By Matthew Henry
SYDNEY: Sony has released details for its significantly expanded Bravia LCD line up which will grow from nine models to 30 models by next year due to the inclusion of three new ranges – the XBR series, W series and D series.
Sony has ramped up its commitment to full HD with its new range, which was shown to the brand’s key retailers yesterday at the first day of the company’s Experience More trade show.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it – the backbone of the market is high definition,” Sony Australia managing director, Carl Rose, told retailers yesterday.
“Once again, I’m not talking about HD ready or low-res high definition, I’m talking about full HD 1080 with Bravia LCD at the centre of the entertainment hub.
“This year we will be expanding our Bravia line-up considerably from nine models to no less than thirty including three ranges of full HD and new Bravia projectors as well as our first 70-inch Bravia LCD.”
All featuring 1080p resolution panels, the top-end XBR and X series models are the most feature-packed in the 2008 line-up and will be arriving in October.
The X series Bravias will be available in sizes including 40 inches, 46 inches and 52 inches, while the flagship XBR series will be available in 40, 46, 52 inches and, for the first time, 70 inches.
The 70-inch XBR Bravia will employ the Triluminous LED backlight system first piloted in the company’s prototype Qualia LCD in 2005 and now introduced on a mainstream LCD for the first time.
The Triluminous backlight system uses coloured LED lights instead of a single CCFL backlight to enhance greens and reds.
Other features of the new XBR series include integrated HD tuner, x.v.Colour, 24 frames per second True Cinema playback, Motionflow 100 Hz technology and PhotoTV HD picture mode for enhanced digital still image viewing.
Also new to the Bravia family, the full HD W series feature x.v.Colour for 1.8 times the standard colour range and a new 10-bit processor which is said to deliver 64 times the level of colour expression versus current 8-bit systems. Available in September, the W series will ship in 40, 46 and 52-inch screen sizes.
Sony is positioning its new D series Bravia lineup at sport lovers due to the inclusion of Motionflow, which the brand claims helps in reproducing natural motion in fast moving images. The D series will be launched in October in 32, 40 and 46-inches.
An updated V series lineup will be available in November, while the S series will also get a facelift with the inclusion of an integrated HD digital tuner.
Prices for the range have not been released.