JckRbbitSlim

I recently began shopping around for a 32 inch LCD HD TV, after my friend went and got a 46' Sony, and could not believe the quality. Currently, I have a 27' Sony Trinitron, and have bought Sony TVs my whole life, so naturally, I wanted to upgrade to a Sony HD TV (32' is as big as I can go due to space). However, the upcoming Sony XBR6 model of the 32 inch that I've had my eye on is outrageously expensive, at an msrp of $1200. Although it does look like it has the most bells and whistles out of any 32' TV (1080P and all!), is it really worth it for the price? I've been browsing these boards for a while now, and decided to get an account to get an opinion in regards to this matter. Thanks in advance!

Sdallnct

How far will you be sitting? Are you using as a computer monitor?

I got a 46" Samsung and am "happy" with it. Tho I wish I had stuck to my first choice of Panny Plasma.

kefrank

you don't need 1080p on a 32 inch unless you're going to sit really close.

JckRbbitSlim

Actually, I am about five feet away from the screen. The room I will be viewing this in is quite tiny; even an upgrade from a 27' is a bit much, but I figure if I'm spending this money, I might as well get the bigger size. Is the 1080P more beneficial at a closer distance?

Flynn

I LOVE my Samsung. Go with them.

shelland

I was considering a 32" or 37" Sony LCD for our bedroom. I ended up getting a 42" Panny plasma for about the same I would have paid for the 37" Sony. That might be a little much from 5 feet though.

cine

For a 32" you don't really need 1080p, and the current XBR4 model would do nicely. I bought one recently and really enjoy it. IMO it beats all other 32" sets in color accuracy.

JckRbbitSlim

Thanks guys for all your suggestions. I had every plan to purchase the XBR4 series model, but it's getting phased out by the XBR6, so the place I'm purchasing at no longer carries it. I've spoken to a few people at various stores regarding the Samsung vs. the Sony 32 inch models, and although the Samsung appears to be brighter (color wise), the Sony soundly "beats" it in terms of specs. I'm not a big videophile, but if I'm going to spend the money, I might as well get the best there is out there.

beesonosu

I can't comment on Sony but I have to say that I'm quite satisfied with my Samsung LNT3253H. There is newer model LN32A450C on Amazon right now for $800. I actually price-matched Amazon(!) at Best Buy and picked up my 3253H for around $1000 when it was being advertised at BB for $1150 and Amazon for $950. It is 720p but I couldn't justify the extra "360p" without getting a TV AT LEAST 10 inches larger. Anyway, the HD channels look great and the SD channels look really good as well - possibly because of the screen size. The built-in speakers are impressive (to me) and the sleek "piano-style" bezel looks classy in my opinion. It has 3 HDMI ports which, at the time of my purchase 7 months ago, seemed to be an exception in regards to most 32" LCDs. That was a big plus for me. The one and only con that I have was that the unit was shipped with some slight error where periodically the sound would go off. I found that switching inputs immediately fixes this error and, upon some research, discovered that this problem was widespread. There is an available patch that fixes this problem though and Samsung will either email you the patch or send you a CD. It was extremely easy and quick to fix. A small nuisance but I was glad to see Samsung admit the mistake and take the proper action. I'd be surprised to learn that their newer models have the same error.

I can't assume you think like me but I had a direct objective when deciding to purchase a 32" LCD. My plan from day one was to purchase a smaller HDTV that would be very, very good without stretching my budget that much. I was in the position of moving to a new city for a new job. That meant having to buy a new sofa and other household items along with paying a decent amount every month in rent and utilities by myself. Anyway, I rationalized on purchasing a TV that would be sufficient to last a few years. At some point in the future I will "upgrade" to a larger TV and will be able to use my 32" in my bedroom, spare room, etc. The Samsung, for me, has proved to be a very wise choice.