Review of the Sony Bravia KDL-40W5500 LCD HDTV

The TV is easy to set-up. The screen is slotted onto a sturdy, glossy black stand which allows rotation and four screws hold it in place. As an extra precaution there is a screw hole at the back of the base and you can use a wood screw to fix it onto your entertainment center and prevent any risk of the screen toppling forward.

The set-up procedure will prompt you to choose a language and country and you can then scan for channels with the built in TV tuners (digital and analogue). The process is quick and efficient. You can also download the TV Guide information in just a few minutes. Hook up your various devices and select your input via the Home button on the remote (batteries included).

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The backlight problems which have blighted some Sony TVs are also almost entirely absent in the KDL-40W5500. The picture is consistent and extremely crisp. The Motionflow technology allows you to up the refresh rate and is ideal for fast paced action or watching sports. In fact the TV supports various modes including a dedicated gaming mode, a sports mode, and an authentic 24p cinema mode.

The upscaling capabilities on standard definition make for impressive digital TV pictures. Blu-rays, DVDs, and games via the PS3 and HDMI are flawless. You can also adjust gamma and white balance settings, and there is MPEG noise reduction and color boosting technology. The eco friendly ambient light sensor automatically adjusts brightness to suit the room and generally speaking this TV offers fantastic picture quality.

The sound is less impressive than the picture but it still offers decent quality with 20 watts total output. The two front speakers do support S-Force Front Surround technology but if you want a genuine surround sound experience then there is no substitute for a 5.1 channel system. The TV does also support Voice Zoom which is a terrifically handy feature that allows you to increase or decrease the volume of voices without affecting the rest of the sound level.

The USB media player allows you to view photos or movies or listen to music on the TV via a USB device. You can also access content on your PC with ease. The online Applicast system offers access to RSS feeds, a weather application and various widgets like a clock, calculator and calendar. It is not the most impressive online presence and it lacks third party content like YouTube, but you can also access networked PCs via the Ethernet connection.

The TV guide is great. You can view TV listings for days in advance and set reminders for shows you want to watch later. You can even teach it what shows you like to watch and it will let you know when they are on. There is also support for picture in picture, and you can work, browse, or play on your PC and keep a TV channel open in the top corner at the same time.

The Sony KDL-40W5500 is an excellent HDTV that represents progress for Sony in addressing a couple of weaknesses in previous models in this range. The picture quality is simply brilliant, the audio is decent, there are plenty of connectivity options and a good range of extra features. Perhaps best of all is the price and if you shop around you should be able to find this model for under $1,500.