While many TVs now claim eco-friendly credentials, most in truth only pay lip service to the idea of saving the planet. But not Sonys new KDL-40WE5. This 40in TV really could make a difference.
Particularly important is its new backlight system. For by using a hot cathode fluorescent lamp system rather than the usual cold one, Sony has allegedly reduced the 40WE5s running power consumption by around 50% (to under 100W) versus the brands own 40W4500 TV. This could save you hundreds of pounds over the 40WE5s lifespan.
Big Sony is watchingThe 40WE5s eco party piece, though, is its Presence Sensor. This uniquely uses both heat and motion sensors to determine if anyone is in the room, and automatically turns pictures off if it finds nobodys around. Nifty.
The TV also carries an Eco image preset that adjusts various picture settings so the TV runs as efficiently as possible, and a mode for automatically reducing the pictures brightness as your room gets darker.
Impressive though all this tree-hugging stuff might be, though, its not the 40WE5s only selling point. For the set also lets you access Sonys new currently rather limited AppliCast online service. You can play multimedia (video, music, photo) files from a connected PC or USB storage device, too.
The question in assessing the 40WE5s pictures has to be whether theyve been damaged by the TVs eco focus. And the answer is that they havent.
Deep and crisp and evenParticularly gratifying is how unlike some normal Sony TVs dark scenes suffer scarcely at all with an inconsistent backlight, looking uniformly, impressively black all the way across.
Colours are just as eye-catchingly vibrant and believable as those of the best of Sonys ordinary LCD TVs, too, while HD pictures benefit from some outstanding fine detail and clarity. Whats more, a combination of 100Hz and Sonys Bravia Engine 3 processing ensures that this clarity doesnt disappear when pictures contain motion.
Even standard definition pictures look great, leaving precious little to moan about. The only negatives we came up with are the way colour and contrast drop off if you watch from an angle, and the way the TVs Eco picture mode makes images rather dull.
Otherwise especially as the scintillating pictures are joined by some robust audio the 40WE5 is that rarest of things: an eco-friendly product that doesnt perform like a dog. Unlike those Hessian pants we bought at Glastonbury last year.
Author:John Archer
Copyright 2009 Dennis Publishing All Rights Reserved.
Sony KDL-40WE5
