I recently purchased this TV and wanted to give my thoughts. I went in looking for a 2D TV, thinking a 3D TV was out of reach.... fortunately the Thanksgiving sales were getting started, and I got this one for only a couple hundred more than what I had budgeted for a 2D TV. The reviews on this TV in 2D mode were good, so I figured 3D was almost free, and if I didn't like it, nothing lost.
The TV is quite attractive itself.... sleek and modern. It's not sporting the new "monolithic" look of the higher end Sonys, but it has a small bezel and won't looked outdated, if that sort of thng is a concern to you. It comes with a decent stand, and has all the connections you need. Some of the connections are on the back of the unit, so be advised if you plan to wall mount it.
The TV was easy to set up and get running.
In 2D, the TV is indeed impressive. SD pictures are very good, but the HD picture is pretty spectacular. Bright, crisp, great colors.... beautiful! If you're a videophile, you'll probably want to mess with the settings. I used some calibration settings a videophile friend recommended, and it does look good, but I'm not the most sensitive person to such issues.
Some reviews complain about limited viewing angles. I did notice some loss of contrast with off-angle viewing, but again, it doesn't really seem to be an issue with me, except at fairly extreme angles, where you can't see the picture anyway.
So how's the 3D? PRETTY DARNED IMPRESSIVE! I find the 3D very convincing. Unlike some other brands I sampled, I did not detect any crosstalk or ghosting. I'm really looking froward to seeing content developed with these kind of TV's in mind. The HX800 includes a 2D to 3D conversion mode which worked better than I expected, but I'll be honest and say this is mainly a gimmick to play with until more genuine 3D content is available. The glasses work well to block out ambient light, though I found them a tad tight, so I hope Sony makes a pair for goons like me with big heads. On the bright side, they include adjustment so I can get them to fit on my 8-year-old daughter and I don't have to spring for the kid's model.
The sound is only acceptable for TV speakers, but most people getting this TV will be using it with an external sound system, so no big deal. The included speakers are certainly OK for short term use, or in a small room where a home theatre set-up isn't practical. I wound up using Sony's CT150 sound bar system and I'm very happy with that.
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