The KDL-46Z5100 is the 46-inch entry in Sony's Bravia line-up of 1080p LCDs. This $2,599 LCD HDTV has some significant media features. The TV supports photo and music playback via its USB port, and its LAN connection allows users to stream video from over 20 different content providers. There is also paid premium content available.
The TV has a classic, simple design. It has a glossy black bezel and a matte finish to the screen. The bottom part of the bezel has a glowing Sony logo that can be turned off in the TV's settings menu. Other than the glowing brand name, there isn't a lot about this set to catch the eye. The TV has a good array of ports, including three HDMIs on its side panel and an additional one on the back.
The TV's remote is a standard Bravia offering, but offers a few additional media controls. We didn't think the button layout was the best: we had to shift our grip each time we wanted to access a different group of buttons.
Performance (Read the full lab performance results at Televisioninfo.com)
The KDL-46Z5100 had above average performance in many areas, but also did poorly on a few of our tests. The TV had a decently deep black level and a good peak brightness, meaning it's capable of a high contrast ratio. Unfortunately, this good performance is mitigated by the TV's poor greyscale gamma. A TV with a deep black level should, in theory, have better detail in dark scenes. The same dark scene would look like a swath of black on a TV with a poor black level. While the KDL-46Z5100 is capable of a deep black, it simply renders all dark blacks as the same shade, leading to about as much dark detailing as a TV with a poor black level.
The TV had similar, but less pronounced issues with color. Its color temperature was really solid. It had good color representation overall, but they also had a lack of articulation in their darker shades. The TV didn't have the most accurate color gamut either, which leads to some of the high-intensity reds, greens, and blues being left out.
Another issue we saw with the TV was its screen. The TV definitely suffers from some uniformity issues, especially from an off-center viewing angle. The main problem was flashlighting at the corners when there's a dark scene. Although noticeable from a dead-on view, when you get off-center the blotches will take on a purple hue that makes the screen look bruised.
The TV also has some issues with blurring. These can be combated by enabling the set's Motion Flow feature, although this can cause 24p content to look overly smooth.
Conclusion
The best feature of the Sony Bravia KDL-46Z5100 is its online media features. An impressive number of content providers have signed on to this service, including Amazon.
The TV has good picture quality overall, but has issues with darks and screen uniformity. If you're looking for a good feature HDTV, the KDL-46Z5100 is a good, if expensive option for a 46-inch set.
If you don't want to pay a premium, you can get a larger set or better picture quality for a smaller investment, just without the KDL-46Z5100's online feature set. One option is the Sony Bravia KDL-52V5100, which is a 52-inch set with similar picture quality. The Vizio SV470XVT is a 47-inch that has better color representation. The Samsung LN40B650 had similar picture quality, but at $1,300, you could buy two for the price of one KDL-46Z5100.
For a more in-depth review, visit the Sony Bravia KDL-46Z5100 Review at our partner TelevisionInfo.com
