Sony 40HX803 TV reviews

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Score 8.7/10 Read 316
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This TV is a good all rounder.

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Sony 40HX803 with 40" Full HD 1080p LED screen, 4 HDMI ports and Freeview HD. See full product description

Ease of use	8.5
Image quality	9.2
Sound quality	7.7
Design	9.0
Value for money	8.3
Overall rating	8.7

Some customer reviews of Sony 40HX803

Most helpful reviews

Matthew , Lincoln High spec fanatic

Score 7.0/10

Good points:: - Aesthetically pleasing
- Many features
Bad points:: - Poor 3D (Terrible ghosting even with glasses lens)

Ease of use	9.0
Image quality	6.0
Sound quality	8.0
Design	9.0
Value for money	7.0
Overall rating	7.0

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Confirmed purchase: 27 Oct 2011

maurice, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey Film and documentary lover

Score 8.0/10

Good points:: happy with most of the applications, and the colours and sharpness of the picture.
Bad points:: operating instructions could be more fully expletive. Only the most basic information is given. Things seem to be too technically setup. To people who are not technically minded it would help for more simple explanations. I am not too troubled by this, although I am sure that if more simple explanations could be given I would perhaps be able to use all the good facilities available to me

Ease of use	8.0
Image quality	9.0
Sound quality	7.0
Design	7.0
Value for money	7.0
Overall rating	8.0

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Confirmed purchase: 27 Nov 2011

Estelle, sussex Film and documentary lover

Score 10.0/10

Good points:: easy to use and set up. Looks good.
Bad points:: none

Ease of use	10.0
Image quality	10.0
Sound quality	10.0
Design	10.0
Value for money	10.0
Overall rating	10.0

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Confirmed purchase: 26 Aug 2011

Darren, Multi-purpose viewer

Score 8.0/10

Good points:: slim design, gloss finish, internet
Bad points:: seperate 3D, unable to load widgets and sony doesn't update its internet tv much at all

Ease of use	8.0
Image quality	9.0
Sound quality	8.0
Design	10.0
Value for money	7.0
Overall rating	8.0

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Confirmed purchase: 24 Sep 2011

Eric, Marston Moreteyne High spec fanatic

Score 10.0/10

Good points:: Excellent choice of 3D 40" screen. Usual high Sony standards
Bad points:: None

Ease of use	10.0
Image quality	10.0
Sound quality	10.0
Design	10.0
Value for money	10.0
Overall rating	10.0

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Confirmed purchase: 12 Aug 2011

James , Bramhall Multi-purpose viewer

Score 8.0/10

Good points:: slim design allowed me to insert into my chosen recess,its light weight was useful for this task.like the auto scene and the way it changes effortlessly.
Bad points:: not sure that the manual being installed on the tv is a good idea,what happens if it fails and iI cant access the manual.

Ease of use	10.0
Image quality	10.0
Sound quality	8.0
Design	9.0
Value for money	8.0
Overall rating	8.0

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Confirmed purchase: 10 Aug 2011

Brian, Mansfield Multi-purpose viewer

Score 8.0/10

Good points:: Great picture, good quality and design.
Bad points:: When viewing HD (any channel) there is a slight break in the sound
which is very annoying. I believe it is a TV problem rather than the aerial
which is almost new .

Ease of use	8.0
Image quality	9.0
Sound quality	4.0
Design	9.0
Value for money	6.0
Overall rating	8.0

Was this review helpful? 3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Confirmed purchase: 09 Oct 2011

Read all 316 customer reviews

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Product Features

Screen size (Inches)	40
Screen size is measured diagonally from corner to corner.
Type of screen	LED
Most small flatscreen TVs have LCD screens. Some larger TVs have plasma screens. Some very new TVs have LED screens. Traditional TVs are called Standard or CRT.
3D	No

HD TV	Full HD 1080p
‘HD Ready’ is a Europe-wide standard designed to made HD technology less confusing. HD Ready TVs must have • Minimum resolution of 720 horizontal lines (in widescreen format) • Ability to display 720p and 1080i formats • An HDMI or Digital Video Interface (DVI interface) Full HD is a higher standard. Full HD TVs have screen resolutions of 1080p and can output at least 24 frames per second. Full HD is becoming common, but you won’t see Full HD on normal TV channels for a long time, so it remains optional for many people.
Built-in disc player	No Disc Player
Some products come with built-in DVD players or Blu Ray players.
Freeview or Freesat tuner	Freeview
Freeview is free digital terrestrial TV. FreeSat is a free digital satellite TV service, which gives you HD programming from people like the BBC without having to pay for a subscription to a service like Sky. You need a dish to receive Freesat but not Freeview. For more information see the Freeview site or the Freesat site. FreeSat is a free digital satellite TV service. The main benefit is that you can get HD programming from people like the BBC without having to pay for a subscription to a service like Sky. You’ll need a dish to recieve the signals though.
Freeview or Freesat tuner	Freeview HD
Freeview is free digital terrestrial TV. FreeSat is a free digital satellite TV service, which gives you HD programming from people like the BBC without having to pay for a subscription to a service like Sky. You need a dish to receive Freesat but not Freeview. For more information see the Freeview site or the Freesat site. FreeSat is a free digital satellite TV service. The main benefit is that you can get HD programming from people like the BBC without having to pay for a subscription to a service like Sky. You’ll need a dish to recieve the signals though.
Number of HDMI ports	4
Like a scart interface but capable of carrying HD signals from or to other devices. You’ll need these to link your Playstation 3 or your Blu-ray player to your HD-ready TV.
Number of scart ports	2
Scart sockets are places where you can connect other devices to your TV. If you already have a DVD player, a VCR and a Playstation you might want to make sure your new TV has enough Scart interfaces so you don’t have to keep crawling round the back of the TV.
Connections	Ethernet

Connections	HDMI

Smart TV	Yes
TVs with internet capability allow you access to a range of online services.
Frequency (Hz)	200
A TV’s frequency is how often the picture is updated per second, and is measured in Hertz (Hz). A higher frequency, such as 100 Hz, means that a TV is more likely to show fast-moving images with high detail.
Type of LED screen	Edge-lit
LED-backlit screens can either be ‘edge-lit’ or ‘local dimming’. Local dimming means that diodes in different areas of the screen can be independently switched on and off, allowing better contrast and black levels. Edge-lit screens lack the deep blacks and extreme contrast of local dimming, but can be even thinner.
Screen aspect ratio	16:9
This is a ratio of the horizontal to the vertical size of the screen. 16:9 is standard widescreen format for TVs, replacing the older 4:3 format.
Contrast Ratio (X:1)	1000000
This figure is designed to tell you how much difference there is between dark and light colours on the TV. It is quoted as a ratio, between the brightest white and the darkest black. 500:1 means the brightest white is 500 times more bright than the darkest black. Plasma screens have historically boasted better contrast ratios than LCD screens.
Reflection angle	178
Also known as the viewing angle, it’s a measure of how good the picture looks when you are not face on to the screen. Higher is better.
Horizontal resolution (Pixels)	192

Vertical resolution (Pixels)	1080

Electronic Program Guide (EPG)	Yes
TVs with this feature have an on-screen guide to all the programmes that are currently showing or coming up, so you can find your way around all the extra digital channels easily.
Headphone Socket	Yes
Weight (kg)	14.2

Release date	2010-06-01
The date the product was originally made available for purchase.

Also known as: SONY KDL-40HX803, Sony Bravia

TV Buyers Guide

Manufacturer's Description

40" (102cm), Full HD 1080, 3D LCD TV with Dynamic Edge LED & Motionflow 200Hz PRO

This product is a previous model and could be no longer available at your local dealer.

Slim, cinematic screen with superb high contrast
Ultra-smooth motion for fast-action scenes
Ready for a Full High Definition 3D experience
Built-in tuner for easy access to Freeview HD

We searched for this product high and low,
from House of Fraser to Tesco,
no one is selling it, we're sorry to say,
not 400 retailers nor anyone on eBay,
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Here’s a list of the questions other shoppers have asked owners of the Sony 40HX803

Can you use other makes of 3D glasses with this TV or do they have to be Sony?

Andrew asked on 23 Jan 2011
1. Sorry dont know because we got our glasses with the tv which are sony.
  
  David replied on 24 Jan 2011
2. At the moment my understanding is that you can only use the Sony Glasses, I have heard that Xpan are releasing Universal ones shortly but they seem to cost just as much so defo go for sony if you can heres a link to the universal glasses:
  
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00462RMS6?ie=UTF8&tag=3ddisplay-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00462RMS6
  
  stuart replied on 24 Jan 2011
3. We use the glasses supplied by sony that came with the tv. As they have to be compatable with the sony sync transmitter, I suspect they are manufacturer specific - but cant be sure - I'ts an interesting question.
  
  Robert replied on 26 Jan 2011
how strong is the screen as i have kids and worried that the screen may be abit flimsey

mohammed asked on 27 Mar 2011
1. It is a bit flimsy, but as ours is in a corner it is protected by its position.
  Only grandkids in our house now and then so no real problem for us.
  
  Jim replied on 27 Mar 2011
2. The screen is quite flimsy, our other tv a panasonic had a music stand knocked over onto it and now has a crack in the screen. Protect from kids
  
  Stephen replied on 27 Mar 2011
3. I have not found this to be a problem
  
  Eric replied on 28 Mar 2011
Hi, i've just bought one are they a good buy for the money as now its a old model ,but i wouldn't really want to pay around the 1800 that this tv was when new or a this year model 2011!?

dean asked on 23 May 2011
1. Fantastic value for money but dont just think its a 3d tv its a fantastic tv all round since we bought have seen it come down in price but still top quality
  
  Nigel replied on 23 May 2011
hi there, i have read that there are issues streaming video over a home network, is that true?

andy asked on 27 Jul 2011
1. I have not encountered that, I have viewed content from my PC and content from the internet without issue. I do however use an Onkyo NR3007 surround amp that streams content to and I think I use that more often than the TV. So I cannot guarantee that there are no problems. I can however say the the TV picture whteher in 2d or 3d is stunningly good
  
  Mark replied on 28 Jul 2011
Is this model 200hz with 3d, only? If so, what is the rate for Hd/standard picture: - 50hz or 100hz?

Ta

Kevin asked on 01 Aug 2011
1. sorry to technical for me
  
  alan replied on 23 Aug 2011
can you put it up on the wall and can you turn the 3d off ?

aaron asked on 04 Aug 2011
1. I don't know if you can hang it on the wall. This model doesn't have 3d
  
  Lynn replied on 08 Aug 2011
Hi Getting this telly with my Sony points - do you have to wear glasses and how much do they cost - do you get any provtded with the telly Thanks a lot Joan

Joan asked on 13 Aug 2011
1. yes glasses are required to watch in 3d they are about £80.oo from sony but try the internet i,ve seen them a £69.00. they also have to be charged up.
  
  John replied on 13 Aug 2011
2. Yes glasses are required for 3D.
  I think there are 2 types available -
  one at around £80 which use normalAA type batteries (which I believe don't last very long) and one with re-chargeable batteries for around £120.
  I do not have either of the glasses as I chose not to purchase the 3D option with the TV.
  Hope this helps
  
  dave replied on 13 Aug 2011
3. Glasses are required for each person watching the 3d content on the TV. You also need to purchase a transmitter device. As John suggested try on ebay or other sites as you can get them cheaper but make sure they are the authentic Sony products. Some are copies from the far east.
  
  David replied on 13 Aug 2011
4. i managed to get my glasses for free when i purchased my tv ,it's tough out there for retailers at the moment so see what they are willing to offer you, if you buy from there store ,i purchased mine from my local sony store who nearly matched a internet offer .i bought mine for 2d picture quality and 3d oh what bonus
  
  andy replied on 15 Aug 2011
can you stream love film onto this one is it better than the:
Sony KDL40EX723BU 40-inch Widescreen Full HD 1080p 3D 100Hz Edge LED Internet TV with Freeview HD

jamie asked on 18 Aug 2011
1. Yes love film can be streamed to this TV
  I never had the KDL40EX723BU so unfortunately i can't comment on the 'better' comparison
  
  Nick replied on 19 Aug 2011
Hi I have seen on newer models you can use Skype. Is this avaiable on this model and if so how do you connect?

Tony asked on 04 Sep 2011
1. Sorry there's nothing in the booklet about skype. The player connects easily to the internet but I haven't noticed Skype on any of the options yet.
  
  Martin replied on 05 Sep 2011
With the pip (picture in picture) option does this mean I could play xbox and have sky sports news in a little box in the corner? Thanks!

Andy asked on 07 Oct 2011
1. I have not tried this not sure how it works but I see no reason why not.I have had picture in picture up and one is live and one pauses so you can keepup with realtime and paused at same time this does not fully answer your question If you repost this question in a couple of days I will try to find out for you if you cant it kind of defeats the purpose in my eye's you could ask in the shop but they dont always know sorry i could not be of more help top telly though dont go below 100 hertz both mine are and it make's a big difference regards alan love sony's
  
  alan replied on 12 Oct 2011
2. yes i think it does , have not tried this yet but remember seeing that option .
  
  Dean replied on 12 Oct 2011
3. yes you can i have just done split screen on sky, and dvd player .
  
  Dean replied on 12 Oct 2011
Hic-Up on HD sound. Advice from Sony was to reset to factory output but problem remains. TV only a few months old.

Brian asked on 21 Nov 2011
1. Did the sound work fine to start with or just not been able to get the HD sound working?
  
  If it is the was the former, I'd be looking to return it - something is not right and even thought it was thought a reset may have solved it, the underlying problem is not idedntified and it may happen again. You've paid enough money for a TV that should work properly, all the time.
  
  If it was the latter, and I was sure I'd followed all the instructions and any equipment being used is 100% compatible then same as above - send it back/repair under warranty.
  
  Hope it gets sorted.
  
  SIMON replied on 23 Nov 2011
2. Hi,as soon as i worked out how to use the remote properly,the sound was fine.
  
  daniel replied on 11 Dec 2011
Hi my set keeps having to prompt going on standby unless you press any button, anyone know to cure, have searched the I-Manual to no real solution,HELP Please.

Barry asked on 05 Jan 2012
1. I've only seen this a couple of times over a few months and only when the TV has been on and no buttons pressed for many hours. Sorry can't be more help.
  
  Michael replied on 07 Jan 2012
2. There is a way to change it. I also found it annoying at times... Maybe it's a way of saying you've been on here too long? :-P
  If you access the power save menu in settings you will find the option to change the set number of hours or to disable it entirely. I am on my way home from work at the moment but when I am back I will post a detailed 'how to' guide.
  
  - mja -
  
  Matthew replied on 07 Jan 2012
3. I disabled power save as I use my TV to listen to digital radio all day long. It never tries to switch off.
  
  IP
  
  Ian replied on 08 Jan 2012
4. Home --> Settings --> System Settings -->ECO --> Idle TV Standby
  
  Change this setting to Off
  
  Matthew replied on 08 Jan 2012

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