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Entered CNET Catalog: 03/20/2003
SKU: 0027242625709
Manufacturer: Sony Electronics, Inc.
Manufacturer description
The Best Picture Quality. High Definition Television Connectivity. Four Times the Picture Resolution compared to conventional models... Sony's KV-32HS510 32" Hi-Scan FD Trinitron WEGA television offers you more entertainment than ever. Featuring an HD Detailer Wideband Video Amplifier, a Scrolling Channel Index System, a Two Tone Cosmetic Design, Hi-Scan 1080i Display, Memory Stick Media Playback (JPEG), DRC Digital Reality Creation MultiFunction Circuitry, and CineMotion Reverse 3-2 Pulldown Technology, this TV offers you more reasons to watch! Additional features include the MID-X Multi Image Driver X Circuitry and Twin-View Two Tuner Picture and Picture. For impressive Direct View TV entertainment - look no further than the KV-32HS510.Product summary
The good: Great black-level performance; excellent video processing with 3:2 pull-down; HDTV-compatible PIP; DVI input.
The bad: Color decoder pushes red; inputs don't have independent memory.
The bottom line: This Sony HDTV delivers top-flight video quality and features at a non-Sony price.
CNET editors' review
- Editors' Choice: Yes
- Reviewed on: 11/04/2003
You'll have a hard time wall-mounting this 32-incher. It's 24 inches deep and, thanks to those wide speakers, slightly larger than most tube-based TVs. Weighing 176 pounds, it's also somewhat heavier.
We're big fans of the included remote. Its slick thumb joystick allowed us to navigate the menus and access most of the set's functions by feel. The buttons glow in the dark, and their simple layout should enable the whole family to operate the control. Sony hid the less-used keys--those that command other A/V components--beneath a flip-up panel. Our major complaint has to do with changing inputs: we had to keep pressing TV/Video to cycle through them all. The HS510's daunting feature list should please just about everybody (except, of course, wide-screen buffs). First off, the set can display 1080i resolution when paired with an external high-definition TV source, and 480p or 960i resolution when you're viewing DVDs or standard television signals.
According to our size calculator, the 32-inch 4:3 screen puts up a rather diminutive 29-inch wide-screen picture, so if you watch a lot of DVD movies or HDTV, we recommend getting a wide-screen model instead. Sony tried to bridge the size gap, however, with the Vertical Compression mode, which significantly improves resolution with wide-screen DVDs and HDTV. The mode automatically engages when the set detects wide-screen material.
The menu system is crammed with options. Along with the progressive and interlaced video-processing settings, you get CineMotion with 3:2 pull-down, which eliminates the motion artifacts in film-based content such as most DVD movies. Three color-temperature presets and five adjustable picture modes are available. Pro mode, for example, makes the picture look more accurate. Happily, we were able to completely turn off the scan-velocity modulation, which would have marred the image by introducing excessive outlines.
Unlike most of today's high-end sets, the HS510 doesn't have inputs with individual memory; they can't each have their own contrast, brightness, and other picture settings. While the picture modes are adjustable, you still have to manually select the appropriate mode when you switch inputs.
We like the split-screen picture-in-picture feature. It works with DVD and HDTV sources, too, allowing side-by-side display of any two inputs. We're indifferent to the front-panel slot for Memory Sticks, Sony's digital-camera media. To view photos on the HS510, you pop in the storage card. You can also just plug your camera or camcorder into the A/V input on the front of the unit.
Around back, an HDCP-equipped DVI jack ensures compatibility with next-generation HDTV receivers and DVD players, while a pair of wideband component-video inputs serves today's gear. The HS510 accepts A/V on three standard connections (two with S-Video), which are joined by a monitor A/V output. For RF, you get a pair of ins and one out. The HS510 delivers a great picture. Video processing is top-notch; our test patterns revealed excellent detection of film-based material, and we saw smooth lines in the opening pan of Star Trek: Insurrection. Our major complaint is that the color decoding isn't as good as it should be right out of the box.
Prior to calibrating the HS510, we set it to the warmest color-temperature preset and selected the Pro picture mode. At that point, the grayscale measured 6,406K at the bottom and 6,177K at the top. While those readings are quite close to the NTSC standard of 6,500K, we were able to adjust the color temperature to achieve nearly perfect scores: 6,450K at the bottom and 6,500K at the top.
Unfortunately, the picture still looked too red. When we checked the color-decoder pattern using the Avia test disc, we discovered a significant red push of 15 percent, which made everyone look really sunburned. Using color filters and the set's Service menu, however, we were able to entirely eliminate the "Minnesotan in Florida" effect. The result was rich, well-saturated colors.
The HS510 showed its true colors on the Tears of the Sun DVD. During the helicopter flyover, complex variations of green tinged the jungle canopy. As the chopper sets down, the grass parts, and the blades were sharp and well detailed, with hints of brown beneath. Adjusting the color decoder really paid off in skin-tone accuracy. In one scene, Monica Bellucci blushes, and her cheeks reddened while the rest of her face remained pale.
The set also did an exemplary job with black reproduction. Regardless of the brightness of surrounding images, blacks were consistently inky. We saw a wealth of detail in the dark interior of one of the African huts; we could make out the features of the idol in the shadows.
Watching baseball highlights on ESPN HD, we saw good detail and vibrant colors, but the high-definition image looked only slightly sharper than DVD. The relatively small tube just doesn't have the resolution to convey all the detail of high def.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 User Rating: 
10/10
The best television I've ever owned
Pros: multiple HD hookups, but still has classic television options. Amazingly accurate color/ picture. Great extra features like split-screen & Memory Stick access, plus an enhanced 16:9 mode for viewing DVDs/Blu-Rays.
Cons: the single con is that this television is heavy. Otherwise it still competes with any modern flat-panel
User Rating: 
9/10
I bought this 3.5 yrs ago and its still going strong! Read this if ur thinking about getting one!
Pros: Best when i bought it the best for its price and sony quality.
Cons: 180 lbs. is a little on the too heavy side. No HDMI
User Rating: 
1/10
What a lemon
Pros: I was ok at first
Cons: Sony Sony Sony
User Rating: 1/10
I was cheated.
Pros: Good picture
Cons: quit working after 3 yrs - not acceptable - and will cost 700 to repair
User Rating: 10/10
Awesome TV for the price I just paid!
Pros: Found one at Best Buy, open box, was marked 449.00 and got a 10% discount! 399.00 plus tax for this beast! 16:9 screen is basically same size as a 30" widescreen, which was in my budget.
Cons: None that I have found as of yet.
User Rating: 
8/10
GOOD VALUE!
Pros: I have had mine for about a year now with no complaints. I have digital cable with HDTV and occasionally watch DVDs. I'm not a TV expert, but I think that the HD channels are exceptional on this set. I watch mostly regualr TV and I went with the 4:3 di
Cons: You're going to need to sets of hands to move it - there's no way around it!
User Rating: 8/10
BEST TV I'VE HAD SO FAR....DVI
Pros: DVI INPUT NICE COLOR EASY TO USE VERY NICE LOOKING FOR A TV FITS IN WELL WITH A LOT OF DECOR AND LOTS OF INPUTS
Cons: THE WEIGHT I'M NOT A SISSY BUT THIS THING WEIGHTS A TON AND I'M NOT JOKING ALSO I WISH THE REMOTE WAS BACKLIT
User Rating: 9/10
Great TV for the price!
Pros: Lots of inputs: this TV has enough inputs for just about anyone. High quality image: For sports viewing (including football!) in HD and non HD; For DVD's as well. IT performs above my expectations
Cons: Weight: It is really heavy. Cabinent: The cabinent doesn't taper down so it didn't fit well in my corner entertainment center.
User Rating: 9/10
Picture quality unmatched
Pros: There's no TV out there that can do blacks better than a CRT. Reliability is bar none. No dead pixels like plasmas or LCDs. Elegant looking. Tons of inputs!
Cons: It's frigging huge!
User Rating: 9/10
Excellent picture and sound.
Pros: I've had this TV for 9 months and so far its been Great,It has a SVHS,DVD player,Xbox,Gamecube ,PS2 and digital cable hooked up and they all look great. The picture is very vibrant and clean, sound quality from the built in speakers is better than I expec
Cons: Slight geometry error in the upper left corner,only noticable when watching widescreen DVD's (upper black bar bends downward in the corner,Minor complaint. I had to adjust the Red Push in the service menu as it is to strong out of the box ,it looks gre
User Rating: 8/10
very happy with set
Pros: great picture, good looking set. Plasma and lcds not up to par yet, they can't keep up with speed of broadcasts,or dvds.Log behind.
Cons: universal remote, even for sony products.Weight! Auto sound detection for dvds,auto volume doesn't seem to work when switching tv stations. For the money the warranty doesn't seem to inspire quality or reliabilty.
User Rating: 
3/10
picture died 13 months after purchase
Pros: good until picture died
Cons: I thought Sony had good quality. Have not had a TV picture just die one month after warranty is over. Will cost me several hundred to repair. Beware.
User Rating: 9/10
We always like Sony Picture quality.
Pros: Watching High Def-Dicovery Is amazing!
Cons: NBC & Directv / Sony were pushing OLYMPICS In HD- no way-we bought the Tv-New dish/receiver & the NBC HD can only be seen in some areas by antenna!!!!!!We feel a bit ripped off -HD is a very small # of HD stations...So be aware! We still have a g
User Rating: 
4/10
Sony Service is the WORST!
Pros: It is a nice looking set and a great picture when it works.
Cons: SONY reliability is marginal. Service Support is some of the worst and most infuriating experiences you will have.
User Rating: 8/10
Cheapest HD-Ready TV
Pros: I've had absolutely no problems with this TV whatsoever. I bought this tv mostly for gaming on my XBOX. And let me tell you. Phenominal! The remote control that it comes with is universal. So I can use it with my receiver which is a plus.
Cons: I haven't had any problems with it.
User Rating: 
7/10
Flicker annoys me
Pros: Relatively inexpensive, bright, great detail and color.
Cons: I have a Toshiba 27AF42 standard TV, and the flicker never bothered me; however, for some reason I can't stand to look at these Sony tubes during bright scenes. I hate low refresh rates (60hz) on computer monitors, which is what this TV feels like to my e
User Rating: 4/10
I Hate Uneducated Reviews!
Pros: Nice and thin
Cons: Does NOT come with an HDTV tuner, so it's NOT under $1000 and I don't care WHERE you buy it.
User Rating: 8/10
A Great TV but missing a few things
Pros: The picture is just great. Crystal clear and very life like.
Cons: When it comes to the rear of the set, I was disappointed. Though there are many potential audio/video hooks ups, I would have expected more of S-Video out and in slots, digital audio out and imputs (none were included)and the ability to use computer conn
User Rating: 
5/10
Broken after 1 1/2 yrs
Pros: Great TV when it worked...
Cons: Broke down right after warranty expired. practically no one fixes them. certified Sony repair places are few and far between and we had to bring it to them and the set weighs so much that 3 strong young men couldn't get it to the car...very disappointed a
User Rating: 9/10
Picture just amazing HDTV AND DVDs
Pros: Just superb picture (HDTV PBS-ABC-FOX-CBS) DVDs excellant even better with Samsung HD931 and DVI connection
Cons: Very Heavey. No display showing when TV on. If you shut down your DVD player, Decoder, or VHS you can not tell if the TV is on.
User Rating: 8/10
Best 32" direct view HDTV ready set
Pros: Crystal Clear with vivid colors. Awesome sound quality. Attractive cabinet styling. Simple to use, well laid out remote with joystick. PIP works without external splitter with direct analog cable feed. Standard cable looks great!
Cons: Super heavy...need 2 men to lift. Handhold cabinet indents poorly placed for balance.
User Rating: 
6/10
Great Picture - Memory Stick a joke
Pros: Great picture, and speakers aren't as bad as on most TVs. Nicely designed.
Cons: Don't believe the "showing pictures on your TV" claims about the Memory Stick reader. You can only show unedited pictures taken on a Sony camera. The whole point of digital photography is manipulating the images. How much trouble could it be to make it
User Rating: 9/10
Best Direct View HDTV Money Can Buy
Pros: Sharp, clear, beautiful pictures.
Cons: No memory function for the individual inputs.
User Rating: 8/10
Great tv
Pros: Excellent picture quality, especially with HD Programming.
Cons: Screen size looks fairly small. Weight was an issue while carrying it up 3 flights of stairs,(use a back brace lift with your legs)! FYI Dont buy from PC Richards, took me 4 weeks to get my order in and im still waiting for the stand, and the customer se
User Rating: 9/10
Nice to have one
Pros: HDTV Monitor,DVI,lot of inputs and Picture Quality is very good.
Cons: 4:3 aspect ratio , bulky(but that doesnt matter)
User Rating: 8/10
Great picture quality.
Pros: Great TV overall, awesome picture quality ,Xbox games looks amazing in Progressive mode,Analog cable looks better than I expected,Very impressive sound quality from built in speakers ,especially bass output (has subwoofer mounted inside) Remote control la
Cons: Looking at test patterns on Video Essentials DVD revealed pretty poor Geometry overall,lots of wavy lines throughout pattern but nothing really severe, Convergence on the other hand is very good. I'm told a lot of these geometry issues can be corrected t
User Rating: 7/10
Great TV but Sony seems to have problems with main system board
Pros: Great quality of image, impressive sound, nice look good value for the price
Cons: The system board died after only 1 month. Service was quite good(2 weeks to replace the board).
User Rating: 8/10
HDTV on a budget
Pros: Two tuners are nice for TwinView picture, and channel surfing in a smaller window while the current channel is still displayed is a nice feature. Nice HD performance. Upconverting 480i to 480p is a nice feature and really improves regular analog channel
Cons: The HD (16:9) picture is a little smaller than I expected due to letterboxing. 720p mode just gets upconverted to 1080i by the TV (will not display 720p picture natively). Sony TV remote does not control Sony surround sound receiver (except to turn OFF,
User Rating: 3/10
Poor Quality Terrible Service from Sony
Pros: Great Picture if TV is working
Cons: Main system board went on 91st day. 40 days later it is still sitting on the floor in the corner awaiting a replacement board. Sony service is rude and changes delivery dates of replacement parts weekly.
User Rating: 6/10
Always black lines top & bottom with High Definition
Pros: Attractive looking TV, with good image quality.
Cons: TV won't allow you to change the format of 1080i high-definition. So you will be watching with black lines top and bottom when using the HDTV inputs (even with a High Definition satelite box with settings for 4:3 output @ 1080i). There is no zoom or oth
User Rating: 9/10
Best HDTV value out there
Pros: Blows away any other set in this price range. It would be hard to imagine any better picture quality.
Cons: It is very heavy.
User Rating: 8/10
Very Good T.V!!
Pros: Really good picutre quality, even on the analog channels, digital channels look awesome, DVD's are nice, HDTV compatible, good HDTV picture, nice remote, overall a really good TV, 16x9 images are really clear
Cons: It's heavy, but don't move it often so dont care, the red is overpowering but with a simple adjustment its fixed, 16x9 images are a small.
User Rating: 9/10
Great Picture! Try Using Built in Speakers as the Center Channel!!!
Pros: Great Picture, DVI Input, 1080i!
Cons: Heavy, Bulky, HEAVY!!
User Rating: 8/10
Terrible for football.
Pros: Excellent in almost every respect with great features. I have always found SONY quality to be worth the extra price.
Cons: Big disappointment, picture quality was a hit-miss affair. Wired to satellite TV, the CBS football broadcast was a bunch of large pixels, I could barely read the uniform numbers. But CNN was crytal clear. Professional installers could not remedy problem,
User Rating: 8/10
BEST CRT for the Value and Outstanding High Def Picture!
Pros: I really wanted an XBR sony TV but at the price, this TV is just such a better value and is extremely close to the XBRs image quality. DVD movies using the DVI or Component Video inputs are drop dead gorgeous. I use Samsungs DVD player with 720p capabilit
Cons: Weight? --Who cares, how often do you move a TV? The DRC feature which ups the resolution of standard cable signal is a little too aggressive and can show you just how poor cable signals can be. This is not the TVs fault and a swith to satellite or Digita
User Rating: 9/10
Awesome TV!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pros: I worked for best buy in the tv dept for 6 months and finally decided this was the best hd tv for the money.... If i had it to do over again i would make the same decision. its awesome
Cons: very heavy.....
User Rating: 4/10
DISAPPOINTMENT
Pros: GOOD PHISICAL APPEARANCE
Cons: Was able to compare it side-by-side w/ panasonic 32HL42 from Sears and 32HL42 just blows me out compare to this sony's latest, even more expensive than panasonic
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