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Sony KDL-40XBR2

Wed, Jan 23, 2008

Filed in HDTV

Sony KDL-40XBR2 Review:

Add the Live Color Creation backlight system to Sony KDL-40XBR2 40″ BRAVIA™ XBR® LCD Flat Panel HDTV. For superior sound, tune into the TruSurround XT™ audio technology, along with digital audio enhancement and amplification. Whether you’re watching sports, movies, TV or even a presentation direct from your PC, make it more dynamic and vibrant with the Sony KDL-40XBR2.

Full 1080
Sony KDL-40XBR2 was designed from the ground up to deliver the best of High Definition. For the larger screen sizes, this means not only HDMI™ inputs with 1080p signal capability but also a full HD panel resolution of 1920 pixels horizontal x 1080 pixels vertical.

HDMI™ 1080p inputs
While signal inputs may not make your heart beat faster, they have a profound effect on picture quality. Over the last 20 years, each new generation of video connections has enabled a marked improvement in home video picture quality. That’s why the larger screen sizes of Sony KDL-40XBR2 include three High Definition Multimedia Interface™ (HDMI) digital audio/video inputs, each with up to 1080p capability.

BRAVIA Engine™ Pro circuitry
In a modern flat panel television, the video processing circuitry performs vital functions, all of which have an impact on picture quality. To maximize every last bit of picture information, Sony KDL-40XBR2 incorporate the BRAVIA Engine Pro full digital video processing system. This preserves the signal in the digital domain, avoiding unnecessary video degradation. The system includes four stages.

Live Color Creation System
By itself, an LCD panel cannot generate color. It can only pass or block light. The total available color depends on the backlight behind the LCD panel, while the final color is determined by a series of color filters in front of the LCD panel. Sony takes these elements a generation further with our Live Color Creation System, which delivers dramatically saturated, lifelike color.

Advanced Contrast Enhancer (ACE)
The CCFL backlight is remarkable for one other reason: the ability to vary the backlight, enhancing the perceived contrast. Contrast is the ratio between the brightest possible white and darkest possible black that a television can reproduce. Contrast is an essential tool of cinematographers and videographers, who use it to endow their source material with breathtaking impact.

7th Generation Sony LCD panel
A crucial component of any television is the part that makes the picture—what engineers call the “display device.” In the case of Sony KDL-40XBR2, that device is a remarkable 7th Generation Sony LCD panel. LCD “generations” reflect the size of the mother glass from which each panel is cut. 7th Generation mother glass is substantially larger than previous generations. This enables Sony to deliver state-of-the-art picture quality at extremely attractive prices.

Reduced-reflection screen
Even a high-contrast television picture can be undone by something as simple as room lights or natural light coming through a window. In particular, these light sources can reflect off the television screen shining unwanted ambient light onto the screen. Plasma TVs are particularly susceptible to this glare effect. But Sony KDL-40XBR2 incorporate a screen that reduces reflection, preserving the quality of the picture.

Total picture quality
Sony’s thorough approach to Sony KDL-40XBR2 goes far beyond any single feature or individual specification. Sony’s total system method results in simultaneous improvements across the board, with 1920 x 1080 resolution, highimpact contrast, gorgeous color, seemingly effortless clarity and lifelike gradations of the most challenging subjects, such as skin tones. The result is a picture less like television, and more like a window on the world.

Sony KDL-40XBR2 User Said:

The Sony KDL-40XBR2 40″ Bravia 1080p LCD HDTV is beautiful. Do not confuse Sony KDL-40XBR2 with the more recent HDTV that Sony released, which are dark in color and plain. Sony KDL-40XBR2 model is platinum bright with a glass fixture that frames it as if the TV is a painting itself. Sony KDL-40XBR2 goes with any furniture you have in the home and will make you feel like you have plenty of class. It brightens the room, especially with the platinum and glass tv stand (by Bell’O) that I also bought from Amazon for 50″ TVs. You do need to get a 50″ stand for this HDTV because it’s much bigger than the 40″ you think it is supposed to be–the screen is 40″ diagnally, but the actual size of the whole TV is 44″ wide, 28.25″ high, 10.5″ deep for the base stand (if you plan on putting it on a table or TV stand).

Now comes the technology… the resolution is amazing when you’re watching HD channels or DVD movies; and the sound is nice and loud–you can even set it to surround sound with just the speakers from the TV. Be aware though that the Sony KDL-40XBR2’s default color hues are a bit off, but you can fix it by doing a “customize” color, which you’ll need to take some time to adjust. For example, you should find a DVD movie with a night sky (such as New York’s skyline), pause it, then “customize” the color until the night sky is actually night/dark and not purplish dark. Having buildings in the picture can also help you make adjustments to make sure that red is actually red and not dark pink. If the complaints about “cloudiness” with its black color is the issue of the default color hues, then those people making the complaints are just too lazy to adjust/customize the colors. It takes about 15 minutes to correct, and a DVD of a movie that has a night sky (ex. The Contract).

Another issue that you should be aware of is that analog channels don’t look so good because the Sony KDL-40XBR2’s natural perfection picks up the imperfection of the analog TV shows. Analog shows tend to be a bit pixelated, but that’s understandable because analog shows look better on analog TV and not HDTV. However, keep in mind that the government plans to do away with analog channels in February 2009. By then, all channels will be delivered via HD or high definition frequencies, which this 1080p HDTV will be perfect for your viewing pleasure.

By the way, DVD movies that are not HD-DVD look a bit on Sony KDL-40XBR2 like the slightly pixelated movies you see in the movie theatres. This is fine if you want to feel the full theatre effect, but if you want HD clarity in the movie, you’ll need to attach an HD-DVD or Blue-Ray DVD player with the purchase of the respective DVDs.

The back of Sony KDL-40XBR2 does provide enough jacks and connection nodes for a normal person. However, if you’re into connecting every possible thing to a TV, then you’ll be a little disappointed by its limited output jacks–only one set for Audio. As per input jacks there are two for each type of connection: Component, HDMI, Blue Ray and RCA (one additional set on the side of the TV–useful for XBox). It also has one S video jack, an RGB jack and audio jack for your computer. It has one cable antenna and one VHF/UHF antenna connections.

The great thing about Sony KDL-40XBR2 is that you have four size formats to choose from when watching a show or movie. The Sony KDL-40XBR2 screen is letter-box, so if you want to watch analog TV shows in its natural size, you select “Normal” and you’ll see a 32″ TV screen embedded in your 40″ TV. If you are watching an HD TV show and you want the full experience, select “Full” size. If you want to watch a letter-box movie that was made for your analog TV, then select “Zoom” and your 32″ letter-box will fill up the full 40″ screen. If you want to watch a regular movie that was made naturally for the wide-screen, select “Wide-Zoom” and the movie will fill up the entire screen and you’ll feel like you’re watching a movie in a small theatre (your living room).

Anyway, I pretty much explained everything that I wanted to know when I bought the TV, but had no one who could provide the information. For example, I needed to know the exact measurements, so that I knew how big of a space I needed for the TV. I wanted to know if it requires an additional home theatre sound system to boost the sound as some TVs have really low sound at its maximum level. Sony KDL-40XBR2 has a pretty good sound system of its own. I needed to know if I can connect all my periferals to the TV, and for the most part I could–just that almost every connection has to be an input to the TV. I also wanted to know if the screens adjusted to the different size formats of movies and shows, and of course this HDTV can adjust to all of them.

I hope you’ll have the privilege of owning Sony KDL-40XBR2 as it seems that less and less retailers are carrying it. I don’t know why Sony would discontinue its production when it is such a beautiful TV. Maybe Sony is afraid that people won’t buy the other Sony models if they keep manufacturing this one. Enjoy.

—– By nyc

Sony KDL-40XBR2 Features