Optimum backlight settings for Sony Bravia LCD TVs

Some users have reported problems with their Sony Bravia W4500 TVs as discussed on our Forums. We've been in touch with Sony HQ, and they've come back to us with a set of optimum settings for the backlight to get the best picture.

So if you've bought one of the new Sony models, we suggest you follow Sony's recommendations as outlined below:

To achieve a high level of performance and picture clarity, Sony utilises a very bright backlight setting. This helps deliver the brightest picture possible, as well as exceptional picture clarity even with the darkest image sources.

However, under certain dark viewing conditions, the setting may cause the screens on some of these televisions to exhibit a slight uneven uniformity, especially for a blank screen with no video source.

This condition is not normally visible under typical viewing situations, such as watching movies or television programmes, and should not affect viewing experience.

Should customers find that this condition affects their viewing enjoyment, we suggest adjusting the following settings to minimise this condition:

1) Setup Menu - select - Light Sensor: ON
2) Setup Menu - select - Power Saving: Low or High
3) Picture Menu -- Reduce the Backlight Level eg 'Standard' or 'Cinema
mode' (Factory Setting = 'MAX')


Andy Clough

Andy is Global Brand Director of What Hi-Fi? and has been a technology journalist for 30 years. During that time he has covered everything from VHS and Betamax, MiniDisc and DCC to CDi, Laserdisc and 3D TV, and any number of other formats that have come and gone. He loves nothing better than a good old format war. Andy edited several hi-fi and home cinema magazines before relaunching whathifi.com in 2008 and helping turn it into the global success it is today. When not listening to music or watching TV, he spends far too much of his time reading about cars he can't afford to buy.