Sony Bravia KDL-20S3000 20″ LCD TV Review
For a long time now, Sony has been the brand name that had been associated with the best selling electrical gadgets. Said that, Sony’s LCD TVs have been the market leaders in a consistent way with the help of its great picture quality, functionality and future proofing. Sony has included numerous Bravia HDTV LCD TVs in its 2007 series but one of the least expensive and hence the most likely to be picked is the KDL-S3000 series where the KDL-20S3000 is the smallest of the series and also the one that we are going to discuss in detail about.
The Sony KDL-20S3000 is one of the best small screen models in the market even now. This 20″ widescreen LCD TV will be a perfect beauty in your second lounge or bedroom. Though the TV costs higher than most of the similarly sized budget flat panel LCD TVs, it costs much lesser than the other 1080p LCDs. The two main features that have been included in the S3000 series are, a new Xross Media Bar graphical user interface that the PSP users might be familiar with and an optional Bravia Internet Link module. However, the following review would give you a complete idea on the looks, features and performance of Sony Bravia KDL-20S3000 LCD TV.
Decent looking:
The Bravia KDL-20S3000 LCD Television cannot be said as gorgeous looking, the way we describe some of the LCD TV ranges from Sony. It is handsome but looks very conservative, the finishing of the TV predominantly matte black with the bottom strip alone having a glossy black finish. The frame around the TV or the bezel, which is usually very slim, is slightly broader in this TV and seems to protrude a bit more around the edges. The standard thick swath of perforated plastic that hides the speakers is available in the bottom of the set, with the only letterings on the set that states the brand name Sony. Though it has a limited viewing angle of just 160 degrees, you can still sit at quite an obtuse angle to the display and get a vivid picture.
Range of colour options in KDL-20S3000:
One thing that makes KDL-20S3000 20″ Widescreen LCD TV stand out from the rest is that this models comes in a wide selection of dazzling array of shades that includes the standard black, metallic silver, light blue, lilac, mocha, silky white and to the delight of the girls, in pink too. Hence, if your really bored of having the regular metallic silver and black TVs, then you have a lot of options and additionally, with this range of options available, you will be always able to match the colour theme of your home.
Connectivity delight:
The connectivity options that is offered in Sony Bravia KDL-20S3000 is perfectly adequate for a mid level HDTV. For a medium screen TV like this, it also offers a surprising amount of HDMI and Scart connections so you can hook up your DVD, blu-ray and gaming consoles. It includes two HDMI inputs, two RGB enabled Scart sockets, a pair of requisite component video inputs, a VGA-style PC input (1,360×768 maximum resolution), an AV input with composite and S-Video, a second AV input with only composite video, and an optical digital audio output for the ATSC tuner. For use with Sony’s Bravia Internet Link product, a separate back-panel USB port and mounting slot are available. The side-panel sports an AV input with composite and S-Video along with a convenient headphone output.
Logically designed remote control:
The remote control that is offered for KDL-20S3000 HD LCD TV is the most basic one, but we have no complaints with the clicker as it actually does a great job. The remote is tiny and feels good in your hands and the differentiation between the keys has been done well with a lot of space between them and all of the major functions have been taken into account. Some kind of illumination would have been great. Though most of the labelling and keys are standard with the remote, Sony has also taken a few measures to make it stand out from the rest of the herd. Instead of the menu key that is used to access the on screen menus, a big blue Home button has been employed.
Cumbersome menu design:
Coming to the part of interface, the KDL S3000 was the first Sony Bravia series to have employed the Xross Media Bar menus, which had been previously employed in the PSPs. In this interface, the items are arranged vertically and horizontally like a tree. The menu has a very clean and tidy look. Text explanations appear as you move over each selection, Sony deserves a loud applause for this. But this kind of a menu can become quite frustrating if you intend to navigate through many items. You will end up scrolling seamlessly forever on the settings menu in order to find the menu selection that you are looking for. However, an options menu key gives you quick access to the important submenus like sound settings and picture.
Another issue is that, once you have landed over the right selection, mostly you would tend to click over the right cursor instead of the centre button in order to make a selection. This is a natural tendency that you might get with the menu orientation. The overall verdict on this high tech interface is that, some people might like the set-up but some will completely loath it for its complications involved. The last years menus were much better and very user friendly.
Basic features of Bravia KDL-20S3000:
Being the least expensive series of the Sony Bravia LCD TV ranges, the 20-inch KDL-20S3000 has a standard native resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels and not the 1080p resolution that can be found on some of the step-up models. This resolution allows the TV to resolve each and every pixel of 720p HDTV content. One thing that is to be kept in mind is that, irrespective of the content, high definition or standard definition or DVD, it is scaled to fit the available pixels of the TV.
The Sony Bravia KDL-20S3000 LCD HDTV features the Bravia engine which is Sony’s highest pedigree of display engine and is world renowned for its capabilities. It has got a dynamic contrast ratio of 4000:1, which is again quite good. The 8 day EPG displays information in 30 minute or 2 hour segments, but is a little squashed. The EPG data is not retained when the TV is switched to standby, but it repopulates within a just few minutes.
Limited control for the users:
Users who expect all the myriad picture controls in the Sony step-up models will be highly disappointed with the minimal options available in Sony KDL-20S3000, though it has more options than most of the LCD TVs out there. One of the most glaring omissions is ability to fine tune the colour temperature beyond the four available presets given. This option can be found in even some of the very late LCD models, even in the budget vizio models. However, we have got one good news for the picture tweaking personalities. Each of the three overall picture modes can be adjusted independently for each inputs, which makes the job of tweaking the picture for different sources and personal preferences easy too. In addition to the standard range of controls, the advanced menu also offers a suite of Sony specific extras, most of which is left off for the sake of critical viewing. The menu named video options has the CineMotion settings of Sony, where the user can choose between off and auto and the auto option engages the 2:3 pull down detection.
Advanced features employed:
Obviously the Sony Bravia KDL-20S3000 is HD ready, and it comes with built in freeview so it is nice and tidy. The Picture in Picture feature is included that allows you to watch two programs at once. A favourite channel list has also been given that will be very handy when the built-in tuners of the TV are employed. The other interesting functionalities include freeze frame function and display feature that is more comprehensive than the stuff that is usually available. The display option lists that aspect ratio, signal resolution, source and time. With the aspect ratio, the Sony KDL-20S3000 freeview lcd tv offers three high definition sources and four standard definition sources. The extra options offered in the screen menu are extremely helpful as they give you an ability to automatically adjust the horizontal and vertical position of the entire picture, zoom the viewing area slightly and resize the 4:3 material. Both the Scart and Video method can be used to trigger a suitable VCR to record, and this TV supports Audio Description to help those who are visually impaired.
Performance:
Coming to the part of performance, the KDL-20S3000’s highlight is its deep black level and commendable output of the standard definition video processing. The quality of the LCD screen is excellent with great colour depth especially with the reds and the greens, what Bravia is renowned for. The images could have been more sharper with more accurate colour temperature. The cinema mode in the usual options itself delivers exactly what is preferred. The Gamma off position provides the most accurate balance between the bright and dark scenes and also gives a realistic rise form black to brighter scenes. The uniformity is a bit below average for an LCD TV.
As a widescreen LCD TV, the KDL-20S3000 has managed to offer excellent and solid picture quality with relatively deep black levels and commendable processing with the standard definition sources. But as expected, it struggles to match up with some of the more expensive 1080p models that are available in the current market.
In SD, the DVDs are a little soft, but then has a natural feel and sense of depth. The free view images also give similar results of the DVD type. As we said earlier, the high definition images are great and offer clean and gentle images that has natural colour and depth. One predominant issue with this 20” LCD TV is its limited viewing angles.
Audio quality:
The two 5 watt speakers are pretty good considering their relatively small size and output capabilities. The audio quality is pretty decent but if you are looking for a real home theatre feel, then you should consider buying separate speakers. Basically, the sound is clear with clear and controlled natural dynamics. But when the whole of 20” TVs are taken into account, the KDL-20S3000 has got the best sound in offer.
Package contents:
The box contents of the package includes the Sony Bravia KDL-20S3000 LCD TV, product registration CD, screws for table-top stand, remote control, power cable, product registration card, alkaline battery, table-top stand and European warranty card.
Warranty:
Sony offers the KDL-20S3000 LCD TV, a standard limited warranty of 1 year for parts and labour.
Verdict:
Design wise, the Sony Bravia KDL-20S3000 lacks the style factor. But when it comes to picture, it produces a relatively deep shade of black, very good standard definition video processing, accurate cinema preset and numerous picture controls. But the downsides of the KDL-20S3000 includes the lack of complete picture control for the user, uneven backlight and crowded EPG. This entry level model is best suited for second rooms like kitchen, bedroom or a small sitting room.
Sony Bravia KDL-20S3000 Widescreen LCD TV – Specifications, Features
| Manufacturer | Sony |
| Model Name | Sony Bravia KDL-20S3000 |
| Dimensions (W x H x D) cm | With stand: 49.7 x 39.5 x 19.9 Without stand: 49.7 x 35.8 x 9.9 |
| Weight | 8 kgs |
| Colours available | Black, metallic silver, light blue, lilac, mocha, silky white and pink |
| Diagonal Size | 20″ widescreen |
| Technology | TFT active matrix |
| Resolution | 1366 x 768 |
| Display Format | 720p |
| Image Aspect Ratio | 16:9 |
| LCD Backlight Technology | Wide Color Gamut-CCFL |
| Progressive Scan | Progressive Scanning |
| Viewing Angle | 160 degrees |
| Pixel Response Time | 8 ms |
| Comb Filter | 3D digital |
| V-Chip Control | Yes |
| Picture Adjustment | Standard/Cinema/Vivid |
| Image processor | Bravia engine |
| TV tuner features | Reception System: NTSC-M Stereo Reception System: MTS MTS Stereo Secondary Audio Program (SAP) dbx Noise Reduction |
| Video features | HDTV Ready Freeze Memo Parental Channel Lock Closed Caption Capability |
| Remote Control | Infrared |
| Audio features | Stereo , 2 speakers |
| Cables Included | 1 x VGA cable , 1 x Video cable |
| Power supply | Internal |
| Compliant Standards | EPA Energy Star |
| Warranty | One year |
March 4th, 2010 at 7:34 pm
New fan and new follower here. I am a parent of 2 teenagers and this is important information. I like what you had to say and totally agree with you. Keep on spreading the word.