Ok, so 10 minutes ago I walked out of the Sony centre...
since yesterday they got the s and v series on display (Belgium always is one of the last to get supplies).
On display: 32" S and 40" V...
General consensus between me and the shop manager (who was, surprisingly, pretty objective to what I said about panny, hitachi,...): we both don't understand why Sony asks about 700-800 more (for the same 32") for a model that only has a different design, a wega engine that doesn't actually do that much, and a connector less?
Yes, the difference in picture quality between the s and v was negligable. I couldn't see it. Only slight color difference, (s a bit more saturated, but can be solved), but not any in sharpness.
Agree, the size difference may attribute to that, and the difference may show in the 40" s and v, I can't tell, but when looking at the 32", the image was not distinguishable to the v in terms of sharpness. So the wega engine on a 32" is imo (and his) a waste...
Ow yes, I'm talking about analog RF feed here...
Plus the price on the Sony, is, in Sony's terms, great. It seems they have finally understood that they can't rob people's purses anymore...
1660 for a 5 year warranty on the 32" s is better price than I had thought it would be.
Comparing to the other models I saw (will only talk 32" from now on, since I did most comparing on those).
I did not see them face to face, only with a few minutes/days in between, but my conclusions...
Contenders: Sony 32" S, Panny 500, Hitachi 7200, Philips 9830, LG lx2r
On a HD feed (Astra satellite 1080i), I can't remember a difference, other than colour, so either set I think will be great.
SD feed, which is in my country still most important, even analog!
Top ranking goes between the panny 500 and the sony s. I compared these with a day in between, and unless I would see them next to each other, I couldn't tell the difference I think. But to my taste, the Panny was just a tad better, but only by a slight edge. The philips coming under them, losing places for overprocessing the image imo. Under that, the LG and the Hitachi. I don't think there is much difference between them. Maybe the Hitachi a tad better, but worth the 500 extra? No.
So my conclusions after all this. For 32", I think you have to be really stupid to cash out an extra 700-800 for a wega engine that does little to nothing a lack of PC input, and a different design. So v series is out for me. LG was on top of my list so far, but for only a 100 difference between the sony and lg (sony being more expensive, but with 5 year warranty instead of 2), my recommendation would be the sony, although the lack of 1:1 DVI support (But through vga available) hurts a bit in the heart. Then comes the Hitachi and the Panny. They both cost around 350 more than the sony, and 450 than the LG. With all the buzzing issues, and the not so convincing analog performance , the hitachi seems to be slipping (while it has been my favorite for a long time)(but also that dvi 1:1...). SO is the panny worth the extra dime over the sony s? Connection wise they are identical, except for 1RGB scart and card reader on the panny. PQ wise the Panny has a little edge over the Sony. But the sony can boast with a 5 year warranty instead of 2. Is 350 worth 3 year less warranty and a slightly better PQ, and a cardreader? Depends on the priorities I think...
I did not say that much about the Philips yet. Same category as the Sony V series. Waaaay too overpriced for what in my eyes are only marketing gimmicks.
So my top 5 for current 32" LCD's readily available in Belgium, and at a <2000 retailer's price (not online shop!)...
1 and 2. Panasonic 500 / Sony S (it really depends on what you want)
3. LG LX2R
4. Hitachi 7200
What hurts me is that the 2 models that have dvi 1:1, end last. Sniff, doesn't the perfect set exist?
daxie @ your service
since yesterday they got the s and v series on display (Belgium always is one of the last to get supplies).
On display: 32" S and 40" V...
General consensus between me and the shop manager (who was, surprisingly, pretty objective to what I said about panny, hitachi,...): we both don't understand why Sony asks about 700-800 more (for the same 32") for a model that only has a different design, a wega engine that doesn't actually do that much, and a connector less?
Yes, the difference in picture quality between the s and v was negligable. I couldn't see it. Only slight color difference, (s a bit more saturated, but can be solved), but not any in sharpness.
Agree, the size difference may attribute to that, and the difference may show in the 40" s and v, I can't tell, but when looking at the 32", the image was not distinguishable to the v in terms of sharpness. So the wega engine on a 32" is imo (and his) a waste...
Ow yes, I'm talking about analog RF feed here...
Plus the price on the Sony, is, in Sony's terms, great. It seems they have finally understood that they can't rob people's purses anymore...
1660 for a 5 year warranty on the 32" s is better price than I had thought it would be.
Comparing to the other models I saw (will only talk 32" from now on, since I did most comparing on those).
I did not see them face to face, only with a few minutes/days in between, but my conclusions...
Contenders: Sony 32" S, Panny 500, Hitachi 7200, Philips 9830, LG lx2r
On a HD feed (Astra satellite 1080i), I can't remember a difference, other than colour, so either set I think will be great.
SD feed, which is in my country still most important, even analog!
Top ranking goes between the panny 500 and the sony s. I compared these with a day in between, and unless I would see them next to each other, I couldn't tell the difference I think. But to my taste, the Panny was just a tad better, but only by a slight edge. The philips coming under them, losing places for overprocessing the image imo. Under that, the LG and the Hitachi. I don't think there is much difference between them. Maybe the Hitachi a tad better, but worth the 500 extra? No.
So my conclusions after all this. For 32", I think you have to be really stupid to cash out an extra 700-800 for a wega engine that does little to nothing a lack of PC input, and a different design. So v series is out for me. LG was on top of my list so far, but for only a 100 difference between the sony and lg (sony being more expensive, but with 5 year warranty instead of 2), my recommendation would be the sony, although the lack of 1:1 DVI support (But through vga available) hurts a bit in the heart. Then comes the Hitachi and the Panny. They both cost around 350 more than the sony, and 450 than the LG. With all the buzzing issues, and the not so convincing analog performance , the hitachi seems to be slipping (while it has been my favorite for a long time)(but also that dvi 1:1...). SO is the panny worth the extra dime over the sony s? Connection wise they are identical, except for 1RGB scart and card reader on the panny. PQ wise the Panny has a little edge over the Sony. But the sony can boast with a 5 year warranty instead of 2. Is 350 worth 3 year less warranty and a slightly better PQ, and a cardreader? Depends on the priorities I think...
I did not say that much about the Philips yet. Same category as the Sony V series. Waaaay too overpriced for what in my eyes are only marketing gimmicks.
So my top 5 for current 32" LCD's readily available in Belgium, and at a <2000 retailer's price (not online shop!)...
1 and 2. Panasonic 500 / Sony S (it really depends on what you want)
3. LG LX2R
4. Hitachi 7200
What hurts me is that the 2 models that have dvi 1:1, end last. Sniff, doesn't the perfect set exist?
daxie @ your service