Sony's next-generation Bravia LCD TVs: First Look
We preview the Sony KDL-46XBR5 and KDL-52XBR4
Sony KDL-52XBR4 (left) and KDL-46XBR5 (right)
As previously mentioned in the Electronics Blog, Sony's popular Bravia XBR line often does well in our Ratings of LCD TVs (available to subscribers). But last year, we noted that some XBR2 and XBR3 models displayed a slight clouding, technically
called mura, mostly in the corners when a screen was blank--such as when switching video inputs--or during very dark scenes.
This year, Sony has refreshed its Bravia line with its XBR4 and XBR5 models. These are "full HD" displays with 1920x1080 resolution. These sets, which use a different panel design than the previous generation, were virtually free of mura and the uneven screen brightness that's common on LCD screens 46 inches and larger.
We're still testing the 46-inch KDL-46XBR5 ($3,600) and the 52-inch KDL-52XBR4 ($4,000), which will be included in our Ratings of LCD TVs (available to subscribers) when we've completed our evaluations. Here's what we've discovered about both sets so far:
HIGHS
Great picture. For both sets, high-def and standard-def pictures looked excellent. They reproduced the finest details without making them overly sharp. Colors were accurate even without using the individual RGB bias and gain controls. Both also have a neutral grey scale, though we did notice a slightly blue tone in the darker levels displayed by the KDL-46XBR5. They had excellent “film mode” performance, deriving true 1080p resolution from movies.
Good black level. Both Sony models had a respectable black level for an LCD, maintaining a fairly deep black that was stable for dark scenes and scenes containing a mix of dark and bright content.
No clouding. Sony’s new panel design has corrected the issues that were seen in the previous XBR generation. There was no visible clouding or leakage for either set. Only the KDL-46XBR5 showed some very slight luminance non-uniformity in the form of horizontal streaks. That is impressive because 46-inch and larger LCDs commonly have noticeable clouding and/or non-uniformity.
Lighted remotes. Blue backlighting makes it easy to use either set's remote control in low-lighted rooms or dark home-theater setups.
Above-average audio quality. Compared with other LCD TVs, the XBR4 and XBR5 sounded better.
Innovative features. Both new Bravia models utilize Sony’s new Xross Media Bar (XMB) graphical user interface, which was originally developed for the PlayStation and PSP gaming systems. Despite its modern look, it might not be as easy to navigate through as other brands’ on-screen displays (OSDs)--including the older Sony interface.
Both have the DMex (Digital Media Extender) connection, which allows you to add Sony’s Internet Video Link. That external device ($300) enables the TVs to display streaming Internet video--including HD content--from sites like AOL, Yahoo, and Grouper using your home broadband connection.
Also, the XBR5 has a fixed black bezel while the XBR4 sets have bezels that can be swapped for ($300) optional colors. The XBR4's and the XBR5's "floating bezel" design (see image) might take up more space then other LCDs but is more striking.
LOWS
Viewing angle. Both TVs showed a brightening of the black levels when viewed off center, which results in a loss of image contrast. Even though this problem is common with most LCD TVs, there are some models that excel with their viewing angle and show no change when viewed off angle.
Lack of common features. Both sets lack an external media port, such as a memory-card slot or USB port for viewing photos and/or listening to MP3s audio files, which is becoming a common feature on LCD TVs. Also, despite having little overscan of images, these sets do not have a 1-to-1 aspect ratio that allows you to see the full image without any cutoff.
BOTTOM LINE
Based on our initial evaluation, these two large-screen LCD TVs have impressive image quality and sound performance--but along with that comes a high price tag. We expect that they’ll be top scorers when our tests are completed. They are likely to please many critical viewers despite their few flaws and lack of some increasingly common features.
This year, Sony has refreshed its Bravia line with its XBR4 and XBR5 models. These are "full HD" displays with 1920x1080 resolution. These sets, which use a different panel design than the previous generation, were virtually free of mura and the uneven screen brightness that's common on LCD screens 46 inches and larger.
We're still testing the 46-inch KDL-46XBR5 ($3,600) and the 52-inch KDL-52XBR4 ($4,000), which will be included in our Ratings of LCD TVs (available to subscribers) when we've completed our evaluations. Here's what we've discovered about both sets so far:
HIGHS
Great picture. For both sets, high-def and standard-def pictures looked excellent. They reproduced the finest details without making them overly sharp. Colors were accurate even without using the individual RGB bias and gain controls. Both also have a neutral grey scale, though we did notice a slightly blue tone in the darker levels displayed by the KDL-46XBR5. They had excellent “film mode” performance, deriving true 1080p resolution from movies.
Good black level. Both Sony models had a respectable black level for an LCD, maintaining a fairly deep black that was stable for dark scenes and scenes containing a mix of dark and bright content.
No clouding. Sony’s new panel design has corrected the issues that were seen in the previous XBR generation. There was no visible clouding or leakage for either set. Only the KDL-46XBR5 showed some very slight luminance non-uniformity in the form of horizontal streaks. That is impressive because 46-inch and larger LCDs commonly have noticeable clouding and/or non-uniformity.
Lighted remotes. Blue backlighting makes it easy to use either set's remote control in low-lighted rooms or dark home-theater setups.
Above-average audio quality. Compared with other LCD TVs, the XBR4 and XBR5 sounded better.
Innovative features. Both new Bravia models utilize Sony’s new Xross Media Bar (XMB) graphical user interface, which was originally developed for the PlayStation and PSP gaming systems. Despite its modern look, it might not be as easy to navigate through as other brands’ on-screen displays (OSDs)--including the older Sony interface.
Both have the DMex (Digital Media Extender) connection, which allows you to add Sony’s Internet Video Link. That external device ($300) enables the TVs to display streaming Internet video--including HD content--from sites like AOL, Yahoo, and Grouper using your home broadband connection.
Also, the XBR5 has a fixed black bezel while the XBR4 sets have bezels that can be swapped for ($300) optional colors. The XBR4's and the XBR5's "floating bezel" design (see image) might take up more space then other LCDs but is more striking.
LOWS
Viewing angle. Both TVs showed a brightening of the black levels when viewed off center, which results in a loss of image contrast. Even though this problem is common with most LCD TVs, there are some models that excel with their viewing angle and show no change when viewed off angle.
Lack of common features. Both sets lack an external media port, such as a memory-card slot or USB port for viewing photos and/or listening to MP3s audio files, which is becoming a common feature on LCD TVs. Also, despite having little overscan of images, these sets do not have a 1-to-1 aspect ratio that allows you to see the full image without any cutoff.
BOTTOM LINE
Based on our initial evaluation, these two large-screen LCD TVs have impressive image quality and sound performance--but along with that comes a high price tag. We expect that they’ll be top scorers when our tests are completed. They are likely to please many critical viewers despite their few flaws and lack of some increasingly common features.
