Sony BRAVIA 46” 3D HD LED TV – KDL-46HX923 [£1799 DEC 2011]

This video link below is a review of the Sony’s KDL-46HX923 flagship television. The review will cover the following topics:

00:07 — Physical appearance

00:44 — Gorilla Glass

01:08 — Wall mounting

02:34 — User interface

03:43 — BRAVIA Internet Video

04:28 — Smart TV: apps and widgets

06:42 — Media steaming & Track ID

09:19 — Sound

10:16 — Motionflow XR 800 & refresh rate

14:07 — “Intelligent Peak LED for optimum picture contrast”

15:49 — Gaming & input lag

18:32 — The “crease” — light bleed

Even though this video dragged on for 20 odd minutes, there’re plenty more features I could have discussed. I’ve tried to focus on the features either specific to this TV, or the features which have been recently introduced to BRAVIA televisions.

Nintendo 3DS [£139.99 – JUNE 2012]

Nintendo 3DS [£139.99 – JUNE 2012]

It’s no great secret that the 3DS experienced a somewhat difficult launch. If Nintendo’s excessive pricing (£229.99 on launch) wasn’t enough to dissuade consumers from buying one, the negative press relating to the console’s possible health risks certainly would. Reports suggesting that the console’s stereoscopic 3D effect could damage children’s eyesight as well as induce headaches quickly spread throughout the mainstream media. It seemed that the gimmick Nintendo used to initially market the console would ultimately lead to its failure. Nintendo reacted to these stories by stating that the console should not be used in 3D mode by children under six-years-old, and that it was perfectly safe for anyone else to use its stereoscopic functions.

Anyway, now that the 3DS is at a reasonable price point, and that children over six can use it to its full capacity, it’s time for an in-depth review of Nintendo’s latest Dual Screen console.

Appearance

Let’s begin as always with a discussion of the product’s appearance and build quality. There can be no denying that the aqua blue 3DS is arguably one of the best-looking handheld consoles of all time:

It looks stunning from virtually every angle. Nintendo are so proud of their work that they’ve even provided a pedestal stand to encourage people to leave it out on display (rather than hide it away in a case):

The sharp angles and mirrored-finish remind me of a blue rupee from the Legend of Zelda series:

I now want to buy a red and green (if Nintendo ever manufacture one) 3DS to sit on the shelf next to my blue one. For some strange reason, Nintendo have decided to discontinue the aqua blue 3DS, which is obviously completely fucking ridiculous. Why would you stop manufacturing your product in its most iconic colour? It would be like Ferrari deciding to stop manufacturing their supercars in red. Speaking of red, the 3DS also looks good in this colour.

Everything about this console looks and feels premium. The stylus certainly looks a lot classier than the plastic ones included with previous DS consoles. The new stylus not only looks good, but it also uses a telescopic extension system, too. Of course, this mechanism will eventually break if the stylus is used by younger children (particularly the spoilt ones). The console feels very solid overall, however, I’m not convinced by the build quality of the thumb stick. I’ve noticed that it sometimes gets stuck in certain positions when moving it back and forth quickly. It was always going to be a huge technical challenge to fit an analogue stick into such a small space, so Nintendo deserve some credit for getting it mostly right. The lack of a second thumb stick is somewhat baffling though, especially when you consider how many games for console have fully 3D environments.

Perhaps the biggest problem with the 3DS in terms of its physical attributes is how it feels to hold. The DS Lite and DSi both feel very comfortable in the hands; this is in part due to their shape but also because all surfaces/edges are completely smooth. For some reason, the 3DS has 4 small feet on each corner which if you catch your fingers on, feel quite the opposite of smooth:

They probably help protect the bottom side of the 3DS, but if you’re playing a game which requires frequent use of the L & R buttons, you’ll end up catching your fingers on these pokey feet. Out of all the problems the 3DS has, this is by far the worst. So whilst the 3DS looks good and feels solidly-built, it’s nowhere near as comfortable to hold as previous Dual Screen consoles.

Connectivity

The 3DS is not too dissimilar from the DSi in terms of its connectivity. The 3DS has an integrated wireless adapter (802.11b/g) running at up to 11 Mbit/s. Strangely, the 3DS also has an integrated Infra Red port: I can’t quite see the point of an IR port if the product is Wi-Fi enabled. Like the DSi, the 3DS also has an in-built SD port which supports standard SD cards of up to 2 GB and SDHC of up to 32 GB. As mentioned earlier, Nintendo provide you with a pedestal stand with an in-built charging port; it tilts the DS at a comfortable viewing angle, which is particularly useful for games which rely heavily on the bottom screen. Finally, the 3DS features a microphone, 3.5 mm headphone jack and the same power charging port as the DSi. Oh, and in case you’re wondering, the 3DS does not support Bluetooth or 3G.

Features

The 3DS is not only more powerful than previous range of Dual Screen consoles, but it is able to produce stereoscopic 3D imagery. The 3D effect can be enjoyed without the need to wear glasses which is clearly a step in the right direction if the technology is ever going to take off properly. If you don’t want the 3D switched on, or only want it on a small amount, it’s possible to adjust this effect using the slider on the top screen. The 3D effect looks very good, and it certainly adds a lot of depth to gaming environments. However, I don’t feel overly comfortable viewing my games in 3D, and after a while (5 minutes), I usually end up switching it off. It seems that with or without glasses, 3D imagery makes for an uncomfortable viewing experience.

As well as the traditional control interface, the 3DS features a 3-axis accelerometer and 3-axis gyroscope. I suppose this technology can be likened to that of the Wii Motion Plus controller. Star Fox 64 3D makes good use of this technology, for example, if you tilt your 3DS to the right, the actor on screen will mimic your movement. It works pretty well, but I’m not sure it’s as accurate as using the traditional control interface, which is no surprise seeing as Star Fox 64 was originally designed with the Nintendo 64 controller in mind. To get the most out of this technology, games need to be developed specifically for use with the 3-axis accelerometer/gyroscope.

Augmented Reality is another innovate feature of this Dual Screen console. Using the two rear facing cameras the 3DS scans QR codes from the AR cards; real time graphics are then ‘augmented’ onto the live footage in camera’s line of vision. It’s quite amazing seeing your ‘real’ world objects being transformed into computer graphics via the AR system. It’s certainly an impressive feature and I’m looking forward to seeing what Nintendo can do with it in the future.

Like the DSi, the 3DS features front and rear facing cameras. The rear facing cameras are able to shoot 3D imagery which you can later edit in the software provided. It’s also possible to shoot small segments of 3D video, too. Unfortunately, like the previous DS console, at 0.3 megapixels the cameras are pretty much useless. The novelty of shooting and editing low resolution 3D images soon wears off. Aside from the AR feature, the cameras don’t really serve any practical use. Perhaps in the future Nintendo might introduce some practical apps to support the technology, such as Skype video conferencing.

The 3DS offers a number of online features such as an Internet browser and Streetpass/Spotpass. The Internet browser is pretty basic and doesn’t support Flash content. Streetpass/Spotpass is basically a system that connects to Wi-Fi hotspots to send/receive information. Spotpass can detect other 3DS users in range, even in sleep mode/play mode, and transmit data between the two systems. Linked to this service is Swapnote/Nintendo Letterbox, which allows you to send media content to other users registered with the service.

 

Playability

I can’t say I’m particularly interested in any of the features mentioned in the previous section; I bought a 3DS purely to play games. Thankfully, there are some features aimed at users who are interested in playing games, i.e. the Virtual Console store. The 3DS Virtual Console store offers an array of handheld classics which aren’t available to download through the Wii version. For example, at £5.40 you can buy Game Boy Colour classic Legend of Zelda Link’s Awakening DX. The pricing of Nintendo eShop titles is a little silly, though. I’d certainly pay a fiver for one of the best handheld RPGs of all time, but not £5.40. I just don’t understand why Nintendo felt they needed to charge an extra 40p. When you consider the price of some of the latest Android games, it seems completely ridiculous to pay over £5 for a game that’s nearly 20 years old. I find it even more ridiculous having to spend £5.40 for a game that I’ve already spent £60 on, having bought it in 1995 for the Game Boy and again in 1999 for the Game Boy Color.

The 3DS is marketed as being backwards compatible with standard DS games. What Nintendo doesn’t tell you is that for some completely and utterly mind-boggling reason, the 3DS seems to have much weaker colour palette than the DS Lite and the DSi when it comes to playing original DS games:

In the above picture, the top screens were both tilted at the same angle and the camera was placed as centrally as possible before taking the photo. I actually noticed this when reviewing the DSi XL, too. Now, I understand that DS titles have to be scaled to be compatible with the 3DS’ higher resolution screen. However, this doesn’t explain why the colour reproduction is so piss poor. Surely Nintendo must have performed the same comparison test as I did? Nintendo should have stated on the back of the retail packaging that standard DS games will not look anywhere near as good on the 3DS. I’m sure I’m not the only person who’s disappointed that I can’t permanently shelve my DSi/Lite, because I assumed the 3DS would be compatible with my huge collection of DS software.

If you’re not particularly fussed about backwards compatibility, you’ll be pleased to know that the 3DS has its own selection of superb games. The updated version of Ocarina of Time looks amazing:

I used to think Phantom Hourglass looked good; OOT 3D makes it look rather pathetic in comparison. As well as improved graphics, the sound is actually much better on the 3DS too. To match the 3D visuals, the 3DS uses a virtual surround system that tricks you into thinking sound is coming from all directions. The control interface is much better, too; the original DS lacked an analogue stick, which made it virtually impossible to play the likes of Super Mario 64 DS. The 3DS obviously has such a device; however, as mentioned earlier, it would have made more sense to have an additional thumb stick on the opposite side. To compensate for this, there’s an official add-on (Circle Pad Pro) which attaches a second thumb stick on the right-hand side of the console. Of course, this add-on is fucking huge which makes the 3DS much less portable.

Speaking of portability, the 3DS is slightly heavier than the DSi but pretty much of the same proportions. It’s small and lightweight enough to be considered a proper handheld console, which means unlike the DSi XL, you can actually take it outside of your home. However, don’t take it out for too long, unless you’re planning on taking your battery charger with you. I complained that the DSi XL had a poor battery life; the 3DS appears to be even worse. If you switch on the sound, 3D and Wi-Fi, don’t expect to get more than 2 or 3 hours playtime out of your 3DS. What’s the point of having all these fancy features if the battery isn’t potent enough to support them? It’s just not good enough, Nintendo.

Conclusion

In many ways the 3DS is a big improvement on the previous Dual Screen console. It’s more powerful in terms of memory and processing power, so it’s capable of running much more sophisticated games. The main menu is much easier to navigate and allows for better customisation. The 3DS is much less restrictive in terms of the types of networks in can connect to, which is good news for all those people who had problems connecting their DSis to Wi-Fi zones. The 3DS is packed with enough technology to secure its place in the handheld market for the next couple of years.

Of course, the 3DS is not without its problems: for starters, it’s nowhere near as comfortable to hold as the DS Lite or DSi. If an uncomfortable gaming experience isn’t enough to put you off, then surely the 3DS console’s limited battery life will. It’s amazing how the battery life of Nintendo DS consoles has decreased from around 15 hours with the original console, to somewhere in the region of 3 hours with the latest 3DS. Finally, if the previous points don’t discourage you from buying one, the backwards compatibility issues surely will. If you want to use standard DS games, you’ll have to buy a standard DS to play them on. I can’t get over how dreadful DS games look on the 3DS in comparison to the DSi/Lite.

For all its bad points, however, I would still recommend buying a 3DS; not for its gimmicky 3D and media features, but for its primary purpose – gaming. The 3DS is saved (just) by an excellent catalogue of exclusive games. I was lucky enough to gain Ambassador Status when I bought my 3DS, which meant Nintendo gave me 10 free NES games and 10 free GBA games as a reward for buying it (at a silly price). I’ve had some amazing gaming experiences playing these Nintendo classics on my 3DS. I’ve also had some super gaming moments playing some of the 3D Mario and Zelda titles. It seems that I’m willing to put up with minor discomfort and a limited battery life for a good standard of videogame.

Score: 6/10 – A great software library, sleek looks and excellent connectivity help compensate for the 3DS’ limited battery life and backwards compatibility issues.

RH

Nintendo Dual Screen – DSi XL [£164.99 DEC 2010]

When Nintendo announced that they were releasing an extra large version of their DSi console, I wasn’t quite sure what to think. Handheld consoles exist so that gaming can be enjoyed beyond the confinements of the living room. The Nintendo Game Boy, released in 1989, was such a handheld device. This iconic machine boasted the same sort of processing power as the non-handheld devices of the time. Whilst in 2012 such a device would seem clunky and impractical, back in the day, the Game Boy was revolutionary.

In the 20 plus years that have passed since the original Game Boy entered the marketplace, handheld consoles have benefited from numerous technological developments. Backlit LCD displays, touch screens, high-powered rechargeable lithium batteries and Wi-Fi adapters are just some of the standard technologies that modern handheld devices feature. The DSi – one of Nintendo’s current line ‘Dual Screen’ consoles – features all of these wonderful technological advancements. The DSi XL, as the name suggests, is an extra large version of the Nintendo DSi. Nintendo’s decision to enlarge an existing handheld product, for me, seems odd. This review aims to find out whether the extra large DSi is simply a short-sighted revenue spinner, or something that consumers might actually benefit from.

Appearance

Let’s begin, as always, with the product’s physical attributes. The DSi XL pictured in the photo below is part of the Limited Edition Super Mario Bros. 25^th Anniversary pack:

It’s a simple, smart design finished in a glossy Mario red colour. As you can see, the 25^th Anniversary edition is decorated with classic Super Mario Bros. power-ups. I think it looks fucking brilliant. Of course, if I was working for Nintendo, I’d have released a Koopa green version, featuring enemy sprites, rather then power-ups. Anyway, upon opening the DSi XL, the interior is just as elegant as the exterior. The buttons are sunk into the bottom casing which means the device can shut tightly. As well as helping the device look neat when closed, it stops dust getting on the screens when it’s not in use. It’s a far better design than the original DS, which at the time, seemed very good. There’s no denying that this device is bigger than the original DS; in fact, it’s even bigger than the original Game Boy:

What annoyed me about the original Game Boy was that it couldn’t fit in the inside pocket of my school blazer. This meant that I had to either carry it in my hand, or risk it getting damaged in my schoolbag. Clearly, the DSi XL also won’t fit in my early 90s school blazer, which means it’s not as practical as Nintendo’s previous handhelds. If you’ve been used to playing a DS Lite, you’ll find the XL will feel significantly heavier, too. Handhelds ought to be portable and lightweight; the DSi XL appears to fail on both counts. Perhaps I’m missing the point?

The actual dual screens are very impressive in terms of contrast and clarity. The screen technology seems to be far superior to that of the original DS, particularly when it comes to viewing angles:

Oddly, when playing standard DS games, the colour reproduction seems far better on the DSi XL than it does on the new 3DS:

So, in terms of looks, the DSi XL is elegantly designed and features superior screen technology when compared to other DS consoles.

Features

Perhaps one of the XL’s biggest let-downs is the absence of a Game Boy Advance cart slot. The Game Boy Advance had an incredible game catalogue featuring not just its own set of superb titles, but re-released NES and SNES games as well. This means that the XL has to rely solely on the strength of the DS catalogue to provide gaming thrills. I expect this won’t bother a lot of people, as they’ll probably dismiss GBA titles for either looking dated or not having touch-screen support. These people, or idiots, seem to be representative of much of today’s gaming audience. This is evident in the various DS marketing campaigns, which over the years have featured reality TV pop groups such as Girls Aloud and JLS. Nintendo have also tried to reach out to a more mature and erudite demographic, promoting the console’s brain training exercises and reader applications. Whilst this audience might not be idiotic, they’re unlikely to appreciate Nintendo’s gaming heritage. Just what would Terry Wogan (featured on a recent DS advertisement) make of A Link to the Past?

The DSi XL comes with a number of pre-loaded software titles, including a basic Internet browser. The Internet browser, unfortunately, is pretty much useless. Not only does it lack flash support, but it constantly runs out of memory on websites that aren’t supported on mobile platforms. After a few attempts, the browser managed to load NNR:

It’s slow and frustrating, and thankfully, I’ve never been in a position where I’ve had to rely on it. The DSi XL also comes pre-loaded with Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training; a game that allegedly helps improve your cognitive abilities. It adds value to the DSi if you consider that it’s a title that once cost £29.99. I think it’s a waste of time, of course, and would much rather have had a Zelda game bundled with the package.

The DSi XL features a front and rear-facing VGA camera. The cameras are a bit of laugh for an hour or so, but the novelty soon wears off. Beyond editing the photos with the software provided, there’s not much else you can do with the low-resolution images. It reminds me of the Game Boy Camera, which again, lost its appeal within the first day. I always regretted buying the camera accessory instead of a proper game. Again, rather than including two inadequate cameras, Nintendo should have bundled a game with the package. Considering it’s the Mario Anniversary edition, including the original Super Mario Bros. game would have been a sensible idea.

The DSi XL features an application called ‘Sound Nintendo’, which can be used to playback music files from an SD card. Oddly, it can read crappy M4A music files, but not proper MP3s. Because I’m not a wanker, I obviously don’t use iTunes, so therefore all of my music is encoded in MP3 format. This is probably true for a good portion of the digital music listening population. I really can’t understand Nintendo’s decision not to allow its music player to recognise MP3s.

The DSi Shop enables you to spend your Nintendo points on games/applications which can be downloaded directly to your console. Finally, there’s an application called “Dictionary 6 in 1 with Camera Function”, which is a dictionary, basically. The number 6 is referring to the amount of languages the dictionary supports. It seems quite a useful application, but I can’t say it’s something that I can get particularly excited about.

The basic interface has improved since the original DS:

The DSi XL appears to be more future proof, as it allows for ‘system updates’. The main menu also permits additional icons to be added, which means it’s much more flexible than the previous DS interface.

Connectivity

The DSi XL has a built-in wi-fi adapter, which means you can access the Internet features providing you’re within range of a wireless network. In terms of inputs, the device features a stereo headphone jack and an SD port. SD cards can be used for both reading and writing data, which is useful seeing as the DSi has limited internal memory. The final input is the charging port for the rechargeable battery. It’s worth noting that the battery life on the DSi XL isn’t as good as previous DS consoles. I would imagine this lesser battery life is due to the bigger, brighter LCD panels having an increased power consumption. Then again, seeing as the XL’s not particularly portable, and isn’t likely to be taken outside the house, you’ll never be too far from a plug socket to recharge it.

Playability

The original DS was an excellent product, but it would have benefited from better quality LCD panels and a less bulky design. The DS Lite was an improvement in both of these aspects, and made gaming on the DS far more enjoyable. The DS Lite was particularly good when it came to action games which required more dexterous finger movements. The XL, on the other hand, is far too clunky for these fast-fingered action games, which makes it odd that New Super Mario Bros. should come bundled with the 25^th anniversary edition. Yes, it’s nice to see Mario on a bigger screen, but you’ll soon encounter problems. To perform Mario’s run and jump combination, the player will need to physically hold the (heavy) console; this becomes tiresome after a while. If you want to play New Super Mario Bros. properly, buy yourself a DS Lite. The XL is best played with the console laid flat on a table. For RPGs, this works brilliantly, as there are few instances in which the console will need picking up. Any DS game with Zelda, Pokemon or Dragon Quest in their title should ONLY be played on the XL. When Phantom Hourglass was released, I had to play it on the original DS, with its poorly lit touchscreen. Playing it on the XL is far more enjoyable and comfortable gaming experience. The same applies to all DS RPG and puzzle games.

Conclusion

Historically, Nintendo have brought out an add-on for their main console which enables handheld games to be played on a big screen. The SNES had the Game Boy Player and the Gamecube had the er, Game Boy (Advance) Player. The Game Boy’s control interface was easy to replicate on the SNES joy pad as they both shared the same buttons. Unfortunately, as well as the tradition buttons, the DS uses a touchscreen as part of its control interface. This means that either the console controller or the TV would need an in-built touchscreen in order to emulate DS games. Because neither the Wii nor the average flat panel TV features a touchscreen, it seems that Nintendo’s only option was to create a large screen version of the DS. However, as I’ve tried to illustrate in this review, the XL is an incomplete product.

For many gamers, choosing between the DSi and the DSi XL will prove difficult. If you’re the sort of gamer who appreciates all genres, then the XL is clearly the wrong choice. Similarly, if you bought the regular DSi, you might regret not having invested in the large screen version, as it’s clearly superior for RPGs. It seems that Nintendo have given gamers little choice but to buy BOTH devices (at a cost of over £300). The XL is the preferred choice, however, as it’s the most unique of the DS devices. The multimedia features of the DSi are too gimmicky to consider them a step up from the DS Lite, and they’re certainly not a substitute for its GBA slot. If you already own a DS Lite, then you should only consider buying the XL. If you don’t own any of the previous DS consoles, then I’m afraid you’ll have to buy both a DSi XL and a pre-owned DS Lite.

It’s difficult to rate the DSi XL because its core feature is both its greatest benefit and its biggest hindrance. If you a plan on purchasing the DSi XL for its web and media features, then I’d recommend you buy a smartphone instead. If you’re buying an XL for gaming, then you’ll have made a good choice, providing you’re only interested in select genres.

Score: 7/10 – A good, solid design with excellent screen technology: perfect for RPGs; adequate for everything else.

RH

FAQ for SONY NETWORK MEDIA PLAYER – SMP-N100

FAQ for SONY NETWORK MEDIA PLAYER – SMP-N100

As the title suggests, this article will be a list of FAQ based on search terms linked to NNR’s Netbox review. The search terms have been edited to create coherent questions. I will answer the questions to the best of my knowledge.

Will a USB or Bluetooth keyboard work with the Netbox?

No and no. The Netbox does not have a Bluetooth adapter.

Is the Netbox wi-fi enabled?

It is.

What file formats does the Netbox support?

HD JPEG, JPEG, MP3, AAC, WMA, LPCM, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4 Simple Profile, DivX, HDMI™ CEC, AVCHD, WMV9, DivXHD, MPEG-4 AVC, MKV.

Can you access eBay on the Netbox?

No.

What’s the red screen of death?

I have no fucking idea.

Can I play AVI files on the Netbox?

 No.

Can I access pay-per-view services through my Netbox?

Yes. Sony’s Video Unlimited service (previously known as Qriocity) is a pay-per-view service. According to Sony, Video Unlimited receives the latest cinema releases before any other rental/pay-per-view service.

Can free Internet movies be streamed from my laptop to my Netbox?

It depends on the file format. If these ‘free’ movies have been encoded in DivX format, then yes.

Can I access ITV Player or 4OD on my Netbox?

No. Sony has promised access to ITV Player via BRAVIA Internet Video since around March 2010. Unfortunately, much to the annoyance of their customers, Sony hasn’t delivered on this promise. Here’s a link to the topic on the official Sony forum: http://www.sony.co.uk/discussions/thread/116502?start=76&tstart=0

How can I watch PC content on my Netbox?

This snippet of video might provide the answer: http://youtu.be/yQ00Il6zZpA?t=5m13s

If that doesn’t work, read the instruction booklet.

What does the Netbox do?

What doesn’t it do?

Is the Netbox better than the PS3 for streaming media content?

For streaming media content, they both do pretty much the same thing. However, if you’re streaming high resolution photos, the PS3 handles the content much more efficiently.

Can I watch 3D movies on my Netbox?

No.

Does the Netbox display album cover art?

No. The 2011 range of BRAVIA TVs do, though.

What do I do if I’m having trouble connecting my Netbox to the Internet?

You read the instruction booklet.

Does the Netbox support JPEG content?

It does.

Can I access Bravia Internet Widgets through my Netbox?

No.

Is the Sony Netbox the best? (This was an actual search term.)

Yes.

Is it possible to surf the Internet on the Netbox?

No. Again, the 2011 Sony TVs and Blu-Ray players include a (shit) web browser. 

How can I access adult content through the Netbox Dailymotion channel?

You can’t, annoyingly. I was most excited when I spotted the Dailymotion icon listed on the BRAVIA Internet Video menu. I was less than impressed when I realised I couldn’t view any of Dailymotion’s um, fun content.

Can I stream content from my Netbox to my BRAVIA TV?

No. You don’t need to stream it; you simply connect it via an AV lead of some description. If you’re asking whether the Netbox can be used to host media content, then once again, the answer is no.

Is the Netbox the same as a smart TV?

More or less… apart from not being a TV, of course.

Can I get adult content on my Netbox?

No. It is possible to log into Youtube on the Netbox and access favourites. If you have ‘adult’ content on your favourites list, then you can access these videos through your Netbox. Of course, YouTube’s ‘adult’ content is unlikely to provide satisfactory masturbatory material.

Does the Netbox support MP3 content?

Yes!

RH

Sony Tablet S – SGPT111GB [£399 SEP 2011]

Sony Tablet S – SGPT111GB

–

Throughout the past 12 months virtually every mobile electronics manufacturer has flooded the marketplace with tablet computers, or ‘iPads’, as they’re better known. Like many people, I’ve failed to understand the appeal of these tablet devices. They appear to be a much bulkier and much more expensive alternative to a smartphone. So the question is, do tablets actually have any use, or are they simply the latest electronics fad? This review aims to find out. The product I’ll be assessing is Sony’s 16 GB Tablet S, or the umm, SGPT111GB.

Appearance

If tablet computers are simply the latest fad, then appearance will be of great importance to the trend-slaves who’ll purchase one of these gadgets. Firstly, it’s worth discussing the tablet’s shape. Sony’s Tablet S appears to have been based on the humble doorstop. According to Sony, this design feature results in the tablet being deliberately weighted, so it feels more natural in the hand, like a folded magazine. Having held the tablet, I can report that it does in fact feel quite natural to hold in my hand. The textured rear plate prevents the tablet from slipping out of your palm, which is obviously useful. The front of the device looks like every other tablet that exists on the market, so there’s nothing interesting to say about that. What is interesting, though, is just how good Sony’s TruBlack™ panel is. The quality of the (1280 x 800) 9.4″ touchscreen is particularly noticeable during video playback.

–

The Sony tablet appears to have been manufactured to a reasonable standard. The device feels very sturdy, and the materials used on the outer casing look of a decent quality. However, I’m not a fan of the silver paint used around the back and sides of the tablet; it looks cheap. The power and volume buttons are situated down the right-hand side of the product; they feel robust enough. Down the left-hand side of the device lives the USB and SD card slot. To access these inputs, you’ll need to lift open a catch, which is a rather fiddly process. The catch itself appears to be very fragile, and I suspect it will break off if it’s opened more than twice. Whilst we’re on the subject of fiddly inputs, the battery charging port is a fucking joke. You’ll never get the alleged 8 hour battery life out of the product, as the charging cable won’t stay in its port for more than 5 seconds. Why not let us use the USB port as a charging point instead? Anyway, aside from niggling input issues, on the whole, The Sony Tablet S scores well on its appearance. Of course, whether or not the tablet has any practical use (other than stopping doors) has yet to be determined.

–

Features & Connectivity

The features of the tablet, to some extent, are determined by the ‘apps’ that can be downloaded from the Android Marketplace. For example, the Sony tablet S features a barcode scanner, but only if you’ve downloaded the relevant ‘app’. I will therefore focus on the preloaded apps as well as the internal hardware. The Sony Tablet S features both a front-facing VGA camera, and a rear-facing HD 5MP camera. Both of these cameras, unfortunately, are dreadful. The rear-facing camera might work fine for photographing an object to sell on eBay, but for anything else, it’s just awful. Because there’s no proper zoom, you’re limited to photographing what’s directly in front of you, and even then, the quality’s rather shocking. There’s actually an option to stream the photos you’ve taken to a DNLA-certified TV connected to your home network. When the tablet photos are displayed on a HD TV, the lack of quality is particularly noticeable. It’s not a good start for the S Tablet, or umm, Tablet S.

–

One feature Sony seem particularly proud of is the S Tablet’s universal remote. This universal remote will work with pretty much any device that uses infrared, apparently. I tested it on a number of Sony and Panasonic products, and was very impressed with a) how easy it was to set up, and b) how well it worked. It’s actually a very useful feature seeing as most people who use tablets will never take them outside of their living rooms. The universal remote also comes in handy when you’re streaming videos from your tablet to your DNLA-certified TV. There’s no need to pick up your existing TV remote when the controls are on your tablet.

Sony describes their tablet as being ‘PlayStation™ certified’, which in real terms, means it features a PlayStation 1 emulator. So, we know the tablet is at least powerful enough to run video games from 2 decades ago. The tablet comes with Crash Bandicoot pre-loaded, which is one of the more popular PS1 titles. At the time of its release, I thought this game was atrocious, but that’s a rant for another review. To direct Crash, a touch screen control pad is displayed around the edges of the device. The control interface is okay, to a point. The touchpad trigger buttons don’t make as much sense when they’re not physically trigger buttons, though. Apparently, because the tablet has an in-built Bluetooth adapter, it’s possible to connect it to a PS3 pad. I can’t confirm or deny this, unfortunately. If it was true, the device would be a lot less portable if you had to cart around your PS3 controller as well. Anyway, the PS1 feature is a bit of a laugh, although I suspect most of the PS1 catalogue will never actually appear on it, meaning you’ll be limited to a few, shit titles.

–

I’m trying to focus on the tablet’s unique selling points, as there are so many other devices available which share the exact same features. For example, the Sony Tablet S features GPS and a navigation app. This is obviously a very useful feature; however, there are plenty of other Android devices on the market that can perform the same task. The ‘reader’ app is unique in the sense that it’s similar to the software used on the Sony PRS-650 e-reader. Like the PRS-650, it’s possible to make annotations on page and adjust the text size. What I can’t seem to work out is whether or not this app includes the Oxford English Dictionary, like the proper e-reader. When I tap my finger on individual words, instead of giving me a definition, a taskbar appears. If it doesn’t include the OED feature, it would be a very disappointing. The WI-FI capabilities of the tablet allow the user to download up to 2.4 million ebooks from the Reader Store, or over 2 million free public domain titles at Google Books. Oddly, it doesn’t seem possible to download the books via the e-reader app. The only way I’ve managed to download books is through the tablet’s Internet browser.

–

–

Above: Ah yes, NNR as it’s supposed to look.

Speaking of the Internet browser, it’s time to discuss the tablet’s most (and arguably only) useful feature. Realistically, this is one of the few applications that will be used more than once. Every other feature thus far is either gimmicky, or useless. The Internet browser on the tablet is actually very good. This is in part due to the browser supporting flash – a format that very few mobile devices can comprehend. So, for example, when I’m browsing eBay, instead of having to put up with a shitty mobile version of the site, I get to view it in its original and proper form, with all the memory-hungry flash advertisements. The NVIDIA® Tegra™ 2 mobile processor seems to cope well with Internet browsing. Once a webpage has loaded, scrolling appears to be very smooth. So, for those consumers who will purchase a tablet to simply access Facebook (99% I suspect), this is where the Sony Tablet S performs best. Or is it?

You see, when I’m browsing the Internet on my desktop computer (yes, such a thing still exists), I input my commands with this wonderful contraption called a keyboard. All the keys are equally accessible which makes for an efficient typing experience. The tablet’s touch pad only displays certain characters simultaneously, which means to access the underscore key, for example, you’ll need to go through not one, but TWO menus before it appears. It’s just not practical when it comes to typing e-mail addresses with multiple underscores. Because of accessibility issues and the overall width of the keypad, the tablet touchpad is a poor substitute for a proper keyboard.

E-mailing is perhaps the second most useful function of the tablet. This is either done by accessing your e-mail server directly (via hotmail.com for example) or, using the Gmail app. It’s possible to view MS Office formats (with particular reference to Word .docs) through this application. Once again, you’ll find your text inputting hindered by the crappy onscreen keypad. Still, it’s marginally better typing on a tablet than it is on a smartphone.

–

Above: The Youtube app is good fun.

One of the Sony S Tablet’s USPs is its full-sized SD card slot. This is obviously very handy for data transfer. It’s also possible to transfer data via Bluetooth, which is useful for devices lacking SD support. Finally, there’s also the option of transferring data via a USB cable. So, in terms of data transfer, Sony has all the bases covered. I don’t necessarily see much point in the data transfer capabilities, unless you plan on taking the device outdoors. If you decide to take the device on a train, for example, you may feel the need to listen to music through the Tablet’s media player. If you have an existing digital music library, you’ll no doubt want to transfer the files to your tablet device. Before transferring your entire music catalogue to the Tablet S, just remember that the internal storage capacity of this device is less than 16 GB. The music formats the Tablet S supports are as follows: AAC, mp3, WAV, WMA, WMA Pro, FLAC, MIDI and er, Ogg Vorbis.  It’s worth noting that as well as a pair of tinny stereo speakers, the tablet features a headphone jack.

If you want to access the latest music, you might consider signing up to Sony’s ‘Music Unlimited’ service, which apparently gives you access to up to 7 million songs (for a small fee). This service was previously known as Qriocity, which I’m guessing was a huge flop, considering Sony have had to re-brand it. Anyway, there’s also a video streaming service, called umm, Video Unlimited, which allows you to rent the latest releases for a small fee. It’s probably worth mentioning that if you don’t feel you should pay for movies, and instead download them illegally, the Tablet will read the following video formats: H.263, H.264/AVC, MPEG-4 and WMV. And, for what it’s worth, the following photo formats as well: JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP and WBMP.

Conclusion

I could spend all day discussing the countless Android apps available for this product. However, Android is not unique to the Sony Tablet S. These apps are available to countless other mobile devices. This brings me back to my original point; do tablets actually have any use? Well, I’ve discussed all the unique features of this particular tablet, and I’m not convinced there’s enough here to sway me into buying one. The only real use for the device is browsing the Internet. Unfortunately, all the other features will prove to be short-lived gimmicks. Even as an Internet browser, the device has its limitations. Flash support is irrelevant if it’s too fiddly to input text. The Tablet S is not a replacement for a proper computer; it’s a substitute, and it’s a poor one at that. When I was browsing the Internet on the device, I put off typing certain URLs, as I knew I could type them on a real computer later on. Of course, if I was on the move, away from a computer, I’d have no choice but to use the tablet’s browser to its full capability. However, would I really want to cart around such a cumbersome device to simply browse the web? I can’t hide it away in my pocket, so it would be on show, and therefore be in danger of being dropped or stolen. Moreover, because of the size (and the price of the official leather case @ £69.99) of the device, you’d be better off carting around a laptop, as it wouldn’t take up much more space. It’s not as if the Tablet S is much cheaper than a laptop. If you go for the 3G option, it will cost around £500. There are plenty of powerful and lightweight laptops available for that sort of money.

After a significant amount of usage, I had hoped I might begin to understand the appeal of tablets. The Sony Tablet S is good at what it is supposed to do. As a tablet computer, it’s an excellent product. However, as an overall device, it’s not useful enough to justify its price tag. Even if it cost half the price, I think I’d still rather buy a smartphone, or a netbook, or even a Nintendo DSi. I was bored with the Tablet S after half an hour, and I think this was a result of failing to find a use for it. So, to return to my original question, do tablet computers have any use? The answer, I’m sorry to say, is no. Not in a world of laptops, netbooks, smartphones and portable games consoles. It’s such a shame that the tablet computer will make or break many electronics manufacturers this Christmas. However, nothing I say here will dissuade people from actually buying tablet computers.  The mentality of many consumers suggests that as long as they’re seen using the latest gadget, they won’t care if it actually does anything.

–
Score: 3/10 – The Sony Tablet S does everything a tablet is supposed to do. Unfortunately, it doesn’t do anywhere near enough to justify its £400 price tag.

 RH

Sony Network Media Player (Netbox) – SMP-N100 [£130 MAY 2011]

Sony Network Media Player (Netbox) – SMP-N100

When BRAVIA Internet Video was introduced in 2010, Sony did a very poor job of marketing it. The ability to stream Internet video content through a television is an important milestone in broadcast media – far more significant than the latest 3D fad. 3D TV is a very limited medium; the cost to make 3D media is expensive, which is why very little content actually exists. If you do manage to get hold of a 3D film for example, you’ll need to wear uncomfortable glasses to view it. When you finally view the 3D content, you’ll wonder what all the fuss is about. You’ll probably notice that a lot of the imagery will have been deliberately engineered so it looks more three-dimensional. In fact, it barely looks three-dimensional at all; it just looks like there’s extra depth in the picture. It’s all very underwhelming and after 2 hours of watching 3D content, you’ll feel disorientated and nauseous. It’s unlikely after watching one 3D film, you’ll ever want to watch another. So like I said, it’s a fad. If we could view 3D TV without glasses, and the content actually looked 3D (to the extent that you feel like you’re in the picture), the medium might one day become a standard in broadcast technology. Until these (major) flaws are ironed out, Sony should stop investing money into their active-shutter nonsense, and concentrate all their efforts on marketing their Internet streaming services.

BRAVIA Internet Video (shortened to BIV for the rest of this review) is basically a series of Internet video and music services which can be streamed directly through a television without the need of a computer. BIV was incorporated into most of Sony’s 2010 television range as well as their Blu-Ray players. Unfortunately, consumers who bought a Sony television or Blu-Ray player in 2009 would have missed out on this excellent feature. To avoid upsetting their customers who will have no doubt regretted not waiting for the 2010 BRAVIA range, Sony introduced the Network Media Player. If you link the Network Media Player (Netbox for short) up to your 2009 Sony TV, you’ll gain access to BIV. The cost of the Netbox is around £120, which is obviously a lot cheaper than buying a new BRAVIA television. It actually works on all TVs, not just Sony’s product range, which is obviously wonderful. Having access to BIV is a good thing, but is the Netbox the best means of viewing it? This review aims to find that out.

Appearance

Let’s begin this review by assessing the product’s aesthetic beauty and build quality. Sony describes their product as having a ‘monolithic design’ which can apparently “make a style statement with [its] luxurious materials and minimalist finish” and will also “match with BRAVIA® TV and Home Cinema.” In 2010 Sony introduced a number of televisions and home cinema products which were marketed as being of ‘monolithic design.’ This meant that you could match your monolith TV with your monolith Blu-Ray, for the sake of visual uniformity. ALL of these products have BIV incorporated into them, which meant there would be absolutely no point in purchasing the Netbox. So, why the fuck would Sony market the Netbox as matching their monolith home cinema products when it’s incompatible with the entire range? It’s just fucking mindless. Of course, if we look at the Netbox in isolation, it’s actually not a bad-looking product. It’s a simple, minimalist design that would look comfortable sat on most TV stands. I disagree with Sony’s ‘luxurious materials’ nonsense, though. It’s made out of plastic for fuck’s sake, not kryptonite. The high-gloss finish on the front side of the product is extremely prone to scratching. I actually rubbed a sheet of (cheap) toilet paper across the front of the product with the intention of cleaning it. Unfortunately, my attempts at cleaning failed; I ended up covering the entire front side of the Netbox in hairline scratches. If Sony’s ‘luxurious materials’ can be damaged by a sheet of toilet paper, how exactly do their regular materials fare? Not so well, I suspect.

Anyway, in terms of looks, the product scores well: it’s discreet, and I think that’s the point. In terms of build quality, it’s okay. It feels solid enough, but the fact that toilet paper can scratch it means the product wasn’t subject to proper testing before it was released. The high-gloss finish looks all right (albeit a bit tacky), but in a world of dust and grime, it’s just not practical. I’m finding it hard to be objective with this review, as Sony’s product description has really annoyed me. But for the sake of the site’s reputation, I’ll have to put aside my feelings, and concentrate on the facts. The product looks fine; just don’t try to clean it.

Features

So, what can the Netbox actually do? Well, the device allows you to watch Internet video content on your television without the need of a computer. The device can also be used to stream media stored on your home network through your TV. Essentially, it’s BIV without the need of a BRAVIA television. So, let’s have a look at some of the Internet video services Sony grants you access to. Probably the most relevant of the on-demand services is BBC iPlayer. For those of you who don’t know, iPlayer allows users to stream television programmes that have been aired on all the BBC channels in the past 7 days. This is very useful, as most of the best television will have originally been aired on the of the four BBC channels.

h
Above: Realistically, if you own a Panasonic Quintrix SR Acuity, you won’t want to replace it. This means that the Netbox is a good add-on to make this amazing CRT TV useful again.

–

Unfortunately, there are problems with Sony’s version of iPlayer. If you surf the BBC iPlayer website, you’ll notice that you can now stream ‘other channels’, which gives you access to all the ITV, Channel 4 and five services. BIV does give you access to Five’s on demand service, but there’s still no way of accessing ITV or Channel 4 services through the Netbox. This is very disappointing, especially seeing as Sony’s been promising access to ITV’s catch up service since March 2010. Seeing as BBC iPlayer is accessible through so many devices nowadays (Nintendo’s Wii, Apple’s iPhone etc.), it seems ridiculous that Sony wouldn’t offer a better version of the streaming service. So, whilst Sony’s iPlayer is a decent service, it should have been a lot better, and crucially, it’s not a unique selling point of the Netbox.

So, what other content does the Netbox allow access to? Well, perhaps the most recognisable service is YouTube. What’s useful about this version is that it allows you to log into your account and view your favourites. This is particularly useful if you have ‘adult’ content saved on your favourites, as there’s no filter to stop you viewing it. What’s annoying about BIV’s version of YouTube is that there is very little in the way of music content. I suspect this is either because artists can’t make money from BIV views, or that Sony haven’t come to any agreements with other record companies about streaming their content. Whatever the reason, consumers won’t be happy when they realise they have a very limited version of YouTube. The BIV version of Dailymotion is also very limited, but unlike YouTube, its interface is fucking dreadful. Trying to search for content on Dailymotion never seems to return any results. I don’t know if it’s because the content doesn’t exist on the BIV version, or that it’s just a really poor search engine. Again, it’s just not good enough. Why tease us with the prospect of having Dailymotion, only to provide a substandard piece of shit? Virtually all of the other free services are a waste of time. This is partly because the content is rubbish, and partly because the services aren’t updated frequently enough.

To cater for consumers with disposable incomes, the Netbox provides access to pay-per-view and subscription services, such as LOVEFiLM and Sony’s own Qriocity. Streaming LOVEFiLM through a television has its perks; the most obvious being that there’s no need to own a computer. Because the films are streamed directly through your television, there’s no need for physical media either, which means you don’t have to worry about posting discs in the post. Perhaps the only downside with BIV’s version of LOVEFiLM is that you obviously can’t rent games through your television. If you want to watch the latest releases, Sony’s pay-per-view service is probably more relevant. Once you’ve signed up to Qriocity, you simply select the film you want to watch on screen, and then stream it in SD or HD. It costs around £4.50 to stream a new film release in HD. I can’t be certain of this pricing, as since I’ve been in possession of the Netbox, Qriocity has been offline as it uses the same server as the Playstation Network. This isn’t good news for the service, as Sony didn’t do a very good job of marketing Qriocity to begin with. If Sony are serious about offering this service as an alternative to Blockbuster video, for example, they really need to market it properly (and stop upsetting hackers). At present, it’s an unreliable service that very few people have heard of.

Okay, so that’s basically all the streaming services worthy of discussion. I mentioned at the start of this section that the Netbox allows users to stream stored media from a PC to their television. This is an excellent feature, particularly if you’ve large number of photos and music stored on your computer. To get the most out of streaming music through the Netbox, your television should ideally be connected to a home theatre system. You can also stream video content from a PC, but it obviously depends what format the media is encoded in. Sony claim the Netbox will read the following formats:

HD JPEG, JPEG, MP3, AAC, WMA, LPCM, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4 Simple Profile, DivX, HDMI™ CEC, AVCHD, WMV9, DivXHD, MPEG-4 AVC, MKV.

This means that the Netbox can read the main picture, photo and video formats. However, it’s a little disappointing that the Netbox can’t read AVI video files. In a way, you can’t really blame Sony for incompatibility issues, as there are just too many formats in general. The lack of standardisation with media formats is a discussion for another day, however.

Connectivity

The Netbox is not a standalone product, and therefore needs to be connected to a monitor of sorts. The rear outputs indicate that the device can connect to a monitor that has either a composite, component, HDMI or SCART input. This means that your old analogue CRT television can now receive terrestrial television by simply connecting it to the Netbox. Of course, you’ll need an Internet connection to receive the BIV services. The Netbox is capable of both a wired and wireless connectivity. Ideally, you’d connect it using an Ethernet cable, as wireless is slower, more unreliable and will probably require you to input a security key on the network setup. If you decide on the WI-FI option, the Netbox maintains signal strength comparable to a laptop’s wireless adapter. Providing you have at least a 1.5 Mbit/s connection, there shouldn’t be any problems streaming the Internet content. If you want to stream content from your home network, you’ll need to make sure the media server is DNLA certified. It’s also possible to read media off a memory stick by connecting it to the USB input. Finally, there’s an optical output to connect the device to a home theatre system. It’s probably not all that relevant if the Netbox is to be connected to a second/bedroom television, though.

User-Friendliness

It’s essential that the Sony Netbox is not just accessible for young tech-savvy folk, but also the older generations who are daunted by the prospect of Internet television. As I’ve mentioned in past reviews, the Sony XrossMediaBar is a truly excellent interface; it’s a comprehensible menu system that’s both quick and response. Finding the relevant video service will be a relatively simple task, but searching for content within the channel will prove more problematic. The supplied remote control is one of the Netbox’s biggest flaws.

h

Above: Netbox remote.   Below: BRAVIA TV remote. (Sony forgot how to spell theatre for their Netbox remote)

If you decide to search for a video on YouTube, for example, you’ll need to use the on-screen keypad to type commands. If you find this to be a slow and frustrating affair (which you will), the alternative is to use the buttons on the remote as if you were writing a text message.  If you’re used to text messaging, this will be a marginally quicker process; if you’re not, you’ll have difficultly determining which buttons correspond to the various letters of the alphabet. This is not an issue on Sony’s TV remotes, which as you can see in the above image, the letters are printed below the numerical buttons. Weirdly, Sony didn’t bother to do the same on their Netbox remote. Ideally, instead of a traditional TV/DVD remote, the Netbox should be supplied with a mini Bluetooth keyboard. Unfortunately, as a means to keep the cost down, Sony provide consumers with exactly the same remote manufactured for their Blu-Ray players.

The Netbox is capable of streaming content from a media server, but configuring the device to perform this task can prove difficult to some users. Once the Netbox is connected to a router, your PC should be able to view the device on your local network. If there’s shared media on the PC, you’ll be able to stream that content to your Netbox. This is a relatively simple process, but it’s not always reliable. For example, on one occasion, my PC couldn’t detect the device on my local network. I therefore had to match the Netbox’s MAC address with one of the devices listed in ‘all networks’. Had I not been computer-literate, I wouldn’t have been able to connect the Netbox to my PC. Because not everyone’s as comfortable operating IT products as I am, Sony should have provided users with more information on how to connect the device to a media server. It wouldn’t have been much to ask for Sony to have provided a colourful quick-start guide, which depicts each step in connecting the Netbox to a media server, would it?

Conclusion

In many ways, Sony’s Network Media player is a very good product. It’s a device that will not only help modernise your TV, but could potentially save you having to replace it. Television is becoming an increasing dated medium, and it’s because it’s not changed much within the past 60 years. Yes, screens are larger and more colourful, and there’s certainly more content on offer, but the process of sitting and consuming a broadcast hasn’t actually altered. The Netbox increases what your TV can offer, for example, instead of the family viewing digital photos stood around a computer/laptop screen, it’s now possible to do so sat in front of your living room TV. Whilst computers tend to isolate individuals, the television has the potential to bring people together. If a TV can offer the same media functionality as a computer, it could have a profound impact on social dynamics within the domestic space.

The main drawback of the Netbox is that it simply can’t offer the same media functionality as a computer. The video on demand services featured on the Netbox are restricted versions of their computer-accessible counterparts. In terms of playing back media content, your computer isn’t restricted to which formats it can read. What’s also ridiculous is that the Netbox doesn’t even offer the same networking functionality as Sony’s NX or LX BRAVIA televisions. Why doesn’t the Netbox feature BRAVIA Internet Widgets, which give users access to Twitter, Facebook and eBay. Think of how little time would need to be spent  sat at a computer desk if your television could offer the same recreational possibilities as a PC.

Smart TV is the future. Sony need to stop fannying about with 3D and invest more time and money into this relevant technology. The Netbox is a good starting point, but Sony’s replacement product will need to be far more sophisticated if they want to stay ahead of their competitors. As for the present, well, at £130 the Netbox is massively overpriced. If it retailed at half of that value, it might be worth considering.

Score: 5/10 – A potentially excellent product that’s undermined by price point, interface issues and service restrictions.

RH

Click here for Netbox FAQ

Sony BRAVIA 32” HD LCD TV – KDL-32EX403 [£350 AUG 2010]

KDL-32EX403

Appearance

The 32EX403 is the direct replacement for the 32V5800, which in 2009, sat somewhere in the middle of the Sony TV range. Unlike the V-series, though, this television looks and feels rather cheap. I have no idea why Sony decided to shade the south side of the bezel in a daft grey colour. It reminds me of a supermarket own-brand television, which of course, is not the look a premium television manufacturer should be going for. The high-gloss finish doesn’t help matters either; it looks tacky (although not as tacky as the sparkling finish featured on the EB-series VAIO notebooks). The television doesn’t feel much better than it looks. To touch, it’s like something you’d put your household rubbish in: hollow and plasticy. It’s certainly not the worst-looking television in the world, but that’s no great achievement. Had there been no logo on the bezel, I’d have struggled to believe it was actually a Sony product.

Picture

What’s immediately noticeable about the EX403 is how well it copes with the standard definition digital broadcast. Not only does it put its competitors to shame, but it’s also a massive improvement over virtually all models in the previous Sony range. On certain broadcasts, the standard definition Freeview picture looks as good as the Freeview HD broadcast. Of course, the quality of the broadcast is determined by the content, and even the channel, to a large extent. For example, a programme filmed in 2010, broadcast on BBC1 will look far superior to a programme filmed in 1980 and broadcast on Yesterday. It all depends on the technology used to film the programme as well as the bandwidth it’s transmitted to your aerial.

As well as portraying a solid SD picture, this TV does an excellent job of handling HD content. The in-built Freeview HD tuner is superb; the quality of some of the HD broadcasts is unbelievably good.  I ended up watching the BBC HD preview for a couple of hours straight because I was that blown-away by the detail in the picture. Th 32EX403 is capable of full 1080P, but I can’t say I noticed much difference between a 1080P Blu-Ray source, and the 1080i Freeview HD source. It’s worth noting that the TV’s colour palette is excellent, and looks very natural. The backlight isn’t too bright (unlike a typical Samsung) and despite only being a 50/60Hz set, it copes with motion more than adequately. There were only a few instances where I felt I should have paid extra for the 100Hz EX503 model.

I hooked this TV up to my X-Box 360 through HDMI, and it handled my entire game catalogue superbly. I also tested the TV to see how well it would handle PC content using a HD graphics card. I’m pleased to report that the results were positive. Perhaps the main drawback with this TV is the limited viewing position, which doesn’t allow the user to watch it at more than a 45 degree angle. However, as this is an LCD TV, the current technology doesn’t allow for a better viewing angle. In its favour, the viewing angle of this television is far better than most LCD screens I’ve seen.

Sound

The 32EX403 is an improvement on the 32S5500 in terms of sound quality, but it’s still not as good as the mid-range Sony CRTs of yesteryear. It has to be said that the sound is always crystal clear despite the fact the speakers are underneath the TV (rather than facing forward). If you set the TV to ‘dynamic’ it gives extra depth to the sound, but it’s still not brilliant. It’s hard to mark down this TV for lacklustre sound quality as EVERY flat panel TV is guilty of the same thing. I’ve yet to hear a flat panel TV that comes even close to the sound quality of the top-end Sony and Panasonic CRTs. It’s worth noting that the TV runs virtually silent providing the backlight is not set too high

Functionality

Like the 32S5500, this TV is very simple to operate. Unlike the 32S5500, this TV features Sony’s award winning XrossMediaBar, which is one of the best interfaces I’ve ever used on an AV product. Two excellent features on this television are its DNLA functions and its Internet video content. Both of these functions require the TV to be connected to your home network, which either involves connecting it to a router with an Ethernet cable, or buying a separate wireless LAN adapter. Setting up the network features is relatively straightforward, providing you know your WEP key. Once you’re connected to the Internet video content, it’s a matter using your remote as a keypad. It’s very simple to search/navigate through the Internet content, but it’s a more difficult task setting up the DNLA functions for media streaming. It’s possible to stream photo, music and video files through your television, providing your PC’s switched on, connected to the network and sharing its media. It sounds simple enough, but you’d be amazed how many people are incapable of getting the DNLA functions to work.

If you can’t get the DNLA functions to work you’ll be pleased to know that the EX403’s EPG is one of the best I’ve ever seen. It’s much better than the shitty SKY EPG which lots of people seem to wank over. Like with all Sony TVs the remote control is very well-laid out and very simple to operate. However, to insert the batteries into the remote, Sony seem to have provided consumers with a cryptic puzzle to solve first. It took me good few minutes to figure out where the fuck they were supposed to go.

Connectivity

–

Firstly, it’s worth discussing the Internet content in more detail. On the back of this TV lies an Ethernet port to connect the set to a hub/router. Once it’s connected you’ll have access to ‘Bravia Internet Video’ which is a series of video streaming services built-in to the television. Some of the better Internet video services include BBC iPlayer, YouTube and Demand FIVE (channel 5’s catch-up service). Providing you’ve got more than a 2 MBit/s connection, you should be able to enjoy delay-free streaming. As well as having access to Bravia Internet Video, connecting this TV to your home network allows you to stream shared media from your PC through your television. For example, if you have a folder of shared (JPEG) photos on your computer, you’ll be able to access them through the ‘picture’ menu on your TV and view them in HD quality (as this television features Sony’s ‘Photo HD’ mode). It’s also possible to stream music files (LPCM/MP3) as well as video files (MPEG2/AVCHD/DIVX).

Streaming music files makes the most sense if your TV is hooked up to a decent sound system.There are a number of ways of connecting this TV to an audio system. The obvious choices are through either the digital optical output or the stereo phono output. The second option is through HDMI 1’s ‘audio return channel’, which means if you’ve connected your set to a home theatre system via HDMI 1, the TV will send the sound signal back through the HDMI cable into the audio system. This means that any source that is normally transmitted through the TV speakers can be played back through an AMP connected to the ARC channel.The TV features 4 HDMI ports which is one more than the 32S5500. Like the 32S5500, this TV has a USB port which can be used for viewing photos and playing back music files. However, unlike the S-series, this TV can playback video files through the USB media viewer as well. There are still options to connect this TV to older devices through one of the following inputs: 2 X SCART, 1 X composite, 1 X component and a VGA port.

–

Conclusion

I paid just £350 for this television under Sony’s ‘double trade-in’ scheme. I’d have to say that this is one of the best TVs I’ve ever owned. The features on this television are second-to-none. Not only is everything simple to operate, but the TV performs its tasks without any hiccups: I received  no error messages during testing and the software didn’t crash once. As well as being feature-packed, the picture quality is absolutely excellent. Yes, the TV looks and feels like a piece of shit, and yes, the sound is completely lacking in depth, but as an overall product, for the price I paid, this is one of the best 32 inch televisions money can buy.

Score: 8.5/10

RH

Sony BRAVIA 32″ HD-Ready LCD TV – KDL-32S5500 [£350 DEC 2009]

KDL-32S5500

Appearance

The 32S5500 replaces Sony’s previous entry-level 32″ television, the 32S4000. Aside from a couple of updates, it’s largely the same TV. There can be no denying that the 32S5500 is actually quite a good-looking set. You wouldn’t be able to tell it was an entry-level product from its outer appearance. The high-gloss piano black frame is not exactly scratch-resistant, though. Upon closer-inspection, the outer frame feels quite flimsy and the manufacturing process has not been masked properly. Still, if it was wall-mounted, these minor problems would not be an issue. If you didn’t wall mount it, however, you’d have to put up with a non-swivel base.

Picture

Whilst the TV’s resolution is not full 1080p, it copes well with HD sources. For example, the picture quality was excellent when connected to my X-BOX 360 via component (720p). Despite only being a 50/60Hz set, it coped well with motion, even during fast-action sequences. To get the best picture from this television, you’ll have to connect it to a Blu-Ray player.

I set the TV to its ‘vivid’ colour mode as when the image was set to ‘standard’, it portrayed a rather washed-out palette. The colour reproduction was generally very good and the viewing angle was decent, too. Although the TV performs well with HD media, sadly, the same cannot be said for standard definition. Its built-in digital tuner allows viewers to watch Freeview broadcasts. Unfortunately, the standard definition Freeview broadcast looks rather dreadful on this BRAVIA. Media connected through SCART doesn’t perfrom well, either. If you’re looking to replace your old CRT with this set, you’ll be disappointed with your purchase if you only intend on watching standard definition. As a final test, I connected this TV to a PC via its VGA port. The PC’s display was set to 60Hz, which for some reason, the 32S5500 didn’t seem to approve of. Every now and again I’d get an ‘out of range’ error message on the TV, which suggests that for PC content, it’s probably best to set your display settings to 50Hz. The quality of still imagery displayed from the PC was actually pretty good.

Sound

Like all flat panel TVs, the speakers on this set are tiny and shitty. If you’re watching a Freeview broadcast, it has to be said that the clarity of on-screen talking is excellent. At 100% volume, the sound is still clear, with very little in the way of distortion. However, there is absolutely no depth to the sound: it’s like listening to glorified laptop speakers. Of course, if you’re not interested in watching films or listening to music on your TV, the lack of depth will not pose a problem. The CCFL backlight runs virtually silent unless you adjust it to a higher setting.

Functionality

Like all Sony products, the 32S5500 is relatively simple to operate. Auto-tuning was a painless task, however, it did not receive as many channels as my Sony KDL-32EX403. As this is an entry-level product, it does not feature Sony’s XrossMediaBar. However, this does not make it any more complicated to use, as the menus are still simple and easy to navigate. I’m afraid to report that the EPG is a load of shit. The remote control is well laid out, but of course, beyond volume, programme and source select, it’s unlikely any other buttons will ever be pressed. It is worth noting that this TV has lots of ECO settings. However, unless you’re a tree-hugging, vegetarian, feminist type, this won’t be of any interest to you.

Connectivity

There are plenty of inputs and even a couple of outputs. There’s an audio phono output for amplifier/hi-fi connectivity, which provides the user with the option of improving its poor audio quality. Of course, unlike other TVs in the range, this model has no digital optical output. The USB connection allows for playback of certain image and audio files, but unfortunately, it won’t playback any video formats. Again, other TVs in the range will playback video formats. There is no means to connect this TV to the Internet, which means no video streaming capability. It also means firmware can only be updated with a USB flash drive. There’re plenty of inputs to connect HD devices, which in reality, is all this TV should be used for.

Conclusion

At just £350 (Dec. 2009), this 32” LCD TV is competitively priced. Sony’s reputation as a manufacturer of reliable products is well-known. Slapping a Sony badge on a product tends to give consumers buyer confidence. It was certainly one of the reasons why I purchased it. I’m pleased to say that I had no reliability issues during the first 6 months of owning the product. The issues I did have related to its sound and picture quality. The TV performs well for HD content, however, it’s massively let down by its average SD playback. All things considered, though, this is still a great buy.

Score: 6/10

RH