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  • Tour & Design

  • Performance Features

  • Connectivity & Media

  • Controls, Menu & Remote

  • Conclusion

  • Tour & Design
  • Performance Features
  • Connectivity & Media
  • Controls, Menu & Remote
  • Conclusion

Tour & Design

The front of the KDL-40V5100 has only the LED status lights, a speaker in a long strip at the very bottom, and the Sony and Bravia logos. The bezel is glossy but not so much as to be distracting.

The front of the KDL-40V5100

**Back**

The back of the KDL-40V5100 has the bulk of the ports.

The back of the KDL-40V5100

**Sides**

The right side of the KDL-40V5100 has control buttons for power, channel up/down, etc. The left side features the easy-access ports - these could not be photographed due to the KDL-40V5100's placement next to other display units on a high shelf.

The right side of the KDL-40V5100

**Stand/Mount**

The KDL-40V5100 has a stand in a matte black that the sides of the unit. We had limited access to the KDL-40V5100 and the stand was locked and would not swivel, though it provided solid support to the KDL-40V5100 without much wobble.

The KDL-40V5100's stand

**Aesthetics**

Clearly showing its Sony genes, the KDL-40V5100 has clean, stylish lines with a glossy bezel that manages to not be too distracting even under bright lights. The LED status lights are fairly unobtrusive as well. Overall, the KDL-40V5100 will complement your media room without drawing attention from any other aspect of your decor.

Performance Features

Display Size & Technology

The KDL-40V5100 has a 40' LCD screen.

Caption

Format & Resolution

The KDL-40V5100 is supports the 1080p format and has a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080. Note that 1080p content is primarily available from Blu-Ray discs at the moment, not broadcast television via cable or satellite. The television can handle that content, of course, it just won't look as good as true 1080p content.

Brightness, Blacks & Contrast Ratio

The brightness, blacks, and contrast ratio specs for the KDL-40V5100 are not yet available. To our eye, the KDL-40V5100 was quite bright and showed fairly deep blacks, though not as deep as those found on the top-of-the-line XBR series of displays.

Refresh Rate & Motion

The KDL-40V5100 has a refresh rate of 120Hz and employs Sony's Motionflow technology, and while such a fancy name seems to indicate a little jiggery-pokery to impress you, we observed the KDL-40V5100 to show motion very well with little, if any, blurriness or motion to the naked eye. This was with a display video of an action-packed James Bond trailer looping continuously. However, we'll need to get the KDL-40V5100 into our lab for some scientific testing to see how it really performs in this area.

Viewing Angle

The official viewing angle for the KDL-40V5100 has not yet been published. We did note that the viewing angle seemed very good on the floor.

Color

The color specs for the KDL-40V5100 have not yet been published.

Connectivity & Media

Audio & Video Ports

The KDL-40V5100 has 3 HDMI and 2 component in ports, as well as S-video in, 2 analog audio out, 1 PC/VGA in, 1 3.5mm headphone jack, and 1 digital audio out port. It also has a cable/antenna jack. Overall, the KDL-40V5100 has a good number of ports to manage all of your input and output needs for a standard home theater set-up.

The ports on the rear of the KDL-40V5100

Media & Other Connectivity

The KDL-40V5100 has a USB port that enables it to display content saved on another device, such as your computer. It is also compatible with Sony's Bravia Link accessories, purchased separately, that can provide a way to display content from other sources on the KDL-40V5100.

Placement

On Sony's higher end units, more of the HDMI ports appear on the side than on the back, and such is the case with the KDL-40V5100. Getting to these is a piece of cake, while reaching the ones on the back will require a really long arm and/or swiveling the TV on its stand. Unfortunately, the labeling of the ports is not that great since they're shown in raised letters and not painted in a lighter color to help them stand out.

Audio

The audio specs of the KDL-40V5100 have not yet been published. However, note that no matter how much a manufacturer claims succulent sounds for your ears, even an inexpensive surround sound system will out-do a TV's built-in speakers.

Controls, Menu & Remote

Remote

The remote for the KDL-40V5100 on display was not available.

Controls

Just about every Sony television we've checked out at CES has its controls on the right side, and the KDL-40V5100 is no exception. These controls allow you to turn the unit on and off, adjust the volume and channel, select the input source, and go to the menu.

The KDL-40V5100's controls

Menu

The menu on the KDL-40V5100 on display was not accessible.

 

Conclusion

The KDL-40V5100 is a nice-looking unit that offers ample connectivity options for the home theater where content doesn't just come from a cable box. We'd need to get it into our lab for testing to see how it performs, but we liked what we saw on the show floor. Without a price point, we can't peg how much of a value the KDL-40V5100 is, though we knowSony's products tend to be priced in the higher ranges within their respective categories.

Meet the tester

Marianne Schultz

Marianne Schultz

Editor

Marianne Schultz is a valued contributor to the Reviewed.com family of sites.

See all of Marianne Schultz's reviews

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