Sony's new 'Bravia' branded KDF-E50A12U is the latest in the long-running - but not particularly well-reviewed - Grand Wega line of rear-projection microdisplays. At its heart is an LCD projection engine that, in market share at least, has been convincingly outgunned by DLP in America (the home of rear-projection TV) and looks similarly endangered as a species in the UK.

So, has Sony revitalised the technology for this astonishingly affordable model, or it it just treading water before shifting away from LCD to its own LCOS variant, SXRD - which has wowed everyone who has seen it since its debut in Qualia guise a year or so ago?

The E50A12U is certainly pleasing enough from a cosmetic point of view. Its twotone grey finish is smart and the set's ultra-narrow bezel ensures that it wears its 50in proportions as subtly as any 50in TV might hope. It's footprint is also surprisingly slight for such a big screen.

Connections-wise, the E50A12U exceeds my expectations - not least by the inclusion of both HDMI and component video options for HD and progressive scan fodder. I'm also pleased to report a 15-pin PC jack and a trio of RF jacks, indicating not only that this set is equipped with a built-in digital terrestrial Freeview TV tuner, but also that Sony has gone to greater lengths than most to ensure this digital tuner receives the strongest signal possible.

The digital tuner RF input is joined by a CAM slot for adding Top-Up TV if you so desire. The only disappointment is the provision of just two Scarts - though thankfully both handle RGB. The E50A12U is HD Ready, and has a native resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, so its ready and willing for Sky HD.

In an effort to improve performance, Sony has introduced a number of new features into the E50A12U, perhaps the most significant of which is an adjustable iris, with four settings. This should have a radical impact on the black levels an LCD system can deliver, as it alters the amount of light let through the projector lens.