Sony continues to offer both high-end models as well as more affordable ones, like the KDL-40W4500, to keep its considerable share in the HDTV market. The full 1080p HD resolution KDL-40W4500 sports cutting-edge technology that delivers impressive picture clarity, so LCD enthusiasts must give it serious consideration when shopping for a new set.
Design
Sony revisited old favourites by giving the KDL-40W4500 some classic feel: polished black finish all throughout, with a strip of see-through Perspex ‘window’ beneath the screen and a silver line just below the
Sony KDL-40W4500
window to highlight the simple but elegant styling. The distinctive Perspex window with LED lights, backlit Sony logo, swivelling stand and grille that conceals the speakers complete the modern yet classy design of the unit.
The thin remote shipped with the KDL-40W4500 features a grooved back for easy handling and well-placed large buttons. Other convenient add-ons that make the clicker great are the use of icons instead of cryptic abbreviations and tactile dot marker in key areas that make usage by touch much easier. The XMB menu system used in this LCD is the same as those from the W4000, with just the addition of an enhanced electronic program guide (EPG) that would have been great if not for the shameless advertising incorporated in the guide.
Screen/picture clarity
While the KDL-40W4500 delivers respectable black levels, one immediately notices light bleeding (clouding) in dark scenes that makes images look patchy and thus, less stunning. The bleeding – which incidentally was noted in its larger sibling, the KDL-52W4500, albeit in milder levels – is too noticeable and distracting when viewing movies with lots of dark scenes, and it needs some tweaking (setting the backlight to minimum) to make the clouding less annoying. To its credit, the LCD gives excellent colour accuracy and decoding, resulting in well-saturated pictures that look natural. Off-angle images, however, appear washed out, especially considering the bleeding earlier noted.
Notwithstanding the Bravia Engine 2 Pro processor, video processing in this HDTV leaves much to be desired. Scaling of standard-def sources may be great but deinterlacing of film and video materials results in discomforting jaggedness and noise. But the 100hz. Motionflow technology is able to reduce motion blurring in both HD and SD materials, making fast movements look more fluid. Another plus point is the virtual lack of input lag, which is a major consideration when using the LCD for gaming.
Features
Positioned just below the high-end Bravia XBR series, the KDL-40W4500 has features befitting its status: dynamic 50,000:1 contrast ratio, MPEG noise reduction, multiple modes and a gamut of picture and colour adjustments. Connectivity options include three v1.3-compliant HDMI ports, USB port, DLNA-certified Ethernet port, Digital Media Port, and a host of component input/output jacks.
The KDL-40W4500 certainly is not a perfect HDTV, but for consumers who want top features along with the reliability of the Sony brand, it’s definitely is a good choice. And the relatively affordable price may just be the sweetener to clinch the deal.
| Do you own this TV? Submit your rating… | |
 | GD Star Rating loading... |
