Brianmgrarcom:
What you should do first and foremost when you are evaluating TV's in a store (and especially Best Buy and Circuit City (and thankfully, I didn't buy my TV from either of these places....... I bought my TV from my high end dealer)) is grab the remote (if it is attached to the set) and adjust the picture controls of all of the sets you are considering to buy. I think that in either set, the middle (or might I say...... the neutral settings) should be used in order to make a judgement as to which TV delivers the better overall picture. Also, if you use neutral settings on both sets, that will level the playing field of both sets at the same time (meaning that one set's picture isn't any more superior than the one the next set is delivering). Once you decide on which set you want to buy, then what you should do is spend maybe, an extra $30.00 or so, and get the Joe Kane Video Essentials DVD (I have one right now, and let me tell you, it is an INVALUABLE tool....... I cannot say that enough. It was definitely the best $25.00 or $30.00 I ever spent) and put it into your DVD Player. That way, you can fine tune your set more precisely, and then that way, your new set can deliver the best picture it can capably deliver.
But to disagree slightly with Sdcampbell, I don't think that the Sony is the ABSOLUTE best 27" TV on the market. I say that because when I was shopping for my set, I was looking at a Sony too, and I ended up with a Panasonic. But mind you, I was looking at a higher-end set that what you and your wife are looking at also. So, that may have been a factor as well. Sony is a very good set. But I don't think it is absolutely the best 27" that you can buy. I was looking at a Sony Wega also (I believe it was the their TOL 27" with their flat screen and also loaded with bells and whistles) and I ended up buying a Panasonic SuperFlat (also, in a 27" size and fully loaded with bells and whistles as well
....... and it was their TOL 27" set also. It was their TOL 27" set two years ago), and saving almost $200.00 in the bargain. And to my eyes, the picture quality was just as good.
I trust you'll let us know what you decide on, won't you??
--Charles--
What you should do first and foremost when you are evaluating TV's in a store (and especially Best Buy and Circuit City (and thankfully, I didn't buy my TV from either of these places....... I bought my TV from my high end dealer)) is grab the remote (if it is attached to the set) and adjust the picture controls of all of the sets you are considering to buy. I think that in either set, the middle (or might I say...... the neutral settings) should be used in order to make a judgement as to which TV delivers the better overall picture. Also, if you use neutral settings on both sets, that will level the playing field of both sets at the same time (meaning that one set's picture isn't any more superior than the one the next set is delivering). Once you decide on which set you want to buy, then what you should do is spend maybe, an extra $30.00 or so, and get the Joe Kane Video Essentials DVD (I have one right now, and let me tell you, it is an INVALUABLE tool....... I cannot say that enough. It was definitely the best $25.00 or $30.00 I ever spent) and put it into your DVD Player. That way, you can fine tune your set more precisely, and then that way, your new set can deliver the best picture it can capably deliver.
But to disagree slightly with Sdcampbell, I don't think that the Sony is the ABSOLUTE best 27" TV on the market. I say that because when I was shopping for my set, I was looking at a Sony too, and I ended up with a Panasonic. But mind you, I was looking at a higher-end set that what you and your wife are looking at also. So, that may have been a factor as well. Sony is a very good set. But I don't think it is absolutely the best 27" that you can buy. I was looking at a Sony Wega also (I believe it was the their TOL 27" with their flat screen and also loaded with bells and whistles) and I ended up buying a Panasonic SuperFlat (also, in a 27" size and fully loaded with bells and whistles as well
....... and it was their TOL 27" set also. It was their TOL 27" set two years ago), and saving almost $200.00 in the bargain. And to my eyes, the picture quality was just as good.
I trust you'll let us know what you decide on, won't you??
--Charles--