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Sony TVs Tips
Sony's Location-Free TV System
You may have already installed a wireless router to allow various family members to connect to the Internet in your house. Convenient, isn't it? No wires, and you can move the computer to another room any time you like.
Did you know the same technology exists for TV signals? Sony's LocationFree routers let you wirelessly receive signals from your cable box, satellite or antenna.
So if you're sitting at your laptop in bed and suddenly get the urge to watch Nick at Nite, all you have to do is fire up a remote control. You can use the Sony LCD TV in the kitchen to take in those episodes of "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" you saved to the DVR in the living room.
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Sony Plasma TVs
Circuit City Tip: Even if you have to wait awhile for a Sony plasma TV, you can shop around and check out other plasma TVs. This will give you an idea of what to look for once the Sony plasma TV is released. Be sure to look at picture quality, screen size and viewing angles. All these things will appear different when you bring a TV home so be sure to adjust the settings to your tastes. When shopping, ask an expert for advice based on the criteria you are looking for in a TV.
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Sony LCD TVs
Sony left the plasma television market in 2005, citing lack of control over the manufacturing process, and concentrated its efforts instead on producing high-quality LCD TVs. The results have been impressive, according to reviewers who have praised the Bravia line, produced in cooperation with Samsung.
By vigorously marketing its sets, Sony has outsold rivals; by making excellent TVs, it has sustained its high reputation for quality. The question for buyers is: Is the famed Sony TV reliability worth the extra cost compared to similar TVs?
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Sony TV Audio
Circuit City Tip: If you're looking for a Sony flat screen TV that also adds a little zing to your living space, consider the Sony XBR2. You can get a bezel in a variety of colors including blue and a deep red. The XBR2 is a bit cheaper than another Sony flat screen TV, the XBR3, but if you decide to get a different color bezel, the price may increase a bit. One word of advice, if you're looking for a bezel in "gloss black," with the Sony flat screen TV model XBR2, you won't find it. Sony doesn't make that color for that particular model.
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Sony Plasma TVs
Sony plasma TVs went out of production in 2005, so if you're dying for a plasma but want the famed Sony quality, you'll need to try another brand.
That may not be the case for long, though. There are rumors that Sony is in talks with a Taiwanese company to resume production of the plasma sets. If Sony can work out its previous issues with manufacturing quality, the result could be a shot in the arm for the plasma market.
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A Reputation for Design
Circuit City Tip: One aspect of a Sony television that may not be at the front of most buyers' minds is its visual design. Low-end makers slap on a case in whatever color is popular that year. Sony designers think through the qualities they want the look of the TV to convey, and consider how buyers will interact with the TV in their homes. If you're just comparing price tags, take a moment and step back, then think about what it will be like to see each set every day for the next 10 years. The Sony television may suddenly seem more appealing, despite the price.
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Sony Projection TVs
ConsumerSearch.com calls Sony's Grand WEGA KDS-60A2000 the "best LCoS TV," while Ultimate AV magazine names the Sony Qualia 006 an "ultimate choice." There's no doubt that Sony projection TVs have a distinct edge in the rear-projection market.
Of course, there's a price for that edge. The Qualia 006 costs approximately $10,000.
The Qualia 006 also boasts a production of more than 2 million pixels and the highest resolution in HDTV possible. It just might make the Super Bowl look better, even if your favorite team isn't playing this year.
If you're one of those have-it-all types, the feature sets -- deep blacks, stunning resolution, wide-ranging picture controls -- on Sony's projection TVs will wow you. Just be sure you have the wallet to match.
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Sony LCD TVs
Circuit City Tip: A Sony TV routinely gets rave reviews for its picture quality, though some buyers balk at their prices. However, one thing that might make the price worth it is the anti-glare screen that is touted as one of the best in the television industry. A Sony TV allows you to watch a program and even in direct sunlight, the picture is hardly affected. If you're placing your Sony TV in a bright room, this might be something to consider.
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Sony's 1080p Line
Because 1080p is the highest definition available in today's television world, and because Sony has a strong reputation for quality, videophiles were eagerly awaiting the debut of the 1080p line of Sony televisions.
Many were delighted with what they got. Of course, you'd expect the set to process high-definition content well, but Sony's picture processing features also improve the appearance of standard analog cable channels.
The seven Bravia sets feature wide viewing angles and color-enhancing technology, come in sizes as high as 70 inches. In a move apparently meant to appeal to women, Bravia owners can buy a $300 bezel in one of several colors to replace the standard brushed-silver look.
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Sony TV Audio
It might be reasonable to assume that anyone springing for one of the high-end Sony flat-screen TVs would also be connecting a home-theater audio system. Nonetheless, Sony has gone as far as possible to ensure that the built-in audio in its Bravia and Qualia TVs is listenable.
Of course, there are limitations to what can be done with thin speakers on the edges of the screen, and anyone really concerned about audio will want to add a subwoofer and extra speakers for surround-sound effects. But if you just want to take your Sony TV out of the box and plug it in, you won't be disappointed in what you hear.
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What's Next for Sony?
Sony has seen the future and it is big. On the floor of the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show, the company showcased an 82" Sony Bravia prototype which may well become a production model later in the year.
Another advancement expected in 2007 is a module that will fit onto some Sony TVs, enabling them to stream video from the Internet without a PC.
Also at the rumor stage is a possible return to production of Sony plasma TVs, if a manufacturing arrangement can be worked out.
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A Reputation for Design
Sony's reputation for innovative TV designs goes back decades. In 1970, when most TVs had a "wood-grain" look, Sony's Trinitron Profeel was cased in silver-tone aluminum -- a look the marketers called "naked."
Today, forward-thinking designers at Sony have provided such innovations as the user-changeable bezel of the Bravia and its "floating" design, a clear area that surrounds the bezel and makes the Sony LCD television appear to be set off in its own window.
