Monday, 18 October 2010

Review: Sony Bravia KDL-40EX43B

We have definitely seen some interesting combos in the past: video recorders with hard drive recorders onboard surround, TV with built-in DVD-players, and iPod-ready melons. Okay, maybe we have the last time up.

Lets get back to the solid realms of the reality, however, of Sony KDL-40EX43B, with which the DVD/TV-concept is updated by combining a smart-looking 40in LCD TV with a Blu-ray player.

This CCFL-backlit display full HD TV also features a free HD tuner and a network multimedia (Bravia Internet Video and DLNA playing), and so it's no slouch when it comes to other functions.
The vertically mounted disc player, which, of course also compatible with DVDs and CDs, lurks behind the screen and is slot-loading. As a result, it doesn't spoil the minimalist lines of the set cabinets. Indeed, you don't even know that it's there, unless you're looking for it.

Other goodies include supply of Sony Bravia Engine 3 image processor, a PC VGA/D-sub input and various energy-saving features (such as an ambient light sensor and a radio mode which temporarily closed on the screen). There's an analog tuner, but the chances are that it will never be used.

The Blu-ray player gives you most of the functionality that is associated with a well-designed budget unit – such as BD-Live compatibility and reasonably fast loading disks. Apart from the BD-Live, there are no fancy network features – this do, after all, are covered by the TV section of own command.

Note that the platform of Bravia Widgets (a separate entity to Bravia Internet video, which currently includes Facebook, eBay, Flickr and Twitter) is not present on this specific set.

Also designed in the KDL-40EX43B is a USB port for connecting memory devices – or for multimedia playback, or offer a BD-Live temporary storage alternative to set own memory there is only one port, though, that makes life difficult if you go for the Wi-Fi dongle.

Analog connections include component and a few Scarts.Missing most of Sony's recent LCD screens have four 1080p24 HDMI v1.4 inputs.Not so the KDL-40EX43B, that only gives you three, two of which were side-mounted. I suspect that the Blu-ray player for missing bills.

The Blu-ray player element of TV is perfectly integrated into the Xross Media bar user interfacer.From here you can-in addition to drives – select internet TV content delivered and DLNA media servers with much the same ease as digital (and, come to think of it, analog) TV-channels.

The Xross Media bar is also required for each installation than the wizard-driven ' first-run ' phase. I had some problems getting the KDL-40EX43B to talk to my network via Ethernet. Although DLNA content accessible, were not Bravia TV-channels. If, as I did, you will get nothing more exciting than a "2200" error, press the reset button and repeat the TV network installation procedure should all good then.

In addition to such delights as Demand Five, FIFA characteristics, Dailymotion, Eurosport and YouTube, the BBC iPlayer is listed under the Bravia TV-channels. However, I could not force the software update required for programs (you're at the mercy of Sony here, because this task is performed automatically and through the assumably, ether unlike via the wiser network route).
I came across a number of other niggles, some of which are more serious than others. the number of formats that are supported by the DLNA media Player are limited to JPEG, MPEG2, MP3/WAV, although DivX/XviD clips can be powered via USB.



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