Tour & Design
As with just about every other one of Sony's flat screen televisions, the KDL-32L5000 has few features on the front. The LED status lights are in the bottom left corner below the screen. Other than the Sony logo and the Bravia insignia, nothing else adorns the KDL-32L5000.
The front of the KDL-32L5000
On the back of the KDL-32L5000 are the bulk of the available ports.
The back of the KDL-32L5000
On the right side of the KDL-32L5000 are the control buttons to adjust volume, channel, etc. On the left side of the KDL-32L5000 are some easy-access connectors.
The left and right sides of the KDL-32L5000
The KDL-32L5000's is glossy black plastic and provides robust, fairly wobble-free support. It can swivel, though this was disabled on the display unit we observed. No official information on the KDL-32L5000's ability to be mounted on a wall, but it appears to have standard VESA-compatible mounting points.
The KDL-32L5000's stand
As is typical with just about every flat screen LCD HDTV in Sony's product lines, the KDL-32L5000 presents a streamlined and no-frills face. The screen bezel is primarily matte black, with glossy sections along the beveled exterior edge and the thin beveled edge that immediately surrounds the screen. It should blend in well with any home media center decor without any issues whatsoever.
Performance Features
Display Size & Technology
The KDL-32L5000 has a 32' LCD screen.
The KDL-32L5000's display
Format & Resolution
The KDL-32L5000 supports the 720p format and has a maximum resolution of 1368 x 768. To the naked eye, it's clearly not as crisp as similarly-sized 1080p units in Sony's line-up.
Brightness, Blacks & Contrast Ratio
The brightness, blacks, and contrast ratio specs of the KDL-32L5000 have not yet been published. Looking at the display unit on the show floor, we observed the KDL-32L5000 to show vibrant colors and fairly deep blacks.
Refresh Rate & Motion
The KDL-32L5000's refresh rate has not yet been published, which means it's likely to be the standard 60Hz. On the show floor, the display video running on the KDL-32L5000 showed only relatively slow motion though blurring was evident nonetheless. Of course, we won't be sure about the KDL-32L5000's performance here until we get one into our lab.
Viewing Angle
The KDL-32L5000's viewing angle is not yet available, but we observed it to be pretty wide with no significant color shifts even when almost parallel to the unit.
Color
The KDL-32L5000's color specs are not yet available.
Connectivity & Media
Audio & Video Ports
The KDL-32L5000 has 3 HDMI ports, 2 component ports, 4 analog audio out, 1 digital audio out, 1 VGA in, 1 S-video in, and 1 3.5mm headphone jack. There is also 1 cable/antenna in jack. The KDL-32L5000 has a decent number of ports that should meet the needs of the average home media center.
The KDL-32L5000's ports on the left and rear of the unit
Media & Other Connectivity
The specs of the KDL-32L5000 available to date indicate no built-in media connectivity to enable direct playback of web video content or even connect to your computer to display photos and videos. The KDL-32L5000 is compatible with Sony's Bravia Link accessories that will enable the KDL-32L5000 to display web content.
Placement
There is 1 HDMI port and 1 S-video port on the left side of the KDL-32L5000 that are easy to get to. Otherwise, you'll have to reach around to the back. The KDL-32L5000's stand does swivel to make this easier, though the swivel on the display unit was locked so we were unable to see how easy it is to move. Unlike higher-end Sony units that we've seen, the labels over the KDL-32L5000's ports are not all that easy to read since they are shown in raised letters in the dark plastic and are not painted on in a lighter color that's easier to see.
Audio
We have no specs on the KDL-32L500's speakers, so we have no idea what their polyphloisboian capability is at the moment. You should know that, regardless of how superb a television's speaker specs may sound, they rarely produce the same quality of sound that even an inexpensive surround sound system can put out, so a little extra expense for a sound system may well be worth it if you care even a little about the audio that goes with your TV-viewing experience.
Controls, Menu & Remote
Remote
The remote of the KDL-32L5000 on display was not available.
Controls
The KDL-32L5000's controls are on the right and consist of the power, channel and volume up/down, input selection, and menu buttons.
The KDL-32L5000's controls on the right side
Menu
We were unable to access the KDL-32L5000's menu on the display unit on the show floor.
Conclusion
Without a price point, we are unable to evaluate the KDL-32L5000's value relative to other comparable units. It is on the lower end of Sony's offerings, with fewer HD ports and built-in internet and media connectivity. Of course, it will be priced lower than these other models, but keep in mind that Sony products still tend to land in the upper price ranges.
The KDL-32L5000 is a solid unit that should ably serve a second television or smaller media room. We look forward to getting it into our lab to run it through its paces.
Meet the tester
Marianne Schultz
Editor
Marianne Schultz is a valued contributor to the Reviewed.com family of sites.
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