Free PlayStation 3 and 3D Deluxe Starter Kit with Sony NX810 Purchase

Amazon has just announced a great 3D TV Bundle offer to promote Sony’s newest line of 3D ready edge lit LED TVs – The NX810 Series. They are offering a great deal consisting of a Free Playstation 3 and Free Sony Deluxe 3D Bundle (2-3D Activeshutter glasses, 1-Alice in Wonderland 3D Blu-ray, 1-Sony 3D Sync transmitter and an HDMI cable) with every purchase of the Sony KDL-55NX810 or the KDL-46NX810 3D Ready TVs. This deal is a Holiday special and is scheduled to run out on January 1st, 2011.

Qualifying Sony 3D HDTVS

KDL-55NX810 3D TV

Check the links above if you haven’t yet read our reviews of these excellent 3D TVs from Sony. The NX810 is an excellent 3D TV that features stunning black levels (practically the same as the Panasonic Plasmas) and good picture quality, looks and great 3D performance. The primary drawback is that they don’t come with 3D glasses and a 3D sync transmitter by default. This is why we feel that this deal is extremely good and one you shouldn’t pass up if you are in the market for a good 3D TV that also has excellent 2D performance.

Keep in mind that the Playstation 3 is not only a great Videogame console but also an excellent 3D Blu-ray player!

Over all this amounts to a saving of over $550 and we think that it makes this a great deal!

In our opinion this is a really sweet 3D TV bundle deal considering you’re getting 2 pairs of 3D glasses, a 3D Sync transmitter and a Playstation 3, which, even if you don’t game, is an excellent media/video device that you can use both to view 3D Blu-Ray movies or stream media off your WiFi/LAN from your PC. Should you jump on it? If you’re in the market for a 3D TV in the 46/55 inch size range, then we’d say Yes! The NX810 has gotten great reviews (Read the positive Amazon reviews if you’d like a second opinion) and has great picture quality and 3D performance. Not to mention some stunning looks with its monolithic design and sleek glass finish.

Happy shopping! Feel free to vent in the comments section below if you’re conflicted about this, too broke to afford it, or can’t get the significant other to approve of the purchase .

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Sony KDL-46NX810 LED 3D TV Review

The Sony KDL-46NX810 is a 46 inch, 1080p, edge lit LED 3D ready TV that is part of Sony’s Bravia NX810 series of 3D televisions. The NX810 was recently introduced by Sony and in some sense combines all the nice features of both the HX800 and the LX900 lines of Sony 3D TVs. We really like the performance, features and looks of this new entry from Sony and recommend it over the HX800 and LX900 series if you can afford the higher price point of these 3D ready TVs. This is the smallest 3D TV in the NX810 Series that Sony has currently announced, with a 60 inch and 55 inch NX810 also available. The NX810 is a higher-end 3D TV offering from Sony, exceeded in performance only by the local dimming Sony HX909 series. Featuring Sony’s Opticontrast Panel technology, 3D in full HD, Dynamic Edge LED backlighting and Sony’s advanced BRAVIA Engine 3 video processing technology, the KDL46NX810 is a very attractive option for consumers looking to purchase a 3D TV featuring excellent 2D and 3D performance, stunning looks and a very nice suite of networking options (DLNA, integrated WiFi, internet apps, widgets and streaming video/movies).

Monolithic design provides an elegant, slim, single panel with a thin bezel and a finished glass look.Great 3D performance with very little cross-talk and ghosting visible.Plasma like black levels and excellent contrast ratio coupled with great backlight uniformity.Integration with other Sony equipment is seamless.Beautiful, sharp, bright picture, with a high degree of customization possible for personal preference and room conditions.The onscreen menu is perfect, and easy to navigate quickly.Motionflow PRO technology is quite well developed and does a good job with fast-motion videos without introducing much in the way of artifacts.Excellent suite of internet apps and streaming video. Best amongst all the manufacturers in 2010 so farNot as bright as some of the other LCD/LED 3D TVs. However, it is still bright enough for most viewing situations (except very brightly lit rooms that get lots of sunlight).The 3D glasses are somewhat on the heavy side making extended viewing a bit uncomfortable.While the glare reduction is good, it is still a glossy screen and not as good as preventing glare like regular matte screens.For an expensive TV, the integrated speakers are disappointing and produce tinny sound with a lack of bass. External speakers are strongly recommended with this 3D TVInternet widgets can be a bit sluggish. Will hopefully be fixed with firmware update3D Transmitter, and Glasses not included so you will need to purchase them separately

The Sony KDL-46NX810 features Sony’s stunning Monolithic design concept. This TV is quite a head turner and will form a centerpiece in most people’s living rooms. The monolithic concept essentially results in a TV composed of a single slab panel that has a very attractive glass finish. It looks great and is certainly better looking than the Panasonic VT25 Plasma 3D TV series. The bezel is quite slim and the entire panel is only 1.5 inches thick (1 3/8” to be precise). The base has a brushed metal look and can be swiveled 20 degrees on either side. While it isn’t as slim as some of the Edge-lit 3D TVs from Samsung, the NX810 does have better picture quality in comparison to the edge-lit Samsung TVs. Besides, at 1.5 inches thick, the 46NX810 is certainly slim enough to hang on your wall. In summary, this 3D TV from Sony has a very attractive design and pretty much anyone would be quite proud to display it in their living rooms.

The Sony KDL-46NX810 features a 1080p HD screen capable of delivering 3D high-definition content in all its 1080p glory. It’s a great panel for gaming as well (more on that later). The NX810 series also features Sony’s Opticontrast Panel technology which was previously available only on their LX900 and HX909 series. This consists of a clear surface treatment and a resin sheet that is sandwiched between the LCD panel and the front glass. This enables minimizing of reflection and refraction of the screen surface reducing glare and significantly enhancing contrast ratio and allowing for deeper blacks. It should be noted that the KDL46NX810 has a glossy screen so despite the opticontast technology it might still exhibit some glare in brightly lit environments. While glossy screens can never match the level of glare reduction that matte screens can provide, they do have the added advantage of much better image contrast making things “pop” and enabling deeper blacks.

The Sony KDL-46NX810 exhibits fairly good color accuracy and spot on color temperature, just like the Sony KDL-46HX800. We would certainly recommend having your TV calibrated or at least finding some suggested calibration settings (we will try to post them soon) for this TV.

One thing to take note of is that the 46NX810 has an Ambient sensor that tries to adjust the color and backlighting of the television based on the ambient light conditions. While this is an interesting idea (and certainly not novel at this point), it works against you more often than not and we would highly recommend that you turn this feature off so that you don’t have to deal with sudden variations in color and/or backlight brightness while you are watching TV.

The Bravia Engine 3 conducts its magic in the background helping enhance image detail, reducing noise, optimizing color and contrast, and doing all those things you would like of a TV to do that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside.

As mentioned earlier, the Opticontrast Panel technology on the KDL-46NX810 does a surprisingly good job at producing great black levels and reducing glare. The NX810 has surprised many by exhibiting Plasma panel like black levels, very comparable with those found on the Panasonic TC-P54VT25. This is achieved by a combination of the opticontrast panel technology and the dynamic local dimming edge-lit LED lighting on this TV. The enhanced glare reduction is certainly noticeable if you compare this TV in a store against similarly priced glossy screen TVs. On the slightly negative side, such great black levels are accompanied by a display that is lacking in total brightness compared to most other LED/LCD TVs. However, the Sony KDL-46NX810 is still much brighter than plasma panels, and the brightness is certainly more than enough to produce great pictures in most situations. However, keep in mind that if you tend to watch TV in a bright environment and are used to cranking up the brightness and backlight on your TVs, then this might not be the TV for you. Shadow details are quite nice and you don’t have the low level details being crushed into muddy black soup.

The contrast on this TV is also very impressive, although certainly not as impressive or as Sony’s “Infinite Black” contrast ratio rating which if you’ve been in the game long enough, you will realize is just another ploy by the manufacturers to make you believe that your TV is capable of something no TV really is. The contrast ratio is hurt to some extent by the lower net brightness of this panel, but it is still excellent and in our opinion a worthwhile trade-off for stunning Plasma like black levels.

The Sony KDL46NX810 is an edge lit LED 3D TV that features Sony’s “Dynamic Edge LED” technology. Essentially what this is, is an edge lit LED that also has some amount of “local dimming”. I say “local dimming” in quotes because edge lit LEDs don’t really have true local dimming since the panel of LEDs on the sides and top/bottom of the panel are being dimmed to try and improve black levels and the contrast of the screen. While this works fairly well, it isn’t as good as backlit LED/CCFL panels that feature local dimming, since they have complete control on the backlight level at any location on the screen.
Having said that, the NX810 series has been excellent backlight uniformity for for an edge lit 3D TV, and performs better than the Samsung edge lit LED 3D TVs as well as it’s lesser cousin, the 46HX800. Flashlighting and clouding on the NX810 are almost negligible unless you are unlucky enough to get a faulty set or have extremely picky tastes and sensitive eyes. Keep in mind that you should always test your TV when you set it up at home as edge lit local dimming technology is isn’t very mature and there is a chance that you might receive a television that shows visible clouding and flashlighting.

The Sony Bravia KDL-46NX810 features Sony’s MotionFlow PRO 240Hz technology to preserve detail and clarity in fast motion scenes while preventing ghosting, something that was common in LED/LCD TVs in the past. This technology is similar to the fast motion processing that pretty much all 3D LED/LCD TVs employ. If you want to learn more about what the 240Hz means along with what the MotionFlow PRO is actually doing to improve TV performance in fast-motion scenes, read our article on what the Hz numbers means for LCD displays.

Sony’s MotionFlow PRO algorithm is very effective and does help in preserving details and allowing for smooth transitions during fast scenes. You will however have to play with the various settings in the TV as the extreme level can introduce artifacts and give the video content a very “home-video” like look. It’s hard to explain till you actually see it, but when you do, you’ll know to just go into the menu and tone down the level of MotionFlow processing to the input video signal. It should be mentioned that the MotionFlow PRO technology from Sony is one of the best fast-motion algorithms on current TVs in that it achieves its desired purpose while minimizing the “soap-opera” effect that plagues most sets that use such types of video processing algorithms.

The KDL46NX810 is very effective at displaying 24p video content (Blu-Rays) without any visual stuttering.

As with the other Edge-lit LED 3D TVs available such as the Samsung UN46C7000, the 46NX810 does not have the best performance when it comes to Viewing Angle. This is fundamentally a long standing limitation of LED/LCD displays due to the directional nature of the backlighting. In the case of the 46NX810, it certainly has improved on the viewing angle front in comparison to the 46HX800. You will notice a pronounced drop in the contrast ratio and the image will begin to look washed out once you exceed around 25-30 degrees on either side of the normal to the TV screen. This will also have worse implications for viewing 3D content at larger off-axis angles.

We definitely advise you to keep this in mind when buying your 3D TV. If you expect to view your TV from a number of locations, especially some that are at quite a large angle to the TV screen, we would strongly recommend considering a Plasma 3D TV such as the excellent Panasonic TC-P50VT25 or the Samsung PN58C8000. Plasma displays have an inherent advantage over LED/LCD TVs when it comes to viewing angle. If you’d like to learn more about the differences between LCD and Plasma 3D TVs, do check out our article comparing LCD vs Plasma 3D TVs.

The optimal viewing distance for this 46 inch 3D TV is approximately 6 to 9 feet. Of course, this isn’t a hard rule but it would provide you the most immersive 3D experience at these distances. Be sure to read our guide on the optimal viewing distance for your 3D TV. It will help you correctly choose the ideal TV screen size and viewing distance for your home.

While the 2D performance of the KDL-46NX810 is quite stunning, the 3D performance is also very good. One important thing to note is that the Sony KDL-46NX810 does not come bundled with the 3D Sync Transmitter and 3D Glasses needed for utilizing the 3D capabilities of this TV. While this may seem like a negative, it also means that the TV sells for a lower price and for those who want to wait on adopting the 3D technology, they can buy a great set that performs well for 2D while retaining the peace of mind of being able to upgrade to 3D if they decided to. If you’re lucky, Amazon tends to sell this TV in a bundle with a free pair of 3D Glasses and the Sony 3D Sync Transmitter. Click here to check the latest SONY 3D TV bundle deal from Amazon.

The 3D performance on the whole is quite good. The Sony 3D Glasses are very comfortable and more importantly allow you to comfortably wear them over prescription eyeglasses. Another nice feature of the glasses is that they use standard CR2032 batteries (you can purchase rechargeable versions online) and with regular usage, the batteries can last a few months. This is also nice because if you keep a few spare ones around, you can always swap out batteries without having to completely halt your movie viewing as you wait for your 3D glasses to recharge.

Another positive for the Sony activeshutter 3D glasses and 3D Sync transmitter is that they are able to communicate quite well without losing sync thus reducing cross-talk, ghosting and flickering while watching 3D content. The Sony NX810 series has shown less visible ghosting than comparable Samsung and LG sets, as well as the Sony HX800 series, which is a big plus for this series when it comes to 3D performance. One drawback of the 3D Active Shutter glasses from Sony is that they are a bit on the heavy side and over a long movie can get a bit uncomfortable or tiring.

2D->3D Content Conversion: While many treat this as a gimmick, it is certainly fun to have, especially when there is still a scarcity in the total 3D content available. Sony has done a surprisingly good job at making this feature work fairly well. Make no mistake, this will not look nearly as good as native 3D content, but it still works acceptably well for many video sources and can be a fun way to watch regular cable.

One drawback with the 3D on this set is that tilting your head causes the 3D effect to be lost. So if you tend to lounge around and lie down while watching your movies, you might not like this. Also, tilting your head can give rise to some color tinting. The 3D performance itself is exceptional and works very well when you are watching the TV straight on without any major head tilt. We should note that a couple of websites have panned the 3D performance of the NX810 series, but if you look at the large number of user reviews on sites like Amazon, Vanns or on forums like avsforum, you will find that the vast majority of users are exceptionally satisfied with the 3D performance of the 46NX810.

Another nice aspect of the Sony 3D Glasses is that they do not tend to flicker when viewing an outside light source, an issue that has been reported on the Samsung and Panasonic 3D TVs.

This TV is absolutely gorgeous for 3D gaming. Obviously, being an LED 3D TV, you don’t have to worry about screen burn-in when gaming, something that will always bother you in the back of your mind if you have a plasma. While plasma screen technology has come a long way and is almost completely immune to burn-in, you still risk burn-in, especially if you are a hardcore gamer spending several hours a day gaming. Gran Turismo 5 in 3D mode is a must try for people who like 3D (make sure to use Native 3D mode from within the game options).

This TV has a “Game Mode” that turns off a lot of processing (Local Dimming, DRC and MotionFlow) that tends to introduce additional input lag. With vanilla “Game mode”, the lag is around 30-40ms. Turning on Local Dimming separately costs you another frame, so an additional 16.67ms of input lag. This should still be very acceptable for gaming purposes. Motionflow (or Smooth mode) costs you an additional 16.67ms, but might make the lag too much depending on what type of game you are playing. DRC costs you 2-3 frames and should be kept off during video gaming. In any case, it isn’t much use for videogaming as it is primarily meant for displaying SD content so you won’t miss out on much having this turned off.

The onscreen menu is perfect, and easy to navigate across quickly. It uses the same Xross MediaBar menu system that is found on a number of Sony products, including the Playstation 3. It is quite intuitive and coupled with the responsiveness of the TV controls, makes for a pleasurable user experience.

Of all the current manufacturers, Sony has the best Media/Internet suite available on their Bravia line of televisions. The KDL-46NX810 can be hooked up to the internet via the Ethernet port or via the integrated WiFi on this device. Depending on how good your WiFi connection is, you might need to connect your TV to the internet via Ethernet for streaming HD movies.
This TV is DLNA certified, meaning that you can stream content seamlessly from your PC or DLNA certified devices. The BRAVIA Internet Video suite offers over 36 channels including Netflix, Pandora, You Tube, Amazon VOD and many others. In addition, Sony has launched the Qriocity channel, which is its own video store when you can pay a small fee to rent a digital download.

The KDL-46NX810 also features a number of internet widgets which let you quickly access news headlines, weather information or play games while watching TV. It also includes widgets for Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. One thing to note: The widgets are quite sluggish on the NX810 at the moment. Hopefully this will be addressed in a future firmware update.

Inputs: 4 HDMI, 2 component, 1 composite, 1 PC, 1 USB, 1 Ethernet, 1 optical digital audio output

In terms of the audio, the 46NX810 is quite disappointing and has a very tinny, low bass sound despite having 3 speakers on the TV. You will definitely want to hook this 3D TV up to an external speaker system to get the best home-theater experience possible.

This Sony BRAVIA KDL-46NX810 is a very impressive LED 3D TV from Sony that features excellent 2D and 3D performance and provides good value for money with accurate colors, plasma like black levels, and good backlight uniformity. For 3D enthusiasts, the downside is that they will have to spend extra on a 3D sync emitter and 3D active shutter glasses but the good news is that this is one of the best LED 3D TVs currently available and has less cross-talk and ghosting issues compared to some of the competition from Samsung. The nice assortment of internet apps and widgets is a pleasant addition and all-in-all, we’d definitely recommend that you consider the 46NX810 when deciding on purchasing a 46 inch 3D Ready TV.

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Sony KDL-40HX800 LED 3D TV Review

The Sony KDL-40HX800 is a 40 inch, 1080p, edge lit LED 3D ready TV that is part of Sony’s Bravia HX800 series of 3D televisions. This is the largest 3D TV in the HX800 Series that Sony has currently announced. The HX800 is the consumer range 3D TV offering from Sony in 2010. Featuring Sony’s Deep Black Panel display technology, 3D in full HD, Dynamic Edge LED backlighting and Sony’s advanced BRAVIA Engine 3 video processing technology, the KDL40HX800 is a very attractive option for consumers looking to buy an LED 3D TV that offers good value for money.

Excellent black levels, and great backlight uniformity for an edge lit LED TV.Great 3D performance with minimal crosstalk and ghosting unlike some of the Samsung 3D LED TVs.3D Glasses sync well with the TV minimizing any flickeringMotionflow PRO technology is quite well developed and does a good job with fast-motion videos without introducing much in the way of artifacts.Excellent suite of internet apps and widgets. Best amongst all the manufacturers in 2010 so farIts reflective, glossy, surface may sometimes reflect some direct sunlight. While the anti-glare Deep Panel Black technology does a great job, it still can’t completely mitigate on-screen glare in brightly lit environments.Viewing angle is a bit tight. After around 15 degrees on each side, visible drop in contrast.Integrated speakers sound a bit tinny.Measuring at about 3 inches, this Sony 3D TV isn’t as slim as some of the other 3D TVs in this class.3D Transmitter, and Glasses not included so you will need to purchase them separately

While the Sony KDL-40HX800 isn’t the most attractive/elegant looking TV compared to some of the higher end “designer” televisions being sold by Sony, Samsung and other manufacturers, it isn’t an eye-sore either and looks fairly attractive on the whole. It features a high gloss, plastic and moderately slim bezel. The screen itself measures approximately 3 inches in thickness (2 7/8” to be precise) making it quite slim in profile and very suitable for mounting on walls if that is what you desire. It should be noted that Samsung sells much slimmer 3D TVs in the C7000, C8000 and C9000 range of televisions, but dimensions aren’t the only important factor when judging a television. All-in-all the TV looks fairly attractive for its price point but lacks the “Oomf!” factor that some might want out of their next television purchase. However, what it may lack in looks, it does make up with performance at its price-point.

The Sony KDL-40HX800 features a 1080p full HD screen capable of delivering 3D high-definition content in all its 1080p glory. It’s a great panel for gaming as well (more on that later). This panel also features Sony’s Deep Black Panel technology which essentially consists of special optical coatings on the glass in front of the LED panel that enhances contrast and black levels while also reducing glare. It should be noted that the 40HX800 has a glossy screen so it is susceptible to some extent to external reflections and glare depending on the ambient lighting. While glossy screens can never match the level of glare reduction that matte screens can provide, they do have the added advantage of much better image contrast making things “pop”. Another plus for the 40HX800 is that the Deep Black Panel coating actually works reasonably well. Unless you are extremely sensitive to glare or view your TV in a very bright room without being able to control the ambient lighting in any way, the 40HX800 should perform well in your living room.

The Sony KDL-40HX800 exhibits quite impressive color accuracy for being a consumer-range 3D TV offering from Sony. We would certainly recommend having your TV calibrated or at least finding some suggested calibration settings (we will try to post them soon) for this TV.

One thing to take note of is that the 40HX800 has an Ambient sensor that tries to adjust the color and backlighting of the television based on the ambient light conditions. While this is an interesting idea (and certainly not novel at this point), it works against you more often than not and we would highly recommend that you turn this feature off so that you don’t have to deal with sudden variations in color and/or backlight brightness while you are watching TV.

One very interesting aspect of this 3D TV is that the Sony active shutter 3D glasses actually have a mild amber tint. It doesn’t take someone to be Sherlock Holmes to wonder if wearing the glasses would compromise the color accuracy and your 3D viewing experience when wearing the Sony 3D glasses. Fortunately for us, the clever engineers at Sony have worked around this by automatically shifting the amount of blue in the image being displayed when the 40HX800 is set to any one of its 3D viewing modes thus negating the effect of the amber tinted 3D glasses. Pretty neat stuff!

The Bravia Engine 3 conducts its magic in the background helping enhance mage detail, reducing noise, optimizing color and contrast, and doing all those things you would like of a TV to do that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside.

The specially coated Deep Black Panel does a surprisingly good job at producing great black levels (much better than expected) and sucking up stray ambient light for a consumer range 3D TV. The enhanced glare reduction is certainly noticeable if you compare this TV in a store against similarly priced glossy screen TVs. While the black levels are certainly not as good as the Panasonic 3D TVs, one has to keep in mind that this is an LED TV and while it may not have the lowest black levels of all 3D TVs, it is still quite impressive and makes up for it by virtue of its ability to produce much brighter images than your typical plasma TV. Shadow details are quite nice and you don’t have the low level details being crushed into muddy black soup.

The contrast on this TV is also very impressive, although certainly not as impressive or as Sony’s “Infinite Black” contrast ratio rating which if you’ve been in the game long enough, you will realize is just another ploy by the manufacturers to make you believe that your TV is capable of something no TV really is. Once you have spent some time with this 3D TV, you will begin to notice the mediocre black levels on cheaper/ more traditional LED/LCD TVs that we have grown accustomed to in the past years.

The Sony KDL-40HX800 is an edge lit LED 3D TV that features Sony’s “Dynamic Edge LED” technology. Essentially what this is, is an edge lit LED that also has some amount of “local dimming”. I say “local dimming” in quotes because edge lit LEDs don’t really have true local dimming since the panel of LEDs on the sides and top/bottom of the panel are being dimmed to try and improve black levels and the contrast of the screen. While this works fairly well, it isn’t as good as backlit LED/CCFL panels that feature local dimming, since they have complete control on the backlight level at any location on the screen.

Having said that, the HX800 series has been reported to have very good uniformity for an edge lit 3D TV, and performs better than the Samsung edge lit LED 3D TVs in this area. Flashlighting and clouding on the HX800 are not much of an issue for the most part. However, keep in mind that you should always test your TV when you set it up at home as edge lit local dimming technology isn’t very mature and there is a chance that you might receive a television that shows visible clouding and flashlighting.

The Sony Bravia KDL-40HX800 employs Sony’s MotionFlow PRO 240Hz technology to preserve detail and clarity in fast motion scenes while preventing ghosting, something that was common in LED/LCD TVs in the past. This technology is similar to the fast motion processing that pretty much all 3D LED/LCD TVs employ. If you want to learn more about what the 240Hz means along with what the MotionFlow PRO is actually doing to improve TV performance in fast-motion scenes, read our article on what the Hz numbers means for LCD displays.

Sony’s MotionFlow PRO algorithm is very effective and does help in preserving details and allowing for smooth transitions during fast scenes. You will however have to play with the various settings in the TV as the extreme level can introduce artifacts and give the video content a very “home-video” like look. It’s hard to explain till you actually see it, but when you do, you’ll know to just go into the menu and tone down the level of MotionFlow processing to the input video signal.

The KDL40HX800 is very effective at displaying 24p video content (Blu-Rays) without any visual stuttering.

As with the other Edge-lit LED 3D TVs available such as the Samsung UN40C7000, the 40HX800 does not have the best performance when it comes to Viewing Angle. This is fundamentally a long standing limitation of LED/LCD displays due to the directional nature of the backlighting. As a result, once you go more than 15 degrees off the center axis on either side of the TV, you will notice a pronounced drop in the contrast ratio and the image will begin to look washed out. This will also have worse implications for viewing 3D content at larger off-axis angles.

We definitely advise you to keep this in mind when buying your 3D TV. If you expect to view your TV from a number of locations, especially some that are at quite an angle to the TV screen, we would strongly recommend considering a Plasma 3D TV such as the excellent Panasonic TC-P54VT25 or the Samsung PN58C8000. Plasma displays have an inherent advantage over LED/LCD TVs when it comes to viewing angle. If you’d like to learn more about the differences between LCD and Plasma 3D TVs, do check out our article comparing LCD vs Plasma 3D TVs.

The optimal viewing distance for this 40 inch 3D TV is approximately 5 to 8 feet. Of course, this isn’t a hard rule but it would provide you the most immersive 3D experience at these distances. Be sure to read our guide on the optimal viewing distance for your 3D TV. It will help you correctly choose the ideal TV screen size and viewing distance for your home.

Sony's Activeshutter 3D Glasses

While the 2D performance of the KDLHX800 is quite stunning, how is the 3D performance? Well, the first thing to note is that the Sony KDL-HX800 does not come bundled with the 3D Sync Transmitter and 3D Glasses needed for utilizing the 3D capabilities of this TV. While this may seem like a negative, it also means that the TV sells for a lower price and for those who want to wait on adopting the 3D technology, they can buy a great set that performs well for 2D while retaining the peace of mind of being able to upgrade to 3D if they decided to.

The 3D performance on the whole is quite good. The Sony 3D Glasses are very comfortable and more importantly allow you to comfortably wear them over prescription eyeglasses. Another nice feature of the glasses is that they use standard CR2032 batteries (you can purchase rechargeable versions online) and with regular usage, the batteries can last a few months. This is also nice because if you keep a few spare ones around, you can always swap out batteries without having to completely halt your movie viewing as you wait for your 3D glasses to recharge.

Another positive for the Sony activeshutter 3D glasses and 3D Sync transmitter is that they are able to communicate quite well without losing sync thus reducing cross-talk, ghosting and flickering while watching 3D content. The Sony HX800 series has shown less visible ghosting than comparable Samsung and LG sets, which is a big plus for this series when it comes to 3D performance.

2D->3D Content Conversion: While many treat this as a gimmick, it is certainly fun to have, especially when there is still a scarcity in the total 3D content available. Sony has done a surprisingly good job at making this feature work fairly well. Make no mistake, this will not look nearly as good as native 3D content, but it still works acceptably well for many video sources and can be a fun way to watch regular cable.

One drawback with the 3D on this set is that tilting your head causes the 3D effect to be lost. So if you tend to lounge around and lie down while watching your movies, you might not like this. Also, tilting your head can give rise to some color tinting. The 3D performance itself is exceptional and works very well when you are watching the TV straight on without any major head tilt.

Another nice aspect of the Sony 3D Glasses is that they do not tend to flicker when viewing an outside light source, an issue that has been reported on the Samsung and Panasonic 3D TVs.

This TV is absolutely gorgeous for 3D gaming. Obviously, being an LED 3D TV, you don’t have to worry about screen burn-in when gaming, something that will always bother you in the back of your mind if you have a plasma. While plasma screen technology has come a long way and is almost completely immune to burn-in, you still risk burn-in, especially if you are a hardcore gamer spending several hours a day gaming. Gran Turismo 5 in 3D mode is a must try for people who like 3D (make sure to use Native 3D mode from within the game options).

A quick note on input lag on the KDL40HX800. This tv has a “Game Mode” that turns off a lot of processing (Local Dimming, DRC and MotionFlow) that tends to introduce additional input lag. With vanilla “Game mode”, the lag is around 30-40ms. Turning on Local Dimming separately costs you another frame, so an additional 16.67ms of input lag. This should still be very acceptable for gaming purposes. Motionflow (or Smooth mode) costs you an additional 16.67ms, but might make the lag too much depending on what type of game you are playing. DRC costs you 2-3 frames and should be kept off during video gaming. In any case, it isn’t much use for videogaming as it is primarily meant for displaying SD content so you won’t miss out on much having this turned off.

Of all the current manufacturers, Sony has the best Media/Internet suite available on their Bravia line of televisions. The KDL-40HX800 can be hooked up to the internet via the Ethernet port or if you buy an optional USB Wifi adapter (Note: It has to be a Sony adapter, generic ones don’t work with the set). Our advice to you would be to skip buying a WiFi adapter and making sure to connect via an Ethernet cable. The reason being, that streaming videos over WiFi usually leaves a lot to be desired and is a less satisfying experience.

This TV is DLNA certified, meaning that you can stream content seamlessly from your PC or DLNA certified devices. The BRAVIA Internet Video suite offers over 36 channels including Netflix, Pandora, You Tube, Amazon VOD and many others. In addition, Sony has launched the Qriocity channel, which is its own video store when you can pay a small fee to rent a digital download.

The KDL-40HX800 also features a number of internet widgets which let you quickly access news headlines, weather information or play games while watching TV. It also includes widgets for Facebook, Twitter and Flickr

Inputs: 4 HDMI, 2 component, 2 composite, 1 PC, 1 USB, 1 Ethernet, 1 optical digital audio output

One thing to note is that the integrated TV speakers on the KDL40HX800 are a bit tinny and not the best quality. Ideally, you should look to hook this up to external speakers.

This Sony BRAVIA KDL40HX800 is a very capable edge lit LED TV that performs very well on both the 2D and 3D fronts and provides excellent value for money. Many consumers have praised this TV for its breathtaking color and black levels. While some TVs suffer from flashlighting and clouding issues, by and large the 40HX800 seems to have less issues in those areas. For 3D enthusiasts, the downside is that they will have to spend extra on a 3D sync emitter and 3D active shutter glasses but the good news is that this is one of the best LED 3D TVs currently available and has less cross-talk and ghosting issues compared to some of the competition from Samsung. The nice assortment of internet apps and widgets is a pleasant addition and all-in-all, we’d definitely recommend that you consider this television when deciding on purchasing a 40 inch 3D Ready TV.

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46″ Toshiba 3D TV, Free 3D Glasses and Blu-Ray Player for $1200

We bring news of a great 3D TV Bundle deal that was recently announced by Amazon as part of their Holiday deals this year.  This deal is promoting Toshiba’s recently released 46WX800 3D LED TV. They are bundling 2 pairs of Toshiba’s 3D Glasses and a Toshiba 3D Blu-Ray disc player for Free. This is a Christmas deal and is scheduled to run out on December 31st, 2010.

Qualifying Toshiba 3D HDTVS

Check the link above for more details on this newly released 3D TV from Toshiba. You can also read plenty of positive reviews from Amazon users who have purchased this set. While we haven’t had a chance to review this set yet (it was released very recently), we have researched user reviews and feedback on a number of forums as well as those on Amazon and all the early indicators point to the WX800 series being an excellent value for money proposition for budget conscious shoppers looking for a great 3D TV deal this holiday season. The TV features edge-lit LED lighting with local dimming that works quite well, has very uniform backlighting with no reported flashlighting, or cloudiness for majority of customers so far and is actually quite an attractive TV. The Toshiba 3D Active shutter glasses are very comfortable (more-so than Sony’s or Panasonic’s) and the 3D works fairly well with little cross talk if you have good 3D content being fed to the TV. While it doesn’t have the 2D->3D upconversion features that some of the latest 3D TVs do, that shouldn’t be a deal breaker for most folks as it is something that never works very well to begin with. It also features some neat internet widgets that work quite well.

Overall, this amounts to a saving of over $1500 which is pretty nice!

Let’s look at what you’re getting. For around $1200, you are getting an excellent 46 inch 3D TV, 2 pairs of Free 3D Glasses and a 3D Blu-Ray player. Now consider that most 3D TVs from the other manufacturers cost over $1000 more just for the TV alone, and a lot of them such as the Sony TVs don’t include a 3D transmitter, glasses or a blu-ray player. So this is definitely a really slick deal and we strongly recommend you consider getting it. With Amazon’s excellent return policies, it is probably worth it to just give it a shot, see how you like it, and if you’re not happy for any reason, you can easily return it for a refund. And if you like it, you just saved yourself over $1500 and bought a pretty sweet 3D TV for a really nice price!

Happy shopping! Let us know if you scored a 3D TV using this deal. Feel free to vent in the comments section below if you’re conflicted about this, too broke to afford it, or can’t get the significant other to approve of the purchase .

Best 3D TVs » 3D TV Deals » 46? Toshiba 3D TV, Free 3D Glasses and Blu-Ray Player for $1200

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Sony KDL-46HX800 LED 3D TV Review

The Sony KDL-46HX800 is a 46 inch, 1080p, edge lit LED 3D ready TV that is part of Sony’s Bravia HX800 series of 3D televisions. This is the middle sized HX800 of the 3 3D TVs that Sony has released in 2010. The HX800 is the consumer range 3D TV offering from Sony in 2010. Featuring Sony’s Deep Black Panel display technology, 3D in full HD, Dynamic Edge LED backlighting and Sony’s advanced BRAVIA Engine 3 video processing technology, the KDL46HX800 is a very attractive option for consumers looking to buy an LED 3D TV that offers good value for money.

Excellent black levels, and great backlight uniformity for a consumer-range, edge lit LED TV.Good 3D performance with minimal crosstalk and ghosting unlike some of the Samsung 3D LED TVs.3D Glasses sync well with the TV minimizing any flickeringMotionflow PRO technology is quite well developed and does a good job with fast-motion videos without introducing much in the way of artifacts.Excellent suite of internet apps and widgets. Best amongst all the manufacturers in 2010 so farIts reflective, glossy, surface may sometimes reflect some direct sunlight. While the anti-glare Deep Panel Black technology does a great job, it still can’t completely mitigate on-screen glare in brightly lit environments.Viewing angle is a bit tight. After around 15 degrees on each side, visible drop in contrast.Integrated speakers sound a bit tinny.Measuring at about 3 inches, this Sony 3D TV isn’t as slim as some of the other 3D TVs in this class.3D Transmitter, and Glasses not included so you will need to purchase them separately

While the Sony KDL-46HX800 isn’t the most attractive/elegant looking TV compared to some of the higher end “designer” televisions being sold by Sony, Samsung and other manufacturers, it isn’t an eye-sore either and looks fairly attractive on the whole. It features a high gloss, plastic and moderately slim bezel. The screen itself measures approximately 3 inches in thickness (2 7/8” to be precise) making it quite slim in profile and very suitable for mounting on walls if that is what you desire. It should be noted that Samsung sells much slimmer 3D TVs in the C7000, C8000 and C9000 range of televisions, but dimensions aren’t the only important factor when judging a television. All-in-all the TV looks fairly attractive for its price point but lacks the “Oomf!” factor that some might want out of their next television purchase. However, what it may lack in looks, it does make up with performance at its price-point.

The Sony KDL-46HX800 features a 1080p full HD screen capable of delivering 3D high-definition content in all its 1080p glory. It’s a great panel for gaming as well (more on that later). This panel also features Sony’s Deep Black Panel technology which essentially consists of special optical coatings on the glass in front of the LED panel that enhances contrast and black levels while also reducing glare. It should be noted that the 46HX800 has a glossy screen so it is susceptible to some extent to external reflections and glare depending on the ambient lighting. While glossy screens can never match the level of glare reduction that matte screens can provide, they do have the added advantage of much better image contrast making things “pop”. Another plus for the 46HX800 is that the Deep Black Panel coating actually works reasonably well. Unless you are extremely sensitive to glare or view your TV in a very bright room without being able to control the ambient lighting in any way, the 46HX800 should perform well in your living room.

The Sony KDL-46HX800 exhibits quite impressive color accuracy for being a consumer-range 3D TV offering from Sony. We would certainly recommend having your TV calibrated or at least finding some suggested calibration settings (we will try to post them soon) for this TV.

One thing to take note of is that the 46HX800 has an Ambient sensor that tries to adjust the color and backlighting of the television based on the ambient light conditions. While this is an interesting idea (and certainly not novel at this point), it works against you more often than not and we would highly recommend that you turn this feature off so that you don’t have to deal with sudden variations in color and/or backlight brightness while you are watching TV.

One very interesting aspect of this 3D TV is that the Sony active shutter 3D glasses actually have a mild amber tint. It doesn’t take someone to be Sherlock Holmes to wonder if wearing the glasses would compromise the color accuracy and your 3D viewing experience when wearing the Sony 3D glasses. Fortunately for us, the clever engineers at Sony have worked around this by automatically shifting the amount of blue in the image being displayed when the 46HX800 is set to any one of its 3D viewing modes thus negating the effect of the amber tinted 3D glasses. Pretty neat stuff!

The Bravia Engine 3 conducts its magic in the background helping enhance mage detail, reducing noise, optimizing color and contrast, and doing all those things you would like of a TV to do that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside.

The specially coated Deep Black Panel does a surprisingly good job at producing great black levels (much better than expected) and sucking up stray ambient light for a consumer range 3D TV. The enhanced glare reduction is certainly noticeable if you compare this TV in a store against similarly priced glossy screen TVs. While the black levels are certainly not as good as the Panasonic 3D TVs, one has to keep in mind that this is an LED TV and while it may not have the lowest black levels of all 3D TVs, it is still quite impressive and makes up for it by virtue of its ability to produce much brighter images than your typical plasma TV. Shadow details are quite nice and you don’t have the low level details being crushed into muddy black soup.

The contrast on this TV is also very impressive, although certainly not as impressive or as Sony’s “Infinite Black” contrast ratio rating which if you’ve been in the game long enough, you will realize is just another ploy by the manufacturers to make you believe that your TV is capable of something no TV really is. Once you have spent some time with this 3D TV, you will begin to notice the mediocre black levels on cheaper/ more traditional LED/LCD TVs that we have grown accustomed to in the past years.

The Sony KDL-46HX800 is an edge lit LED 3D TV that features Sony’s “Dynamic Edge LED” technology. Essentially what this is, is an edge lit LED that also has some amount of “local dimming”. I say “local dimming” in quotes because edge lit LEDs don’t really have true local dimming since the panel of LEDs on the sides and top/bottom of the panel are being dimmed to try and improve black levels and the contrast of the screen. While this works fairly well, it isn’t as good as backlit LED/CCFL panels that feature local dimming, since they have complete control on the backlight level at any location on the screen.

Having said that, the HX800 series has been reported to have very good uniformity for an edge lit 3D TV, and performs better than the Samsung edge lit LED 3D TVs in this area. Flashlighting and clouding on the HX800 are not much of an issue for the most part. However, keep in mind that you should always test your TV when you set it up at home as edge lit local dimming technology isn’t very mature and there is a chance that you might receive a television that shows visible clouding and flashlighting.

The Sony Bravia KDL-46HX800 employs Sony’s MotionFlow PRO 240Hz technology to preserve detail and clarity in fast motion scenes while preventing ghosting, something that was common in LED/LCD TVs in the past. This technology is similar to the fast motion processing that pretty much all 3D LED/LCD TVs employ. If you want to learn more about what the 240Hz means along with what the MotionFlow PRO is actually doing to improve TV performance in fast-motion scenes, read our article on what the Hz numbers means for LCD displays.

Sony’s MotionFlow PRO algorithm is very effective and does help in preserving details and allowing for smooth transitions during fast scenes. You will however have to play with the various settings in the TV as the extreme level can introduce artifacts and give the video content a very “home-video” like look. It’s hard to explain till you actually see it, but when you do, you’ll know to just go into the menu and tone down the level of MotionFlow processing to the input video signal.

The KDL46HX800 is very effective at displaying 24p video content (Blu-Rays) without any visual stuttering.

As with the other Edge-lit LED 3D TVs available such as the Samsung UN46C8000, the 46HX800 does not have the best performance when it comes to Viewing Angle. This is fundamentally a long standing limitation of LED/LCD displays due to the directional nature of the backlighting. As a result, once you go more than 15 degrees off the center axis on either side of the TV, you will notice a pronounced drop in the contrast ratio and the image will begin to look washed out. This will also have worse implications for viewing 3D content at larger off-axis angles.

We definitely advise you to keep this in mind when buying your 3D TV. If you expect to view your TV from a number of locations, especially some that are at quite an angle to the TV screen, we would strongly recommend considering a Plasma 3D TV such as the excellent Panasonic TC-P50VT25 or the Samsung PN50C8000. Plasma displays have an inherent advantage over LED/LCD TVs when it comes to viewing angle. If you’d like to learn more about the differences between LCD and Plasma 3D TVs, do check out our article comparing LCD vs Plasma 3D TVs.

The optimal viewing distance for this 46 inch 3D TV is approximately 7 to 10 feet. Of course, this isn’t a hard rule but it would provide you the most immersive 3D experience at these distances. Be sure to read our guide on the optimal viewing distance for your 3D TV. It will help you correctly choose the ideal TV screen size and viewing distance for your home.

Sony's Activeshutter 3D Glasses

While the 2D performance of the KDLHX800 is quite stunning, how is the 3D performance? Well, the first thing to note is that the Sony KDL-HX800 does not come bundled with the 3D Sync Transmitter and 3D Glasses needed for utilizing the 3D capabilities of this TV. While this may seem like a negative, it also means that the TV sells for a lower price and for those who want to wait on adopting the 3D technology, they can buy a great set that performs well for 2D while retaining the peace of mind of being able to upgrade to 3D if they decided to.

The 3D performance on the whole is quite good. The Sony 3D Glasses are very comfortable and more importantly allow you to comfortably wear them over prescription eyeglasses. Another nice feature of the glasses is that they use standard CR2032 batteries (you can purchase rechargeable versions online) and with regular usage, the batteries can last a few months. This is also nice because if you keep a few spare ones around, you can always swap out batteries without having to completely halt your movie viewing as you wait for your 3D glasses to recharge.

Another positive for the Sony activeshutter 3D glasses and 3D Sync transmitter is that they are able to communicate quite well without losing sync thus reducing cross-talk, ghosting and flickering while watching 3D content. The Sony HX800 series has shown less visible ghosting than comparable Samsung and LG sets, which is a big plus for this series when it comes to 3D performance.

2D->3D Content Conversion: While many treat this as a gimmick, it is certainly fun to have, especially when there is still a scarcity in the total 3D content available. Sony has done a surprisingly good job at making this feature work fairly well. Make no mistake, this will not look nearly as good as native 3D content, but it still works acceptably well for many video sources and can be a fun way to watch regular cable.

One drawback with the 3D on this set is that tilting your head causes the 3D effect to be lost. So if you tend to lounge around and lie down while watching your movies, you might not like this. Also, tilting your head can give rise to some color tinting. The 3D performance itself is exceptional and works very well when you are watching the TV straight on without any major head tilt.

Another nice aspect of the Sony 3D Glasses is that they do not tend to flicker when viewing an outside light source, an issue that has been reported on the Samsung and Panasonic 3D TVs.

This TV is absolutely gorgeous for 3D gaming. Obviously, being an LED 3D TV, you don’t have to worry about screen burn-in when gaming, something that will always bother you in the back of your mind if you have a plasma. While plasma screen technology has come a long way and is almost completely immune to burn-in, you still risk burn-in, especially if you are a hardcore gamer spending several hours a day gaming. Gran Turismo 5 in 3D mode is a must try for people who like 3D (make sure to use Native 3D mode from within the game options).

A quick note on input lag on the KDL46HX800. This tv has a “Game Mode” that turns off a lot of processing (Local Dimming, DRC and MotionFlow) that tends to introduce additional input lag. With vanilla “Game mode”, the lag is around 30-40ms. Turning on Local Dimming separately costs you another frame, so an additional 16.67ms of input lag. This should still be very acceptable for gaming purposes. Motionflow (or Smooth mode) costs you an additional 16.67ms, but might make the lag too much depending on what type of game you are playing. DRC costs you 2-3 frames and should be kept off during video gaming. In any case, it isn’t much use for videogaming as it is primarily meant for displaying SD content so you won’t miss out on much having this turned off.

Of all the current manufacturers, Sony has the best Media/Internet suite available on their Bravia line of televisions. The KDL-46HX800 can be hooked up to the internet via the Ethernet port or if you buy an optional USB Wifi adapter (Note: It has to be a Sony adapter, generic ones don’t work with the set). Our advice to you would be to skip buying a WiFi adapter and making sure to connect via an Ethernet cable. The reason being, that streaming videos over WiFi usually leaves a lot to be desired and is a less satisfying experience.

This TV is DLNA certified, meaning that you can stream content seamlessly from your PC or DLNA certified devices. The BRAVIA Internet Video suite offers over 36 channels including Netflix, Pandora, You Tube, Amazon VOD and many others. In addition, Sony has launched the Qriocity channel, which is its own video store when you can pay a small fee to rent a digital download.

The KDL-46HX800 also features a number of internet widgets which let you quickly access news headlines, weather information or play games while watching TV. It also includes widgets for Facebook, Twitter and Flickr

Inputs: 4 HDMI, 2 component, 2 composite, 1 PC, 1 USB, 1 Ethernet, 1 optical digital audio output

One thing to note is that the integrated TV speakers on the KDL46HX800 are a bit tinny and not the best quality. Ideally, you should look to hook this up to external speakers.

This Sony BRAVIA KDL46HX800 is a very capable edge lit LED TV that performs very well on both the 2D and 3D fronts and provides excellent value for money. Many consumers have praised this TV for its breathtaking color and black levels. While some TVs suffer from flashlighting and clouding issues, by and large the 46HX800 seems to have less issues in those areas. For 3D enthusiasts, the downside is that they will have to spend extra on a 3D sync emitter and 3D active shutter glasses but the good news is that this is one of the best LED 3D TVs currently available and has less cross-talk and ghosting issues compared to some of the competition from Samsung. The nice assortment of internet apps and widgets is a pleasant addition and all-in-all, we’d definitely recommend that you consider this television when deciding on purchasing a 46 inch 3D Ready TV.

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Sony KDL-55NX810 LED 3D TV Review

The Sony KDL-55NX810 is a 55 inch, 1080p, edge lit LED 3D ready TV that is part of Sony’s Bravia NX810 series of 3D televisions. The NX810 was recently introduced by Sony and in some sense combines all the nice features of both the HX800 and the LX900 lines of Sony 3D TVs. We really like the performance, features and looks of this new entry from Sony and recommend it over the HX800 and LX900 series if you can afford the higher price point of these 3D ready TVs. This is the mid-sized 3D TV in the NX810 Series that Sony has currently announced, with a 60 inch and 46 inch NX810 also available.  The NX810 is a higher-end 3D TV offering from Sony, exceeded in performance only by the local dimming Sony HX909 series. Featuring Sony’s Opticontrast Panel technology, 3D in full HD, Dynamic Edge LED backlighting and Sony’s advanced BRAVIA Engine 3 video processing technology, the KDL55NX810 is a very attractive option for consumers looking to purchase a 3D TV featuring excellent 2D and 3D performance, stunning looks and a very nice suite of networking options (DLNA, integrated WiFi, internet apps, widgets and streaming video/movies).

Monolithic design provides an elegant, slim, single panel with a thin bezel and a finished glass look.Great 3D performance with very little cross-talk and ghosting visible.Plasma like black levels and excellent contrast ratio coupled with great backlight uniformity.Integration with other Sony equipment is seamless.Beautiful, sharp, bright picture, with a high degree of customization possible for personal preference and room conditions.The onscreen menu is perfect, and easy to navigate quickly.Motionflow PRO technology is quite well developed and does a good job with fast-motion videos without introducing much in the way of artifacts.Excellent suite of internet apps and streaming video. Best amongst all the manufacturers in 2010 so farNot as bright as some of the other LCD/LED 3D TVs. However, it is still bright enough for most viewing situations (except very brightly lit rooms that get lots of sunlight).The 3D glasses are somewhat on the heavy side making extended viewing a bit uncomfortable.While the glare reduction is good, it is still a glossy screen and not as good as preventing glare like regular matte screens.For an expensive TV, the integrated speakers are disappointing and produce tinny sound with a lack of bass. External speakers are strongly recommended with this 3D TVInternet widgets can be a bit sluggish. Will hopefully be fixed with firmware update3D Transmitter, and Glasses not included so you will need to purchase them separately

The Sony KDL-55NX810 features Sony’s stunning Monolithic design concept. This TV is quite a head turner and will form a centerpiece in most people’s living rooms. The monolithic concept essentially results in a TV composed of a single slab panel that has a very attractive glass finish. It looks great and is certainly better looking than the Panasonic VT25 Plasma 3D TV series. The bezel is quite slim and the entire panel is only 1.5 inches thick (1 3/8” to be precise). The base has a brushed metal look and can be swiveled 20 degrees on either side. While it isn’t as slim as some of the Edge-lit 3D TVs from Samsung, the NX810 does have better picture quality in comparison to the edge-lit Samsung TVs. Besides, at 1.5 inches thick, the 55NX810 is certainly slim enough to hang on your wall.  In summary, this 3D TV from Sony has a very attractive design and pretty much anyone would be quite proud to display it in their living rooms.

The Sony KDL-55NX810 features a 1080p HD screen capable of delivering 3D high-definition content in all its 1080p glory. It’s a great panel for gaming as well (more on that later). The NX810 series also features Sony’s Opticontrast Panel technology which was previously available only on their LX900 and HX909 series. This consists of a clear surface treatment and a resin sheet that is sandwiched between the LCD panel and the front glass. This enables minimizing of reflection and refraction of the screen surface reducing glare and significantly enhancing contrast ratio and allowing for deeper blacks. It should be noted that the KDL55NX810 has a glossy screen so despite the opticontast technology it might still exhibit some glare in brightly lit environments. While glossy screens can never match the level of glare reduction that matte screens can provide, they do have the added advantage of much better image contrast making things “pop” and enabling deeper blacks.

The Sony KDL-55NX810 exhibits fairly good color accuracy and spot on color temperature, just like the Sony KDL-55HX800.  We would certainly recommend having your TV calibrated or at least finding some suggested calibration settings (we will try to post them soon) for this TV.

One thing to take note of is that the 55NX810 has an Ambient sensor that tries to adjust the color and backlighting of the television based on the ambient light conditions. While this is an interesting idea (and certainly not novel at this point), it works against you more often than not and we would highly recommend that you turn this feature off so that you don’t have to deal with sudden variations in color and/or backlight brightness while you are watching TV.

The Bravia Engine 3 conducts its magic in the background helping enhance image detail, reducing noise, optimizing color and contrast, and doing all those things you would like of a TV to do that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside.

As mentioned earlier, the Opticontrast Panel technology on the KDL-55NX810 does a surprisingly good job at producing great black levels and reducing glare. The NX810 has surprised many by exhibiting Plasma panel like black levels, very comparable with those found on the Panasonic TC-P54VT25. This is achieved by a combination of the opticontrast panel technology and the dynamic local dimming edge-lit LED lighting on this TV. The enhanced glare reduction is certainly noticeable if you compare this TV in a store against similarly priced glossy screen TVs. On the slightly negative side, such great black levels are accompanied by a display that is lacking in total brightness compared to most other LED/LCD TVs. However, the Sony KDL-55NX810 is still much brighter than plasma panels, and the brightness is certainly more than enough to produce great pictures in most situations. However, keep in mind that if you tend to watch TV in a bright environment and are used to cranking up the brightness and backlight on your TVs, then this might not be the TV for you. Shadow details are quite nice and you don’t have the low level details being crushed into muddy black soup.

The contrast on this TV is also very impressive, although certainly not as impressive or as Sony’s “Infinite Black” contrast ratio rating which if you’ve been in the game long enough, you will realize is just another ploy by the manufacturers to make you believe that your TV is capable of something no TV really is. The contrast ratio is hurt to some extent by the lower net brightness of this panel, but it is still excellent and in our opinion a worthwhile trade-off for stunning Plasma like black levels.

The Sony KDL55NX810 is an edge lit LED 3D TV that features Sony’s “Dynamic Edge LED” technology. Essentially what this is, is an edge lit LED that also has some amount of “local dimming”. I say “local dimming” in quotes because edge lit LEDs don’t really have true local dimming since the panel of LEDs on the sides and top/bottom of the panel are being dimmed to try and improve black levels and the contrast of the screen. While this works fairly well, it isn’t as good as backlit LED/CCFL panels that feature local dimming, since they have complete control on the backlight level at any location on the screen.
Having said that, the NX810 series has been excellent backlight uniformity for for an edge lit 3D TV, and performs better than the Samsung edge lit LED 3D TVs as well as it’s lesser cousin, the 55HX800. Flashlighting and clouding on the NX810 are almost negligible unless you are unlucky enough to get a faulty set or have extremely picky tastes and sensitive eyes. Keep in mind that you should always test your TV when you set it up at home as edge lit local dimming technology is isn’t very mature and there is a chance that you might receive a television that shows visible clouding and flashlighting.

The Sony Bravia KDL-55NX810 features Sony’s MotionFlow PRO 240Hz technology to preserve detail and clarity in fast motion scenes while preventing ghosting, something that was common in LED/LCD TVs in the past. This technology is similar to the fast motion processing that pretty much all 3D LED/LCD TVs employ. If you want to learn more about what the 240Hz means along with what the MotionFlow PRO is actually doing to improve TV performance in fast-motion scenes, read our article on what the Hz numbers means for LCD displays.

Sony’s MotionFlow PRO algorithm is very effective and does help in preserving details and allowing for smooth transitions during fast scenes. You will however have to play with the various settings in the TV as the extreme level can introduce artifacts and give the video content a very “home-video” like look. It’s hard to explain till you actually see it, but when you do, you’ll know to just go into the menu and tone down the level of MotionFlow processing to the input video signal. It should be mentioned that the MotionFlow PRO technology from Sony is one of the best fast-motion algorithms on current TVs in that it achieves its desired purpose while minimizing the “soap-opera” effect that plagues most sets that use such types of video processing algorithms.

The KDL55NX810 is very effective at displaying 24p video content (Blu-Rays) without any visual stuttering.

As with the other Edge-lit LED 3D TVs available such as the Samsung UN55C7000, the 55NX810 does not have the best performance when it comes to Viewing Angle. This is fundamentally a long standing limitation of LED/LCD displays due to the directional nature of the backlighting. In the case of the 55NX810, it certainly has improved on the viewing angle front in comparison to the 55HX800. You will notice a pronounced drop in the contrast ratio and the image will begin to look washed out once you exceed around 25-30 degrees on either side of the normal to the TV screen. This will also have worse implications for viewing 3D content at larger off-axis angles.

We definitely advise you to keep this in mind when buying your 3D TV. If you expect to view your TV from a number of locations, especially some that are at quite a large angle to the TV screen, we would strongly recommend considering a Plasma 3D TV such as the excellent Panasonic TC-P50VT25 or the Samsung PN58C8000. Plasma displays have an inherent advantage over LED/LCD TVs when it comes to viewing angle. If you’d like to learn more about the differences between LCD and Plasma 3D TVs, do check out our article comparing LCD vs Plasma 3D TVs.

The optimal viewing distance for this 55 inch 3D TV is approximately 7 to 10 feet. Of course, this isn’t a hard rule but it would provide you the most immersive 3D experience at these distances. Be sure to read our guide on the optimal viewing distance for your 3D TV. It will help you correctly choose the ideal TV screen size and viewing distance for your home.

While the 2D performance of the KDL-55NX810 is quite stunning, the 3D performance is also very good. One important thing to note is that the Sony KDL-55NX810 does not come bundled with the 3D Sync Transmitter and 3D Glasses needed for utilizing the 3D capabilities of this TV. While this may seem like a negative, it also means that the TV sells for a lower price and for those who want to wait on adopting the 3D technology, they can buy a great set that performs well for 2D while retaining the peace of mind of being able to upgrade to 3D if they decided to. If you’re lucky, Amazon tends to sell this TV in a bundle with a free pair of 3D Glasses and the Sony 3D Sync Transmitter. Click here to check the latest SONY 3D TV bundle deal from Amazon.

The 3D performance on the whole is quite good. The Sony 3D Glasses are very comfortable and more importantly allow you to comfortably wear them over prescription eyeglasses. Another nice feature of the glasses is that they use standard CR2032 batteries (you can purchase rechargeable versions online) and with regular usage, the batteries can last a few months. This is also nice because if you keep a few spare ones around, you can always swap out batteries without having to completely halt your movie viewing as you wait for your 3D glasses to recharge.

Another positive for the Sony activeshutter 3D glasses and 3D Sync transmitter is that they are able to communicate quite well without losing sync thus reducing cross-talk, ghosting and flickering while watching 3D content. The Sony NX810 series has shown less visible ghosting than comparable Samsung and LG sets, as well as the Sony HX800 series, which is a big plus for this series when it comes to 3D performance. One drawback of the 3D Active Shutter glasses from Sony is that they are a bit on the heavy side and over a long movie can get a bit uncomfortable or tiring.

2D->3D Content Conversion: While many treat this as a gimmick, it is certainly fun to have, especially when there is still a scarcity in the total 3D content available. Sony has done a surprisingly good job at making this feature work fairly well. Make no mistake, this will not look nearly as good as native 3D content, but it still works acceptably well for many video sources and can be a fun way to watch regular cable.

One drawback with the 3D on this set is that tilting your head causes the 3D effect to be lost. So if you tend to lounge around and lie down while watching your movies, you might not like this. Also, tilting your head can give rise to some color tinting. The 3D performance itself is exceptional and works very well when you are watching the TV straight on without any major head tilt. We should note that a couple of websites have panned the 3D performance of the NX810 series, but if you look at the large number of user reviews on sites like Amazon, Vanns or on forums like avsforum, you will find that the vast majority of users are exceptionally satisfied with the 3D performance of the 55NX810.

Another nice aspect of the Sony 3D Glasses is that they do not tend to flicker when viewing an outside light source, an issue that has been reported on the Samsung and Panasonic 3D TVs.

This TV is absolutely gorgeous for 3D gaming. Obviously, being an LED 3D TV, you don’t have to worry about screen burn-in when gaming, something that will always bother you in the back of your mind if you have a plasma. While plasma screen technology has come a long way and is almost completely immune to burn-in, you still risk burn-in, especially if you are a hardcore gamer spending several hours a day gaming. Gran Turismo 5 in 3D mode is a must try for people who like 3D (make sure to use Native 3D mode from within the game options).

This TV has a “Game Mode” that turns off a lot of processing (Local Dimming, DRC and MotionFlow) that tends to introduce additional input lag. With vanilla “Game mode”, the lag is around 30-40ms. Turning on Local Dimming separately costs you another frame, so an additional 16.67ms of input lag. This should still be very acceptable for gaming purposes. Motionflow (or Smooth mode) costs you an additional 16.67ms, but might make the lag too much depending on what type of game you are playing. DRC costs you 2-3 frames and should be kept off during video gaming. In any case, it isn’t much use for videogaming as it is primarily meant for displaying SD content so you won’t miss out on much having this turned off.

The onscreen menu is perfect, and easy to navigate across quickly. It uses the same Xross MediaBar menu system that is found on a number of Sony products, including the Playstation 3. It is quite intuitive and coupled with the responsiveness of the TV controls, makes for a pleasurable user experience.

Of all the current manufacturers, Sony has the best Media/Internet suite available on their Bravia line of televisions. The KDL-55NX810 can be hooked up to the internet via the Ethernet port or via the integrated WiFi on this device. Depending on how good your WiFi connection is, you might need to connect your TV to the internet via Ethernet for streaming HD movies.
This TV is DLNA certified, meaning that you can stream content seamlessly from your PC or DLNA certified devices. The BRAVIA Internet Video suite offers over 36 channels including Netflix, Pandora, You Tube, Amazon VOD and many others. In addition, Sony has launched the Qriocity channel, which is its own video store when you can pay a small fee to rent a digital download.

The KDL-55NX810 also features a number of internet widgets which let you quickly access news headlines, weather information or play games while watching TV. It also includes widgets for Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. One thing to note: The widgets are quite sluggish on the NX810 at the moment. Hopefully this will be addressed in a future firmware update.

Inputs: 4 HDMI, 2 component, 1 composite, 1 PC, 1 USB, 1 Ethernet, 1 optical digital audio output

In terms of the audio, the 55NX810 is quite disappointing and has a very tinny, low bass sound despite having 3 speakers on the TV. You will definitely want to hook this 3D TV up to an external speaker system to get the best home-theater experience possible.

This Sony BRAVIA KDL-55NX810 is a very impressive LED 3D TV from Sony that features excellent 2D and 3D performance and provides good value for money with accurate colors, plasma like black levels, and good backlight uniformity. For 3D enthusiasts, the downside is that they will have to spend extra on a 3D sync emitter and 3D active shutter glasses but the good news is that this is one of the best LED 3D TVs currently available and has less cross-talk and ghosting issues compared to some of the competition from Samsung. The nice assortment of internet apps and widgets is a pleasant addition and all-in-all, we’d definitely recommend that you consider the 55NX810 when deciding on purchasing a 55 inch 3D Ready TV.

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Toshiba Regza GL1: 3D TV – On Sale In Japan

Back in October, we reported on the Toshiba Regza GL1, bringing you the price and sizes of the TVs. Now we are letting you know that the 12” GL1 is going on sale from tomorrow, but unfortunately only in Japan.

Toshiba’s new TVs defeat the common aggravation of 3D televisions, the glasses that you have to wear to experience the 3D imaging. Toshiba’s new models have done what many companies are trying to do by developing a TV with no need for the goofy spectacles.

By providing a glasses free solution, Toshiba are now revolutionizing the market. We have heard reports that the 12” model has a resolution of 466 x 350 and retails for $1,431. There is another model, with a larger screen but this is expected to be double the cost.

The 20” model goes on sale on December 25th. We know that the larger model will come with a 550:1 contrast and a screen resolution of 720p. So what will be happening with Toshiba next? Hopefully they have plans for a bigger, better version of these great televisions. You can read more about this over at Engadget.com and also at gizmosync.com.

When these televisions hit the U.S. they could really take off and become market leaders. You have to wonder how Toshiba’s competitors will react to this. Another thing to consider is that CES is just around the corner and normally has a few televisions being released.

What do you think of these new TV’s? When they hit all of the other markets will you be getting one? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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Read more about 3D TV, toshiba

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Apple TV Software Update 4.1.1 – Problems Being Fixed

The second-generation Apple TV is undoubtedly an impressive piece of kit, however there have been a few teething issues since its release in September, according to AppleInsider a software update will be released to fix some of the known problems.

If your Apple TV is up-to-date you will be running iOS 4.1, the next update will bring Apple TV to iOS 4.1.1 and will apparently fix an issue which causes some HDTVs to display at 480p, also if TV shows or movies are unnecessarily re-downloaded you will be glad to hear that Apple will be fixing this problem as well. We have embedded a picture showing these iOS 4.1.1 plan below, or you can check out this link.

I searched Apple’s support forums for fixes and found that a lot of people are currently experiencing the 480p downscale problem here, having looked through all the pages I cannot see a definitive fix, therefore it seems as if it is a fault with Apple TV’s firmware and not a problem with HDTVs and HDMI cables.

At the moment Apple are staying quiet about when this update will arrive, therefore we will have to keep you posted as we find out more, in the mean time we would love to get some feedback from you, therefore feel free use the comments section below to let us know what you would like to see fixed when iOS 4.1.1 for Apple TV arrives.

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Sony PS3 Infographic: Better Than Apple TV, Xbox 360, Wii, Roku, Boxee?

Sony today provided “some clarity in a very confusing market on what’s available on each ‘box” by releasing an infographic. The interactive image tries to prove it is the best system to purchase in a selected range that includes the Apple TV, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Roku, and Boxee.

The graphic shows images of all devices named above, along with a list of 14 compiled features that come with each device. When your mouse hovers over one of the available ‘boxes,’ the features it has are highlighted. Alternatively, if you hover over a feature, for instance “Video Games,” only the devices that can play video games would be highlighted.

As you probably guessed, the Sony PlayStation 3 supports all of the features it lists. This includes Hulu, 3D, Blu-Ray, Free Online Multiplayer, and so on and so forth.

The reason behind this graphic is not entirely clear. One would think that Sony are putting out a relatively large push in marketing the console over the holiday season, and the new recruit — the PlayStation Move. But truth be told, the Move is not selling as well as Kinect, and according to reports, the PS3 is third, behind the Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii in console sales respectively.

The real message Sony are trying to deliver is diversity. They clearly have a lot of wanted features on their console, and intend to point it out, just in case consumers were unaware of what a PS3 console could actually do.

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Read more about Playstation Move, Sony Playstation 3, Xbox 360

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Panasonic VIERA TH-L42G3 HDTV: Specs and SDXC Record

Panasonic have announced a pre-Christmas gem today by unveiling the TH-L42G3 VIERA television. Its unquie selling point is that it allows you to record content in full HD resolution using SD, SDHC and SDXC cards.

SDHC cards can only record up to 32GB, whereas SDXC cards can take up to 64GB, but Panasonic say that the 64GB SDXC card can store around 5 hours of full HD digital television content (24 Mbps). Users also have the option to record via external HDD that slots in an available USB port.

Specs of this new Panasonic VIERA TH-L42G3 HDTV include that of a IPSa panel and LED backlight, HDMI (two ports), VIERA link, DLNA support, Ehternet support and video-on-demand connectivity.

For those of you wanting to get your hands (and eyes) on one of these, Panasonic say that they will start selling the TV on Februray 18 at $1,800. But for users outside of Japan, there is a little problem.

Panasonic only intend to sell the VIERA TH-L42G3 HDTV in Japan, with no information on a release in North America or Europe as of yet.

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Vizio XVT3D650SV: 65-Inch LED LCD HDTV with Passive 3D – Specs

If you are looking for a new TV then this may be the one you are looking for. It’s a 65” LED-lit LCD HDTV. This is going to be the new flagship HDTV for Vizio. It has a huge screen and we can only imagine what 3D would be like on it.

According to Will Greenwald of PCMag, it doesn’t only have 3D, there is more to this TV than that; it has built in WiFi, which will allow you to access the Internet apps used by Vizio. There’s a variety of different apps, to name a few; YouTube, Hulu Plus, Pandora and Netflix.

Perhaps one of the coolest features that this TV has, is the remote control; it has a full QWERTY keyboard that slides out. It doesn’t stop there! It connects to your TV using Bluetooth. The other accessories that it comes with are the glasses, it comes with 4 pairs, 2 of which are designed to be used with prescription spectacles.

The specs of the TV include: a 65” screen, 64.5” is viewable; a dynamic contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1; a refresh rate of 120Hz and a resolution of 1920 x 1080. It also has a VGA connection, Ethernet connection, 5 HDMI ports with HDCP. These are just some of the specs, but you can see the full details over at Vizio’s official website.

If this is taking your fancy then you will need to have $3,499.99 burning a hole in your pocket, you can get the Vizio XVT3D650SV from Sam’s Club and Costco stores.

What do you think of this TV? Is it something that you would consider purchasing? Let us know in the comments below.

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Read more about HDTV, LG 3D TV, vizio

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Ok Now I Am Really Confused – Led, Lcd Tv ?

The so-called “electonics” expert on the morning news program was going over big screen TVs (with super bowl coming up, etc etc) – and he showed a new LG that was what he refered to as “LED” (light emmitting diode I believe that stands for) – So the host said is that better or worse picture quality than Plasma – of course the general consensus is Plasma is not quite as good on pic quality, and has trouble with deep dark colors and Black color in particular. Fine… But then she said, “OK whats the difference between LED and LCD big screen TV’s ?” The expert guy says nothing, he said they are the same thing, its an “interchangeable term” for that type of TV. I had been told that the brand new technology just coming out lately on big TVs is the LED – and that LCDs (liquid crystal displays, which is what I have right now) are middle ground pic quality now. And I was told that LED was a different display type than LCD. Kept hearing that “the new LED tv’s are even better pic quality than the LCD’s”. So what is the situation, can a video expert please explain – are LED and LCD the same – that just does not make sense to me they are the same thing, it would seem that its a totally different principal and different technology in my mind. Thanks.

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Led Tv Set: What Is The Difference Between 120hz And 240 Hz? Any Significant Picture Quality?

For example, I am looking at a Samsung 40? UN40B6000 and 46? UN46B6000 HDTV set. Both of them use 120hz frequency. But I noticed that there is another Samsung series that uses 240hz but the price is much greater than a 120hz set. What are the pluses and minus with using both? Should I wait until 240hz is standard with all LED tv sets?





Also can someone explain what does LED backlit LCD mean? Is this a true LED tv or just an LCD tv that has been modified or spruced up to act like an LED tv?
thanks.
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How Does Led Tv Compare Against Lcd And Plasma Tvs…?

…given the almost double the cost for LED TVs…is it VFM for an entertainment electronics…?

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

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What Is Difference Lcd 46″ Tv Vs. Led ? What Is The Difference ? Benefit In One Compare The Other?

I want to purchase an 46? TV Like Sony Because they have E-TV Guide Updated Free and Great quality BUT Samsung also sells good TV I’ve seen them selling LED
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE LED V.S. Comparing to LCD ? Both TV and going to be 46? or larger?
Thank you for replying

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What Led Lcd Tv Refresh Rate Removes Any “judder”?

I have an old school CRT tv. It’s old and I want to buy a new tv so that’s why I need your help.
Can you help me decide on a new Big Screen LED LCD TV? I hear that the newer models have a 240hz refresh rate. Previous LCD TV’s have refresh rates of 60hz & 120hz.
I need your expert advice before I drop some big time money on this Samsung 55? LED LCD TV.
Which LED LCD TV won’t give me any problems with the picture? The lower the refresh rate the more “Judder”. Will an LCD TV with 240hz have any Judder problems?

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-jkKtiknUFAj/p_30555B8000/Samsung-UN55B8000-LED-TV.html

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Are Plasma Tv’s Better That Led-lcd?

Plasma is much better than LCD, including LED. LED is not really LED – it simply means an LCD with LED backlighting. The purpose of the LED backlighting is to try to create a more uniform appearence similar to that of plasma. LCD typcially has struggled reproducing deep, dark blacks, creating a dark gray instead. LED is the attempt to fix this, and it has helped, but plasma is still better for the black and contrast.
Also, plasma does not have the motion blur you see on an LCD. Even wiht the new 120Hz and 240Hz models, the blur is still an issue. It has gotten better but it still occurs.
I sell both plasma and LCD for a living and have access to all major brands. I would buy a plasma any day of the week if I were considering this purchase.

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Led Projection Tv. The Screen Is Exposed To Direct Sunlight For 20 Minutes A Day. Can This Cause Any Damage?

Most RPTVs use a rigid acrylic plastic screen to keep the weight and cost to a minimum. Over the average lifetime of a typical RPTV the effect of direct sunlight exposure—primarily UV exposure—is fairly negligible. I have seen older RPTV screens that have incurred slight discoloration in the form of yellowing. Unprotected acrylic, not unlike many other optically transparent plastics, is vulnerable to the effects of UV exposure. To err on the safe side I recommend that you proceed as if the RPTV manufacturer is using an acrylic screen material that does not contain a UV inhibitor or equivalent protective coating.
If your residence is not equipped with UV-blocking windows and if you’re reluctant or unable to block the direct sunlight from your viewing environment during that approximate time of day then your best option is to apply a UV-blocking window film or use a transparent, UV, glare, and heat blocking window treatment, e.g. a transparent window shade. This would not only reduce any potential risk of degradation to your projection screen but would also provide other valuable benefits.
As a side note with respect to your viewing environment: in order to prevent veiling glare and maximize ambient contrast, especially when using a projection display, you should make every effort to eliminate all (or nearly all) light within your viewing environment when using a display. This is very important if or when image quality is a priority.
3M™ Prestige Series Window Filmhttp://www.3m.com/us/arch_construct/scpd…
Halcyon Shadeshttp://www.halcyonshades.com http://www.cpfilms.com/products.html
________________________
Understanding Contrast Ratios in Video Display Devices http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_13…
NIST Flat Panel Display Laboratory
Tips for Buying FPD TVshttp://www.fpd.nist.gov/tips.html
The Contrast Ratio Game: Playing with Numbershttp://www.practical-home-theater-guide.…
The Truth About Inflated HDTV Contrast Ratioshttp://www.carltonbale.com/2007/01/the-t…
“Brightness” and “Contrast” Controls http://www.poynton.com/notes/brightness_…
Gamma FAQhttp://www.poynton.com/notes/colour_and_…
Frequently Asked Questions about Gammahttp://www.poynton.com/PDFs/GammaFAQ.pdf
“Gamma” and its Disguiseshttp://www.poynton.com/PDFs/SMPTE93_Gamm…
Charles Poynton, “High Definition Television and Desktop Computing”http://www.multimedia.edu.pl/mmLab/Multi…
What is Display Gamma?http://www.sencore.com/newsletter/June04…
The Whole Story behind Display Specifications and Human Visionhttp://www.infocomm.org/cps/rde/xbcr/inf…

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Lifespans Of Led And Lcd Tvs?

What are the lifespans of LED TVs and LCD TVs? I heard LED’s average 40,000 to 50,000 hours, and LCD’s average 60,000 to 80,000 hours. What are the real averages? Thanks!

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I’m On Best Buy, Which Tv Should I Get Plasma, Lcd, Or Led-lcd? Which Is Better? Are They All Hd?

LED LCD is the best they look amazing but will cost allot more
Yes all of them are HD but not all tvs will be full HD 1080
plasma starts at 42 inch so if you are getting lower than that u will have to get lcd or led lcd
also you shouldn’t get anything with 50hz because the image will look flicky
Good Luck

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