Sony KD-34XBR960 - is it good as a dedicated gaming TV?

[PC Engine Fan X!]

I do recall seeing this particular Sony NTSC CRT-based 34" widescreen HD TV at my local Circuit City store back in 2006-2007 but the original MSRP was $999.99 USD. Not to mention the valuable real estate space needed to display it properly...the demo model wasn't turned on, so I really couldn't see if the picture quality was up to spec or not.

My question is: how is the picture quality of it when playing some the 480p GCN games on it? And how is the overall screen when playing PS3 or 360 games on it in 720p and in 1080i modes?

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-BWTPu0lzIt ... BR960.html

I see that most folks that do have one for sale charge around $100-$150 for it nowadays on craigslist.

Thanks in advance for your informative answers,

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[JBueno MD]

I´m actually looking for one of those as it is amazing for 480p, 720p and up to 1080i. Given most console games this gen aren´t true 720p, and seemingly next-gen games are going to struggle getting to 1080p, I think the Sony KD-34XBR960 is the ideal TV for console gaming 480p and over. I remember trying to get one from a friend, but he wouldn´t let it go. I remember 16:9 480p F-ZERO GX looking nothing short of stunning on said set.

Look at some pics I found at NeoGAF, even Blurays look stunning.

[Ed Oscuro]

I've read good things about this set. I'd have one if I had a way of dealing with its bulk and weight, and could find one.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Wow, the pictures look stunning. Yes, hearing about the Gamecube F-Zero GX port looking awesome on the Sony KD-34XRB960 set is great news. It's good to hear that Sony added a built-in HDTV turner to accept the off-the-air HD TV programming signals (there used to be a time when the first HDTVs didn't have such a built-in HDTV reciever and it was a seperate add-on component as usual...meant having to shell out more hard-earned cash to do so).

Sounds good but the overall 196 pound weight just to move it is at the absolute minimum, a two or three person job at best. Dang. Certainly a lot of bang for the buck, considering how affordable it's these days (practically given away for mere pennies on the dollar indeed).

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[stockspyder]

I owned one for a brief period as a dedicated gaming television. The black levels on this monitor are amazing, colors are vibrant (and if you look at the oled tv thread you can see I know a thing or two about vibrant colors), and response time was very nice as well.

This television blipped on my radar when one of the engineers at my work told me about it. The said this specific model was more desirable than the 970 as it has something for perfect pixel pitch. It does 1080i, and it is only a 32", so the pixel density/geometry is very nice. The front of the screen has an anti-reflective coating so it is perfect to have in a room which is well-lit as well.

However, one thing to consider is that the picture geometry on a CRT shifts as it changes location, even slightly. This was confirmed by said engineer as well. I has to find the access code online for the repair settings (I forget the correct term) I got close to perfect settings, but it was just a pixel or two off. And there are numerous settings to go through like 35 or 40.

Only reason I got rid of it was because I wanted a large aquarium instead. When I get a house I will most likely get this again or a Pvm, unless full size oleds become feasible by then.

Oh, and do consider when you get one that you need to find a stand to support about 200 lbs as well. We went to ikea after picking it up and there weren't very many. Ours had wheels which is ideal as you don't want to have to pick it up again.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Thanks for the cool tips and I'll keep in mind of a TV stand that'll support the weight of a 195 pound CRT TV monitor such as that one, stockspyder.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~