Reality TV

Sony XBR-65X900E LCD Ultra HDTV

- Al Griffin

HERE’S THE TOP SONY TV NEWS for 2017: The company started selling its first big-screen OLED models. With an elegant “One Slate” design and an ability to emit sound from actuators positioned directly behind the glass screen, Sony’s A1E line (November 2017 and soundandvision.com) is destined to give LG’s OLEDs some competition. But when you consider that a 65-inch model costs about $4,000 after discounts, the Sony OLEDs are pricey. Fortunately, there are plenty of other Sony Ultra HDTVs to choose from, including the midrange X900E series, which lists for $2,000 for the 65-inch model and will run you about $1,800 on the street.

Like other UHDTVs from the company, the XBR-65X900E that Sony shipped me to test is compatible with high dynamic range (HDR) sources in HDR10. It’s also compatible with Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG), a separate HDR format that’s currently being used by broadcasters in Europe and Japan; HLG should eventually arrive Stateside with the rollout of ATSC 3.0. The TV has a direct LED backlight with full-array local dimming, plus a 10-bit panel that also incorporates Sony’s Triluminos color enhancement tech. Video processing features include the company’s 4K HDR Processor X1 engine, which taps an extensive image database to refine 4K upscaling and noise reduction, and X-tended Dynamic Range Pro, a contrast enhancement mode that endows standard dynamic range (SDR) images with HDR-like qualities.