Sony KD-36XS955 36' FD Trinitron WEGA Hi-Scan TV with Integrated HDTV Tuner

Features of Sony KD-36XS955

• Stereo speakers with 7.5 watts per channel and 15-watt subwoofer; offers SRS TruSurround simulated surround sound and BBE sound enhancement

• 36-inch Hi-Scan FD Trinitron WEGA television with standard 4:3 aspect ratio; 39.1 x 30.6 x 25 inches (W x H x D)

• Built-in ATSC/QAM tuner brings you all the glory of off-air high-definition programming--no external set-top box required

• CableCARD compatibility means you can enjoy digital cable reception without a separate set-top box

• CineMotion Reverse 3:2 pulldown technology lets you watch progressive-scan movies in their native 24-frame format

You can watch TV a lot and you can also see a lot of TV at once with Sony's big-screen, Hi-Scan KD-36XS955 FD (flat display) Trinitron WEGA television. The set features a built-in HDTV tuner for high-quality, off-air reception of high-definition broadcasts, right out of the box. The 36-inch set also offers analog and digital high-definition inputs, great audio features, and a suite of picture-enhancing technologies. Whether you're watching VHS tapes, DVDs, or off-air high-definition (480p, 720p, 1080i) broadcasts, your programs will look breathtakingly good. A Memory Stick media slot with JPEG/MPEG-1/MP3 compatibility simplifies playback of video clips, MP3 music files, and still pictures from compatible cameras and music players. DRC--Digital Reality Creation MultiFunction circuitry--upconverts standard interlaced (480i) video sources to 960i or progressive-scan 480p, while inputs as high-quality as 720p (720 lines, progressively scanned) are upsampled to full 1080i. Because DRC processes video signals in real time, it creates an image with 4 times the density of the original signal. Progressive scanning, referred to as 480p and 720p for the number of horizontal lines that compose the video image, creates a picture using twice the scan lines of a conventional DVD picture, giving you higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts. The set's auto 16:9 enhanced mode detects anamorphically encoded widescreen program sources and offers full picture resolution on the video program, wasting none of its usable lines of resolution on the black bars at the top and bottom of the screen. The KD-36XS955's high-voltage regulator maintains consistent image size, despite variations in brightness during scene changes and channel changes. ClearEdge VM wideband velocity modulation improves the definition at picture edges, creating sharper images by slowing the CRT (cathode-ray tube) beam's horizontal scanning during demanding work--say, when rendering transitions from light to dark parts of an image--and speeding it up when scanning easily rendered sections, like broad dark areas. The set's 3D digital comb filter compares each horizontal scanning line with the lines above and below it, as well as with the corresponding lines on previous and subsequent video frames. This results in higher horizontal resolution, higher vertical resolution, and reduced video noise. The KD-36XS955 also employs CineMotion Reverse 3-2 PullDown technology (often called 3:2 pulldown), a handy feature for watching progressive-scan movies in their native 24-frame format. Digital video mastering introduces a common distortion when adjusting 24 frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video; 3:2 pulldown digitally corrects this distortion, removing the redundant information to display a film-frame-accurate picture. Finally, Dynamic Focus circuitry automatically adjusts the picture during each scanning line for consistent corner-to-corner sharpness. Authorized CableCARD ability means the set will receive digital cable television systems services directly from a cable operator without requiring a bulky, external cable box. Two high-definition component-video inputs grant optimum connection with a DTV receiver and progressive-scan DVD player, while standard composite- and S-video inputs accommodate all DVD players. The set's HDMI interface provides a digital connection with your DTV receiver. HDMI supports standard-definition (SD), enhanced definition (ED), or high-definition (HD) video, plus multichannel digital audio--all using a single cable. Choose between rear AV inputs and a set of front AV inputs for extra convenience. A rear AV output offers a switchable fixed- and variable-level analog audio output for hookup with a surround receiver or integrated amplifier. The set features stereo speakers with BBE sound enhancement, 7.55 watts per channel, and a separate, 15-watt subwoofer for full bass sound right from the television. If you don't have Dolby Pro Logic processing or a surround speaker system, the TV's SRS TruSurround will simulate surround sound through any 2 speakers. Other video technologies include Dynamic Picture Processor circuitry, Trinitone color temperature control, and vertical aperture compensation. What's in the Box TV, remote control (RM-Y1999), 2 AA batteries, a user's manual, warranty information.

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Sony KD-36XS955 Customer Review(s):

Summary: Last of a dying breed? Better get one for these reasons...
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Comment: Everywhere you look now flat, widescreens are the televisions being hyped as the ones to get. The fact of the matter is that eventually, those kinds of monitors will be the standard bearer of video technology. However flats are not without their flaws. Chief among them is the problem of 'burn-in'; if you leave your set on a station that has its logo resting in the corner of the screen (most do now), and you happen to slip away to answer the phone or just forget and leave the set on, chances are that your set will sustain PERMANENT damage, that's just how it is. Plasmas produce superb images, but over time their brightness WILL decrease. For me, the higher the contrast the BETTER - most of the time. Unfortunately, that's just the opposite of what you're supposed to do to extend your plasma's lifespan. And there's no question that the widescreen image is great to take in. That said, I am here to sing the praises of the dying CRT / 4:3 aspect television set. A lot of programs I own are in 4:3, and they look BETTER on said type of screen. I rebuke the notion that 'stretching' that same image across a widescreen is okay - IT IS NOT. If I wanted to view a 4:3 image, in it's ORIGINAL, UNALTERED aspect ratio on a 16:9, I would have to have black or (worse yet) gray bars on the sides, which WOULD negatively impact your plasma via burn-in or unbalanced contrast and brightness on the sides of the frame. I happen to find the horizontal black bars produced on a 4:3 more acceptable when viewing widescreen productions than on a 16:9. The CRT is far CHEAPER than plasma. A GOOD 50' plasma is going to set you back AT LEAST $8,000. This set is a fraction of that. The CRT's main disadvantages are screen size and weight. They are heavy, but they look and sound great when positioned properly in your desired viewing area. With CRT, there are no burn-in problems. One night I fell asleep with the limited edition dvd of 'Memento' playing. Now unfortunately when the film ends, it goes back to a frozen, stationary menu image of black objects on a white background - if I did that on a plasma, I'd be fu___d! The best thing about CRT's is the level of black it produces. They always have produced a deeper, richer level of black than any plasma I've seen. This one is perfectly capable of displaying high-definition images, though you'll have to put up with the black, horizontal bars - but you're used to that, right? I'd give this set 5 stars but it just doesn't quite reach perfection with its video performance. I own a 32' Sony Trinitron XBR that is 10 YEARS OLD, and it produces sharper, clearer images than this set. I have no idea what Sony did to change the image reproduction, but it is noticeably and somewhat disappointingly different. The best way I can describe it? It's akin to having 35mm film prints developed: while my old 32' screen has a 'glossy' look, this television here has a 'lustre' look. It's still a great image, but something is missing; image detail is not as sharp, shiny or clean. This set IS capable of receiving HDTV images and they look very nice here. Also, dvds look pretty good; one of this set's best features is its ability to automatically switch between anamorphic and non-anamorphic playback from whichever dvd you're viewing.
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Summary: I have no faith in Sony any more
Rating: 1 (out of 5)
Comment: Before I was born, my parents owned a Sony and we kept that old set until I was in high school. It lasted, just like everyone else's Sony did. Everywhere you go people say that Sony makes the longest lasting TV sets. I used to be one of those people. I bought a KD36XS955 7.5 months ago and it is now sitting in a repair shop. I have no clue what is wrong and neither does the repair shop. Furthermore, Sony's manufacturer's warranty covers parts only for two years. Yes, that's right, I get to pay for someone else's labor to fix a defective set sold to me.

I have never liked Sony's other products as I find them of low-quality, but I always loved their TV sets. Now, I have nothing positive to say about the company.

Panasonic, here I come!
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