The Sony KDL-40 EX1 is a 40-inch (102-centimeter) LCD TV with a wireless HDMI connection. Available since early 2009 and selling for 2,000 GBP in Sony's online shop, the wireless TV is available from around 1,700 GBP through various other online retailers (as of June 2009). The series also includes 46-inch (117-cm) and 52-inch (132-cm) models.

Florian Friedrich, tested on May 27, 2009

• Easy socket access thanks to separate connections box.
• Picture transmits wirelessly from connections box to display.
• Tuners for analog and digital terrestrial TV, plus digital cable (the latter also in HDTV).
• Picture-frame design and a depth of just 5 centimeters.
• Contrast-rich picture (for an LCD) and convincing colors.

• Error-prone wireless connection.
• Limited HDTV picture-quality over the wireless connection.
• So-so picture quality for side-on viewing.
• No aspect-ratio options for HD signals.
• Motion clarity could be higher.
• Poor sound.

Most important connections:

1x 4x 1x

Test results in brief

A real problem solver: A separate connections box relays audio and video wirelessly to the Sony KDL-40 EX1. Find out here why this is so great and which customers this TV suits best.

Have you got a bright, chic living room?
Then look no further. With its wide frame, this super-flat monitor will blend in perfectly with the photo gallery on your living room wall. All TV, Blu-ray, or DVD signals arrive wirelessly from a separate connections box - there are no AV cables to spoil the look. Only the unavoidable power cable will need some careful thought. Never before has a TV been so tangle-free! Despite this, your picture-quality requirements don't miss out. The Sony produces a bright picture that you can enjoy even in daylight. In the evening, turn down the backlight to enjoy rich blacks.

Short on space?
Many buyers will already have bought the perfect furniture to accommodate an old 4:3 TV and all of their playback devices. Today's large flat-panels often won't fit on these expensive racks, since sizes of 40 inches (and more) are now increasingly common. In this case, too, the Sony conjures up a solution - again thanks to its wireless connection.

Namely, the separate connections box can sit apart from the TV - if necessary, even in cupboard, along with all your playback devices. Another advantage: The Sony's handset also uses wireless, so - unlike with infrared versions - you don't have to point it at the TV.

Does a wireless connection sound like a bad idea?
There can indeed be some problems. Especially the less-than-total reliability is irritating. Nevertheless, the "Assembly" section of this review explains how to position the Sony and its connections box, and the "Picture Uniformity and Digital Picture Errors" section explains what to do if you have signal problems.

Do you love home-theater and multimedia?
Then there are better TVs for you. On the one hand, the KDL-40 EX1 renders excellent pictures from movies: For an LCD TV, it offers fantastic contrast, and the excellent black level delivers a vivid picture even in dark rooms. The "Space Cowboys" voyage convincingly through the depths of space.

On the other hand, the broad, white frame stands out in the dark home-theater. In addition, the wireless connection stumbles, especially with HDTV, since it cannot quite relay the full bandwidth of HDMI signals. If you want the highest quality with 24p signals, therefore, you'll have to connect your Blu-ray player to the TV by cable. This works, of course, but means you've lost some of the advantages of wireless technology. Multimedia fans should also seek out a different model. Apart from (admittedly excellent) playback of photos via USB, the Sony has nothing else to offer.

Do you value great sound?
Then you're sure to have a stereo or surround system already, right? In any case, we highly recommend using a decent, external setup, since the Sony's built-in speakers sound so lowly that even a kitchen radio could give them a run for their money.

Can't decide?
Then let's be straight: The extremely modern, digital, wireless connection and the offbeat design are genuinely exciting features. But there are also many reasons not to buy the Sony KDL-40 EX1 - above all the occasional transmission problems with the HDMI wireless link.

The lack of multimedia or network functionality is a let-down, and the LCD panel depends quite strongly on viewing angle for a TV of this price. So, ultimately, the shaky wireless connection comes at a considerable premium - one that's only worth paying if you can also live without multimedia, or even spectacular picture quality.

Good design shouldn't just be about sleek looks. Practical operation and connectivity, simple mounting, and high-quality manufacturing are all essential to a TV's success. This chapter looks at how the Sony KDL-40 EX1 performs in these respects.

Unpacking:
You can tell the Sony is something special as soon as you open the box. The 24-kilogram LCD display is not, for example, alone in its packaging; instead, it comes with a matching unit, a so-called media receiver.

This hosts the TV's connections on its rear panel, as well as including a TV tuner and - applause for this innovation - a wireless transmitter. The so-called "media receiver" means the only connection the TV needs is a power cable - audio and video arrive wirelessly from the media receiver.

The display ships with a low table-stand.

The media receiver will either lie flat on a surface or stand on one end - the appropriate stand also comes supplied, along with two infrared transmitters for controlling further devices using the Sony's remote control. You also receive special screws for wall-mounting the TV, but the wall bracket itself costs extra.

Assembly:

Now that's what we call luxury: There's no need to think about how to position the Sony KDL-40 EX1 to make its sockets easy to reach - the media receiver takes care of all of your connections.

So, simply stand the monitor on a table or hang it on the wall, connect TV and media receiver to the power, and assembly is finished. We found we could place the receiver up to ten meters from the TV, but if you meet with reception problems, it's best to put the two as close as possible to one another.

Also make sure the media receiver is far enough away from the viewers. If someone walks close to the unit, you might briefly see noise in the picture. We found this particularly irritating in detail-rich HDTV.

Because the remote control uses wireless and not infrared, you can even hide the media receiver in a drawer or cupboard.

The pedestal sits very low and does not rotate. Still, this Sony's is geared more toward wall-mounting.

Shape:

The screen's 6.7-centimeter-wide, white frame and black trim make this TV look like a painting. Sony talks of a "Picture Frame Design" and supplies six images to display on the TV while you're not using it.

The TV then blends seamlessly into the photos on your living room's wall. Alternatively, you can of course use your own photos. The chrome-finish Sony logo is totally flush with the casing, further complementing the design concept.

This TV really only suits living rooms with modern design, since the monitor, receiver, and remote control only come in a bright, white finish. If your furniture has a more rustic, country-house vibe, the KDL-40 EX1 will stick out like a sore thumb.

Outsourcing connections to a media receiver offers many advantages. For one, the developers have not had to accommodate sockets, so the monitor is very thin - the KDL-40 EX1 is just five centimeters deep. Especially when the TV is wall mounted, this slender design looks superb.

The screen's frame has a two-layer construction; a white base-material gleams through a transparent upper surface.

There may well be people that dislike the white finish, but the bright frame has one definite advantage: You can hardly see fingerprints. This contrasts starkly with the black, glossy look of many current models.

Remote Control:

The remote control's design matches the TV perfectly. Though well built, the handset looks rather too bulky, at 25-centimeters-long and five-centimeters-wide.

Manufacture:

As you'd expect from such a strong offering, the build-quality shows attention to detail. Of course, thanks to the media receiver, the sockets are always easy to reach. Crawling around behind the TV or fumbling around trying to find the correct socket are things of the past with the KDL-40 EX1.