Samsung LCD A656 vs Sony BRAVIA W5500

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LCD A656 compared with BRAVIA W5500

	SamsungLCD A656	SonyBRAVIA W5500
Overview
Released
Released	2008	2009
Display
Panel
Panel	LCD	LCD
Panel detail
Panel detail	Full HD fluorescent-backlit LCD. The maker manual lists 100 Hz Motion Plus on 37, 40, 46 and 52 inches; it lists Movie Plus instead on 32 inches. These are processing modes, not verified native panel refresh figures.	CCFL-backlit LCD. Sony's Motionflow 100Hz includes frame interpolation and Image Blur Reduction; this is not entered as an independently verified native panel refresh figure.
Resolution
Resolution	1920 × 1080 (Full HD)	1920 × 1080 (Full HD)
HDR formats
HDR formats	None	None
Picture processing
Picture processing	Digital Natural Image engine, digital noise reduction and 100 Hz Motion Plus on 37–52-inch models; the 32-inch manual lists Movie Plus instead.	BRAVIA Engine 3, Live Colour, Motionflow 100Hz with Image Blur Reduction and 24p True Cinema.
Picture modes
Picture modes	Dynamic, Standard and Movie presets, with separate Sports, Cinema and Game Entertainment modes in the maker manual.	–
Motion handling
Motion handling	100 Hz Motion Plus is adjustable or can be switched off on 37–52-inch models. TechRadar praised smooth sports and Blu-ray motion on its 40-inch set; What Hi-Fi? noticed minor skin-tone smearing in fast Freeview scenes.	Sony's Motionflow 100Hz name describes the motion-processing output; a native panel figure for every UK size was not verified.
Sizes
Sizes
Sizes	32, 37, 40, 46, 52″	32, 37, 40, 46, 52″
Largest size
Largest size	52″	52″
Gaming
HDMI ports
HDMI ports	4 (0 HDMI 2.1 at 4K 120 Hz+)	4 (0 HDMI 2.1 at 4K 120 Hz+)
Variable refresh rate
Variable refresh rate	None	None
Auto low latency mode
Auto low latency mode	No	–
HDMI detail
HDMI detail	Four HDMI 1.3 inputs, with HDMI 2 used for DVI plus separate audio. Component accepts up to 1080p. The manual also lists PC VGA, two SCART sockets, composite video and S-Video.	Four HDMI inputs, plus component, two SCART and VGA inputs according to Sony's UK technical sheets.
Game features
Game features	Manual Game Entertainment mode; no automatic low-latency switching or VRR.	–
Smart TV and sound
Smart TV platform
Smart TV platform	None (no smart platform)	None (no smart platform)
Processor
Processor	DNIe picture processing	BRAVIA Engine 3
Speakers
Speakers	20 W, 2.0 channels	20 W
eARC
eARC	No	–
Speaker detail
Speaker detail	Two 10 W speakers on each of the five sizes in Samsung's manual.	Sony UK specifies 10 W + 10 W and S-Force Front Surround for its W5500 technical sheets.
Casting
Casting	–	DLNA playback of video, music and photos over Ethernet. AppliCast accesses simple online widgets such as RSS feeds, weather and a clock; this predates a full app platform.
Audio features
Audio features	SRS TruSurround XT, headphone jack, analogue stereo output and optical digital output. The manual says HDMI input audio is output as two channels over optical.	–
TV tuners
TV tuners	Analogue and DVB-T MPEG-2 digital terrestrial reception with CI slot and electronic programme guide; the maker manual does not claim DVB-T2 or Freeview HD.	Sony UK lists digital terrestrial MPEG-2, MPEG-4 HD with supported operators, digital cable and analogue tuners.
USB
USB	One USB port supports JPEG photo viewing and MP3 playback through WISELINK.	USB 2.0 media input.
Ethernet
Ethernet	–	Wired Ethernet for DLNA and AppliCast; no built-in Wi-Fi is listed on the UK sheet.
Optical audio out
Optical audio out	One optical digital audio output.	One optical digital audio output.
Design and power
Size
Size	Without stand, width × height × depth from Samsung's manual: 32-inch 806 × 528 × 81 mm; 37-inch 923 × 597 × 84 mm; 40-inch 998 × 638 × 83 mm; 46-inch 1131 × 714 × 95 mm; 52-inch 1276 × 806 × 105 mm. The manual publishes weights only with stands, so configuration weights are omitted.	Sony UK without-stand W × H × D: 37″ 917 × 602 × 91 mm; 40″ 987 × 638 × 93 mm. Listed weights exclude the stand; unverified size weights are omitted.
Stand
Stand	Swivels ±20°. With-stand weights from Samsung's manual: 32-inch 14 kg; 37-inch 18 kg; 40-inch 20 kg; 46-inch 27 kg; 52-inch 35 kg.	Sony UK lists a supplied swivel table stand, rotating 20° left and right, for the 37- and 40-inch sizes.
Colours
Colours	Gloss black bezel with a translucent dark red edge, called rose black in contemporary reviews.	Piano black.