Sony WEGA KV-36XBR800

CNET editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 3.5 stars Very good
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 7.8 (3.5 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Peter Barry
• Reviewed on: 11/10/2002
• Updated on: 11/13/2002

Sony's top-of-the-line, 36-inch, digital TV is called the FD Trinitron Wega XBR Hi-Scan KV-36XBR800, and it lists for $2,300. The flurry of minibrand names indicates that Sony has put its latest HDTV technology behind the big, flat tube, resulting in one of the best-performing televisions that you can buy. Like all 4:3 sets however, it uses letterbox bars when displaying 16:9 content such as DVD and HDTV. Add on the relatively steep sticker price, and it becomes plain that this beauty isn't for everyone.Sony's top-of-the-line, 36-inch, digital TV is called the FD Trinitron Wega XBR Hi-Scan KV-36XBR800, and it lists for $2,300. The flurry of minibrand names indicates that Sony has put its latest HDTV technology behind the big, flat tube, resulting in one of the best-performing televisions that you can buy. Like all 4:3 sets however, it uses letterbox bars when displaying 16:9 content such as DVD and HDTV. Add on the relatively steep sticker price, and it becomes plain that this beauty isn't for everyone.

Design
Sporting Sony's new Arc cabinet design, the KV-36XBR800 has a modern, streamlined look. This set's cosmetics are enhanced by a silver outer cabinet and a black inner frame, both of which surround the perfectly flat glass. Speakers built into the left- and the right-side panels curve toward the sitting position.

The silver remote has a lot of functionality, but you can navigate it with little effort. Many of its buttons glow in the dark, and the lesser-used keys--some for operating other A/V gear--remain hidden beneath a flip-down door to minimize confusion. Sony's menu system is very intuitive and direct, and setup windows don't obscure the screen.

Features and connectivity
The 36XBR800's feature list reads like the unabridged version of War and Peace. It can display 1080i HDTV when connected to an outboard HDTV tuner, and it converts incoming 720p signals to high-resolution 1080i; some sets down-convert 720p to 480p. The 16:9 Enhanced feature, which displays the full vertical resolution of anamorphic, enhanced-for-wide-screen DVDs, turns on automatically when the set detects such a disc.

The advanced video controls, including Digital Reality Creation (DRC) multifunction modes, optimize how you view other sources, namely regular TV and VHS. DRC comes in three flavors: Interlaced, Progressive, or CineMotion. Interlaced mode will convert standard-definition 480i sources up to 960i, while Progressive converts them to 480p. CineMotion converts sources to 480p and adds reverse 3:2 pull-down, which helps to eliminate artifacts created in the transfer of film to video.

You'll also find three custom palette settings that let you optimize the DRC processing--depending on the quality of the source--and save the settings in memory. In practice, this feature is for only hard-core experimenters.

Rounding out the gamut of video enhancements are three selectable color temperatures--neutral, cool, and warm--and ClearEdge velocity modulation, which can be set to low, high, or off. All video adjustments can be stored in one of four custom memory slots, although those slots are unfortunately not associated directly with the TV's inputs.

This set offers Sony's premium audio package: 7.5-watt amplifiers drive the speakers, and a 15-watt subwoofer contributes some oomph. Special sound effects such as TruSurround with SRS 3D and WOW enhancements add to the audio options.

Major conveniences include Sony's TwinView two-tuner, picture-in-picture feature, which offers side-by-side or inset windows. You'll also find a Memory Stick slot on the TV's front to make viewing your camcorder or digital camera JPEGs a snap. The front panel adds an A/V input with S-Video. Around back, there are three composite-video inputs; two S-Video inputs; two wide-band, component-video inputs; and two RF inputs. Sony also offers a DVI-HDTV input, a multipin connection that delivers encrypted, uncompressed HD video to the set when connected to a compatible HDTV receiver.

Performance
Overall, the 36XBR800 is an extremely impressive performer. We measured the color temperature in the Pro and Warm temperature settings, and performance was pretty close to the industry standard, with a slight bias toward blue across the output range.

After looking at test patterns to adjust the color, the contrast, and the brightness, we noticed that the color decoder was accentuating red somewhat. Fortunately, the 36XBR800 has an internal decoder adjustment that delivered more consistent reds and greens after it was calibrated. If you don't get the TV professionally calibrated, we recommend backing off the color control for a more accurate palette.

When you get into the 36- to 40-inch (massive glass) picture-tube range, proper geometry is a concern. This set was noticeably turned down and to the right on horizontal lines. Fortunately, Sony offers Tilt Correction in the setup menu, which makes it easy to straighten the geometry.

Watching movie material on the 36XBR800 was a real treat. The images were clean and clear, with great detail even in dark areas. In The Scorpion King, the adjusted decoder delivered flesh tones that struck the perfect balance against the subtle gradations of the desert landscape. We watched Monsters, Inc. in 16:9 Enhanced mode and found detail and color to be phenomenal; we could see the bristle as the monster moved--a very three-dimensional effect. We did notice some artifacts in the CineMotion setting, where the reverse 3:2 pull-down was not cleaning up everything, but using a good progressive-scan DVD player would resolve that problem.

The 36XBR800 delivered decent audio punch and very good vocal quality with a nice sense of ambience--not bad for a TV sound system.

Overall, this is an excellent television; it looks great and performs like a thoroughbred. However, this Sony is expensive--even at $1,700, the best online price that we found. Toshiba's 36HF72 ($1,600 online) and Panasonic's CT-36HX42 ($1,500 online) are both flagship 36-inch sets, although neither offer the features or the design of this Sony.

The real head-scratcher, especially at this price, is whether to go with a 16:9, wide-screen set. For a couple hundred dollars more, you can get Sony's excellent KV-34XBR800 34-inch, wide-screen HDTV, which certainly has a smaller 4:3 picture but, with 16:9 wide-screen sources, eliminates the letterbox bars and adds about 6 percent more screen real estate. That said, if you prefer a bigger 4:3 picture--especially if you won't be watching a tremendous amount of DVD and HDTV--Sony's KV-36XBR800 is one of the best sets available.

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