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(More customer reviews)We purchased an XBR4 and brought it home last night from a brick-and-mortar store. I didn't think they would be available for another month. I've been trying to decide what to purchase for almost 4 months (a common story from what I've read on the internet). Every time I stood in Frys Electronics, or Best Buy, or Circuit City the Sony XBR series would catch my eye. In my opinion they simply are better than all the rest.
I looked briefly at Plasma but our living room has lots of windows so we couldn't tolerate the shiny screens. The latest and greatest Samsung LCDs also have shiny screens so alas they were excluded.
We compared the Sharp Aquos 52d82 with the Sony XBR3 and once again the sharpness and clarity of the Sony outstripped the Sharp. This is all subjective mind you. You might very well be quite satisfied with another brand. For me I would never be happy had I purchased something else, knowing these XBR series were out there.
Last night the Sony 46" XBR4 was sitting between two Plasma TVs in the store. The Sony was sharper and had deeper blacks than the two Plasmas.
I was itching to purchase a Sony but I knew the XBR4 & 5 were coming soon with the 120Hz refresh, 10 bit color, 3 HDMI 1.3 inputs, PC input, 15000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 2000:1 true contrast, and the BLACK bezel. Yes the XBR4 came with the black bezel which I prefer over the silver of the XBR2.
Setup was as easy as the traditional CRT TV the XBR4 replaced in our living room. Plug it in, stick the Playstation 3 HDMI cable into the back, turn it on, select the game input and away we went.
We have a library of over 300 480i DVDs. I was concerned they wouldn't look good. I've read many user reviews about poor quality 480i presentations on the previous XBRs. While they can't hold a candle to the Blu-Ray Planet Earth series the standard DVDs look quite respectable on the XBR4.
The Sony remote is quite long compared to our other remotes. It has single buttons to change the Picture from Wide Zoom, to Normal, Full, and Zoom. You can quickly also select Vivid, Standard, Cinema, or Custom Picture Modes. The remote is a "universal" type that will control a Set Top Box, DVD, Blu Ray disk player, or of course the TV. The remote picked up my Sony DVD player without me having to do anything to set it up. However we have a Logitech Harmony 890 (Amazon has a great price) so won't be using the Sony remote.
There are 10 input selections, TV, Video 1 (which we named DVD), Video 2, Video 3, Component 1, Component 2, HDMI 1 (which we named Game for the Playstation 3), HDMI 2, HDMI 3, and PC. I did hook up my PC which has 1080p capability and surfed the internet for a while. I don't think these big screens make good PC monitors though as you have to sit close enough to read text and at that point they are too large.
There were no dead pixels, and I haven't seen any "clouding" that was the bane of the XBR2&3.
Yes it is pricey but in my opinion it is the best.
September 27, 2007 update
Now that I've had this LCD for over a month I'm very pleased with it. One additional comment is the built in speakers are quite good. I also recently purchased a 34" Sharp with built in speakers and immediately noticed the difference in the poorer sound quality in this Sharp. The Sony sounds so good I haven't spent the time to hook the sound output jacks up to my surround sound system.
Changing channels could be quicker, but my guess is the TV is trying to figure out what kind of signal it has (480i, 720i, 1080i) and make adjustments.
I've had issues with dropping sync with some digital TV channels but I have no way of knowing if it is the TV itself or the quality of my cable. It will lose sync for about 5 seconds then re-sync.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony Bravia XBR-Series KDL-46XBR4 46-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV
The Sony BRAVIA XBR KDL-46XBR4 46-inch 1080p LCD Flat Panel HDTV continues Sony's tradition of making outstanding televisions. With a 46-inch screen, you'll be able to see every little detail without any need to squint. Sony does not hold back with any technologies, and the XBR series is its flagship line--so with the XBR, you know you'll get the best quality home theater experience available.
Top-Notch Video Performance The XBR KDL-46XBR4 is a 1080p television with a full 1920 x 1080 resolution, the highest resolution available for the sharpest, clearest picture. The KDL-46XBR uses the most recent HDMI 1.3 interface, which houses both audio and video signals in one connector and has the bandwidth to support the data needed for the high resolution. Sony's Bravia Engine Pro Full Digital Video Processor upconverts all video signals to 1080p so you can watch all your old DVDs on this glorious display.
Sony complements the high resolution with the latest technology in color reproduction. The KDL-46XBR is a 10-bit display with 10-bit processing. Most panels are only 8-bit. The added bit depth here means a larger color palette for more faithful color reproduction and smoother transitions from one color to the next. Additionally, the display also supports the new x.v.Color standard, which dramatically increases the available color space. The end result is a picture that is so detailed, colorful, and vibrant, you'd have a hard time distinguishing it from real life.
The KDL-46XBR4 features Sony's Motionflow technology, which automatically adjusts for and applies the proper processing for optimal motion reproduction depending on the video input. This includes support for 24 frames per second (24p) video, which displays video content at the 24-frames-per-second rate at which it was originally filmed or recorded. With 24p, you get the most faithful possible reproduction of the original.
A Wide Variety of Inputs This Sony television's wide variety of inputs ensures compatibility with your other home theater components. There are three HDMI connections for Blu-Ray, HD DVD, and other technologies requiring the high bandwidth, and two component video inputs, three composite video inputs, one S-Video input, one PC Audio and Video input, and five analog audio inputs. Even with a collection of legacy components, you shouldn't have a problem connecting to the KDL-46XBR4.
Stunning Looks The KDL-46XBR4 not only displays stunning video but is itself a head-turner. It features Sony's unique floating glass frame along with a black bezel that can be interchanged with optional color bezels to match the display to your decor.
Outstanding Ergonomics and Simplicity of Control Sony's Xross Media Bar interface is an award-winning, intuitive on-screen display that makes setup a breeze, with menus and controls logically laid out for quick access. The KDL-46XBR4 also features Theatre Sync technology, based on the HDMI-CEC standard, which means you can easily connect to and control compatible devices. For example, when the KDL-46XBR4 is connected to a compatible DVD player, you can turn on both the DVD player and the television and start playing a DVD with a single push of a button on the remote. When you're done, another push of a button powers everything down. With Theatre Sync, you can spend time enjoying the movie rather than waste time setting everything up.
More Than Just a Television Because more and more people expect to view photos on their HDTVs, Sony developed a Photo TV HD mode that optimally sets the sharpness, gradation, and color to make digital photos look like printed photography.
The KDL-46XBR4 is backed by a 1-year limited warranty for parts and labor.
What's in the Box KDL-46XBR4 46-inch LCD flat panel HDTV, remote control, 2 AA batteries, AC power cord, operating instructions, quick setup guide, warranty card, table top stand, and support strap.
Click here for more information about Sony Bravia XBR-Series KDL-46XBR4 46-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV
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