Tech Blog

[#1]

In the words of Keanu Reeves: Whoa.

The Sony KDL65W5100 65" LCD is something that you have to prepare for - both physically and mentally. Physically, in that you absolutely want to have the right space for it. Mentally, because much like the monolith in 2001: A Space Odyssey, it's slightly mind blowing in person - and that's without even plugging it in. It turned a few heads as it was being unloaded from the truck; I was a little proud and slightly embarrassed at the sheer size of it - I imagine this is what Lexus owners feel like when they first slide behind the wheel.

Sony's W5100 series has met with incredible approval in the professional home theatre review circuit, and I have to agree with the tenor and substance of the reviews out there. This is a high quality display with premium features that go beyond television, movies, and games. Sony is stretching the boundaries of what a display should do; the W5100 is a gateway to that new, digitally connected future.

First impressions.

First impressions? Well... it's massive. The KDL65W5100 is an incredibly large TV to the point of almost being intimidating. Make no mistake, that's incredibly awesome. At 56kg (stand on) it's a hefty piece of technology as well - ensure your stand can handle it (mine's rated up to 68kg, so it's being doing alright so far - thank you SONAX) or have it professionally installed if you're going the wall mounting route.

How does it look?
The externals are stunning; I like my flat panels to sport a sophisticated look and the W5100 doesn't disappoint. The piano black finish is elegant; that said, just like my PlayStation 3, it's a dust magnet. The illuminated Sony logo at the bottom is subtle and hasn't distracted me yet while I've been enjoying content on the screen.

Getting set up.
The setup was fast and incredibly friendly; Sony's UI work is really appreciated here - there's a 23 step process from start to finish, but it took me all of 15 minutes - and ten of that was the display scanning my digital cable for channels. It was simple to select my type of usage (Home - not Retail. Retail will put the set into a high contrast mode and activate in-store demos. You don't need that) as well as inputting information like my postal code (for use with the integrated TV guide). After the setup was finished I took a brief moment to verify that I had the latest firmware. There was an update available and the KDL65W5100 downloaded it automatically over my home network, installed it, and restarted the display with a minimum of interaction from me.

The first day.
Spending just one day with the W5100 is a dangerous thing; though I love my 42" panels, the 65" spoils you just a bit. Yes, it's luxury and a tad oppulent, but a screen that size with video quality that's quite visibly a step beyond many panels out there is a treat. For the first day ease-of-use and for having a gorgeous exterior the W5100 gets top marks.

Tomorrow we'll be looking at the hardware in the W5100 and taking a look at the technologies that drive it.