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Entered CNET Catalog: 08/02/2002
SKU: 0027242594562
Manufacturer: Sony Electronics, Inc.
Manufacturer description
Sony is a leading manufacturer of audio, video, communications, and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. Its music, motion picture, television, computer entertainment, and online businesses make Sony one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world. Thrilling sound will surround you as you study the brilliant picture Sony's KV-36FV300 36" FD Trinitron WEGA stereo color TV projects. Features like the CRT Amplifier, Velocity Modulation Scanning, and a 3-D digital comb filter come together to produce what you see and hear. Watch as Sony brings the theater to you!CNET editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 01/30/2003
With an easy-to-navigate menu system, tweaking this set to our liking was a breeze. The silver remote has a joystick to work the menus, relatively few buttons, and no backlighting, though the principal keys do glow in the dark. A flip-up door hides the remainder of the buttons, which can be used to control other A/V gear. This top-of-the-line model is packed with features, but the killer app has to be the 16:9 Enhanced feature. It enables the set to display the full vertical resolution of anamorphic (enhanced for wide screen) DVD movie material, which is a net gain of 25 percent more picture information (scan lines) on your screen.
For video performance, this set has a full suite of enhancements. Three key settings are selectable: color temperature (neutral, cool, warm), ClearEdge VM (velocity modulation; low, high, off), and DynaBlack (low, high, off). It's great to have these aspects under your control. The warm color temperature delivered the truest color settings, ClearEdge we set to Off to retain full resolution, and DynaBlack we also left off--booster circuits always have drawbacks. You can ignore these or tweak this set to your heart's content; that's the way it should be.
The picture modes (Vivid, Sports, Movie, Standard) each provide different levels for contrast, brightness, and other settings. But each mode can be tweaked and will remain in memory--that's nice if you want different settings to accommodate different lighting conditions or input sources. Additionally, a 3D Comb Filter is on hand for cleaning up composite video sources, and a two-tuner PIP lets you be a voyeur for other programs in an inset window.
The audio package includes TruSurround with SRS 3D effect and WOW listening settings, 7.5 watts x 2 for the side speakers, and a separate 15-watt subwoofer, making the 36KV300 an excellent choice if you don't plan to connect an external sound system. Two additions help you enjoy the full experience without annoyances: the Steady Sound circuit that tones down loud commercials and an included pair of wireless headphones that enable unencumbered viewing during quiet times.
There's also a nice offering of inputs here, including three composite, two S-Video (one front), one component video, and two RF. For testing, we set the Sony in warm color temperature, used the Video Essentials disc to adjust the color, contrast, and brightness, and then took a look. While our color analyzer showed the warm setting to be somewhat higher (bluer) than the ideal, it was definitely better than the majority of TVs and remained consistent across the range of light output in both the Standard and Movie modes. Measurements also showed that the KV-36FV300 was not pushing contrast beyond proper performance levels, which is good news for the life of your picture tube. The color decoder also didn't push red too significantly, but the reds in general did look the tiniest bit too orange.
We watched the DVD of Monsters, Inc. in the 16:9 Enhanced mode, with black bars above and below the picture, and it looked impressively sharp and three-dimensional. The anamorphic image provided excellent detail, very good color reproduction, and deep blacks, for a natural-looking overall effect that really popped. On the downside, we did notice scan lines when sitting close to the screen, which is a problem with any analog, nonprogressive-scan set.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 User Rating: 
8/10
Superdesign, Clarity unsurpassed, Great sound
Pros: This TV works flawlessly and provides excellent picture quality, great sound and superb design ... one of the best looking TV you will ever find.
Cons: Quite expensive and quite heavy ...
Review:
User Rating: 8/10
Perfect 36 inch TV
Pros: it is cheap and has great picture quality. easy of use. perfect quality of sound.
Cons: i didn't see any cons yet because it's really perfect.
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User Rating: 
10/10
The "CAT'S MEOW" in AWESOME!!
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Review: NOT a one person liftable behemoth, however once it does get in place, Ahhhhhh! "YES! It is much more and above all expectations - the in out RCA Jacks make it as convenient as very useful for connecting everything including digital cam or VCR with the front saving the hassle of rear connections. AND the price was great too AND surely worth the $1000.00. The remote makes fumbling for yuor collection a thing of the past works my VCR & DVD player by simply encoding the number right out of the book, even one NOT listed in their manual [I cheated] and it works my Quasar VCR.
User Rating: 10/10
Nothing matches this deal
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Review: recently purchased this TV for 1300 including the matching Sony WEGA stand. I can't be more happy with this product. I almost bought the KV-36FS100, but for only $200 more I got so much more.
User Rating: 8/10
Best Non HDTV out there
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Review: I'vev had this TV since June 2002 when it first came out from Sound City in NJ ($1175) and I continue to be impressed by the quality. Unfortunately, I wish I had waited for the HDTV models in the Sony line to come out. But if you know where to go you can get this TV at a decent price.
User Rating: 8/10
Great TV - be careful putting on the stand
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Review: Great TV - flat picture is beautiful and all the jacks you need. However - when we put this ten thousand pound tv on the stand - cracked the a-board because we struggled and barely got it up and got the middle of the tv just on the corner of the stand - cracked the board - bummer. Follow directions and try and pick up and place straight up.
User Rating: 
9/10
This tv is da bomb
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Review: Superb tv. Excellent in everyway except remote sucks. Believe what you heard, this tv is way too heavy. Suprisingly doesn't take up too much space nor look bulky and intruding. The cherry on top is looking around til you can get it on sale. I got mine for $1150. Totally makes a difference.
User Rating: 10/10
Best 32" inch TV period
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Review: If you're in the market for a 32" TV, get this one. Most people who put Sony down because they cannot afford such an awesome television.
User Rating: 10/10
Almost Tore My Arms Off!
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Review: Awesome picture especially from 10 feet away. I love the wireless headphones. Sound is pretty good. Only beef I have is the delivery company only sent the driver by himself and he and I had to lug it up a flight of steps! It is extremely heavy. Nothing I ever lifted in my life compares to this TV set in terms of deadweight. It almost tore my arms out of the sockets!!!
User Rating: 8/10
GREAT TV,BUT VERY HEAVY
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Review: THIS IS MY FIRST NEW TV IN TEN YEARS AND I CANT BELIEVE HOW MUCH THEY HAVE INPROVED.GREAT PICTURE,GREAT SOUND.ONLY YOU NEED MORE THAN TWO PEOPLE TO LIFT IT ON TO STAND.
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