Model : KDL 40V4100
Product Features :
- 16 9 Full HD 1080p Resolution 1920x1080p LCD Panel
- DMex compatible allows seamless feature upgrades
- BRAVIA Sync HDMI CEC
- Enhanced XMB with 3D graphics incl TV Guide
- HDMI x4 HD Component x2 PC Input
>> Great TV it s a Sony
I went to Target to get a new LCD tv I looked at them and the Sony seemed to have the best picture but it was close with several others as well I have always been of the mind set that when in doubt buy the Sony product I have never been really disappointed with a Sony product
I went home and found that Amazon had it much cheaper than Target I ordered it and a few days later it was delivered No problems
The TV is great nice picture PS3 looks superb It s a Sony
>> Dead after 18 months
This model has top notch picture quality and improves on my previous 32 Sony LCD Then 18 months later or 6 months after the warranty expired it won t turn on anymore due to its faulty power supply I was shocked because of my previous reliability experience with Sony TVs Then I found out that the Sony Service Facility here in Burbank CA no longer exists They have other locations but they don t service consumer products Sony s website will list authorized independent service providers but most of those providers in my area have bad consumer rating or reviews from Google Maps So the only choice was a nationwide home service that charges 99 just to diagnose but will deduct it from the repair fee if you choose their service Fortunately the credit card that I used to buy this will extend the warranty I just filed a claim for authorization from the credit card company for the repair
Note that the previous 32 Sony LCD is still stable and was manufactured in Japan I wish they have the same quality control for this one
November 13 update So after having the extended warranty approved by Amex two weeks later the service guy came in with the sealed box of the power supply part that was shipped from Sony San Diego The box didn t show any sign of stress and the part was wrapped in bubbles The repairman inspected the part first and guess what the power supply board was cracked That tells a lot about Sony s quality control Now I have to wait another week for them to get a replacement from Sony Cross my fingers Never buying another Sony product
>> Fantastic picture once I got rid of the clouding effect
I ve had this TV for about a week now and though it was a rollercoaster of emotions at first I ve grown to really like it and would recommend it my only reservation the possibility of backlight clouding
First of all the very first thing I noticed after setting it up was a large but dim purple splotch directly in the center of the screen My heart immediately sank as this was the dreaded Bravia clouding or mura effect I d read so much about In other words the backlighting is not completely consistent at all places of the screen and it showed anywhere from black to very dark purple in dark scenes This is a common problem that a large percentage of the Bravia and XBR Lcds have problems with Do a google search on Bravia clouding for more information
To be fair it was barely noticeable while watching a normal lit TV of movie scene and my girlfriend was completely oblivious to it But in the black screen pause between channels dark scenes and movie credits this purple blob stood out to me like a 14 Lucky Charms marshmallow taunting me for throwing away my hard earned cash
From what I found online Sony won t officially recognize this as a defect and exchanging it for another would have been expensive for shipping I decided to try and fix it and it worked And while it worked for me it probably won t work for everyone and you could potentially ruin your TV Be very careful The thin plastic screens are fragile and you could scratch or permanently discolor it I took a very clean and soft microfiber cloth and with the TV on a dark paused screen began to very lightly massage the discolored area in circular motions just enough to make a discolored spot where I touched it Within 30 seconds I managed to move the spot near the bottom Eventually I was able to keep moving it towards the lower edge until the spot disappeared entirely And after two days it hasn t come back
Even if it doesn t work the picture settings you choose can help lessen this effect as well especially if you lower your backlight and enable the power saver mode The initial picture settings out of the box are just terrible with a harsh blue tint and far too much contrast and picture I would recommend something closer to this for normal viewing Mode Std Backlight 4 picture 75 bright 50 color 50 hue R1 temp warm2 sharpness 10 noise/mpeg low and turn off all advanced settings Search google for more recommendations or just play around with it some until you find what works best for your use
Once the picture was adjusted the picture was beautiful even better than my new 50 Panasonic Viera plasma Blacks are deep black whites are bright and clear and HD content especially shines Standard definition content looks ok but the issues there are probably more the signal quality coming in than the TV I personally do not notice much of a difference between 60 and 120hz So I wouldn t let that scare you off Also the sound is better than I was expecting Certainly good enough for day to day TV watching
I guess my only reservations besides the fixed clouding are the remote isn t my favorite At this price I would have liked a better feel and light up buttons Also the menu system is like a Sony PSP not very user friendly to me But those are nitpicking This is a considered a budget model for Sony but for the price you get quite high picture and sound quality making this a very impressive value And the bezel looks much nicer than any of the competing models I d considered
