Hi-res: Sony Bravia X Series
Sony's launch of the Bravia X series LCD television comes at a perfect time, with Hong Kong gearing up for high-definition (HD) broadcasting and the Olympics.
Available with 52-inch, 46-inch and 40-inch screens, the X300A/X350A series comes with full 1,080p resolution (1,920x1,080 pixels, the latest holy grail of HDTV) and a clutch of new technologies. It's also awesome to look at, with glass surrounding the screen and the range of colours available including black, red, silver, blue, white and champagne.
On screen, the colours are stunning. With x.v Colour, which gives twice the intensity of conventional colour standards, Live Colour Creation and a new 10-bit panel capable of displaying up to 1,024 levels of colour gradation, you can almost feel every speck of sand coming at you as Greg Norman takes a swing from a bunker.
The X series also features Sony's new Motionflow technology, which displays twice as many images per second, rendering fast-moving objects with dramatic sharpness. So instead of a blurred golf ball, you see a smooth, crisp image.
Watching movies and playing games on the X series TV is out of this world. When linked up to Sony's flagship Blu Ray BDP-S1E disc player, the picture bursts with stunningly sharp colours. Sony's theatre mode makes sure that any dark scenes are optimally rendered, as natural colours and lighting are reproduced without over-enhancing picture contrast.
The Bravia X300A and X350A are the first TVs to incorporate Sony's PhotoTV HD technology, which means still images can be viewed in incredible detail.
The TVs are made in Japan, which promises high standards of quality control and technology. They also carry a hefty price tag (from HK$29,800 for the KLV-40X300A to HK$68,000 for the KLV-52X350A).
This is just a taste of what's to come: Sony will launch a 70-inch Bravia X in a couple of months. Let the games begin.
