Sony KP-61V75 61 Rear Projection Color TV

Product Review

The Sony KP-61V75 61-inch rear projection TV gives users a large, crisp screen on which to watch everything from old Starsky & Hutch episodes to the latest Hollywood blockbuster. Sports fans will delight in the wide 120-degree viewing angle, which ensures that they won't miss a moment of the action even when craning their necks from the kitchen hallway. In addition, the TV's trio of high-performance hybrid lenses (F1.1) and high-brightness picture tubes combine to project a high-intensity, vividly colored picture. Other features employed by the KP-61V75 include a Flash Focus system, which automatically adjusts the color alignment for immediate satisfaction, and a dual-tuner picture-in-picture, which lets users enjoy two distinct programs on the main screen and a smaller inset window.

Compulsive channel surfers will appreciate the favorite channel preview, which lets the user sample up to eight channels in small inset boxes without leaving the main program. The TV also includes several picture modes (vivid, standard, movie, and two custom options), color temperature adjustment (gives the picture a bluish, reddish, or neutral tint), jump channel, a sleep timer, a freeze option (perfect for capturing addresses or phone numbers), and parental control for users who want to restrict their children's viewing options.

The KP-61V75 also includes a robust audio package, with a built-in 30-watt speaker system (15 watts x 2), MTS stereo decoding, a simulated surround mode that creates a surround effect for mono broadcasts, a surround mode that works similarly for stereo feeds, and a BBE audio mode that centers the sound intensity as though users were sitting before an orchestra. Viewers can also adjust the bass, treble, and balance, or enjoy a secondary audio broadcast of the same program when available (typically in another language). The TV connects to other components through the component video input (ideal for DVD players), three S-video inputs (one front and two rear), three composite inputs (one front and two rear), and Control S, audio, and monitor outputs.

What's in the Box
TV, remote control, two AA batteries, user's manual.