Sony's KDF-E50A10 is a compact, well-featured, and reasonably priced 50-inch rear-projection WEGA LCD HDTV. The wide-format screen is actually composed of three LCD panels and is housed in a black and silver cabinet.

Control buttons are located out of sight under the screen, and the buttons pop down when the panel below the screen is pressed. Side composite and component video inputs provide easy connection options for video game units or camcorders. At slightly more than 16 inches in depth and just under 73 pounds, this big-screen TV will fit into some tight spaces.

The picture is sharp and detailed, with rich blacks and very good contrast. Resolution is 1,280X720 for each LCD panel. Internal ATSC and NTSC tuners deliver both high-definition and standard content. Film can be reconfigured for TV viewing using 3:2 pulldown conversion as needed, and non-high-definition signals are up-converted to 720p so all content appears crisp and lively.

The built-in stereo speakers are rated at 12 watts of output per channel, and the audio system can maintain a steady output level automatically and create a virtual surround sound effect.

Other convenience features include three picture settings that can be customized for each input, a freeze-screen function, and a choice of three picture formats for high-definition content and four for standard-definition content.

In addition to the PC input, the KDF-E50A10 has two RF inputs for antenna and cable sources, three composite video inputs (including one on the side), one S-video input, three HD component video inputs (one side) and one HDMI digital-to-digital audio/video connection. The remote control is a universal model that can manage most associated devices using three direct-access buttons or the on-screen menu system.

The Sony KDF-E50A10 is equipped with a PC input, and it can be quite a thrill to play computer games on the big screen.

Warranty
1 year parts and labor