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Artwork: Rick Rizner, Chris Manners
Sony KDL-V32XBR1 32" LCD TV (16:9, 1366x768, 1300:1, HDTV)
Pricing
Latest Price: $1,299.99
- Spec Navigator
- Screen Specs
- Broadcast Standards & Resolutions
- Dimensions and Weight
- Interface Connections
- Other Features
- Adjustments
- Aesthetics
- Included Hardware
Screen Specs
| Diagonal screen size | 32 inches |
| Display type | LCD |
| Maximum resolution | 1366 x 768 |
| Contrast ratio | 1300:1 |
| Brightness | 480 cd/m^2 |
| Horizontal viewing angle | 178 ° |
| Vertical viewing angle | 178 ° |
| Response time | 16 ms |
Dimensions and Weight
| Width | 31.87 inches |
| Depth | 12.25 inches |
| Height | 23.25 inches |
| Weight | 43.19 pounds |
| Wall-Mountable | Yes |
Interface Connections
| Input |
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| Output |
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- Lab Tested
- How We Test HDTVs »
Pros
Prominent, well-labeled inputs
CableCard slot
Cons
So-so image quality on HDTV content
Pricey
Bottom Line
Rich sound, easy-to-understand menus, and a sturdy remote are this premium model's best points.
Sony Bravia KDL-V32XBR1
KDL-V32XBR1 32" LCD TV (16:9, 1366x768, 1300:1, HDTV) Review, by Laura Blackwell April 18, 2006
The Sony Bravia KDL-V32XBR1 offers some interesting, high-end features that help explain its high price ($2700 on 3/24/06). However, its image quality, though generally good, falls short of what you see on some less expensive LCD TVs.
In our image-quality tests, the KDL-V32XBR1 generally performed well. Compared to its competitive set at time of testing, it received a score of Good in most image quality categories. Vivid color in our standard-definition TV tests earned it a rating of Very Good in that category. It also did well in the bright lights test, though not as well as the Samsung LN-S3251D did. However, the Sony also showed some weaknesses when tested at defaults. Jurors complained of dark screens and orange or yellow tints on the Sony high-definition TV tests; in that HDTV category, it barely eked out a rating of Good. The KDL-V32XBR1 trailed most other recently tested TVs in our HDTV, DVD, color quality, and detail categories. However, its built-in speakers produced full, rich sound--especially on its TruSurround XT setting--from our DVD of Seabiscuit.
The KDL-V32XBR1's many inputs are well labeled, and thanks to a smoothly swiveling base, even the ones on the back are easy to reach. It's one of the few recently reviewed LCD TVs that includes a CableCard slot, which means you won't need to mess with a set-top box from your TV provider. One particularly nifty feature for owners of Sony cameras: You can browse or slide-show Memory Stick contents on the TV. There's even a button on the remote for it.
The remote is an attractive, long, pleasantly metallic device. Its battery compartment closes with a thumbscrew, so it's unlikely to pop open if dropped. You won't have to crawl under the furniture in pursuit of runaway AA batteries.
A nice touch is the way the Freeze button works: It splits the screen into two smaller windows against a black background, freezing the picture in one window while letting the video continue in another.
I found the screen controls a little hard to activate, due to cryptic markings on the remote, but the actual screens made sense. The menus look very TV-like, as opposed to those of the Vizio L32HDTV, which resemble a desktop monitor's on-screen display menu. The Sony's three screen modes are Vivid, Standard, and the configurable Custom; to lessen the color issues detailed above, Custom settings will probably be the most comfortable. Vivid lives up to its name, and although it makes natural flesh tones look harsh, it could be useful for watching animation or playing games.
The chief attraction of the Sony Bravia KDL-V32XBR1 is its well-conceived physical design. Details like the CableCard slot and the neatly secured remote battery compartment make this a TV that would be easy to live with. And if you have use for the more unusual features, such as the Memory Stick input, the Sony Bravia KDL-V32XBR1 may be well worth your money. However, other recently tested TVs, such as the Samsung LN-S3251D and the Vizio L32HDTV mentioned above, delivered better image quality for a lower financial outlay.
Upshot: Physical design and high-end features, including rich sound, recommend this Sony Bravia, but for the price (at time of review), its image quality could be better.
Laura Blackwell
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PCWorld Lab Results
- Rating Breakdown
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74
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88
-
88
- See Complete Lab Results »
74
83
81
80Performance
| Brightness and Contrast | Good |
| Color Quality | Good |
| Detail | Good |
| DVD Image Quality | Good |
| High-Definition Image Quality | Good |
| Image Quality Under Bright Lighting | Good |
| Interface Tested | HDMI |
| Overall Quality | Good |
| Standard-TV Image Quality | Very Good |
User Reviews
Review Now! Already own it? Tell us What You Think
User Reviews From Around the Web
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Reviewed by: lburrowes
Strengths: Separate settgins for each input...
Weaknesses: Remote and Expensive
Overall: This TV will amaze you if you have a XBMC or XBOX360. The TV really shines when these compenents are hooked to it. Make sure when you get an antenna, to get a quality one. I had to design my own since the ones I purchased from BB/CC did not give me the channels I needed.
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Reviewed by: sh398697
Overall: I was wary because it was so much cheaper, but it is the exact same TV being sold at Best Buy for about $600 more. So far I love it and have no complaints; great picture, good sound, nice controls, just a beautiful TV all around.As I said, I was wary about the place but they were great and I would order from them again for sure.
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Reviewed by: jtrousdale
Strengths: Best picture on the market! Built-in HD Tuner,7 source inputs, built in Mexico; other reviewers claimed TV was built in Japan-Sony must be opening new plants-hopefully not w/ slave labor.
Weaknesses: I agree... Hoochie mamma expensive! That IS what the "X" in XBR means... X-pensive. 1080i res + HD Tuner makes it worth it.
Overall: Go ahead and pay for the HD tuner - you will be glad you did. One major advantage to consider, the HD Tuner allows you to get rid of your cable box in favor of a simple card; this means less clutter and less per mo on the darn cable bill. Also, if you live in a major metro area, you can buy a $40 HD antenna and get your HD for free! Take that cable monopoly!! Can't do that with a "monitor" that relies on an HD source like a expensive cable / satellite box where the cable "man" can continue to overcharge you for a zillion useless cable channels that you will never watch anyway. Am I crazy or does anyone remember when we did not have to PAY for a TV signal? (Come on IPTV!) Now, it's commonplace to waste $100+ per month for just TV. [Off soapbox] Don't get me wrong, I was not about to buy an HD set without a clear source to see the big beautiful HD programming that is available - gotta have it (the Olympics are amazing), but the tuner gives you options that save you $$ per month on the cable bill. Wait for the new BlueRay/HD-DVD players and your entertainment world will be complete. At least until they make all this stuff obsolete next year...
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Reviewed by: jorobuyer
Strengths: Picture is great, sound is great. I would buy it again, without hesitation.
Weaknesses: Pricey, but worth it. Remote is not great-just buy a Harmony remote. 2 HDMI inputs would be nice.
Overall: You pay extra for features this set has. If you don't want them, then don't buy a set with these features. e.g., you can put in a CableCard.
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Reviewed by: gwpeete
Strengths: Versatility; Design; Quality; Functionality
Weaknesses: A little grainer up close......
Overall: This is the finest Sony television I have ever owned. From the design, weight and versatility of this TV, Sony has crafted the perfect combination for serious movie and television viewers.
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