32in LCD Picture Sound Features Usability Value Another accomplished LCD from Sony with the added convenience of built-in Freesat. Rating: 91%

  Motion handling ability, Colour

  Benefits of 100Hz do not convince

Design

The appearance of a novel transparent Perspex strip on a number of LCD TV's last year from Sony marked quite a radical departure for the normally conservative AV manufacturer. Some of you will bemoan the fact that this did not represent something far more wide ranging in their approach to design, while others will welcome Sony's return to slightly more conservative brand of styling.

Whilst we still like the look of Sony's 'Draw the line' styling concept, on the 'W' series it has become more subdued (even compared to the new 'V' series). The screen retains what has now become their trademark transparent strip on the underside of the frame but it is not as visible or pronounced as on previous models, with a dot matrix effect masking most of the transparency.

Features

The W5810 joins the recently launched V5810 and Z5810 series as the first Sony LCD TV's to feature the DVB-S2 tuner for Freesat access. Freesat provides free (no subscription) digital TV satellite service to over 140 digital TV and radio channels, including BBC HD and ITV HD.

	Screen: 32in 16:9 Tuner: Digital Sound System: Nicam Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Contrast Ratio: 80,000:1 Other Features: 100Hz, Bravia 3 picture processing, Applicast, DLNA. Sockets: 4 HDMI, 2 SCART, Component Video, Composite Video, S-video, PC input, DLNA Ethernet port, USB, CAM Slot.

 

Freesat was launched on 6th May 2008 as a joint venture between the BBC and ITV and requires users to install a satellite dish to gain access.

It is worth remembering that the 32W5810 retains a Freeview and even an Analogue tuner.

Worthy of particular praise in our opinion is Sony's Xross media bar menu system. A little daunting at first, a system of menu items along a vertical and horizontal cross quickly reveals itself as a rather intuitive form of navigation.

We almost take for granted the supreme performance of Sony's 'Bravia' picture processing engine which now appears in its third incarnation. Making its debut in the form of 'Bravia 3', Sony have re-engineered their core picture processing technology from the ground up.

With Bravia 3, Sony have focused, amongst other things, on improving the black level ability of their LCD TV's. Enhanced contrast functionality has been designed to improve depth of black as well as the ability to produce precise levels of graduated detail across darker scenes.

AppliCast is Sony's take on internet access through the TV. At the moment, a limited set of 'widgets' allow you to browse content such as news and weather sites through Sony's dedicated web portal. We did like the RSS reader which allows you to set up news feeds from your favourite sites.

While the likes of Samsung have forged agreements with various third party information providers such as YouTube and Flickr to provide content for their internet enabled TV's, Sony has decided to hold a tighter grip on the reins - their thinking being to provide content that is perfectly optimized for their Bravia range of LCD TV's.

If Sony create a portal with a wealth of useful online content then their approach could prove to be a success. We can't help thinking however that open internet access is so embedded in the psyche that Sony will struggle to convince people of their approach - only time will tell ....

Alongside 'Applicast' Sony have added the DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) standard to the W5810's list of features. DNLA lets users stream video, music and photos from a networked home PC onto the TV screen.

Sony are currently at the forefront of introducing 'Green' features to their TV's. A light Sensor automatically adjusts screen brightness depending on the ambient light levels in your room, and you now have the option to switch the picture off while retaining the sound.

The USB Media Player function provides an easy method for watching digital content at home. Connect any compatible media device to the set’s USB input, select 'Media Player' from the XMB (Xross Media Bar) on-screen menu and you are ready to view digital photos, MPEG1 video clips, or listen to MP3 music tracks through your TV’s speakers.

Elsewhere, the Sony 32W5500 benefits from 4 HDMI's, a Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution along with 24p True Cinema mode, for enhanced 1080p/24 playback.

Performance

Having recently tested Sony's KDL-32W5500, which is virtually identical to the W5810 in every respect apart for the built-in Freesat tuner, we were surprised to discover some subtle differences in their respective picture performances. Those differences were only subtle, but are their nonetheless.

The Black Level ability of the 32W5810, while better than your average LCD TV, did not seem as capable as its stable mate W5500 when it came to revealing those subtle shadow details across darker scenes. The W5810 is still capable of producing some gloriously deep rich blacks however; and what we have to remember in this instance is that not so long ago the ability to to produce pictures without hint of any perceivable greyness would have been a revelation.

The 32W5810 maintains Sony's reputation for impeccable reproduction of on screen colour. There are very few manufacturers who can match the vibrancy and accuracy of the colour palette and in our opinion Sony have got the balance between saturation and accuracy spot on. The maturity of their Bravia 3 engine is highlighted once again with vivid colours which avoid the trap of becoming over saturated. While colour achieved with Standard Definition material is not quite as good as the best we have seen from the likes of Samsung, with High Definition material, the performance in this respect is close to faultless.

Once again, we were surprised with the motion handling performance of the W5810 which was more accomplished than its W5500 sibling. Even the fastest on screen action was handled without any great upset to picture stability and accuracy. There was virtually no evidence of juddering with fast camera pans and motion handling in general is largely free from smearing or any other unpleasant artifacts. The only problem is that Sony's own V5500 (with no 100Hz processing) is just as capable of producing reasonably stable fast action images. While 100Hz does remove some of the 'juddering' you experience on screens without the enhanced frame rate, we didn't feel the extra outlay was justified, you may disagree.

While a number of commentators call into question the value of a Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution on a 32in, we have no doubt that the benefits are worth the investment. Colours are even more vibrant at the enhanced resolution and while the 32W5810 does not have the impact of its 40in and bigger siblings, place it alongside a screen without the Full HD spec and its High Definition abilities become immediately obvious. Images are that little bit sharper and more vibrant than anything a non Full HD screen can offer.

Demonstrating once again the maturity of Bravia 3 picture processing and despite having to upscale the 576 or so lines of a Freeview source onto a Full HD screen, the 32W5810 produces an above average Standard Definition (SD) performance; which gains the added benefit of the human eye perceiving pictures as being more accurate the smaller the screen size. With a very small amount of visible on screen 'noise' SD pictures are not perfect, but are good enough to place the Sony's abilities into a top tier of mid range LCD TV's in this respect.

Along with the vast majority of flat panel TV's, the 32W5810 delivers an underwhelming acoustic performance. The lack of top end bass is the main problem and while its short comings in this respect will not detract from regular viewing, you will feel yourself demanding more from big movie soundtracks and the like.

Conclusion

In the KDL-32W5810, Sony have produced another excellent all round performer. The added convenience of the Freesat tuner will be a huge bonus for those who are planning to access the service and with various suppliers discounting heavily it is also pretty good value.

  Motion handling ability, Colour

  Benefits of 100Hz do not convince