Sony Bravia EX700 Series 46-Inch LED HDTV, Black
Posted: November 8th, 2010 | Author: admin | Filed under: Buy 3D TV | Tags: 46Inch, Black, Bravia, EX700, HDTV, Series, Sony | 5 Comments »
- 46-inch LED HDTV with full HD 1080p resolution lets you take full advantage of HD sources like a Blu-ray Disc Player or PlayStation3 gaming console
- Ambient Sensor and LightSensor technologies automatically adjust the color and backlight based on a room’s lighting
- BRAVIA Internet Video for instant video and music streaming; Wi-Fi adapter ready; Motionflow 120Hz technology for smooth motion; USB port for photos, music and video playback; BRAVIA Sync controls compatible devices with one remote
- Inputs: 4 HDMI, 2 component, 2 composite, 1 PC, 1 USB, 1 Ethernet, 1 optical digital audio output
- Includes removable stand; measures 44.125 x 28.75 x 11.125 inches with stand
Product Description
Enjoy Full HD 1080p, incredible contrast and smooth motion performance with the slim Edge LED backlit Sony BRAVIA EX700-Series LCD HDTV. Connect to the internet and instantly stream a wide variety of movies, TV shows, videos and music using apps from Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand, YouTube, Slacker and more
Sony Bravia EX700 Series 46-Inch LED HDTV, Black
I’ve had this TV for a couple of days and it exceeded all my expectations. I have been in the market for a new TV since November of 2009. I have done a ton of research and I believe that for the money this is one of the best TVs in the market. I looked at the Samsung LEDs and while they are good TVs, I find the glossy screens are distracting with all the reflections it creates. This can definitely be troublesome if your house has big windows next to the TV like mine does.
At the end, the Sony KDL-46EX700 was the perfect TV. Some of the great features include: ambient light sensor (the backlight changes depending on the amount of light source in the room), internet capabilities (Sony has a ton of widgets), exceeds energy star ratings, presence sensor (turns TV off when it does not sense a person in the room), motion flow control and finally a attractive modern clean design.
As for picture quality the TV shines on all level. I have U-Verse cable and the picture looks great in HD and SD. The picture quality on DVD is great, as well as, the Netflix streaming. Blu ray quality is out of this world.
As for sound quality, I am uncertain as my TV is connected to a home theater system. I really have nothing bad to say about this TV. The only knock that I have on this TV if any, is that the remote looks cheap. It does work, however, so I really can’t complain. Plus I plan on replacing it with a universal remote.
In the end, If you are in the market for a new LED TV I highly recommend this TV.
Rating: 5 / 5
Pros
Getting a matte screen was the top consideration for me, as I live in a room with intense sunlight. If you are putting the TVin a bright room, it’s one of the better options I found at this price point. There is excellent color accuracy. Greens are actually natural green, not neon as they appear on other brands. Very good black levels. I think the HD content is incredible. The Motionflow setting (120hz) is great for sports, but turn it off for movies and most other content. Excellent looking TV design. The ultra thin screen is striking. The automatic ambient light adjustment is a nice feature. The internet content is decent – particularly Netflix and Amazon on Demand. Be aware that not every movie in the Netflix catalogue is downloadable, and also be aware that only some of the content for Netflix and Amazon is in HD (this will probably improve with time, though). You can hook the TV up with an ethernet cable, or go wireless with a USB adapter (though it costs another $80 to purchase from Sony). This was easy to set up. The menu is easy to navigate. I like the various screen modes for different content. There are a thousand ways to customize the picture to your liking. Unlike some of the Sony models in recent years, the stand does swivel. Very energy efficient.
Cons:
Contrast does diminish a bit when you are off center, but no more than other LCD’s I have seen. It would be nice to have a separate Motionflow button on the remote for ease of access. The sound is thin, although you can improve it with some tweaks. If you are going to use it with a home theater, it doesn’t matter. If you aren’t, you might find it substandard. The Presence Sensor is a bit gimmicky – you won’t care that you have this 10 minutes after you set it up. There is some noticeable judder on certain content, but I set the TV to the CineMotion Auto 2 setting in Picture Adjust – it seemed to smooth this out a lot. I can’t discern much benefit from the LED edge lighting, other than the fact that it allows for the thin design.
The TV isn’t perfect, but overall, I’m pleased with my purchase.
Rating: 4 / 5
This Sony LEDTV is very nice, The picture was very clear and sharp. The TV came with picture presets that was way too high, with some adjustment the blacks was very black and the picture just show vivde colors and sharp details. Love the way it looks, thin and stylish.
Con : The sound coming from the speakers was weak and hollow, but any LEDTV this thin would not have great speakers, just use an surround sound system.
Rating: 5 / 5
You’re going to spend a lot of money on a TV, so please read through full review first to consider what you are getting with this particular TV.
Only 4 reviews for this product at this time, but i will only write about things others have not already said, that i wish i knew before making this purchase. (Yes the screen is stellar, but only when you watch stuff in HD. The SD quality is terrible. The sound is also terrible).
Now the real reason i gave it 3 stars. I chose this TV over its competitor’s because the BRAVIA trumpeted its “internet capable” features such as Video internet streaming and widgets. What they don’t tell you is that you need a separate device of course, that only SONY makes of course, and that it is going to cost $80 of course. That was all news to me. Oh, and this thing doesn’t have a name, it just goes by its model number UX-BR100.
So $80 in, I have to register BOTH products before i can use them together. Pain. It didn’t help that the site they tell you to go to is not the right site if the BRAVIA TV hasn’t been registered. I needed customer support to navigate through the hurdles to register both products. Big Pain. Once this was done, I went to try it, and i could not work any of the internet features without registering each of the other stuff online. EACH. Again Big Pain. I already had a Netflix Account, but it wouldn’t let me activate it on the TV, i had to go online. Once i did that, I returned to test out the Netflix on the BRAVIA, and the only thing it displays is what is already in your queue. I could not browse my options and look through the selection. These are things you need to do online first, add to your queue, then go to TV and watch “instantly.” I don’t have a laptop, so having to go to my desktop EVERY time defeats the purpose of “internet capable” TV. As for the other Video options: There are about 20 other “options”, 15 of which you will NEVER use or even check out. Of note is the Video on Demand options, of which you’ll have two: Sony’s VOD called Qrious or Amazon’s On Demand. Amazon rents all movies for a $1 less than Qrious ($4.99 to $5.99). So that makes Qrious useless to me. The CBS “video” only shows two minute clips of their shows. No episodes. Thanks, but no thanks. Netflix lets you stream for $8.99 a MONTH. Best deal. But, their streaming options are pretty terrible, no current movies – the only ones i saw were Law Abiding Citizen and The Proposal. Not exactly 2010 material.
Lastly, there are NO WIDGETS with this model. I don’t know what other KDLEX700 model the other reviewers are talking about, but my KDL46EX700, according to Sony technical support does NOT support widgets. So naturally i felt a little misled.
When you factor in the $80 cost of the UX-BR100 to make use of your “internet capable” Bravia, the trouble of setting everything up, the lack of video features, the extra cost to use the few video features, and the absence of widgets, I do regret buying this TV. I could have gotten a 46 inch without internet capabilities for a lot less.
If you want internet features here’s what I recommend. Buy a non-internet capable TV, and put the money you save towards an internet-capable wireless BluRay player or PS3. If you want Video on Demand, Sony’s Playstation Network also rents movies and TV shows (it’s exactly the same as Qrious, EXACTLY. Same options, same cost) and you can access Playstation through a PS3 if you already have one. You can also access Netflix (they will need to send you a disc you get to keep first) using a Blu-Ray player or PS3. These devices will allow you to browse through their options without having to go to a computer! As it should.
I’ve returned my $80 thingy. In conclusion, knowing what I now know, I wouldn’t purchase an internet capable TV in order to by-pass a cost for a Blu-Ray player. You will pay more for internet capable TV, and get a lot less.
This is my opinion based on my experience. Good luck!
**Aug 31 – update** I see the cost of the TV has dropped since I made my purchase. My review was based on a $1350 price tag. Clearly i didn’t think it was worth it. But the lower the price the more attractive the TV looks. For under $1000 it is good value.
Rating: 3 / 5
Ok… Where to begin…. This HDTV is a superb blend of function, style, and versatility. Having calibrated the settings via an online source, I am very happy with this tvs overall picture performance. Blacks are very deep, colors are natural, details are crisp and images in 1080p format are life like. 1080i resolution is very good and SD viewing is tolerable. The only draw back to this otherwise great TV?….. Light bleed in all 4 corners in dark room settings. In daylight or well lit rooms lightbleed is near impossible to detect, though in a virtually dark room it’s readily apparent and can be bothersome and a bit annoying. While no LCD HDTV is perfect, it’s that very understanding that provides your only solace in accepting this inherent flaw. No matter how you calibrate and no matter what settings you use, a noticeable lightbleed shall persist in dark rooms. Having said that, this tv looks amazing in the daytime and the matte screen is a plus for that reason. The styling is also a plus and the ultra thin frame is gorgeous. Energy efficiency is this tvs ultimate bread and butter and with it’s energy savings features your electricity bill will make you smile. Considering everything, this tv is great because it’s cost efficient, picture quality is above average albeit not perfect and styling and features are well presented in this model.
On another note, my friend has the 46 ex500 which is only slightly cheaper and with significantly less features. Features like led technology, bravia 3 engine, prescence sensor, Internet capabilities, thin design and similar picture flaws make the ex700 a much more logical choice in terms of what you are getting for the money. The price as it stands as of this review puts a difference of only $100 bucks or so between the two.
The 46ex700 has been recently discountinued in favor of a newer model boasting an updated bezel and frame giving it a more minimalistic appearance. There is also a rumor in the tech world that this was due to Sony’s supplier of panels being unable to keep up with demand. Subsequently, according to these reports, the newer model shall now utilize samsung panels instead of sharp. Yes my unknowing Sony fans, Sony uses other branded panels in there sets.
The bottom line, this set is well worth the price of 1100 or less compared to it’s nearest rivals above and below. The sound is average, features are rich, design is beautiful and calibrated picture in a decently lit room superb. Thank you.
Rating: 4 / 5