Sony's KDL-V40XBR1 is a 40-inch LCD HDTV with eye appeal in every way. A thin black frame surrounds the wide-format LCD screen, with a silver strip separating the frame from the bottom speakers.

The monitor's rounded corners add a touch of class. The silver pedestal stand is removable for mounting the monitor on the wall, or you can keep the stand and use its swivel and tilt functions to adjust the screen position. Controls are located along the monitor's right side, and a generous selection of easy-access inputs and outputs is present on the left side.

A member of Sony's BRAVIA line, this LCD TV is equipped with internal ATSC, NTSC and QAM tuners, along with a CableCARD slot, so you can potentially watch any type of programming without additional set-top boxes. The picture of the Sony KDL-V40XBR1 HDTV is excellent, with rich levels of detail, crisp edges and strong colors, even in bright light, and the viewing angles are impressive. Reverse 3:2 pulldown conversion is engaged to smooth out film content.

The four internal speakers produce a total of 26 watts of audio output, sounding full whether in surround sound or standard mode. Unlike many competitors, this LCD TV does not have PIP options, but it is equipped to freeze an image to a smaller window. Convenience features include favorite channel memory, the WEGA GATE on-screen menu system for quickly accessing associated components, access to an on-screen program guide and special PC content settings.

The KDL-V40XBR1 can display content from a digital camera via a side-panel USB input, as well as more standard components such as a DVD player, VCR or DVR. In addition to the side USB and composite video inputs, the rear of this LCD TV is equipped with two RF inputs, two more composite video inputs, an S-video input, two component video inputs, an HDMI input, a set of PC audio and video inputs, a fixed/variable audio output and an optical digital audio output. The KDL-V40XBR1's universal remote control has glow buttons and a slide panel to hide less frequently used buttons.

Whether it is on or off, the Sony KDL-V40XBR1 is a great-looking LCD HDTV.

Pros:  Great picture, attractive cabinet, digital cable-ready
Cons:  No PIP functions, only one HDMI input

Warranty
1 year parts and labor