New Bravia - so far very impressed (NX801 60")

toddjb

SatelliteGuys Guru
Original poster
Oct 5, 2003
126
8
Germantown, MD
Just a quick review and possibly a little tip for anyone in the market for a large LCD.

Initially, I was looking at the Sony Bravia KDL60EX700 at $3000 ($2700 is the going price). The EX700 uses the new edge-lit LED backlight for a very even light distribution, has 120Hz and is wi-fi ready among many other features. In Coscto it comes with USB Wi-Fi memory stick, for other locations I think you either hard wire it or buy the stick yourself. Was about to buy that as opposed to going $400 higher for the NX800 which initially just seemed to offer embedded wifi and 240Hz. (list $3500, but you can find it easily for $3200). The only thing I didn't like about the EX700 is the plastic frame around the picture. For an expensive set, it just looks cheap to me.

Well, I popped into Costco to see my newly released EX700 and sitting right next to it was the NX801 (Costo's version of the KDL60NX800). It was a no brainer. For $400 more, in addition to having more functionality the set is beautiful! Edge to edge glass display, with touch sensitive controls. It looks just like an XBR w/o the added cost. A really nice looking set so I decided to get this one instead.

I was originally going to get the NX800 from a local retailer but he told me he couldn't order it. Sony had discontinued the NX800 after a month and rebranded the remaining inventory as NX801. Rumor on the street is that they had a glass problem with it and that problem may have been they couldn't get the glass cheap enough to continue production. In any event, the remaining NX801 inventory is out in Costcos, where I picked up my set, and it is really nice!

This was my first time plugging in a WiFi TV that also takes full advantage of its network connectivity. The picture looks worlds better than a 42" Bravia I bought a couple years ago and the network functions are extremely impressive. It isn't just a few canned Bravia downloads, you have full access to youtube, news, music, weather, integration with your computer (PC to TV), netflix, twitter, Amazon PPV, CBS, and DOZENS of other features from your remote. Frankly, it is just really cool.

It also has a picture frame feature which is surprisingly impressive. You can load a picture on your set and it will display it, like artwork, for a set amount of time. Sounds simple, but with everyone mounting TVs on their wall these days it makes a lot of sense.

Well, that is some initial feedback after only playing with the set one evening. The reason I'm posting that is because I think supplies are limited and this set will be coming back out as the NX900, will be XBR, more expensive, and have similar functionanlity. So, check it out! ;)

If you go on Sony's Bravia website, it is currently the set featured (but doesn't come with that flat edge to edge stand shown on their website);
http://discover.sonystyle.com/bravia/#/products/bravia
 
So, I've played around with the set a little more and I'm still very impressed.

Sony has a new feature called "PC to TV" however, which is very poorly documented and doesn't seem to work. Allegedly, you can install a plug-in on your browser, then, when you find a video link you want to watch you right click on it and you'll see "Send to Bravia" as an option. I get that option, but then when I go to the TV it has a receive error. The software is new and beta so I think they are working the kinks out. When it works, it'll be a nice way of showing video that doesn't come up on one of the other internet video options (i.e. Home made videos you have uploaded to another site).

The Bravia internet features are nice but I have found they are identical to what my new Sony Blu-Ray provides. So...if you want these features you don't have to spend $1000+ on a new TV. You can just buy a new BD player from Costco for $150 and you get all the same internet connectivity. More browsing has shown me that the Netflix library is extensive, but, it is mostly older movies and a selection of newer television shows. Would have been nicer if I could just stream any movie I wanted instead of the limited selection available. Still, there are some nice options up there. The quality is random. Some of them look very crisp on the large screen and some of them (HD or not) are very pixelated. I have a good broadband connection so I'm guessing it is the source not the transmission.

There is an Amazon PPV option which I haven't messed around with yet. The neatest thing, for me, is still having YouTube built into the set. Yeah, there is a lot of crap out there but all the extreme sports videos that myself or friends have downloaded over the years are instantly available to watch on the big screen. So that's kind of cool.
 

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