Sony BRAVIA W-Series KDL-52W4100 52-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV
by Sony
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List Price: Our Price: $955.00 You Save: $1544.99 (62%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Home Theater See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Sony BRAVIA W-Series KDL-52W4100 52-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV
Customer Review: SONY 52-inch HD-Bravia
Summary: 5 Stars
Here's a truly non-technical review from a person who just uses a TV for a TV. . . !
I purchased a Sony Bravia W-Series KDL-52W4100 52-Inch 1080 p 120 Hz LCD HDTV on 12/01/2008. I was originally set to buy the Samsung 650, primarily because of the bells and whistles and Consumer Reports' review. However, there seemed to be a lot of on-line comments regarding glare, and that kept me from rushing to hit the "Buy" button. And like everyone else, the size of the purchase in an on-line transaction was making me nervous.
A few people at Amazon had lucked out buying from Amazon's Warehouse, and I had been checking that site every now and then. Then. . . there it was. . . the 52-inch Bravia -- the only thing "wrong" was a damaged box. Other reviewers had made Warehouse purchases with slight damage to the product, and that damage was generally nothing more than where sticker glue remained! So, now I had the opportunity to buy a "mint" Sony TV, which had better sound than the Samsung (the poor sound was a common complaint that was mentioned among Samsung purchasers). I had owned a couple of Sony sets in the past, and they had given me years of good service, so I knew that Sony had a solid track record -- something that couldn't be said about Samsung. Personally, I hadn't always found Consumer Reports' reviews to hold up (I'm the only person I know who bought a Honda Accord that turned out to be a lemon). True, there weren't some of the bells and whistles that the Samsung had, but I got to thinking about how many times I've fallen hook, line, and sinker for the bells and whistles on other products (think "computer"), and then I never used them. If I bought through the Warehouse, I'd end up paying about $600 less than for the Samsung that I wanted and about $300 less for this Sony than if I bought it directly through Amazon.com. Hey, what the heck! I bought it!
Delivery took a little over a week. I didn't realize it, but even with the Warehouse, the delivery was "white glove," so the set was carried into the house, pulled out of the box, and plugged into to ensure that it worked. I've yet to find the "damage" on the box! Everything was perfect!
I've had the set for about a month now, and I'm VERY happy that I made the purchase. Other reviewers have commented that the colors aren't as bright on the Sony as on the Samsung. Honestly, if they were any brighter, they'd blind me. The picture is fantastic. I finally traded in my regular Time-Warner cable box for one that allowed me to hook up the HDMI cable that I also bought through one of Amazon's retailers (I think I paid about $6; I got the cable with the gold), and I can tell you that as far as the reception goes in the Saratoga, NY, region, that cable is an absolute necessity for SD. Without the cable, the SD reception is somewhat fuzzy, and reading anything on the screen is difficult. With the HDMI cable, the SD reception is nearly as good as HD. When you change boxes, you need to set up the TV again, though. Another advantage to the HDMI cable -- you can get rid of all those other cables, although the person at Time-Warner told me that I would still need them. It takes some time for the cable box to start working with the TV, so you might think differently, but believe me, within 15 minutes, everything starts to work.
Although the menu set-up for other features is not as obvious as it could be, after a couple of tries, you can figure it out, so that's not a big deal. And, after all, how many times do you really need to change your settings? The menu needs to be controlled from the Sony remote, but controlling the regular functions (e.g., volume, channel-changing) can work with your cable's remote. I really like the fact that I can change the sound to adjust it so that voices are clearer. Sometimes movie-sound is very muffled, and it's hard to hear what's being said; this has made it much more pleasurable to watch movies, as I can hear a lot of those things where I used to say, "What did he say?"
I don't have a sound system, DVD player, games, or anything else hooked up to this TV, so I can't comment on how those items work with it. We're hooked up to dozens of movie channels, so we're content to use it as a television. I'm re-watching nature shows (e.g., Planet Earth) and other movies I've seen, and it's a whole new experience. I love old B&W movies, and they are an absolute delight to watch. Everything looks like it is in high def. One need not be into high-tech gadgets and color to thoroughly enjoy what this set brings all on its own.
I very highly recommend this TV -- and suggest that you keep an eye on the Warehouse if you're not in a rush. Hey, you never know!
Customer Review: Best 52" LCD HD-TV for the money
Summary: 5 Stars
I did a lot of research when I decided to buy a 52" TV. I'm a student and a part-time salesman at a fortune 100 company in consumer electronics. After weeks or perhaps months of preparation and research I narrowed down my options to the Samsung A750 and the Sony bravia w4100. Now I did have a Samsung A550 and a Sony Trinitron High Def CRT at home and they were both pretty impressive but I figured that Sony does a better job in 52" or larger category after observing the w4100 and a750 for several days at work.
First off lets talk about the screen. The 50'000:1 contrast of the Samsung vs. 30'000:1 contrast ratio of the Sony. The way Samsung measures its contrast ratio is radically different from Sony, that is why Samsung never discloses its "TRUE CONTRAST RATIO", but Sony does. In this case sony's true contrast is 3,000:1. Whatever the true contrast ratio of Samsung, it is not superior to that of Sony's. This is something that most experts agree on. It is easy to blast your dynamic contrast ratio but not your true contrast. Some claim that the Samsung produces deeper blacks but my answer is that this is due to Samsung's glossy mirrored screen and it has nothing to do with performance. The mate screen of sony absorbse white light coming from backlight or any ambient lighting from the room. This causes the blacks not to appear as deep or fake as the samsungs. Plus, Samsung manufactures all of Sony LCD screens so in terms of screen capability they are equal. If you have a bright room go for the sony, the screen is slightly brighter and not reflective like the Samy. The backlight for Sony seems to work brighter but its not as evenly distributed as the Samy, this is clear in the dark.
Second factor I checked for was the TV engine. We have the Samsung's Dnie Pro vs. Bravia 2. Well there is no question that bravia 2 is the clear winner here, being utilized by Sony XBR6 and XBR7 which go for about $4000 dollars while the Samsung's DNIE pro is built to compete with the lower end Sony Bravia Engine Pro. Sony's Standard TV quality is excellent and the Samy is just as good but i noticed that Sony's colour was more natural ie. colour of grass in baseball. Also sony covers over %90 of colour Gamut while Samsung covers only %70, this maybe why skin tones and greens look more natural on the Sony.
Next up was refresh rate and here both run at 120 Hz and here Sony has dramatically improved over the XBR4 series in motionflow. Samsung also does really well in 120 Hz category so I say they are both a tie here.
Sound is another important factor for my decision, i blasted the 7 series at work and noticed poor sound quality in extreme volumes while the Sony better retained its quality. However the Samsung was capable of delivering deeper Bass probably due to its built in Subwoofer. Sony allows you to adjust voice volume and enable steady sound to prevent commercials from freaking you out in the middle of your favourite tv shows. But be aware this may cause low volume in sudden loud scenes in movies.
Finally last thing I looked for was design. Samsung 7 series looks fabulous with its glass like frame and a touch of red, but that is the problem for me, "red". I don't fancy a red TV and I think it's one of those fashion trends that would soon be "old fashioned". Sony however retains a more masculin design with fine glossy black frame and metal speakers at the bottom.
Its a pretty close call but having used both Sony and Samsung (sony for longer) i feel that sony is more capable of delivering quality products as most Japanese manufacteres do. Also sony has great customer service vs Samsung i have had a sony TV break once and there was a repair man at my door step in less than 12 hours servicing my TV at home (bulb replacement in a old projection tv). Sony is the innovator here while Samsung is the follower, that's one reason why i chose the sony. Biggest factor for me was the superior Sony TV engine and better design. Oh and by the way sony is slightly thinner.
Sony is the best your money can buy for a TV overall, as it always has been since the day of Trinitron. [...]
Pros:
- Excellent Picture Quality
- Deep dark blacks
- Motion Enhancer
- Covers 90% color gamut
- Vertical viewing angle
- Great Sound/Audio performance
Cons:
- Horizontal Viewing Angle
- lacks picture Shadow details
Customer Review: Excellent LCD with overall ease of use
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this TV in June 2008 and have found it to be an absolutely great buy. I bought my at RC Willey. Yes, I read the CNET review and the reviewer marked down the TV because of the dark shades changing. I looked at this in the store for several minutes and have lived with it for a month and have not noticed that problem at ALL! Personally I think they guy shot down the SONY because Samsung is running TV advertisements on CNET. This is a super sharp TV with excellent colors and deep deep blacks. This TV is much better than the old 2007 W. Here is why I bought this TV...It is super clear in digital broadcast and does a much better job in Analog/420p SD (old) transmitions than any other TV I have seen (no jaggies..thanks to Sony noise reduction/DSP). Sony knows Bluray- they invented it, they know what skin tones should look like like (they own a movie studio), thier menus are really easy/simple to use (vs. Samsung 650), it has a built in TV guide (You can get rid of that Monthly cable box fee) and it has future expansion capability.
On pure picture quality vs. Samsung 650:
* Picture: It is pretty darn close in digital broadcast. I looked at both side by side. Samsung has a slight edge on clarity in analog broadcast. Samsungs have more glare, Sony is a matte screen but blacks on samsung are pretty darn good because of the glossy screen. When viewing a BluRay DVD though, the Sony slightly more details. No fade from bright to black issues on sony as noted by CNET (he must have had a protype system). Colors are nice a bright and bravia 2 engine is even better than XBR4 or near it. I have heard the Z series may be better but they don't make it in 52'' yet.
* Menus: Samsungs menus are made for Engineers (lots of tweeks, but really confusing for average user). If you doubt it, download the user manual to the A650 and KDL524100 and see for yourself. If you and your family are highly technical, go for the Samsung. If you don't want to fiddle (aka get lost in menus), but get an excellent picture, go with the Sony. Sony's are really simple and easy to use, plus it automatically find digital channels and is somehow able to display all the channel icons (it is like I have a built in cable box).
* Features: The Sony may not have the Ethernet and built in weather/news of the 650 Samsung, but it does have the built in TV guide and future expansion. Realistically, if you want Internet in your TV, you are better off connecting an external device (Playstation, Apple TV, etc). The TV guide feature in the sony is great and the Bravia Sync is a big plus (especially when you use a Sony DVD upconverter 1080p (nice one at costco)- why?...TV remote controls it all. Sony Picture n' Picture is nice as well allowing you to view pictures/video from HDMI while at the same time viewing cable TV (regardless if it is SD or HD signal)
* Asthetics: My favorite feature on the sony is that the power buttons on on the top of the TV... helps with preventing kids from turning tV on/off. I believe Samsungs are too low. I personally didn't like the Red on the Samsung and the glossy screen. The remote on the Sony is really easy to find/use vs. the Samsung. But the Samsung's remote lit up at night...which the Sony's does not.
Bottom line: if you are a videophile and your family (wife) can deal with the techno menus (plus you want to upgrade the firmware to fix the Samsung A650 on/off bug), get the Samsung. If you want the a super clear Picture (videophile made easy), easiest to use LCD with features that make every day TV viewing smooth and easy... The sony is excellent- Plus it is future expandible.
Recommended Evaluation settings: Picture mode custom, backlight 7, Picture 95, Brightness 45, Color 50, Hue 0, Color temp Neutral, Sharpness 4, Noise Red. off, MPEG Noise red. off, Advanced settings-> Black corrector: med, Advance C.E Med, Gamma off, clear white low.
Customer Review: INITIAL REVIEW AFTER 5 DAYS OWNERSHIP...SONY BRAVIA W SERIES 52 INCH
Summary: 5 Stars
Thought I would give our first impressions of this 52 inch Sony LCD. The White Glove delivery through Amazon was very good. We elected to keep all the packing and box just in case the set had an issue. So far, no problems. The set came with the stand already assembled.
We had previously prepped the wall over the fireplace to mount this unit. We did, by the way, purchase a Cheetah Mount for $35.00 and change with $10.00 shipping. Those in store (Circuit City, Best Buy, ABC mounts for $200 + dollars are just way to expensive (read this overpriced!) in my book. We were very impressed with the construction and design of this wall mount which is rated up to 180 lbs. This new set comes in at 71 lbs.
DO purchase your cable connections as well as wall mounts through the internet. Just a ton of money to save and very quick delivery. E.G. 2 HDMI gold tipped 10 foot cables for $3.99! + shipping.
But, I digress. We came from a 46 inch Analog rear projection Hitachi. Purchased it brand new in 1997 and spent, cough...$2,200!! That set has performed flawlessly and is presently in our sons and his familys great room. This state of the art flat screen just jumps at you, almost 3d ish. Im sure you folks out there who have migrated to this flat screen technolosy in the last few years would not be as impressed as we are (going from an LCD from 3 years ago to this unit today).
I did a lot of research on these flat screens and had narrowed it to the SAMSUNG equivalent and this unit. The reviews for this unit on the AMAZON web set were very helpful and is one of the reasons I wanted to post our impressions. We lucked out on the money saved by watching for promotional codes in electronics on AMAZONs site. Our total cost for this set, with NO shipping or sales tax, was $1,599.99!
A site we found very helpful had to do with CALIBRATION of this set by users like you and I. Here it is
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1055795
Be sure to read through this whole calibration topic as other users have provided their settings. To some degree this is subjective as the sets environment will affect your ultimate viewing pleasure.
After letting our set run with its factory default settings for the last 5 days, I felt that I needed to tweak the blacks on our set. My son thought that the blacks (night scenes) lacked definition. So, I adjusted the settings to mirror what OFF_ONLINE posted at the above web site. The only change to his settings I made was to increase the backlight from 50 to 70. Im leaving these settings in place for a while to see how the set reacts to daylight running and in 480i mode as well.
We DO like the matte finish of the screen. The set is mounted in an unlit area over the mantle that faces out towards a row of 3 sets of windowed french doors. As you can imagine there is a lot of natural light that flows directly at this set. That matte finish just mutes the glare. A big plus for this set.
All in all, this 1st impression of 5 days ownership, is a big PLUS!
Jim & Mary
Customer Review: Great investment
Summary: 5 Stars
***Updated*** (with new settings post firmware upgrade)
I have had this TV for 5 months now and could not be happier. This set produces excellent picture quality, amazing black levels and vibrant colors. The new Bravia Engine 2 also improves with 120Hz motion processing from Sony XBR4 line. My TV is located in a well lit room so the semi-matte display was a must. This TV delivers many useful settings to let you have the full freedom of making this TV truly yours. The PQ on 1080p material such as blu-ray movies or games is phenomenal. Broadcasted 1080i/720p HD sources look very good too - all depending on your provider and signal strength. SD quality is good but again it varies from channel to channel.
For everyday use, this TV will get some immediate props for its' picture delivery from any viewer. If you like sports, you can expect unrivaled video processing of fast action. If you enjoy movies, this Sony offers a combination of settings to complement the true 24p cinematic picture.
Since blu-ray movies are still expensive I have done a lot of testing by watching normal DVD's on my PS3 - and I have to tell you, those DVDs look better that HD broadcasts from Comcast. It feels almost unreal when you get to watch older movies with such clarity as if they were shot just a few years ago.
If you need some starter settings to get more accurate reproduction of colors and detail, feel free to use my settings (post update v.202):
Picture Adjustments
Picture mode: Custom
Back Light: Min
Picture: 94
Brightness: 52
Color: 45
Hue: 0
Color Temperature: Neutral
Sharpness: 5
Noise Reduction: Medium
MPEG Noise Reduction: Off
Advanced Settings
Black Corrector: Off
Advanced C.E.: Off
Gamma: Off
Clear White: Off
Live Color: Off
White Balance
R-Gain: -1
G-Gain: -1
B-Gain: -4
R-Bias: -3
G-Bias: 3
B-Bias: -2
Motion Enhancer: Standard
CineMotion: Auto1
Screen Menu
Wide Mode: Full
Auto Wide: On
4:3 Default: Off
Display Area: Full Pixel
Keep in mind that sets and environments vary - so you don't have to use these settings verbatim. But it should give you a good start without a professional calibration. Just make sure not to leave the setting at the default given Vivid - since companies set most TVs at the brightest picture setting to compete against other sets in the bright store rooms. Otherwise you may be get a second hand tan from the picture =)
Sound quality is excellent if you are not planning on using a more powerful sound system. The TV offers plenty of ports - so you can easily connect to many devices at once.
I hope you love this TV as much as I do. Enjoy!