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Introduction
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01.Tour & Design
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02.Blacks & Whites
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03.Color Accuracy
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04.Motion
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05.Viewing Effects
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06.Calibration
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07.Remote Control
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08.Connectivity
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09.Audio & Menus
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10.Formats & Media
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11.Power Consumption
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12.Vs Panasonic TCP42S1
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13.Vs Samsung LN40B610
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14.Vs Sony KDL40W5100
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15.Conclusion
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16.Series Comparison
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17.Ratings & Specs
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18.Comments
VIZIO VL420M
Previous: Page 13
Vs Samsung LN40B610Next: Page 15
Conclusion
Sony KDL-40W5100 Summary
• The Sony is a much more expensive display
• The Sony has superior performance and includes an Internet connection
Value Comparison Summary
The Vizio is a much cheaper display than the Sony. However, the Sony offers better performance and a much wider range of features than the Vizio, including the ability to access Internet content such as Netflix movies and Flickr photos.
| Comparison Specifications | ||
 |
 |
|
| Vizio VL420M | Sony KDL-40W5100 | |
| Size | 42' | 40' |
| Price | $799 | $1499 |
| Type | LCD | LCD |
| Format | 1080p | 1080p |
| Other | USB Port | Internet connection, USB Port |
Blacks & Whites
The Sony was the clear winner in our tests on blacks and whites, with deeper blacks and much brighter whites.
| Blacks & Whites Comparison Chart | |
 |
|
| Vizio VL420M Score: Black Level: 5.28 Peak Brightness: 8.38 Contrast: 5.77 |
Sony KDL-40W5100 Score: Black Level: 6.29 Peak Brightness: 9.38 Contrast: 7.07 |
Color Accuracy
The Sony was also the top performer in our tests on colors, with whites that stayed white, better performance at reproducing fine detail in colors and a more accurate color gamut. The Vizio did not do badly in these tests, though; there is nothing in its performance that was a huge problem. It's just that the Sony was better.
| Color Temperature Comparison | |
 |
|
| Vizio VL420M Score: 6.72 | |
 |
|
| Sony KDL-40W5100 Score: 9.89 | |
| RGB Comparison | |
   |
|
| Vizio VL420M Score: 7.27 | |
   |
|
| Sony KDL-40W5100 Score: 7.83 | |
| Color Gamut Comparison | |
 |
|
| Vizio VL420M Score: 4.95 | |
 |
|
| Sony KDL-40W5100 Score: 5.53 | |
Motion
We also saw superior performance from the Sony in our tests on how well motion is reproduced; we saw consistently smoother motion with fewer glitches and problems. Neither display was trouble free, though; we saw some trailing on both, with brightly colored objects in particular leaving a visible trail behind them.
| Motion Scores | ||
| Vizio VL420M | Sony KDL-40W5100 | |
| Motion Smoothness | 6.88 | 7.13 |
| Motion Artifacting | 6.38 | 6.88 |
Viewing Effects
Both displays also failed to impress in our viewing angle test. We measure the angle at which the contrast ratio between black and white falls to half of the maximum, and on both this angle was less than 20 degrees. This low viewing angle means that those just a few degrees off from straight in front of the display will see a much paler, less attractive version of the image.
| Viewing Angle Comparison | |
 |
|
| Vizio VL420M Score: 3.85 | Sony KDL-40W5100 Score: 4.54 |
Connectivity
Both displays are about equal in terms of video and audio inputs and outputs; both have enough HDMI and analog video ports to allow a large number of devices to be connected at one time. But the Sony has a distinct advantage in other media; it includes an Ethernet port which connects to the Internet and your home networks, and it can stream music and video though this, so you can do things like watch Netflix movies, you Tube videos and many other sorts of Internet content.
| Connectivity Comparison | ||
| Vizio VL420M | Sony KDL-40W5100 | |
| HDMI | 4 | 4 |
| Component | 2 | 2 |
| Composite | 2 | 1 |
| S-Video | 1 | 1 |
| VGA | 1 | 1 |
| Analog Audio In | 3 | 4 |
| Digital Audio Out | 1 | 1 |
| Analog Audio Out | 1 | 1 |
| LAN | 0 | 1 |
| USB | 1 | 1 |
| Memory Card | 0 | 0 |
| Other | None | Ethernet |
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