Everyone remembers the Sony OLED Xel-1, right? Of course you do, it was the first publicly available OLED screen, measuring just 11 inches, and was debuted by Sony way back in 2008. Oh, and it cost a cool $2500.
Sony never released the numbers on how many it sold, but it put the company off OLED for a long time.
Nine years to be exact, as Sony is finally back in the OLED game, this time with its XBR-A1E Bravia. Launched at CES 2017, the panel (on paper at least) is a masterclass in TV construction.
For a start, it combines OLED with HDR. This would have been a world's first, but Panasonic got in there 24 hours before with its equally impressive Panasonic EZ1002.
Firsts aside, Sony is using its 4K HDR Processor X1 Extreme technology to make sure the picture is as bright possible, has unprecedented black levels, rich color, dynamic contrast and a wide viewing angle to top it off.
Even though the screen is wafer-thin (a bonus you get when using OLED), Sony believes it hasn't scrimped on audio tech, thanks to something called Acoustic Surface sound technology. This tech enables Sony to pipe out the sound of the TV through the screen and not around the edges.
Dolby Vision compatible
When it comes to HDR compatibility, Sony is backing Dolby Vision, Dolby's bespoke HDR tech and it's also sprinkled some Google smarts into the set, too.
The TV will come with Google Home compatibility, so hook your Google Home up to the TV and you will be able to control it with your voice. In addition to this, there is the regular Android TV functionality thrown in. And, if you are US based, you'll get access to PlayStation Vue, which houses Sony's own UHD HDR service called Ultra.
If OLED isn't your thing, Sony has also announced two premium LED 4K TV ranges, the X940E Series and the X930E Series. These also have HDR functionality and all of the extras that come with the XBR-A1E but use the still-impressive full-array LED TV tech.
And to round off its 4K bouquet, Sony has unveiled the UBP-X800 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player. This player is equipped with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support, 4K streaming, Bluetooth (so you can pair it with some wireless headphones) and HDR compatibility.
Pricing for all of this is still TBC, but expect the new range this Spring.
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