Sony XBR9 Full HD 1080p LCD HDTV Review

Sony’s XBR9 series of Full HD (1080p or 1920 x 1080 pixels) resolution LCD HDTVs includes the 52 inch KDL-52XBR9, 46 inch KDL-46XBR9, 40-inch KDL-40XBR9 and 32 inch KDL-32XBR9. The series follows on from the Sony XBR8 and for once the prices are actually lower.

Sony XBR9 Full HD 1080p LCD HDTV

There are some significant differences between the series contributing to the lower prices with the most prominent one most likely being the WCG-CCFL (Wide Color Gamut – Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp) backlight for the XBR9 compared to the LED backlighting as with the XBR8. Running costs for the XBR are significantly lower for the XBR8 models with, for example, a 46 inch XBR8 drawing 240W compared to 350W for the same size XBR9 which is truly surprising given the low power draw of LED lighting. Achievement of the lower power requirements can be attributed to the XBR9 models advanced power saving features including Dynamic Backlight Control. It’s no surprise that the XBR9 is certified to Energy Star 3.0.

Other noteworthy features of the XBR9 are the boosting of the Motionflow refresh rate from 120Hz to 240Hz coming near to eliminating any motion blur for fast onscreen action such as sports telecasts. The BRAVIA video processing engine has been further updated to BRAVIA Engine 3 (vs BRAVIA Engine PRO. The XBR9 LCDs are 10 bit panels with a very large 100,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. The XBR9 series models are all more media centers rather than plain vanilla HDTVs. In the words of Randy Waynick, senior vice president of Sony Electronics’ Home Products Division, “Internet-based content is driving the evolution of home entertainment. Our new networked BRAVIA models deliver streaming videos, access to digital files, and real-time information that transforms the television into a true multimedia hub.”

BRAVIA Internet Features

About two years ago Sony introduced Internet connection to its BRAVIA HDTVs with the Bravia Internet Video Link (BIVL), a separate device to connect a HDTV to a home router. With the XBR9 the BIVL has been integrated into the HDTV.

BRAVIA Internet video/widgets are an exciting new addition in the evolution from HDTV to media centre. You can accessorize your HDTV viewing experience in much the same way as you can your PC desktop by selecting and positioning widgets containing the latest news, weather, sports directly on your TV screen.

In previous Presentationtek reviews we have talked about the increasing trend of packaging of content with HDTVs which will make the purchasing decision even harder. Sony are continuing down this road with BRAVIA Internet Video owners can access a vast collection of premium and free on-demand entertainment directly from your HDTV. Using your existing in-home broadband connection and the BRAVIA HDTV remote control allows one to download and view online video, music, and more content from some 26 or more providers including Amazon Video On Demand, Yahoo, YouTube, Sports Illustrated, Sony Pictures, Sony Music,Slacker, and Epicurious.com.

Motionflow 240Hz Technology

Sony has doubled the frame rate of its Motionflow Technology to 240Hz which deals with two problems; LCD motion blur commonly associated with fast action movies or sports and frame rate conversion judder linked to playback of movies shot at 24 fps. The Motionflow algorithm identifies film content and removes judder resulting in a clearer picture with smoother motion during sweeping pans without a visible jerking or stuttering. Motionflow 240Hz inserts three new frames for every original smoothing the transition between frames. This is a feat that speaks volumes for the power of the onboard video processor.

BRAVIA Video Processor Engine

The beating heart of the Sony BRAVIA XBR9 is it’s video processor which is a single chip containing all Sony’s algorithms for processing video including scaling, sharpening, noise reduction, color optimization, contrast optimization and other enhancements. XBR9 models carry the latest BRAVIA Engine 3 Technology.

Why is a sound video processor so important? While the high resolution and larger screen sizes of HDTV produce more life-like images they also magnify any image defects which may include noise and image artefacts caused by poor video processing. Image defects masked by lower resolution displays can become evident on a HDTV. Artefacts and image noise can also be introduced through the compression required to pack hundreds of channels within limited transmission bandwidth or during de-interlacing required to convert NTSC or PAL interlaced signals to progressive-scan for digital display.

10-bit Processor and 10-bit Panel

Sony’s XBR9 combines 10-bit processing with a 10-bit panel, provides 64 times the levels of color expression. A wider available color gamut allows for smoother transitions between adjacent colors and a more accurate representation of real world colors for a more life-like picture.

24p True Cinema

If you have a 24p output capable device, such as a Blu-ray Disc player, you can watch films at the 24 fps they were shot at. If video deriving from film is not viewed at 24p, inserted frames can cause some lack of smoothness (judder).

Live Color Creation

Not all real world colors (particularly deep reds, greens and clear blues), can be reproduced by current display technologies. A standard CCFL backlit LCD TV has a color gamut of approximately 72% of the NTSC broadcast TV standard. For deeper reds and green and color images that are more true-to-life, Sony has incorporated used WCG-CCFL (Wide Color Gamut Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp) backlighting which has a color gamut of approximately 105% NTSC.

Sony’s Live Color Creation is a combination of the use of WCG-CCFL backlighting and advanced chroma signal (carries the color information of the picture) processing algorithms.

Photos, Music, and Video Viewing/Playback via USB

Raising the convenience factor a notch, the XBR9 enables you to connect your camera, USB-enabled MP3 player, or USB storage device directly to the USB input to view photos on the big screen or control your latest music playlist. MPEG2 video files are supported.

DLNA Certification

The Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA, a collaboration of the world’s leading consumer electronics, PC and mobile companies, created design guidelines for a new generation of DLNA Certified products that can work together regardless of brand. DLNA Certified consumer electronics will connect, discover and communicate with each other over a home network. It enables you for example, to access digital photos, music, and video from a networked PC for viewing on your BRAVIA XBR9 series HDTV. You can search and match DLNA compatible consumer electronics at the DLNA website.

TV Guide On-Screen Interactive Program Guide

The TV Guide On-Screen Interactive Program Guide, integrated into the Xross Media Bar, provides continually updated, free, program listings for TV viewers. The guide allows you to sort through television programs and channels, locate HD broadcasts, set reminders and record TV shows. The search functionality allows you to search by title. TV Guide On Screen works with regular and digital cable.

Xross Media Bar

Sony’s XMB (XrossMediaBar – pronounced CrossMediaBar) is their Emmy award-winning graphical user interface for navigating the television’s menus, controls, and user settings. The Xross refers to the horizontal bar of category icons crossed by a vertical bar of icons listing items within the category. Q-Games, a small software development company from Kyoto, Japan developed XMB for Sony.

BRAVIA Theatre Sync

With a single button Sony BRAVIA Theatre Sync equipped HDTVs can control the television and CEC supporting external AV equipment connected by HDMI. Theatre Sync is based on the Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) optional HDMI feature which allows up to ten devices to discover and communicate with one another through a HDMI cabled network.

Scene Select

Scene Select simplifies optimizing your HDTVs settings for the type of content you are viewing to the selection of an appropriate category. Scene Select provides a selection of factory set picture and audio setting optimizations for common content such as Sports, Cinema, Photo, Game, and Music.

x.v.Color Technology

The Sony BRAVIA XBR9 models are capable of displaying the new xvYCC color standard. Sony refer to it as x.v.Color. This new color standard provides an extended gamut (color space) supporting some 1.8 times as many colors as the commonplace sRGB color space. The extended gamut naturally allows for a more accurate reproduction of the source video.
Unfortunately, there are very few video sources available that support xvYCC or Deep Color at the moment (eg. Sony’s own HD camcorder models) so these features are best looked at as future proofing ones.

XBR9 Connections

The Sony XBR9 has an excellent variety of connectivity options with no less that seven HD input options. There are four HDMI inputs (up to 1080/60p capable) for connecting a game console, Blu-ray Disc player, or any other HDMI equipped devices. A PC input (HD-15 pin) gives you the option of using the XBR9 as a computer monitor.