Home Theatre/TV: Sony KLV-40V300A V Series 40-inch LCD – 62

Seems like only yesterday Tone was reviewing Sony’s mid-range 40-inch LCD panel, the KLV-40V200A. Now here we are with a new and improved model, and you’re really going to love one of the improvements.

When the 200A appeared in the January issue, it was listed at five grand. The new 300A model is $2000 less, retailing for $2999. Heck, for that kind of price they could have taken a step backwards in picture and sound quality and punters would still be smiling. But Sony is known for relentlessly pushing boundaries, and although the price tumbles, the panel takes another step towards LCD viewing nirvana.

The newcomer uses a 10-bit panel driver capable of producing 1024 brightness levels for each primary colour. That, says Sony, is more than 68 million shades all up, compared with fewer than 17 million from an 8-bit panel. Why does this matter? Well, it allows much better gradation in the change from a dark to a light shade to help lessen or eliminate that distracting ‘banding’ seen in some LCD images. It also allows better colour depth and thus richer reproduction.

I thought the 200A had banding pretty well under control, but Sony’s engineers obviously felt there was room for improvement and it took little more than one stoush between Darth Vader and his victim to confirm that this panel performs admirably, and may set a benchmark in its new price bracket. The technology of the Bravia engine, Super Patterned Vertical Alignment (S-PVA), WCG-CCFL backlight and the complementary Live Colour Creation also do their bit to deliver vibrant, though still quite accurate, colours.

After being resolute that one HDMI input was all you really need, it’s great to see that Sony has had a change of heart and now offers two such ports and throws in one PC input as well. Because it’s a panel that should keep many owners happy for a long time, the added future-proofing is welcome. There’s also 1080p support. Those wanting to integrate the panel with Sony home theatre gear will be interested in the Theatre Sync, which allows everything to work under the baton of a single remote.

With the new model comes yet another redesign of said remote. The reviewer of the last model thought maybe its buttons were a bit on the large side. The new one continues the ‘big is better’ philosophy and my clumsy fingers loved it. The controls are well laid-out and, of four different remotes from four manufacturers assembled in the Tone test bunker, I liked Sony’s best.

It’s become apparent that TV manufacturers don’t share the same view of sound quality. Some quite excellent panels are let down by less than wonderful audio – perhaps manufacturers think they’ll be hooked up to home theatre so it doesn’t really matter. Sony, however, must believe otherwise and, as with the outgoing model, the 300A rocks. The technology to thank is S-Force front surround that ‘fools’ viewers into thinking sound is coming from multiple directions. Yeah, it might sound like electronic meddling to some purists but, like the rest of the set, it works rather well.

PHIL HANSON

Sony KLV-40V300A V Series 40-inch LCD $2999

CONTACT
www.sony.co.nz

SPECIFICATIONS

- 1MP 10-bit HD LCD panel
- 1366 x 768 native resolution
- 1600:1 contrast ratio
- WCG-CCFL backlight and live colour creation
- S-Force front surround
- Bravia Theatre Synch
- Twin HDMI and one PC input

PROS

New pricing
Second HDMI input
Excellent sound
Easy to work

CONS

At three grand, what is there to complain about?

Aesthetics: 90%
Performance: 94%
Features: 88%
Functionality: 90%
Price Value: 96%

Overall: 92%