Sony KDL-46HX729

The Sony KDL-46HX729 is part of the company’s latest line-up of 3D HDTV in 2011. It has a monolithic design which features an elegant piece of glass stretching from edge-to-edge. Its slim design is particularly attractive and eye-pleasing.

Features

The KDL46HX729 is capable of playing full HD 1080p videos at a maximum resolution of 1920×1080. Sony has raised the bar of the refresh rates of the screen using the MotionFlow XR 480 technology. The refresh rate is no longer merely 240Hz and it is now combined with advanced backlight blinking system to simulate a superior 480Hz effect. Other notable image enhancing features possessed by the TV are Deep Black Panel, Dynamic Edge LED Backlight and X-Reality PRO Engine. All of these play their part in making the pictures more vivid and life-like for you. The Advanced Contrast Enhancer (ACE) adjusts the backlight to ensure that the appropriate contrast distinction is matched according to the type of picture scenes.

The TV is 3D-capable. However, you would have to purchase the 3D glasses separately as it is not included with the set. There is also an option to simulate 2D images to 3D. The depth of the 3D images on the screen can also be adjusted.

You can have access to the Internet through the wired Ethernet LAN access or wirelessly through the built-in WiFi. Sony offers a huge variety of media content through BRAVIA Internet Video which includes Netflix, Hulu Plus and Youtube.

Although there is no backlit for the TV’s remote, it is quite well laid-out. There are some specialised buttons where you can access certain applications instantly such as Sony’s Qriosity and Netflix. However, the cursor ring is rather narrow and you’ll find yourself pressing the wrong buttons very often if you have large fingers. There’s also another power button which is located on the rear side of the remote.

Sony made some modifications to the traditional layout of its TV menu. It no longer adopts the PS3 style and has incorporated some new elements to the layout. It now features icons at the right and bottom side of the screen. A large viewing area which covers the majority of the screen highlights the content that is currently selected. In order to help to get familiarise with the new layout, Sony has included a detailed operating guide (i-MANUAL) inside the menu.

The TV has four HDMI inputs and it can accept 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p and 1080p (60/24Hz) signals. There are two USB ports which you can utilize to connect other devices such as a laptop, an external hard drive or a portable MP3 player to your TV. You can easily convert your TV into a giant computer screen too via a 15-pin HD15 jack. If you’re a frequent user of Sony products, you will find BRAVIA Sync to be a very useful feature. It basically enables you to establish communication between the TV and another Sony equipment via HDMI. The TV is also DLNA certified and this means you are able to play various media formats such as JPEG, MP3, WAV, AVCHD and MPEG on the TV.

Performance

The KDL46HX729 performs admirably for the quality of its graphics. There is excellent level of blacks and the screen uniformity is very good. The colors are vivid and the details are crispy clear. A 720p clip could be enhanced to look like 1080p and there are not many who could tell the difference. There is clearly no distortion or ghosting effect. If you’re an avid sports fan, you’ll be pleased to know that the MotionFlow XR 480 did its job by eliminating any hint of motion blur from fast-action moves in a video. The variety of picture settings that is offered by the TV gives you the opportunity to create the best combination that suits the TV’s surrounding.

The 3D performance of the TV is amazing. Full FD 1080p 3D videos are reproduced flawlessly on the screen without any loss of detail. Sony’s 3D glasses are comfortable be worn over a long period of time. It is worth to noting that the 2011 version of 3D glasses are much lighter than their predecessors. The simulated 3D from 2D sources was rather well-done too. Although the simulated 3D components do not pop up as naturally as the native 3D sources, it still adds depth to the picture overall.

The sound quality is rather average. You can hear the audio clearly from the speakers but it does not add to the extra dimension that is provided by external speakers. In short, the TV speakers are ideal only for watching the news and TV sitcoms. There is simply not enough of bass to accompany them. This is not surprising as there are many other HDTVs in the market which faces the same problems with audio.

You will find your gaming experience enhanced by this TV. There is a game mode which you can select when you are playing games and it does improve the speed and quality of the game considerably. Next generation 3D games like Gran Turismo 5 and Motorstorm 3D Drift performs well with the 3D mode on. There is little delay between the controller and the screen.

Conclusion

The KDL46HX729 offers the right balance between performance and price. Coming from a reputable company, it is of no surprise that the TV delivers top quality pictures. It is definitely a perfect addition to your living room with its monolithic design that helps the TV to blend in with the rest of the furniture. With so many different features, it would serve your entertainment needs for many years to come.

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