Which Sony? (Last question - I promise!)

[Minbari]

Guys

I really appreciate the advice I got from you all on my "help a guy out question".

I think I'm going to take advantage of Sony's BOOM deal this week with the PS3 - and give that to a son since i'm certainly no gamer.

My question is which set to get?

The 55" V5100 or either the 52" Z5100 or XBR9. Any major difference or advantage to the Z or XBR over the V?

I looked at all of them - but it's really hard to discern anything in the store.

Probably going to buy the Onkyo 807 to replace my NAD as well.

Thanks for the help y'all - I'll try not to bug ya' much more

[AxGates]

The Z series has Bravia Engine 3 instead of 2, and a higher contrast ratio. In my opinion I can't see much of a difference between the v,w,z, and xbr models this year. With that said, bigger is always better, so go with the 55" V. All the gimmick features like deep color are essentially meaningless when there's little to no source material to warrant the upgrade. Hope this helps some

[ImRizzo]

I hope this helps...... the best choice is the XBR without a doubt.

The XBR series 8 is LED LCD and big $$$$

The XBR Series 9 is LCD WCG-CCFL (lit) definitely the better choice of the three.

Powerful performance and superior design come together with the stunning 52" BRAVIA® XBR9 HDTV. This flat panel TV features Motionflow™ 240Hz refresh rate technology for maximum motion detail and clarity. There's also broadband internet connectivity with built-in BRAVIA internet video capabilities that let you view select on-demand movies, TV shows, music and more. You can even personalize your entertainment experience by selecting and positioning widgets containing the latest news, weather, sports and more directly on your TV screen. In addition to BRAVIA Engine™ 3 digital video processor, the 52" XBR9 incorporates advanced power saving features and comes with 7 HD inputs (4 HDMI™, 2 component and 1 PC).

Please note: The BRAVIA Internet Video and BRAVIA widgets features on this model require the television to be connected to an internet service for activation.

16:9 Full HD 1080p Resolution Panel (1920x1080)16:9 Full HD 1080p resolution panel (1920x1080) accepts any high definition video signal and renders it with optimum resolution, so you can take full advantage of Blu-ray Disc™ players and Sony® PLAYSTATION®3 entertainment systems that can deliver 1080p content
Personalize your HDTV with BRAVIA® widgetsPersonalize your viewing experience by selecting, positioning, and resizing widgets on your BRAVIA HDTV display. BRAVIA Internet Widgets are small applications that can be accessed with the touch of one button providing you with the latest in news, weather, stock info, and much more right on your BRAVIA XBR9-Series.
USB to view photos, music, and videoConnect your camera, USB-enabled MP3 player, or USB storage device directly to the HDTV's USB input to view photos on the big screen or control your latest music playlist. BRAVIA® XBR9-Series HDTVs also include MPEG2 video file support, so you can go straight from shooting video to screening it over USB.
HD input x 7Get versatile HD connection options with seven HD inputs. Four HDMI™ inputs (up to 1080/60p capable) let you connect a Sony® PlayStation®3 entertainment system, Blu-ray Disc™ player, or any other HDMI-capable equipment and get uncompressed digital video and multi-channel digital audio on a single cable. An HD combo input, which includes HD component (1080/60p capable) and composite inputs, provide added HD-capable connectivity, and a PC input4 (HD-15 pin) offers the added versatility of using your HDTV as a computer monitor.
BRAVIA® Link compatibilityBRAVIA Link compatibility expands your HDTV’s capabilities by letting you connect optional BRAVIA Link modules, including the BRAVIA DVD Link, BRAVIA Wireless Link, and BRAVIA Input Link (all sold separately).
ATSC™/NTSC tuner with QAMA built-in ATSC/NTSC tuner with QAM delivers over-the-air digital TV and unencrypted HDTV broadcast signals, as well as traditional analog TV broadcasts.
BRAVIA™ Internet Video4With BRAVIA Internet Video4 you can enjoy one of the largest collections of premium and free on-demand entertainment directly to your HDTV. Use your in-home broadband connection and the BRAVIA HDTV remote control to access online video, music, and more content from over 20 providers including Amazon Video On Demand, YouTube™, Sports Illustrated, Sony Pictures, Sony Music,Slacker, and Epicurious.com.
Live Color Creation™ technology w/ WCG-CCFL backlightLive Color Creation technology works with the BRAVIA XBR9-Series' WCG-CCFL (Wide Color Gamut - Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp) backlight to achieve wide color reproduction for more natural and vibrant colors. The technology combines advanced chroma signal processing with enhanced filters and purer light to reproduce 105 percent of the NTSC (National Television System Committee) color standard. This means deeper reds and greens with overall color that's truer and more life-like.
Networked TV Guide® Interactive Program Guide5Sony® has integrated the TV Guide® Interactive Program Guide5 into the exclusive Xross Media Bar™ (XMB™) user interface to deliver regularly updated program listings via your existing Internet connection -- with no subscription fees or phone connection required.
Favorites Menu functionThe Favorites Menu function makes it easy to quickly access your favorite channels and frequently used video inputs.
Scene Select lets you easily manage your settingsScene Select makes choosing the appropriate settings for the best HDTV experience easier than ever. Scene Select packages different picture and audio settings based on the type of content you want to view. For example, the "Sports" package configures the perfect picture and audio settings to make you feel like you're right in the stadium. Other packages include "Cinema," "Photo," "Game," and "Music."
Exceeds Energy Star 3.0 requirementsSony® XBR-series HDTVs exceed Energy Star 3.0 requirements by incorporating advanced power saving features such as Light Sensor® technology that adjusts backlight intensity based on ambient room lighting conditions.
Motionflow™ 240Hz technologyMotionflow™ 240Hz technology is Sony’s highest level of motion detail and clarity so you enjoy exceptional motion detail in sports, movies and games. Motionflow 240Hz technology quadruples the frame rate, resulting in a crisp fluid motion and a natural, realistic viewing experience.
BRAVIA Engine™ 3 fully digital video processorBRAVIA Engine 3 is the newest fully digital video processor from Sony®. It uses a collection of enhanced algorithms to significantly reduce noise, enhance overall image detail, and optimize contrast so every scene produces sharp, vibrant, life-like images.
DLNA® with photos, music, and videoCompliance with DLNA® (Digital Living Network Alliance) allows BRAVIA® XBR9-Series HDTVs to access digital photos, music, and video from DLNA-enabled PCs and other devices, so you can enjoy your memories with friends and family in the comfort of your living room instead of crowding around a PC.
Xross Media Bar™ menu navigationThe award-winning Sony® Xross Media Bar™ (XMB™) user interface allows you easily navigate through your favorite photos, music, channels, and connected devices.
BRAVIA Sync™ capable2BRAVIA Sync2 capability combines the one-touch access and control functionality of BRAVIA Theatre Sync™ with the ability to control HDMI CEC-enabled Sony® Handycam® camcorders and Cybershot® digital still cameras using the TV's remote and an on-screen display.
x.v.Color™ technologyx.v.Color technology takes HDTV color expression to new levels. When connected to x.v.Color capable video sources, such as select Sony® camcorders, BRAVIA® XBR9-Series HDTVs can display nearly twice as many (1.8x) viewable colors as the existing RGB color standard, resulting in more natural, life-like images.



THE 52" BRAVIA Z5100

Featuring narrow bezels and thin cabinet depths, BRAVIA® Z Series HDTVs deliver an impressive list of features wrapped up into a thin and stylish design, including Full HD 1080p and Motionflow™ 240Hz refresh rate technology for maximum motion detail and clarity. The KDL-52Z5100 also has internet connectivity with built-in BRAVIA internet video capabilities that let you view select on-demand movies and TV shows, listen to music and more. You can even personalize your entertainment experience by selecting and positioning widgets containing the latest news, weather, sports and more directly on your TV screen. In addition to 7 HD inputs, the BRAVIA Z has a 100,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio which yields deep blacks in darker scenes.

Please note: The BRAVIA Internet Video and BRAVIA widgets features on this model require the television to be connected to an internet service for activation. The activation for BRAVIA widgets is in the form of a software update that will be made available after May 25, 2009. You will be notified via a message on the television's Xross Media Bar menu. (Navigation > Network Internet Video)

16:9 Full HD 1080p Resolution Panel (1920x1080)16:9 Full HD 1080p resolution panel (1920x1080) accepts any high definition video signal and renders it with optimum resolution, so you can take full advantage of Blu-ray Disc™ players and Sony® PLAYSTATION®3 entertainment systems that can deliver 1080p content.
BRAVIA® widgetsPersonalize your viewing experience by selecting, positioning, and resizing widgets on your BRAVIA HDTV display. BRAVIA widgets are small icons that can be accessed with the touch of one button providing you with the latest in news, weather, sports, and much more right on your BRAVIA Z-Series HDTV.
DLNA® with photos, music, and videoCompliance with DLNA® (Digital Living Network Alliance) allows BRAVIA® Z-Series HDTVs to access digital photos, music, and video from DLNA-enabled PCs and other devices, so you can enjoy your memories with family and friends in the comfort of your living room instead of crowding around a PC.
Xross Media Bar™ menu navigationThe award-winning Sony® Xross Media Bar user interface allows you easily navigate through your favorite photos, music, channels, and connected devices.
BRAVIA® Link compatibilityBRAVIA Link compatibility expands your HDTV’s capabilities by letting you connect optional BRAVIA Link modules, including the BRAVIA DVD Link, BRAVIA Wireless Link, and BRAVIA Input Link (all sold separately).
Exceeds Energy Star 3.0 requirementsSony® Z-series HDTVs exceed Energy Star 3.0 requirements by over 15% on Home Mode. In addition, they incorporate advanced power saving features such as Light Sensor® technology that adjusts backlight intensity based on ambient room lighting conditions and Dynamic Backlight Control that adjusts backlight intensity based on the brightness of the image on the screen.
BRAVIA™ Internet Video4With BRAVIA Internet Video4 you can enjoy one of the largest collections of premium and free on-demand entertainment directly to your HDTV. Use your in-home broadband connection and the BRAVIA HDTV remote control to access online video, music, and more content from over 20 providers including Amazon Video On Demand, YouTube™, Sports Illustrated, Sony Pictures, Sony Music,Slacker, and Epicurious.com.
USB with photos, music, and videoConnect your camera, USB-enabled MP3 player, or USB storage device directly to the HDTV's USB input to view photos on the big screen or listen to your favorite MP3s. BRAVIA® Z-Series HDTVs also include mpeg2 video file support, so you can go straight from shooting video to screening it via USB.
HD input x 7Get versatile HD connection options with seven HD inputs. Four HDMI™ inputs (up to 1080/60p capable) let you connect a Sony® PlayStation®3 entertainment system, Blu-ray Disc™ player, or any other HDMI-capable equipment (all sold separately) and get uncompressed digital video and multi-channel digital audio on a single cable. An HD combo input, which includes HD component and composite inputs, (1080/60p capable) provide added HD-capable connectivity, and a PC input3 (HD-15 pin) offers the added versatility of using your HDTV as a computer monitor.
Scene SelectScene Select makes choosing the appropriate settings for the best HDTV experience easier than ever. Scene Select packages different picture and audio settings based on the type of content you want to view. For example, the "Sports" package configures the perfect picture and audio settings to make you feel like your right in the stadium. Other packages include "Cinema", "Photo", "Game", and "Music".
ATSC™/NTSC tuner with QAMA built-in ATSC/NTSC tuner with QAM delivers over-the-air digital TV and unencrypted HDTV broadcast signals, as well as traditional analog TV broadcasts.
Motionflow™ 240Hz technologyMotionflow 240Hz technology is Sony’s highest level of motion detail and clarity so you enjoy unprecedented motion detail in sports, movies and games. Motionflow 240Hz technology quadruples the frame rate, resulting in a crisp fluid motion and a natural, realistic viewing experience.
BRAVIA Engine™ 3 fully digital video processorBRAVIA Engine 3 is the newest fully digital video processor from Sony®. It uses a collection of enhanced algorithms to significantly reduce noise, enhance overall image detail, and optimize contrast so every scene produces sharp, vibrant, life-like images.
Networked TV Guide® Interactive Program Guide5Sony® has integrated the TV Guide Interactive Program Guide into the exclusive Xross Media Bar™ (XMB™) user interface to deliver regularly updated program listings via your existing Internet connection -- with no subscription fees or phone connection required.
Favorites Menu functionThe Favorites Menu function makes it easy to quickly access your favorite channels and frequently used video inputs.
BRAVIA Sync™ 2 capableBRAVIA Sync2 capability combines the one-touch access and control functionality of BRAVIA Theatre Sync™ with the ability to control HDMI CEC-enabled Sony® Handycam® camcorders and Cybershot® digital still cameras using the HDTV's remote and an on-screen display.


The 52" BRAVIA W Series HDTV

Packed with innovative features, the 52" BRAVIA® W Series incorporates the latest in HDTV performance into a slim and stylish design. Personalize your entertainment experience and access the latest news, weather, stocks and sports information with BRAVIA Widgets. You can also stream on-demand entertainment including hit movies and TV shows with BRAVIA Internet Video. Additionally, the W Series comes with BRAVIA Engine™ 3 for enhanced overall image detail and Motionflow™ 120Hz refresh rate technology for a crisp, more natural viewing experience while watching fast-paced scenes.

16:9 Full HD 1080p Resolution Panel (1920x1080)16:9 Full HD 1080p resolution panel (1920x1080) accepts virtually any high definition video signal and renders it with optimum resolution, so you can take full advantage of Blu-ray Disc™ players and Sony® PlayStation®3 entertainment systems that can deliver 1080p content.
BRAVIA® Internet WidgetsPersonalize your viewing experience by selecting, positioning, and resizing widgets on your BRAVIA HDTV display. BRAVIA Internet Widgets are small applications that can be accessed with the touch of one button providing you with the latest in news, weather, stock info, and much more right on your BRAVIA W-Series HDTV.
DLNA® with photos, music, and videoCompliance with DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) allows BRAVIA® W-series HDTVs to access digital photos, music, and video from DLNA-enabled PCs and other devices, so you can enjoy your memories with family and friends in the comfort of your living room instead of crowding around a PC.
Xross Media Bar™ menu navigationThe award-winning Sony® Xross Media Bar user interface allows you easily navigate through your favorite photos, music, channels, and connected devices.
BRAVIA® Link compatibilityBRAVIA Link compatibility expands your HDTV’s capabilities by letting you connect optional BRAVIA Link modules, including the BRAVIA DVD Link, BRAVIA Wireless Link6, and BRAVIA Input Link (all sold separately).
Exceeds Energy Star 3.0 RequirementsSony® W-series HDTVs exceed Energy Star 3.0 requirements by over 15% on Home Mode. In addition, they incorporate advanced power saving features such as Light Sensor® technology that adjusts backlight intensity based on ambient room lighting conditions and Dynamic Backlight Control that adjusts backlight intensity based on the brightness of the image on the screen.
BRAVIA™ Internet Video3With BRAVIA Internet Video you can enjoy select premium and free on-demand entertainment directly to your HDTV. Use your in-home broadband connection and the BRAVIA HDTV remote control to access online video, music, and more content from over 20 providers including Amazon Video On Demand, YouTube™, Sports Illustrated, Sony Pictures, Sony Music, Slacker and Epicurious.com.
USB with photos, music, and videoConnect your compatible camera, USB-enabled MP3 player, or USB storage device directly to the HDTV's USB input to view photos on the big screen or listen to your favorite MP3s. BRAVIA® W-series HDTVs also include mpeg2 video file support, so you can go straight from shooting video to screening it via USB.
HD input x 7Get versatile HD connection options with seven HD inputs. Four HDMI™ inputs (up to 1080/60p capable) let you connect a Sony® PlayStation®3 entertainment system, Blu-ray Disc™ player, or any other HDMI-capable equipment (all sold separately) and get uncompressed digital video and multi-channel digital audio on a single cable. An HD combo input, which includes HD component and composite inputs, (1080/60p capable) provide added HD-capable connectivity, and a PC input2 (HD-15 pin) offers the added versatility of using your HDTV as a computer monitor.
Scene SelectScene Select makes choosing the appropriate settings for the best HDTV experience easier than ever. Scene Select packages different picture and audio settings based on the type of content you want to view. For example, the "Sports" package configures the perfect picture and audio settings to make you feel like your right in the stadium. Other packages include "Cinema", "Photo", "Game", and "Music".
ATSC/NTSC tuner with QAMA built-in ATSC/NTSC tuner with QAM delivers over-the-air digital TV and unencrypted HDTV broadcast signals, as well as traditional analog TV broadcasts.
Motionflow™ 120Hz technologyEngineered for fast-action sports, movies and games, Motionflow 120Hz technology reduces blurriness and judder. Overall, motion is smoother, sharper, and more natural when watching your favorite HD content, DVDs, and even broadcast movies and prime-time programming.
BRAVIA Engine™ 3 fully digital video processorBRAVIA Engine 3 is the newest fully digital video processor from Sony®. It uses a collection of enhanced algorithms to significantly reduce noise, enhance overall image detail, and optimize contrast so every scene produces sharp, vibrant, life-like images.
Networked TV Guide® Interactive Program Guide5Sony® has integrated the TV Guide Interactive Program Guide5 into the exclusive Xross Media Bar™ user interface to deliver regularly updated program listings via your existing Internet connection -- with no subscription fees or phone connection required.
Favorites Menu functionThe Favorites Menu function makes it easy to quickly access your favorite channels and frequently used video inputs.
BRAVIA Sync™ 1 capableBRAVIA Sync capability combines the one-touch access and control functionality of BRAVIA Theatre Sync™ with the ability to control HDMI CEC-enabled Sony® Handycam® camcorders and Cybershot® digital still cameras using the HDTV's remote and an on-screen display.

[bravestime]

I would have to agree with Rizz. The XBR line has always been Sony's top of the line and what I have seen the XBRs always looked better than the other Sony series. The XBRs generally cost more, but I feel your getting a better HDTV for the money, except for the overpriced XBR8.

[LEDTV]

Why didn't they offer a 55" instead of 52" in most of their top tier sets this year?

[ImRizzo]

Why didn't they offer a 55" instead of 52" in most of their top tier sets this year?

they do offer one 55"
55" Class (54.6" diag.) BRAVIA V HDTV
Model Number: KDL-55V5100

[ImRizzo]

they do offer one 55"
55" Class (54.6" diag.) BRAVIA V HDTV
Model Number: KDL-55V5100

their big push is for the
65" Class (64.5" diag.) BRAVIA W HDTV
Model Number: KDL-65W5100

[LEDTV]

their big push is for the
65" Class (64.5" diag.) BRAVIA W HDTV
Model Number: KDL-65W5100

But it's not an XBR series set.

[ImRizzo]

But it's not an XBR series set.

it's already 5 grand if it was XBR it would probably be about 8000-8500.00

[Loves2Watch]

Damn, talk about overpriced...

[dsskid]

Guys

I really appreciate the advice I got from you all on my "help a guy out question".

I think I'm going to take advantage of Sony's BOOM deal this week with the PS3 - and give that to a son since i'm certainly no gamer.

My question is which set to get?

The 55" V5100 or either the 52" Z5100 or XBR9. Any major difference or advantage to the Z or XBR over the V?

I looked at all of them - but it's really hard to discern anything in the store.

Probably going to buy the Onkyo 807 to replace my NAD as well.

Thanks for the help y'all - I'll try not to bug ya' much more

I would check CNET.com. They've reviewed the V5100 and XBR9. Aside from the extra features, performance wise there were pretty equal, and in some areas, believe it or not, the V5100 outperformed the XBR9.

Here are excerpts regarding performance only from CNET's site. I underlined where they made direct comparisons between the two, but it's probably best to read the whole review so you can understand the various features.

Sony KDL-52XBR9

CNET editors' rating: 3.5 stars - Very good

Summary:

The good: Reproduces a relatively deep shade of black; generally accurate color; good dejudder processing in Standard mode; extensive feature set with Yahoo Widgets and built-in streaming-video options including Amazon Video on Demand; attractive styling with thin bezel; plenty of connectivity with four HDMI, two component-video, and one PC input.

The bad: Expensive; benefits of 240Hz difficult to discern; dejudder modes can produce artifacts; some screen uniformity and off-angle issues; dark areas tinged bluer; most free, streaming-video options not compelling.

The bottom line: Sony's high-end KDL-XBR9 series of LCD TV offers a bundle of extras and solid picture quality, but the price will turn off most buyers.........................

Performance
Overall, the Sony KDL-XBR9's picture can compete well against the best conventional LCDs we've tested, but its black level performance still couldn't match that of the best LED-based LCDs and plasmas. The 240Hz refresh rate did improve motion resolution, but we found it hard to tell the difference with normal program material.

Prior to our calibration, the XBR9's most accurate picture mode was, as expected, Cinema, which can be activated by pressing the Theater button or selecting Cinema from the Scenes menu--it's not an option in the standard picture menu. Cinema delivered a slightly bluer color temperature than we'd like to see, and its overall gamma was too high (1.89 versus an ideal of 2.2). After our adjustments, overall color temperature was somewhat improved, although there was still too much variation in the grayscale--specifically, it became a bit bluish in midtones--and gamma was still a bit too dark in dim areas. Engaging the Advanced Contrast Enhancer improved dark area gamma and shadow detail, but we preferred to leave it turned off to preserve overall gamma accuracy and prevent backlight fluctuation.

For our comparison we enlisted a few comparable sets. The LCD camp was represented by Sony's own KDL-55XBR8 and KDL-52XBR7 along with the Samsung UN46B7000 and LN52A650, while the plasma camp contributed Panasonic's TC-P46G10 and the reference Pioneer PRO-111FD. Most of the image quality tests were conducted using the "Transporter 3" Blu-ray Disc.

Black level: The Sony XBR9 produced a deep, convincing shade of black in our dark home theater but it couldn't quite match the darkness delivered by some of the other sets. Shadows and black areas from the darkest scene in the movie, where the opening credits appear over the ship's dim cargo hold, appeared a bit more washed out and less realistic on the XBR9 than they did on the Samsung UNB7000, the XBR8, or the two plasmas, although the XBR9's blacks were deeper than those of the XBR7 or the Samsung A650. In other words, the XBR9 reproduced the darkest blacks among conventional LCDs in our comparison, but didn't match the LED-backlit models.

As we mentioned, shadow detail was also somewhat less than ideal. When the Transporter finds Valentina in the back of the car in his shadowed living room, the shadows on her body and details in his shirt appeared a bit more obscured in comparison to the plasmas. On the other hand, shadow detail looked slightly more natural on the XBR9 than on the Samsung 7000 and A650 models.

Color accuracy: The Sony fared well overall in this category, although skin tones looked slightly off. During the endless shots of redheaded Valentina in the passenger seat in Chapter 5, for example, her pale face and neck seemed a bit paler and a tad green compared with our reference displays, although not as greenish as we saw on the Panasonic G10. Near dark and black areas were also tinged with blue to about the same extent as we saw on the Samsung 7000, which affected the darkest shadows and the letterbox bars.

Our measurements of the XBR9's primary colors, on the other hand, were nearly perfect, which was reflected by the natural look of the blue sky and green plants racing by alongside the road. Saturation was also quite good, if not quite at the same level as our reference displays; the bright colors of the parasols in the market in Chapter 8, for example, looked punchy and rich.

Video processing: Much as we observed with the KDL-52XBR7, the principal impact of the faster 240Hz refresh rate can be seen in the reduction of motion blur during test patterns. In our motion resolution tests, the XBR9 scored between 900 and 1,000 lines of resolution, equaling the XBR7 and surpassing every LCD-based HDTV we've reviewed aside from the LED-backlit XBR8 and Samsung LN46A950. We found it difficult to see the effect of the antiblurring processing when watching normal program material as opposed to test patterns.

Disengaging dejudder caused the display to revert to the normal LCD motion resolution of between 300 and 400 lines. In other words, to get the benefit of blur reduction on this set, you'll have to engage dejudder processing. Samsung's 2009 models such as the B7000, on the other hand, allow you to get the benefits of blur reduction without the smoothness of dejudder--an option we much prefer.

As usual, engaging dejudder processing on the XBR9 caused the film-based sources like "Transporter" to take on a more video-like look, an issue that became most apparent in scenes like the ludicrously awesome bike-to-car chase in Chapter 8. The smoothness, whether we watched Standard or High mode, removed some of the visceral impact of the shaky camera and the Transporter's movements through the alleys, into the warehouse, and through the factory workers. High mode, as usual, was prone to artifacts, such as breakup on the trailing edges of fast-moving objects, like the Transporter himself as he skids across a table. Such artifacts were much less common in Standard, and we did prefer the look of Sony's Standard to dejudder modes on other the displays, but again we preferred to leave MotionFlow turned off.

With our Blu-ray player set to 1080p/24 output mode the 240Hz XBR9 behaved as it should. It preserved the judder of film with CineMotion set to Off and showed none of the hitching motion of 2:3 pull-down, which was visible in 60Hz mode on the Panasonic G10, for example, during the flyover of the Intrepid from "I Am Legend."

In other resolution tests the Sony performed well, delivering every line of 1080i and 1080p sources in "Full Pixel" mode and deinterlacing both video-based and film-based sources properly, although the latter required us to engage either of the two Auto settings in the CineMotion menu.

Uniformity: The screen of our KDL-52XBR9 review sample didn't appear as uniform across its surface as many LCDs we've seen, with about as many variations as the Samsung 7000 and more than the other displays. In middark areas the edges of the screen appeared brighter than the middle, while in very dark areas like letterbox bars and nighttime scenes, we could make out brighter areas in three of the four corners.

From off-angle it performed better than the Samsung 7000 and about the same as the other LCDs, losing contrast and pop at about the same rate but not becoming too discolored or washed out, like we saw on the 7000.

Bright lighting: The Sony performed well in brighter rooms. The mostly matte screen of the XBR9 handles reflections from windows and lights facing the screen quite well--better than the other non-Sony displays in our comparison, which all have glossy (the Samsungs) or glass (plasma) screens. It also preserved black levels in dark areas better than either of the two plasmas.

Standard-definition: The XBR9 turned in an average standard-definition performance. It resolved every detail of a DVD source and fine details in the grass and stone bridge looked as sharp as we expected. With video-based sources we saw more jaggies on moving diagonal lines than on other displays, and more even than on Sony's KDL-51V5100, although the waving American flag appeared about the same on the two Sony displays. The XBR9's noise reduction performed very well, cleaning up the snowy, noisy shots of skies and sunsets with aplomb, although the MPEG noise reduction option didn't seem to do much in those areas. CineMotion set to Auto1 engaged 2:3 pull-down to remove moire from the grandstands.

PC: As we expected from a 1080p LCD displaying computer sources, the XBR9 resolved every detail of 1,920x1,080-pixel input via HDMI and VGA and delivering crisp text with no overscan or edge enhancement.

http://reviews.cnet.com/flat-panel-t...?tag=mncol;lst

Sony KDL-55V5100

CNET editors' rating: 3.5 stars -Very good

Summary:

The good: Produces relatively deep black levels; accurate color in bright areas; solid dejudder processing in Standard mode; numerous picture controls; plenty of connectivity with four HDMI, two component-video and one PC input.

The bad: Dark areas tinged bluish; must engage dejudder to enable antiblur; pedestrian design; less uniform screen.

The bottom line: The commendable picture quality of Sony's entry-level 120Hz-equipped LCD makes it a very good value.

Performance
Sony's relatively entry-level KDL-V5100 series exhibited very good picture quality for the price, and in some ways it bested the company's significantly more expensive, albeit feature-laden, XBR9 model (in fact, the two received the same score in this subcategory). We appreciated its relatively deep black levels and accurate color in bright areas, but wished for better color accuracy in dark scenes and improved uniformity across the screen. Sony also falls short of Samsung in its dejudder implementation.

Adjusting the Sony for optimum picture quality in our dark home theater meant starting in its Cinema mode, also accessible by pressing the Theater button. That mode came relatively close to our ideal settings for calibration, although we had to disable a few picture tweaks, reduce light output to our nominal 40 ftl level, and bring the somewhat reddish grayscale closer to the standard. In the end the adjustments were mostly successful, although the grayscale still varied too much (becoming quite blue in darker areas). Gamma was solid at 2.25 versus the ideal of 2.2.

For comparison purposes we lined up a few competing LCDs, including the Samsung LN46B650 and the JVC LT-47P300, along with the higher-end Samsung LN52B750 and Sony's own KDL-52XBR9. We also threw in Panasonic's entry-level TC-P50X1 plasma, and as always our reference display was the Pioneer PRO-111FD plasma. This time around we conducted most of our Image quality tests with the help of "21" on Blu-ray.

Black level: The V5100 was solid for an LCD in this category, but couldn't match most of the other displays in our comparison. In dark scenes, such as the warehouse in Chapter 5 where Lawrence Fishburne works over the cheater, black and near-black areas such as the letterbox bars above and below the image, the pillars in the foreground and the recesses in the background appeared brighter and less realistic than on the Samsung B750, the JVC and the plasmas, and just a hair brighter than the XBR9--although about equal to the B650. Shadow detail, from the equipment along the edges of the room to the stubble along the shaded side of Fishburne's face, was quite good.

Color accuracy: In bright scenes the V5100 performed well in this category, thanks to its accurate grayscale and primary and secondary colors. The morning-lit face of Kate Bosworth in the hotel room in Chapter 8, for example, exhibited natural-looking skin tone without the slight greenish cast we saw on the XBR9 and the Panasonic plasma. The red headboard, green plant and golden sheets also looked quite close to the colors on our reference display, although sky shots appeared a bit too bluish in side-by-side comparisons--perhaps a symptom of the Sony's less accurate cyan. Overall saturation was about average, and didn't quite match the punch of the more expensive models.

Our biggest knock, as is often the case with LCD, was the bluish cast to shadows and black areas. The effect was less obvious than on the Samsung B650, but worse than what we saw on the other displays in our comparison.

Video processing: As we mentioned above you'll need to engage the V5100's MotionFlow dejudder mode to get the antiblurring benefits of its 120Hz refresh rate, but doing so has the usual effect on film-based sources like "21" makes them look more like video. We compared Sony's Standard mode, the least objectionable of the two MotionFlow settings to our eye, against Standard on the Samsung, and as in the past we liked the Sony's Standard better. A crane shot up and over the pedestrian bridge in Chapter 6, for example, looked characteristically too-smooth on the Samsung compared to the Sony (and, for what it's worth, smoother on the XBR9 than on the V5100). That said, the "beauty" of dejudder is definitely in the eye of the beholder, and we really prefer Samsung's system overall, since it allows significantly more customization than Sony's simple two settings.

Our preference was to leave dejudder Off for films, and we appreciated that when we did so the V5100 handled 1080p/24 sources well. Our preferred test for this capability, the shot moving over the deck of the Intrepid from "I Am Legend," revealed that the Sony properly preserved the cadence of film, while the Panasonic and JVC, for instance, introduced the characteristic hitching motion of 2:3 pull-down.

The V5100 but didn't quite resolve every detail of 1080i and 1080p still resolution sources, falling short of the format's vertical resolution just a bit according to our test patterns. It deinterlaced 1080i video-based sources correctly but failed with film-based sources regardless of the CineMotion setting we chose. Motion resolution with was normal for a 120Hz LCD: 500-600 lines with dejudder engaged (MotionFlow set to Standard or High), which dropped it to 300-400 lines with it turned off. As usual, we found it difficult to spot the effects of these resolution characteristics when watching normal program material--indeed, the 1080p Sony looked just as sharp as the other 1080p displays and the 720p Panasonic X1 plasma during "21."

Uniformity: The V5100 was less even across its screen than we'd like to see, and exhibited worse overall uniformity than most of the other LCDs, with the exception of the XBR9, which was about its equal. The sides appeared brighter than the rest of the screen, and the upper-left corner was brighter still, especially in black and very dark scenes such as the dark warehouse. When seen from off-angle the screen washed out at about an average rate compared to the other LCDs, and there was no overt discoloration as we saw on the JVC.

Bright lighting: The XBR9 and JVC, both matte-screened LCDs, joined the V5100 as the best in our comparison under bright lighting. It handled reflections from windows and lights facing the screen quite well--better than the other displays in our comparison, which all have glossy (the Samsungs) or glass (plasma) screens. It also preserved black levels in dark areas better than either of the two plasmas, and about as well as the Samsung LCDs.

Standard-definition: The V5100 turned in an average standard-definition performance. The Sony resolved every detail of a DVD source and fine details in the grass and stone bridge looked as sharp as we expected. With video-based sources we saw more jaggies on moving diagonal lines than on other displays, albeit not as many as on the XBR9--although the waving American flag appeared about the same on the two Sony displays. The V5100s noise reduction performed very well, cleaning up the snowy, noisy shots of skies and sunsets with aplomb, although the MPEG noise reduction option didn't seem to do much in those areas. CineMotion set to Auto1 engaged 2:3 pull-down to remove moire from the grandstands.

PC: We were surprised to find that the V5100 couldn't resolve every detail of 1,920x1,080-pixel sources via HDMI and VGA, failing to deliver the full vertical resolution according to DisplayMate. PC sources still looked relatively crisp nonetheless, but not as good as on the XBR9, for example.

http://reviews.cnet.com/flat-panel-t...?tag=mncol;lst

Best wishes with your purchase.

[LEDTV]

it's already 5 grand if it was XBR it would probably be about 8000-8500.00

I'd settle for a $4,000-$5,000 60" XBR.

[Loves2Watch]

I would check CNET.com. They've reviewed the V5100 and XBR9. Aside from the extra features, performance wise there were pretty equal, and in some areas, believe it or not, the V5100 outperformed the XBR9.

Best wishes with your purchase.

I tend to agree...

[Barney_DaPurple1]

OK, how many folks are cornfused like Barney is now? :D I've read an online review of the XBR9 and they said it was the deepest dark black they've ever tested. Site

Black Level (9.51)

We measured the black level of the KDL52XBR9 at 0.05 cd/m2, which means that the blacks on the screen are extremely deep and dark. This is also the lowest black level that we've ever seen, so this display would produce the deepest, darkest blacks of any HDTV that we've tested.



Peak Brightness (10.61)

We measured the maximum brightness that the KDL52XBR9 could manage at an eye-watering 440.47 cd/m2, which is extremely bright. In fact, it's the brightest we've seen from any TV since we started testing, beating out the previous record holder (the Samsung LN46B750) by a significant margin. This is important because the brighter the image, the better it will hold up in direct sunlight or a brightly-lit office. This HDTV should have no problems producing a visible image in pretty much any set of conditions.

Any comment on the big discrepancy? Also I thought a major difference between a V and XBR series is a 8-bit vs. 10-bit panel? Does this even matter? I love the size of the 55V5100 but the 52" XBR has a better picture I'm guessing?

[BUYLONGTERM]

Hopefully David can chime in. He mentioned that the XBR9 had processing issues I believe

[dsskid]

OK, how many folks are cornfused like Barney is now? :D I've read an online review of the XBR9 and they said it was the deepest dark black they've ever tested. Site

Any comment on the big discrepancy? Also I thought a major difference between a V and XBR series is a 8-bit vs. 10-bit panel? Does this even matter? I love the size of the 55V5100 but the 52" XBR has a better picture I'm guessing?

I was going by CNET's performance evaluations, but they didn't post numbers.

[dsskid]

I wonder where Pioneers's numbers fall in?

[dsskid]

[QUOTE=Barney_DaPurple1;99027]OK, how many folks are cornfused like Barney is now? :D I've read an online review of the XBR9 and they said it was the deepest dark black they've ever tested. Site

Nice find, but you must have missed the rest of the head to head comparison.

Somewhat disappointing Gamma for the XBR9.

XBR9's Greyscale Gamma (5.53)

Gamma describes how the television handles the greys that fall between black and white; if the gamma is too high, the display goes from black to white too quickly. We found that the KDR-53XBR9 was a little high here; the gamma of 3.11 is significantly above the 2.2 to 2.4 range that we look for. Even tweaking the gamam didn't make that much difference; we found that with the gamma setting at maxiumum (it allows you to tweak gamma with options of min, -2, -1, 0 +1, +2 and max) the gamma only fell to 2.74.

In the same article, they had a head to head Value Comparison Summary between the 52V5100 and the 52XBR9, with V5100 the winner over the XBR9.

The V5100 had better motion scores, color temp, color accuracy, and viewing angles than the XBR9.

Surprising that their lower tier model bested their flagship model, and a lot less money!

http://www.televisioninfo.com/conten...DL52V5100.htm#

[Barney_DaPurple1]

OK, how many folks are cornfused like Barney is now? :D I've read an online review of the XBR9 and they said it was the deepest dark black they've ever tested. Site

Nice find, but you must have missed the rest of the head to head comparison.

Somewhat disappointing Gamma for the XBR9.



In the same article, they had a head to head Value Comparison Summary between the 52V5100 and the 52XBR9, with V5100 the winner over the XBR9.

The V5100 had better motion scores, color temp, color accuracy, and viewing angles than the XBR9.

Surprising that their lower tier model bested their flagship model, and a lot less money!

http://www.televisioninfo.com/conten...DL52V5100.htm#

That is surprising. We still don't know the 52V5100 greyscale gamma numbers, just the XBR9 (3.11).

Seems to me if the V performs better or up to par with the XBR, the 55" V series is the most bang for the buck. How bout 8-bit vs. 10-bit panels? Does that matter?

[dsskid]

That is surprising. We still don't know the 52V5100 greyscale gamma numbers, just the XBR9 (3.11).

Seems to me if the V performs better or up to par with the XBR, the 55" V series is the most bang for the buck. How bout 8-bit vs. 10-bit panels? Does that matter?

Yes we do, I calibrated the KDL-46V5100. I got a gamma of 2.17.

See my post.

http://www.highdefjunkies.com/showpo...7&postcount=18

Still not sure of the perceivable difference between 8 bit and 10 bit panels.