We knew that when Sony announced the beautiful ZX5 in Europe a US model shouldn’t be that far behind. And sure enough, Sony just announced the XBR10 which is pretty much a cloned version. It too rocks a wireless 1080p media receiver, edge-mounted LED backlighting, and 240Hz technology. We just wish that they weren’t so damn expensive or at the very least made with localized dimming instead of edge-mounted LEDs.
At $4500 for the 46-inch and $5000 for the 52-inch, they are in the upper-end of consumer LED LCDs. Both do rock standard features of this price-point too: DLNA media streaming, YouTube, Amazon on Demand, Netflix, Slacker Internet Radio, and Yahoo! Gadgets. But even those don’t make up for the high price. Sorry, Sony, wireless is great, but most would rather opt for a cheaper, but also more reliable wired, LCD. I would.
SONY ADDS SUPER SLIM EDGE-LIT LED MODELS TO BRAVIA HDTV LINE
New XBR10 LCDs Feature 1080p Wireless High Definition Leaving the Cables BehindATLANTA (CEDIA Booth # 1409), Sept. 9, 2009 – Sony today introduced a new line of ultra-thin BRAVIA™ LCD HDTVs featuring an advanced edge-lit LED backlight and exceptional contrast ratio of over 1,000,000:1.
The XBR10-series models also deliver full 1080p wireless transmission of high definition signals from a separate media box to a receiver embedded in the TV, allowing source components to be placed out of sight.
“BRAVIA is on the cutting edge of television technology and the XBR10 series pushes the limits of industry-leading, innovative features,” said Jeff Goldstein, vice president of the television business for Sony Electronics. “Not only will this TV look striking when hanging on a wall, the wireless feature clears the clutter of components and messy tangles of unsightly wires, allowing you to hide components away across the room.”
The XBR10 models also feature an Ethernet connection allowing them to directly access Sony BRAVIA Internet Video content using an existing broadband network. The platform offers one of the largest selections of free and premium movies, TV shows, sports, music and more from an array of partners like, Amazon Video on Demand, YouTube®, Slacker Internet Radio, and, later this fall, Netflix.
Bravia Internet Widgets, powered by the Yahoo! Widget Engine, also expand and personalize the TV experience by adding on-screen applications that provide such information as weather reports, stock information, financial news, Twitter, and additional content.
The full HD 1920 x 1080 progressive (1080p) models also feature Sony’s Motionflow™ 240Hz technology, which delivers exceptionally crisp and detailed images with natural motion. The Motionflow algorithm goes beyond traditional 120Hz technology by quadrupling the frame rate of conventional LCD TVs and interpolating three new frames.
The models are Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA®) compliant, enabling easy access to digital photos, music, and video stored on a PC or other DLNA server using the XMB® interface and the TV’s remote control. They also offer a USB input for displaying digital photos or playing digital video and music files from a USB storage device.
Other notable features include:
BRAVIA Engine™ 3
24p True Cinema™
xross media bar™ (XMB)with enhanced 3D favorites Menu
Internet powered TV Guide OnscreenBRAVIA Sync™
4 HDMI inputs
RS232C
Single PC, component, composite and component/composite selectable inputsThe XBR10 models exceed Energy Star® 3.0 guidelines for energy efficiency and use Sony’s Light Sensor® technology to adjust backlight intensity based on ambient room light helping to save energy and reduce the user’s overall carbon footprint.
The KDL-52XBR10 and KDL-46XBR10 models will be available this October at Sony Style retail stores, www.sonystyle.com and at and at similar authorized Sony retail outlets across the country, for about $5,000 and $4,500, respectively.
I wanna have one of these in my big room in the front of the beach at the Black Sea!;)
I don’t get it; Apple jacks up the price of a laptop by $600 and everyone goes crazy. Sony offers a top of the line HDTV for a top of the line price and you cry fowl?
The XBR10 is going to make Luxia’s look horrible and after spending the past two days with the UN55B8000 that’s saying a lot.
The cool thing is that this is a WirelessHD TV from Sony – can’t wait to have a full wireless living room.
Check it out. http://www.wirelesshd.com
Why would anyone trade performance for thin? Glad I bought 55XBR8.
How sad for those of us who actually consider picture quality ahead of styling that, with its XBR10, Sony has decided to follow Samsung in deploying side-lit LED backlighting. Visit an electronics store with a robust selection of LCD TVs and look at this year’s 7-, 8-, or 9-series LED backlit models from Samsung next to Sony’s now two-year old XBR8 that uses locally-dimmed LED backlighting. There’s no comparison. Sony’s XBR8 line (called X4500 overseas) still retains the best-looking picture of any LCD television, hands down.
Here’s the folly of Sony’s decision to bring the XBR10 to market outside of Asia (where lemmings still dutifully buy electronics for status over end-user experience): people willing to spend US$4000+ want to know they are getting the best image available, while people who are dazzled by slick, thin styling can find what they want for half the price from Samsung. As long as Sony continues to make their XBR8 sets available, perhaps we should read it as an admission that their newer fare is still not as good.
XBR10 Series is a line of super slim edge-lit LCD HDTVs released by Sony in October 2009.