Sony 34 vs. 36 SFP CRT's

KD-34XS955 vs. KD-36XS955

It seems that the tubes widths are the same, it's just that the 34" tube has less height and is thus considered a widescreen tube.

However theoretically the 34" & 36" should have the same detail and function level, albeit with black bars above and below for the 36".

Is this true?

In terms of actual screen dimensions, the widths are not identical, but they are close. As you say, it's the letterbox effect you get with the 36" that's minimized with the 34".