Always a sticky point with Sony TVs, the operation here could, again, have been better. The PS3-style menu interface looks attractive and modern, but often leads to confusion. There are, for example, general "Scene" picture settings, as well as a separate preset selection in the picture menu. In addition, the DVB-C channel list lacks both clarity and the ability to sort channels alphabetically. The comfortable-to-hold, functional remote control is at least one saving grace.

Small mercies: At least the remote control doesn't disappoint.

The Sony's tuner receives both analog TV and digital terrestrial TV (DVB-T) - readers from the U.K. will know the latter as "Freeview". The KDL-40 W 5500 also provides an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) for Freeview, so you can finally get rid of the set-top box.

In some countries, this TV also receives DVB-C and, since it supports CI Plus encryption, it should continue to do so for the foreseeable future. If DVB-C reception by third-party devices isn't possible - or permitted, as is the case in the U.K. - you'll still be stuck with a set-top box. Satellite viewers will search in vain for a DVB-S tuner.

With a maximum brightness of 245 candelas per square meter, the Sony's "Cinema" preset produces a darker picture than competing LCDs. Nevertheless, what the TV lacks in brightness, it makes up for in contrast: On black backgrounds, bright spots shine 3,500-times brighter than the surrounding area, and the active backlight-adjustment produces a dynamic contrast ratio of around 20,000:1.

In bright sequences, too, the Sony's 40-inch screen shows off its accurate color calibration. Black-and-white movies such as "Casablanca" display in neutral grayscales, and the radiant scenes of "Casino Royale" show both subtle skin tones and intense colors convincingly.

Here, the Sony offers the excellence you'd quite rightly expect - simply choose the "Scene: Cinema" setting, and the picture is already bang on. Both the analog and digital TV pictures deliver accurate colors and clear, contrast-rich, detailed images.

The Scart-RGB input makes the Sony ideal for older satellite receivers, for example, since it renders excellent sharpness and clean de-interlacing. Tricky scenes only briefly show line-flicker - for example, in the picket fence in Chapter 8 of "Space Cowboys".

The 100-hertz "Motionflow" technology delivers crisp edges during camera pans, and even very fast motion suffers no blurring - here, the Sony beats even plasma TVs such as Panasonic's TX-P 42 GW 10.

Blu-ray movies are where the Sony really shines. Dark sequences in titles such as "Kingdom of Heaven" show impressive depth, with black only brightening slightly in the screen's corners. The excellent differentiation of dark details is testament to impressive signal processing - but to get the best results, you first have to switch off picture cropping ("overscan") by setting the display area to "Full Pixel".

Movies appear with slight, movie-theater-style judder in the "Auto 1" film mode, whether input as 24p or 60i signals. Those who dislike this intentional judder can activate Motionflow, which makes motion in movie pictures appear totally smooth, without producing irritating artifacts.

In a scene from "Quantum of Solace" (48:09), where James Bond reclines on a speedboat, the Sony displays a powerful image even in bright ambient illumination, although other current LCDs are yet brighter. The image's colors are almost completely correct - as the boat skims across the water, the white spray is a pure white, and the leather seating's soft cream color also reproduces accurately. Skin tones are also fundamentally correct, though they do show a slight pink tint.

The Sony's two 10-watt, built-in speakers aren't much of a selling point. Though they produce speech clearly, they lack a lot of bass - you could, for example, watch the news with them, but we recommend hooking up a bigger sound system for movies.

Sadly, the slender, built-in speaker bar doesn't sound as good as it looks.

On the rear panel, you'll find a stereo analog output - useful if you're connecting the TV to a HiFi, for example - along with an optical output for relaying digital audio to modern AV receivers or home-theater surround-sound systems.

Scene: Cinema

Contrast: 80

Brightness: 51

Color: 50

Color Temperature: Warm 2

Sharpness: Minimum

Black Corrector: Off

Gamma: standard setting

Clear White: Off

Display Area: Full Pixel

Noise Reduction: Off

MPEG Noise Reduction: Off

Adv. Contrast Enhancer: Off

Auto Light Limiter: Off

White Balance: all settings to 0

* These settings apply to realistic playback of HDTV/Blu-ray material through the HDMI interface in a darkened environment. Manufacturing and HDMI playback device deviations may necessitate slight adjustments.