Sony KDE-55XBR950 55" XBR Plasma WEGA High Definition Television

The Feature Presentation

This 55-inch widescreen Plasma WEGA TV with its accompanying Media Box WEGA Engine System is packed with special powers that make TV magic. To describe all the exclusive technology and complex circuitry would take more time than an unabridged Oscar acceptance speech and probably be about as interesting. It really only takes a moment to see that Sony's KDE-55XBR950 has a superior screen and just a few moments more to describe the major players in producing such outstanding images. Like Sony's WEGA Engine System that provides stunning picture enhancement using Digital Reality Creation (DRC) circuitry that produces remarkable picture resolution. The Advanced WEGA Engine System also includes Sony's Direct Digital II Circuitry and their Multi-Image Driver (MID X) Circuitry. Sony's Plasma Panel Driver optimizes contrast, giving you deeper blacks and improved depth. With these and other advanced systems working toward the common goal of providing the highest possible image quality, the KDE-55XBR950 stands ready to show you just how great TV can look.

Always Looks Its Best

Sony was definitely thinking digitally when they designed the KDE-55XBR950. They made sure it has all the connections and compatibility you need to avail yourself of all the hottest new digital technology. The DVI-HDTV input enables you to tap into pure, pristine digital video from high resolution video sources like HDTV receivers. Other high definition devices, like DVD players will look their best thanks to the HD Component Video inputs. Whatever the source, Direct Digital Circuitry works to ensure you enjoy a natural, rich image with all its detail and color. The KDE-55XBR950 is also open to all the popular signal formats so your entertainment options are wide open. The high-resolution screen makes every program look its best, from the syndicated favorites of years gone by, to the high-definition splendor of 1080i programming with up to six times the detail of conventional TV pictures.

TruSurround & External Sound

In audio lingo the "sweet spot" is the zone where audio sounds its best. Most of the time this is not truly a sweet situation. Put an average system in a typical room and you may not have much of a sweet spot. Rather than rearrange the furniture or settle for sound that's less than it should be, you should turn an ear toward Sony's TruSurround system. TruSurround eliminates the need to sit in the sweet spot to enjoy the best sound. It generates the lifelike sound of rear speakers using only the KDE-55XBR950's built-in stereo speakers. It's like getting a free pair of invisible speakers, so you can enjoy sweet sound from anywhere in the room and everyone gets a good seat. There is also an audio output that can be set for fixed or variable output, giving you the option of sending your television's audio to an external sound system and either controlling the volume through your receiver/amplifier (fixed output) or through your TV (variable output). You can also take advantage of the subwoofer output to connect a powered subwoofer and really add some boom to your bass.

Bringing the Cinema Experience Home

To get the purest, most accurate reproduction of video from film sources, CineMotion Reverse 3:2 Pulldown is practically miraculous. Converting a film to video gets a little complicated due to the fact that video is shot at 24 frames per second (FPS) while the standard for film is 30 FPS. Obviously there's a bit of a discrepancy there. A process called 3:2 Pulldown is used to convert 30 FPS film to 24 FPS video, and it works fairly well except that there are some side effects. CineMotion overcomes the limitations of 3:2 Pulldown by essentially reversing the process, thereby eliminating visually distorted picture information and removing motion artifacts. This phenomenal technology optimizes film-based content from any video input. So, you can rest assured that this plasma television will make your favorite movies look as impressive in your home as they did in the theater (maybe better). Imagine enjoying cinema quality scenes without having to wait in line or fold yourself into a seat that threatens to fold up on you. With a Sony XBR Plasma WEGA High Definition Television, you get all the fun of a movie theater in the comfort of your own home, where chairs have cushions, nachos are more than a few chips and a dribble of liquid cheese product, where beverages are undiluted, and shoes are optional. When you have a Sony KDE-55XBR950 at the center of your home theater, every night is a good night to stay in.

Be Your Own Media Master

For years Sony has been demonstrating a mastery of multimedia that sets them apart from the crowd and generally sets the pace for the rest of the electronics industry. Their KDE-55XBR950 Plasma WEGA High Definition Television carries that legacy forward with abilities like Enhanced Memory Stick Media Playback that allows you to enjoy JPEG images, MPEG1 movies and MP3 audio (stored on Memory Stick Media) via your high definition plasma TV with its sweet sound system. Two built-in NTSC TV tuners and a built-in ATSC TV tuner not only provide more entertainment options, they also open up additional opportunities for having fun with the KDE-55XBR950's picture & picture (P&P) abilities. Sony's exclusive Multi-Image Driver (MID X circuitry) enables you to scale the size of side-by-side P&P windows giving you a mastery over your entertainment that you don't get from other TVs (and the KDE-55XBR950 comes with a really cool remote).

Control Issues

The KDE-55XBR950 is probably the nicest looking TV you've ever seen and most likely the easiest to operate. Channels can be programmed automatically and widescreen mode can be set to auto as well. Parents will appreciate the assistance of V-Chip Parental Control in keeping certain programs from sensitive eyes and ears. You can select favorite channels for quick click selection, add channels to the list, or elect to skip over them. Program Palette Presets make it easy to optimize the picture for different programming choices (e.g. sports, movies, video games). The on-screen display offers assistance in English, French, or Spanish; and closed captioning is also available at your fingertips. Since your finger may not always be available when a button needs to be pushed, the KDE-55XBR950 also has a two-event clock/timer and sleep timer. But, even with all the amazing and enjoyable extras in this XBR Plasma WEGA High Definition Television, it all comes back to one thing--it looks so incredibly good!