Sony’s KDL-40Z5100 is equipped with a TV Guide Onscreen, as well as USB port for connecting media. The TV Guide Interactive Program Guide is installed into the TV’s Xross Media Bar interface to send users updated program listings through an Internet connection without having to pay subscription fees. The set surpassed the Energy Star rating, allowing users to save money on their energy bills. The sets can also now stream video and music from networked PCs, just like Samsung and Pioneer’s sets.
Note: Sony’s KDL-40Z5100 shares the same features and performance as all models in the Sony Z5100 Series LCD HDTV series. This review here is slightly shorter than the Sony’s KDL-52Z5100 Review. If you want to find out a bit more about this model (especially about its features), feel free to consult that review as well.
Brief Specifications of KDL-40Z5100
- Resolution: 1080p (standard), 1920 x 1080 (exact)
- Contrast Ratio: 3800:1 (native) 100,000:1 Contrast Ratio (dynamic)
- 240Hz MotionFlow processing
- Ethernet: YES
- Picture-in-Picture: NO
- Anti-glare filter: YES
- 24p cinema mode: YES
- BRAVIA Internet Video
- TV Guide onscreen
- Yahoo Widgets
- Energy Star Rated
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Four HDMI inputs and PC input
- TV Guide onscreen added to interactivity
- Energy Star compliant
- Yahoo! Widgets added
Cons:
- S-Video input not included
- At times can upconvert standard-definition video to 1080p screen resolution
- White balance has tendency to skew a bit green
- Picture presets and Motionflow feature don’t work together
Features
BRAVIA Internet Video gives lets users stream premium and free on-demand videos directly to the set through a broadband connection. Accessing the BRAVIA remote control gives users video, music, and even more content from over 20 providers including Sony Pictures, Sports Illustrated, Sony Music, Slacker, YouTube, Amazon Video On Demand, and Epicurious.com. Users can connect USB-enabled MP3 player, a camera, or USB storage device directly to the KDL-40Z5100’s USB input to see photos or hear MP3s.
Performance
With its MotionFlow technology and a 240Hz refresh rate, the KDL-40Z5100 is a solid set, but could often use a few adjustments with its picture controls for the best picture. An upconverting issue with standard definition sources has emerged and the picture presets seem to have an issue with the MotionFlow feature. With plenty of picture controls provided, however, users should be able to get what they want.
Black Levels
The KDL-40Z5100 outdoes LG’s LH90 in grayscale reproduction. Sony’s XBR8 also achieves this over the competition, but LH90 might just beat Sony out in shadow detail. The LG LH90 series has similar black levels to the KDL-40Z5100, both show quite deep blacks.
Color Accuracy
Sony’s XBR8 has great consistency in white balance, but the KDL-40Z5100’s white balance slants a bit toward green. Fair skin tones can sometimes look a bit unhealthy. The proper adjustments can fix this, though not all users are able to figure out the picture controls.
Video Processing
Turning on the set’s Motionflow feature increases picture lucidity during busy scenes. While Sony’s Z series from 2008 would sometimes trade picture detail for 720p video sources through overscan, but the Z5100 series rights this. Its VGA and component video inputs also allow users full 1080p input. When the KDL-40Z5100’s film-detection feature, called CineMotion, is switched off when using all picture presets, so users can lose detail and see more artifacts with video originally captured at 24 frames per second.
Standard definition
Sony’s KDL-40Z5100’s has decent SD performance and works to reduce noise at an acceptable rate. The KDL-40Z5100 does have an issue with upconverting standard-definition video to its native 1080p screen resolution, giving users jagged-edge artifacts in some images.
Glare and Reflections
Sony’s dark matte screen reduces reflections and has decent picture contrast in a well-lit room. In a dark room the KDL-40Z5100’s screen can kill light output when showing the color black, similarly to LG’s LH90 series. While Samsung’s glossy screens can’t even compare to LG and Sony’s matte screens in glare reduction.
Conclusion
The Z5100s are the step-up to Sony’s VE5s and V5100 Series, but they could be compared to the XBR8 in picture quality. The set has plenty of interactive features such as Yahoo! Widgets that can give users weather reports, financial news, Yahoo! Video, Flickr images, stock ticker updates, and additional content like YouTube.
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