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04.Controls, Menu & Remote
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05.Conclusion
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06.Specs
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07.Comments
Sony Bravia KDL-40W5100
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Tour & DesignNext: Page 3
Connectivity & MediaDisplay Size & Technology
The Sony Bravia KDL-40W5100 is the 40-inch version of Sony's updated W-series of LCD HDTVs. There are also 52 and 46 inch sizes available.
We like that the KDL-40W5100 sports a full 1080p resolution.
Format & Resolution
The Sony Bravia KDL-40W5100 sports a resolution of 1920 x 1080, meaning it natively supports full 1080p HD content. This is a nice feature considering the KDL-40W5100 sits further down Sony's lineup of HDTVs. The aspect ratio is the now standard 16:9.
Brightness, Blacks & Contrast Ratio
Sony hasn't released any information about the black level or contrast ratio of the Sony Bravia KDL-40W5100. On the show floor the blacks seemed relatively good, although you should note that LCD televisions like the KDL-40W5100 usually don't have blacks as deep as Plasma televisions. We'll have to wait until we get the television in our labs before we can tell you more, however.
Refresh Rate & Motion
Unlike its more expensive cousins the Sony Bravia KDL-40W5100 doesn't sport Sony's new 240Hz refresh rate. It does, however, still have a solid 120Hz refresh rate, which was top of the line just one year ago. We weren't able to make any determinations about the motion performance of the KDL-40W5100 on the show floor as Sony wasn't throwing any challenging content at it, but we have noticed that televisions with 120Hz refresh rate handle motion significantly better than the standard 60Hz refresh rate.
Viewing Angle
We were very happy with the viewing angle we saw from the Sony Bravia KDL-40W5100 on the show floor. Even at very obtuse angles we didn't notice any significant solarization or fading in colors or blacks. Viewing angle is often a problem for LCD HDTVs, but based on our first impression it doesn't seem to be a problem with the KDL-40W5100.
Color
We weren't able to draw many conclusions from what we saw on the show floor in terms of color performance from the Sony Bravia KDL-40W5100. We did notice that there was some dithering in highly detailed areas, but we won't be able to tell if this is a serious problem until we get the television into our labs.
Shop for the Sony KDL-40W5100
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