Roundup: 9 HDTVs : Sony Bravia KDL-46VE5
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Digital Versus,
published on June 21, 2009
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8. Sony Bravia KDL-46VE5
Our settings
| Black levels: | 0.06 cd/m² |
| ANSI contrast: | 2832:1 |
| Average gamma: | 2,29 |
| DeltaE on PC: | 2.6 |
| Relative energy consumption : | 2.3 W/pouces |
| Homogeneity of whites: | 3.8/5 |
| Clouding: | 5/5 |
| Angles of vision: | 3/5 |
We take these measuements using the best settings for watching a movie. Cinema mode is generally the one we use. Wherever possible, we set the white levels at 200 cd/m².
- BRAVIA KDL-40VE5 46"...
Energy consumption: a 46 inch screen that equals an old 32 inch
Lets dive straight in and look at the points highlighted by Sony: energy consumption and “eco-friendly” design.
Unfortunately, most of the economy options work to the detriment of display quality. The ''Energy Economy'' setting on Off / Low / Medium / High simply varies the panel backlighting. Many TVs have this function and can therefore reduce energy consumption even if the mode isn't labelled “green”. In any case, the function does have a direct impact on image quality as brightness is reduced. We therefore preferred to deactivate this option and work directly on the backlighting settings to adjust the image.
When you look through the options and menus, there are two functions that are worth a closer look:
- The backlighting is announced as being 50% more economical than a classic tube backlighting. This isn’t the case in practice but we did note a real improvement all the same. Once they are calibrated at equal brightness, the 46VE5 consumed 107 W while our 46XBR8 consumed 128 W. The difference in price between the two models will therefore be paid for over a few years.
- Another worthwhile function: the presence sensor. This allows the 46VE5 to cut the backlighting automatically when it detects that there is no one in front of it after a certain period of time (set by the user). In our tests, the TV switched to “eco” mode when no one was moving in front of it. However, it did also switch itself to “eco” mode while we were carrying out a presentation in front of as many as 10 people. Even though this only happened once, it would seem as if a few adjustments to the sensors software are necessary.
Specifications: it has everything that a 46XBR8 has
Sony presents the VE5 as a "green" XBR8. As far as we’re concerned, the comparison doesn’t stop there – as we’ll see further on when we look at image quality – the specifications of the two models are comparable. You can therefore refer to the Sony 46XBR8 test for the details on this one. Otherwise, the VE5 is a Full HD LCD television with an HD tuner, a matte panel, 4 HDMI ports, a USB port, a base that pivots, Motionflow 120 Hz, compatibility with DLNA networks as well as the new Applicast system.
Image quality: a true false 46XBR8
As we said further up, the VE5 was announced as an eco 46XBR8. It is true that the first tests bear this out as the same image quality (see inset): excellent contast, deep black levels, a nice gamma curve, exceptional colors, and very contained ghosting thanks to 120 Hz Motionflow. The SD upscaling is a little low on precision and, indeed, the VE5 behaves like an exact copy of the 46XBR8, except when it comes to angles of vision. They are much better on this screen. Blacks only become grey-blue when you are far away from the central positioning opposite the screen. Four or five viewers can sit at a distance of 10 feet from the screen without any loss of display.
This has led us to review the rating for the 46XBR8 and, more generally, other TV ratings in our survey. We’ve also taken the opportunity to improve our test methodology for angles of vision that are now quantified and evaluated more precisely. We have also added a measurement for black and white levels at 28 points on the panel, so as to measure homogeneity and quantify any clouding on our test models. You can see these three new ratings in the inset that summarizes the main measurements that we carried out.So the VE5 tips the 46XBR8 over the edge and we have taken away the star that we were already considering removing from it (as we say in the conclusion of the 46XBR8 article).
Sound quality: no change
No surprises, the VE5 has the same speakers and sound quality as the 46XBR8. Without achieving anything exceptional, you can watch a film in good enough conditions, though if you want to fully immerse yourself you’ll want a surround sound system.
| Sony Bravia KDL-46VE5 |
|---|
| Pros |
Motionflow limited to 100 Hz…not 200 Hz |
The VE5 series impresses with its image quality and reduced energy consumption. It also offers plenty of multimedia functions.
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I have two flat panels, a Samsung 50" DLP and a Samsung 46" LCD, both a couple of years old. Both had lots of advertising that they were 1080P in the store, but a year later, when I went to install my first Blue Ray (Sony PS3), I found out that the only 1080P input source was the Computer VGA socket. HDMI and RGB inputs are limited to 1080i input. Needless to say, I'm rather disappointed in this, and I hope this is not the case with current gear.
^
Wow you bought a 50" and a 46" tv and didnt research the inputs and outputs. I guess that was a lesson hard lived.
Test the turners for over-the-air performance. I purchased an Olevia a couple of years ago based on Consumer Reports recommendation. The turner is very poor - and Olevia is in severe financial trouble.
Reviewers also need to test the turners properly to evaluate over-the-air performance.
RE: "HD Ready displays come with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, while “Full HD” TVs pack a 1920 x 1080 resolution screen"
HD Ready implies NO HD TUNER INSIDE. It has nothing to do with resolution!
I have this and I love it.