Nine New Sony Bravia LCD HDTVs

[McBain]

Press release:

SONY ADDS NINE MODELS TO BRAVIA® FLAT-PANEL LCD LINE

Models Compatible with BRAVIA Internet Video Link and Feature XMB Menu System

NEW YORK, June 6, 2007 – Sony today introduced nine new BRAVIA® flat-panel LCD high-definition televisions with advanced features.

The new models all feature 1920 x 1080 full high-definition resolution, 10-bit panels and, in select models, Motionflow 120Hz high frame rate technology, as well as x.v.Color™ capability. Encompassing the XBR5, XBR4 and W series, they come in screen sizes of 52, 46 and 40 inches (measured diagonally). Including the previously announced S series and V series flat-panel LCD models, the complete line of 17 models range in size from 70 to 26 inches (measured diagonally.)

“Our BRAVIA flat-panel LCD HDTVs have the leading market share because they deliver an outstanding level of picture quality and style that people appreciate,” said Randy Waynick, senior vice president of Sony’s Home Products Division. “The new line elevates our commitment to full HD1080p televisions displays, while offering many more choices.”

All of the new models in the line feature Sony’s Digital Media Extender (DMeX), offering a digital connection for the BRAVIA Internet Video Link module (sold separately), which allows users to view select Internet video, including high-definition content, from the comfort of their living room from providers like AOL, Yahoo! and Grouper, as well as Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony BMG Music.

The module mounts on the back of a compatible Sony television and connects directly to the Internet via an existing broadband Ethernet connection (3 Mbps or higher) without the use of a personal computer. The feature will give users access to select Internet video, music videos, movie trailers, user generated videos and RSS feeds without additional charges.

Sony’s Emmy® Award-winning Xross Media Bar™ (XMB) interface provides seamless access to various Internet video channels, as well as traditional broadcast, cable and satellite offerings, in addition to any user-generated content. The XMB incorporates an advanced but simple to use HD graphic user interface to maneuver through the menu systems easily and quickly.

Also simplifying operation is Sony’s BRAVIA Theatre Sync™ feature with its one-button command, which integrates the operation of the television with supporting external components connected via an HDMI™ input (based on industry standard HDMI-CEC). Through a simple one-button click of the remote, users can easily enjoy viewing a Blu-ray Disc™ movie, listening to surround sound audio via an AV receiver, and controlling other components, all over just one single cable connection avoiding the hassle of powering on individual components, changing AV receiver audio input, switching TV video inputs, etc. (HDMI cable sold separately.)

Developed in consultation with the Sony Pictures Entertainment movie studio, the new BRAVIA HDTVs feature Theater Mode that adjusts the TV to display movies, better preserving the mood and detail that the filmmaker intended. When the Theater button on the television’s remote control is selected, the TV automatically adjusts settings to one that has been specifically optimized for BRAVIA LCD and SXRD display technology. Sony’s Theater Mode is the result of consultation with the people who bring Blu-ray disc and DVD for home viewing to reproduce an exceptional cinematic experience of the movie theater in your living room..

BRAVIA TVs are not just optimized for movies, however. Increasingly, people want to view photos from their compatible digital cameras on their large-screen HDTV sets, expanding beyond just viewing them on computer monitors. The new Photo TV HD mode brings the look of actual printed photography to the set reproducing high quality digital photos by fine-tuning parameters, including sharpness, gradation and color.

W3000 Series

Featuring an elegant brushed metal picture frame bezel, the new W-series includes the 52-inch KDL-52W3000, 46-inch KDL-46W3000 and 40-inch KDL-40W3000. The full HD 1080p models feature Live Color Creation™ technology with WCG-CCFL backlight and 10-bit processing with a 10-bit panel, which has the capability to deliver 64 times the level of color expression than 8-bit panels. The result is a smoother transition between colors and more natural, accurate reproduction of subtle color changes.

Enhancing image quality further is the adoption of the new industry color standard for video, xvYCC, also referred to as x.v.Color™ technology. This standard expands the potential color data range of video by about 1.8 times resulting in the display of more natural and vivid colors similar to what the human eye can actually see with supporting video sources. This technology is a perfect complement to Sony’s HD camcorder models, which capture color range beyond what broadcasters currently deliver.

Unfortunately, not all today’s video content sources match the razor sharp resolution and rich colors available on a Blu-ray disc or a high-definition broadcast. Helping to enhance content that is not perfect, Sony’s BRAVIA Engine™ EX full digital video processing system with Digital Reality Creation-Multifunction v1.0 (DRC-MF v1.0) technology delivers an exceptional picture by up converting common standard definition signals like DVDs and non-HD broadcasts to better match the television’s capabilities.

When high-definition signals are available, however, the sets feature 1080p input capability via HDMI, component, and PC inputs (with supporting PC graphics cards) for an outstanding picture. Additionally, the HD component and HDMI inputs are compatible with both 1080/60p and 1080/24p sources (24p True Cinema).

XBR4 and XBR5 Series

Sony’s new 52-inch KDL-52XBR4, 46-inch KDL-46XBR4 and 40-inch KDL-40XBR4 feature an elegant floating glass frame design with the ability to swap the standard black bezel out for any of eight other optional colors including Scarlet Red, Pacific Blue, Arctic White, Sienna Brown, Titanium Silver, Midnight Black and new for 2007, Rose Metallic and Champaign Gold. The 52- inch KDL-52XBR5, 46-inch KDL-46XBR5 and 40-inch KDL-40XBR5 televisions also feature the floating glass design with an elegant piano black-finished bezel (non interchangeable.)

Both XBR model lines offer Sony’s Motionflow 120Hz high frame rate. The Motionflow technology creates 60 unique frames between each of the existing 60 frames, doubling the frames displayed per second in real-time, further improving images for fast action sports and other programming. Motionflow 120Hz high frame rate effectively eliminates motion artifacts (“judder”) while watching content filmed at 24 frames-per-second. This means with all of your existing DVDs or broadcast movies and prime-time TV series, you can enjoy all the detail even with moving objects.

The XBR models also add BRAVIA Engine Pro circuitry with Digital Reality Creation-MultiFunction v2.5 which upconverts non-1080p signals, including 720p and 1080i.

The KDL-52XBR4, KDL-46XBR4 and KDL40-XBR4 models will be available in August for about $4,800, $3,800 and $3,000, respectively. Also shipping in August, the KDL-46XBR5 and KDL-40XBR5 will be about $4,100 and $3,300. The KDL-52XBR5 model will come out in September for about $5,100. Sony’s KDL-46W3000 and KDL-40W300 models will debut in July for about $3,500 and $2,700, respectively, while the KDL-52W3000 will be available in August for about $4,300.

All models will be offered direct at sonystyle.com and at Sony Style stores nationwide, as well military base exchanges and authorized Sony retailers throughout the country.

[Footloose301]

And I just bought my 46" XBR3 about 4 weeks ago.

[howarmat]

Just got the KDL-40W3000 for 1899 from Dell!! plus taxx was 2012 shipped....i have a older 42" sony 720p but the quality on this should be a step up even with a slightly smaller screen size

[dillycheeze]

for anyone looking to get a deal on a new bravia - call sony, i just got the new 60" sxrd of the 3000 line for 2399...free shipping and 5yr in home service for 200....awesome deal - hdmi 1.3, 120Hz, iris...etc....heres a link

60" BRAVIA

[supersix4]

the 60 is a beast deal, god imagine when P's came out how much that tv would have been least 7+

[aqupunk]

Originally Posted by dillycheeze

for anyone looking to get a deal on a new bravia - call sony, i just got the new 60" sxrd of the 3000 line for 2399...free shipping and 5yr in home service for 200....awesome deal - hdmi 1.3, 120Hz, iris...etc....heres a link

60" BRAVIA

No where does it state the tv is hdmi 1.3 either from sony style or crutchfield.

[dillycheeze]

Originally Posted by aqupunk

No where does it state the tv is hdmi 1.3 either from sony style or crutchfield.

look under the features tab its listed with x.v.Color technology.....

"Thanks to the adoption of a newly approved international color standard called xvYCC (an option in the HDMI v1.3 spec and which Sony participated in creating), the color space has been greatly expanded. 1.8 times as many natural colors as existing HDTV signals will now be faithfully reproduced"

[aqupunk]

Originally Posted by dillycheeze

look under the features tab its listed with x.v.Color technology.....

"Thanks to the adoption of a newly approved international color standard called xvYCC (an option in the HDMI v1.3 spec and which Sony participated in creating), the color space has been greatly expanded. 1.8 times as many natural colors as existing HDTV signals will now be faithfully reproduced"

Ok how do they do the xvYCC with the bdp-s300 blu ray player when it is hdmi 1.2?

[supersix4]

I hate that when you've got to go dig for the specs on tvs and stuff

[dillycheeze]

scroll down on this cnet review to the 3000 series....there it is

CNET review

[JTK]

Just last week, I was amazingly shocked when one of my friends called me and told me he had ordered one of Sony's new a3000 series' SXRD from Sony Style and they actually price matched with a legit retailer (I think Best Buy.)

[jubaiweaponx]

and with the pricing of their service plans i think they definitely are looking to compete JT.

[gvortex7]

Originally Posted by jubaiweaponx

and with the pricing of their service plans i think they definitely are looking to compete JT.

I've praised Sony on this forum before for their service plan prices many times. I think they have some of the lowest prices and some of the longest term plans of anyone I know. I'd buy it over BBY's or CC's any day.

[gandley]

Dont forget the new bravia projectors as well.

the VPL VW60
VPL VW200
and a possible qualia replament.

[dillycheeze]

Originally Posted by JTK

Just last week, I was amazingly shocked when one of my friends called me and told me he had ordered one of Sony's new a3000 series' SXRD from Sony Style and they actually price matched with a legit retailer (I think Best Buy.)

well the best part of it was...i called sony this morning on the way to work(yep on labor day lol) to ask if i could buy the tv from best buy since it was in stock there and not on sony.com...but get the service plan from them since it was better and half the price....the guy was really cool and started asking me about what i was looking for....and i asked if they could price match best buy's labor day price of 2550 from 2699...puts me on hold...comes back and says actually we are running a promotion and can do it for 2399....and 5yr service for 200...free shipping...had no choice but to pull out the wallet and buy the tv on the way to work lol...order form already says it will ship out on the 5th...sweet

[gvortex7]

Originally Posted by dillycheeze

well the best part of it was...i called sony this morning on the way to work(yep on labor day lol) to ask if i could buy the tv from best buy since it was in stock there and not on sony.com...but get the service plan from them since it was better and half the price....the guy was really cool and started asking me about what i was looking for....and i asked if they could price match best buy's labor day price of 2550 from 2699...puts me on hold...comes back and says actually we are running a promotion and can do it for 2399....and 5yr service for 200...free shipping...had no choice but to pull out the wallet and buy the tv on the way to work lol...order form already says it will ship out on the 5th...sweet

Good for you bud. Enjoy!
I bet that was one phone call you were glad to make today?

[calcajun]

Just ordered mine. Called and said i heard they were running a special. Guy looked it up and confirmed the lower price plus 5 year for 200. Asked if i could get free shipping. he put me on hold, came back with yes. I said I will take one 60" please. :-)

Won't get mine till next week though.

[Robmx]

Glad to see there pulling ahead with the 16000:1 contrast ratio..... Was starting to think Sharp AQUOS was going to take over...... Im a Sony TV fan and have been for years...... Saving now for 1080p LCD.....