Some Sony Bravia models enable you to chat on Skype.
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Sony hopes to stay ahead in a sea of technological change with its Bravia line of high-resolution, super-slim televisions. Bravia is actually an acronym for Best Resolution Audio Visual Integrated Architecture. The Bravia line is made up of four series, or product families, as of November 2012. In developing the Bravia, the Japan-based television maker used what it describes as its most advanced design capabilities to create slim-profile televisions that meet key specifications.
3-D and Audio
The HX-Series, which comprises four models, has full high-definition 3-D and an integrated 3-D sync transmitter. The transmitter synchronizes your 3-D glasses with the Sony 3-D HDTVs. Without the transmitter, your 3-D glasses won’t work. The XBR-HX Series, which comprises two models, has full HD 3-D; an integrated 3-D sync transmitter; and 3-D super-resolution, which improves the picture’s clarity and ensures objects have the right depth within the frame. The EX-Series, which comprises seven models, does not have 3-D. The BX-Series, which comprises four models, does not have 3-D. The HX-Series and the XBR-HX Series have 5.1 channel audio out, advanced auto volume and fixed/variable audio out. The EX-Series has 5.1 channel audio out, SteadySound automatic volume control and variable/fixed audio out. SteadySound stabilizes the volume across all programs, so you’re not suddenly shocked when a commercial comes on that’s much louder than the show you’re watching. The BX-Series has 5.1 channel audio out, SteadySound and either fixed or variable/fixed audio out.
Broadcast and Browser
The HX-Series, XBR-HX Series and BX-Series have an on-screen TV guide provided by Rovi, a company that provides entertainment data. The EX-Series does not have the Rovi TV guide. The HX-Series, XBR-HX Series and most, but not all, EX-Series models have the Opera Internet browser. The XBR-HX Series is the only one that also offers Skype. The BX-Series does not have the Opera browser.
Display and Closed-Captioning
The HX-Series and XBR-HX Series have an LCD display with a 16:9 aspect ratio and full HD display resolution. They have a Dynamic Edge LED backlight, which is a technology that produces images with a very high contrast — deep blacks and vibrant colors. They also have a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) InstaPort, which is a technology that reduces lag time when switching HDMI sources. The EX-Series and BX-Series have an LCD display with a 16:9 aspect ratio, and most models have full HD display resolution. The EX-Series has an LED or Edge LED backlight but does not have HDMI InstaPort. The BX-Series has a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) backlight, which is just an older method of backlighting. The BX-Series does not have HDMI InstaPort. Every Bravia television supports closed-captioning.
Sensor and Video
The HX-Series, XBR-HX Series and most EX-Series models use Light Sensor, which is a technology that automatically adjusts to your room's ambient light and lowers the backlight brightness of your TV. Only one BX-Series model uses Light Sensor. The HX-Series, XBR-HX, EX-Series and BX-Series all have 24-pixel True Cinema technology. This technology enables you to watch films in 24 frames per second, like at the movies, instead of the standard 25 frames per second for TVs.
References
Photo Credits
- David Becker/Getty Images News/Getty Images
