W4500 vs W5500

[cardiel]

I just bought a Sony 40W4500 and im satisfied with it, but i just found out that the shop i bought it at just got 40W5500 in for just 100£ more. So now im wondering is there big differance between these two? Probably the W5500 should be better cause its an upgrade of the W4500 ? or am i wrong? So im not sure what to do , either i keep my W4500 or should i get the W5500? Is it worth the extra money??

[ChrisGgr]

Well,from what it seems,the W5500 is a worthy upgrade with new features,not only technical improvement(blacks,colours are the main areas)

[Foxy77]

Originally Posted by CHRISGEO

Well,from what it seems,the W5500 is a worthy upgrade with new features,not only technical improvement(blacks,colours are the main areas)

What are the improvements to blacks and colours?

[andymc]

The W5500 is an 8 bit panel whereas the W4500 is a 10 bit panel. I have no idea what difference this makes but I have a feeling that the 10 bit panel is better. Im sure someone with more technical knowledge will pick up on this and explain more. I have the same situtation as I was about to go and buy a 46W4500 this morning and now I am wondering if I should wait!!! Any suggestions

[munkymorgy]

10 bit Panels seemed to be selling point for panels in 2008, however it is my understanding that most samsung and sony panels are going to be 8bit for 2009.

10bit panels should technically be better but all current video sources are 8bit.
so the scaling to 10bit is an extra processing step that will introduce distortion.

This thread [Sony KDL 40W 5500 - 8bit v 10bit] seems to have some good answers to the 10bit vs 8bit panel. It looks like Sony are saying the 8 bit panels is cheaper to manufacture but the improvements from bravia 2 to the new bravia 3 means the 10 bit panel is unnecessary.

[ChrisGgr]

Originally Posted by Foxy77

What are the improvements to blacks and colours?

much deeper blacks and better colour reproduction

Originally Posted by andymc

The W5500 is an 8 bit panel whereas the W4500 is a 10 bit panel. I have no idea what difference this makes but I have a feeling that the 10 bit panel is better. Im sure someone with more technical knowledge will pick up on this and explain more. I have the same situtation as I was about to go and buy a 46W4500 this morning and now I am wondering if I should wait!!! Any suggestions

in actual content no benefit!

[Foxy77]

Originally Posted by CHRISGEO

much deeper blacks and better colour reproduction

Sorry but what is this based on? Having scanned through the HDTV review it seems to suggest that if anything the 4500 has superior colour repro due to different backlight technology? Also whilst it talks about excellent black levels it does not say over and above the 4500.

I realise this is one review but please explain where you are deriving this from

[ChrisGgr]

the blacks are about equal after reading the HD TV TEST review,but with auto dimming the blacks are much darker down to 0,02cd/m2 vs the 0,05 which is the normal measure.Colour reproduction although looking worse in charts in reality is about the same(after calibration)

[mlodyosiem]

i was waiting for 40w4500 for 3 weeks to find out that the manager of the shop decided to cancel his order for w4500's.
he assumed everyone will want the free upgrade to w5500, the catch was that i had to wait a month...
one month later and i'm still waiting, supposed to get it yesterday but i'm still waiting

i have read both threads for w4500 and w5500 and i am not really sure if that "upgrade" if you like is actually better than w4500: Input Lag, Game Rendering, 8 Bit panel, narrow viewing angle.
Does it mean Sony didn't actually improve the quality of the picture and speed of the connection and instead just added some cheep gadgets like: 4th HDMI, AppliCast or 100 000 contrast ???

I play a lot on my PS3 so Input Lag and Game Rendering (if noticable) would be my main concern.
apperantly w4500 has + 0-10ms where w5500 has +17-33ms comparing to some samsung F96 which already has more or less 30-35ms

head to head comparising:
Face to Face : cameras, printers, ... - DigitalVersus

You can perfectly see what difference does it make not to have input lag in here:
http://redirectingat.com/?id=223X354...ouselaggn6.swf

According to hdtvtest viewing angle in w5500 100' in w4500 90' but if you look at the pictures from the head to head w4500 is a definite winner, so what is truth????

w4500
Sony KDL40W4500 / KDL40W4500U Review
w5500
Sony KDL40W5500 Bravia LCD Calibration & Benchmark Tests

These are from the same range, older and younger series so we can't say that one is better for gaming and the other one is better for watching movies.
So which one is better?

[Tequila Sunset]

i know people will say what hi-fi are 'in love' with sony.

but this video made me buy my 40w4500

What Hi Fi Awards 2008

best purchase i have ever made.....

they only rated the w5500 4/5 stars.

[ChrisGgr]

Originally Posted by mlodyosiem

i was waiting for 40w4500 for 3 weeks to find out that the manager of the shop decided to cancel his order for w4500's.
he assumed everyone will want the free upgrade to w5500, the catch was that i had to wait a month...
one month later and i'm still waiting, supposed to get it yesterday but i'm still waiting

i have read both threads for w4500 and w5500 and i am not really sure if that "upgrade" if you like is actually better than w4500: Input Lag, Game Rendering, 8 Bit panel, narrow viewing angle.
Does it mean Sony didn't actually improve the quality of the picture and speed of the connection and instead just added some cheep gadgets like: 4th HDMI, AppliCast or 100 000 contrast ???

I play a lot on my PS3 so Input Lag and Game Rendering (if noticable) would be my main concern.
apperantly w4500 has + 0-10ms where w5500 has +17-33ms comparing to some samsung F96 which already has more or less 30-35ms

head to head comparising:
Face to Face : cameras, printers, ... - DigitalVersus

You can perfectly see what difference does it make not to have input lag in here:
http://redirectingat.com/?id=223X354...ouselaggn6.swf

According to hdtvtest viewing angle in w5500 100' in w4500 90' but if you look at the pictures from the head to head w4500 is a definite winner, so what is truth????

w4500
Sony KDL40W4500 / KDL40W4500U Review
w5500
Sony KDL40W5500 Bravia LCD Calibration & Benchmark Tests

These are from the same range, older and younger series so we can't say that one is better for gaming and the other one is better for watching movies.
So which one is better?

narrow viewing angle was reported only by one review,we dont know if this is true.8bit panel has proven not to make a change.Game rendering is again sth used only by 1 review and I am not at all sure that its evident.Input lag now,other than the measures,I didnt see any owner complaining about evident gaming lag.As for the dynamic contrast,I only keep the actual blacks advantage it gives,other than the numbers.The same applies to the much better processing

[Foxy77]

Originally Posted by CHRISGEO

narrow viewing angle was reported only by one review,we dont know if this is true.8bit panel has proven not to make a change.Game rendering is again sth used only by 1 review and I am not at all sure that its evident.Input lag now,other than the measures,I didnt see any owner complaining about evident gaming lag.As for the dynamic contrast,I only keep the actual blacks advantage it gives,other than the numbers.The same applies to the much better processing

Are you actually paid by Sony to come on here and promote the new model Chris? You seem to determined to reel off flimsy reasons why the 5500 is superior but frankly the reviews don't seem to back that up, at the very least its no better and I think the poster above hit the nail on the head regarding tacking on useless gizmos just to make the spec list longer.

People need to realise that the likes of Sony have to release new models every few months as a marketing ploy not because they actually have a better model. In the current climate it is not unthinkable that they've cut a few corners with this one.

[ChrisGgr]

If I was actually working or paid off,I d heavily promote the W4500,in order to sell the few pcs left.Maybe you are looking for a reason to oppose to the W5500?Do you think that BE3 is a useless gizmo?let alone the multimedia features which are limited(only applicast has and will show its potential very soon).The panel downgraded,so what?If there was a notable disadvantage I would be the first to point this out,and in the case of 10bit panel I ve always been of the opinion that it is just a marketing trick,and yes this was a trick to make the spec list longer last year and on the 2009 models that will use it,along with xv colour.

[Craig uk]

Having seen both in action I really couldn't see any difference in the black level. Maybe the 5500 just edged it but the overall tone and colour of the image is nicer on the w4500 to my eyes anyway. I was looking to upgrade to 5500 but I simply don't think its a better tv.

After testing panasonics 42g10 today which I was also thinking of upgrading to, I can safely say Im sticking with the w4500 for now anyway.

[JoeA3]

Originally Posted by Craig uk

Having seen both in action I really couldn't see any difference in the black level. Maybe the 5500 just edged it but the overall tone and colour of the image is nicer on the w4500 to my eyes anyway. I was looking to upgrade to 5500 but I simply don't think its a better tv.

After testing panasonics 42g10 today which I was also thinking of upgrading to, I can safely say Im sticking with the w4500 for now anyway.

Can I ask why you'd even consider upgrading so quickly? Surely the W4500 is "future-proof" for at least 12-24 months (and for most people, a lot longer than that!), and by swapping it any sooner the significant cost surely well out-weighs any tiny benefits?