Sony Bravia KDL40EX720 40-Inch 1080p 3D LED HDTV

The Bravia KDL40EX720 was unveiled a little over a year ago and it has become one of the leaders in the high-definition and 3D markets. That's right, the KDL40EX720 is not only an HDTV that whose native resolution is a dead giveaway that this is a high-definition device - 1080p - but it is also an active 3D device whose 240 Hz resolution means that you get some of the finest 3D on the market.

Not only that, though, the standard 1920 by 1080 resolution means your 2D video will be excellent, as well with brilliant colors and a wide range of contrast that makes whites seem whiter and blacks seem blacker.

However, when you pair the KDL40EX720 with a pair of active shutter glasses, you are stepping into a whole new world of video. For starters, note the delivery speed of the video, 240 Hz, or four times the speed of standard LCD displays. The way it works is this: Each image is delivered twice to each lens of your shuttered glasses. At the right moment, the active glasses actually turn off all video to one eye, while delivering enhanced video to the other eye. It is done so quickly that you don't notice it, although in 120 Hz systems it might be possible.

At this moment, though, the eyeglass lens that had been shuttered dark is turned back on and your other eye is delivered an enhanced video so that you have what is termed a "total immersion 3D experience." To put it another way, supposed you were watching a movie such as the "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King." If you have seen the film, you probably remember some of the more startling scenes where giants swing their axes narrowly missing the heroes as hordes of ghostly soldiers engulf the capital in the climactic battle. With the Bravia, you would actually see the hordes of soldiers rush past you at the enemy as they ran from the field. And, in the climactic scene, you would see a deliriously happy Golum holding his prized "precious," not realizing he is falling to his doom with the ring. The 3D is so real you feel you are there.

That perhaps is why the 40-inch LCD KDL40EX720 is such a hit with video aficionados. Not only that, though, you also have a number of inputs and outputs that allow you to use the KDL40EX720 as a video device for any Bravia-compatible electronic gear. For example, if you have a Bravia-compatible Blu-ray player and want to play a 3D movie and its stereo audio tracks on it, all you do is slip in the HDMI connector and the KDL40EX720 delivers crisp, clean video.

That perhaps more than any other items is the key to the Bravia KDL40EX720. When you are in 3D mode, the video figures are sharp and the whites seem to be a bit brighter (as in 2D mode) while the blacks are multi-shaded.

The Bravia KDL40EX720 is made for streaming media and is not only network-centric as it can act as a WiFi node for other devices, or, it can simply act as part of your home WiFi network. You can also pickup video from more standard interfaces such as the built-in Ethernet interface of the USB 2.0. Indeed, the Bravia actually has one HDMI output for so that you can actually chain devices, but it also has three HDMI inputs as well as composite a component video output

The Bravia is not only WiFi-ready, it is also internet ready and with the proper add-ons from Sony, you can set up the Bravia KDL40EX720 to handle Skype photo conversations with others as a picture-in-picture device.

As you can see, this is quite a device and we could go on for pages describing all its features. The best thing for one to do to find out exactly what the Bravia can do is obtain one and put it to whatever tests one wants, we're sure it will pass.