Sony KDL40W3000 or KDL40D3000...? Help!!!

[admin_exported]

I'm going to buy one of the two sets above and I can't for the life of me decide which one!

I've just had Sky HD fitted and I'm dying to see what its really like (my current fairly old Pana CRT went wrong recently hence the new set and we're watching a 14" portable Matsui at the moment!).

In the latest What Hifi it mentions that at anything less than 42" the difference between Full HD and HD Ready isn't noticable (we'll be sitting about 3.5m from the screen incidentally) but I'm a little concerned about quality of SD sources (Sky and DVD) - let's face it, it has to make up a huge amount of what anyone is watching out there right now because there's hardly enough HD content to view that exclusively...and I can'd find a) a D3000 to go and look at and b) nowhere will switch a panel over to SD input to let me see what its like...

So, can someone from the WhatHifi team help me out here! Come on guys - do you have any idea what watching a rugby world cup final on a 14" portable is like!!!

 

[Anonymous]

Apparently the 40inch version of the D3000 isn't as good as it's smaller brother for displaying SD pictures. I saw the 40W3000 in a Sony Centre the other day, got them to switch it to SD and to me, it looked pretty good, AND i was only about 4 foot away, plus it was on the internal Freeview viewer. When they flicked it back to the HD picture, i could actually notice a small difference between the 40W3000 and the 32D3000 which was next to it, i.e. the 40W3000 looked better.

Considering you have HD installed, your SD source should be better than the internal Freeview, plus (if you are that way inclined) with the 40W3000 you know you are watching probably the best HD picture display out there at the moment.

It's a difficult choice (and one i'm umming and ahhing about too!). I guess it's down to your budget, and how "future-proof" you want to be, for some people, knowing you have the best available and knowing it is handling HD "properly" is quite important. To be honest, i think the 40W3000 is the better set, it's better specced, the reviews of it are always outstanding and in my opinion it looks awesome!

 

[Anonymous]

I believe that the D3000 will be discontinued... search the net ...

 

[Anonymous]

Why do you say that ? Can't you post some links for us if you've found them ?

 

[Matt_B]

The 40 D3000 has been discontinued, Sony will confirm this (I've mailed them)

I'm in same boat, D3000 for £750 (while you can still find them) or go for the W3000 £1300.

I mainly watch SD material, and just wanted bigger screen for films, gaming. Was going to go D3000 becuase of what people say about can you actually really tell 1080p over 720p from 12feet away and also 100hz option of D3000 - which will now only be availabe on X series over 40 inch.

I'd buy a PX70 tomorrow but wife doesn't want plamsa for some reason.

regards Matt