Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1579 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Sony
• Model: KDL37W5500U
• Released on: 2009-03-19
• Aspect ratio: 2.55:1
• Display size: 37

Manufacturer's Description

A BRAVIA LCD TV is no ordinary television. Design is sleeker, pictures are brighter, details clearer. All BRAVIA televisions are HD Ready as a minimum, with up to 4 HDMI connections, and come with an integrated digital tuner so there is no need for a set-top box to view Freeview TV and radio channels. Most of the BRAVIA LCD TVs feature BRAVIA Sync technology, it takes just one button to turn on your entire Sony home entertainment system, while XrossMediaBar helps you navigate your TV easily with its best-in-class menu screen. After all advanced technology should simply mean technology that does more for you.

The BRAVIA W5500 has all the Sony technology you need to experience a new level of entertainment. BRAVIA ENGINE 3 digital processing delivers a depth, richness and clarity that will take your breath away. Motionflow 100Hz technology keeps fast-moving sports and action crisp and clear. You can connect it to your home network using DLNA and enjoy music, video and pictures from other compatible devices on your TV. Plus you can use the AppliCast™ feature to check on-screen RSS feeds of news and other information while you’re watching your favourite programmes.

Motionflow 100Hz for super-smooth, ultra-realistic sport and action scenes

Motionflow 100Hz lets you see fast-moving sports and action scenes like never before by unlocking the amazing detail they contain. This blur reduction technology produces super-smooth, ultra-realistic viewing by doubling the conventional number of frames in a sequence. After every frame it creates an additional unique frame before the next one, based on key factors in the preceding and following images. While similar technologies simply duplicate frames, Motionflow 100Hz intelligently applies information to make movement appear even smoother.

The unique technology of BRAVIA ENGINE 3 optimises the quality of every single scene

An LCD television creates pictures by switching millions of pixels on and off. In the W5500 this process is controlled by the BRAVIA ENGINE 3, the latest version of Sony’s advanced digital processing technology. Using a collection of unique Sony algorithms it applies a digital perfecting process to reduce noise and produce cleaner images, higher contrast and smoother motion sequences, resulting in enhanced overall performance regardless of source.

Specifically, it analyses each individual scene, controlling the peak brightness level to generate advanced colour and brightness, and optimising the noise level. It also detects and adjusts the overall colour distribution of each frame and smoothes diagonal lines of pixels in fast-moving pictures to prevent jagged edges and bleeding colours.

In short, it delivers exceptional performance in every single scene.

Create an entertainment network in your home with DLNA

The BRAVIA W5500 means you can finally create an easy-to-use home network that lets you share music, video and pictures from around the house on your TV. As part of the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA), Sony has adopted a universal standard for connectivity that enables your electronic devices, regardless of brand, to ‘talk’ to one another. So now it’s easy to move files between your TV, PC, printer, music player, phone, camera and more, wherever they are in the home. By integrating your TV into a home network, either wirelessly or via a cable, you can use your BRAVIA remote to find photos on the DLNA-enabled laptop in your bedroom and call them up to your living room TV screen. If you want hard copies, just send them to print on the colour printer in your spare room.

As well as BRAVIA TVs, Sony offers a range of DLNA Certified™ devices such as VAIO notebooks, the Sony Ericsson mobile phone, the PLAYSTATION®3 and the GigaJuke hard-disc drive music system.

AppliCast™ brings live internet feeds to your screen while you watch TV

AppliCast™ lets you see internet information on your BRAVIA TV while you're watching television. You don't have to switch on your PC - just call up widgets onto the TV screen. Three widgets, including a clock and calendar, are already installed on the on-screen XrossMediaBar and you can add RSS feeds of news, weather and more by connecting your TV to the internet via the Ethernet port at the back. Just select the information you want with your BRAVIA remote and it's right there whenever you need it.

Box Contains

Customer Reviews

Impeccable
Had this a couple of days now and I have to say I'm blown away. Having previously thought that Pioneer rule the game in terms of flat screens I opted for this latest model instead of the KURO LCD produced by Pioneer as they are no longer producing them.

Set up is easy and users of the PS3 will be familiar with the Sony UI. I've got Sky HD and a brand new SONY BluRay player as well as a Pioneer normal DVD player / Cinema system.

The picture quality for the price of this set is perfect - crisp, clear and vibrant colours but not overly saturated like LG or Samsung sets. HD sources of course render things beautifully - watching Ratatouille and then Cinderella Man was an absolute joy.

SD sources are fine, no complaints.

I've yet to test the connectivity options of the set and think the Applicast offering is a little gimmicky but may develop in the future.

The sound of the TV impresses and exceeded my expectations - as the optical IN isn't working right now on my receiver I watched the above films using simply the TV volume and was really impressed.

This is the best 37" LCD you can buy right now.

Total value for money
I had researched my next tv purchase for some time as I had always found that the performance of LCDs just didn't match the Panasonic CRT I had used for the last 9 years - in fact they seemed as if they were a step back.

I looked at Sony, LG, Samsung & Panasonic - based on other web reviews, talking to numerous sales personnel & other sources I decided on the Sony - albeit the 40W4500. As luck would have it the 2009 model was just out (the 5500). Had to compromise with the missus for price and opted for the 37 inch. I was nervous to say the least about purchasing one of these without seeing it in the flesh first - Comet weren't expecting any stock for another 2 weeks. Took a leap of faith and purchased it - and I'm glad I did.

It arrrived yesterday and I hooked it up to Sky SD and my new Sony Blu-Ray S550. Installation was child's play. The TV I managed to put on the stand alone though it would be easier with 2 people. The swivel stand moves left and right about 20 degrees - which is useful.

I have not seen any issues yet (only had it 1 day) with clouding around the corners as some people had mentioned on forums with the 4500 models.

Menu system is really good. The TV has got an ethernet port but not as yet connected it to the internet. I did connect the Blu-ray and it carried out a firmware upgrade in about half an hour.

I watched Black Hawk Down on Blu-ray last night and the picture was awesome. I thought the sound was good but could definitley benefit from surround sound (next purchase).

For the uneducated (as myself) if you buy this tv with your first blu-ray player then you may need to alter the default settings of your Blu-ray to output 1080p. Until I changed this under Setup/ Video Settings the Blu-ray was only outputting 480p.

The Sony Blu-ray doesn't come with a HDMI cable - only a Composite cable

I watched some football on Sky SD as my biggest fear was motion blur which led me to buying a 100Hz as a minimum. If you select the Scene button on the remote there are a number of preset parameters you can choose - cinema, sports, games etc. If you choose Sports then motionflow automatically goes to a high setting. I saw no problems with motion blur and I think the motion was probably a 9/10 compared to my CRT.

Best efforts at a helpful and practical review

I read Amazon reviews frequently, but often find they miss the point when referring to the product. I hope this review is different. So here's a brief overview of my experience with the TV so far:
Price: pre-ordered early March and paid £788 (inc guaranteed 1pm delivery). You simply cannot get this set any cheaper. I have visited all of the electronic outlets on Tottenham Court Rd and they're selling this set for at least £850 - £1000. However I do, of course, appreciate the frustration as Amazon fluctuates its selling price almost daily.
Picture: I use standard Virgin Media (i.e. cable). For a 37'' TV normal TV viewing is exceptional. Obviously the Bravia Engine 3 has done its job at upscaling, though naturally it still falls short of the awesome HD pictures you would expect from a SkyHD source etc. On the HD front, I have my PS3 hooked up and have so far tested Killzone 2 and Wipeout Pure HD. Both are incredible in detail and almost 3D like and, importantly, there's no frame-rate drop or blur in fast paced action (unlike my Panasonic 32LZD85). Blu-ray wise, I have tested The Dark Knight and Wall-E. Both are impeccable, especially in terms of tracking and smoothness (thanks to motionflow I suspect). It beats my Panasonic with ease. On the motion point, I would always advocate the 100hz on these new sets as it actually works AND you can turn it off if you find it affects the picture adversely (something you can't do with some other sets). It really is worth the extra £100 or so and is very noticeable on a screen of this size.
Sound: is decent but not amazing and presumably symptomatic of the small speakers right at the bottom of the set. However, the surround-effect works well, though never a substitute for a surround sound system (I'm using a Bose 3-2-1). The base could be better but otherwise satisfactory and loud enough for all applications.
Overall: I genuinely rate this TV as a superb viewing experience. The added features of internet capability etc are wasted on me but it's nice to know I've got the technology for the future. Having the Bravia Engine 3 also marks this set out against its predecessors (selling for considerably more). So, for superb Blu-ray and gaming and standard TV viewing which couldn't be any better on a screen of this size I recommend a buy. After all, it's a brand new model and wont depreciate in price for quite some time.