CMO, I use the same TV in one of my systems and hooked the Sony Blu-ray to it. Although it will not do 1080p, the 1080i did look significantly better. It was so sharp, you could see how the actors makeup is applied! I also own the 9000es and the HD is superior. On regular DVD formats the 9100es makes as good a picture as the BR and is a step above the 9000es. I use it because the BR player doesn't play CD or SACD. I normally use the BR player on the 46" set.
Too bad the 40" want do 1080p because it certainly has a better picture than any other of the newer sets I have viewed. I have a 46" Sony XBR LCD set and the older 40" XBR is superior even though I like the size and weight of the newer set vs the 300#+ of the older one. It also formats regular video full screen instead of the black left and right areas of the new set in its native size. I don't like the stretch modes because it distorts the picture too much on the newer set.
I still can't understand widescreen when both sets have the upper and lower black areas. You would think a widescreen set would show a widescreen full screen but that is not the case. Unfortunately, I guess we are stuck with what is for the time being.
Too bad the 40" want do 1080p because it certainly has a better picture than any other of the newer sets I have viewed. I have a 46" Sony XBR LCD set and the older 40" XBR is superior even though I like the size and weight of the newer set vs the 300#+ of the older one. It also formats regular video full screen instead of the black left and right areas of the new set in its native size. I don't like the stretch modes because it distorts the picture too much on the newer set.
I still can't understand widescreen when both sets have the upper and lower black areas. You would think a widescreen set would show a widescreen full screen but that is not the case. Unfortunately, I guess we are stuck with what is for the time being.