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Sony 46HX820 Review
46" Edge-lit LED LCD 3D HDTV, $2599
 
Dick De Jong From what I am seeing with the new 2011 models, TV manufacturers of all ilk are looking for the next big thing. In LCD TVs, the 120 to 240 to 480Hz race has petered out and now frame rates are simply a number buried in the spec sheet. LED backlighting is quickly becoming the norm for LCDs. Those tiny diodes allow skinnier and skinnier TVs, but as they approach 1" thick, how excited can you get about one model being an 1/8" less than another. And 3D is so 2010. The technology is becoming just another feature in most higher end TVs. Though the active vs. passive debate is still generating some marketing heat. So what's a poor TV maker to do? Refine their products, paying particular attention to Internet connectivity, the one feature that is coaxing the dollars out of TV buyers' wallets. With the HX820 series, Sony is doing just that. They have expanded the number of content providers and simplified their menu. They even added a Netflix button on the remote control. Perhaps more importantly, their X-Reality PRO technology improves the look of those gnarly low-res videos that you often find on sites like YouTube. But not everything is roses and lollipops. Like many other manufacturers, Sony has fallen prey to the temptation of adding new features simply, it seems, because they can. I will admit that despite the feature creep, the HX820 can still be a simple TV to set up and use. And the Picture Quality (PQ) from the 480Hz, edge-lit LED 3D HDTV is what you would expect from this Sony model that is one small step below their top-end HX929 series. (Editor's Note: Sony makes two sizes of the HX820 series, 46" and 55". Both have similar specifications and this review of the KDL-46HX820 can apply to its more spacious brother.) Our Star Ratings
Performance: 4.0  If I was just judging 2D Picture Quality (PQ), my rating would be 4.5. I believe that the X-Reality PRO engine actually does improve the look of lower resolution Internet video. But its 3D performance is not noticeably better than its competitors. And even though Sony has added a third speaker, the HX820 cannot belt out the big sound.
Features: 5.0  With a built-in 3D transmitter, Wi-Fi, an armful of apps and a dizzying array of extras, about the only thing missing from the package are 3D glasses for the whole family, which you will need to purchase separately. For some, all those features may be too much of a good thing.
Ease of Use: 4.0 Setting up the HX820 for basic broadcast TV and Blu-ray viewing is a quick straightforward step-by-step procedure. Even connecting it to your home network can be fairly easy. Working your way through the mountain of features will take some time and patience
Value: 3.5  At the time of this review, the SonyStyle site had the KDL-46HX820 priced at $2599 and I'm finding it elsewhere online for about $800 less. Even at that number, you are paying a pretty premium for all the features bundled into this edge-lit LED TV. And if you are planning to watch 3D content, you will need to buy the active shutter glasses. Sony has reduced their price, but they still cost $70 each.
Star Ratings Description Ratings are relative to when the review was written. The obvious example is Value, what you could purchase for $2000 two years ago or even two months ago would seem like a bad value for that price now. We have give very few 5 Star ratings, which we reserve for truly outstanding accomplishment.
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