While Sony still makes good pro gear, their consumer products have descended into the junk category. They leave out basic stuff, while including things that do nothing but annoy (I bought a portable CD player from them a while back, and it inserted a "beep" whenever you touched a control. And you couldn't disable the beep, period.).

My last Sony VCR lasted well under a year, and it died because of the automatic head cleaner self-destructing all over the mechanical parts.

Well since they dumped the US electronics industry out of existence and waited long enough for the vestiges to rust, retire, & pass on, they can start making crap for profit now. Enjoy.

Last time I bought a TV, the salesman at one place, seemed pretty knowledgable, still tried to push the Sony on me. I just started laughing.

He shrugged and admited 'yeah, OK, they're crap. It's getting pretty hard to move 'em anymore'. He was not at all surprised I went with the Samsung DLP. Cheap for the price, a great picture and easy to maintain.

Not to get Lair in trouble or anything, but does he know Houston has a two-dog minimum?

Last time we were at Best Buy looking at HD flat screens the sales critter tried to steer us to Sony. I just smiled and said I don't buy Sony and explained why (same reasons as above plus there DVD copy protection has a nasty effect on some computer DVD drives). He looked shocked.

Samsung 40" LCD is looking better every day. Just need the price to drop some more.

Before you drop that kind of money on the Samsung - and I admit I don't know jack about LCD TVs - you might want to consider just getting a high def projector. We got a complete setup - Optoma projector mounted on the ceiling, a 10 x 7 foot screen (artists' canvas painted with screen paint), and 5.1 surround sound - for about $1,000.

I absolutely love it. First thing we watched was a LOTR marathon (fantastic), and my husband and daughter's video games are pretty incredible too.

Wow. Didn't know this anti-Sony thing was common. I've only gotten a digital camera from them in the last few years, and I have zero complaints.

Wonder what the trouble is?

Wow. Didn't know this anti-Sony thing was common. I've only gotten a digital camera from them in the last few years, and I have zero complaints.

Wonder what the trouble is?

I just went pyro on the m-f.

I'm going to box the slag and ship it to Japan.

I'm a gamer and Sony is pissing away their ridiculous advantage in that arena. Their new Playstation is looking like a total debacle and they seem to be neck-deep in the Blu-Ray DVD technology which just isn't going to take off.
-=Mike

My high def LCDs (just moved the one in living room to the bed room when I put a bigger one in the LR; small living room, where a 32" screen seems huge) are both from LG. I made the jump to HDTV when my 37" Sony started to shoot sparks out the back after only 5 years.
My Sony reciever, that I got as an open box deal at Best Buy back in 99, is still behaiving fine.

Isn't this Sony-bashing crap a year late?

And you're angry because some guy on the internet with a crappy blog had a problem with his camera?

WRT to LCD vs Projector - the room we watch TV isn't configured for a screen that size. Somewhere from 40 to 46 is about it. A 40 fits perfectly where I want to put it and I don't need to do surgury on the entertainment center.

As for Sony bashing - it's never too late. The 'root-kit' was incredibly stupid and Sonys response was a joke. Their DVD copy protection scheme (introduce errors into the data to prevent copying on computers) has been less than nice to those who watch DVDs on their computers.

These people who keep on complaining are stupid people who thinks they can brought down Sony. I'm not surprised since Microsoft have a deep pocket to invest in these kind of dirty tactic. I know Microsoft is the root of this all!

The anti-Sony rants are pretty funny, and mostly show ignorance on the part of those posting them.

So, you're going to buy a Samsung LCD set and not a Sony. I guess you're not aware that the 7th generation panels used by both manufacturers come out of the same production plant in South Korea ( joint venture between Sony/Samsung ).

As for DLP. Please, do you honestly think that DLP sets are problem free? Besides....how can you watch it with all the colour-breaking issues?

When it comes to PS3. Why don't you wait for it to bomb...before you declare it dead. I'll make a wager with anyone anytime, that the 500,000 units available for the North-American launch sell out in no time at all. Have you even seen a PS3 in action? Probably not. Few have. But, I have. The console is going to blow folks away.

Blu-ray high-def DVD looks Amazing. Sure, the first Blu-Ray DVD unit on the market (Samsung) has disappointing picture quality, but this issue is limited to the Samsung player. I've seen Sony Blu-Ray players in action on some fairly inexpensive front projection product, and it looks amazing. Besides....look at the manufacturers and movie studios signed up in the Blu-Ray camp. It's far more than just a Sony endeavor.

Yea....I know some you are pissed off about 'root-kit' debacles....but really, blaming Sony Hardware for problems associated with Sony-BMG's music group is silly.

The anti-Sony rants are pretty funny, and mostly show ignorance on the part of those posting them.

Let's see... fifteen years of professional A/V experience, ranging all the way up to high-end HDTV projection equipment, and literally thousands of hours of setting up and using video and audio gear of all types. This is in addition to the general practice in the business of avoiding Sony consumer and prosumer gear because of reliability AND usability problems.

You might note that Sony didn't have this bad reputation until recently (the last few years), and only got such a bad rap because they started dropping their quality AND doing stupid things like the rootkit debacle. The recent big news stories about Sony and the rootkit are merely the cherry on top of the sundae.

As for DLP. Please, do you honestly think that DLP sets are problem free? Besides....how can you watch it with all the colour-breaking issues?

I don't go for the cheap color-wheel types. The equipment I use is much more expensive and uses three separate chips. The color fidelity is wonderful. Most modern projection setups are pretty nice, even the Sony machines - except that the Sony software, as usual, has some issues with usability.

And before you try to tell us how great Blu-Ray is, you might note that all HDTV "looks incredible" when viewed by someone with no tech training, and that Blu-Ray has some severe technical and practical issues that are already starting to hurt it (even before wide rollout of the tech).

Sounds like you need to do some more research before trying to talk about this stuff.

Cirby said it well. In my case, just a few additional thoughts:

1. I have a relative who worked for Sony, and warned me off "their crap" - her words - three years ago.

2. I've had my Samsung for a year. No problems, very pleased.

Sorry, just had to reply to this stupid post...

"The anti-Sony rants are pretty funny, and mostly show ignorance on the part of those posting them."

Ohh look another Sony blogger ... how much are Sony paying you to write positive post for them.

"So, you're going to buy a Samsung LCD set and not a Sony. I guess you're not aware that the 7th generation panels used by both manufacturers come out of the same production plant in South Korea ( joint venture between Sony/Samsung )."

Ahhh yeah, but the Sony cost twice as much, but since you work for Sony I guess you don`t care

"When it comes to PS3. Why don't you wait for it to bomb...before you declare it dead. "

When it come, when it comes, will it ever get here.... just becuase you don`t turn up for the fight dosn`t mean you`ve won the fight.

"I'll make a wager with anyone anytime, that the 500,000 units available for the North-American launch sell out in no time at all. "

Ohhhhh GOD, you are just getting more and more stupid as this post goes on ... 500,000 units will sell out, because 500,000 units aren`t very many.

"Have you even seen a PS3 in action? Probably not. Few have. But, I have. The console is going to blow folks away. "

NO ONE HAS SEEN A WORKING PS3, NO ONE, STUPID, because they don`t have any, not one damm unit, get it into you`re stupid brain. So how can "it blow you away" you havn`t seen one, how can you say shit like that

"Blu-ray high-def DVD looks Amazing. Sure, the first Blu-Ray DVD unit on the market (Samsung) has disappointing picture quality, but this issue is limited to the Samsung player. I've seen Sony Blu-Ray players in action on some fairly inexpensive front projection product, and it looks amazing. Besides....look at the manufacturers and movie studios signed up in the Blu-Ray camp. It's far more than just a Sony endeavor."

Well after that, NOW WE KNOW YOU WORK FOR SONY

"Yea....I know some you are pissed off about 'root-kit' debacles....but really, blaming Sony Hardware for problems associated with Sony-BMG's music group is silly."

The only Dickhead who is silly here is you. Sony will go under, yes under, that`s bankrupt, in 2008. You read it here first, so dude, you better find yourself a new boss"