Sony KDL-V40XBR1 BRAVIA 40" XBR(R) LCD Television Review

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(More customer reviews)This TV is stunning. It is fairly simple... but it takes a few days to understand the subtle adjustments that make it perfect for you. I think that many people experience quick negative reactions to electronics... before taking a little time to learn how to properly operate the device. My tip is to read manuals in advance... something that becomes easy via Internet.
The TV I replaced is a Sony 32XBR100... probably the best analog TV ever made. I loved using it for ten years with never a slight problem. It is on its way to a happy new home and life... which is saying a lot because it weighs 160 pounds. I have had my eye on HD for years. I have seen them all. There have been some fantastic products... but I will never be spending ten or more thousand on a TV... even if it comes with an all expense paid two week trip to Hawaii and a life supply of pineapple.
I recently bought an excellent 23 inch HD Sony for a bedroom. On a return to the store for a cable... I stopped in my tracks for the Sony Bravia KDL-V40XBR1. This is a store with all 50 or so beautiful HD TVs on the planet. I thought, how did I miss this one. Well it just came out. I studied up, read the manual, checked around. It is rarely in stock as of this week. But, there it is. May I say that, yes... you can get a better image in SD on this than I could on my old perfect analog XBR. And, the HD is magnificent both via local cable and Direct TV.
Since I was already equipped for a heavy tube TV, I thought that I would finally get Sony's 34 inch HD XBR which is said to be the standard for image. But, the new Bravia 40 inch is too spectacular to turn away from and the elegant style is a huge relief from watching TV on a device as big and heavy as a mule. No more 200 pound television for me.
I am fussy as hell. I stopped buying anamorphic dvds because my 32XBR100 could not do them resolution justice on that expensive first Sony player that weighs as much as an armadillo. I have a great collection of standard aspect ratio classic movies. Now, I guess I should wait to buy dvd's until the new HD's arrive.
Yes, it seems that my new Sony should have come with two HDMI sockets, but I will live through that omission. There are a lot more important issues to consider... but this TV is perfection. Sony may not have perfect sales instincts, but they are the best at making the best electronics that normal people can afford... if we remember that we Americans are not normal in this world of starvation and suffering. Sorry, it is embarrassing to be this fond of a consumer product... have to put it in perspective.

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Note: For the latest version of the Sony Bravia 40-inch LCD TV, see the Sony KDL40S2000 40" Bravia Flat Panel LCD HDTV.