FD Trinitron flat picture tube * 4:3 screen aspect ratio *
Sony's KV-20FS120 20-inch WEGA TV may be the smallest display you'll ever consider using as a home-theater component. Its FD Trinitron tube delivers strong image accuracy, wide viewing angles, outstanding contrast, and impressive corner-to-corner detail. The visually flat FD Trinitron tube minimizes annoying glare from light sources, which enhances contrast. Corner-to-corner details are rendered more accurately because images aren't distorted by a curved screen. Squares look square, straight lines appear straight, and circles are circular.
Velocity modulation (selectable: off, high, low) improves the definition at picture edges, creating sharper images by slowing the CRT (cathode-ray tube) beam's horizontal scanning during demanding work--say, when rendering transitions from light to dark parts of an image--and speeding it up when scanning easily rendered sections, like broad dark areas. The set's digital comb filter further enhances resolution by removing blurred edges between colors and reducing dot crawl (tiny, moving dots of color along a sharp color separation in a vertical line, as in a depiction of a character's striped T-shirt).
Top-of-the-line component-video inputs minimize digital and line-scan artifacts from compatible video sources, while standard composite- and S-video inputs accommodate all DVD players. You can choose between a set of rear AV inputs and a set of front AV inputs for extra convenience when hooking up a camcorder or gaming console. You may also label the set's video inputs and channels for easy selection.
The set produces stereo audio with 10 watts per channel. Its Dynamic Picture Processor circuitry maintains image detail in the very bright and dark areas of each scene, while vertical aperture compensation sharpens picture definition and edge detail on the vertical plane). Other features include tilt correction and Trinitone color temperature control.
Using Sony's channel-fix feature, you can select a specific TV channel (3, for example) for cable box reception, then subsequently control a compatible cable box via the TV's remote without inadvertently changing the TV from your designated input channel. Favorite channel offers one-button access to the last 8 channels you've tuned (auto) or the last 8 favorites that you've preset (manual).
What's in the Box
TV, remote control (RM-Y194), remote batteries, a user's manual, and warranty information.
1 A new set for the bedroom.
Well this set is replacing an aged 13 inch set that has been sent out to pasture. So the difference is really noticable. I had read the reviews on this site before buying the Sony and I am dissappointed that Sony did not keep the S-video hookup with this TV. The component video hookups are great as mentioned by another reviewer but that does me no good whatsoever with connecting my DirecTV box to the TV which is what the majority of the owners wanted to do with the S video anyway. There may be a solution for the griping though. There is a way to get S-video from your dish box to the TV. There is now linked as a product recommendation a Monster cable that hooks up to your dish/cable box as S video and then hooks up to the TV to the composite. It is a solution but the unfortunate thing is that the cable itself is about half the cost of the TV. So it is your call whether or not the cost of the cable is worth it but it is a solution. The TV really is fantastic though but there was a noticed issue with the Redness of skin tones when watching some channels. When watching a simulcast on the three main networks NBC was really bright and the the skin tones were increadibly red. ABC was really dark and CBS was perfect. So you may think that this is an issue with the networks and not my TV. Well you have a point however on our 8 year old Sony in the den the difference during the same simulcast was barely noticable. The redness really decreased when selecting PRO for the video mode so maybe that is a good fix. All in all I am pleased with the TV and I hope that it brings us many years of enjoyment.
2 Forget about S-Video, use COMPONENT!!!
To those complaining missing S-video: component input is much better!
DVDPlayer, PS2 and other *MODERN" devices have component output, which serves the best quality!
3 Perfect for watching my stories!
This is a swell TV. Living in an "urban" area, we have a very "small" apartment and went for the 20 inch set which works just fine for us since we don't have a rec-room or Rooms-to-go living room to put it in. DVD's look great on it as does our DV cam and the playstation game machine. It rocks. Not a single issue with it.
4 Wonderful Television. Worth the Price.
Sony WEGA TVs are relatively more expensive than the competition, but they are worth the price. My 20" WEGA is very nice. The picture is superb and the sound is much better than TVs of the same class. It is true that it does not have an S-video input but only RCA (composite) and component inputs, in addition to the usual F-pin input.
If you look at a WEGA too close to the screen, then the picture looks grainy, but if you step back to a normal distance, then you will see that the resolution and color are superior.
5 Great TV but NO S-VIDEO connector!
I agree with the other reviewer. If you read the Amazon technical description above you'll see that it is being advertised as having S-VIDEO, but it absolutely does not! (I confirmed the model number on the back of my TV, too.) I talked to a salesperson in Circuit City about this (while I was shopping for this TV) and I was shown LAST year's model which actually had an S-VIDEO connection -but they were out of stock and they don't make that older version anymore. Why this newer one does not have the S-VIDEO connection is completely beyond me. I wouldn't even care except that my TV tuner card on my computer outputs via S-VIDEO so now I don't bother outputting to my TV (because I'd be stuck using the lowest quality COMPOSITE connection).
Other than that big S-VIDEO disappointment, the TV is great. It has two good sounding built in speakers, and the screen is a WEGA "flatscreen" which allows you a wider angle of view (useful if different people are watching the TV from different areas in the room). This is actually a great feature -I didn't notice how easy it was to view this TV from an angle until I started watching TV while I was on the internet a few feet to the left of the TV. Go back to a curved screen TV and you will really strain to watch!
On the FRONT of the TV (under a drop down panel) there is a COMPOSITE connection (with dual Analog Audio connections). There is also a headphone jack under the drop down panel in the front. This is nice.
Note: There are enough buttons under the panel to control the TV if you can't find the remote. (This is important, too!) The power button, however, is outside of the panel so you can turn it on or off without opening it up.
The remote is fine. It is about half the size of the "standard" Sony remote (from TVs that are 27 to 36 inches big). It has kind of an interesting tapered shape (fatter at the base and thinner at the top) which allows you to place it straight up like a tall glass if you wanted. Not sure how useful this is but I suppose it would be easier to find if you stored it straight up.
On the back of the TV there is an RF connection (i.e. a cable TV connection) and a COMPOSITE connection (with dual analog audio connections) and also a COMPONENT connection (with dual analog audio connections).
If you don't care about S-Video then I highly recommend this TV. Great price for a high quality TV.
6 A good overall TV
Sound quality seems to be its real strength. But beware: it does not, contrary to what's indicated on this site and others, have an S-video input. So if you're hoping to connect a DVD player or camera to this unit using an S-video cable, this TV is not for you.
