Coming soon: New Sony Bravia 4K TVs in more sizes

MANILA, Philippines - When an everyday scene enraptures, you know you are watching it on something good.

Global entertainment brand Sony recently unveiled five new TV sizes in its Bravia 4K or ultra High Definition portfolio — widening its breadth of offerings in the more rarefied realm of viewing that is four times the definition of LED HD TVs.

Supplanting the “very exclusive” 84-inch product it launched two years back, Sony now has the top-shelf X9000B Series with 85 inches of goodness — along with the X8500B Series coming in 70-, 65-, 55-, and 49-inch variants. The smaller sizes now available obviously open the doors for more people to own and experience the “highest picture quality.”

Sony leverages over 40 years of experience in making TVs to present a wealth of technological niceties in its new 4K line. Its proprietary 4K X-Reality PRO processing engine, for instance, allows viewers to immediately realize benefits from the Bravia even without 4K input, as it automatically upscales signals fed to it to as near to 4K as possible while reducing noise. Additionally, Triluminos technology lets the TV to render more faithful, natural, and bold colors — reflecting subtleties and gradients previously unrealized.

“With Triluminos, we are able to reproduce more colors, including emerald green, the hardest color to reproduce,” said Sony Philippines marketing officer for home entertainment CJ Deacosta at the media launch for the product range, which starts rolling out in August. Another Sony display technology, the X-tended Dynamic Range PRO, enables “brighter whites and darker blacks” for greater contrast.

Sony also reverses a trend in today’s TVs which sees audio being relegated into almost afterthought status. As screens have gotten bigger and profiles sleeker, there is no room left for quality speakers. Generally, viewers have had to contend with tinny sound, necessitating connection to an external speaker system.

In the new Bravia line, Sony employs ClearAudio+ “which combines a variety of… audio digital processing technologies to produce high-quality sound. Some of the new TVs also have long duct speakers that provide richer sounds with solid bass, (while the rest) are equipped with bass reflex box speakers that provides more intense and focused sound, enabling users to hear every detail clearly,” the company said in a release.

The Bravia also features “social viewing capabilities” that allow uninterrupted video conferencing without disturbing echoes. Users can view live tweets and share moments via Skype even while watching a program on a separate window. Sony’s one-flick remote also simplifies the affair, versus the typical poly-button remote control.

In the product launch, Sony Philippines showcased the work of four local film directors on the new Bravias. Interesting, the 4K content was created on Sony 4K cameras and smartphones.

“The strength of Sony does not only give you the opportunity to play 4K content, but produce your own,” averred Deacosta.

Sony partnered with Raz de la Torre, Nico Faustino, Dino Narciso, and Paul Macasaet and let them use its 4K consumer camcorders FDR-AX1 and AX100, along with the Xperia Z2 smartphone (which also records in 4K). The resulting video projects were scored live at the event by the Sonata Strings ensemble — giving even more life to the crisp, clean footage of everyday scenes.

De la Torre’s film piece was shot using the Sony’s 4K Handycam FDR-AX1 and AX100. The short film depicted nature in its barest elements.

“With innovations like 4K technology, the stories that I create will be provided a medium on which they are appreciated the way I intended it for my audience. In 4K resolution, the images of my stories are displayed in a quality that’s unparalleled by past technologies,” De la Torre said.

“Cinematography is better able to evoke mood with expanded shades of colors and the astonishing range of contrast. All this amplifies the ability of the filmmaker to tell his story because the images push the narrative with better effectiveness,” he added.

Meanwhile, Narciso’s “Close Encounters at Home” features elements you see in a normal household. “As a fashion filmmaker, I am inspired by beauty, form, and fluidity. I find these characteristics in everyday inanimate objects at home. 4K resolution brought out even crisper hues and wider range in tone. The sharpness in every detail is truly amazing,” he said.

The power of the Sony Xperia Z2 amazed Faustino, whose inspiration was the capability of the phone to bring to life what he imagined. His short clip captured mouthwatering shots of food as they were being prepared for a sumptuous feast. 

“With the quality of the Xperia Z2 camera, I was able to shoot everything that came to mind. Color vibrancy in an ultra High Definition device is always the best combination. With 4K technology even in a small device as a smartphone, there are endless possibilities to be created,” Faustino shared.

4K technology enabled Macasaet the freedom to shoot with the highest quality video that will last a lifetime. He captured what he documents best – people and moments. 

“As a wedding videographer, I notice how the quality of 4K is more superior than any other. I was using the Xperia Z2 and even underwater, the colors are crisper and the resolution is outstanding. The inspiration for my concept is family because being a wedding videographer, everything revolves around family,” Macasaet said.

Meanwhile, new Sony Philippines president and managing director Nobuyoshi Otake said in an exclusive interview with The STAR, “Now that the 4K market is starting to grow, our strategy is cover this expanding segment. We want to address not just the high end. Of course, the 49-inch will be more affordable.”

Worldwide, the 4K uptick rate has more than doubled, he continued. “We expect the Filipino market to be reflect the same trend.”

Otake maintained that even as Sony seeks to take advantage of the growing 4K niche, the company is not dropping the ball in other segments. “We are the No. 1 entertainment company,” he said. “So we are providing a variety of categories, aside from TV: home audio, mobile audio, mobile phones, cameras, and even PlayStation 4. In that sense, all categories are important to us. We want Filipinos’ lives to be more fruitful.”

The new Bravia 4K line will be made available in Sony Centers and authorized dealers beginning this August for the 55-, 65-, and 70-inch sets. The 49-inch Bravia arrives in September, and the 85-inch in October. Tentative pricing is as follows: 49 inches, P100,000; 55 inches, P190,000; 65 inches, P280,000; 70 inches, P320,000; and 85 inches, P1.2 million.

For more information visit www.sony.com.ph, like facebook.com/SonyPhilippines or follow twitter.com/SonyPHinc.