Sony KDL40V4000

Sony KDL40V4000 is a new mid-range LCD HDTV for moderate price and parameters good enough for watching films and gaming.

Intro:
Sony is expanding its V line of High Definition televisions with the KDL40V4000 which  features 1920 x 1080p LCD, but unfortunately not a 100Hz system. The tv has neat design, plenty of ports and a comfortable remote control. Moreover, it has good specifications and as the tests show also its performance is good and all of that for a very reasonable price of $2399.00.


Sony KDL40V4000 pros:
+ SPVA panel and Backlight control allow for deep black level
+ Exquisite high-definition detail from “Full Pixel” 1:1 pixel mapping
+ Handles 1080p/24 video signal correctly without telecine judder
+ Scaling of standard-def input is clean
+ Good connectivity
+ Settings can be saved independently per input
+ Speedy and responsive EPG and channel navigation
+ Table-top stand swivels and is easy to set up
+ Colour accuracy is good
+ TV menus are fast, clear-cut, and the remote control is easy to use

Sony KDL40V4000 cons:
- No white balance control in user menu for greyscale calibration
- Motion resolution not as good as on HDTVs equipped with MCFI/100Hz technology
- Doesn’t smooth jaggies from Interlaced content effectively


The design:
Sony KDL40V4000 measures 68.4×98.6×27.9(H/W/D)cm. It is made primarily of black, glossy plastic with an indentation between the area below the screen and the dotted speaker grille. The Sony KDL40V4000 has a rotatable stand and the speakers at the bottom of the screen. At the back you will find two recessed handgrips which should help unpacking and placing the TV where you want it.

Performance:
Sony KDL40V4000 has clear image in High Definition as well as in scaled standard definition. There are three different pre-defined Picture Modes: Vivid, Standard and Cinema. The Sony KDL40V4000 has also two different Noise Reduction presets so you can make sure the image is not too grainy and with fine detail. Additionally, the TV has color enhancers and other manual settings for more advanced users, but all in all the image quality is very good for a HDTV without 100Hz. The Sony KDL40V4000 has superb black level as well as great contrast and vivid colors. You get practically all the goodies of this price-range.  Also the remote control is more comfortable than some of the latest Sonys and thanks to some buttons with tactile dots it is really easy to use the remote without looking at it.

Connectivity / ease of use:
Sony KDL40V4000 has all the necessary ports: two HDMI input at the back and one on the side, Component video and stereo audio inputs, two SCART terminals, VGA/PC input and of course an aerial input. Some users may complain at the lack of S-Video port but I don’t think it is such a big deal, besides you can use dome kind of adapter.
The menu structure in Sony KDL40V4000 is not as elaborate as in some other, high-end Sony TVs but I think it is a good thing. Most users don’t often use some settings and get confused by the plenty of options with strange names. So the Sony KDL40V4000 really offers what you might need and not something that engineers thought sounds nice.


Key Sony KDL40V4000 features and specifications:
Dimensions 68.4×98.6×27.9(H/W/D)cm
Television type LCD
TV size 40 inches
Picture grading Review not available
Sound grading Review not available
Connectivity grading Review not available
Tuner:
Reception Digital Tuner with all Freeview channels
Auto set up No
Teletext No
Digital Text Compatible No
Electronic Programme Guide 8 days
Picture:
Picture enhancement Bravia
HD ready Yes
1080HD 1080p
100Hz No
Pixel resolution 1920×1080
Contrast ratio 33000:1
Brightness 500 cd/m2
Digital video noise reduction No
Picture-in-picture Yes
On-screen menus No
Can be used as a PC monitor Yes
PC resolution N/A
Sound:
Sound system BBE
Audio power output (RMS) 20 watts
Connectivity
Total number of Scart sockets 2
RGB enabled scart sockets 2
S-Video connection Yes
Component video connection Yes
AV inputs Yes
HDMI connection 3
DVI connection No
HDCP enabled No
Headphone socket Yes
PCMCIA slot for pay channel module No
On/off timer Yes
Sleep timer Yes
Child lock to prevent unwanted tampering No
Premier Collection No