Sony Introduces New 1080p SXRD Grand WEGA HDTVs

[Audioholics]

<FONT face=Arial size=2><A href="http://www.audioholics.com/news/pressreleases/SonySXRD1080pGrandWEGA.php"><IMG style="WIDTH: 103px; HEIGHT: 100px" alt=[SonyKDSR60XBR2th] hspace=10 src="http://www.audioholics.com/news/thumbs/SonyKDSR60XBR2th_th.jpg" align=left border=0></A>Sony Electronics today introduced two new sets in the line based on the acclaimed Silicon X-tal (Crystal) Reflective Display (SXRD) technology delivering full 1920 x 1080 high-definition resolution.&nbsp;The 1080p KDS-R60XBR1 and KDS-R50XBR1 Grand WEGA models compliment the 70-inch QUALIA 006 micro-display and the QUALIA 004 front projector. At the heart of the models are three new 0.61-inch SXRD panels, making them the world's smallest – one each for red, green and blue color reproduction. Sony claims the panels produce a contrast ratio of 5000:1 and that refinements to the panel circuit layout enabled them to reduce the pixel pitch on an individual panel to just seven micrometers for&nbsp;increased pixel density, better yields, and quick response time.

[Get Details and Pricing]</FONT>

 

[AFJumper03]

Damn this hobby! As soon as you think you are happy with what you got, something REALLY cool comes out! grrr

 

[KrisJ]

More than likely my next TV, I wish it would have more HDMI inputs, especially at that price

 

[e73bass]

Sony Intoduces new 1080p

Is this rear projection or flat panel---anyone know when the Sony Qualia Flat panel will be out and a price yet?

 

[AVRat]

Rear-projection. SXRD is Sony's version of LCoS, a hybrid of LCD and DLP.

Yeah, I was going to go with one of the new Mitsubishi's, but I'm really interested in the LCoS technology.

 

[KrisJ]

More than likely my next TV, I wish it would have more HDMI inputs, especially at that price

My mistake, when doing a compare it shows 2

 

[millerbrad]

Sounds nice. Unfortunately, I'm doubtful that it'll actually accept a signal from a 1080p source. I'm sure it just "displays everything in 1080p" like the Aquos LCDs.

According to the User's Manual, the maximum PC resolution accepted is 1280x1024. "If unsupported signals are used, you will see the message 'Unsupported Signal'". And the HDMI-IN specs only show support for 1080i, 720p, 480p, and 480i.

Oh well.. It shur looks purdy...

 

[wd90125]

Reviews

Would love to read the reviews before buying. If anyone sees any of them give a heads up.

Thanks.

 

[zepaholic]

<FONT face=Arial size=2><A href="http://www.audioholics.com/news/pressreleases/SonySXRD1080pGrandWEGA.php"><IMG style="WIDTH: 103px; HEIGHT: 100px" alt=[SonyKDSR60XBR2th] hspace=10 src="http://www.audioholics.com/news/thumbs/SonyKDSR60XBR2th_th.jpg" align=left border=0></A>Sony Electronics today introduced two new sets in the line based on the acclaimed Silicon X-tal (Crystal) Reflective Display (SXRD) technology delivering full 1920 x 1080 high-definition resolution.&nbsp;The 1080p KDS-R60XBR1 and KDS-R50XBR1 Grand WEGA models compliment the 70-inch QUALIA 006 micro-display and the QUALIA 004 front projector. At the heart of the models are three new 0.61-inch SXRD panels, making them the world's smallest – one each for red, green and blue color reproduction. Sony claims the panels produce a contrast ratio of 5000:1 and that refinements to the panel circuit layout enabled them to reduce the pixel pitch on an individual panel to just seven micrometers for&nbsp;increased pixel density, better yields, and quick response time.

[Get Details and Pricing]</FONT>

Will Audioholics be doing a reveiw of this TV. I would like to here what the Pros say.

 

[tdeluce]

Would love to read the reviews before buying. If anyone sees any of them give a heads up.

Thanks.

I saw the 60in. at Sony Corp. in San Diego a couple
weeks ago - AWESOME PQ ( attended a presentation
on the SXRD technology ). The blacks were black and the
set was bright as hell. I have to watch my Samsung 6168
in complete darkness to match the level of brightness
the Sony SXRD had with full ambient lighting.

The only source they had was a Blu-Ray player playing
5 to 10 minutes of material and it looked great. Kind of
reminded me of a 60 in. tube

There will be a 70 in. version out late next summer and
I will be seriously considering it...

 

[insbordnat]

Qualia

I've seen the Qualia 006 70'', and needless to say, it was the best looking TV I've ever seen for a rear projection. Then again, they used a Blu-Ray disc (Spiderman 2) to demo it...but still nice nonetheless.

I saw the SXRD Grand WEGA at Best Buy and it looked good...obviously the Qualia was a wee bit nicer, but at that price tag...grrr.

I'm thinking of the 50". I hear the prices are going to drop after the new year.

 

[Hanse18]

I'm pretty sure Home Theater Magazine did a review of the 60 incher, and gave it around a 95 / 100 (or 9.5 if you like your scores outta 10 )

I too have seen the qualia and the 60 in model, and they rank 1 and 2 as far as im concerned in pq for big rptv's. I have seen the qualia running off a panasonic s77 or s97 (I'm going to assume it was the 97, but there's only a $50 price difference anyways) and it looked fantastic... much better than when it was running off a Sony upconverting player (sorry can't remember the model). And the 60" SXRD was right next to the mitsu, samsung, and toshi and it by far looked the best. I thought samsung was a distant 2nd, but the mitsu seemed to have calibration issues, since the colors were slightly off. No contest anyhow. I want one.

 

[insbordnat]

No doubt.

And the 60" SXRD was right next to the mitsu, samsung, and toshi and it by far looked the best. I thought samsung was a distant 2nd, but the mitsu seemed to have calibration issues, since the colors were slightly off. No contest anyhow. I want one.

Agreed. I'll have to tough it out until the price drops a bit. The pq is just too good.

 

[Liberanos5]

The lamp lifespan??

What is the expected life of the 200W H.O. Lamp? The short life span as I understand it (about a year of average viewing ) is being used by Best Buy to sell the $400 four year service contract. Price of the lamp?? Is it a DIY fix??
Thanks,
Paul

 

[CaliHwyPatrol]

We have the 50 and 60" at our store and they are sweeeeet. Of course I get the 60" in my department, because I'm cool like that.

~Chuck

 

[cam4mav]

yesterday my dad got home from teh AV store, and he was looking for a 50" Plasma for downstairs and a projector for the upstairs. He came back and all he could talk about was that sony, so i did some reasearch and found a review if you guys are interested.
http://www.ultimateavmag.com/directviewandptvtelevisions/705sony/index.html
i dont know much of anything about HD TV's besides the diff between 720p, 1080i, and 1080p so i couldt understand much of the specifics that guy talked about.
Im gonna go look at it later today with my mom and ill come back and tell you how it looked
(first time watching HDTV's so ill be clueless as to how good it is, but oh well
and anyone know if it will be able to accept the PS3's 1080p signal, i saw one guy say it might display in 1080p, but it probably cant accept a 1080p signal, any ifo on that will be great!
thanks

 

[mazersteven]

Rear-projection. SXRD is Sony's version of LCoS, a hybrid of LCD and DLP.

Yeah, I was going to go with one of the new Mitsubishi's, but I'm really interested in the LCoS technology.

Sony LCoS still has holes between the pixels. The New Mitsubishi 1080p DLP doesn't.

 

[MAX661]

Sony LCoS still has holes between the pixels. The New Mitsubishi 1080p DLP doesn't.

Sony LCOS screens have no holes between the pixels, it's actually the opposite. LCOS technology "bleeds" color into it's surrounding pixels and has a fill rate of 99% or something like that. Plus the Mits sets are wobulated and do not resolve a full 1080i picture. The DMD chips used in all of the 1080p models are only 960x1080. Many people call this technology a "bandaid" until TI comes up with a full 1920x1080 chip.

These sets are considered to be a "rush job" in order to keep up with the LCOS sets. Only the Sony, JVC and soon to be LG rear projection sets actually have a screen resolution of 1920x1080.

These are things to take into account when you are going out to purchase a television...

 

[westcott]

This set will upconvert to 1080p but will NOT accept a 1080p signal (BluRay HD DVD, etc).

Playstation 3 will not support 1080p initially either but at least it will have digitial hdmi outputs.

That is more than can be said for all those 360 boxes Microsoft is selling.

All I can say is buyer beware.

 

[MAX661]

This set will upconvert to 1080p but will NOT accept a 1080p signal (BluRay HD DVD, etc).

Playstation 3 will not support 1080p initially either but at least it will have digitial hdmi outputs.

That is more than can be said for all those 360 boxes Microsoft is selling.

All I can say is buyer beware.

The only real main concerns for a 1080p input are for the PS3 and HTPC users. As for Blu-Ray & HD-DVD they have not said they will put out movies that are 1080p, but even if they do the difference will be minimal. A movie is shot at 1080p/24fps and the Sony excepts a 1080i/60fps with the 3:2 cinemotion in the Sony which is said to be excellent can resolve all the information needed and at any decent seating area of let's say 10 feet back the difference will barely be noticeable.

But with PS3 it will be outputting at 1080p/60fps so you will see an improvement by having a 1080p input, same goes for HTPC users...