[Mark Hodgkinson]

How good can a TV picture get? Can our TVs make people’s lives easier? Can we do all this and keep them looking good? These are apparently the questions Sony ask every time they create a new TV. In their latest range, Sony have promised they've improved their picture enhancement technology, X-Reality PRO, so that it enhances lower quality signals, taking them closer to HD quality, as well as making 2D & 3D images clearer.

The smart technology in Sony's picture enhancement technology – X-Reality PRO and X-Reality, is now reputedly even smarter. The X-Reality PRO in your TV knows what you’re watching even before you do. It can recognise when there’s a face on screen, or a background scene needing more detail and adjusts the picture accordingly which sounds a bit iffy to us. It also knows what type of content you’re watching – digital TV, an online video, a photo, or a DVD or Blu-ray Disc – and adjusts the picture accordingly. Hopefully it will know when not to adjust a picture accordingly too! Sony have also brought the X-Reality PRO and X-Reality picture processing to 3D content. Sony say Super Resolution now also upgrades 3D content to High Definition but we've no idea what they're talking about with that! Connectivity is at the heart of their latest TVs - isn't that the case across the board - and they all have Wi-Fi built-in

Have you ever seen a floating TV? No, not literally, but if I stay up much longer it might just happen. Sony have taken their design ethos even further giving their LED TVs a stand that makes them appear to rest on a cushion of air. They've also created new stands with integrated speakers for a higher quality sound and easel stand that’s ideal for low furniture. Even the 3D glasses have had an (overdue) makeover – so they’re now lighter in stylish sports-designs and with titanium frames

By the looks of the press release the 9 series is no more meaning no more backlit, only edge, so we're left with the following:

HX850

· X-Reality PRO
· Motionflow XR800Hz
· Dynamic Edge LED with Local Dimming
· Full HD 1080
· Sony Entertainment Network
· 4X High speed 3D panels
· Built-in Wi-Fi
· Monolithic design
· Integrated speakers
· Energy Efficiency Class A for 55” and 46” and B for 40”

HX750

· X-Reality
· Motionflow XR400Hz
· Dynamic Edge LED with Frame Dimming
· Full HD 1080
· Sony Entertainment Network
· 4X High speed 3D panels
· Built-in Wi-Fi
· Easel stand (* for 32”, 40” and 46”)
· Energy Efficiency Class A+ for 55”, A for 46” and 40” and B for 32”

EX650

· X-Reality
· Motionflow XR100Hz
· Full HD 1080
· Sony Entertainment Network
· Built-in Wi-Fi
· Easel stand
· Energy Efficiency Class A+ for 46” and A for 40” and 32”

EX550

· X-Reality
· HD Ready
· Sony Entertainment Network
· Built-in Wi-Fi
· Easel stand
· Energy Efficiency Class B

After having one of the backlit sets in the house for a while (HX923) we're very sorry to see them go, if it is the case. Here's hoping they can crack the uniformity issues!

[Jon P]

"How good can a TV picture get? Can our TVs make people’s lives easier? Can we do all this and keep them looking good? " I'm guessing they're still working on these answers. Lol.

[TONYELISE]

No direct led backlighting? Thats very interesting after all the problems sony has had this year with it's flagship 923's.

[Graham27]

I'm disappointed that there's not going to be a 900 series.

I currently have the 803 and I'm so impressed I was hoping that the 900 series problems would be fixed next year so I could upgrade.

I'm kinda regretting not going for the 52" 903 now.

Thanks for the details though, much appreciated

[Suave]

Hi All,

Oh well, I was considering the replacement for the HX923 in the hope that they had improved QC amongst other things but now I don't have to worry about it!! On a general note though, it seems Sony's TV business is in serious trouble - I have read they have pulled out of OLED TV altogether - can any of the AVF Team shed some light?

Suave!

[Dr Spoon]

Any info about on the glasses this time around?

With the compatibility initiative thing between Panny, Sammy and Sony the new glasses are supposed to all be compatible with each other's tvs. This would mean we could grab sammy glasses and be free of head tilt right? Unless Sony have added in the extra polariser but I remember them being against this idea over fears about brightness loss...

[iainl7]

Does this mean no more NX range? Guess they're forcing monolith fans to go for the HX850, then.

[Jeebus]

Any ideas when these will release?

[MahaRaja]

End of an era of Sony LCD TVs, they stopped local dimming sets for this year and now just making average edge lit sets. It seems they're just waiting for their new technology LED TV to hit the market in a few years time. Samsung have taken the lead and Sony just surviving with what looks like an average range of LCD sets for this year.

[woolz]

only edge lit led. come on sony........

[NabsyWabsy]

looking forward to seeing what the 55" HX850 scores once it comes out! I'm a bit of a Sony guy to be honest but having seen reviews of their LED/LCDs of late, I'm not quite sure i wanna fork out £1.5k+ on a Sony when the Samsung Plasmas are apparently much better at a fraction of the price.
Come on Sony, sort it out.... heres hoping!