Should I get the KD-30XS955 or KD-34XBR960?

[lazyboy285]

I'm wondering if the XBR's higher price justifices a mere four inch size difference. They are both basically the same TV aside from the size and the fancy XBR name, and the XBR costs $700 more. This is also going to be just for my room. Do you think the XS955 would be the more economical and reasonable purchase?

[Q of BanditZ]

Probably.

[joebxr]

Economic = LESS $$$$$
Reasonable = enough for my needs and don't need anything more (like a superior quality picture)

Since you think they are both basically the same except for a "fancy XBR name"....you don't need our advise.

[kny3twalker]

XBR adds twinview, firewire, and customizable DRC

I have the XS in my bedroom and like it

[RWetmore]

Why pay more for the XBR? Can you not get the 34XS955? Definately get the bigger screen if you have room for it and can afford it.

[jhirsche]

http://www.sonystyle.com/intershoproot/eCS/Store/en/documents/rebates/outletoffers.pdf

At this price, why not get two of the 34XS955's...

[triumph66]

[QUOTE=kny3twalker]XBR adds twinview, firewire, and customizable DRC

I have the XS in my bedroom and like it[/QUOTE]

...and a much better warranty.

I think this is the one thing that gets overlooked the most in these XS vs. XBR debates.

XS = Warranty 1 Year Parts, 90 Days Labor (2 Years Parts on the Picture Tube)

XBR = Warranty 2 Year Parts and Labor (2 Years Parts on the Picture Tube)

It's a no brainer if you ask me. XBR please.

[kny3twalker]

well unless the warranty is used within the first 90 days normally, it will not be needed within the first two years

more likely in ten years

[mapson]

[QUOTE=kny3twalker]well unless the warranty is used within the first 90 days normally, it will not be needed within the first two years

more likely in ten years[/QUOTE]

I wouldn't say "won't be needed" regarding the 2 year warranty. While any problem may show up more during the 1st 90 days, that's not to say none will after it. The extra time is insurance and piece of mind that if anything does go wrong, you're covered for both the part(s) and labor AND is in-home as opposed to you lugging it. I wouldn't dismiss the extra warranty as not having much worth.

[JimmyWang214]

[QUOTE=jhirsche]http://www.sonystyle.com/intershoproot/eCS/Store/en/documents/rebates/outletoffers.pdf

At this price, why not get two of the 34XS955's...[/QUOTE]

Thanks for ruining my life, the closest Sony Factory Outlet is in Deleware :(.

[jhirsche]

I'm planning on heading down this weekend... that's only a 2.5-3hr drive from Fairfax... get in your car and go!

[gamegod2x]

is it true that the refurbished tv's from the sony outlet store are only have a 90 day warrenty? On there website its states but i could be reading it wrong, anyone know if you can buy a extended warrenty?

I want to know about this before driving a few hours to the outlet sotre in DE.

Thanks

[biker19]

An interesting comparison will be next month when the 34XBR970 will be out at the same price as the 30XS955. Seems to me that if Sony plans to have a 30" model it must dumb down the 30XS955 also like it did with the 34XBR line. Having a 34" and 30" model at the same price makes no sense - virtually everyone would get bigger model.

[kny3twalker]

Seems to me that if Sony plans to have a 30" model it must dumb down the 30XS955 also like it did with the 34XBR line.

what makes you think the XS955 line will be around anymore? it appears to me that Sony made the XS955 line to decrease the cost of manufacturing the Super Fine Pitch tube nothing more

Having a 34" and 30" model at the same price makes no sense - virtually everyone would get bigger model.

well I did not, the KV-34HS420 has always been around the same price as the KD-30XS955, and I choose the higher quality TV

An interesting comparison will be next month when the 34XBR970 will be out at the same price as the 30XS955.

oh the KV-34HS420 with ATSC tuner comparsion to the KD-30XS955, the KD-30XS955 wins everytime, unless you viewing distance would require the larger TV
I use mine as a bedroom TV, and its huge, I would not even want a larger one in here after seeing how big the KD-30XS955 is

it makes me understand the move towards flat panel .....

[NasDamus]

I drove from Annapolis this morning to pick up the last 34XS955 from the Rehobeth Beach Outlet, sorry!

Refurbished still comes with the original warranty (90 days P+L, 1 yr P), BUT you can buy a Sony Extended warranty for 3 years $50 and 5 years $90 (both after the original warranty expires). This warranty is also in home so no need to worry about hiking back there!

I got my 34XS955 for $699 (NO TAX!!!) and the 3 year warranty all for $749!! (I also got a free 5 pack of DVDs for free, if you bring in the flyer)

They Do however have 11 30XS955's in the box for $749!!! (Crazy it's $50 more for ~4 less!)

Hope this might help anyone.

Also, the phone number to the store is 3026448605.

[gamegod2x]

[QUOTE=NasDamus]I drove from Annapolis this morning to pick up the last 34XS955 from the Rehobeth Beach Outlet, sorry!

Refurbished still comes with the original warranty (90 days P+L, 1 yr P), BUT you can buy a Sony Extended warranty for 3 years $50 and 5 years $90 (both after the original warranty expires). This warranty is also in home so no need to worry about hiking back there!

I got my 34XS955 for $699 (NO TAX!!!) and the 3 year warranty all for $749!! (I also got a free 5 pack of DVDs for free, if you bring in the flyer)

They Do however have 11 30XS955's in the box for $749!!! (Crazy it's $50 more for ~4 less!)

Hope this might help anyone.

Also, the phone number to the store is 3026448605.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the info, hey, was there any physical defects in your 34" tv?

[NasDamus]

There were no physical defects what so ever, it was actually taken right out of the box. The manufactured date is Feburary 2005

[mapson]

Congrats to you on the new tv. Do you have dimensions of the box?

[jhirsche]

did the Rehobeth Outlet have any of the following models in stock as refurbs?

KD-36XS955

or

KD-34XBR960(and N)

or

KD-34XBR910

or

KD-40XBR800 series or 700 series?

Thanks for the reply!

[NasDamus]

I'm sorry i did not keep the box, only the UPC / Serial info

They actually had a lot of TVs, the 36XS955 they had for sure. I know they had the 30HS and 34HS as well, but do know know any of their prices.

[jhirsche]

Thanks for the speedy reply! I will give them a call later today...

[IndyPetey]

What does the customizable DRC do on the XBR sets?

[Q of BanditZ]

[QUOTE=IndyPetey]What does the customizable DRC do on the XBR sets?[/QUOTE]

Honestly? Not much, imo, at least perceptable.

YMMV.

[kny3twalker]

yeah DRC customization is kinda worthless

on both my XS955 which for some reason has it active and on my 32" XBR LCD

[NasDamus]

I'm not quite sure about the above list of stores. It's dated 1998 and i know that the lancaster store is not there anymore. The current list of stores (from Sony):
Store Locations

1. Central Valley, NY

2. Wrentham, MA

3. Grove City, PA

4. Pleasant Prairie, WI

5. San Marcos, TX

6. Aurora, IL

7. Lake Elsinore, CA

8. Gilroy, CA

9. Camarillo, CA

10. Seattle, WA

11. Riverhead, NY

12. Rehoboth Beach, DE

[briankmonkey]

yeah, you are correct. I tried calling and got a residential home!

[NasDamus]

Nice! I can just picture all the calls they get.
"Do you have any more 30XS955s?"

[briankmonkey]

well I wanted the 36" but it was some girl who answered in Spanish, then went to English "I think they close a few years ago", haha

[GmElliott]

[QUOTE=lazyboy285]I'm wondering if the XBR's higher price justifices a mere four inch size difference. They are both basically the same TV aside from the size and the fancy XBR name, and the XBR costs $700 more. This is also going to be just for my room. Do you think the XS955 would be the more economical and reasonable purchase?[/QUOTE]


XBR960= Super Fine Pitch Tube. 1400 lines of vertical resolution.

Go XBR if you want the best image possible, and can spare the differencial in price.

[briankmonkey]

GmElliott, the XS955 also has a super fine pitch tube.

[Jinx]

I got the 30xs955.. I was debating over the 34 and the 30.. I'm glad i went with the 30 for two reasons..

1. it was a @#$@# to move it, oh man it was heavy.. another 50 pounds would have killed us! (3 flights of stairs.. ugh!)...

2. I only sit about 5-6 feety away at the farthest distance, and on SD stuff the bigger the screen the more glaring you'll see the problems if you sitting closer in my opinion.. Its also my suspicion/opinion, that the bigger set, just means larger picture tube, it doesnt have anymore resolution, so your basically just stretching the 30' out 4 more inches, which means if your not gonna be further back, you'll see even more inperfections of the set.. Its like on monitors how you can adjust the stretch of the picture, the more you stretch it out, the worse it looks in my opinion..

This was a bedroom TV for me tho.. 30 inches turned out to be JUST fine even coming from a 27' 3x4 tv.. widescreen stuff looks muuuch bigger :)