While a little slow off the mark (I mentioned Sound & Vision’s review on April 24th), ultimate AV has finally gotten around to reviewing Sony’s Qualia 006. If you were to ask me which rear-projection HDTV I’d want given an unlimited budget, this is the one I’d pick.

The Qualia 006 is a three-SXRD-panel HDTV. The screen is 70″ wide. It it’s a 1080p set with three HDMI connectors. Unfortunately, it does not accept 1080p signals (it just upconverts 1080i signals) though I heard that a fix is in the works. That would be a good thing, because Sony’s upcoming PS3 will be able to put out 1080p.

Mr. Brinkley sums up:

This television offers high-definition images as precise and pleasing as I have ever seen. That is the crowning achievement of the Qualia 006. Its portrayal of DVDs was not perfect but generally superb. It could not portray conventional NTSC TV in a manner I found pleasing to watch. But all in all, this may be the best rear-projection television out there. It has its limitations. But this is the first iteration. I can’t wait to see the second generation—or the third.

Link: ultimate AV - Sony Qualia 006 SXRD RPTV