# Sony KDL-60EX700



## lugnutathome

Just my views on a great value for a large screen set

Sony KDL-60EX700

The good:

An edge lit LED backlight on an ultra-slim LCD panel with extremely good picture, settings options galore,internet widgets (easy to use and with surprisingly good picture).

The not quite so good: matte screen loses contrast on side angle viewing, some digital image artifacts (haloing) during grainy low lit scenes.



I had my "eye" on this model for some time once it hit the sonystyle website and hoped to get my hooks on one once it hit shipping stage. But Sony is being rather "coy" with new model distribution by releasing to their own internal distribution channels about a quarter prior to their boutique store retailers. Big box retailers that have their own special packaging and therefore discrete model numbers also got early release for in store (but not web sales). Just happened into Costco at lunch one Friday and there was the KDL-60EX701! It came with an additional 2 years on the warranty plus a wireless internet connection kit! It was home and in service by that Sunday evening...

There is a lot of chatter about the lack of true blacks out on the web and I'm really having a problem with that observation in that if you dial the contrast (Sony calls this setting "picture") down in the range of "75", set power save to "low", and leave backlight at "5" the picture is perhaps just short of exceptional. The standard presets for all the scenes and picture modes are at 90 and above and overdrive the image. 

As it is an edge lit system and not zonal area dimming, there may be some credence to true black objects in the midst of bright white scenes possibly being a bit off but I'm not seeing that.

My room is shall we say "massive" at 25 wide by 40 long with 12 ft high ceiling and a 24 inch deep ledge at the 4 ft high level where the TV resides as close to the end wall's center as is possible due to a hallway that exits the room at that end dead center. Seating is 20ft back from the screen and obviously a bit below TV level. Perfect for leaning back or reclining and getting awash in the set's eye candy.

It has a number of picture "scenes" Theater, PC, STD, Photo, etc plus 3 base picture setting modes Vivid (or sports), standard, and custom. These 3 modes can be set up per input or "golbal" and run under the "scene" masking. Plus there are controls for noise, black level, contrast enhancement, motionflow, 120hz refresh, etc giving one hours of adjusting fun (or hell if that's your view). If you cannot make it look just like you like on each input, then you are seeing too much daylight:lol: Seriously if you have already spent time futzing with HDTV settings this can be done in just a few minutes. It really is that simple but it is incredibly flexible as well.

Built in audio is OK and quite functional for a basic TV watching session for like the news or such. With 4 HDMI connections and 2 component inputs with corresponding composite audio there is plenty of HD connectivity. It also packs an optical out claiming a 5.1 pass through on the "handy cam" port. I've not tested this nor will I likely, though I may add the optical out to facilitate the internet widgets going forward.

My set up uses HDM1 for the Direct TV DVR which connects to my receiver via Optical, and HDMI4 feeds video from my receiver sources (PS3, Yamaha DVD single player, Yamaha DVD changer). It also is connected to a terrestrial antenna for when Direct services are interrupted.

In short, this TV has plenty of connectivity, TONS of features and settings, an outstanding picture,and its a power miser to boot.

Part of its power saving features allows for motion sensing and switching picture off leaving audio when no motion has been detected for a selectable period of time. Then after a longer time with no motion it shuts off completely. I suspect this is why although you can set sleep mode via the menus (or with another sony TV remote that has a sleep button) that this units remote has no sleep button.

Due to the matte screen, image contrast suffers some on off angle (side angle) viewing more than on my older Sony XBR units in other rooms. And also from this side angle digital haloing is sometimes noticable in darker grainy scenes. More direct on angles and the image is nearly perfect. In this regard the more expensive NX800 might perform a bit better with its glossy "monolithic" screen but I cannot vouch for this personally. And I absolutely cannot have a set that leans back in my mounting location.

Overall I am more than pleased with this purchase. The picture quality is excellent, its feature set is incredible and its price for a 60 inch version is highly affordable.

Only set up problem I encountered was with a Harmony remote. Inputs are not directly accessible and though the input button will toggle through the list of active inputs the first press only displays the list. I finally had to choose an option for the input selection for a Toshiba TV (I think that was the heading) that used a 3 keystroke pattern and defined the open list, arrow scroll to move, and none for the final key and that fixed it (could have defined select here).

This set really is a great value for a good reliable workhorse HDTV set that can do justice to all your video pleasures and leave some cash in the pocketbook (so you can bribe the spousal unit) at the same time :grin:.

Don "and that's the truth" Bolton


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## Leinie

Nice review, I have had this tv for about 2 weeks .
I am very happy with it.


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## spartanstew

lugnutathome said:


> My room is shall we say "massive" at 25 wide by 40 long with 12 ft high ceiling and a 24 inch deep ledge at the 4 ft high level where the TV resides as close to the end wall's center as is possible due to a hallway that exits the room at that end dead center. Seating is 20ft back from the screen and obviously a bit below TV level. Perfect for leaning back or reclining and getting awash in the set's eye candy.


Way too big of a room for that size display. Since you have a 2' deep ledge, you have no need for a thin screen and could have purchased a Mits 82" for the same price or less and you would have had nearly TWICE as much screen area.


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## hughh

Leinie said:


> Nice review, I have had this tv for about 2 weeks .
> I am very happy with it.


Agree, great review. I have had this TV for about 6 weeks now and really enjoy it. I never thought I'd be using the internet function as much as I now do.

I didn't find the preset "scenes" to my liking, so I don't use them at all.

As for a remote, since I have my Onkyo 707 in charge of all sounds and it's sitting inside a cabinet, I have been using my old and cheap Universal "Unifier" which operates on RF frequency and goes though everything. After going through the POA setting it up, it's been working like a charm.

COSTCO members can get this same TV, but with the 701 designation, instead of the 700. This will give them 2 extra yrs of warranty, plus built in WiFi dungle for probably less $$$ BB.


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## lugnutathome

My experience with DLP is that it has incredibly *bad* off angle viewing when above or below the engineered horizon line. I also have this same style ledge in my master bedroom and I'd put up a 46 inch Toshiba DLP. Very dark imaging. Had to create a "box" with a downwardly angled top surface to tilt the TV more toward the designed horizon line. It's a "box" as it raises the set in the front as well enough so that my Yamaha YSP can sit in front of the set without blocking the image.

Still not perfect image when in the recliners at the foot of the bed but OK back on the bed itself. Fortunately when its bulb fried it took something else out and the set was junk. I'd bought the extended warranty and they cut me a check for the initial price of the set (when new not current comparative pricing). I used that money as a down payment on a 46 inch Sony XBR LCD and had no such image issues.

I'd no desires to go with such weirdness in the big room. It initially had a 62 inch DLP which stayed on a stand on the floor. Till the 60 inch EX700 surfaced...

Yeah the room could probably use a projector But the 60 inch is pretty nice and doesn't occupy floorspace so when the family brings over their perpetually flailing mutant offspring, they can preform the whirling Dervish dance (in C minus) all they want and not be anywhere near damaging an expen$ive TV.

If I want the big screen "blow one away motion sickness" effect I just head to the video game room which has a 57 inch DLP about 8 feet ahead of the primary seating locations. It's sound system is the bookshelf version of the floor standers (that also sit on the ledge) in the big room.

Don "this man's gotta have his toys" Bolton



spartanstew said:


> Way too big of a room for that size display. Since you have a 2' deep ledge, you have no need for a thin screen and could have purchased a Mits 82" for the same price or less and you would have had nearly TWICE as much screen area.


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## spartanstew

lugnutathome said:


> My experience with DLP is that it has incredibly *bad* off angle viewing when above or below the engineered horizon line. I also have this same style ledge in my master bedroom and I'd put up a 46 inch Toshiba DLP. Very dark imaging. Had to create a "box" with a downwardly angled top surface to tilt the TV more toward the designed horizon line. It's a "box" as it raises the set in the front as well enough so that my Yamaha YSP can sit in front of the set without blocking the image.


Unfortunately, most people place their displays too high. Placing it at the correct viewing height would eliminate that issue.


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## mechman

Proper placement for a TV is one of the things that a lot of folks overlook. DLP is great technology at a great price. If I'd have the room for the Mitsubishi I would have bought one myself. You just can't beat the price for that kind of screen real estate. But I settled for a KDL-52EX700. It's a wonderful set for my living room.


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