Archive for November, 2009

Sony BRAVIA VE5-Series KDL-40VE5 40-Inch 1080p 120Hz Eco-friendly LCD HDTV

Amazon.com Price: Too low to display (as of 2010-03-12 20:47:20 GMT) Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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Sony BRAVIA VE5-Series KDL-40VE5 40-Inch 1080p 120Hz Eco-friendly LCD HDTV
 
Manufacturer: Sony
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $1,299.99
Sale Price: Too low to display
Availibility: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description

Introducing the Sony BRAVIA VE5 HDTV, a revolutionary TV that combines energy-saving features with quality picture performance. Minimize excess power use with a high-efficiency backlight that uses over 50% less power in Home Mode than Energy Star 3.0 requirements. Plus enjoy Full HD 1080p picture quality and smooth motion with Motionflow 120Hz technology.

Product Details

  • Offers substantial power savings provision without compromising performance
  • Is the smallest of the VE5-series
  • Has Sony¿s exclusive micro-tubular Hot Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (HCFL) technology which helps reducing power consumption by almost 40 percent
  • The zero-watt standby Energy Saving Switch
  • The light sensor feature of the new Sony KDL-40VE5 is likely to adjust the backlight depending on the room light

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Customer Reviews

Great Picture and Features, plus it's eco-friendly
 
Review Date: July 31, 2009
Reviewer: J. Shope,
This is an excellent TV.

Picture Quality:
The picture quality of this set is superb. In the setup menu, I set the picture to "vivid" mode and the HD quality is simply life-like. The color and contrast are excellent. It also uses something that Sony calls MotionFlow which helps to smooth out the image when you are watching fast-action pictures.

Backlight Technology:
It is an LCD set, but uses a hot cathode fluorescent lamp for its backlighting. This technology allows it to be much more energy efficient and close to par with the energy usage of LED backlit LCD TVs. Most LCDs use cold cathode fluorescent lamps. The 40" model uses a maximum of 140 watts, the 46" uses a max of 160 watts, and the 52" uses a max of 180 watts.

Eco-Friendly:
It has a sensor called a presence sensor that does two things. First it senses the ambient (room) light and if the room gets darker, it will automatically dim the picture of the TV. This works well if you are watching TV in the bedroom at night and you want less light output. The second thing that the sensor does is senses the room for motion and body heat. If you leave the room for a preset amount of time (5 min, 30 min, ...) and the TV doesn't sense anyone around, it will turn off the picture. If you walk back in the room, it senses you and turns the screen back on. The sound stays on for another 30 minutes or so, then the whole set will go into stand-by mode if it does not sense you. Both of these features can be turned off via the setup menu and help to conserve energy.

Features (just a few of them):
The TV is loaded with features. It will automatically sense if you have something connected to an input (for example HDMI2). This is great when you want to hit the input button on the remote because it will not select items that aren't currently sending out a signal. This means you don't have to scroll through 10 items if you only have two components connected to the TV. In the setup menu, you can set each input for always on, always off, or auto. I used the always on setting for the PC input because the cable I used to connect the PC did not send a power signal so the TV did not sense it. By setting it to always on, the PC input will always be available when I scan through the inputs.

It also has a lot of inputs. There are 4 HDMI inputs. If you have a DVI port on your PC, then you can connect it through HDMI port 1 which also has an analog audio input. There is one dedicated composite (with S-video) and one dedicated component input, but there is another switchable composite/component input that you can use if you have two composites and one component, or vice versa. There is a PC input to connect via VGA connection. The audio outputs are one optical digital out and one analog out.


Dislikes:
1. All of the Inputs and Output are on the left side (when looking at the front of the TV) of the TV. This is unfortunate for me since my A/V cabinet is on the right side of the TV. It is a minor inconvenience, but something that I did not think about until I got the set home. I would say about half of the inputs are one the left side and the other half are on the back, next to the side inputs.

2. The presence sensor is right where I have my center audio speaker. I will have to raise up the TV to still have that speaker front and center.


Overall, this is not a cheap TV, but I think this is a case where you get what you pay for. It is a really great set.

Great Picture. TV is finally off in the morning!
 
Review Date: September 17, 2009
Reviewer: John Felisky, St. Louis, Mo USA
Auto-off feature is really nice. I'm not as green as I should be, but this set has solved my teenager falling asleep with the TV on all night. Picture is great, menu/settings are very user friendly, and only ports with an item plugged in are in the "input" rotation on the remote. Highly recommend.

One weird thing about the White Glove delivery from Amazon. They showed up on time, and even phoned ahead...very nice, plus set the TV up and took the garbage. However during the setup the TV searches for channels automatically. When this seemed to be going slow, the delivery guy says "this can take awhile the first time it runs", and my wife let them leave. After performing a "search" for about 30 minutes I discovered that they had used input cables from a DVD player that was not hooked up to the satellite system. I simply plugged an HDMI cable from the dish to the TV...and whammo...200+ channels almost instantly.

Everything else was great. I would make a similar purchase again with Amazon without hesitation.
Great value
 
Review Date: December 6, 2009
Reviewer: Colleen E. Peralta, REDDING, CA, US
Great TV. The only disappointment is the sound quality, when the sound is turned up halfway, there is a vibration to the sound. I would recommend adding speakers. The shipping was top notch! Well secured, and arrived quickly.
I love it !
 
Review Date: October 1, 2009
Reviewer: JLS, North Arlington, NJ USA
This TV is awesome! the picture is great and the sound is prety good.
MY WIFE HATES IT, BUT I LOVE IT: ITS JUST THE BEGINNING.
 
Review Date: March 7, 2010
Reviewer: KC, NYC, NY USA
I just got my KDL40-VE5 Sony Bravia, I kicks %#@#$... The picture is so clear it almost looks 3-D. Sound is perfect in the bedroom, in Dynamic setting is as good as the surround sound system in stereo setting(Yes you have to turn it up half way, but anything after that the house shakes not the speakers[Sony must have fixed the problem]). 100, 000:1 contrast means your old " View Master Viewer" is now in 40".

My 2years old genius daughter Has been trying to obtain products and items from the T.V. I'm happy my wall mount got here so I could get my 120 hz off the level of my little princess. I have a cable hd connection, and ps3 250g. Everything on HDMI connections. This may be what makes the difference???

My Wife however, does not like my Bravia. Mainly because my old westinghouse 47" 1080P, 60 hz, which only had 8000:1 contract. Just looks like a dinosaur now. The westinghouse does have a feature they called 1080Pure which give it a very good picture. I never thought someone else lcd looked better. In fact a few friends bought the same tv after seeing mine. Sorry guys... HA, HA.

The Eco Bravia has brought the future to my house. Now I'm shooting for 240hz, 1440p, 1,000,000:1.... don't look back guys, the future is waiting.

Samsung LN32B650 32-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color

Amazon.com Price: View Sale Price (as of 2010-03-12 20:47:23 GMT) Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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Samsung LN32B650 32-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color
 
Manufacturer: Samsung
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $999.00
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Product Description

See the difference 1080p makes when you watch brilliant images come to life on Samsung LN32B650 LCD HDTV. Images aren't the only statement-makers. This model includes Samsung unique Touch of Color design infused with a hint of rich red for a look that complements any room. Add to that instant access news, weather, sports and stock information and this HDTV takes home entertainment to another level.

Product Details

  • 32-inch LCD HDTV with full HD 1080p resolution for the sharpest picture possible and red Touch of Color design
  • Auto Motion Plus 120Hz for amazingly fluid motion, 100,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 4ms response time, Wide Color Enhancer 3 for more vivid colors
  • InfoLink RSS feeds of news, weather and sports via Ethernet; side-mounted USB port for displaying JPEG/MPEG files and listening to MP3 audio
  • Inputs: 4 HDMI, 2 component, 2 composite, 1 PC, 2 USB, 1 Ethernet, 1 optical digital audio output
  • Includes removable stand; measures 31.6 x 23.7 x 9.4 inches with stand; 10-watt x 2 bottom mounted speakers

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Panasonic TC-P42G15 42 VIERA® G15 Series 1080p THX®-certified plasma HDTV

Amazon.com Price: Too low to display (as of 2010-03-12 20:47:39 GMT) Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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Panasonic TC-P42G15 42" VIERA® G15 Series 1080p THX®-certified plasma HDTV
 
Manufacturer: Panasonic
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $1,299.00
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Availibility: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description

The Panasonic TC P42G15 explores new ways to enjoy TV, with a variety of link functions like HDMI.

Product Details

  • 1080p Full-HD Resolution
  • Elegant Slim Design
  • THX Certified Display
  • Viera casttm
  • 600 Hz Sub-field Drive

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Philips 52PFL7422D/37 52-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV

Amazon.com Price: $2,499.00 (as of 2010-03-12 20:47:40 GMT) Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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Philips 52PFL7422D/37 52-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV
 
Manufacturer: Philips
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $1,999.99
Sale Price: $2,499.00
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Product Description

Philips 52" LCD, Widscreen HDTV, 1080p for the highest HD picture performance, Pixel Plus HD Engine for the sharpest pictures possible, Built in ATSC/Qam tuner, 1920 x 1080p resolution, Virtual Dobly Surround Sound for theater like sound experience, Matching swivel stand, USB connect for easy multi-media playing, 3 HDMI, CVI and S-Video inputs.

Product Details

  • 1920 x 1080 Resolution
  • Pixel Plus with 6ms Motion Response
  • 10,000:1 Contrast ratio
  • 3 HDMI Iputs, 2 Component Inputs, S-Video, USB Mutlimedia Connector
  • Matching Swivel Stand

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LG 37LH55 37-Inch 1080p 240Hz LCD HDTV, Gloss Black

Amazon.com Price: $1,199.00 (as of 2010-03-12 20:47:43 GMT) Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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LG 37LH55 37-Inch 1080p 240Hz LCD HDTV, Gloss Black
 
Manufacturer: LG
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $1,399.95
Sale Price: $1,199.00
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Product Description

LG's TruMotion 240Hz technology uses proprietary scanning technology to virtually eliminate motion blur so you can keep up with the fastest paced entertainment 37" LCD HDTV, 1920 x 1080 Resolution, 240 Hz, 80,000:1 Contrast Ratio, ATSC/NTSC/Clear QAM - 1 Tuner, SRS TruSurround XT, 4 HDMI input

Product Details

  • 240Hz TruMotion Technolgy virtually eliminates motion blur for fast motion clarity
  • Intelligent Sensor automatically optimizes the picture to the lighting conditions of the room for an enjoyable viewing experience
  • Full HD 1080p resolution fro enhanced picture quality
  • 80,000:1 Dynamic contrast ratio for deeper blacks and greater picture detail
  • Picture Wizard enables self-calibration for picture adjsustments

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Vizio VL370M 37 in 1080P LCD HDTV Eco Friendly Java Brown Finish

Amazon.com Price: $629.95 (as of 2010-03-12 20:47:46 GMT) Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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Vizio VL370M 37 in 1080P LCD HDTV Eco Friendly Java Brown Finish
 
Manufacturer: VIZIO
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $799.99
Sale Price: $629.95
Availibility: View Product Availability
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Product Description

Beautifully styled finish and packed with features such as full 1080p resolution for razor sharp images and a 50,000:1 contrast ratio for deep blacks and bright, vibrant colors. SRS Trusurround HD completes the package bringing the action to life.

Product Details

  • Full HD resolution giving you razor sharp clarity, crisp and clear images and an absolutely amazing viewing experience.
  • Dynamic 50,000:1 Contrast Ratio allows for deeper blacks and brighter whites.
  • Experience rich bass and clear dialog to your TV's internal speakers.
  • Current Version 3.0 ENERGY STAR TV products Specification require that all qualified televisions address both active and standby power
  • This VIZIO HDTV exceeds the current minimum standards by 15% saving you money on your utility bills.
  • VIZIO's series of ECO HD TVs use at least 15% less power than version 3.0 ENERGY STAR Specifications.

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Sony Bravia XBR KDL-46XBR8 46-Inch 1080p 120Hz Triluminos LED LCD HDTV

Amazon.com Price: $1,996.84 (as of 2010-03-12 12:14:05 GMT) Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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Sony Bravia XBR KDL-46XBR8 46-Inch 1080p 120Hz Triluminos LED LCD HDTV
 
Manufacturer: Sony
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $3,699.99
Sale Price: $1,996.84
Availibility: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description

The Sony BRAVIA XBR8-Series HDTVs represent the next step forward for Sony HDTV technology. Underpinning this advance is the TRILUMINOS RGB Dynamic LED backlight, which utilizes clusters of red, green, and blue LEDs to produce accurate colors and an amazingly realistic image, and employs local dimming to dynamically adjust the brightness of LED clusters, allowing the XBR8 to display deep blacks alongside bright whites for enhanced image depth and exceptional shadow detail. Motionflow 120Hz PRO technology creates new frames to double the frame rate, then uses sequential scanning to enhance motion and deliver a smoother and clearer picture, and 24p True Cinema lets you experience a cinema-like experience. BRAVIA XBR8-Series HDTVs also feature the powerful BRAVIA Engine 2 PRO fully digital video processor, which creates sharp, crystal-clear images at any resolution, as well as advanced color reproduction technologies including 10-bit processing and a 10-bit panel, Live Color Creation, and x.v.Color capability. DMex functionality lets you expand the capabilities of the BRAVIA XBR8-Series with optional BRAVIA Link modules, including the BRAVIA Internet Video Link, BRAVIA Wireless Link, BRAVIA DVD Link, and BRAVIA Input Link (all sold separately). In addition, the exclusive Xross Media Bar (XMB) user interface, integrated TV Guide Interactive Program Guide, and BRAVIA Sync one-touch component control make the BRAVIA XBR8-Series HDTVs easy to use, and the large number of inputs offer you a wide range of connectivity options. BRAVIA XBR8-Series HDTVs also feature an RS-232C connection for integration into home automation systems. You can even customize the timeless design of the BRAVIA XBR8-Series by adding optional speaker grilles available in a selection of designer colors (sold separately)

Product Details

  • 16:9 Full HD 1080p Resolution Panel (1920x1080)
  • TRILUMINOS RGB Dynamic LED Backlight Display
  • BRAVIA Engine 2 PRO fully digital video processor
  • Motionflow 120Hz PRO technology
  • DMex capable

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Customer Reviews

A pricey HDTV that produces stunning images
 
Review Date: December 18, 2008
Reviewer: Pamela R. Heath, Bay Area, CA
People complain a lot about this TV's price. It's expensive. But if you're picky about what you watch and you have a lot of windows in your house, this HDTV LCD is definitely worth the extra bucks--especially since Amazon has free shipping and discount rates.

I was surprised how small the box was that this came it. It doesn't have a ton of protection around it. There is a thin film layer of plastic that protects the front bezel, which easily comes off. I did not use the stand, but put it on a swivel mount. Setup of the TV was very easy and the image outstanding, with beautiful colors and details right out of the box. By the way, a nice touch is that the TV's serial number is on the outside of the batteries for the remote control--which I wish I'd realized before searching the entire back of the TV with a flashlight (it was also on the back, but partly obscured by the swivel mount I'd used).

You see some folks who talk about "poor" off angle viewing and "blooming." I honestly haven't noticed either one. This thing looks great from a range of angles, the picture phenomenal.

The TV speakers are okay but not great. If you're going to watch a lot of movies--and trust me, with this screen you're going to want to--I'd recommend getting the Sony BDV-1000ES and an HDMI cable. That way you get theatre-quality sound to match the picture and the Bravia Link means the two will communicate well with each other, and respond to one remote control. Then, just pop in a blu-ray disk, kick back, and enjoy. This is one great TV.
Truly a window to the world.
 
Review Date: November 27, 2008
Reviewer: Gerald V. Quinn,
I purchased this TV one month ago. It is a replacement for my XBR4 which is being enjoyed in its new home. Shopping and looking, then I saw it. It was love at first sight. And it is a sight to behold. Crystal clear, vibrant realistic colors, and a beautiful design. Sony has outdone itself with a new benchmark for the industry. You will not be disappointed with this beauty. This is TV as it has never been. Coupled with my FIOS HD service and a blu-ray player there's little reason to ever attend a movie theater. Although my Bose surround system is the perfect mate to this TV, the eight built-in speakers leave little to be desired. Check it out, you'll see TV like never before.
Expensive but one of the best
 
Review Date: January 16, 2009
Reviewer: oddlycalm, Portland, OR
This set is one of the best 5 flat panel sets being produced. The others include the Pioneer Kuro PRO-111FD plasma and Samsung LN46A950 which also has LED back lighting. All are expensive so it's best to see all in person before you decide. The Kuro has been the gold standard for flat panels for some time, and rightly so, but the LCD sets with LED back lighting are now very close.

Some reviewers have niggled about off angel viewing and color blooming but that is picking the finest of nits. The off angle viewing is as good as all but a very few CCL backlit LCD or plasma sets so I'm not sure what that's all about. I have a pivoting wall mount so problem solved. As for the blooming, it is so minor as to not be visible unless you are right at the screen looking for it and is not noticeable in normal use.

The XBR8 will work better in a room with normal light levels than the Kuro and also renders standard definition programs better than the Kuro. It also beats the lone 1st generation LED set at rendering SD.

The LED back lighting generates less heat than an LCD set with cold cathode back lighting and much less heat than a plasma due to it's lower electrical current draw. Each individual LED cluster is controlled dynamically so that they are shut completely off during dark scenes producing the same absolute black levels as the best plasma sets. The LED back light elements have a service life of something like 20,000hrs so replacement is not necessary. They also will not fade over time like a plasma set does.

Whether this set is worth the money is a matter each person has to decide for themselves. Those that can afford one are very unlikely to ever become disappointed with the image. If you do buy one you owe it to yourself to get a full calibration done by an ISF certified tech in order to get all the potential out of this set.
Big bang for the buck!
 
Review Date: July 28, 2009
Reviewer: D. Ramos, Irvine, CA USA
Although the list price for this HDTV would be out of my budget, I purchased this amazing flat screen from Amazon for a little over $2,300. In my local electronics store, the Sony was my 2nd favorite (after the Kuro). The Samsung LEDs were close behind. What makes this unit ideal for me is the fact that is still has pretty decent built-in speakers. I personally hate having a sound system hooked up to my TV. I like to be able to turn on my TV and go. I made the salesman at my local store demonstrate the built-in sound to make sure it would be sufficient for my needs. (I was really planning on buying it there but they raised the price overnight and then I found Amazon's amazing price which saved me over $600!) Since we were originally thinking we were going to have to buy both a new TV (to replace our dying projection HDTV) and a home theater sound system (since none of the new flat screens seemed to have speakers at all anymore), we were able to apply that budget to this superior TV instead, which arguably has one of the best pictures available.

Now that it is installed at home, I am absolutely thrilled! I am more than happy with the built-in sound. I admit that those who are used to having booming surround sound audio would probably be disappointed, but the sound set at medium levels is very nice for day to day viewing. If you turn it up for serious BluRay DVD viewing, it is pretty impressive as well. The picture is truly stunning!

I must give kudos to Amazon for their customer service as well. The first unit we were shipped turned out to have a cracked interior screen. The box was undamaged and everything seemed fine until we powered it up. There were massive cracks going across the screen (actually a picture of cracks since the exterior was fine, just the interior screen of some kind was broken - it was obvious it had been dropped at some point.) I called Amazon immediately and they took care of it quickly and courteously and now we have our beautiful new TV. Yes, I would have rather had a perfect unit the first time out, but the money we saved over purchasing from our local superstore was more than worth it.
XBR8 - why not?
 
Review Date: April 29, 2009
Reviewer: D. Pates,
I just acquired one of these 46" XBR8 units. As others have said, the image quality is nothing short of awesome. I threw on my DVE calibration disc, and very little tweaking was required to get it just spot on. I do recommend enabling "Full Pixel" mode, and turning off the MotionFlow stuff - I find the frame creation to make the motion unnatural and kind of creepy (and on some material, it can add artifacting). If you are an HT junkie though, this is one *sweet* TV. Go check it out.

Samsung LN52B630 52-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color

Amazon.com Price: View Sale Price (as of 2010-03-12 20:47:48 GMT) Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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Samsung LN52B630 52-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color
 
Manufacturer: Samsung
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $2,099.00
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Product Description

With Samsung’s LN52B630, you’re connected to great HD entertainment and up-to-the-minute online info. Enjoy a Full HD feast for the eyes, courtesy of the 1080p resolution and 52-inch LCD screen. Check sports scores, stock quotes, weather and other update able RSS content at just the touch of a button on your remote, with the InfoLink feature. Samsung’s Auto Motion Plus120Hz technology keeps even the fastest on-screen motion smooth and natural. Enjoy bold black tones with an impressive 80,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. Four HDMI inputs give you fast and easy connection options for your Blu-ray Disc player and gaming system. And the stylish yet subtle Touch of Color design adds a red accent to the bezel’s border – perfect in any modern home.

Product Details

  • 52-inch LCD HDTV with full HD 1080p resolution for the sharpest picture possible and red Touch of Color design
  • Auto Motion Plus 120Hz for amazingly fluid motion, 80,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 4ms response time, Wide Color Enhancer 3 for more vivid colors
  • InfoLink RSS feeds of news, weather and sports via Ethernet; ; side-mounted USB port for displaying JPEG/MPEG files and listening to MP3 audio
  • Inputs: 4 HDMI-CEC, 2 component, 2 composite, 1 PC, 2 USB, 1 Ethernet, 1 optical digital audio output
  • Includes removable stand; measures 49.7 x 34.5 x 12 inches with stand

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