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Sony KDL-46Z5800 Turn over for more‌
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58 Sony KDL-46Z5800 ➜ £1,900 Approx ➜ www.sony.co.uk With Freesat HD, AppliCast and media streaming, this is one of Sony’s most feature-packed TVs
Home Cinema Choice February 2010
Reviews 59
Freesat fuels Sony fightback Once king of the television scene, Sony has ceded ground to its rivals in recent times. But the company is back with a bang, says Rik Henderson
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hat a TV! Sony’s Freesatenabled LCD debut is a thrilling example of how good a cutting-edge, CCFLbacklit screen can be. On looks alone, the KDL46Z5800 could easily be dismissed. It’s thin without being really skinny, but is, from the front, just an anonymous black rectangle. There’s little or no flair displayed, save for a glowing Sony logo that you’ll invariably turn off anyway, else it hampers the viewing experience. It has a relatively drab aesthetic – in essence, the telly equivalent of holidaying in Burnley. However, none of this matters when it’s switched on. In fact, the blandness of the exterior helps draw the eye to the glass itself. And maybe that’s the point – it’s here where the magic happens, after all. The 46Z5800 casts a colourfilled, detail-rich spell, which dazzles, excites and provides AV lobbyists
AV/CV Product: Sony’s first LCD TV with a Freesat tuner. It also features the Motionflow 200Hz engine Position: With this much tech crammed inside, it’s definitely one of the flagship sets for the brand Peers: Panasonic TX-P46Z1; Panasonic TX-P46G10; LG 42LF7700
➜ Specifications HD Ready: yes 1080p24 Digital TV tuner: yes DVB-T with CI slot, plus Freesat tuner Scart: yes two Component video: yes one set HDMI: yes 4 x v1.3 PC input: yes one VGA Sound: 2 x 10W speakers Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Brightness (claimed): N/A Contrast ratio (claimed): 100,000:1 (dynamic) Dimensions: 1,091(w) x 672(h) x 86(d)mm
Weight (without stand): 21.9kg Features: Motionflow 200Hz picture processing; Bravia Engine 3; Live Colour Creation; WCG-CCFL backlight; 10bit panel; DLNA connectivity (music, video, photos); AppliCast (net applications); USB media player (via USB 2.0 port); Bravia Sync; Energy saving switch; Picture frame mode
with enough irrefutable evidence to turn any HD-abstainee into a true believer. In picture performance terms, it is, quite simply, the best CCFL-backlit LCD TV I’ve clapped eyes on this year.
It’s a free for all To be completely honest, Freesat has lost a little of its shine for me since Freeview HD came into the frame (the hardware may be thin on the ground but I know a bigger rollout is now just months away). I’m a big fan of free high-definition programming, and applaud any such technology on offer, but because I live in London, I’m in the fortunate position of being able to satisfy my needs via a conventional rooftop aerial – a less bothersome route than a satellite dish, and one most can undertake even if they’re in a listed building or rented property. However, not everybody lives in a Freeview HD-capable area, so Freesat remains a smart and viable option. It’s also one that the Z5800 handles very admirably indeed. The quality of images delivered via the Sony’s Freesat tuner is remarkable. Often, I’ll gloss over a flatscreen’s TV-viewing performance because digital terrestrial pictures invariably look poor no matter what fancy processing is employed. The transmission signal is usually so broken and muddied that even the greatest panels can look like a unkempt building site.
This is where Sony’s Motionflow 200Hz technology comes in. When enabled, specifically on its ‘Low’ setting, the processing makes both SD and HD programming appear sharp, and aids smooth movement without introducing the sort of edge artefacts often associated with rival brand’s technologies. Other similar high-frame rate systems can also add a fake sheen to pictures, giving them a camcorder-style feel, but this Sony doesn’t. Dare I say it, I’d be tempted to leave the processing engaged for Blu-ray movie playback, too. The effect is less impressive with the set’s in-built Freeview tuner, probably because the source’s frailties are harder to gloss over, but that’s a fall-back position anyway. I can’t see anybody shelling out just shy of two grand on a 46in Freesat TV and not have a satellite dish to plug it into. They’d certainly be pleased they did. That’s not to say the set is faultless, though. For a start, whilst picture quality is superb, audio performance is not. The speakers are functional at best, and I found both of the available sound modes (dialogue and surround) lack any form of dynamism. I’m not entirely sure that surround does what it says on the tin, either. The soundfield on offer is clean and crisp but as flat as week-old cola. In addition, AppliCast, Sony’s current internet widget feature, is as useful as a glass jockstrap. The meagre array of RSS feeds and February 2010 Home Cinema Choice
60 Reviews ➜ Tech Labs Power consumption: Watts 200
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Best of both words After viewing a mix of Terminator Salvation and Ice Age 3 on Blu-ray, I can safely confirm that it handles dark, murky, shadow-filled or explosive, vibrant, saturated scenes with the same aplomb. The latter, animated movie is awash with stark, vivid blues and greens, and the Z5800 shows them with an intensity that no cinema screen could possibly achieve. The latest in the Terminator franchise, however, requires deft control over sepia tones and an Home Cinema Choice February 2010
ability to pick out detail in darkness – a doddle for the display. The HCC proprietary Test Card has been designed to expose TV’s common foibles, and there are some areas where LCD technology can often struggle. Yet in this instance I noted no problems. Even reds look bold and authentic, before (in ‘Standard’ mode) and after calibration. Our test regime also highlights gradation issues, with some panels exhibiting light banding: the Z5800 passed with flying colours.
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White Screen: Power consumption is 153W with a pure white 100IRE signal and the audio muted – average for a set this size. Power Saving Mode and Light Sensor cut use to 88W in dim lighting
Test footage: There’s not much increase in power consumption with movie footage and full volume. Overall a good performance
TV Contrast: ratio
Colour temp: Kelvin
Actual 96,701:1
applications on offer is almost insulting, especially in comparison to rival manufacturers’ similar technologies (see HCC #176 for our rundown of systems on offer). There are plenty of good options when it comes to buying network-capable TVs and if that feature is high on your shopping list, you might not give this model a second chance. Sony is apparently addressing criticisms on the tech for future panels, and extra functionality may come down the pipe for this set, but buyers should take these reservations on board. The Z5800 does, however, offer a full set of media streaming and playing abilities, via Ethernet or USB memory stick. And, unlike other Sony kit I’ve seen of late, this screen can handle the full family of video, audio and photo files through both delivery formats. In addition, there’s a picture frame mode on the TV that can turn it into a work of art in your living room. And that’s quite apt, because I’m happy to call this TV a work of art. Its picture performance alone demands such praise.
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Claimed 100,000:1
Killer picture: The 46Z5800 delivers bold colours and fine detail rendition
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Picture: Measured contrast ratio in Dynamic mode comes close to paper claims, and luminance is high at 85.73fl. In standard mode contrast measures 6,074:1
6,234
Presets: A small selection of CT presets, but manual R/G/B level and gain give perfect results Neutral: 8,405K Warm 1: 7,437K Warm 2: 6,234K Cool 1: 10,375K
While the contrast levels are good, they could’ve been awesome with the adoption of an LED backlight (local dimming, especially). It’s also the only sticking point that I can imagine somebody having when considering this screen over other comparable 46inchers. I believe that other issues, such as the audio performance, are almost irrelevant. It’s hard to imagine that anybody willing to invest heavily in a flatscreen of this pedigree won’t be matching it with a well-specified home cinema system, 5.1 or more. Flatscreens per se have rotten audio – it’s a side-effect of having such a thin footprint.
CCFL fights back So will the Z5800 struggle when placed alongside a 46in LED TV? In picture quality and features, I don’t think so. However, buzzwords mean a lot in this market, and there is no more attractive moniker than LED at the moment. Therefore, this set may get overlooked. I hope not, though. It’s exceptional
Verdict Sony KDL-46Z5800 £1,900 Approx Highs: Superb picture performance; an excellent use of 200Hz technology; good multimedia prowess Lows: Plain design; CCFL-backlight; limited net interactivity Performance: Design: Features:
Overall: