The Sony KDL-46EX524, a member of the Sony Bravia family and the largest of the new EX524 series. This appears to be one of the most value-conscious TVs Sony currently produces, with high-quality screens and electronics at a reasonable price, making it a perfect buy for the general consumer who isn’t concerned with perfect studio-quality color or high-end aesthetics. Centralized multimedia features, easy access to Wi-Fi or Ethernet and Freeview HD, for this series in particular, are highly functional and desirable for anyone who wants set-top box connectivity beyond that of their computer, regardless of their technological prowess.
The glossy black and bronze two-tone bezels and large, smooth 46-inch matte screen are classic additions to any home design and a style that Sony has been using regularly for the past few years and seems very well built for the price. The LED on this model is extremely thin, only about 3cm deep, this is mainly due to the illuminated edges of the TV rather than a backlit (or full matrix) style, with recent improvements in the technology. Unevenness in color, due to edge lighting, is rarely a problem. The lower environmental impact of LED, including its lower power consumption and the ease of recycling parts at disposal, makes this TV a very eco-friendly choice. The standard factory swivel base is ideal for tilting the screen in various directions depending on where the current viewer is sitting and the standard size of the unit makes it easy to mount on the wall with a mounting kit, however since many of the connectors are on the back of the TV this can limit accessibility.
The remote for the Sony KDL-46EX524 is slightly curved with evenly spaced buttons that aren’t too close together, but is very easy on the eye, and dedicated media buttons help the consumer use the included media software. It requires two “AAA” batteries to operate. Pressing the home button on the remote accesses menus to access settings and embedded media. Menus are easy to read and intuitive to understand, appearing quickly at the bottom of the screen with a clean, modern look. For some menus, you may need to scroll through the options to find the specific options you are looking for. Picture-in-Picture programming is very easy to use and even allows you to navigate through menus while continuing to watch your current show.
Integrated streaming is a great addition to this TV’s features, rather than requiring the purchase of additional hardware to take full advantage of the Internet suite for people who want streaming productivity on their TVs. The Bravia Internet Video menu comes pre-programmed with streaming video selections including Sony’s Entertainment Television library of old TV series, health and fitness videos from Livestrong.com, YouTube, BBC iPlayer, Sky News headlines, Demand 5, Love Film, blip.tv and other popular web destinations. It also has full web browser functionality so you can visit any of your favorite sites from the comfort of your couch. Non-streaming options are also available, like Sony’s Qriocity, a refreshing new video-on-demand service for music and movies that lets you choose what to watch and when to watch it without worrying about monthly subscription fees and service charges. Presenting live concerts filmed at Sydney’s top music venues, MoshCam will allow you to watch your favorite music acts from the comfort of your own home, without the high price of admission. Finally, access to Facebook, Twitter and Skype, for free calls via the webcam (however, the webcam is not included and would need to be connected via USB) are all integrated into the platform to help round out its robust array of interesting and useful applications while helping the user stay in touch with family and friends using voice and video from the comfort of the couch, in front of the TV, in their own home.
It’s easy to access the Internet via Wi-Fi by purchasing the standard wireless dongle from Sony and connecting it to one of the 2 USB ports on the back, or by connecting to the Internet via the built-in Ethernet port. Also, the USB ports are perfect for recording and playback, you can easily connect a USB stick or external hard drive (that is properly formatted) directly to the TV and record using the TV directory or by manually entering details about the channels and times you want to record. Unfortunately, it’s important to note that video recorded this way can only be played on the TV it was recorded from (or one exactly like it) and will not be accessible on computers or media players. The USB ports can also be used to archive most streaming media such as pictures, videos, and music, which can be a great way to share your media with friends and family; however, it is important to note that the .MKV format is not currently supported.
Out of the box with preset video settings, the Sony KDL-46EX524 is great for watching movies and is a pretty solid standard without any tweaking. More advanced users have the opportunity to adjust settings based on their external input source, view room conditions, and personal preferences through the multiple settings provided, such as backlight gradient, brightness, hue, and sharpness. The screen has extremely high contrast compared to other models in this price range. The former524 has the ability to handle 1080p and full HD (high definition) with generally precise and bright colors without notable dental edges with the additional help of Sony Television X Reality Picture Engine (new in 2011 for the TVs of the Sony brand) that helps to guarantee that the quality of the image improves independently of the incoming and climbing source/escalation/softened to HD 1080. which are common on other LED televisions around this price. In dark rooms, turning up the backlight ensures a perfectly even black for videos with lots of darkness and shadows; However, in very bright rooms this tends to make colors look a little washed out, but the increased backlight means you maintain sharp detail and cinema-like clarity. A 60Hz refresh rate means Blu-ray video looks perfectly smooth with no perceptible shadows, blur, or ghosting. The matte screen is really great at avoiding reflectivity, which tends to be a problem with screens of this size.
Speakers surround the screen that direct sound outward at a 45-degree angle to project sound clearly. The included speakers deliver clear, precise sound with high-quality bass and even treble. Built-in sound settings allow the user to adjust the sound output to their liking, depending on the content of the material they are viewing, three different noise reduction tools help create dynamic sound while maintaining the integrity of the source material. The built-in speakers can be used in addition to or instead of an external amplifier and speaker system. At very high volume the speakers tend to give a bit of feedback and buzz, however at typical volume there were no issues with clarity.
The Sony KDL46EX524 comes with fairly standard ports on the back and side of the TV. It has 4 HDMI inputs (one of which is wired for ARC for an audio amplifier), 1 input for composite video, 2 USB ports (mentioned above), 1 component video input (usually used for video game systems), 1 VGA-style port for PC input, an Ethernet jack so you can connect the TV for Internet service if you choose not to use Wi-Fi, an optical output to connect an external amplifier for digital sound, a built-in tuner for Freeview HD so you don’t need a fiber cable satellite dish optics for receiving high definition TV signals and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Having just one tuner can have some limitations, but with the ability to use an external USB hard drive, making decisions like this won’t be difficult. Energy-saving settings, including a presence sensor that turns the screen off when the TV detects no one is watching and then, thirty minutes later, turns off the audio and goes into standby mode, and the low overall power consumption of about 65 watts make this TV very good (and relatively inexpensive) to run cost compared to similar models, although if you run some of the visual presets, you can effectively double this amount. Essential tools for any family, parental controls and locks are included as features accessed through the menu settings and will allow the user to limit access to specific channels or during specific time periods.
In conclusion, the Sony Bravia KDL46EX524BU is an excellent option for performance at this price. The lack of 3D capabilities is the biggest drawback of the Sony Bravia KDL-46EX524BU; however, it is fully offset by the low price and high quality of solid internet media. It’s a solid, WIFI-ready piece of craftsmanship that will easily handle the current and future TV viewing and multimedia needs of most individuals and their families. The ability to fine-tune media to suit personal needs and brilliantly manage settings with fully compatible USB media playback and use of Sony’s exceptional online video services makes this a high-end TV with a full range of connections, a full range of settings customized for the ideal viewing experience, and moderately priced for anyone looking to get an impressive amount of connectivity and versatility from an already great product.