Toshiba or Sony

[Zoomer]

Wife got involved since I could not decide. Well...ran the two TVs side by side with her judging the quality of the picture. Drove the picture using a high quality SVHS cable from the cable box to both TVs and then switching to Composite. Ran analog signals into the TV as well as Digital. Ran HBO channels and major broadcast networks. I switched inputs and cable multiple times as well as channels. Bottom line with her input. Keep the Toshiba.

Singal in vs. Picture Quality
Toshiba: better picture quality with analog signal in...Sony a little bit more grainy (cannot adjust graininess on Sony because it does not have DRC V1...just DRC).

Sony: ever so slightly better picture quality with digital signal in (960i vs. Toshiba 540p?)...but this could be debated.

Colors
Toshiba: Pushes to Red/Orange...could not quite get it to be the same brightness as Sony (Same color settings). May have to get someone to come check the colors on this set.

Sony: Pushes to green/blue even in the neutral and warm settings.

Since the lord intended the orange color to be normal :P :-) I gues that's okay!

Sound:
No comparison...Toshiba hands down...although the 51inch Sony does have the 3D part added to the Surround that the 46inch does not.

Toshiba has separate woofer and tweeter and surprisingly they sound good. I have Boston Acoustics HD speakers/Yamaha Setup and the Toshiba sounds surprisingly good.

Other features:
Sony can driver picture in picture with HD signal input...Toshiba cannot!
Sony can multisize the PIP...Toshiba cannot!
Sony has rolling index PIP...Toshiba does not!
Sony allows to save individual settings of the factory preset picture modes...Toshiba cannot.
Sony has one additional Composite input set compared to the Toshiba.
Sony downconverts 720p to 480p, 480p is output at 480p, and raises all other signals to 960i other than the 1080i which it allows through.

Toshiba has DNR for bad signals and 3D Digital comb filter...Sony only has 3D Digital filter.
Toshiba has defeatable and adjustable Velocity scan...Sony does not.
Toshiba has better sound (covered above).
Toshiba has defeatable skin tone and light sensors and a better mute/cc setup than Sony.
Toshiba upconverts all signals to 540p and allows 1080i through.

One small thing. The top of Toshiba's set is flat and wide enough that you could put a center channel speaker on top of it. Sony you cannot unless you build a platfor or get a furniture set.

Both TVs have good points and some downpoints. I wish Toshiba has allowed for the HD signal to be "pippable" (is that a word yet?) and allow adjusting the size of the PIP as well. Also, if they allowed each factory setting to be customized and saved I believe the Toshiba would have not competition. Sony has some sets that have all of the two companies features combined but then the price is about $3999 (US). Right now the Toshiba can be had here in the US delivered with taxes for less than $2100 US and the Sony 46inch for about $200 less and the 51inch for about $100 more.

I guess I have a decision to make. Keep the Toshiba or change to Sony 51inch. Any suggestions.

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by Zoomer

Sony downconverts 720p to 480p.

Really? Wow that doesn't seem to be the smart move.

So, 480i -> 960i but 720p->480p. Wierd.

Originally Posted by Zoomer

Toshiba upconverts all signals to 540p and allows 1080i through

Actually:

480i/p -> 540p
720p -> 1080i
1080i through

You didn't mention which Toshiba. The HDXs have the DVI input which is a THIRD selectable HD input for future DVI equiped devices. Even without HDCP issues, the more HD inputs the better.

[Zoomer]

You didn't mention which Toshiba. The HDXs have the DVI input which is a THIRD selectable HD input for future DVI equiped devices. Even without HDCP issues, the more HD inputs the better.

You are correct on all points as to the signal conversion and passthrough. The Toshiba is the 50HDX82.