Sony KDL-40W4500 MPEG4 decoder?

thejuggler

Does anyone know if the Sony KDL-40W4500 tv can decode MPEG4 transmissions? I don't want to have to buy a separate decoder next year to get digital terrestrial tv.

STB

Yes. I have checked the spec on several sites and it has an MPEG4 AVC decoder. And is being sold as such on expansys.

http://www.expansys.com/d.aspx?i=173099

Check with the retailer that it does have and MPEG4 tuner befere you buy it. There shouldnt be various versions of the one model around. But nothing would surprise me.

Especially given that Sony ireland site doesnt seem to know the spec of its own models. Why they continue to list items on their "Irish" site that are more suitable for the UK market is beyond me. Everyone knows we are using Mpeg4.
I would suggest to anyone who is thinking to the future and need to buy a TV now, like the poster above, that they go to the french versions of the manufacturers site to view available suitable MPEG4 models.

Spot the difference (below). This is the same for most manufacturers, by the way.

http://www.consumer.philips.com/consumer/en/ie/consumer/cc/_categoryid_TV_CA_IE_CONSUMER/

http://www.consumer.philips.com/consumer/fr/fr/consumer/cc/_categoryid_TV_CA_FR_CONSUMER/


99% of digital televisions on the Irish market have Mpeg2 tuners which will not work for DTT in Ireland without the additional cost of buying a set top box.

There really is no excuse for this given that the costs for MPeg4 models is no different to the Mpeg2models.

No doubt watty will come on here with the mantra about LCDs being used as monitors etc etc for playstations and blueray.

Sorry that doesnt wash with me. It is my personal belief that if it has a digital tuner it should be the right one at the very least. The consumer should not be put to any additional expense just because it suits the retailer to shift goods that are warehoused from Britain.

Mayo Exile

W4500 is MPEG4.

Link to W4500 online owners manual: http://pdf.crse.com/manuals/4106868111.pdf

See page 49, specifications>colour/video system.

Site where Sony manuals are....

Link: http://support.sony-europe.com/manuals/manuals.aspx?site=odw_en_IE

kusadasiman

Had same questions myself about the new 4500, called sony centre in waterford today and they hadn't a clue, said that they would think that the set would be same as UK version. When i suggested that this was useless for here and I would buy a Samsung instead it didn't evoke a better answer! I called Sony Ireland and was passed to UK support. They also didn't know! They did however put me hold for 15 mins to find out. The answer from them was this....if you buy the set from an Irish shop, it will have both mpeg-2 and mpeg-4 so should be fine for us here. They warned that if you buy from elsewhere or online it is very possible it will ship ex UK and have only mpeg2. I told them to get in touch with their stores here in Ireland and explain to them about their own product as we seem to know more than them about it!..............happy viewing to you all! Paul.

gfinn

I bought one, its fine.......tuned into the DTT broadcast from Woodcock hill and have the enhanced teletext also...all from the humble rabbit ears!

techeng

I am based in Mullingar and have just got one of these TV's. Tuned into DTT and I am getting a great picture. However, i am not getting EPG but I can get teletext.

Any ideas guys or is this normal at the moment?

Mossy Monk

It is normal. I get no EPG on my tv either

techeng

Cheers, thanks for the info

pa990

i bought a z4500 up north. And it has mpeg4
I think someone posted elsewhere on boards saying that sony have the same spec across europe for all their tv's

Op.. Send me a pm and i'll tell u where i got my tv.

slegs

pa990 wrote: »

i bought a z4500 up north. And it has mpeg4
I think someone posted elsewhere on boards saying that sony have the same spec across europe for all their tv's

Op.. Send me a pm and i'll tell u where i got my tv.

As far as I can tell this is correct. While the Sony TVs are exactly the same from country to country they seem to promote different features depending on the location. In the UK site they wont even mention MPEG4. AS a result our sony.ie site seems to inherit the UK blurbs. But if you go to the French site you will see that they play up MPEG4 compatibility.

Panasonic TV models on the other hand can be slightly different depending on the country.

ixtlan

Mossy Monk wrote: »

It is normal. I get no EPG on my tv either

Strange. I have a 40W4000 and I do have the EPG. I just hit the guide button on the remote and I get something like the Sky EPG. I'm not sure how far ahead it goes though... one day maybe... I would have thought the 4500 would be more advanced.

Picking up signal from Spur Hill, Cork.

Ix.

Mossy Monk

ixtlan wrote: »

Strange. I have a 40W4000 and I do have the EPG.

That is very strange. I too have the 40W4000. I am receiving DTT in Dungarvan.

Picture included showing what I see on the EPG

slegs

I had the channel info for the DTT channels on a Darkbox receiver I have here but I did a rescan and the rescanned channels dont have the channel info. I have both sets of channels side by side on my EPG with and without the 7 day info.

I can only conclude from this that RTENL ahve changed some setting that is causign a problem for most receivers. Also, if it is working for you now then don't rescan as you will probabyl lose the channel info.

garlad

Hi,
I have a W4500 also, and have it connected to NTL.
Through AV1 I get to see stuff through NTL Digital box.
If I go on to analog (via remote), I can get the basic channels (not great quality).
If I go to digital (via remote), I get epg for all channels, but only a handful work.

I guess this signal is coming from NTL box and not 3 Rock (I'm in Cabinteely).

Should I buy an aerial and connect this directly to TV instead of analog connection from ntl box?
Does aerial need to be outside/on roof?
Thanks

STB

garlad wrote: »

Hi,
I have a W4500 also, and have it connected to NTL.
Through AV1 I get to see stuff through NTL Digital box.
If I go on to analog (via remote), I can get the basic channels (not great quality).
If I go to digital (via remote), I get epg for all channels, but only a handful work.

I guess this signal is coming from NTL box and not 3 Rock (I'm in Cabinteely).

Should I buy an aerial and connect this directly to TV instead of analog connection from ntl box?
Does aerial need to be outside/on roof?
Thanks

Because you have the NTL cable connected to the aerial port on your TV, you are still receiving the NTL analogue cable feed when tuning - off VHF anyhow).

(You have coax cable running to the TV and also ntl "digital" box ie "digital" box which is connected via a scart connection to AV1).

What you should do is disconnect the NTL cable going into your TV (I presume you were looping the coax input off the NTL digital box ? )

Now where that coax cable was going into your TV replace it with an indoor aerial and place it near your window. Go to the digital tuner on the Sonys menu and autotune. You will now receive the DTT channels, 4 of them - RTE1 2 TV3 and TG4. They will stick out as they are a lot higher quality to the underwater quality mpeg2 analogue streams that you pay for in your subscription to NTL. These new clearer channels are also free.

If you are happy with that you may wish to look at satelitte receiver which can also provide a lot of the channels on NTL platform except for free.

garlad

STB,
Thanks for the reply.
Thats what I thought was happening alright.
I connected a set of bunny ears a few days ago, but got nothing from the autotune. I'll get a longer cable and and try them again at the window.

harryw

pa990 wrote: »

i bought a z4500 up north. And it has mpeg4
I think someone posted elsewhere on boards saying that sony have the same spec across europe for all their tv's

Op.. Send me a pm and i'll tell u where i got my tv.

can you tell me where you bough it?

thanks

pa990

harryw wrote: »

can you tell me where you bough it?

thanks

samsyerman.ie

i got it during the xmas sales, its gone uo £400 since.

I'm gonna wait until the next xmas sale to buy another tv..might get a 40" for the bedroom

japjap

Available from Komplett for €957.03 in their sale.
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=375483&gclid=CJDcr7CH2poCFd4B4wodFX_f3g