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Sony KV-32FC60
by davey_26
The problem when reviewing CRT televisions is you can't help but reflect and contrast them to what is todays technology vs very much old hat. However Sony manufactured some very fine CRT televisions and this is definitely one of them.
So visually it doesn't make much of an impression, it's big buiky and as such needs a lot of ... room because it will take up a lot of the room. So on this basis it doesn't win any favours. However there is more to this television than that, yes, in terms of playing the latest blu ray's it is something of a pointless exercise because it can not display hi definition but what it can do much better than most LCD's in my opinion at least, is display very deep black levels. Which means when you are watching dark scenes it stays faithful to the scene whereas some LCD's are less deep black and more a grey colour.
Of course a drawback it then has is the picture can seem a little flat and this is due to the limitations of the contrast ratio but again it's important to keep things in a rightful sense of perspective.
Another thing strongly in this televisions favour is that unlike plasma and lcd the sound benefits greatly from the size of the television. The size means there is much more room to fit bigger speakers which in turn gives you much greater volume, depth and presence to the sound. Now of course it's always better to connect a television to an amplifier but if that is not possible than this does a very fine job as an alternative.
So all things considered although the test of time has highlighted this televisions weaknesses, it's also an excellent choice if you have the room and can pick it very cheaply as people look to ditch their dinosaur televisions.
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Sony KV-36FS76
by timra
I've had a KV36FS76 for nearly a year now, and quite simply think it's fantastic. First and foremost, you really notice the difference compared to a 32 inch tube, and no matter what any says, for now at least, a CRT still beats plasma and rear projection sets. I really looked hard at few bitter rear projection sets, but ... they're still cloudy, the viewing angles are tight (you've got to sit level with it or it doesn't work) and they're monstrously big. Obviously plasma screens are going to improve, and come down in price, but I reckons a 36 in CRT will still be the best option for a few years.
Why the sony... well, I live on the continent and it was really hard to find any 36 inch sets in the shops and we've not exactly well catered for with internet retailers. I suspect the retail situation is the same in the UK so I'd recommend an internet purchase (plus, saves you trying to lug the thing home... it weighs a ton !).
After all that you shouldn't be disappointed. The picture quality is almost 'perfect' and the sounds so good that I only ever bother to link the audio through the AV amp for DVDs. The only gripe is watching football - the picture's so big that you do notice some fuzzines around the players when the view is of, say, half the pitch. But that might just be the quality of the input signal from the satellite!
Everything else is flawless, set up, sound/picture options (split picture feature is great for watching 2 games simultaneously !), AV inputs etc.
To be frank I'm confused. I don't know why there's not lots more 36in sets available, that extra 30% screen space makes a big difference and apart from the price (which would come down if there was more competition) they're a real no brainer choice!
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Sony KV-14LT1
by andithegoose
The Sony KV14LT1 is perhaps one of the best portable TVs money can buy. It combines superb picture quality with stylish good looks, and a very easy to use remote control. If you are looking for a TV for the bedroom, or simply a top quality small TV, then this TV really is one to consider seriously. The TV itself looks beautiful. ... The front of the TV is silver, which looks very stylish, while the back of the TV is a pale grey, that looks infinetely nice than the black TVs of a few years ago. Six small, chrome buttons control the volume level and channel, while a small flap conceals front AV ports, making plugging in camcorders and games consoles a breeze. Round the back of the TV, a Scart socket enables the connection of equipment such as a VCR or DVD player. It would have been nice to have two, but on a TV of this size, one Scart socket is the norm. The flat screen gives this TV a very stylish look.
Picture quality on this TV is superb. The flat Wega screen makes the picture crisper, as well as reducing glare on the screen. Games console users will notice the difference, as the corners of the screen no longer curve, meaning straight lines for menus. The remote control provides access to 3 different brightness settings; personal, for your own brightness setting; live, for a brighter picture; and movie, for a duller, perhaps more realisitic picture. The settings you choose are all down to personal preference, although I tend to stick with the brighter 'live' setting for videogames, and the 'personal' setting for everything else. The remote control also allows the user to switch from 4:3 ratio to 16:9 (widescreen) ratio. This is a great feature, as it means you can watch widescreen DVDs on the portable TV without a stretched picture. The obvious disadvantage is that it makes an already small picture even smaller.
Sound quality does not, sadly, match the picture quality. It compares well with other 14" TVs, but lacks the b
ass and depth of sound of larger models. This is easily solved by linking the TV to a hi-fi, although as the TV is mono, the output on the hi-fi will also be mono. If, like me, you use your TV primarily for watching DVDs and playing videogames, you would be better off linking your DVD player/ console to the stereo directly, as you will then recieve stereo output. However, the sound is no massive problem, and if you are using the TV to (shock horror) actually watch TV channels, it is more than adequate.
The TV boasts some nice features. Teletext is included, although I haven't yet used it (I think its a bit redundant these days), and some volume levelling technology is included, which ensures all broadcasts are transmitted at the same volume (because no matter what the TV statiosn say, adverts are louder than programmes!). The TV also has onscreen menus, making setting up the TV easy (there is also an auto-setup feature, so you can get this Tv up and running in minutes). The remote control is very well laid out, and failes pretty substantial. It is also marked TV, so there will be no pointing the stereo remote at the TV and wondering where you went wrong.
The Sony KV14LT1 is one of the best small TVs I have ever seen. It looks stylish, has some great features, and has great picture quality. While the sound compares well with TVs of its size, it isn't as good as its bigger brothers, and so film enthusisasts may wish to hook it up to a stereo. As a bedroom TV, though, it cannot be beaten.
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