Sunday 28 March 2010

Great Price Sony KDL-52Z5100 for $1,589.00

Sony BRAVIA Z Series KDL-52Z5100 52-Inch 1080p 240Hz LCD HDTV Review



Well I've owned several TV's before this one but I always wanted the "gilded" Sony Brand TV so I decided to take the plunge and buy a Z-Series. The Z-Series was supposed to be their highest end model outside of the XBR series and it had all the latest bells and whistles. The new features are GREAT. I love Amazon and Netflix being right there native to my television but many of the other channels offer very little content and Netflix still has problems, often dropping connection or telling me that I do not have the rights to view the content even though it's playing fine on all my other devices.

Now to the most important part, While the Bravia Engine 3 offers a beautiful picture this set had very uneven backlighting and from what I've read from other customers this seems to be a common problem. The corner of the screen has a significant backlight bleed and it's especially noticeable during dark scenes. There is also some cloudiness of backlight bleed in other parts of the picture. I was very dissappointed about this considering this is a Sony flagship TV. If I had bought a Sanyo or an Insignia for a discount price it would be one thing but this is supposed to be the big cheese. It's a good TV and I am not returning it but it's still a little dissapointing that I paid a 5 star price and got a 4 star product. If Sony would fix the backlight issue this would be a 5 star review, but alas I am giving it a 4 for this reason alone considering the Netflix feature was added after I made the purchase, so I can't really complain about a complimentary feature.



Sony BRAVIA Z Series KDL-52Z5100 52-Inch 1080p 240Hz LCD HDTV Feature


  • 16:9 Full HD 1080p Resolution Panel (1920x1080)
  • BRAVIA Engine 3 fully digital video processor
  • Motionflow 240Hz
  • BRAVIA Internet Video/Widgets
  • XMB w/ enhanced 3D Favorites Menu



Sony BRAVIA Z Series KDL-52Z5100 52-Inch 1080p 240Hz LCD HDTV Overview


Enjoy the latest in HDTV performance with the Sony BRAVIA Z-Series, featuring Motionflow 240Hz technology for maximum motion detail and clarity, plus broadband internet connectivity with built-in BRAVIA Internet Video capabilities, that let you view select on-demand movies and TV shows and listen to music and more, and even lets you personalize your entertainment experience by selecting and positioning widgets containing the latest news, weather, sports and more directly on your TV screen.


Available at Amazon Check Price Now!


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Customer Reviews





Electronics-expo worst customer service with TV - P. PATEL -
I bought this TV from Electronics-expo and TV was defective. VGA would not detect my computer. I tried 6 different computers and 5 different cable which worked on every other monitor I have. There are stuck pixels on my TV and Electronics-expo refused to even listen to my problem. Overall I would rate this transaction as worst. I feel I was cheated by Electronics-expo and to some extent by Amazon. I made this transaction trusting Amazon...



It just stopped working - A. Snow -
We bought this TV from Amazon in October of 2009 and just four months later the color drained from the picture, faded to black and shut it self off. We turned it off, unplugged and plugged it back in, nothing worked. Amazon refused to replace the defective product. Amazon told us they have a 30 day policy and just couldn't or wouldn't help. We called Sony the technician who ran us through a bunch of steps and then decided to send us to a service center. Although it is still under warranty, the service center estimated a 2 month turn around. On top of that, the service center needs a Sony case number, something the technician failed to give us. Now we have to call again and get one. When you spend this much on a product you expect a little better service. Don't buy this TV and don't expect any customer service from Amazon or Sony if you have problems.



Outstanding LCD. Beyond my expectations. - Craig Weiss -
Pros: Superb picture quality, non-reflective screen, easy menu system.

Cons: None of any consequence. If using more than one HDMI connection there's only one on the back and the rest are on the side so the wires are visible unless using a port saver.

Summary: After comparing about a dozen high def televisions the Sony Bravia series stood out. We needed a non-reflective screen, which eliminated all plasma's and most Samsungs. But even compared to the Samsungs, this television was as good or better.

In the stores we couldn't tell any difference between the lower priced Bravia V and the XBR, which has the same "engine" as the Z. Through Amazon, we couldn't pass up a deal on the Z and it exceeds our expectations.

On its own, the sound is passable, but using 5.1 surround it's outstanding, although no credit to the television. Never having owned a flat screen before, we're pleased friends and family who do praise the picture quality.

Navigating the bells and whistles can be a bit confusing but it's pretty user friendly, and the manual is helpful.

Please refer to CNET's review of the XBR for a more technical description of this set (they're essentially the same in many respects) and other user reviews do a better job than me in this area.

Bottom line is that after two months it's still a pleasure, sometimes exciting to watch this set. HDTV pops, especially sports, and movies are sometimes breathtaking in their clarity and color representation.

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Mar 28, 2010 08:56:37
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