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Sony Bravia KDL-EX720 review: Sony Bravia KDL-EX720

Sony Bravia KDL-EX720

David Katzmaier Editorial Director -- Personal Tech
David reviews TVs and leads the Personal Tech team at CNET, covering mobile, software, computing, streaming and home entertainment. We provide helpful, expert reviews, advice and videos on what gadget or service to buy and how to get the most out of it.
Expertise A 20-year CNET veteran, David has been reviewing TVs since the days of CRT, rear-projection and plasma. Prior to CNET he worked at Sound & Vision magazine and eTown.com. He is known to two people on Twitter as the Cormac McCarthy of consumer electronics. Credentials
  • Although still awaiting his Oscar for Best Picture Reviewer, David does hold certifications from the Imaging Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Standards and Technology on display calibration and evaluation.
David Katzmaier
7 min read

Sony's KDL-EX720 series represents the least-expensive model in the company's 2011 TV lineup with 3D and a 240Hz refresh rate--both bullet points that the less-expensive KDL-EX620 series lacks. It's also Sony's highest-end 2011 TV to feature a matte screen finish--not a bullet point, but something we really appreciate. The latter helps improve image quality in bright rooms, but overall the EX720's strongest suits have little to do with the picture. Those highlights include miserly power use, extensive Internet content options, and a competitive price compared with other active 3D-compatible LED-based LCD TVs.

6.9

Sony Bravia KDL-EX720

The Good

The <b>Sony KDL-EX720</b> has accurate color in bright areas; handles 1080p/24 content properly; and is extremely energy-efficient. Its automatic turn-off feature saves power and its matte screen reduces glare in brighter rooms. It has solid Internet services, including numerous niche videos and exclusive Qriocity and Gracenote. Lastly, the TV boasts classy, understated styling.

The Bad

It reproduces lighter black levels, and its darker areas are tinged blue. The Sony KDL-EX720 cannot customize dejudder processing and has less-even screen uniformity.

The Bottom Line

The picture quality of Sony's KDL-EX720 shows some flaws but its efficiency, design, and well-stocked feature list will win plenty of converts.

Editors' note: We don't have a pair of Sony's 2011 3D glasses on-hand yet, so we'll update this review with 3D picture quality notes when we have a chance to test the EX720 with the new glasses. In 2011, as in 2010, 3D picture quality does not figure into CNET's numeric performance rating.

Series information: We performed a hands-on evaluation of the 46-inch Sony KDL-46EX720, but this review also applies to the other screen sizes in the series. All sizes have identical specs and, according to the manufacturer, should provide very similar picture quality.

Design


Once you peel off the Energy Star sticker, the Sony can be described as ultraminimalist.

Design highlights
Panel depth 1.7 inches Bezel width 1.1 inches
Single-plane face No Swivel stand Yes

The EX720 has a slim, unadorned look with a relatively thin bezel that's basic glossy black on the top and sides and subtly textured glossy black on the bottom. The panel sits low atop the glossy black swivel stand, making the whole package appear quite compact.


The EX720's panel keeps a low profile over the stand.

Remote control and menus
Remote size (LxW) 8.6 x 2 inches QWERTY keyboard No
Illuminated keys 0 IR device control No
Menu item explanations Yes On-screen manual Yes

Sony didn't modify the ergonomics of its remote much, and it's still one of the best. The concave surface and strategic button placement guided our thumb naturally to the big cursor button, which is ringed by six keys (although four would do--Guide and Synch Menu will be underused on most setups). The biggest change is a prominent red Netflix button--and we love having instant access to Watch Instantly. Other dedicated keys of note include those to Qriocity, Internet Video, 3D, I-Manual (for the excellent built-in manual), and TrackID.


Behold the Netflix button! Samsung and Panasonic clickers we've seen don't have it. Their loss.

Sony did revamp its Home menu this year, ditching the PS3/PSP-style XMB interface for a new scheme that creates a main horizontal bottom row and a right-hand vertical column flanking a smaller, inset TV image (tweakers fret not; the TV image expands back to full size during picture adjustments). The menu shows all of the horizontal options at once, but there's simply too many of them--nine total: Settings, Widgets, Applications, Qriocity, Internet Content, TV, Media, Inputs, and Favorites/History (consolidation, anyone?). None of the main horizontal choices is labeled until you select it, so you're forced to either learn Sony's quirky iconography or scroll a lot until your item appears. Each option has its own column of sub-options, for a total effect that can easily become overwhelming.

Submenus for Options and Favorites/History, as well as those dedicated buttons, help a little, and we appreciate that the numerous "small fry" niche video services are shunted into a submenu. Overall, however, we feel the company could have done a much better job organizing the TV's numerous features.


Sony's new menu system replaces the PS3-like XMB system with an inset window arrangement.

Features

Key TV features
Display technology LCD LED backlight Edge-lit
3D technology Active 3D glasses included No
Screen finish Matte Internet connection Wired
Refresh rate(s) 240Hz Dejudder (smooth) processing Yes
DLNA compliant Photo/Music/Video USB Photo/Music/Video
Other: Presence sensor; Rovi on-screen channel guide; optional 3D glasses and USB wi-fi adapter (UWA-BR100, $80); twin-view picture-in-picture

The EX720's feature set leaves little to be desired, unless you want local dimming or built-in Wi-Fi. Like most active 3D TVs it doesn't include the proprietary glasses necessary to watch 3D content; Sony has a new version for 2011 that's lighter than the 2010 glasses.

One of our favorite little extras is the energy-saving presence sensor, which automatically turns off the picture and eventually the whole TV if it fails to detect somebody actually watching (it looks for movement) after a user-specified period of time. Yes, it actually works. As we mentioned at the top, we also really appreciate the matte screen finish in bright rooms.


A unique TrackID feature can identify music.

Streaming and apps
Netflix Yes YouTube Yes
Amazon Video on Demand Yes Hulu Plus Yes
Vudu No Pandora Yes
Web browser Yes Skype Optional
Facebook Yes Twitter Yes
Other: Gracenote TrackID; 28 niche video services; Sony's Qriocity video and music service; 73 total Yahoo! Widgets as of press time; Picasa, Photobucket and Shutterfly

In short, there's plenty of online choices for just about everyone.

The main missing link is Vudu, and while many others (namely Amazon VOD and Qriocity) can duplicate Vudu's VOD offerings, none currently offers Vudu's 3D on-demand or the superior image quality of Vudu HDX. We'd also like to see support for a major subscription music service, like Rhapsody or Napster, but doubt it's coming, since Sony is pushing Qriocity. The latter recently expanded from its VOD offerings to include a subscription music service, which is available on this TV.

We did a full writeup of the new Gracenote music identification service already, so we'll just include the conclusion here: "Despite its hiccups and occasional failures, we really liked the ability to identify music quickly and conveniently with the push of a button."

The appeal of the numerous niche video services (Sports Illustrated, The Minisode Network, blip.tv, style.com, howcast.com, video podcasts, etc., etc.) is heightened somewhat by the ability to search across all of them. Unfortunately, that search doesn't include any of the mainstream services like Netflix, Amazon, or YouTube, and is a pain to use with the TV remote.

Sony's audio, widget ,and photo service selection is top-notch--there's Slacker, NPR, and an exclusive classical music/video service (Berlin Philharmoniker); numerous Yahoo and Framechannel (the second also a Sony exclusive) widgets; no less than four onboard photo sharing options (if you count the Flickr widget).

And, yes, the EX720 has a Web browser, although it's even slower and more annoying to use than the one on the PS3. After a few minutes of frustrated waiting for it to load hulu.com, it finally crashed the TV, and we never got it to load a video. It should be avoided unless no other Internet access method is available in your living room.

We'll take a closer look at Sony's 2011 connected TV platform, and compare it with the competition, in an upcoming feature.


The Web browser exists, but just barely.

Picture settings
Adjustable picture modes 10 Fine dejudder control No
Color temperature presets 4 Fine color temperature control 2 points
Gamma presets 7 Color management system No

Sony divides its picture presets into two groups: General (with three choices) and Scene (with eight, including Auto). Two of the Scenes, Cinema and Game, have two separate modes of their own, as well. The total number of adjustable modes hits double-digits, which should be enough for just about everybody.

The company didn't add the option to adjust dejudder processing beyond the four presents. Other options are fairly standard, and don't include any of the wacky processing extras found on higher-end Sonys.


The selection of advanced settings is pretty typical.

Connectivity
HDMI inputs 3 back, 1 side Component video inputs 1 back
Composite video input(s) 1 back VGA-style PC input(s) 1 side
USB port 2 side Ethernet (LAN) port Yes
Other: Side headphone jack with separate volume control

Minimal analog inputs is nothing new, and four HDMIs is standard at this level. We appreciate the headphone jack and the fact that you can adjust its volume separately from that of the main speakers.


Four HDMIs is par for the course.

Performance
Among edge-lit LED based LCDs the EX720 performed well--about average from a 2D picture quality standpoint. Overall, it matched the score of the significantly less-expensive, non-LED Samsung LN46C630, for example. Strengths include solid color accuracy in bright areas, very good reflection control in bright rooms, and fine video processing. Its black levels were a bit lighter than the competition, however, and uniformity fell toward the bottom of the pack.

The EX720's Cinema preset delivered relatively good color, although it was a bit skewed toward red. A few tweaks during calibration to the 2-point white balance controls brought the grayscale to near perfection, aside from the very darkest areas of the picture. We were also able to improve gamma and thus shadow detail at the expense of some black level. For our image quality tests we used "Hereafter" on Blu-ray.

Download the Sony KDL-46EX720 pre- and post-calibration charts (PDF)

Comparison models (details)
Sony KDL-46EX700 46-inch edge-lit LED-based LCD
Samsung UN46D6400 46-inch edge-lit LED-based LCD
Samsung UN46C6500 46-inch edge-lit LED-based LCD
Samsung LN46C630 46-inch LCD
Vizio XVT553SV 55-inch full-array local dimming LED-based LCD
"="" rel="follow" target="_self">Panasonic TC-P50ST30 50-inch plasma
Pioneer PRO-111FD (reference) 50-inch plasma

Black and white levels
Min. luminance (pre) 0.0056 Min. luminance (post) 0.0112
Max. luminance (window) 111.37 Max. luminance (raster) 114.43
Gamma (pre) 2.38 Gamma (post) 2.19

The EX720 delivered one of the lighter (worse) shades of black in our lineup, outdoing only the 2010 EX700 and looking visibly lighter than the UND6400, for example. We saw the difference in the letterbox bars, as well as in dark scenes like the dim apartment in Chapter 2. Shadow detail was good, however, beating out the LNC630 and ST30.

Grayscale and color accuracy
x/y @ 20 (pre) 0.314/0.328 x/y @ 20 (post) 0.313/0.327
x/y @ 70 (pre) 0.315/.0330 x/y @ 70 (post) 0.313/0.329
Avg. variation K (pre) 164.5 Avg. variation K (post) 68.44
Red 0.634/ 0.327 Cyan 0.231/0.337
Green 0.3/0.606 Yellow 0.321/ 0.159
Blue 0.16/0.061 Magenta 0.423/0.504

The Sony held its own relatively well in this category, trumping the LNC630 and the ST30 overall. On the downside, it did evince a bluer tinge in very dark and black areas (5 percent black and lower) than any of the others, aside from the EX700. Grayscale tracking and primary/secondary colors in bright scenes were very good, however, as seen in the pre-tsunami, sunlit market from Chapter 1, with its natural-looking leaves, fabrics, and Marie's skin tone.

Video processing
1080p/24 Yes 1080i de-interlacing (film) No
Motion rez (max) 1080 Motion rez (dejudder off) 300-400

No major issues were visible with 1080p sources. The Sony did fail to de-interlace 1080i film-based material properly, which might manifest in some jaggies or other artifacts in films seen on the TV, but we doubt most viewers will notice. As usual, disabling dejudder (smoothing) cut down motion resolution significantly, but again, visible blur was all but non-existent to our eye even with dejudder off.

We prefer to keep dejudder off for films, but people who like the smooth effect can choose from four Motionflow presets. Standard mode preserves some judder, providing a sort of compromise, while Smooth removes as much as it can. Clear splits the difference, whereas "Clear Plus" uses backlight scanning to improve motion resolution at the expense of some light output. We didn't see too many halos or other artifacts in most material in any of these modes.

Uniformity: The Sony's image varied across the screen more so than with the C630, the EX700, or the Vizio, although it was comparable to that of the two Samsung LEDs. The bottom edge, especially the corners, appeared brighter than the rest, and the top corners were also slightly brighter. Minor vertical banding could also be seen on some material, mainly flat fields with movement across the screen. From off-angle, the Sony lost black-level and color fidelity at roughly the same rate as the other LCDs.

Bright lighting: Along with the matte-screened LN630, EX700, and Vizio, the matte EX720 did a better job reducing glare from reflections than the glossy-screened Samsungs or the plasmas. It also preserved contrast (black level) better than the plasmas and about the same as the other LCDs.

PC tests
Max input resolution (HDMI) 1920x1080 Max input resolution (VGA) >1920x1080
Defeatable EE Yes 0% overscan Yes

Tests were fine in HDMI mode. Via VGA we saw some flicker in test patterns and fine areas, but it wasn't an issue on most PC material.

Power consumption: We did not test the power consumption of this size TV in the Sony KDL-EX720 series, but we did test the 46-inch model. For more information, please refer to the review of the Sony KDL-46EX720.

How we test TVs