Roundup: 9 HDTVs : Sony Bravia KDL-46XBR8
9. Sony Bravia KDL-46XBR8
On a PC
Once again, we found the 46XBR8 to be another quality Sony LCD screen that had no problem accepting an input from a computer. We used a DVI-HDMI cable and got great results with a 1920x1080 signal.
- BRAVIA KDL-46XBR8 46"...
First of all, the LCD screen is--sensibly, we think--matte, meaning you won't suffer from reflections. The number of ports is vast, including a pair of component video inputs, for instance. Having this many options is a rarity on any TV. But then again, so is needing this many ways to plug things in.
The remote control is backlit, and has a Theater button that we found so useful on some of Sony's earlier models. It allows you to toggle between your default settings and Cinema mode, optimized for enjoying movies.
Helpfully, the settings you program for each video source are memorized, so you can configure different settings for your games console and your DVD player, for instance.
The interface is based around the famous XrossMediaBar system, which has been tweaked a little for the 46XBR8.
Another new feature is the inclusion of a series of touch screen buttons along the bottom of the screen. They disappear when not in use but light up when needed.
Given the modern reliance on remote controls to interact with TVs, though, it's unlikely that you'll ever use this system. If we were being cynical, we might condemn this extra input as a gimmick to justify the extremely high list price of the 46XBR8 TVs.
We weren't at all surprised when our initial measurements produced excellent results. The ANSI contrast ratio, for instance, gets up to 3000:1,with blacks as low as 0.05 cd/m². These are some of the best scores that we've ever seen in this category.
As with other recent models, using the dynamic contrast offered by the LEDs makes it possible to reach a perfect, absolute black. However, the pay-off is a skewed gamma curve. Subjectively speaking, we preferred the picture quality without the dynamic backlighting, even though it does allow for a slightly improved technical score.
The color temperature is just as perfect, hitting the magic 6500 K without any trouble, while the DeltaE score of just 3.3 shows that the colors on screen are very close to the 'ideal' shades present in our test scenes.
It was the same story when we sat down to watch some movies: excellent contrast and color handling helped the 46XBR8 stand out from the crowd.
The lower resolution of regular DVDs is obvious, and the Bravia Engine 2 Pro doesn't help very much. The 'Pro' version of the Bravia Engine 2 image processing chip doesn't really seem to be that different from the regular version, and it would have been nice to see an improvement in the upscaling of SD sources. As you can see, though, the PlayStation 3 still does it better.
With genuine High Definition input, the results are incredible. Watching HD digital television on this screen really is a revelation, and Blu-ray discs are just as impressive. Although it supports 1080p/24 Hz mode, the 46XBR8 still shows the tiniest amount of jerkiness when there's a lot of movement to handle. It's nothing worse than on any other TV with no system to handle scenes like this.
Fortunately, the 46XBR8 comes equipped with the Motionflow 120 Hz system--but not the 240 Hz version found on other Sony models. That said, the results are almost identical, and an updated version on the 46XBR8 now allows more finely-grained control of the interpolation system: as well as 'High', 'Standard' and 'Off', you can also choose a 'Sharp' mode that allows you to reduce ghosting to an absolute minimum. More choice is always a good thing, but we can't recommend this last option as it really darkens the image and makes it lose a lot of depth.
Sound Quality
The sound is perfectly acceptable, and definitely amongst the best of what's available today. Nevertheless, it's nowhere near as good as what you'd expect when you pay this much money for a TV.
Once again, if you're looking for the real Home Cinema experience, we can only advise you to invest in a top end surround sound system.
| Sony Bravia KDL-46XBR8 | |
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Just about all of Sony's recent innovations come together in this one TV. The only thing that's missing is a 240 Hz version of the Motion Flow system, which is not really a huge fault.
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I have two flat panels, a Samsung 50" DLP and a Samsung 46" LCD, both a couple of years old. Both had lots of advertising that they were 1080P in the store, but a year later, when I went to install my first Blue Ray (Sony PS3), I found out that the only 1080P input source was the Computer VGA socket. HDMI and RGB inputs are limited to 1080i input. Needless to say, I'm rather disappointed in this, and I hope this is not the case with current gear.
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Wow you bought a 50" and a 46" tv and didnt research the inputs and outputs. I guess that was a lesson hard lived.
Test the turners for over-the-air performance. I purchased an Olevia a couple of years ago based on Consumer Reports recommendation. The turner is very poor - and Olevia is in severe financial trouble.
Reviewers also need to test the turners properly to evaluate over-the-air performance.
RE: "HD Ready displays come with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, while “Full HD” TVs pack a 1920 x 1080 resolution screen"
HD Ready implies NO HD TUNER INSIDE. It has nothing to do with resolution!
I have this and I love it.