Sony KDL-V26A12U

I purchased the Sony KDL-V26A12U after many hours spent comparing LCD televisions at similar sizes and value. Plasma TVs were too expensive and large to really feature in my shortlist and rear projectors have been known to suffer from the dreaded "burn-in" if linked to some games consoles. In November 2005 I finally opted for the most expensive TV in my list- the Sony KDL-V26A12U. I was initially won over by rave reviews from various home entertainment articles and websites suppliments but a hands-on test finally swayed my opinion.

HD-Readiness was of top priority and the Sony, sporting a screen resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels from its XGA panel, easily met the requirements. This allowed me to connect a XBOX 360 and view the consequences in High Resolution (720p & 1080i) and also anticipate the future higher quality broadcasts.

One of the most impressive aspects of the screen is the natural representation and vibrancy of colours. After some fiddling with the extensive number of contrast; brightness; sharpness etc controls, all broadcasts, whether they were news reports, movies or cartoons appeared in stunning detail and sumptuous hue.

Initially the TV was childs-play to setup, needing only a brief thumb through of the concise instruction manual and a few taps on the well laid out remote control. After setup was complete there were over 80 digital channels (including several which required some form of subscription) to peruse. The five analogue channels were also available at a touch of a button but to be honest, compared with the digital broadcast, the only reason to revert back to these would be to scroll through Teletext.

The back panel displays numerous inputs including: 1 HDMI; 1 PC Top-up TV slot; 1 Component video (YPbPr); 1 S-Video; 2 Scart; 1 RCA AV and 1 4 Pin (YC). I still have several inputs to spare even after connecting two XBOXs, and a DVD player.

When searching for channels the electronic programme guide is very easy to navigate and allows viewing of programmes for up to two days in advance. There is also an option to store your favourite channels, which are then accessible without the need to scroll through the entire channel list.

Although the set does support Dolby Virtual (Prologic II) sound, I would recommend the purchase of some sort of aftermarket AV Amplifier for movies. The speakers are totally acceptable for watching regular programmes, producing a satisfactory 10W per channel, but the bass is too light (albeit adjustable) and does tend to sound 'tinny' if pressed too hard. This is mildly annoying when taking into account the fairly high cost of the set.

Overall I am extremely happy with the TV and find myself constantly surprised at the outstanding quality - especially from wildlife progammes (from the digital tuner) and HDMI linked DVDs.