Sony KDL40EX523BU 40-inch Widescreen Full HD 1080p Internet TV with Freeview HD

I'm no expert in the latest and greatest electronic equipment really I just want a good telly with a bit of future proofing behind it so the search for this final selection was somewhat bewildering but very very happy with my final choice.

LED - worth the extra £100 or so, picture is much better than my old LCD screen and the screen is fantastically slim.

Wireless dongle - a little frustrated at having to buy this separately at £60, really can't see why it wouldn't be built in. Also it occupies the only USB port so if you are going to connect anything else via USB on a regular basis this would be a pain

Set up was beautifully easily I just let the auto set up do it's thing.

Internet connection - This is the future! linked into love film and streaming video direct with virtually no interuptions works like a dream. I've got a lot of experimenting still to do with the other internet functions but very happy so far.

4* not 5* because remote control is not as easy to use for navigating through menu's as I would like and also doesn't have the same quality feel as the screen itself. Secondly all the internet widgets and functions are limited, I hope they will expand in the future but at the moment I just feel it could do more.

This TV delivers everything that it promises, except the build in wi fi described by Amazon. If you read the tv description in depth it would show that it doesn't have a build in WI FI but I made my purchase only reading the headline of the technical specification (As I had to compare many sets before deciding on which one to go for).

The USB ports are built in a very clever way (side ways), which makes it possible to mount on the wall while on the same time create a WI FI access if you purchase a WI FI dongle (but that is extra expense you had to take on board while making your sums).

The picture quality is superb specially on the HD channels (it comes with few HD channels without any extra subscription, namely BBC one, ITV1, Channel 4, and BBC).

Internet service is GREAT, you catch up with iPlayer (bbc), Channel5, but as usual ITV and 4OD (channel four) are yet to offer their services for internet tv. You also get internet browser so you can view emails or browse any site basically, but it wouldn't play built in videos on the various sites. However, it has among the many other great internet services a youtube browser which will play very smoothly (see product details for a list of the internet services, they are loads, or you can ask me if you like and I will check it for you).
I haven't experienced any problem with viewing the dark scenes on the dark which I heard about a lot in other tv sets so I am very pleased about that, as I feel maybe the price tag is not just for the name.

However one small (hopefully teething) problem, is that when I connected my home theater (bought the promotion that comes with this one (Sony BDVE370.CEK 5.1 ch Blu-Ray Home Cinema System - Black), through the regular connection that comes with the home theater - AV component, it worked fine. But when I bought the HDMI cable (1M NEW XO PLATINUM HDMI Cable for XBOX 360, SONY PLAY STATION 3 (PS3), DVD, BLU-RAY, HDTV, LCD, LED, PLASMA *FULL HD 1080p New 1.3c / 1.4 / 1.4a Version High-Speed with ETHERNET and 3D 15.2GPS* Sound & Vision 1 METRE) most of the channels do not display video nor audio (and no signals either, if you tried to retune, these channels disappear). I tried to go back to the AV component, and I failed to have it work at all at any channels (channels are there but do not want to communicate with the tv). I will update if I find any solution, I hope its a fault of the cable rather than the connection on the tv / home theater as it is easier to change!! - if you have any suggestion please leave your comments, thanks.

Overall, with the quality of the other services this set provides I would say it was a good purchase despite the misinformation.

Have had this TV just over a week now, and can vouch that for the normal home user this is great TV with a fantastic plethora of features.

PRO'S:

The internet video/streaming functions are superb. Relatively easy to navigate, straightforward and took less than a minute to auto-connect to my wired internet. Was able to stream latest Top Gear episodes in HD from BBC iPlayer on the BBC HD section. If you have a 'Love Film.com' account (or like me you got the free 3 months inc with the TV) then there's a whole library of films waiting for you on there, at just the touch of the button.

Aesthetically, the TV is gorgeous. It's not much thicker than 3cm, and trust me - if you're looking instead for one thats a few milimetres thinner, it really doesnt make any difference. At these minute thicknesses, anything around 3cm is super slim. The stand is easy to attatch, and is very discrete. The gun-metal effect bevel along the bottom front edge looks stunning too. If it's class you're after, then the EX523 certainly isn't lacking.

Sound is good. Can say I really use or could reccomend using the built in speakers. Lets be frank here, if youre spending this much on a television, you should really have a 5.1 Surround sound too. Having said this, the built-in speakers can certainly turn it up when you want to fill the room.

Plenty of ports. Theres more HDMI's than I can think of uses for. There's also a good selection of other ports too, but one thing to be mindful of is that the majority of the ports are all rear-facing, which menas any cables you plug in will stick straight out the back of the TV. This is a bit of poor oversight by Sony, as if you wish to flush mount this tv against a wall, you'll have a hell of a time trying to do it without snapping connectors or breaking ports. There is one HDMI socket that is side mounted, but unless you have an AV receiver with a host of HDMI ports, you won't be able to plug all your devices into the one socket.

Visually, the screen delivers well. Out of the box, pictures are vivid, crisp, and HD content looks well presented. For those techie's out there, I'm sure more can be had from this screen with the aid of a picture/colour calibration disc or something - you can adjust a huge range of picture variables and advanced settings.

CON'S:

If you do have very sharp eyes like me, you may notice some 'ghosting' around images. This really bugs me, but that's because I notice small details like that. Its seems most noticeable in dark scenes or pictures with many shades of black. To the average eye, this ghosting shouldn't be very noticeable - you have to look quite hard and not be concentrating on the programme/film you're watching.

The rear-facing HDMI sockets.

Typing web URLs or video search's on the remote is a bit tedious. Standard old mobile phone txt button alphabet layout.

VERDICT:

I'm still warming up to this TV. I think after a few weeks, I'll be happy with all the settings/functions, and will hopefully know my way round the TV. Despite its few let-downs, this is still a great TV, and its hard to complain when you're looking at 1080 lines of near perfect high definition. For a 40" LED screen under £[] (hello SONY!!!), I think this is a great buy, especially for those who don't want to jump on the 3D train just yet (-my opinion, wait another year for them to improve 3D TV before you do). There are a host of great reasons to go for this TV, and I don't think you'll be dissapointed.