Sony XF90 (KD-55XF9005) Review & Comments

Phil Hinton

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Thanks Phil for the review. Very disappointing with Sony nowadays with their TVs;
  • No DV out of the box, even on 2018 range. Have to wait for firmware update, that could take forever
  • Only Two Fat HDMI, when rival companies are offering Four
  • Under powered OS which can be temperamental.
 
Should we assume that Dolby Vision, if/when it arrives, will just be the 'half' solution on HDMI, that will require a 'co-operating' disc player in order to work? How free-standing is the 2017 DV f/w update?
 
Should we assume that Dolby Vision, if/when it arrives, will just be the 'half' solution on HDMI, that will require a 'co-operating' disc player in order to work? How free-standing is the 2017 DV f/w update?
Sony haven't made any comment to us directly on what version of Dolby Vision will be made available on the XF90. We won't be long term testing this set, but we have purchased a retail sample of the 55-inch AF8 OLED so will be using that one for the rest of the year and will be able to see what happens long term with DV and the OS.
 
@Phil Hinton In the review tags you state the TV supports Dolby Vision, the TV does not support Dolby Vision out of the box, and as we have seen time and time again, promised new features via firmware updates often fail to appear or are compromised in some way.

I think as reviewers, you have to get tougher with manufactures on this point... you need to start reviewing the out of box experience... not the promises of manufacturers, so this TV does not support Dolby Vision.
 
As a rider to my question above, I asked about the 2017 f/w upgrade for DV. Phil said "owners of 2017 models that were promised the update have only very recently been given those". I was wondering whether the flavour of the 2017 upgrade that's apparently already out there might be a pointer to what we might expect from a 2018 model upgrade.
 
@Phil Hinton In the review tags you state the TV supports Dolby Vision, the TV does not support Dolby Vision out of the box, and as we have seen time and time again, promised new features via firmware updates often fail to appear or are compromised in some way.

I think as reviewers, you have to get tougher with manufactures on this point... you need to start reviewing the out of box experience... not the promises of manufacturers, so this TV does not support Dolby Vision.
Sorry I don't follow what you want. Have you read the review? I am quite clear about the fact it doesn't have DV out of the box or when it will get it. We are tough on Sony for this and the OS. So I am struggling to see what you want, as we absolutely have reviewed this as an out of the box experience, and not just for image quality but the entire user experience.
 
In the above review there is a mention of slight banding on sports can anyone who owns this set say if its really noticeable as I'd be watching a lot of sport esp football
 
finally !
avforums took a long time to test this screen, waving that sony made it specially for you saw the time that took to send it ! ;)
Thank you Phil Hinton for this review !
 
In the above review there is a mention of slight banding on sports can anyone who owns this set say if its really noticeable as I'd be watching a lot of sport esp football
Don't rely on anyone else, use the information but go and see it for yourself, only you can decide if it is noticeable or too much.
 
@Phil Hinton In the tags Phil, on the left hand side of the main image in the review, you tag the TV as having Dolby Vision HDR.
OK, well that's because it is being sold as having that feature and people will search on that tag keyword, so they will find the review. However the review clearly states it as a con and we go in to the fact within the review as well. Hope that helps.
 
OK, well that's because it is being sold as having that feature and people will search on that tag keyword, so they will find the review. However the review clearly states it as a con and we go in to the fact within the review as well. Hope that helps.

@Phil Hinton I get that Phil, and understand why you're done it. I don't want this to turn into a long exchange of words, so I will just make my last points and leave the matter alone.

I think by tagging the review as 'Dolby Vision (HDR), referencing Sony's promise of " it now includes the X1 Extreme processor, which means that it will also be upgraded to Dolby Vision later in the year... we hope." in the second paragraph, and under the Bad list "No Dolby Vision support yet" all imply, that Dolby Vision support will come... when in fact there is NO guarantee that will happen, and even if it does, we don't know what sort of Dolby Vision support, it could be just for Apps, who knows?

My point is... why even give hope? :) Just be firm with Sony and say, sorry.. we only review the TV as is... and we will not mention manufacturers future plans or promises because so often they go amiss...
 
@Phil Hinton
My point is... why even give hope? :) Just be firm with Sony and say, sorry.. we only review the TV as is... and we will not mention manufacturers future plans or promises because so often they go amiss...
I hear what you are saying, but don't agree and I think we have made it quite clear it doesn't support it out of the box. We can't say any more than that because we have no facts that it will or wont come other than a promise from Sony. People reading the review will get that point. As I also said we have an AF8 here that was purchased and will be long term testing that and feeding back on the forums and to Sony direct about what we find. So it will be covered in detail. Thanks for the feedback we do appreciate it.
 
If the os is as bad on the AF8, and I suspect it will be, then I call an 8/10 incoming.
 
Love the bit where you mention "upgraded to Dolby Vision later in the year... we hope."
A product that doesn't have any features out of the box should not say DV ready etc, Sony with their software updates, so ambiguous.
 
I still think my earlier question is relevant to the question of the type and probable availability of DV on this TV sometime in the future. Phil says the 2017 models that were promised a "DV upgrade" have now got it. So my question is … is that a full-fat DV that will work with all UHD players, or just the 'semi-skimmed' solution that will only work with certain players (that include the cream!)? This should be a reasonable pointer as to what we might expect on this 2018 TV sometime. It should certainly suggest that Sony have now nailed it in some form or other, if it works.
So this is not really a question for Phil, but for anyone who has a 2017 Sony that has just got a DV upgrade, to kindly tell us what that upgrade actually looks like, and what players it works with.
 
I have the XE90 and the Android O/S is absolutely a joke and I speak as a fan of Android. The only advantage is the ability to side-load applications which means I could sell my Roku and not worry about getting a 4k Roku.

@Phil Hinton In terms of picture quality is the XF90 that much better than the XE90 besides the obvious motion clarity feature?
 
In terms of picture quality is the XF90 that much better than the XE90 besides the obvious motion clarity feature?
Sorry I can't give you an answer to that one as I haven't had them side by side.
 
Sorry I can't give you an answer to that one as I haven't had them side by side.
OK Thanks anyway. I am very happy with my Sony but to be honest if I was going to upgrade my TV for the same money it would have to be the LG.
 
Android is fantastic for a phone os, but not for a TV with it's current weak hardware iteration.
 
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Still beyond me how a device with such fundamental flaws can get a review score this high.

If I had a car with a fantastic engine, but the wheels kept falling off, it’s not an 8/10 car.

I get the idea of using it as a monitor, but a TV that requires you to buy a few hundred quid’s worth of third-party external kit to deliver what’s written on the box, can’t be recommended as good value.

Review should just be “Buy a B7 or wait for the C8/Q9FN to come down in price”

If you’re looking at the current range, here’s a simple guide:

Does it actually work as a television?

LG WebOS - Yes
Panasonic My Home Screen - Yes
Samsung Tizen - Yes
Hisense Vidaa - Yes
Philips Android - Sometimes
Sony Android - Sometimes
 
I bought a Sony KD49XE8077 Android TV for the bedroom a few months ago. It will be the last Android TV I ever buy. It's an utterly hopeless TV OS. Also, the built-in YouView is painfully slow.
 
In the above review there is a mention of slight banding on sports can anyone who owns this set say if its really noticeable as I'd be watching a lot of sport esp football
I think most times it is the luck of the draw as the review of the XE9005 said “as mentioned earlier the XE90 was free of annoying banding” that was for football, my XE9005 is perfect to a point I think it was the prototype unit lol! No banding or DSE nothing, for the first time I have a perfect screen, but then there’s that annoying frame drop/repeat problem.


If Sony offers me one of these for a replacement I think I decline.
 
@phil-hinton, thanks for the review:smashin:, can you comment on the HDR peak brightness which sounds a little strange at 705nits in true cinema mode at 10% window, the last review of the XE9005 came in at 936nits (maybe that was not in true cinema mode), my XE9005 in true cinema mode comes in at 717nits. So, sounds very similar as I thought it would be a lot brighter.

Cheers.:thumbsup:
 
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