native contrast ratio this generation.

As I say any time this discussion comes up (which is a lot lately), the KURO is a monster. I love it, and would own one for sure if the minor downsides of plasma were immaterial to me, as they are to many others. For many of us, we simply must have the best LCD available, as plasma just doesn't enter into the race for us. It's not a good fit for how I use my television.

But I love watching other people's KUROs. Enjoy 'em, but not for me.

I feel/felt the same way. The Kuro that I just purchased was the first plasma that I have owned. I have owned several LCD's however and I really like the technology for its durability. I my case, the Kuro was a good fit because it is an amazing TV and it fits well in my rather small home theater room. The less stuff sticking out of the sides means the bigger TV I can fit in the room.

I also like the direction that LCD is moving with the backlit LEDS and all but I am also eagerly waiting for OLED and LaserTV to make their mark in the industry.

One other comment, I recommend to never judge a TV based on viewing it at a store. They are usually setup in torch mode which means we don't really see the best picture the TV can deliver. Stick to the reviews and what the ISF calibrators recommend.

[J6P]

Originally Posted by coolmilo

...I also like the direction that LCD is moving with the backlit LEDS and all but I am also eagerly waiting for OLED and LaserTV to make their mark in the industry....

Same here! I think OLED is going to swoop in over the next few years and make these discussions obsolete. My next set will almost certainly be a 60" or better OLED.

But I've sworn to myself not to buy in on the bleeding edge for that, so I'll wait quite a while to jump in. (No I won't.)

Wait wait... I love my current set. YES...yes, I will wait a good long time for OLED.


(No I won't.)

[stockstar1138]

Originally Posted by J6P

Same here! I think OLED is going to swoop in over the next few years and make these discussions obsolete. My next set will almost certainly be a 60" or better OLED.

But I've sworn to myself not to buy in on the bleeding edge for that, so I'll wait quite a while to jump in. (No I won't.)

Wait wait... I love my current set. YES...yes, I will wait a good long time for OLED.


(No I won't.)

60" OLED, it will be a while before those are for sale, much less afordable.

Laser TV has a much better possibility of hitting those sizes.

[franklinpross]

Originally Posted by stockstar1138

i don't see how this would effect why Sony would not want the XBR8 to look as good as possible in THEIR stores.

Probably because Sony still has thousands of unsold sets

Xmas will empty the shelves and then will they tune the XBR 8's to move quickly

[jsteinhauer]

I don't regret my 55xbr8 purchase at all. The blooming is not noticeable during normal programming or movies. Blacks are nearly true - almost identical to the bezel in a dark room. To make the comparison in a store, without knowing the specific settings is meaningless. I leave motion control off for movies and on standard or smooth for television. I am not sensitive to motion blur, and I don't notice any. If there is a big problem with this display it is the viewing angle. I would estimate 25 degrees of center is all you get. I am very lucky in that my wife could care less. She lets me sit in the sweet spot despite repeated offers to split the difference. All for the best, she is likely to knit or play iphone games while watching movies, anyway.

[bageleaterkkjji]

price drop on amazon to 6499.99 lol

[mmunro2003]

46 inch dropped 4699.. sony style

[tunerfreak87]

I find it hard that people are judging sets by what they see in CC or BB for example. Who's to say they are even calibrated or hooked up the same way? I lean a little towards Sony than Samsung in most cases, but I will say the the Pioneer is def the best looking. Consumer Reports new winter catalog even addresses it as the best looking set they've seen so far.

[jsteinhauer]

Originally Posted by tunerfreak87

I find it hard that people are judging sets by what they see in CC or BB for example. Who's to say they are even calibrated or hooked up the same way? I lean a little towards Sony than Samsung in most cases, but I will say the the Pioneer is def the best looking. Consumer Reports new winter catalog even addresses it as the best looking set they've seen so far.

I find it harder to believe the emotional investment people have in consumer electronics products, manufacturers and retailers.

[blu master]

Seen the 55xbr8 tuesday at best buy the saleman switch to std def and the pq was still amazing im looking at the 40 for $2700 maybe by next summer it will be cheaper

[tunerfreak87]

Originally Posted by jsteinhauer

I find it harder to believe the emotional investment people have in consumer electronics products, manufacturers and retailers.

+1

[HeManster03]

Originally Posted by saprano

Whats the reason sony doesn't want to sell the 46 or 55" yet?
and the stores are using component video cables?

Maby thats the reason when i saw the 40" it looked like crap. (and no store calibration)

just stumbled in and saw this and had to comment. the reason stores run component to tvs on display a good majority of the time has a few factors.
1. cost
in my store, our display wall is 100 feet long in one section and 40 feet long in another, and the signal runs from a loop box and a twc hd box. 4 tvs per 8 ft section, 1 hdmi splitter per section would mean alot of money that retail stores have no need to pump out because the average public thinks the pictures look great as is.
2. the feed
90% of everything that is one our sets is 720p anyways, so while hdmi would definately clean the picture up, it isn't worth it for us to take net sellable cables off the shelves to boost a feed that sucks anyways.
3. now to answer the pricing questions i have seen on here.
sony, from what i hear, is considering price fixing their higher end models, much like bose and apple have done for speaker systems and ipods. they want to make themselves " the brand to go to for quality" in the consumers eyes. but i personally agree with above posters as saying that they are probably waiting for the reviews to come out in early february and store planograms to change so they can make the tv a focal point in most stores and then adjust the price accordingly, much like they did with the xbr6( 52 " everywhere i looked the first 2 weeks it was out was 3699-3999). once our planograms changed, the price change was immediate. plus the superbowl might drive some good deals out of hiding as well..

[lettucenpico]

IMO, people here are comparing an LCD to a Plasma, it doesn't matter if it's the newer lcds now with LED backlighting, at the end of the day it is still an LCD. So you can't really justify the Pioneer Elite Kuro to the XBR8, if you wanted an LCD you'd try to argue with the sony and samsung, not the sony and pioneer, two different types of televisions. Sony's are great tvs, even though samsung has stepped up, if you like sonys you would go ahead and get the xbrs. But you know it's up to you. Just try not to compare it with the Kuro.