Sony HX 820/920 review & discussion

[thetas]

AFAIK Sony is importing almost all of the goods through their Thailand operations. This lets them avail of the MFN status accorded to Thailand which allows goods manufactured there to be imported in to India at a nominal 5% or even 0% rate of duty.

Is it Thailand or Malaysia??
I could be wrong, but this is what I have read somewhere about the duty imposed on Sony imported pieces.

 

[khoj]

MFN status been has accorded to both of these countries along with a few others from the SAARC group. Most Japanese companies have huge assembly operations in one of these two nations i.e. Thai / Malay. Sony is in Thailand, cause I bought a Trinitron 25" many years ago when Sony India had just set up shop in India and took delivery from their office cum warehouse in Mohan Coop Industrial area here in Delhi. The tv carton had imported/manufactured in Thailand print as did the carton of another 21" bought a couple of months later.

Anyways coming back to the topic at hand. Spoke to a friend who owns the Sony world as well as a Sony Center both in Noida. Per him the chances of getting stocks of HX820 are bleak as are the chances of the HX925 being launched in sizes smaller than 46". The above has put me in a bind as I am planning to buy a 40~42" LED but with either local dimming or at least Dynamic Edge led array which none of the current range of models offer in that size. Guess I will have to go for a Panasonic as it does not make sense to spend money on the Sony brand name alone.

 

[adder]

Anyways coming back to the topic at hand. Spoke to a friend who owns the Sony world as well as a Sony Center both in Noida. Per him the chances of getting stocks of HX820 are bleak as are the chances of the HX925 being launched in sizes smaller than 46". The above has put me in a bind as I am planning to buy a 40~42" LED but with either local dimming or at least Dynamic Edge led array which none of the current range of models offer in that size. Guess I will have to go for a Panasonic as it does not make sense to spend money on the Sony brand name alone.

For a 40" a EDGE LED based dimming won't be effective,tvs based on SPVA/AMVA /HFPA based panels have the best blacks in lcd tv,its black level surpasses samsung and LG flagship plasmas with just a CCFL backlight or non-dimming EDGE LED.

Its only the IPS based lcd tvs that need local dimming badly.Panasonic is great for plasma not for lcd or led-lcd.

There is no 40" size HX92 series in any part of the world.

 

[khoj]

For a 40" a EDGE LED based dimming won't be effective,tvs based on SPVA/AMVA /HFPA based panels have the best blacks in lcd tv,its black level surpasses samsung and LG flagship plasmas with just a CCFL backlight or non-dimming EDGE LED.

Its only the IPS based lcd tvs that need local dimming badly.Panasonic is great for plasma not for lcd or led-lcd.

Well almost all of the models in the market as of date are equipped with Edge LEDs except for Samsung smart 8000 and the Sony HX925 series.

Now I would have gone for a plasma but for the huge reflections from the screen. I like the output on the HX925 but 46" will be a very tight fit in the space available. My friend is trying to locate the now discontinued HX800. He had several in stock till August last week and sold them @65K last price a week or so before I rang him up. Will be going to his showroom tomorrow to take a look at the NX710 but then that is again an edge based model. Should I check for the panel make/model. Another guy who runs the Panasonic brand shop in South Delhi told me that Sony is now sourcing its panels from Sharp and the Leds from Philips, so hopefully the new range should be good. Speaking of Sharp their new range has brilliant PQ but lacks in offering extended connectivity options etc. So do you have any suggestions / recommendations.

There is no 40" size HX92 series in any part of the world.

Guess that is what he meant too.

 

[avmaxfan]

^
Samsung D8000 is EDGE LED not FULL LED. HX925 is the only Full LED Local Dimming TV on sale in India currently.
And I'm afraid your friend is a lil misinformed. Sony is not using any Sharp panel this year. Last year the HX900 used a Sharp UV2A panel but this year even in the HX925 its a Sony hybrid SPVA panel.

 

[adder]

Well almost all of the models in the market as of date are equipped with Edge LEDs except for Samsung smart 8000 and the Sony HX925 series.

Now I would have gone for a plasma but for the huge reflections from the screen. I like the output on the HX925 but 46" will be a very tight fit in the space available. My friend is trying to locate the now discontinued HX800. He had several in stock till August last week and sold them @65K last price a week or so before I rang him up. Will be going to his showroom tomorrow to take a look at the NX710 but then that is again an edge based model. Should I check for the panel make/model. Another guy who runs the Panasonic brand shop in South Delhi told me that Sony is now sourcing its panels from Sharp and the Leds from Philips, so hopefully the new range should be good. Speaking of Sharp their new range has brilliant PQ but lacks in offering extended connectivity options etc. So do you have any suggestions / recommendations.

Guess that is what he meant too.

Sony only uses Sharp panel in their 60" size lcd,rest of the model mostly use the panels are mostly SPVA tech from S-lcd corporation and the high end models use mostly HFPA sony proprietary tech.

Led modules are again not from philips.Most tv makers use LED from dedicated LED makers they use some proprietary tech ,sony chemical corporation and semiconductor corporation showed some RGB concepts in SID 2009 with white LED and RGB LED for its tvs

 

[khoj]

OK so guys after spending an afternoon and an early evening in the market here are the offers that I have in hand now

1. 40" HX800 (last years top of the line model) @ Rs. 55,000/-
2. 40" NX710 with Bunchin stand(13K) + 3D package(36,175) all together @90K
3. 40" NX720 with no freebies at all @ 90K

I would use the tv for viewing regular tv and maybe skype. Which model should be chosen?

 

[Kittu]

Pick up the HX800. Btw , where are you getting these offers from ?

None of the stores in bangalore have the hx800 .

 

[khoj]

@Kittu, thanks for your post. I too have been leaning towards the 800. The tv is being made available by my friend who owns a Sony Center in Noida. This piece will come from the company warehouse as he had exhausted his stocks by mid August itself.

BTW any idea which panel is used in the HX800? Whether it is the SPVA or the HFPA or some other. Just asking out of curiosity not that it will alter my purchasing decision

 

[avmaxfan]

HX800 has SPVA panel

 

[saurabh459]

46" HX925 now for 153k/- ,last month if i remember correctly it was 200k on sony website

 

[thetas]

^^ Yes indeed it was 203K.
The prices dropped on 2nd Sept2011 and now 46" HX925 now for 153k/-.

 

[khoj]

Guys this post is slightly OT as in it concerns Sharp Aquos Quattron LC-40LE830M LCD panel with LED edge lighting. Could not find any thread related to Sharp panels hence posting here.

I happened to be in Lajpat Nagar today and saw fresh pieces being unloaded. Went in to check these out and there were a 55" and a 46" on display. The adjoining wall had models from Samsung 8000, 7000 & 6600 series and on the opposite wall were Sony's NX720 and another model which was not switched on. Anyhow the 830M blew the socks off the other panels. I found it's PQ to be quite similar to my existing Hitachi LCD panel. In the sense that these do not produce an 'In your face' kind of colour/image but a have more muted output. This has left me totally confused as I had made up my mind on an HX800 40" and was only waiting for the 'Shradh' period to get over to pick up the tv. Now the 830M is tugging at my heart and the remaining pull is that the model being offered at 98K for 40" is the same as what is on sale in Singapore and the Middle east etc. Do any one of you have an experience with Sharp? While I am completely convinced of their technological expertise in LCD panel manufacturing. I am not sure of their after sales support etc in comparison to Sony. Look forward to your inputs.

 

[zaphodb]

Sony has launched Diwali offer.
For 40" (NX), they are giving Airtel HD DTH box and a Sony radio clock.
For 46" (HX), they are giving Airtel HD DTH box and a Sony digital photo frame.

Guys, how about going together to negotiate just before Dussera ?

 

[Kittu]

Airtel HD box and Photoframe are not attractive offers , IMO.:indifferent14:

 

[avmaxfan]

As I mentioned earlier, nobody is willing to give any discount for group purchase. The best Deal Ive found is on letsbuy. They are selling 46HX925 for 1.41 lacs. That is much less than any dealer will sell for. (1.49 that is even for both individual/group buy)

 

[thetas]

Hold on for a while, I will check and update the deal I am getting during the approaching weekend. Till then if you find interesting deal then please update the thread.

The festive offers are really puny
BTW I am targeting for Diwali... it suits my cash flow and plans.

 

[avmaxfan]

I think I'm going to buy from letsbuy
8k is quite a lot. I can get 5-6 3D Blurays easily for 8k

 

[thetas]

I think I'm going to buy from letsbuy

Still update the thread with your experience.
I need to check it out at the your place once you buy it...so when are you calling me ?? hyeah:

 

[avmaxfan]

Yeah I need to check if they have a replacement policy or not, only then Ill place an order. And I am not buying before you, I spent quite a lot on something recently that I already told you about So need to wait at least a month for the HX925.