Bravo for the Bravia!

Having been in the market for a new tv for some time, I was finally motivated to take the leap when a buddy of mine talked me into buying with him (trying to get a better deal if we worked on a double sale). It worked.

I had been contemplating the LCD/DLP projection TVs given their increasingly attractive prices. (e.g., 50" Grand Wega for CAD$2500, 42" Grand Wega for CAD$1999) I honestly couldn't tell the difference between the LCD projection and the LCD flat panel at the retailer. However, other friends with LCD projection tvs told me that problems could arise if watching the TVs with daylight. (Ever wonder why the projection TVs are demonstrated in dark rooms? In truth, the brightness issue didn't bother me much. The vast majority of my tv watching is during evenings.

The deal breaker was the need to replace the projection bulbs every 2 or 3 years. (The manufacturers tell you 4 to 6 years, but the practical experience of my friends and on discussion forums is much shorter.) At $300 to $600 a pop, the cost "savings" of an LCD projection TV hardly rings true.

So, on the day before Christmas, I bought myself the A10 40" Bravia.

The tv is finished in a silver matte, just like the other Sony trinitron/Wega units. (The grey/black trim on the XBR model is more attractive, but I couldn't justify the extra $1000 for differences that I couldn't distinguish at the dealer.) The cardboard box is well constructed and very easy for two people to handle. Don't try moving the box or LCD unit yourself as it is rather awkward. There are few places to secure a grip.

The unit comes with a pedestal (attached), remote control, power cord, and various cables (for linking to your laptop, component video, etc.).

Set up was a breeze, with the massive "quickstart" poster adequately guiding the process.

Be warned, the picture is NOT impressive if you are simply using an analog signal. Indeed, it is very disappointing. any deficiencies in your picture quality are simply magnified by the large screen.

With a digital signal and decent connections, this TV is awesome. After calibration, I have a hard time distinguishing the difference between HD and SD quality (i.e., comparing the same show, one running on the SD channel, the other on HD.)

Calibration of the unit is required. It comes with picture mode defaulting on "Vivid", which is rather garish. Some tweaking of brightness, colour, sharpness, etc. is required to get your preferred settings.

All controls are easily accessed with "Wega Gate" (a fancy name for what used to be called "control" or "settings".

The sound from the built in speakers is surprisingly good. There is decent bass and range. I have not tested their limits, but they are reasonable for normal use.

The two complaints that I have so far are:

1. The screen is susceptible to glare. Direct light sources shining on the screen are definitely out of the question. (In my case, I have two floor lamps behind the couch, facing the TV.)

2. The automotic light sensor is of questionable functionality. I find that the brightness adjustment during the daytime is minimal. I usually end up manually tweaking the display for daytime viewing.