Group testw

20in LCD TV Approx price: 550
20in LCD TV HD Ready Built-in digital tuner 1,366 x 768 pixels PC compatible

Sony KDL-20S2020

Test Data
TEST Colour: Frequency response: READING Excellent Excellent
For a full explanation of test data, please see page 86

Details

FEATURES
Screen size & shape: 20in 16:9 Tuner: Digital and analogue Sound system: Stereo with Viva BBE & Dolby Virtual Resolution (pixels): 1,366 x 768 HD Ready: Yes Quoted contrast ratio: 1200:1 Quoted brightness: N/A Screen dimensions (inc stand): 500(w) x 489(h) x 209(d)mm Weight: 7.3kg OTHER FEATURES: 7-day EPG support; timer event memory

SOCKETS

HDMI input; 2 Scart inputs (1 RGB); component video input; S-video input; composite video input; PC input; stereo audio input; CI slot

CONTACT

www.sony.co.uk
s easily the most expensive 20in TV in this group test, Sonys KDL-20S2020 needs to go some if it wants to win us over. Things dont start well its design is disappointing, and its monotone, plasticky, grey nish and uninspired lines really fail to excite. Its rear panel looks more promising, though, housing as it does both HDMI and component video connections capable of receiving high-def sources. Combined with the 20S2020s widescreen shape and native 1,366 x 768 resolution, these jacks make the TV HD Ready. Also bringing a smile is a D-Sub PC jack, two Scarts rather than one and a CI slot for adding subscription TV channels, which justies the presence of a built-in digital tuner. Sonys contender is the only integrated digital TV in this group test, and it fully realises its digital potential by including seven-day electronic programme guide support and a timer event memory. Other noteworthy features include a backlight adjustment, optional noise reduction,Virtual Dolby surround, and the latest Viva Digital HD3D audio processing system from BBE Sound. A couple of the screens claimed specications warrant a mention too, namely hugely impressive gures of 8ms for the LCD response
time (which should help reduce LCDs motion smearing), and a contrast ratio of 1,200:1. Thats vast by the standards of the small LCD TV world. Our only complaint about the 20S2020s hugely impressive features count would be that its onscreen access menus are uncomfortably small to read from any distance.

performance

This relatively minor complaint is quickly forgiven, though, when you clock the sets impressive pictures. For starters, images are unusually crisp and detailed. This helps the set make digital tuner sources look much sharper than normal for such a small screen, and also delivers as many of the benets of HD as any screen this small realistically can. The 20S2020s well ahead of most rivals with its black levels too, as even the darkness of space at the start of Alien looks genuinely black and vast instead of grey and at as it usually does on small LCDs. Colours, meanwhile, are outstandingly rich and bright when needed. But its their naturalism and precision during subtler moments that really stands out, particularly on skin tones and colour blends. With edges looking sharp and ghost-free (providing you avoid the Vivid factory preset), motion
looking clean, and noise of all sorts being suppressed well, theres really nothing bad to say about the 20S2020s pictures. Its no slouch sonically, either. Theres a ne amount of audio detail in the soundstage and, with VIVA BBE activated, a pleasing level of treble and bass range all distortion-free at even high volumes. For us, the 20S2020 is by far the most highly specied and highest performance set in this group test, and it thoroughly deserves its Best Buy badge

Ratings

WHATS GOOD WHATS BAD
Small menus; dull design; price Pictures; PC ready; HD Ready; digital tuner; feature list
Picture Sound Features Ease of use Value

VERDICT

If you can afford it, this is probably the nest 20in TV weve seen to date
066 I What Video and High-Denition TV I Issue 314

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13/10/06 18:31:22