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Introduction
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01.Tour & Design
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02.Performance Features
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03.3D
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04.Connectivity & Media
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05.Controls, Menu & Remote
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06.Conclusion
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07.Series Comparision
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08.Specs
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09.Comments
Sony Bravia KDL-55HX850
Previous: Page 5
Controls, Menu & RemoteNext: Page 7
Series ComparisionConclusion
The Sony Bravia KDL-55HX850, as the flagship TV for 2012, represents all the Sony has been developing in the last year. So It’s fascinating, therefore, to see how they want to launch their 2012 strategy here at CES, the industry’s annual call to arms. Judging by our conversations with Sony, their energies have gone into refining image quality, first and foremost. Sony has always made some of the top-performing TVs in the world, so it’s not a surprise that they want to reinforce that reputation, especially as Samsung is so clearly dominating, both in dollar share and design innovation.
And that’s Sony’s real challenge. Consumers shop in a comparative framework – this TV versus that TV, side-by-side. In those environments, it’s very hard to convince people that esoteric benefits like dual-core processing and 960 Hz refresh are somehow better than those sweet, slick looking Samsungs with their color menus and shiny aluminum frames. Whether those technological improvements really do make for a better TV is debatable. “Good enough” really is good enough for most people, and the advances that Sony has made in the Sony Bravia KDL-55HX850 are only going to be noticed by people that are knowledgeable and passionate about image quality. Maybe that’s exactly the crowd that pays $3000+ for a TV, in which case Sony will be just fine. But expensive processing has be limited to only the highest-end TVs for cost-control reasons, while good user interface costs nothing to integrate through an entire line-up, right down to the cheapest TV.
Overall, we’re excited to get the Sony Bravia KDL-55HX850 in our labs because, as we said, they make some of the best-performing TVs. We only wish that they’d taken the time to re-evaluate the user experience and realize that plenty of consumers shop by look and feel, and not just what’s under the hood.
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Features
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HDTV Streaming Content Compared
Televisions aren’t just getting their content through the coax cable anymore. Just as the internet has gradually moved towards a video-rich space—YouTube, Hulu, Vimeo, etc.—those same sorts of features are creeping into your TV sets. Like it or not, those 1000+ channels of direct cable are not enough anymore. Read More...
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Technology Preview: Haier Completely Wireless Television
Imagine a TV with no wires. You’re talking about WiFi, right? No, we mean no wires, at all. Haier, the Chinese company better known as an appliance manufacturer, is showcasing a new technology here at CES that conducts electricity wireless to the TV, as well as streaming content. The TV is pretty far from production at this point, but it’s among the more amazing things we’ve seen at the show. Here’s an in-depth look at the technology and how it might be implemented in future products. Read More...
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