Sony Bravia S-Series KDL-26S3000 26-Inch 720p LCD HDTV Review
This model was recently discontinued. I managed to find one for 0, delivered, online from Beach Camera in NJ and it arrived this Tuesday. I immediately ran to my local cable company office and traded in my old digital converter box for a Hi Def converter box. I require a converter box because I subscribe to all of the Premium channels, so although I could probably pick up many Hi Def channels without it, I would loose the Premium channels.
I did see the replacement model in a Circuit City and the picture was equally as gorgeous, but does not have Surround Sound, the speakers are half the wattage of this model and it lacks a number of other features. Others have reviewed the new model on Amazon, so you can easily read the differences.
It has a gazzilon options in terms of picture. I find new things every day. I have the cable box connected with an HDMI cable, which I had to buy, since my cable company only provides composite cables with the Hi Def box and HDMI is infinitely better, having now used both.
I am absolutely thrilled with this set. I am a long time Sony fan anyway.
If you are in the market for a 26" Hi Def....and can still get your hands on this model...DO IT! You will not be sorry.
The sound is quite good. The base is more stable than many of the others that I looked at. (I live in an earthquake prone area, so stability is an important issue for me.) The case is simple and attractive. It is not gaudy or shiney. I did not want a high gloss finish anyway. It will not be the dust magnet that the high gloss ones are.
I have it in my bedroom, which is a small room. When I want larger sound (like for the many Premium cable movies that I watch), I play the TV through my Bose Wave Radio, which has wonderful sound for a small room. However, just for listening to news or whatever, I use the set's speakers, which are much larger than the new model, and sound just fine in surround mode. I also like the fact that it has a stereo, mini plug, headphone jack, as I tend to be a late night person and don't want to disturb my neighbors.
I had connected my standard DVD Player (but have since gotten a Sony Uploading DVD Player)and the picture looks wonderful. For my discs, I also play the sound through my Bose Wave, which has an additional Multimedia Pedestal, allowing me to connect the audio of 3 components, in my case TV, DVD and Laser Disc. Given that I have a small bedroom with no real space for a stereo system with free standing speakers, the Bose Wave, which has a very small foot print, is an excellent compromise.
I need to emphasize that this model is a far superior set to all the others that I looked at in 26".
My final words to you are: BUY IT!!!!!!!
Sony Bravia S-Series KDL-26S3000 26-Inch 720p LCD HDTV Feature
- HDTV with ATSC� Digital Tuner
- BRAVIA Engine� full digital video processor
- 16:9 HD Resolution Panel (1366x768)
- Live Color Creation featuring WCG-CCFL backlight
- 1080p Inputs - HDMI� (x2), YPbPr (x2), PC Input (x1)
Sony Bravia S-Series KDL-26S3000 26-Inch 720p LCD HDTV Overview
BRAVIA Engine� Full Digital Video Processor --- BRAVIA� S-Series LCD televisions use Sony's BRAVIA Engine� full digital video processor for crisp and clear images. Several special picture enhancement technologies are integrated into the processor to create better gradations and details, enhance contrast, and dynamically improve color. HDMI� and PC Connectivity --- Designed for maximum versatility, Sony's BRAVIA S-Series Digital LCD TV line is equipped with a comprehensive range of input interfaces. The HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is the first industry-supported, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface. HDMI technology supports enhanced or High Definition video, together with multi-channel digital audio to provide matchless image and sound reproduction. The PC input (HD-15-pin) offers easy connection to your PC, allowing you to use your high resolution BRAVIA S-Series Digital TV as a computer monitor.
Sony Bravia S-Series KDL-26S3000 26-Inch 720p LCD HDTV Specifications
Savor the rich colors and superb high definition picture quality of a digital LCD?and enjoy it at an incredible value. The KDL-26S3000 BRAVIA S-Series digital LCD television delivers improved color performance and several picture enhancements thanks to the BRAVIA Engine full digital processor. And the Xross Media Bar on-screen menu system makes is simple to quickly access setup functions and features. For the ultimate convenience, BRAVIA Theatre Sync allows you to control your specially-equipped Sony HDMI components with the touch of a button. Sit back and enjoy an unprecedented level of depth, color and clarity with this 32" Class (31.5" diagonal) BRAVIA S-Series digital LCD HDTV. Beautifully styled and built to the highest standards, this television adds class to any room while its picture makes watching your favorite movies and TV programs even more enjoyable. With the BRAVIA Engine full digital video processor, you immediately notice improved color and sharper details, no matter what you're watching. For uncompressed, all-digital audio and video integration, this HDTV features HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) and PC connectivity that lets you seamlessly hook up compatible PCs and components to the large display. An innovative light sensor also monitors ambient light in the room and automatically adjusts screen brightness, making it much more comfortable for viewing.
BRAVIA Engine Full Digital Video Processor
BRAVIA S-Series LCD televisions use Sony's BRAVIA Engine full digital video processor for crisp and clear images. Several special picture enhancement technologies are integrated into the processor to create better gradations with more detail, enhance contrast, and dynamically improve color performance. > Digital Noise Reduction Circuits: Reduces block noise and mosquito noise by using pixel-level filtering to reproduce a clean and clear picture. And Motion Vector Noise Reduction reduces just the noise in the video signal for video further reducing unwanted noise and blur artifacts. Digital Contrast Enhancer circuit: Improves contrast by enhancing all areas from dark to bright in parallel with texture control providing a three dimensional picture. > Color Reality signal processing enables the expression of all the colors of life in vivid detail for dark and bright scenes. Details in dark areas of the picture are there, just like they are supposed to be.
Live Color Creation (featuring WCG-CCFL)
Live Color Creation is a special Sony function that achieves precise, wide color reproduction using a combination of advanced chroma signal processing algorithms. A special wide color gamut backlight (WCG-CCFL) is coupled with Sony’s Live Color Creation circuitry. The benefit is clear blues, natural greens and overall vibrant colors in all scenes.
Xross Media Bar (XMB) On-Screen Menu System
Xross Media Bar is Sony’s Emmy Award2 winning on-screen navigation that provides quick access to various set up functions and features. For instance selecting different types of media is made fun and easy by scrolling horizontally across icons until you find the type of media you are looking for. After selecting the media type, a list of its content appears as vertical thumbnails. Key set up menus and features work the same way. The main benefit of the XMB is that users can navigate through on-screen menus without taking their eyes off of their TV.
DMe Compatibility
DMex compatibility allows the connection and operation of a whole new category of products that is being developed by Sony (sold separately). The first of these products is the optional BRAVIA Internet Video Link module.
BRAVIA Theatre Sync
BRAVIA Theatre Sync reduces the hassle and time consuming job of powering up, changing the signal routing, and adjusting other functions to the simple push of one button. All you need to do is to connect BRAVIA Theatre Sync capable products to each other via one HDMI cable. The rest is easy. For instance, the One Push Play function activates by touching the play button on the remote and BRAVIA Theatre Sync takes over from there. The BRAVIA Home Theatre System and TV turn on. The DVD input on the BRAVIA Theatre system and TV activates. The TV mutes. And finally the DVD plays. There are two other BRAVIA Theatre Sync functions - One-Push Theatre Settings, which provides optimal picture and sound settings for movies and One-Push System Shut Down for turning off the entire home entertainment system.
BRAVIA Internet Video Link
The first DMex product to be introduced to the market is the DMX-NV1 BRAVIA Internet Video Link module (sold separately). BIVL, as it is affectionately called, can stream available Internet video from select content providers directly to your TV with a broadband connection3 without the need for a PC.
S-Force Front Surround
S-Force Front Surround is a virtual surround sound experience made possible using just two front speakers in select BRAVIA models. To accomplish this, Sony spent several years studying how our ears work. By understanding exactly how we recognize the origin, direction, volume and timing differences in sound right and left ear, Sony was able to create complex audio processing that delivers dynamic virtual surround sound without the need to bounce sound off walls and back to the listener.
HDMI and PC Connectivity
Designed for maximum versatility, Sony’s BRAVIA S-Series Digital LCD TV line is equipped with a comprehensive range of input interfaces. The HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is the first industry-supported, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface. HDMI technology supports enhanced or High Definition video, together with multi-channel digital audio to provide matchless image and sound reproduction. The HDMI and PC inputs (HD-15-pin) offer easy connection to your PC, allowing you to use your high resolution BRAVIA S-Series Digital TV as a computer monitor.
Light Sensor-2
Intelligently adjusts the screen brightness to match the ambient light in a room, ensuring a comfortable viewing experience. In a dim room for example the screen automatically reduces brightness making it much more comfortable for viewing.
Freeze Function
Sony’s Freeze Function is a useful function that allows you to temporarily freeze the picture in a separate screen while the programming continues to display. This comes in handy when you want to copy a recipe, phone number, etc. that flashes too quickly across your screen. Simply touch the "Freeze" button on the remote control and copy the details down at your convenience.
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Customer Reviews
Awesome. - zjs1 - New York City, USA
Great TV and computer monitor. HD channels look crisp. Auto-tune was easy. I didn't mess with the settings much. I sometimes flip the Light Sensor (I turn it on when using it as a monitor otherwise it is too bright). It has better resolution than the IBM X61 laptop I hook up to it. My Windows Vista desktop looks cool when it fills up the full 26-inch widescreen (I had to change one setting once to get the resolution set perfectly). Good sound as well - I rarely need to turn the volume above 33-35, and the max is 100.
One of my buddies commented that he would be able to use this as a computer monitor from the couch, which is 8 or 9 feet away. Of course, that would strain the eyes after not too long, but the point is that a person with normal eyesight can read 12-point text on a 26-inch bravia screen from 9 feet away. That's pretty good, yes?
The week after I got this in the mail (smooth and quick delivery; well-packed), I was at the MOMA (Museum of Modern Art) in New York. One of the floors had a section of video and computer graphic art. All the exhibits were using Sony Bravia TVs. I'm sure it was part of a sponsorship deal or something, but another way of looking at it is that a group of folks (i.e. professional video and graphic artists) that one can expect to be very concerned with picture quality selected this LCD TV. Naturally, I took this as a sign from god.
The SONY Bravia KDL26S3000 - Doris Howard - San Francisco, CA
The SONY BRAVIA KDL-26S3000 is fine except for the POWER on/off capacity. It doesn't want to turn ON in response to the remote or the POWER button on the machine. It especially does not want to turn off. The POWER button must be held down for 30-40 seconds on both the remote or the button on the machine. It also needs a full minute to warm up before you can change to another channel.
Good Transaction - Robert W. Lull -
Product arrived with no delivery handling or timing problems at all.
Setup and installation went perfect. I have it connected directy to the cable wire, no cable box. The picture is terrific.
Advantages - very reasonable price, no sales tax, home delivery with no problems, easy setup, excellent quality product. Want more than that?
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Mar 28, 2010 14:20:04