Sony’s 2010 batch of Bravia HDTVs is due to hit UK stores anytime soon, starting with the Sony KDL40EX503 LCD television which spec-wise replaces the immensely popular KDL40W5500.
Update 4 June 2010: We have published a comprehensive review of the Sony KDL40EX503U HDTV.
The EX503 series is part of Sony’s new Bravia ESSENTIAL (read: affordable) range. Five screen sizes of these Sony TVs are available:
| Size (inch) | Model Name | Alternative Name | RRP |
| 32 | Sony KDL32EX503 | Sony KDL-32EX503, KDL32EX503U | £700 |
| 37 | Sony KDL37EX503 | Sony KDL-37EX503, KDL37EX503U | £800 |
| 40 | Sony KDL40EX503 | Sony KDL-40EX503, KDL40EX503U | £900 |
| 46 | Sony KDL46EX503 | Sony KDL-46EX503, KDL46EX503U | £1250 |
| 55 | Sony KDL55EX503 | Sony KDL-55EX503, KDL55EX503U | £1500 |
Note: Retailers like Dixons, Comet, John Lewis and Amazon may sell these Sony Bravia EX503 HDTVs under their respective alternative model names; the extra alphabet “U” appended to the end of the model number simply denotes the 3-pin-plug UK version.
Like the outgoing W5500 series, the Sony EX503 LCD TVs are blessed with full HD 1920×1080 native screen resolution, four HDMI inputs, Motionflow 100Hz motion-compensated frame interpolation (MCFI) technology, Bravia Engine 3 (BE3) video processing, and DLNA functionality. The Sony KDL40EX503 does offer the following improvements over the KDL40W5500:
- Integrated Freeview HD (DVB-T2) tuner;
- Wifi-ready for accessing selected online content via a wireless USB dongle; and
- Can now playback DivX/ XviD/ AVI/ AVC video files over DLNA and USB (previously only limited to MPEG1).
In Europe, the Sony KDL40EX503 is known as the Sony KDL40EX500 which lacks a Freeview HD tuner but makes up for it with a built-in MPEG-4 AVC HD tuner.
Sony KDL32EX403 / EX403 Series
Update 18 April 2010: We have completed and published a full review of the Sony KDL32EX403.
Lower down the Sony Bravia ESSENTIAL range is the EX403 series which does not feature 100Hz Motionflow technology. The Sony EX403 series comes in four screen sizes, of which we expect the 32-inch Sony KDL32EX403 to be the most popular:
| Screen Size (inch) | Model Name | Alternative Name | RRP |
| 32 | Sony KDL32EX403 | Sony KDL-32EX403, KDL32EX403U | £550 |
| 37 | Sony KDL37EX403 | Sony KDL-37EX403, KDL37EX403U | £650 |
| 40 | Sony KDL40EX403 | Sony KDL-40EX403, KDL40EX403U | £750 |
| 46 | Sony KDL46EX403 | Sony KDL-46EX503, KDL46EX403U | £999 |
The Sony KDL32EX403 is known as KDL32EX402 in European countries, with the corresponding absence of Freeview HD tuner but addition of MPEG4 AVC HD tuner.
Sony KDL40EX703 / EX703 Series
Given the runaway success of Samsung LED TVs in 2009, Sony must be kicking themselves for not selling more affordable edge-lit LED-based LCD televisions earlier. The EX700 series – which sits highest in the Bravia ESSENTIAL range hierarchy – is Sony’s slightly late attempt to join the party. Besides the 40-inch Sony KDL40EX703, these slim, full HD, 100Hz edge-LED LCDs are available in 32-inch (Sony KDL32EX703), 46-inch (Sony KDL46EX703), 52-inch (Sony KDL52EX703) and 60-inch (Sony KDL60EX703). Prices start from £900 for the 32-inch to £2800 for the 60-inch.
Those who do not need 100Hz Motionflow technology but still want a slim edge-LED screen can opt for the cheaper Sony EX603 series. It only comes in two sizes though: the 32-inch Sony KDL32EX603 and the 40-inch Sony KDL40EX603 which are priced at £800 and £950 respectively.
This set isn’t a patch on the V4000 range, and suffers obvious visual artifacts and problems. Avoid.
Having seen this tv in action I would say it’s much better than the outgoing V/W series by far.Unlike the comment above I have not seen any artifacts worthy of mention.I was never a fan of the previous Sony range but this set is worth a look.
Dont know what Magilla’s on but that comment is contrary to what the impartial reviews are saying. My 40″ EX403 comes on the 7th, and I can’t wait!
Hi Bohannon – leave us some feedback when you get it. I am keen to know about the clouding issue, which W5500 was notoroius for. Cheers, Aleks.
You can now also get up to £150 off their new range if you trade in your old set as part of Sony’s trade in scheme that theyre running for the world cup.
I have just ordered a KDL 40EX503 from Argos. On top of the usual £150 discount (without trade-in) they have a voucher code giving another £50 reduction so they take just £699.99 off your credit card. And then, they say they will send me an Argos £50 voucher after 14 days.
I saw the offer about 26 hours ago, um and ahhhed for a while and then went on the website to order. Oh dear it was then out of stock so I spent a lot of the day checking and just managed to bag one as they restocked. Immediately after it was sold out again!
At the moment using a 10 year old Toshiba2573DB, I felt it was high-time that I got onto the HDTV bandwagon. Saw the Sony KDL40EX503 for £899 in Currys.co.uk.
SInce I will be getting £100 for my old set they discounted £100 off of the total price, but here is where it gets better…I found out that RicherSounds are doing the same model for £749 and with the trade-in, it equates to £649 so as long as they have the identical model in stock and within a 30 mile radius. Now I live in the city of leicester and the distance between currys and richersounds is 1 odd mile. So after they rang up and before i knew it, I got the TV for £649 and then there is the GoalsforCash whereby for every goal england score i get £10 and that does not include penalty shoo-outs.
Overall it was/is a win-win situation for me.
Peace out.
anyone had any probs with this. My set purchased two days ago merely turns itself off and won’t allow me to tune into any channel other than 301. All remote control buttons are disabled.
Be careful when going for the £10 cash for England goals! If you have had a price match or maybe even a trade-in there seems to be confusion as to wether or not you will be eligible for the cash for goals! Phone the cash for goals phone number and check with them before using the tv. Otherwise you might be dissapointed when submitting your claim at the end of the World Cup – it could easily be rejected – they have a get out clause in the Terms and Conditions! Beware!!
Hi Rob,
I too faced the same problem of TV not responding to remote. Mine is W5500, got a month back. Spoke to Sony ppl and they asked me to get it replaced.
I suggest you too get urs replaced!
Sony has the reputation of having problems, so better replace if you can!
Got Sony KDL40EX503 last week and today while changing the channels using remote, it stopped responding suddently. Switched on-off again using the remote but no luck. Then switched the power-off from the power-plug which sorted the issue. Just wondering whether anyone else here experinced such issues.
Thanks.
I am very happy with my KDL40EX503 40″ Sony Bravia. As a TV it is very good. I have a few minor problems when trying to view photos or videos or listen to music from my laptop over my network. Everything works fine via the Home button except video clips.
However I can set up the favourites button but when I select some favourites they do not work over my wired network. For example: If I am trying to select Music playlists or genre or Album artists etc (set up as a favourite) on my laptop it does not work. ‘All music’ (set up as a favourite) does work. Accessing music playlists, genre etc also works via the Hom,e button.
The laptop is running Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows media Player 11. I suspect I need Windows 7 and Windows Media Player 12.
I am still happy I bought it.would still buy it again.
Hello,
I would like to know how the purchasers of this tv rate it for gaming? I plan on purchasing both gaming console and would like to know if it worth the money. I also have SKY HD and would like to know whether this model would be a good price and value for money
Would like to know abit of information,
Cheers
Anyone know how you can turn power completely off without having to go to mains switch? When I use the set’s on/off switch to turn it off the red light stays on.
hi ray, i just bought same tv & spoke to Sony who stated that you can’t switch it off completly, just to stand by, you have to unplug from mains, they say its because it receives updates even when on stand by also say it burns just0.2watts, perfectly safe to leave on 24/7 but i’m not sure, still switch mine off at nights
Just acquired a KDL40EX503 c/w the Blu-ray player from J Lewis.
Can’t really fault it at all, excellent all round performance on most all sources. Makes a very good job of Terrestrial Digital TV though I prefer to use a digital satellite tuner I have for viewing. The rememberance day ceremony Pictures from the ousdide broadcast were very well rendered, looking almost HD like!
Blu ray and DVD excellent too. no light bleed or other adverse artifacts to report either.
Net connection delivers i player very well and of course you tube, but the set could do with say a separate wireless keyboard.
Sound is useless as you’d expect from small hidden away speakers in a plastic thin cabinet, but external amp and speakers remedy that:)
All in excellent performer.
Have had a kdl-37ex403, for about 6 weeks now and worked seamlessly – more or less, however, tv is not responding this morning, I switch it on (after switching it off from the mains), sony logo appears and goes to straight to analogue with no picture and distorted sound effect, then goes into standby, sony logo appears, detects usb abd then back to analogue.
I switched it on again, this time the green power light is displayed 10-15 now, but blank screen and no sound and none of the remote keys work or the manual buttons on the side, channel,menu…
I am going to put it back into standy.
The standby light blinks once every 1 minute approx and power light is continuous in their respective modes.
Can anyone help, any ideas what might be going on??
I am now trying to reset the tv (see my previous thread for further info), can get into the service manual, and can navigate (by pressing 1) to the page which displays factory settings, but I cannot enter any numbers eg 999 (002 Fact reset _ _ _ ) and therefore cannot perform a factory reset. The self diagnostic test display shows no error’s.
I may have bricked my bravia KDL EX403, when trying to see what panel the tv has, curiosity+ trying to find an optimal setting – seems to have landed me in a whole lotta trouble.
Any advice would be great. thanks
Lovely TV sony KDL 46-EX503, i just4 bought few days ago. The main problem I’m facing now is conncection failed keep coming up each time i tried to go online.
Internet cable okay, but when selected Youtube icon, it prompt me to log on. ‘User ID and Pin Code. I tried my usual user ID which i normally used on PC and Password but wont work. Please can you help? is there any other User ID and Pin code needed?
Thanks.
Joe-
I had a similar problem logging in to youtube recently and found that it was because since youtube prompted me to “link my gmail account to my youtube account”, it now only seems to accept my gmail logins.
If I put my username/password as my gmail address.password it lets me in fine.
Not sure if that’s what’s happened here, but worth a try if you also linked to google…
Just got a Sony EX503 from John Lewis great deal £100 off free 5yr guarantee with old enormous Sony taken away. Two questions –
1.Stupidly I don’t know how to turn it completely off – the standy light stays on red unless I unplug from the mains. Anyone know how to turn off standby?
2. I have a virgin V+HD Box and I’m reluctant to sign up for HD when they only have 6 HD Channels and 4 of them I thought I could get for free through my roof aerial utilising the in built HD Freeview in the Sony. TV’s good through virgin box but I cannot get the TV to recognise or find any channels via the roof aerial for Freeview – Any suggestions
Ive had sony 46” kdl46ex503 for 10 months and purple and pink vertical lines flash
on the screen just lasting a second
.Anyone else have the same problem ?
Hi Carl,
I have the KDL-40EX403. There is no way to turn it off completely except to switch it off at the mains. So I’ve bought a switched extension socket for the TV, Wii etc, and have that at the front just below the TV. It’s not a very aesthetic solution, but it makes it easy to completely power off any thing we’re not currently using.
I have a problem too, I’ve a wired connection to the internet, and several of the streaming video services work OK. However, when I try to view
BBCiPlayer (on the Video menu of the XMB) the TV briefly goes into standyby (the red light comes on), and then comes on again.
It’s not a problem with the internet connection, as 5 on Demand works fine.
The system firmware is at version PKG4.104EUL-0108
Any advice?
@Christine
I bought my ex403 earlier this year and have now noticed over the past few days there are 2 vertical lines maroon/yellow – permanently visible on the r/h/s going up to about 1/3 of the screen height.
Has anyone else encountered this?