Sony 40NX713

[Simpo Two]

Thanks all for your comments on the Samsung viewing angle.

Took a trip round Comet, Bennetts & Currys today to see if I could find a 37" full-HD screen that looked attractive, had Freeview HD and had a picture that held up well off-angle. It must have looked odd, me wandering up and down the lines of TVs, ducking and squatting like a goalkeper ready to receive a penalty shot...

The one that stood head and shoulders above all the rest, not just in picture quality and viewing angle but sheer wonderfulness of looks, was the Sony 40NX713:

www.sony.co.uk/product/t32-nx-series/kdl-40nx713

OK so it's a 40 which is a bit bigger than I wanted, but they don't make a 37. It's also 3D, which I'm not interested in - does a 3D TV look as good in 2D as a 'normal' screen?

Amazon don't stock it unfortunately but Richer Sounds are selling it for £800 www.richersounds.com/product/3d-tv/sony/bravia-kdl...

Ideally, because viewing in a big store is very different from viewing at home, I'd like the flexibility of a no-quibble returns period 'just in case', but appreciate this may not be possible.

Suddenly after seeing this Sony, the Samsung looks cheap...

Views, comments, thoughts and any reasons NOT to buy keenly awaited please

(edited to fix link)

Edited by Simpo Two on Saturday 8th January 14:08

[PJ S]

If you're prepared to go to a 40", but the £800 price tag is sticking in your throat, then any reason for not even looking at the 42G20 Plasma?
I have this impression you're one of those people that solicits advice, but if it doesn't marry with your own ideas, then you just go and do your own thing anyway.
You could've just appended this thread into the already existing one.

[Simpo Two]

PJ S said:

If you're prepared to go to a 40", but the £800 price tag is sticking in your throat, then any reason for not even looking at the 42G20 Plasma?
I have this impression you're one of those people that solicits advice, but if it doesn't marry with your own ideas, then you just go and do your own thing anyway.
You could've just appended this thread into the already existing one.

I know it's irksome when you post advice and it isn't taken, but we are all different and like different things - I see plenty of this on the photo forum. 'What camera?' 'Buy a Nikon 123!' It's not that simple.

The price is not an issue. I looked at the plasma but discounted it because I don't want extra boxes hanging out of the back and the plasmas I've seen in-store have looked dull and washed out compared to LCD/LED.

I am seeking advice, but reserve the right not to rush out an buy what someone tells me to just because they like it.

I started a second thread because the subject is different from my first thread; and has I continued on the first thread, people may not have bothered to look because they had already seen it.

What I was hoping for, perhaps optimistically, was that someone might have experience of this screen and either say it was excellent (thus confirming my own naive opinion based on what I saw in a shop) or throw up a significant pitfall I had overlooked which might have knocked it off my shopping list.

Edited by Simpo Two on Sunday 9th January 15:31

[PJ S]

Simpo Two said:

The price is not an issue. I looked at the plasma but discounted it because I don't want extra boxes hanging out of the back and the plasmas I've seen in-store have looked dull and washed out compared to LCD/LED.

I am seeking advice, but reserve the right not to rush out an buy what someone tells me to just because they like it.

Well then, you seem to be swimming against the tide here.
That's not to say you don't see something others have missed, but if you'd bother to read over the threads we've covered on this matter before.
Various "tricks" are employed as to how the store wants certain brands/models made to stand out from the others - they're in the business of shiftin boxes, not being your best pal.
To that end, you should look at the Plasmas set up in a proper AV Store - then you'll see why we refer to the G20 as the default answer currently, and whilst LG nad Samsung's Plasmas are better than their LCD, neither are a patch on the Panasonic.
So go see some TVs properly set up, then decide - but remember there's no point judging in lighting conditions that don't match how your room is normally.
In other words, no point watching in pitch black, or dimmed, if most of the time you watch in full light or daylight.
A good AV store with a demo room should be able to offer lighting control, therefore you can set it to what matches, before sitting down to analysing the PQ, but in all honesty, I sincerely highly doubt you'd be anything less than very happy with the 42G20, once you actually watch it, and think about the brightness/colours.
You'll soon realise it looks more natural/authentic than the oft overblown levels LCDs are set to by default to make them stand out on the floor, with cartoons for viewing. Get some real stuff on, then all we've said becomes ever the more appreciated.

Good luck with the quest.

[wainy]

I have the 40NX701 (or is is 40NX703? 40" / edge LED / 100HZ - not 3D)

Had some people knocking it, but we really like it. Good picture and sound (for what we want) WiFi connected and as you say it looks good aswell.

We did however have the panel replaced due to some "cones" in corner and top centre but new panel is fine (just check this if you buy the sony)

[Simpo Two]

PJ S said:

Well then, you seem to be swimming against the tide here.

Tis true I'm not a seasoned AV buff and don't plan to be, just want the optimum solution for me It's always a bit tricky when you parachute into a strange forum.

PJ S said:

Various "tricks" are employed as to how the store wants certain brands/models made to stand out from the others

I was coming to that conclusion too. Some are set up by the rep with BluRay input; others are connected with damp string. Certainly not a level playing field. Bennetts tell you that plasma is best; Currys tell you LCD is best (I didn't beleive him either). In fact this is an exact parallel to the Photo forum where people go to Comet and, not knowing any better, get steered as the saleman wishes.

PJ S said:

To that end, you should look at the Plasmas set up in a proper AV Store

That makes good sense. Any recommendations in the Essex/Suffolk area please?

PJ S said:

You'll soon realise it looks more natural/authentic than the oft overblown levels LCDs are set to by default to make them stand out on the floor

The default setting on the Samsung is what I call 'Chinese Takeaway' - far too much contrast and saturation - but a few minutes twiddling sorts it out. As a photographer I'm used to assessing stills for such things. What I have to remember with TV is that the source material can be highly variable. In fact I wondered if it was possible to put an HD 'calibration' video sample onto a memory stick and take that around as a 'control'?

Thanks for the input!

[Simpo Two]

wainy said:

I have the 40NX701

I can find a 710 www.plasma-lcd-crt.com/tvs/manufacturers/pos/sony_... but not a 701 - typo?

Not sure of the difference between 710 and 713... one salesman said the makers can change the numbers for different stores, so maybe they're the same thing?

[wainy]

Simpo Two said:

wainy said:

I have the 40NX701

I can find a 710 www.plasma-lcd-crt.com/tvs/manufacturers/pos/sony_... but not a 701 - typo?

Not sure of the difference between 710 and 713... one salesman said the makers can change the numbers for different stores, so maybe they're the same thing?

Just checked its the other one I mentioned 703. the one you are looking at is the 3D version of mine.

[OldSkoolRS]

I have a 32EX703 and it also has had a new panel as it stopped working completely (5 flashes on the red standby led incase others come across this). I was about to return it due to a dark vertical band part way across the screen, when it failed to turn on. I just got it back last week (I was outside the John Lewis 28 day swop out time) and the new panel is much better, but does have slight coning in the middle top with full backlight on a dark scene. It does as a kitchen TV/PC screen but it's still annoying for a brand I'd previously considered worth paying a premium for.

Despite this being the fourth Sony flat panel TV in our house I wouldn't recommend them these days. I think the quality has dropped and having seen a friends Panny 46G15 recently (looking great even on Standard Def Freeview) that's where I'll be looking to change my current 40W2000 LCD which is getting a little long in the tooth. It's not even a question of setup as all my displays are calibrated using a high end sensor that cost more than any of the TVs (rented BTW not bought outright).

There's a good reason Panny get recommended on here.

Edited by OldSkoolRS on Sunday 9th January 23:43

[Simpo Two]

Took the plunge yesterday and came home with a 713 and £50 off (and a 3D transmitter I didn't want but hey ho, I can always eBay it).

Looks fabulous; whereas the Samsung was all plastic this is metal and glass - but then it is in a different league.

The (low def) image not surprisingly looks softer on a 40" screen than it did on a 32", and at default settings exhibited a surprising 'JPG' compression effect - this turned out to be over-sharpening. So after some juggling with various picture parameters it's now looking good. Viewing angle is noticeably better left/right than up/down so Sony have obviously designed their pixels with viewing angle in mind.

The only dumb thing Sony did is to put the video connections so close to the side of the screen that you can see the wires sticking out.

Amusingly I see the concept of the 'switch' has been reborn. Once upon a time things had a switch that turned them on and off. Then switches were abandoned on favour of 'standby function'. Then everyone panicked because 'standby' used shedloads of leccy (they said) and the polar bears were dying. So Sony have introduced a new device marketed as an environmentally friendly green eco-feature. Yes, a switch!

[wainy]

If you have any kids make sure that you dont get hand prints all over the glass front!

[ps01]

Bought one of these yesterday – absolutely love it. £899 from Sony centre with 5 year warranty. They were a lot more expensive pre Xmas so I’m glad that I waited.

Was comparing it to the HX803 which is 200Hz motionflow (rather than 100Hz motionflow for NX713) but I could only see a noteable difference on very specific demo’s so I went for the better style of the NX713.