Hi,

Here is why you should pay attention to the number at the end of XBR !!!

After Sony came up with its new LCD engine, none of the HD LCDs were even close to it naturally !!! ou might see exaggerated engines out there. The colors might look more saturated but not natural though !!! I have some internal survey results from major retailers in United States. These results are not facts but gives me great idea to compare 2 competitive top products. TVs are not cheap and you don't buy or change your technology at home every year. (referring to TVs) So good research and comparisons are essential for TV shoppers.

Here is a brief information that I think will be very helpful for HD shoppers especially thinking about buying SONY KDL-52XBR(4)

1- Excellent performance with brillant natural colors. This TV is as close as you get to a Plasma if not better. Plasmas has more colors ! Yes TRUE ! But LCD engines developed so much and caught up with plasmas in last 3 years. I wouldn't pay more for a plasma TV just because of colors because my SONY produces even better color performance from most of the plasmas out there !!!

2- Image doe snot burn in anymore !!! SONY and LCD technology evolved. We not in late 90's anymore ! Images do not burn in the screen anymore !!! you can pause your movies for very reasonable long times now and the image would not burn into the screen !!!

3- Sound is great but not surround quality of course. But very realistic and loud enough !!!

4- Size !!! READ THIS CAREFULLY!!! The grid values on TVs change dramtically after 52". Technology we have right now does not allow us to buy TVs over 52" as cost effective as 52" and under. Thats why a 72" SONY LCD HD costs over $30,000. Try to keep it on or under 52" b/c the grid on bigger sizes is not holding the quality on regular aired broadcasts... But if you are going to watch HD all the time yesss go for the biggest size !!! Because regular broadcasts look really like amud on bigger sizes. A lot of holes and bad picture...

5- Make sure you check your TV at a environment where they have some lights on !!! You wan to see how SONY is very smart about ANTI-GLARE technology on the screen and FRAME of the TV. Samsung has mirrors in by DLP but no anti Glare at all inlcuding the frame of the TV. Go look at it !!! The TV's frame is so shiny that it picks up any light and distracts you from what you are watching !!! The survey from sales people said Samsungs have great picture but tend to come back more than any other TV for repair !!! Plasma Pioneer Kuro has the same anti glare problem. I compared Sharp, Samsung, Sony and Pioneer before I made the purchase !!!

6- This SONY TV looks very stylish !!! The glass finish around the frame and power light on TV is great looking and very stylish. I have not seen any guests not saying something about it !!! They all said wow !!!

7- Remote control is very user friendly and love th elight feature. It lights up at dark !!!

JUST GO FOR THE TV YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT !!!