Sony Trinitron WEGA KV28DS60U

...existing television set was a Sony Trinitron, which was a good piece of kit, but had been plagued with problems virtually since the day I bought it. I swore to myself that I would never buy another Sony, but when I started looking around, I found myself drawn once again to the Sony range. I had been reliably informed that when I bought my last Sony TV, the company was going through a bit of a bad patch, but things had now improved greatly. So, against ...
...set is sold with a Sony cabinet, which (once assembled) the television set sits directly on top of. The cabinet looks very smart with the television, with its dark wooden shelves and spring-loaded glass front door. The cabinet sits on castors, which enables you to move the television around more easily, but the whole thing comes flat packed, so you have to put it together yourself. Putting the cabinet together is easy enough, but will probably take ... more

When it came to replacing my television two years ago, I was a little unsure as to which brand I would be better off with. My existing television set was a Sony Trinitron, which was a good piece of kit, but had been plagued with problems virtually since the day I bought it. I swore to myself that I would never buy another Sony, but when I started looking around, I found myself drawn once again to the Sony range. I had been reliably informed that when I bought my last Sony TV, the company was going through a bit of a bad patch, but things had now improved greatly. So, against my better judgement, I once again opted for a Sony television set.

AESTHETICS

After much deliberation, the model that I purchased was the KV 28DS60U. To the best of my knowledge, a very similar model has superseded this set, with a very similar model number, but the changes are largely aesthetic, and my observations therefore remain the same.

The KV 28 DS60U is a 28 inch wide screen digital Trinitron television. What attracted me to this model most was the fact that the set was well designed, with a well-proportioned screen in relation to the surround and speakers. Many modern sets are hideous contraptions with enormous dark speakers around the main frame that completely overwhelm the screen. The KV28 has an appealing greyish silver surround, approximately two to three inches in width, with subtle speakers on each side of the screen that complement the screen rather than smother it.

PICTURE QUALITY

The picture quality of the set is excellent with crystal clear, sharply focused images. The 100HZ-screen specification means that colours are rich and vibrant, with greatly reduced flicker and distortion. (Most conventional television sets operate on a 50HZ frequency). The model also has True Flat Screen. This means that the screen is fabricated from exceptionally thick, totally flat glass, which means much less reflection than a conventional television screen. The picture is superb from any angle and does not distort or suffer from glare.

The KV 28DS60U has a number of picture control functions that you can modify according to your personal preferences. There are three main picture modes – Live, Movie and Personal. Live and Movie are preset functions, designed for when you are watching specific types of programmes or films. The Personal option is user defined, and is basically a memory setting for all the individual picture controls such as contrast, brightness, colour and sharpness. Additionally, the set has an Artificial Intelligence function. When AI is activated, the picture contrast will adjust automatically according to the TV signal. Noise reduction is also available on analogue channels, in the event that the broadcast signal is weak.

Although the set is a widescreen television, it has a number of screen settings that alter the parameters of the screen and adjust the whole picture. These settings are vital for the various digital and analogue transmissions that are made – for example, some films are screened in wide screen already, which means that you need to zoom the picture up to fill your screen. The addition of a Strobe Mode is a strange one. This effectively freezes the picture at pre-determined intervals, and gives the effect of watching the programme in slow motion. A feature that I’ve never seen on a television before is the screen freeze - this enables you to freeze any part of a programme with absolute picture clarity. Whilst the sound continues to play in line with the transmission, the picture is frozen like a photograph – perfect if you want to take down details of an address or a recipe being shown on screen.

SOUND QUALITY

The quality of the sound produced is as excellent as the picture quality. The sound output is relatively powerful and comprises 3 x 30W music power (left, right and centre speakers). The model also comes with two 2 x 15W additional surround speakers (although when you have a separate cinema surround system, these speakers become redundant). The television has a built in graphic equaliser and can produce a surprisingly powerful bass level, most noticeable when you watch music programmes. The sound output is fully customisable, as per the picture output, and can be adjusted according to what you are watching.

There are six individual sound settings. Vocal, Jazz, Rock and Pop are pre-defined factory settings. The individual sound levels can be adjusted within each of these four settings, but once the set is turned off, they will return to their factory default. Users cannot adjust the basic setting of Flat, but the Personal mode will store your exact specifications and can be used every time you turn the television on. The sound settings are viewed and controlled using an on screen graphic equaliser display. It really is a case of trial and error to find the arrangement that suits you the most, but the Personal setting is very useful if other members of the household change the settings, and you want to put them back again.

Within the surround sound mode, there are four different hall effects as well as dual sound and audio volume control. (AVC). AVC enables you to maintain a constant volume level, regardless of the transmission. For instance, if the TV makes you jump when the adverts come on, AVC will automatically reduce the volume to the same level as the programme you were watching. The Dolby ProLogic surround system allows further customisation, operated via a completely separate menu. Customisation is fulfilled via the remote control, and takes some time to set up, but once it’s set, you never need to change it again.

INSTALLATION

Installing the television set is very easy – the product manual contains very simple instructions on what to do. The biggest problem you will have is with the size of the equipment – this television set weighs over 50kg, so you will certainly need at least two people to lift it into the house. Fortunately, the main case of the TV has a handle at either end to make it easier to lift and carry. You have to cut the TV out of its box – it is simply too awkward and heavy to lift out. Take care to follow the instructions on the box or you will cut it out upside-down.

The set is sold with a Sony cabinet, which (once assembled) the television set sits directly on top of. The cabinet looks very smart with the television, with its dark wooden shelves and spring-loaded glass front door. The cabinet sits on castors, which enables you to move the television around more easily, but the whole thing comes flat packed, so you have to put it together yourself. Putting the cabinet together is easy enough, but will probably take you about twenty minutes, and of course you need to do this before you can get going with the TV.

Once you have plugged in the mains lead, aerial and surround speakers, there are two main tasks to perform. Firstly, you need to tune the television to receive each of the stations (digital or analogue). This is completed using the Programme Setup menu, accessed using the remote control. There is a quick set up function, which you basically start running and the TV searches the frequencies, finding each channel and labelling it accordingly. This is, by far, the quickest method, but it can sometimes fail, and you will still have to go in and manually search for channels yourself. The second main task involves configuring the Dolby surround system, as discussed in the previous paragraph.

My personal view is that this set is fairly easy to set up, but then I have had experience of Sony sets before. Some users may find the menu set up and channel programming a fairly lengthy exercise – or in fact, may want to call in an expert.

REMOTE CONTROL

The remote control is long and slim and generally well designed. The main functions (channels, volume control, and menu functions) are housed on top, with a flap that lifts up to expose more specialised functions in a compartment underneath. My view is probably that you could get all the controls on top, but it does make the control less fussy to use on a day to day basis. The remote control can be used with other Sony appliances by adjusting a switch in the hidden compartment.

All the sound, picture and channel setting controls are activated by pressing the menu button, and then using a round, four point button to navigate the menus. This can be a cumbersome exercise – the difference between moving down or going across right, for instance, can be difficult to master. A number of the functions are accessed through a continual series of sub-menus – it all gets rather arduous after a point, and I can’t help but think Sony could have made it easier. One good thing - the remote takes AA batteries in pairs – I hate remotes that take three batteries, as they come in packs of four or eight and you end up with odd batteries.

INSTRUCTIONS

The product guide is good – there is even a quick start leaflet for when you first get the TV and you don’t want to wade through the 38-page manual. Some of the menu functions are rather hastily explained, but once you get the hang of it, the user guide is a useful reference. There is a brief troubleshooting guide at the back, and the instructions on how to connect other equipment are very thorough.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES

The set probably comes with as many features as you might require. You can use Teletext (digital or otherwise) and where available, the set is compatible with the Electronic Programme Guide. You can set a timed standby mode, whereby the set switches off after a period of time defined by you in case you nod off in front of the box. There is a parental locking system that prevents the kids watching any adult channels that you may receive.

VALUE FOR MONEY

The set cost me £1600 approximately two years ago – comparable Sony models retail for similar prices now. Whilst this may seem expensive, this is a technologically advanced piece of equipment and boasts a wealth of features. I watch a lot of films on DVD, and as such I want a good television that really shows the film off at its best. I would also prefer to pay more for something that I think will last a long time. I would never deny that there are far cheaper televisions on the market, but I would question their relative performance and durability.

MY VERDICT

This is an impressive television, and thus far I am very pleased with my choice. I now have a system that gets the best out of films and music, and is fully equipped to receive all the digital channels, as they become available. If you are looking to invest in a long-term, high performance, high quality TV, then this could be for you.

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