The Sony Bravia XBR-65X900A is an Ultra HD television (also called a 4K set) with 3840x2160 pixel resolution, four times that of a 1080p HDTV. This means it not only functions as a regular HDTV, but it can also display higher-resolution Ultra HD video. Though there is very little commercially available Ultra HD content at this time, Sony provides a 4K movie playback solution with its FMP-X1 media player, whose content we used to evaluate the display's UHD performance. To evaluate the Sony's overall performance we ran the TV through all our standard HDTV tests, most of which remain valid regardless of the video type unless otherwise noted. Some comments about Sony's picture performance using actual Ultra HD content are also provided.
PICTURE QUALITY This model had excellent high-definition picture quality. It did a top-notch job displaying the finest detail. Color accuracy was excellent, so colors looked very natural and lifelike. Contrast--the difference between the darkest blacks and brightest whites--was good, so images showed some depth and dimension. In this respect, the TV was similar to most of the models we test. The brightness level was good, making it a suitable choice for most rooms. Thanks to Sony's "LED Dynamic Control," the TV had deep black levels, just shy of the best sets, without producing any obvious local dimming artifacts. In scenes with subtly shaded light-to-dark areas, such as a sky during sunset, the TV did an excellent job producing a smooth transition without distinct, coarse bands. There was a slight uneven brightness effect created cloudy areas most noticeable on very dark scenes. We routinely see this type of issue with many brands of LCD TVs, regardless of the type of backlight used (CCFL or LED). Though it's generally not a significant problem, it can vary in degree from TV to TV. Film mode operation for HD film-based content was excellent, with no visible jaggies along the edges of objects during motion scenes. Deinterlacing on the other hand was only fair, with jaggies visible when converting 1080i video content, such as from cable, to the display's native resolution.
VIEWING ANGLE This Sony has a moderate viewing angle overall, decent, but not quite as good as the better-performing LCD sets we've tested. The optimal seating position for best picture quality is directly in front of the TV. If your family is seated in chairs off to the side of the TV, they'll see decent but compromised image quality.
When we moved off to the sides the horizontal viewing angle was good; the picture showed a slight loss of color so flesh tones looked a bit washed out, along with a moderate color shift. Black levels brightened significantly, making dark scenes look hazy. When viewing the image from above or below eye level to the screen, the vertical viewing angle was very good. The picture showed minimal change in color, contrast, and black level.
ULTRA HD PERFORMANCE Using the 4K movies and videos supplied by the manufacturer we were able to make some judgments about the Sony's Ultra HD performance (The Sony's FMP-X1 media player's content includes a mix of feature films, short movie clips, and music videos played back via the TV's HDMI input). With most of the supplied Ultra HD content, especially the videos captured with a 4K studio camera, image detail and clarity was stunning, clearly beyond anything we've seen in the HD format. The detail was so good that freeze frames on Ultra HD videos were essentially high-resolution 8 megapixel photo stills. On Ultra HD movie (film-based) content the improvement in detail over HD was less dramatic but still there. Though the high pixel density on this display clearly adds a new level of image detail to image content, we believe most viewers will have a hard time seeing this benefit when viewing from more typical home viewing distances. The benefits of Ultra HD's extra resolution are best appreciated on the largest screen sizes, or when sitting very close to the screen. When playing regular 1080p content on the Sony we found the 1080p-to-4K resolution upconversion to be very good. Edges and diagonals from HD image content were generally smooth, and fine detail was generally better resolved when played on the Ultra HD than on a regular HDTV. Unlike we saw on Sony's 55" sibling model (55X900A), this 65" fortunately does make full use of its 4K pixels when displaying photos from a flash drive via its USB port, where images are presented in full 8 mega-pixel resolution. On the down side, the photos were visibly oversharpened, and because Sony blocks access to the picture setting controls when viewing via USB, we could not tweak this out. And again unlike the 55" UHD whose 3D mode could only yield half 1080p resolution to each eye, this model does make good use of its double HD vertical resolution to present 3D movies at full 1080p.
MOTION BLUR This Sony TV has good motion performance, with some blurring on our motion tests, thanks to Sony's Motion flow. This feature is designed to reduce motion blur, a shortcoming of most LCD TVs. With the feature turned off, motion performance was only fair, with significant blurring on our motion tests.
SCREEN REFLECTIVITY The screen surface on this LCD TV has one of the shinier mirror-like surfaces we've seen, which makes it very susceptible to reflections from a nearby lamp or window. The screen is dark so it does a good job reducing glare from ambient light and maintains contrast even in a bright room.
3D PERFORMANCE The overall 3D effect was very good, on par with the better 3D displays. 3D images showed effective depth, with minimal levels of ghosting (left eye/right eye crosstalk) on our 3D test patterns and on a wide variety of 3D program content. There was an increase in ghosting when we viewed 3D images from above or below eye level, which got worse as you move closer to the TV. In 3D mode, the display presented full 1080p resolution to each eye, showing all the detail from the best 3D content from Blu-ray disc. In 3D mode, the picture was brighter than some other sets, a plus.
SOUND QUALITY This TV has very good sound, better than most models we've tested. It has a wide volume range, allowing the TV to play loud with no noticeable distortion. At more typical listening volume levels the TV has a full bodied sound, and deep bass with good impact. All told, the overall sound quality is above average on this TV, which should more than please the pickier TV listeners out there.
EASE OF USE Overall, we found the set easy to use. Setting up the TV for the first time was straight forward, as was access to features and controls you'll probably adjust only once. Ease of access to features you typically use more often was very good. Also, the remote is very good, and the on-screen menu is easy to navigate.
Remote has a dedicated button to access Internet features, and to access 3D. The remote's major function buttons were sufficiently large and have high-contrast labeling, making them easier to see and navigate.
STAND ASSEMBLY Mounting the TV to the included support stand is easy, though the stand requires the assembly of two parts before mounting.
INTERNET FEATURES This TV provides basic Internet functionality with a limited selection of applications. Movie streaming services include: Amazon Instant Video, Hulu Plus, Netflix, Sony Video Unlimited. It also supports an optional Web cam for access to video conferencing applications such as Skype.
CONNECTIONS This TV includes four HDMI inputs, one composite input, one shared connection between the component and composite inputs (which means you can only use one type or the other at a time), optical digital audio out, three USB ports, an Ethernet port, and built-in Wi-Fi. Wireless connectivity includes: DLNA network file sharing, and near field communication (NFC) file sharing. HDMI and analog cable connections made to the rear-facing panel will protrude beyond the panel's slim depth.
INCLUDED IN THE BOX The TV comes with: a printed user manual, an electronic manual in the TV's menu, two remotes with batteries, and four pairs of 3D glasses. ABOUT FIRMWARE VERSION: Our test results and picture settings are valid for the version of firmware indicated. If your TV's firmware differs from the one shown you either have an older or a newer version of firmware. Manufacturers may periodically upgrade the TV's firmware to enhance operation, fix bugs, or add features. Firmware upgrades may be downloadable directly to your TV via a wired or wireless network (if internet capable), USB port, or memory card, depending on your TV's capability. You can check your TV's firmware version, or upgrade to the latest firmware by pressing the menu button on your remote and navigating to the appropriate submenu, typically under settings. Consult the user manual or manufacturer's website if further guidance is needed.
