Sony KDL-32L5000 review: input lag, deinterlacing and upscaling using the piLagTesterPRO
This 720p TV from 2010 is fast at least in progressive mode, but struggles to display images other than at 480i/p wihtout artifacts.
Image quality
Good upscaling is critical for retro gaming. Ideally, all pixels should appear equally sharp and bright (no aliasing), and angled lines should appear smooth, with no jagged, irregular steps. Also important is that the display shows most or all of the pixels it is sent. Often, this is not the case, with some number of pixels cropped from the bottom or top edges. Shockingly, these tests are relevant for modern gaming as well, because even at their native resolution many TVs have aliasing and cropping.
I attempted to adjust the set to minimize cropping and aliasing, but for many modes the only option was some cropping, or even more cropping.
| resolution | aliasing/image quality | cropping (side, top) |
| 480p/i | none, just mild blur A- | 20,20 |
| 720p | noticeable aliasing B- | 30,20 |
| 1080p | blur, mild aliasing | 20,20 |
| 1360x786 | pixel perfect native resolution | 0 |
| 960p | nearly pixel perfect | 0 |
It's disappointing that even by 2010 these TV panels are made with 786p
resolution rather than the 720p that they are actually going to display for
99.9% of their life, resulting in blur, aliasing, etc that's definitely visible
whenever any kind of pixel art is shown. This set actually looks better at 1080p
because the downscaling seems to be somewhat more effective at that resolution,
with noticeable blur but less aliasing than 720p.
The display has 3 HDMI, 1 VGA, and 2 yPbPr input. I only tested HDMI.
This TV supports 24hz at 1080p; and it really draws at 24hz with no dropped frames or temporal distortion, so it should be good for movies.
Input Lag
I used a piLagTesterPRO to measure input lag. This device sends a frame of video over HDMI and measures how long it takes to display it. This display does not have a game mode; not even a game 'color' preset. I toggled all the display quality settings and did not see a consistent effect on lag, however the tests reported are with every "enhancement" set to off.
Input Lag Test Results
I report two kinds of values. 1st response measures how long it takes for the TV to start responding (I use a 5% change in display brightness). This overly optimistic value doesn't tell how long it takes to see anything useful, but matches what other reviewers call input lag. full response is a more realistic measure of lag, and requires the display to reach 80% of full brightness. This combines both input lag and response time, and is closer to what you would actually experience in a game.
| top | bottom | ||||||
| Resolution | 1st (average) | full response | 1st response | full response | scan out | response time | |
| 480i | 55.9 | 64.9 | 71.1 | 80.1 | 15.2 | 9.0 | |
| 480p | 22.8 | 31.8 | 38.3 | 47.3 | 15.5 | ||
| 720p | 21.1 | 30.1 | 37.1 | 46.1 | 16.0 | ||
| 1080p | 21.2 | 30.2 | 36.6 | 45.6 | 15.4 | ||
The set is pretty quick to start making it's first response, so long as the input is progressive, taking just ~22ms at the top of the screen. The response time is also relatively quick, at just 9ms, which makes it faster than average for Sony, even today. When interlaced content is used, however, it becomes much slower, adding two frames of extra lag (33ms).
This TV supports 960p with the same amount of lag as 720p. This is particularly interesting to retro gamers since that mode is used by the OSSC upscaler to display 480i/p with zero added artifacts. The OSSC can use this mode to display 480i with alternating scan lines and bob deinterlacing, which does a very good job of matching the visual experience of 480i on a CRT. This is the ideal way to use this screen for retro content, though if you don't mind the lag the 480i the set does a good job visually, at least.
Results compared to other displays
To allow quick comparison between many displays I've summarized the results
across all the displays I've personally tested with the piLagTester Pro. Min
lag is the time to the first response, measured where the screen starts
drawing (typically, the top); real lag is the time to the full response,
measured where drawing finishes (usually the screen bottom), i.e. input lag +
scan out + response time. Numbers in red denote average values that can vary by
up to 8ms between power cycles.
| Display | Year made (TV?) | Native Res | native min lag | native real lag | 480i real lag | 480p real lag | 720p real lag | 1080p real lag | native response time | native scan out |
| Vizio VO370M | 2010 | 1080p | 2.5 | 23.6 | 83.0 | 49.0 | 47.0 | 24.3 | 5.47 | 15.67 |
| TCL 40S325 | 2021 | 1080p | 6.5 | 27.3 | 60.6 | 29.0 | 27.9 | 27.7 | 6.00 | 14.83 |
| TCL 49s403 | 2018 | 4k | 6.1 | 30.2 | 76.8 | 30.9 | 30.3 | 30.7 | 8.00 | 16.13 |
| AOC/Envision G19LWK | 2010 | 900p | 3.1 | 31.2 | 39.5 | 38.7 | 38.4 | 37.8 | 15.50 | 12.60 |
| Dell E2211H | 2014 | 1080p | 3.0 | 33.6 | 34.7 | 34.5 | 34.1 | 33.8 | 15.00 | 15.57 |
| Panasonic TH-58PE75U | 2008 | 720p | 28.0 | 34.0 | 34.0 | 34.0 | 34.0 | 34.0 | 6.00 | 0.00 |
| Dell 1907FPc | 2008 | 1024p | 3.0 | 34.0 | 35.9 | 34.8 | 15.00 | 16.00 | ||
| Panasonic TH-42PX75U | 2008 | 720p | 28.0 | 34.0 | 34.0 | 34.0 | 34.0 | 34.0 | 6.00 | 0.00 |
| Panasonic TH-50PZ80U | 2008 | 720p | 28.0 | 34.0 | 34.0 | 34.0 | 34.0 | 34.0 | 6.00 | 0.00 |
| Corprit D157 (hdmi) | 2021 | 1080p | 3.1 | 34.5 | 34.9 | 34.8 | 34.6 | 33.9 | 16.25 | 15.13 |
| Samsung S27C230 | 2014 | 1080p | 2.9 | 36.0 | 36.6 | 36.1 | 36.1 | 18.10 | 14.97 | |
| Vizio E470VL (vga) | 2011 | 1080p | 22.0 | 39.0 | 39.0 | 39.0 | 39.0 | 9.00 | 8.00 | |
| Samsung LN32D403 | 2012 | 720p | 20.9 | 41.2 | 58.9 | 42.4 | 40.7 | 40.7 | 5.50 | 14.83 |
| TCL50s423 | 2021 | 4k | 14.0 | 42.0 | 75.0 | 42.0 | 42.0 | 42.0 | 13.00 | 15.00 |
| Dell U2410 (sRGB) | 2010 | 1080p | 20.5 | 42.8 | 62.4 | 45.0 | 43.1 | 43.1 | 6.13 | 16.13 |
| ACER AT3265 | 2012 | 1080p | 19.5 | 43.8 | 62.7 | 45.3 | 43.8 | 43.8 | 8.00 | 16.27 |
| sony XBR 43X800D | 2017 | 4k | 24.5 | 44.3 | 46.5 | 46.0 | 44.6 | 44.7 | 5.00 | 14.83 |
| Element elst5016s | 2017 | 1080p | 21.4 | 45.1 | 63.5 | 46.4 | 45.1 | 45.3 | 8.00 | 15.73 |
| Sony 32L5000 | 2010 | 720p | 21.1 | 45.7 | 80.1 | 47.3 | 46.1 | 45.6 | 9.00 | 15.63 |
| RCA L40FHD41 | 2010 | 1080p | 20.3 | 46.6 | 65.0 | 48.0 | 47.0 | 46.0 | 9.68 | 16.63 |
| Sony 40VL130 (game) | 2008 | 1080p | 22.8 | 47.3 | 66.3 | 49.0 | 47.3 | 47.3 | 9.08 | 15.43 |
| Polaroid FLM-373B | 2007 | 720p | 28.0 | 49.0 | 82.0 | 49.0 | 49.0 | 49.0 | 7.00 | 14.00 |
| Philips 42PFL3603D/F7 | 2009 | 1080p | 29.0 | 50.0 | 84.0 | 50.0 | 50.0 | 50.0 | 5.00 | 16.00 |
| Sony KDL-40V3000 | 2008 | 1080p | 22.2 | 50.1 | 68.4 | 50.6 | 50.5 | 49.8 | 11.00 | 16.93 |
| LG 42LC2D | 2006 | 720p | 28.3 | 50.6 | 54.6 | 50.8 | 50.4 | 6.30 | 15.95 | |
| GPX TDE3245W | 2016 | 720p | 28.0 | 51.0 | 102.0 | 51.0 | 51.0 | 51.0 | 8.00 | 15.00 |
| Sony KDL-46EX400 | 2010 | 1080p | 28.0 | 52.0 | 87.0 | 52.0 | 52.0 | 52.0 | 8.00 | 16.00 |
| Toshiba 40L2200U | 2014 | 1080p | 30.0 | 56.0 | 74.0 | 56.0 | 56.0 | 56.0 | 10.00 | 16.00 |
| Vizio E261VA | 2012 | 720p | 19.3 | 59.0 | 61.1 | 60.4 | 59.2 | 58.9 | 25.00 | 14.67 |
| LG 32DL655H | 2012 | 720p | 35.0 | 59.0 | 105.8 | 59.0 | 59.0 | 59.0 | 9.00 | 15.00 |
| Emprex HD 3202 | 2007 | 720p | 27.0 | 66.0 | 126.0 | 51.0 | 50.0 | 62.0 | 24.00 | 15.00 |
| Samsung LN32B360 | 2010 | 720p | 37.6 | 60.0 | 62.1 | 61.8 | 60.5 | 60.1 | 8.00 | 14.40 |
| Vizio VO22L FHDTV10A | 2008 | 720p | 28.0 | 61.0 | 94.0 | 61.0 | 61.0 | 61.0 | 18.00 | 15.00 |
| Vizio E261VA | 2007 | 720p | 28.0 | 62.0 | 95.0 | 62.0 | 62.0 | 62.0 | 18.00 | 16.00 |
| Samsung P2570HD | 2010 | 1080p | 37.0 | 62.0 | 62.0 | 62.0 | 62.0 | 62.0 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| Sharp LC-C3234U | 2009 | 720p | 33.0 | 64.6 | 83.6 | 66.6 | 64.6 | 15.00 | 16.60 | |
| Samsung LN46B610 | 2012 | 1080p | 53.0 | 66.0 | 82.0 | 66.0 | 66.0 | 66.0 | 5.00 | 8.00 |
| LG 42PT350 | 2012 | 1080p | 63.5 | 67.7 | 85.9 | 68.9 | 67.7 | 67.7 | 4.20 | 0.00 |
| Mitsubishi LT-46144 | 2008 | 1080p | 51.0 | 68.0 | 75.0 | 68.0 | 68.0 | 68.0 | 9.00 | 8.00 |
| Toshiba 46L5200U | 2013 | 1080p | 55.0 | 71.0 | 89.0 | 76.0 | 71.0 | 74.0 | 8.00 | 8.00 |
| Sony 40S20L1 | 2007 | 720p | 48.4 | 72.0 | 90.1 | 72.9 | 73.4 | 9.60 | 14.00 | |
| Samsung LN46C630 | 2012 | 1080p | 54.5 | 72.1 | 90.7 | 90.3 | 88.5 | 72.3 | 10.00 | 7.63 |
| SANYO DP50749 | 2010 | 720p | 67.0 | 75.0 | 103.0 | 94.0 | 79.0 | 75.0 | 7.00 | 1.00 |
| Samsung HP-T4254 | 2011 | 1080p | 69.7 | 75.7 | 94.1 | 76.0 | 75.7 | 5.00 | 1.00 | |
| LG 47LW6500-UA | 2012 | 1080p | 66.6 | 80.7 | 149.7 | 149.0 | 81.7 | 80.9 | 2.27 | 11.83 |
| Vizio E470VL (hdmi) | 2011 | 1080p | 69.0 | 86.0 | 128.0 | 95.0 | 95.0 | 86.0 | 9.00 | 8.00 |
| Vizio xvt4735v | 2011 | 1080p | 67.6 | 88.6 | 88.8 | 89.2 | 88.6 | 88.6 | 9.00 | 12.00 |
This list is sorted by real lag for each display's native resolution and max refresh rate (usually 1080p60 but some sets are 720p60, and other monitors support > 60hz). Thus sorted this TV does pretty well, being in the upper 3rd of models I've tested, and about as fast as commonly available options today, like Sony's XBR line, but not as fast as stand-out models like the TCL S325 range or the Panasonic Plasma's that are so hard to find in good condition today.
Conclusion
This is a middle of the line TV with disappointing image quality at 720p and 1080p, and lots of lag for interlaced content. So I would not seek it out, for sure. But if you happen to have it already, it will do the job for Xbox 360/ps4 games just fine, and is at least pretty fast for progressive content.
Other models
I tested the 32L5000 which is the 32" version. There seems to be a 26" version: KDL26L5000. I think the larger sets in this "line" were 1080p, and have a different model number series all together.
