Sony’s 2014 TV lineup includes more 4K TVs, and more TVs “Triluminos” tech.
Perhaps even more interesting, there’s a lot more info on 4K content.
All the info (well, as much as we have), after the jump.
Ultra HD
There will be three Ultra HD “4K” model lines for 2014. All include Triluminos. Last year’s excellent W900 had Triluminos, but that TV used quantum dots. According to a Sony rep, this year’s TVs don’t use quantum dots (a bummer). My guess is RGB LED, but when we find out the details, we’ll let you know.
At the top of the range (and the top of this page) is the X950B series, which will be available in 85- (XBR-85X950B) and 65-inch (XBR-65X950B) sizes. They’ve got “X-tended Dynamic Range PRO” which Sony describes as “driven by direct LED arrays arranged in the backside of the panel, this model achieves a much wider dynamic range of brightness, with higher peaks and deeper blacks, using a unique backlighting algorithm to further enhance picture quality.” As in, a full-array local dimming backlight. Awesome. Far too few TVs with that on the market.
The 950B also has “Motionflow XR 960,” which is their name for higher refresh rate, HDMI 2.0, plus all the smart TV and 3D features you’d expect in a high-end TV in 2014.
The X900B series (above) is available in 79- (XBR-79X900B), 65- (XBR-65X900B), and 55-inch (XBR-55X900B) models. It has all the basic features of the X950B, but does away with the full array LED backlighting for edge-lighting with local dimming, or as Sony calls it, “X-tended Dynamic Range” (sans “PRO”).
The “entry level” 4K models are the X850B series, which still has Triluminos, but does away with the “X-tended Dynamic Range.” There are four models in this line, a 70-inch (XBR-70X850B), a 65-inch (XBR-65X850B), a 55-inch (XBR-55X850B), and a 49-inch (XBR-49X850B).
All models will be available in the spring, for prices to be determined.
Perhaps most interesting is the content, an issue with all Ultra HD TVs. Sony is continuing to expand their Video Unlimited 4K download service, launched last September. Right now there are 140 movies and TV shows. It’s only available if you have their Ultra HD Media Player and a Sony television.
Netflix has promised 4K streaming content this year, and Sony is claiming their 4K TVs “have been optimized to support 4K Ultra HD content streaming from Netflix.” We’ll be interested to see how this content looks.
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On the non-4K side of things, there’s the W950B (above), which looks to be an update to the W900 we liked last year. It has Triluminos LED edge lighting and Motionflow XR 480. There are two models, a 65-inch (KDL-65W950B) and a 55-inch (KDL-55W950B).
Next step down is the W850, which doesn’t have Triluminos, but is otherwise similar to the W950. There are also two models, a 70 (KDL-70W850B) and a 60 (KDL-60W850B).
The W800 has similar features to the W850, but sports a slim design. Again two models, a 55-inch (KDL-55W800B) and a 50-inch (KDL-50W800B).
The W630B has only one model, the 60-inch (KDL-60W630B). From the early info we got from Sony, there doesn’t seem to be much difference other than the size between this and the W800, feature wise.
At the bottom of the Bravia range, and bottom of this post, is the W600B, which has two models, a 48-inch (KDL-48W600B) and a 40-inch (KDL-40W600B). These have Motionflow XR 240.
Again, no prices, and available this spring.
Geoff Morrison (@TechWriterGeoff)
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