Sony BRAVIA KDL40EX520 40-Inch 1080p LED HDTV, Black Review

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(More customer reviews)Sony BRAVIA KDL40EX520 40-Inch 1080p LED HDTV
We almost bought the less-costly Sony 40" KDL-40EX500 Bravia, but didn't because that model has been on the market since 2005. Instead, we bought this recently introduced EX520 which has later technology (e.g., back lighting); in spite of it having no Amazon customer ratings at the time. We looked at TVs in several local stores and no model in this size-range had a better picture than the Sony Bravia. Consumer Reports labels the 40" Bravia's picture (high definition and standard) as "excellent", their highest rating.
Taking advantage of a 30-day free trail of Amazon Prime, the TV arrived in only 2 days. It's well packaged, and I attached the stand to the TV in short order without needing the instructions. Turn it on the first time, and it goes through a question and answer setup procedure; e.g., it asks if it's against a wall or in the middle of a room so it can adjust the sound accordingly. After the setup, it worked perfectly with no adjustments of any kind.
Pros:
- Outstanding picture; stunning even. The entire screen is vivid with life-like skin-tones, can be viewed from a reasonable angle, and action shots are smooth.
- Sound is crisp, clear, and realistic - excellent in my estimation for a TV; speakers are along the top & bottom of the unit's rear, so it's actually louder in back of the set than in front. We have it on a stand in the middle of a large room, 8 to 9 feet from our easy chairs. Having played trumpet in various bands for nearly 50 years, my hearing isn't what it used to be; so decent sound was just as important as picture quality. Our backup plan, if the sound had stunk, was to buy an auxiliary BOSE sound system; but that would only be needed for true high fidelity sound.
- For connection to a wired network, this model can be directly connected to your router and the only thing you'll need to buy is the cable. Sony recommends Cat 7 cabling.
- The included stand is quite nice. The TV can be swivelled 20 degrees right or left.
- More connectivity options than most people will ever use.
Cons:
- For a wireless LAN connection, you'll need to buy an [over-priced] SONY proprietary device called a "USB Wi-Fi Adapter". Search Amazon on: UWA-BR100
- Although this model's 60 hz refresh rate seems fine to us, you might want to look for a 120 hz TV if you watch lots of really fast action.
- The TV cannot be tilted up or down if it's on the table stand. (Curiously, the Bravia made for Mexico can be tilted up to 6 degrees, but that model uses a different stand.)
Other:
- If the TV will be on a table, securely anchor the stand-base TO the table; this is crucial if you have small children. (From 2000-2005, there were 36 TV-tip-over deaths in the U.S. and three thousand injuries to kids under 5). This TV is so light, it could easily be knocked over, or pulled over by a rambunctious youngster. I.e., the stand weighs 6 lbs. and the TV only weighs 25 lbs. Even if will be no kids around, a tip-over could seriously damage the TV, which wouldn't be covered by any warranty.
- Many large LCD TVs on Amazon have some Customer Reviews citing maintenance issues with THEIR unit after the warranty expired. If this is a concern, consider buying a Square Trade 4-year warranty via Amazon (as we did).
Summary:
With its excellent picture, sound, and connectivity features, our Bravia 40" TV is a 5-star product.

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