Best 32" choice! (Sony KDL-32V4000)

Member Name: ecolier

Product:	Sony KDL-32V4000
Date:	03/10/09 (37 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Looks good, sound good, picture good

Disadvantages: Lack of USB input - now in the S5500

I have had this TV for nearly 9 months now and can really comment on how the performance of the TV is like. To start off with the basics this TV is HD ready (1366x768 - 768p / 1080i), has Freeview receiver built in, RGB, SCART, HDMI, composite and VGA (for computers) inputs. I will be talking about these individually later. The TV itself looks very nice in a piano black finish and the stand it comes with is very sturdy and heavy. The remote control has all the right buttons, response is fast and it works over a long range.
The first thing I remember when I first started watching is that the colour saturation is excellent. I have never watched Freeview in so much detail (my previous TV is a CRT). As all Freeview channels are 16:9 (SDTV) you should have no problems with the resolution - although of course there is a option to sqeeuze or widen the screen (5 options, in fact). This makes it very useful to watch those latest films which are now 14:9 - just press to Zoom setting and it is now stretched across the whole scren. Press that "theatre" button for the ultimate cinema experience - just remember to dim the lights!
In terms of the inputs there are a wide variety to choose from - RGB (3 leads), SCART, 3x HDMI, component and computer VGA. I haven't tried the component and HDMI yet which should really show the V4000 in all its glory but I have tried the others and they are not bad at all. I connect a Wii to the TV - I tried the RGB and the SCART and they looked excellent. The VGA lead is very tight and has screws for you to fix it - there is also a sound input for the computer. The resolution is maximum 768 vertical (so for most computers it will be 1280 x 768, for some it can be 1366 x 768 - the maximum this TV can display). Switching between the inputs are really easy and takes no time at all.
Other settings of the TV is also really nice. I am especially impressed with the sound system. There is BBE Viva and Dolby Virtual surround sound built in but I use the BBE simply because it gives the impression of surround sound! The effects really are excellent and at 90% maximum volume only the faintest hissing can be heard and there is still no distortion - which is more than I can say for other TVs!
If you are looking to buy this TV go ahead - there is a successor out (the S5500) but comparing the specs there is not much in it. Get this while you can!

Summary: A good choice, reasonably priced for this size and lots of connecting options.

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