HD News: As a minor upgrade to their existing high end Z4500 LCD series, the Z5100 will feature amongst other things, the latest incarnation of Sony’s picture processing engine, Bravia 3.

Available in the same 40in, 46in and 52in sizes the new screens will also feature Energy Star 3.0 compliance, Ethernet and DLNA support along with a USB port.

The Z5100 will feature an Ethernet connection, allowing the sets to directly access Sony BRAVIA Internet Video content using a broadband connection. The ‘widget’ type technology is already found in a similar guise on some high end Samsung LCD TV’s in the UK. Described as “internet applications delivering real-time information” widgets provide discreet on-screen applications that provide information such as weather reports, stock updates, financial news, Yahoo! Video and Flickr images as well as Sony’s own extensive selection of free and premium movies, TV shows, sports and music.

Sony’s Z5100 LCD TV series is due to hit UK shores this spring.