Sony KE-42TS2

N

nez0r

Guest
I was wondering if anyone owns this tv and could give me a fair review. I have read some reviews and it says that it has below average analog cable and broadcast tv picture. I was wondering if i used HD directv but watched a show that wasnt in HD if it would look like crap. Also what is the difference with 1024x768 and 1024x1024. this tv is 1024x1024. thanks in advance:p
 
I have the 32-inch version which I chose purely on picture quality after seeing a large number of demos. I think it performs at least as well as any other plasma (which is not as well as the best CRT). However, it has an ALiS screen and you'll find polarised opinions on these forums - some swear by such screens, others at them. Also not many people here have Sony plasmas because they are integrated TVs (not popular with AV buffs) and relatively expensive. I find it great on DVD and acceptable on Freeview. I'll leave others to answer your technical questions.
 
does the picture look close to a crt if you use dvi to watch regular non hdtv on this plasma.
 
No, cos it's alis technology, you cannot address the individual pixels so you cannot bypass the screen's processing. Also, this panel simply lacks the contrast to show CRT-like images. Sony buy this glass from Hiachi/Fujitsu who collaborate on design, build and plasma technology, but I doubt they share quite all their secrets with the competition, why would they?
 
Originally posted by MAW
Also, this panel simply lacks the contrast to show CRT-like images.
I'm afraid this applies to all plasmas. If you want CRT quality, stick with CRT! (But of course getting a good one is a problem.)
 
Not to mention fitting a good CRT through your front door! I'm sure it's one reason they don't make them any bigger. Contrast wise, there are much more 'contrasty' plasmas than the sony, but not necessarily with the other features you may like with this one. You could look at the PA20 panasonic, but personally I have a loathing of all the integrated tuner models. Analogue looks so bad on them anyway, and the remote contol on them is so clunky and awkward in operation, so many button presses, and toggle only controls. I cannot imagine having a plasma home cinema system without a universal remote, and these models make this a serious challenge.
 
MAW, sorry to appear stupid but can you not use a learning remote to operate the plasma. I also don't understand what you mean by so many button presses and toggle only controls.

Do you mean it's not possible to simpy switch to av1 or av4 from the analogue picture easily and have to go through av1, then av2 etc to reach av4? Currently on my remote (an old Sony 2000) I've set it up so that one button takes me to av1, another direct to av2 etc. Surely it's possible to change the input on the panny tuner in such a fashion or am I missing something obvious?

I ask because whilst I appreciate that analogue tuners aren't going to produce wonderful results on a plasma, I was thinking of getting one for a panasonic pw6 (the screen I'm currently contemplating purchasing).

Ideally I simply want to run one wire to the plasma and this seems to me the only way I can achieve it. I understand that some a/v amps (such as the denon 3803) upconvert s-vid to component and I could then just run a component lead to the plasma. However, wouldn't I be losing some quality anyway as (certainly on my current tv) RGB appears far better than s-vid.

Given that a number of posts I've read seem to indicate that routing rgb signals through the panasonic tuner doesn't degrade them substantially, wouldn't I get a better picture sending rgb from sky and dvd through the tuner to the plasma rather than sending s-vid to an amp and then converting it to component?

I'd be grateful for your thoughts as this whole issue is confusing me and given where I live, there is no chance of seeing one set up in such a manner so that I might see for myself.

Sorry if I've wandered a little off topic.
 
I've pm'd you about remotes, but you are right up to a point, but who said you should use the denon to upconvert S-video? Sky RGB should be converted to component video with one of them things at the top of the page, and any decent DVD will be component, so don't convert up, you've already lost 1/2 the data! It's only for convenience with s-vhs recorders and the like you should use this feature. So one cable is the way to go, just use component switching, not upconversion.The conversion from RGB is virtually lossless.
 
MAW - tried to PM you, but your mailbox is full...

JJ
 
if i were to use something like digital cable or directv with the dvi connection, but it wasnt hd would it be almost unwatchable or will it be a decent watchable picture. This is the main snag in my purchase of the tv is the fact that there are fewer HD shows than sd. Also what is the difference with 1024x768 and 1024x1024? thanks
 
I unlike most of you AV hardcores do actually want integrated tv for ease of use and teletext (dad wants it).

He doesn't wan to mess with different boards and such. He wants it to operate 'exactly' like a conventional tv and with teletext as normal. He wants a bunch of scarts and that is all. We have Sky, dvd no component on Sony 715 from years ago, vcr to watch old tapes of Khmer stuff, games console.

Koing
 
nezOr, your questions about 1024x1024 against 1024x768 have been doen to death, try a search for ALIS. There are 2 camps here. The professionals won't touch them, but they do seem to make fair TV's, like the Hitachi pd3000. I'd steer clear of DVI with alis, i't not really meant for that. it simply detects the screen as an XGA display, and the internal scaling takes over. It will not significantly improve your picture. The XGA hi res screens are a better bet for that kind of thing.

Koing, there are many ways of managing your connections, making it easy. Try a PW6 with scart video board, just the way you'll buy it in UK, and get a Pioneer VSX301 amp and a surround speaker pack, the amp has 3 scarts on it, which it will switch for you, along with the sound source.
 
I have just bought this TV and am disappointed with the quality of picture when watching a Live football match. Has anyone got any thoughts on how to set it up to improve the picture. There is a lack of clear definition of figures and the ball. I have it currently connected to a Sky+ box. The Scart cable is not top quality, I shall change it soon, but wondered what the settings in the screen set-up could be. HELP!!
 
That's not sony's fault, they all look like that with footy, it's the broadcast quality that's at fault. A scaler would help a bit, but not really with this screen, it's not designed to work with them, it has one inside already.

A good scart can't do any harm of course, don't let the salesman run away with the idea though! £30 gets you as good as you need.
 
If you've got Freeview try the footy on BBC or ITV with that (provided it's a UK game in widescreen). MUCH better!
 
Thanks I will try the Scart first. I heard IXOS was a good make. Are you familiar with it?
 
Wildthing - try the settings I use for my KE32TS2...

Contrast: 110
Brightness: 0
Colour: 0
Sharpness: -4
NR: OFF
Dynamic Pict: Off
Colour Tone: Normal
Colour Correct: Off
Gamma Correct: High

Digibox contrast set to Low.

...I find football/sports look fine to my eyes.
 

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