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Sony KDL40W4500 Review |
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Reviewed: 21 January 2009
Design
The radical departure in the styling of their LCD TV's may have alienated some Sony traditionalists, but the smart, sophisticated looks of their latest flat panel offerings have undoubtedly attracted an even greater following.
A little more subtle than the KDL-40W4000, the 4500 maintains the transparent section under the screen but incorporates it into the design in a more integrated and seamless fashion.
Combine modern good looks with supreme build quality and you have in the KDL40W4500 a very stylish piece of audio visual equipment.
Features
The most notable addition to the specification of the W4500 over the W4000 is Sony's take on 100Hz processing, 'MotionFlow'. A feature found on a growing number of flat panel TV's, 100Hz technology increases the number of frames from the standard 50fps to 100fps (frames per second) for smoother on-screen motion. Sony also quote an improved contrast ratio of 50,000:1 up from the W4000's 33,000:1.
Screen: 40in 16:9 Tuner: Digital Sound System: Nicam Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Contrast Ratio: 50,000:1 Other Features: Bravia Engine 2, MotionFlow 100Hz. Sockets: 3 HDMI (v1.3), 2 SCART, D-sub PC input, DLNA Ethernet, Composite input, Component input, USB input.
Picture processing on the W4500 comes in the shape of the latest incarnation of Sony's Bravia engine, Bravia 2. The thinking behind Bravia 2 is much the same as the 'Bravia EX' engine found on Sony's high end 'X' series of LCD TV's which has been optimized for the W4500's Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution.
Designed to compliment 100Hz and Sony's BRAVIA Engine 2, 'Image Blur Reduction' has been designed to further enhance the motion handling capabilities of the new screens.
Recognizing the flat panel TV as an important fixture of your living space and principally its function as a digital photo viewer, Sony have introduced PhotoTV HD which optimizes your digital still photos for the Full HD display.
The KDL-40W4500 comes with 10-bit video processing and has the ability to display a 6.2 Mega Pixel resolution image. Of course, the on-screen picture is only ever as good as the original video source (given that various picture processing technologies can only do so much to enhance it).
The W4500 is DLNA™ Certified (Digital Living Network Alliance), allowing it to be seamlessly networked with other DLNA™ Certified devices within the home. DLNA technology brings with it a number of exiting possibilities; allowing users, for example, to stream multimedia content from their PCs. With '24p True Cinema' the 40W4500 can display films at their intended 24fps (frames per second) rather than the standard (for TV) of 25fps.
Theatre Sync, which is Sony's name for CEC (Consumer Electronic Control), is a control standard that functions over HDMI 1.3. The technology facilitates one-touch control over compatible devices and in practice means that if you fire up your compatible DVD player, the all connected devices such as your LCD TV will also spring into life. Also present, Sony's intuitive 'XrossMediaBar' menu system (first seen on the PS3 games console) displays your connections in easy-to-understand groups such as Photos, Digital TV, Analogue TV and Input Devices.
Performance
Overall performance of the KDL-40W4500 was marred slightly by some localized 'clouding' around the top edges of the screen. The issue in our opinion would not be enough of a problem to rule out the TV as a potential purchase, but it is a problem nonetheless and a frustrating one especially as the TV performs so well in other areas.
The 40W4500 presents one of the most accomplished black level performances we have seen from a mid range screen. Like its W4000 sibling the KDL-W4500 demonstrates Sony's ability to bring out the best from LCD technology. Deep rich natural blacks have replaced any sign of the greyish tinge visible on Sony LCD's of the past.
We are not entirely convinced with the need for 100Hz processing, as the 40W4000 (without 100Hz) has been one of the most accomplished LCD TV's when it comes to fast on-screen action. The W4500 retains the excellent motion handling abilities we have come to expect from Sony with virtually no motion induced distortion with the fastest sporting action with the screen maintaining a composure which very few LCD or Plasma screens can rival.
Perhaps the most accomplished aspect of the 40W4500's performance, a gloriously vibrant colour palette benefits from an excellent back drop (rich deep blacks) onto which the rich hues can present themselves to full effect. Colours on the Sony KDL-40W4500 like its 40W4000 cousin are some of the richest and most vibrant we have seen. Never becoming over saturated, the colour palette has the subtlety to present notoriously tricky areas such as facial tones as well as any flat screen.
Displaying the maturity of Sony's Bravia 2 picture processing circuitry, Standard definition (SD) pictures delivered through the poorer quality Freeview service onto the 40W4500's Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution, are some of the most accomplished we have witnessed from any flat panel TV. Inconsistencies become apparent as you move towards the screen, but the overall sharpness, detail and colour place the KDL-40W4500 into the leading pack of LCD TV's in terms of its ability to handle SD sources. Better quality Sky (1080i) or cable SD sources really do make a difference and could be an important factor with any buying decision.
The High Definition (HD) performance of the 40W4500 is as we expected quite stunning with a level of clarity, detail and sharpness that makes for a truly involving home cinema experience. While not in our opinion quite a match for the remarkable Full HD LCD and Plasma TV's from Panasonic, the difference is not great.
Conclusion
Take away the minor issue with 'clouding' and Sony would have produced one of the finest LCD TV's available. As it is, with strong performance in all areas the KDL-40W4500 is still worth serious consideration.
Sony KDL-40W4500 
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