Sony Bravia KDL-40EX43B

Sony Bravia KDL-40EX43B review

We've certainly seen some interesting combos in the past: VCRs with onboard surround hard disk recorders, TVs with built-in DVD players, and iPod-ready melons. Okay, we might have made the last one up. Taking us back to into the solid realms of reality, though, is Sony's KDL-40EX43B, which updates the DVD/TV concept by combining a smart-looking 40in LCD TV with a Blu-ray player. This CCFL-backlit full HD TV also boasts a Freeview HD tuner and networked multimedia (Bravia Internet Video and DLNA playback), and so it's no slouch where other features are concerned. The vertically-mounted disc player, which is, of course, also compatible with DVDs and CDs, lurks behind the screen and is slot-loading. As a result, it doesn't spoil the minimalist lines of the set's cabinetry. Indeed, you don't even know it's there unless you're looking for it. Other goodies on offer include Sony's Bravia Engine 3 picture processor, a PC VGA/D-Sub input and various energy-saving features (such as an ambient light-sensor and a radio mode that temporarily shuts down the screen). There's an analogue tuner, but chances are that it will never be used.