Sound & Vision's 2008 Editors' Choice Awards Page 2
VIDEO
SONY Bravia KDL-55XBR8 55-inch LCD HDTV February/March 2009 LCD TV performance has ramped up considerably over the past year, with models from a handful of companies finally starting to nip at the heels of the top-shelf plasmas. One of those sets is Sony's KDL-55XBR8. This 55-inch LCD model uses an RGB LED backlight with local dimming (LED Dynamic Control, in Sony-speak) to render images with deep, film-like shadows and rich color. And the set's film-judder-fighting Motion Enhancer processing is capable of delivering smooth yet completely natural motion on its 120-Hz display. As with other LED-backlit LCDs we've tested, the 55XBR8's one shortcoming is a tendency to lose contrast when viewed from off-center seats. But when I watched movies front-and-center before the Sony's screen, I found myself forgetting about the technical stuff and simply losing myself in its expansive picture. At $7,000, the 55XBR8 is undeniably expensive (you could buy a 60-inch version of our Product of the Year-winning Pioneer Elite Kuro plasma for less), but if you've got the cash, along with a center seat on the couch, this Sony will send you to TV heaven. - A.G. sonystyle.com
PANASONIC TH-50PZ800U 50-inch plasma HDTV September 2008 Each generation of Panasonic plasma TVs that I've checked out has offered very good performance at a reasonable price, and the TH-50PZ800U ($2,400) is no exception. It has everything you'd expect to find in a new 1080p TV, including four HDMI 1.3 inputs, a 24p input mode, and plenty of video adjustments for picture tweaking. And there are a few unexpected touches as well, such as its slick, all-glass façade and its front-panel A/V convenience jack with both HDMI and SD card inputs. But as one of the first THX-certified TVs, the TH-50PZ800U also offers something new: a THX preset that delivers a near-perfect picture for watching movies. Note that I said near perfect - the Panasonic's THX mode, the settings for which are fully adjustable, actually will benefit from additional tweaking. But if you're the kind of stickler who's too lazy to pull out a test disc or too cheap to call in a TV-calibration professional, the TH-50PZ800U's THX mode will get you 95% of the way there. - A.G. panasonic.com
PANASONIC DMP-BD55 Blu-ray Disc player November 2008 Tapping Panasonic's DMP-BD55 for an award this year was easy, since it's one of the first Blu-ray Disc players we tested that delivered the full grab bag of goodies promised by the format, including Profile 2.0 BD-Live interactivity and Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack decoding. It also offers excellent video upconversion for regular DVDs, with a 4:4:4 chroma upsampling mode that can enhance color detail with a compatible TV. And its 7.1-channel analog-audio output will convey high-rez soundtracks on Blu-ray Discs to legacy audio processors and receivers. Hell, there's even an SD card slot that lets the Panasonic display high-def video captured with an AVCHD camcorder on your TV! Figuring out the DMP-BD55's audio options during initial setup might cause your hair to turn prematurely gray, but once that chore is done, you'll be more than happy. One more reason to smile: Panasonic's exceedingly well-rounded BD player lists for a very reasonable $399. - A.G. panasonic.com
SAMSUNG LN55A950 55-inch LCD HDTV December 2008 Samsung is the only major manufacturer that still has a finger in each of the major HDTV display-technology pies, including LCD, plasma, and DLP rear projection. But when you consider the attention to detail that went into its flagship 950 series sets, it becomes clear that LCD is where the company sees TV tech headed. The LN55A950 ($4,999), which uses a grid of LED backlights to illuminate its screen, can dynamically modulate light intensity at specific points in the picture, dimming or cutting off the backlight altogether in shadowy areas. By doing this, the 950 manages to produce the deep, inky blacks and refined shadow details that have long been plasma technology's trump card. Combine this with a top-notch video processor and impressive out-of-the-box color accuracy, and you have a TV that can deliver the goods for just about any viewer in any type of environment. - Michael Trei samsung.com
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