Sony KLV-V32A10 (32-inch LCD)

By Philip Wong
Oct 21, 2005

"Prepare to be mesmerized again" is the ongoing advertising campaign for Sony's latest Bravia LCD TVs. Ironically, it also faithfully depicts the ups and downs of the Japanese electronics monarch in its long history of TV manufacturing.

Back in the days of the 1990s, the Trinitron TVs were a household name and the defacto monitor for the broadcasting industry. Though it managed to maintain its lead in the latter, newer flat panels have superseded its market dominance which saw the demise of Sony's consumer TV business.

After years of dormancy, Sony is back on its feet with a new marketing strategy and a refreshed lineup of LCD TVs by the name of Bravia or Best Resolution Audio Video Integrated Architecture. So can the Bravias relive Sony's Trinitron legacy?

Editor's note: Pricing and availability of the Sony KLV-V32A10 were not known at press time. Details will be updated once they are available from Sony Singapore.

Design
Design and aesthetics have always been Sony's forte and it manages to keep its reputation with the Bravia V series. The KLV-V32A10 has a distinctive stealth-like appearance with its jet-black finish lined with an all-round matt-silver rim. A roll of cloth-grilled speakers occupy the bottom-front real estate while easy access connectivity and control buttons flank the sides.

This sleek beauty has a slim 111mm waistline and occupies 808 x 588mm of wall space. Supporting its 22.9kg frame is a steady yet versatile stand which swivels and tilts for ease of installation. To compensate for the relative lack of ventilation slots, Sony integrated three quiet low-speed cooling fans to keep the unit's operating temperature in check.

	We reckon this will work great with games! (click for a larger image)

The silver/grey remote has a unique ribbed shell which provides an enhanced grab, while its buttons are well-organized and have an overall nice tactile feel. We were particularly fond of the five-way navigation button which has a look and feel rivaling those found on gaming console controllers. How about some games for the Bravia, Sony?

Catering to the needs of both newbies and experienced users is a comprehensive user menu with its variety of pre-configured and customizable A/V configurations plus a suite of advance video settings. While the menu is well-structured, we felt it could be better organized for easier usage. For example, options related to video tweaking are found in three sub-menus instead of being consolidated under the picture sub-menu.