Sony KDL-V32XBR2 Television

Gorgeous picture - one of the best

By James  May 1, 2007 | 3 out of 3 found this Sony KDL-V32XBR2 review helpful

Pros: Beautiful picture, even in Std. or DVD mode, Full ATSC/QAM tuners, 7 video inputs

Cons: Expensive, no universal remote, only 1 HDMI input, small speakers

This set is certainly not the least expensive 32" out there, but has an truly *excellent* picture, and shines even when not displaying HD content. Face it, for most of us, for at least the next several years, many programs we watch will not be H...D, but in Standard definition, or at best DVD-quality. That is where this set shines - it does a great job of using the signal it has, even making programs recorded in "extended" low-resolution Tivo or DVR modes look very nice, and much better than on many competing HDTVs. It has plenty of inputs, including 1 RF, several S-video, composite, and component inputs, a PC input, and an HDMI. A set of composite/S-video inputs and even a headphone jack are on the left side of the unit for easy access. The inclusion of both ATSC and QAM tuners means you can receive both standard and HD broadcasts from the air or from your cable/satellite box via the standard RF coax cable input. Minor gripes: the remote is not universal, and all its features may not be easy to duplicate on other universal remotes, so you'll probably have to add yet another remote to your coffee table. The speakers are small, located under the screen; but this also reduces the width of the unit, and if you use an external receiver for sound (as most of us do these days) you can bypass their limited range using the audio outputs (which include both analog stereo and optical). I haven't had to use Sony support, so cannot speak to its quality, but the documentation is good and the unit comes with a full 12 month warranty (parts and labor). Overall - if you really enjoy watching a great TV picture, don't yet have many HD channels, and have several boxes you want to hook up without needing an external receiver to switch video inputs, then this unit is well worth the couple of hundred extra dollars above the competition. Read more Less