Sony refuses to let OXM review Bravia HDTV

by Dustin Burg { Dec 22nd 2007 at 10:45AM }

OXM started a new monthly feature in their magazine where they do reviews of various brands of HDTVs seeing that tons of gamers are in the market for new sets. And their monthly feature has been going fine until recently, when they contacted Sony to get a Bravia HDTV for a review in their next issue. Let's just say Sony didn't want any part of the review.

Upon giving the Sony Bravia folks a ring, OXM was taken aback to hear that they refused to send them a Bravia to review due to OXM's affiliation with the Xbox 360 platform. They're probably scared that a magazine with "Xbox" in their name would be biased towards a Sony brand TV. Funny thing is, OXM's Dan Amrich owns a Bravia set and loves it to death. Snap! So, OXM didn't get a Bravia HDTV and thus no review will get published. We guess Sony Bravia doesn't want Xbox 360 fanboys to purchase their televisions. Sucks for them.

Tags: bravia, microsoft, oxm, sony, sony-bravia

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Brian @ Dec 22nd 2007 10:55AM

Further proof that Sony's PR department is being run by poorly trained monkeys

Will @ Dec 22nd 2007 11:05AM

True dat, homey...

skunkworks @ Dec 22nd 2007 11:07AM

maybe they want OPM to review it. with the internet does anyone even read paper gaming mags anymore?
official platform mags are worthless anyways. you might as well take your reviews directly from the manufactures.

GANNONSMASH @ Dec 22nd 2007 12:24PM

OPM = opium

jus' saying.

xenocidic @ Dec 22nd 2007 11:16AM

maybe they don't want to send them a free $4000 TV

xenocidic @ Dec 22nd 2007 11:20AM

having RTFA i see that they're only on loan

Frank @ Dec 22nd 2007 12:30PM

Pretty sure that isn't the reason. Companies send out free crap to demo all the time. Thats why all the gaming review sites get free copies of games in advance. If they send out 1 TV to OXM for "4000 dollars", and it gets a positive review, it's sure to tip at least 1 person onto buying one, therefore they've made money. Plus it doesnt cost them anywhere near "4000 dollars" to make the TV, that's thats just the retail price.

xsfx @ Dec 22nd 2007 11:19AM

Let them starve.

m$ @ Dec 22nd 2007 11:24AM

Makes sense.

Jared @ Dec 22nd 2007 11:29AM

it's okay. Sony LCD's are mostly Samsung parts anyway.

OBM @ Dec 22nd 2007 1:01PM

I find samsung HDTVS to be the best anyway, just go to a shop with all similar models from other companies and see. The Samsungs look far better than the rest, much brighter and clearer.

mattclarkie @ Dec 22nd 2007 1:43PM

The reason Samsung TVs appear to look better is because they are saturated. We are used to crap pictures with unrealistic colours and soft edges, and when we see a tv with natural colours and sharp edges it looks wrong, despite actually being better.

When calibrating a TV properly, the advice is after 3 days go back to the settings you used to use, and you will realise they were rubbish and the new ones are actually more real.

This is why Sony TVs look worse in a shop, despite often being superior the more realistic colours, and sharper edges compared to soft saturated pictures of cheaper sets are a turn-off.

I am not a Sony fanboy, but I love Sony TVs, because I have never seen a properly calibrated set I didn't like.

eugene @ Dec 22nd 2007 3:36PM

I guess thats why all the AV sites routinely rate samsung sets higher than sony because the people who make their living doing AV can't tell the difference between a set with the backlight on 10 and a properly calibrated set?

Or, could it be because samsung actually has better color reproduction, better blacks, and oh yeah, no fucking clouds during dark scenes?

iFester @ Dec 22nd 2007 11:45AM

Well, to counter Sony, Microsoft will come out with it's own brand of TV's for OXM to review. Just so OXM isn't favorable to Microsoft's TV, they'll point out to the consumer it's Red Screen of Death issues.

Thomas @ Dec 22nd 2007 11:59AM

Well, i'll just say that i have a my 360 hooked up to a 32" Bravia, and it looks beautiful.

Gus @ Dec 23rd 2007 3:11PM

Agreed. I LOVE my 40" XBR2. I only wish I had sprung for the 46."

My Elite 360 looks awesome at 1080p and my Wii looks great at 480p. SOMEDAY I'll get a PS3.

ssantos11 @ Dec 22nd 2007 12:00PM

Typical Sony move...it makes me wonder how Sony stays in the market at all.

Clearly they are no longer the market leader they thought they were, how could you be afraid of a legitimate press outlet?

And OXM just launched thier new webiste, so lots of information is on thier site. Plenty of reviews and stuff. It's no longer just a static page.

Stupid, Stupid Sony.

Dr Dave @ Dec 22nd 2007 12:00PM

Quite simply put buy a sony you're paying too much. Lots of competitors sell a better product for less and if sony dosen't think that the millions of 360 owners are not worth attracting to their product then fine. I won't be able to read a review, then they won't be able to change my mind and and loose a posible customer. SONY POO POO.

jake18oly @ Dec 22nd 2007 12:34PM

That is really weird. I always laugh when I see Movies or anything on the marketplace that are owned my Sony Pictures or Sony BMG.

itsburnsie @ Dec 22nd 2007 1:18PM

Dear Sony,

You used to be cool, but lately you've really been being a dick to everyone. It started with DRM filled music CD's, then you slapped a blu-ray player into your PS3 and made it cost pound-per-pound more than gold bullion just to try to get an edge in the "next gen" DVD biz, and now you think anybody who buys ANY competitors products is now the enemy.

I don't think we can be friends anymore Sony. It's just not working out. Have fun being lonely and counting the rest of your money while you still have it. I'm going to hang out with my buddies Samsung, Microsoft, Nintendo, and Apple. Call me when you can play nice in the sandbox again.

Laters,
itsburnsie

Noshino @ Dec 22nd 2007 4:53PM

"I'm going to hang out with my buddies Samsung, Microsoft, Nintendo, and Apple. Call me when you can play nice in the sandbox again."

Im sorry? since when Samsung, Microsoft, Nintendo, and Apple have played nice? so you can keep up with the bad press towards Sony yet not about all those other companies, which at times is even worse....

Awesomeness...

Stil, dumb move by Sony

Brian @ Dec 22nd 2007 7:15PM

Right on! I used to be big into Sony, starting with the first MiniDisc players. They completely lost me in their pre-ps3 frenzy. Constantly, blatantly lying to their fans about release dates and product specs, just so they wouldn't buy a 360. The kicker was them showing prerendered videos in lieu of actual game footage.

Good bye Sony, hello Samsung. Besides, Sony often uses Samsung's LCD's in their TVs... the only thing missing is 25% of the markup and the glass frame around the screen.

Johndude @ Dec 22nd 2007 2:09PM

Sony's TV department is doing just fine, so dont really think they care

Its their playstation department thats suffering lol

dancingtosirens @ Dec 22nd 2007 2:48PM

Thats kind of dumb.
I have a Sony Bravia as well and I think it's really good

energyvortex @ Dec 22nd 2007 3:03PM

just another blundering step by Sony. Seems more and more like their electronics division is being run by a collective group of grabastic retards.

Creating thier own DVD spec to try to take over the market, then shoe-horning in a crap player in thier game console, then bundling all kinds of give aways of blow-ray media, then trying to claim all these amazing attach rate numbers to 'prove' that they're winning the format war... typical sony.

I chuckle every time they do something this blately idiotic, because it simply continues to posion consumers to their products.

CONFUSEDgam3r @ Dec 22nd 2007 3:05PM

Ummm...didn't you just say one of the editors owns one? Why can't they just use that one. Making a big deal out of nothing.

Sparkstalker @ Dec 22nd 2007 11:24PM

I'd say it's for the same reason I don't use my home PC for work-related stuff. First off - it's a personal piece of equipment that the editor paid for. Considering it would be tested for a period of weeks, there's a number of issues...he wouldn't have his TV, the wear and tear through the testing, plus the liability of transporting it between home and office. Second, his is a used TV...the results may be lower due to that fact. Finally, and most important from a business perspective, if Sony doesn't want to play ball - f'em. Why give them the publicity of a review if they don't have the decency to provide a test unit for said review?

And on that note, I'm happy with my "non-true" HDTV from Sony. But when I get the LCD for my new game room, I doubt the Bravia will be on my list. With Sony's holier than thou attitude, I can't imagine the nightmare that their tech support would give you if there were a compatibility issue between the TV and the 360.

Jayslacks @ Dec 22nd 2007 3:06PM

Bravia is an amazing television. Too bad 360 people can't read a good article about it.

Pulse-Wave @ Dec 22nd 2007 3:28PM

It's OXM. Who gives a flip?

I'm pretty sure Xbox 360 owners can find more comprehensive reviews online from dozens and dozens of professional and user reviews.

CONFUSEDgam3r @ Dec 23rd 2007 5:11PM

My thoughts exactly!

Anticrawl @ Dec 22nd 2007 3:31PM

I have a 1080p Sony Bravia hooked up to my 360. I love it, but if I had the choice I would have gone with Sharp. I can get the same TV with equal or better quality for half the price. Not to save the Bravia line isn't fantastic but it is known to be overly expensive.

Shape @ Dec 22nd 2007 3:41PM

I have a 60" Sony Bravia A3000. It is an awesome TV for the XBox. I have a ton of Halo 3 and COD4 pics on the TV in my flickr account.

http://flickr.com/photos/shapegsx/sets/72157603515865446/

Let me know what you think.

Etchasketchist @ Dec 22nd 2007 4:27PM

I think my TV is bigger.

David W. @ Dec 22nd 2007 7:13PM

I'll stick with my gorgeous Sharp LCD thank you very much :)

cornfed @ Dec 22nd 2007 11:05PM

You know, sony tv's were the LAST sony product that i actually... liked, i don't like sony products or the ps3 but i was still planning on getting a 52" xbr5 lcd tv to play my 360 on.

But after sony's blatant arrogance and utter stupidity to not send a tv for oxm to review, i WILL NOT be buying a sony lcd no more. Sorry sony you've just lost another customer and i will do my best to influence others who ask my opinion on which hdtv to buy and the answer will be definitely NOT sony!

I was going to spend the extra $ on an xbr but now i'm either going to get a 52" Toshiba or Sharp Aquos.

Thanks Sony, you guy are just freakin brilliant!

PS. Someone should send this story to Gizmodo and Engadget so others can make make better decisions on their new hdtv.

cee1003 @ Dec 23rd 2007 1:23AM

grammer my friend. you post for a well respected website...i'd expect a little more. especially since you're criticizing another company.

Endejas @ Dec 23rd 2007 1:58AM

Are you serious? So what, Sony doesn't lend a competitor's partner a $4000 TV to do with whatever they would like to print?

I think it was best that Sony avoided the situation altogether. Good on them.

Brucie B @ Dec 23rd 2007 7:40AM

Sony TV's SUCK! (My Luck)
I guess unless you've never had a problem. lol
Well I have a 60" HDTV LCD XBR it's now going on 3-4 yrs old. Well my problem started right after the warrenty ran out, I mean 1 week After, No Joke. I already had some pixels blown, but that was no problem, But then I get this Bluish blob on the screen. Well to cut to the chase I have half the screen with the bluish mess, & the other half with @ least 40 Pixels blown. So I wasted $6500 On a Piece of U know what. Well they wouldn't do anything about it! I would have to pay another Grand to get it fixed. (I've already spent over 15,000 on Sony products) To top it off they knew about the problem (same problem causes the 'Roadmap' it's the Optical Block) So yes I have a some problems with sonys TVs.

Be carefull with the Bravia sets they might have some Ghosting from the last time I checked @ AVS Forum.

Uncle Rodeo @ Dec 23rd 2007 8:37AM

It's posted on digg. Hopefully it will become popular and people can see just how ridiculous Sony is acting. http://digg.com/xbox/Sony_Refuses_To_Let_OXM_Review_Bravia_HDTV

ashmufc @ Dec 23rd 2007 2:35PM

Sony LCD are NOT the same as Samsung ones.

They just share the same screens, but the processing is different, with Sony clearly superior!

People just go crazy when they see TVs in stores with the colour set to max, and they think it looks great.

batyl @ Dec 23rd 2007 3:09PM

I can't believe how you guys are acting. What are you, 5? Big deal if they didn't send a TV to be reviewed, they are not the first company to hold a product from a specific company/magazine/tv show to be reviewed and they certainly won't be the last. Bugatti has not let Top Gear run the Veyron around their track and I am sure that has stopped people with the money from buying it.

You should buy the product based on it's spec's and performance, not some biased website or magazine. Look at professional reviews if you want reviews, not a GAMING magazine's website. Seriously, those who don't buy a TV because they didn't let someone review it obviously doesn't care about true performance of the TV and is too easily influenced by poor reviews, most of which are biased.

And to any who think I am biased towards the Sony TV your wrong, the last three TV's I have purchased have been 2 Sharps and the newest being a 50" Panasonic plasma.

Chris @ Dec 23rd 2007 4:10PM

I have a SONY Bravia TV for my 360 setup and I love it, very disappointed in Sony.

jango fett @ Dec 23rd 2007 5:01PM

I noticed that all the coments that didnt say 'fuck sony' were voted down so you might as well vote down this one... this is stupid. if the editor says he has a bravia and loves it to death, couldnt he had made the review with his own tv considering that he loves it to death??? why does he loves it to death??????? this is ridiculous and any xbox fan that thinks sony is stupid for this then let me just tell the one who put this in x3f... you guys are stupid and dont have nothing else to use to bash sony. ridiculous. this prooves why video games are not taken so seriously. because of pre-teenagers and teenagers and in-mature adults that think 'fuck sony and their console' ... for no reason... tired of this nonsence... so vote me down if you want to...

The Fuzz 53 @ Dec 24th 2007 8:51AM

Just one more reason as to why I will NEVER buy another Sony product againt, or should I say Phony?

What the fuzz @ Dec 24th 2007 11:28AM

Boycotting "materials" for childlike reasons.......wow! What's wrong with this world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

suckie @ Dec 24th 2007 11:34PM

I think Sony's TV's are the clearest, best colored, and brighest than all of the others. Even my dad says so, just walk into Sams Club, or Costco and look at the difference between them all.
But the price tag on the Sony TVs is why we wont buy one.

Redfield @ Dec 27th 2007 4:50PM

Who cares? What exactly does this have to do with video games -- the XBox 360, specifically? Seems like it's just another chance to take ridiculously cheap shots at Sony for no real reason other than it makes you guys feel better about your purchase. I come here for XBox 360 news, not for pointless and childish bashing of the opposing companies.

Quite frankly, despite my supporting of the XBox 360, I find Sony to be completely within their rights. If Microsoft made televisions, I doubt they'd want a PlayStation focused magazine reviewing the damn things. Likewise the case with Nintendo -- I doubt, if they made televisions, that they'd want an XBox focused magazine reviewing them.

Honestly, I know "fanboy" is in the title, but this is just ridiculous.

AK @ Dec 29th 2007 7:50AM

honestly, good decision, i see enough bias everywhere that is only payed by MS, to get one fo their products reviewed by a magazine OWNED by MS?
wtf? why would you? next we'll let the SDF review the 360.