PICTURE QUALITY This model had excellent high-definition picture quality. It did an excellent job displaying the finest detail. Color accuracy was very good, with images looking quite natural. Contrast--the difference between the darkest blacks and brightest whites--was good, so images had depth and dimension, typical of most models we test. The brightness level was good, making it a suitable choice for most rooms. The TV had deep black levels, just shy of the best sets. Images had an excellent level of detail without any enhancement. There was visible banding (unnatural contours) on scenes with subtly shaded light-to-dark areas, such as a sky during sunset, rather than smooth transitions. The deinterlacing and film mode operations were excellent on HD content; there was little or no trace of jaggies on the edges of objects for video and film-based 1080i video content, such as from cable.
VIEWING ANGLE This Sony has a moderate viewing angle overall, decent, but not quite as good as the better-performing LCD sets we've tested. The optimal seating position for best picture quality is directly in front of the TV. If your family is seated in chairs off to the side of the TV, they'll see decent but compromised image quality. When we moved off to the sides the horizontal viewing angle was good; the picture showed a slight loss of color so flesh tones looked a bit washed out, along with a moderate color shift. Black levels brightened significantly, making dark scenes look hazy.
MOTION BLUR This Sony TV has only fair motion performance, with significant blurring on our motion tests. Though its LED Motion Mode feature does a good job reducing motion blur, it also introduced notable image dimming so we left turned the feature off. On typical program content, the blurring effect is often fleeting and may not bother most people. However, keen-eyed viewers may detect the loss of texture and detail on scenes with movement, especially in high-quality video such as a Blu-ray movie.
SCREEN REFLECTIVITY Though not as mirror-like as on some LCDs, this screen surface is glossy and therefore susceptible to reflections from a nearby lamp or window. The screen is dark so it does a good job reducing glare from ambient light and maintains contrast even in a bright room.
SOUND QUALITY This TV has fair sound quality with below average performance. It's acceptable for typical programming, but shortcomings become obvious with movie soundtracks and music. With movies, dialog was generally clear and natural sounding, though a bit muffled and sibilant, and overall a bit recessed, but background soundtrack music and other sounds remained well balanced. Base extension was lacking, but treble was nicely detailed, with the overall sound somewhat closed in and a bit thin. The speakers can play to fairly loud volume levels without obvious distortion, a plus if you'll be using this set in a larger room or noisy environment. If sound quality matters to you, you might want to add a soundbar or other external speaker system to this set, but if this smaller-screen set is a secondary TV you might find its sound quality acceptable.
EASE OF USE Overall, we found the set easy to use. Setting up the TV for the first time was straightforward, as was access to features and controls you'll probably adjust only once. Ease of access to features you typically use more often was very good. Also, the remote is very good, and the on-screen menu is easy to navigate. The black against black labeling of the connectors on the TV console is very difficult to read. It lacks a dedicated menu button on the television display, so you can't access the menu if you lose the remote. The remote's major function buttons were sufficiently large and have high-contrast labeling, making them easier to see and navigate.
STAND ASSEMBLY Mounting the TV to the included one-piece support stand is easy.
INTERNET FEATURES This TV provides advanced Internet capability. Features include access to a library of applications via "Opera TV Store
CONNECTIONS This TV includes two HDMI inputs, one shared connection between the component and composite inputs (which means you can only use one type or the other at a time), optical digital audio out, two USB ports, an Ethernet port, and Wi-Fi. Wireless connectivity includes: DLNA network file sharing. HDMI and analog cable connections made to the rear-facing panel will protrude beyond the panel's slim depth.
INCLUDED IN THE BOX The TV comes with: a printed user manual, an electronic manual in the TV's menu, a quick start guide, and a remote with batteries.
ABOUT ULTRA HD TESTING (for Ultra HD resolution TVs only): With four times the pixel count of HDTVs, Ultra HD TVs (aka UHD, 4K) are capable of reproducing superior detail over their 1080p-resolution counterparts. We test UHD picture quality using true 4K movie, video, and photo content to confirm these displays deliver detail to this format's full potential. We check the quality of 4K test videos and movies played from Sony's FMPX10 4K player via the TV's HDMI input, as well as 4K test patterns, videos and photos from a flash drive plugged into the TV's USB port. We also check if the TV can stream 4K content from Netflix or YouTube (if the service is supported by the TV), and also test how well the TV can upconvert 1080p movies from Blu-ray disc to the display's UHD native resolution while keeping artifacts such as "jaggies" on the edges of image content to a minimum. The best UHD TVs present high fidelity images that reveal the full quality of the best source content without degradation, or over enhancement. Ultra HD TVs use existing LCD (LED), or OLED panels and are subject to the same performance strengths and weaknesses of those technologies, as seen with viewing angle, motion blur, and black level, among others. When viewing Ultra HD TVs, the benefits of their finer-than-HD resolution are best appreciated on the largest screens, or from closer viewing distances.
ABOUT CR'S TV VIEWING CONDITIONS Our picture settings are optimized for a dimmer home viewing environment. If the settings we recommend don't suit your taste or your environment, use the picture controls to achieve an image you consider "just right."
ABOUT FIRMWARE VERSION Our test results and picture settings are valid for the version of firmware indicated. If your TV's firmware differs from the one shown you either have an older or a newer version of firmware. Manufacturers may periodically upgrade the TV's firmware to enhance operation, fix bugs, or add features. Firmware upgrades may be downloadable directly to your TV via a wired or wireless network (if internet capable), USB port, or memory card, depending on your TV's capability. You can check your TV's firmware version, or upgrade to the latest firmware by pressing the menu button on your remote and navigating to the appropriate submenu, typically under settings. Consult the user manual or manufacturer's website if further guidance is needed.
