Sony Grand Wega vs. Samsung DLP??? | FerrariChat

Sony Grand Wega vs. Samsung DLP???

Discussion in 'Other Off Topic Forum' started by t88power, Mar 1, 2004.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. t88power

    t88power Formula 3

    Feb 19, 2001
    2,396
    Puerto Rico
    Full Name:
    Ernesto
    I am about to purchase a new TV set, and I have chosen two finalists that offer the best compromise between size, price, weight, picture, features, etc etc. My original choice was a plasma, but burn-in and low size to price value keep me away for now.

    1. 50" Sony Grand Wega 50WE610
    2. 50" Samsung DLP HLN5065W

    Now, for those who know about this better than me, which one would you buy and why? I can get the Sony for around $2,300 and the Samsung for around $3,000 (maybe a little less), so there is a $700 gap. Is the Samsung worth $700 more? Any specific reason why one is better/more reliable/superior to the other?

    I like the computer monitor input and video setting memory for each aux input on the Samsung... and have no need for the memory stick drive on the Sony.

    Any help is appreciated... thanks!

    Ernesto
     
  2. Uberpower

    Uberpower Formula 3
    Rossa Subscribed

    Feb 6, 2004
    1,043
    I have the WEGA, my friend bought the DLP.

    Let's think about this real hard... SONY or Samsung? SONY or samsung?

    Who is the baddest of the two? Who is cheaper?

    Sony baby. All the way.
     
  3. C. Losito

    C. Losito Formula Junior

    Dec 12, 2003
    922
    Metro St. Louis
    Full Name:
    Chris Losito
    I have no experience with plasma sets, but having serviced projection sets in the past, I can tell you that Samsung is actually quite well made. Of course, so is Sony.

    Don't be afraid of either brand.
     
  4. kevfla

    kevfla Formula 3

    Nov 20, 2003
    2,086
    Full Name:
    gone 4 good
    I've been drooling over the 60" Sony XBR. Amazing picture for a DLP set. I saw the 70" model at Sony's mid-town Manhattan showroom but felt it wasn't worth the extra $1500-$2000. Locally, Circuit City has the 60" for $5500 but on eBay, I've seen them around $3500. Should see one before you buy!
     
  5. Uberpower

    Uberpower Formula 3
    Rossa Subscribed

    Feb 6, 2004
    1,043

    Ebay is the way to go. But CHECK FEEDBACK!

    You can get a $500-$1.5K discount... plus warranty. Also, Circuit City has "open box" that gives you a "new" warranty. I buy all my electronics through them... even my SONY touch screen LCD remotes.

    Nick
     
  6. t88power

    t88power Formula 3

    Feb 19, 2001
    2,396
    Puerto Rico
    Full Name:
    Ernesto
    Well, 60" is way too big for the application for this specific TV I am buying - although the price gap is relatively small and definitely worth jumping up in size.

    No legitimate reason to pay $700 more for the Samsung?

    Ernesto
     
  7. docdavid

    docdavid Formula Junior

    Jan 23, 2004
    384
    Toronto/K-W
    Full Name:
    Mike D
    i own a 36" grand wega flat screen and have been impressed with it so far.
    haven't had any problems or issues with it either.
    MD
     
  8. jeff

    jeff Formula 3

    Feb 19, 2001
    1,924
    North America
    I've owned both these tvs in the last 2 months. I didn't like either one of them and finally bought another plasma tv. Here's my opinion:

    1. both had loud fan noise. The fan noise is not noticible in the store but in my home, even in a large rooom, the fan noise became a real sore point. Fan noise was especially terrible during quiet scenes of a movie.
    2. the sony's screen had a lot of glare
    3. the samsung's stretch modes and pip features, which I use a lot, were horrible. sony's pip is the best in the industry. sony's stretch modes were a little bit better.
    4. samsung's remote control sucks
    5. on dvd movies both tvs had an outstanding picture.
     
  9. Dave

    Dave F1 Rookie

    Apr 15, 2001
    2,722
    Little Rock
    Full Name:
    David Jones
    Ernesto,
    I sure wouldn't want someone who will never set foot in my home,
    to pick out my TV set.

    Everyones eyes and ears are a little different...
    What looks good to one person, may look like crap to another.
    My advice would be to set a budget,
    and view units that fit that budget,
    from the same distance you would at home.
    Which unit looks best to you?
    How is the track record on that unit?
    Any problems reported, returns, repairs...

    I would get the one that looked best to my eyes,
    and had the fewest problems.
     
  10. t88power

    t88power Formula 3

    Feb 19, 2001
    2,396
    Puerto Rico
    Full Name:
    Ernesto
    Well, I want to hear about real world positive or negative experiences from people who have owned them. The only way to do this is to ask people who have had these tv's and have comments on them. I already chose the two tv's I liked best, now just need feedback. Thanks....

    The fan noise sounds like a big problem, I will have to check into this.

    I dont think I would use the stretch feature, so that isnt an issue.

    What about the Samsung PIP makes it inferior to the Sony? Size, position?

    Thanks!

    Ernesto
     
  11. wrxrob

    wrxrob Rookie

    Mar 2, 2004
    37
    MD
    In comparison, I really liked the picture of the Mitsubishi, but bought the Toshiba as the screen sat higher in the Toshiba. I think the Sony is overrated a bit.
     
  12. davem

    davem F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 21, 2002
    8,210
    Stepford, Connecticut
    Full Name:
    dave m
    I looked at both and bought the Sony 50". Most everyone i talked too said its better price aside even. Sony did have a problem with early failure of the lamps. To my knowledge thats been corrected as of late last year. Purchased mine at Xmas and no problems whatsoever. Complaints about fan noise im guessing depending on placement in room or bad fan?? Can't hear mine unless im two feet away and listening for it.
     
  13. whart

    whart F1 Veteran
    Honorary

    Dec 5, 2001
    6,485
    Grandview NY
    Full Name:
    Herr Prof.
    Well, there are even bigger variables than brand, size, viewing situation, source, etc. First, depending on how these TVs are set-up, the picture will vary considerably. Some of these things are not subjective. What is the color of white? What do blacks look like? What pops in a showroom, with questionable ambient light, will often not look good in a home setting, particularly if you are controlling the ambient light. Also, while people tend to like a bright, etched image in a showroom, that is unnatural. To get filmlike quality, you have to give up some brightness, but still have enough resolution to reveal gradations of black/charcoal/grey, etc. Otherwise, dark scenes will be unviewable; but, to crank up the gain to get them to read, your white look blue. Sets have to be calibrated properly. dunno what either of these sets looks like out of the box.

    Second, the availability of a DVI input will make a huge difference. This way, you are going digital straight thru, and it makes a huge difference in the quality of DVD's.

    I suggest you go to a dealer that can set up and demonstrate both sets properly. Sony may be a brand icon in the mass market, and its studio quality equipment may be first class, but i would not stake any of this either on the brand name or on your initial reactions to the picture in an uncontrolled environment.
     
  14. TestShoot

    TestShoot F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 1, 2003
    12,026
    Beverly Hills
    i built and host a website for a home theater guy, i have the grand wega 70" as part of my barter for my services... Samsung has an 80" plasma on the way, but comparing all the screens, including dlp, i am gonna get more bang for the buck with the wega.
     
  15. jeff

    jeff Formula 3

    Feb 19, 2001
    1,924
    North America
    Ernesto, unless you watch regular 4:3 tv in the proper 4:3 mode, you will have to use one of the stretch modes, wide, panarama, zoom etc. All of these modes in the Samsung caused servere distortion. I never felt comfortable with any of the stretch modes for regular 4:3 programs.

    The Samsung had another annoying default feature when using the PIP. If you were watching regular 4:3 tv in Wide mode and then used the PIP, when you were done using PIP the set would default back to Panarama mode. Then I would have to switch the modes back again to the Wide mode. It became annoying.
     
  16. Clax

    Clax Formula 3

    Oct 3, 2002
    1,611
    70" Sony XBR LCD Wega. Absolutely awesome. Not as thin as a plasma, but the picture kills any plasma TV. Very slick.
     
  17. TigerAce

    TigerAce Formula 3

    May 29, 2003
    1,793
    Dallas, TX
    Full Name:
    Yoshi Ace
    I second SONY XBR 60" or 70". It depends on how far you can be from the screen.

    We bought XBR 60" last X'mas, and pic looks very good from 10 feet away, but not as good from 7 feet away.

    After checking plasma, DLP, & LCD, LCD won our money. Higher quality DLP looks awesome, but too pricey. (over $15K plus a screen & set-up fee)

    Besides, LCD can be connected to PC, and you can do FUN things.....
     
  18. whart

    whart F1 Veteran
    Honorary

    Dec 5, 2001
    6,485
    Grandview NY
    Full Name:
    Herr Prof.
    Actually, the price of DLP projectors is coming down, and in between the "el cheapo" and not bad 2-3k dollar point, and the 15k and above price point, there are more and more products in the 5-7k range. This area will expand as 3 chip DLP goes to market and the existing 1 chip designs enjoy lower prices. I gotta tell you guys for a chunk more (but not that much more and you can do it in stages), a very good DLP projector, plus screen is not much more money than the middle range of plasmas, and is at an entirely different level. You don't have to spend much on the DVD player (get one with a DVI output, though-i am running a hot-rodded panasonic that might be worth, say, 350 dollars at retail, but it has an SDI output that was added by an aftermarket tweaker- makes an unbelievable difference in picture quality) and you can have home theatre at a level that you couldn't duplicate a few years ago for the cost of a serious car. And, the price i'm talking about is barely a japanese motorcycle. But, you've got to dedicate a room to it, or at least be prepared to seal out all ambient light.
     

Share This Page