Having owned a number of Sony CRTs in the past and reading good reviews on the latest model I have set my heart on a new 40" Sony 1080p LCD TV. I am considering 3 models: KDLV3000; KDLW2000 or KDLW3000. A few questions:

- Has anybody got one of these and able to give me their opinion of them?

- Initially I will not have a HD source - what are these TVs like with SD source such as sky or terrestrial?

- Am I being to short sighted just going for a Sony? Should I be looking at other manufacturers also?

Haven't got them, but I repair them, and occasionally deliver and install them. The KDL40W2000 is the old model now, and been replaced by the W3000 - but it's still one of the best LCD's around - as you can get it at a bargian price now, it's well worth a look.


Great on Sky (via RGB), great on internal DTT, analogue though (or composite) looks noticably poorer - but I suppose that applies to any set?.


To paraphase an old saying "no one ever got fired for buying Sony", the only other manufacturer I would suggest in the same 'ballpark' would be Panasonic. It's no coincidence that these are the two top manufacturers, both with excellent reputations - and both currently offering 5 year warranties.

There are a number of 'Sony haters' on here, their reasons seem a little obscure?, but it appears to be that they dislike Sony's success, and their resulting higher prices?.

Why do you try and put words in peoples mouths?

Sony is for people that take the no brain way out, they see the name and think wow must be good, it's a Sony, they wouldn't make badly styled, inferior products and stick a high price tag on it to make us think it is good!

And Sony and Panasonic aren't the 'top two' manufacturers, where do you fit in Samsung (market leader), Pioneer, Fujitsu, B&O, Loewe, Sharp etc etc?

Panasonic PX70 or PZ70 is what you should buy, if you can't afford the best 42" TV on the market (Pioneer PDP-428XD around £1500) then get the Panasonic.

That's what I mean, rabidly anti-Sony with no basis in reality, just your personal (uninformed) opionion.


In the 'top ten' of domestic electronics manufacturers in the UK, Europe and worldwide - Sony are number one, and Panasonic are number two - and have been for a long time. As I recall, Toshiba were usually number three, and Sharp number four?.

If you're looking at manufacturing quantities?, certainly Samsung would be up there somewhere? - as while Sony VCR's where the top selling ones all over Europe, they were simply bought in from Samsung, as were Toshiba as well.

Certainly B&O and Loewe are only relative minority players, and if you're complaining about sticking high price tags on products, based on their name, perhaps you should look at both of those?.

Sony are overpriced, they don't look as good (as in the bezel) as a Samsung and compared to Plasma they are inferior.

And Samsung in turnover are the market leader of TV's with LG and Philips behind.

You have even admitted you can't even calibrate a Pioneer to produce a decent picture, that is abysmal considering they are the best commercial panels available to the public.

You are far too pro-Sony and negate their obvious flaws, your advice has gone from misleading to downright awful and biased.

You are advising people to buy £900 TV's because you have installed a few of them and then reasoning it by saying Plasma must be 'unreliable' and Pioneer 'doesn't look good'.

A 7th Gen Pioneer still hammers a Sony to this day, just because you can't get one to look good doesn't mean squat.

I've even seen you say don't bother buying decent cables as they don't make any difference. If they didn't then QED would have gone under a long time ago.

It is getting ridiculous and the bad advice has to stop.

Your personal opinion, and that's all! - is no one else allowed a personal opinion? - did I miss when you were appointed god?.


Top ten manufacturers doesn't support that though!.


I'd be interested to see where I've 'admitted' any such thing, I'm not going to start calibrating sets sold elsewhere - as no installer would. For that matter you don't 'calibrate' sets when you install them, Pioneer or otherwise.

Again, it's YOUR personal opinion that Pioneer sets are the best, my very limited experience of them disagrees, and when Pioneer can't even produce decent pictures at trade shows (or so I'm told) it seems unlikely?.


Your 'flaws' are just your personal opinions, basically YOU don't like the styling? (I don't consider that a 'flaw') and you don't like the price (I don't consider that a 'flaw' either - although cheaper would be nice).


I've given my EXACT reasoning on Pioneer, many times now, and each time I've mentioned this is only on a limited experience of Pioneer sets. As for Plasma relaibility, this is a proven statistic, with many insurers charging more for covering Plasma than LCD (both of which are considerably higher than CRT).


I don't see why you should need to 'make one look good', if Pioneer can't do it, why should the customer be expected to?.


That's such a completely ludicrous statement I can't believe you said it?. I've never said don't buy 'decent' cables, I've said don't buy 'overly expensive' cables. QED and Monster etc. are still in business because people who don't know better buy their products, and they make huge margins on them.


Perhaps you should stop giving it then?.

I've never attacked any manufacturer here, if I've expressed a negative opinion about one I've given my exact reasons - you on the other hand just make blind attacks on a manufacturer based purely on your personal hatred, and offer no reason apart for "I don't like the styling" and "it's too expensive".

I imagine this entire thread is likely to get deleted anyway, but personally I'm getting rather tired of your prejudiced view point - feel free to answer as you wish, I've made my point (repeatedly), and I'll 'try' not to respond any further.

As the owner of a Sony W2000 i can only speak as i find.

These sets are truly outstanding in their appearance, build quality, picture quality and sound.

I have paired it up with the Thomson HD Box and the Toshiba HD-EP10 Player. The results from both sources are magnificent. HD really is the way forward and i am sure there are many other manufacturers like Samsung etc who claim to have the best quality sets. My father and my grandmother both have between them, 2 Samsung and 1 LG LCD sets and i tell you this much.....................they do not come close to my Sony!

I too have a Sony D3000 32 inch LCD and the picture Quality is truly amazing. I've always bought Sony TV's because of their reliability and style.I'm not saying that other brands don't offer Value for Money but give me Sony anytime(apart from anything HI-FI). My D3000 is hooked up to a 25th Anniversary LINN ld80 poweramp/ld100 poweramp and a Majik i Preamp with LINN Katan Speakers Awesome.

http://www.tech.co.uk/home-entertain...eid=1167426897

I do not rate sony as the market leaders they used to be. I would say they are now 100% average.

They are many companies (panasonic, Pioneer, LG, Samsung) who make as good if not better TVs than Sony do.

You said you have always liked sony, well so have I, but would not buy one of the current Sony TVs. I have looked a lot at the TVs and no matter which model I look at or how much i try to make it looks good I can always find better in another brand.

I would love to love sony but I cant. I'd get an amp, or camera from them though!

Back on topic... I have a W2000 and although it has been superceeded by the W3000 it's still a wonderful TV and if you can pick one up for £850 I'd go for it. I paid £1200 for mine a few months ago and have never regretted it. I previously had a Sony CRT which is now 8 years old and still a great set. I buy Sony as they look good and have great reliability, not because I'm a Sony fanboy. I have a JVC home cinema, Phlilips hi-fi, Thomson HD box, Apple Mac...