Sony Bravia XBR-Series KDL-46XBR2 46-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV

by Sony

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 49.7 x 31.3 x 12.7 inches ; 90.4 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 106 pounds
• Shipping: This item can only be shipped to the 48 contiguous states. We regret it cannot be shipped to APO/FPO, Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B000H6I7EI
• California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 warning.
• Item model number: KDL-46XBR2
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (92 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #68,456 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

How do you make superb picture quality even better? Add the Live Color Creation backlight system to this 46-inch BRAVIA™ XBR® LCD Flat Panel HDTV. For superior sound, tune into the TruSurround XT™ audio technology, along with digital audio enhancement and amplification. Whether you’re watching sports, movies, TV or even a presentation direct from your PC, make it more dynamic and vibrant with the KDL-46XBR2.

Explore Sony's full BRAVIA and HD selection. it in action.

Learn more with the Sony Showcase.

Sony's 1920 x 1080 display is naturally able to resolve finer details than the typical TV. (Simulated Picture for Illustration.)

Full 1080
BRAVIA XBR television was designed from the ground up to deliver the best of High Definition. For the larger screen sizes, this means not only HDMI™ inputs with 1080p signal capability but also a full HD panel resolution of 1920 pixels horizontal x 1080 pixels vertical.

This amounts to over 2 million pixels—resolution that plasma panels are hardpressed to match, especially in 40 and 46-inch diagonal screen sizes. Sony's 2 million pixels are more than twice as many as 720p plasma HDTVs and more than five times that of plasma EDTVs. The difference is profound. For example, in order to show 1080i or 1080P High Definition signals, a 720P television must first downconvert the signal, losing more than 55% of the pixels in the process! BRAVIA XBR television's Full HD 1080 design delivers every pixel of performance from HD sources.

What is Picture Quality?

QUESTION: Which is responsible for picture quality? ANSWER: All of them. (Simulated Picture for Illustration.)

For some TV manufacturers, Full HD resolution would be enough. But for the Sony XBR® Series, native 1920 x 1080 resolution is only the beginning. Sony engineers demanded all the other attributes of an outstanding television picture, including high contrast, superb color fidelity, natural gradation from dark to light, and excellent clarity. Sony BRAVIA™ XBR televisions deliver the total picture.

Where Does Picture Quality Come From?
Thanks to Sony's unsurpassed television expertise, we understand that almost every part of an LCD television can enhance—or deteriorate—the final picture. For Sony, having a superlative LCD panel is only a starting point. Sony XBR televisions also boast the right inputs, advanced signal processing, an innovative backlight, enhanced color filters and a low-glare screen. We will look at each of these picture quality components in turn.

HDMI™ 1080p inputs
While signal inputs may not make your heart beat faster, they have a profound effect on picture quality. Over the last 20 years, each new generation of video connections has enabled a marked improvement in home video picture quality. That's why the larger screen sizes of BRAVIA™ XBR® television include three High Definition Multimedia Interface™ (HDMI) digital audio/video inputs, each with up to 1080p capability.

A single HDMI connection can carry uncompressed component digital video and uncompressed digital audio.

• 1080p capability. These connections are compatible with some of the most advanced and soon to be released home video sources on the planet: Blu-ray Disc™ players and the PLAYSTATION®3 game console. These sources can exceed the performance of over-the-air HDTV broadcasts. In this way, you'll enjoy the latest and best that HD sources have to offer.
• Digital video. To preserve every nuance of your HD signal, the HDMI connection carries uncompressed digital video of the highest quality.
• Digital audio. Unlike the Digital Visual Interface (DVI) system, the HDMI connection also carries digital audio, including uncompressed digital audio.
• Three HDMI™ inputs. BRAVIA XBR models include three HDMI inputs to accommodate a set-top box, Blu-ray Disc player and PLAYSTATION®3 game console simultaneously.

BRAVIA Engine™ Pro circuitry
In a modern flat panel television, the video processing circuitry performs vital functions, all of which have an impact on picture quality. To maximize every last bit of picture information, BRAVIA™ XBR televisions incorporate the BRAVIA Engine Pro full digital video processing system. This preserves the signal in the digital domain, avoiding unnecessary video degradation. The system includes four stages.

To maximize picture quality, the BRAVIA Engine Pro full digital video system conducts four stages of processing in the digital domain.

Sony's CCP-XA circuit (right) enhances conventional, composite video signals. (Simulated Picture for Illustration.)

DRC MF v2.5 (right) elicits higher quality conversion than previous Sony designs. (Simulated Picture for Illustration.)

• Composite-to-Component Processor XA (CCP-XA). Even the latest HDTV must still accommodate old-style analog composite video input signals. Sony's CCP-XA circuit converts incoming composite video into component signals with wide bandwidth and rock-solid stability. Three dimensional video signal analysis yields excellent Y/C comb filtering and reduces the flecks and specks of pixel-level noise, as well as block noise and "mosquito" noise. The CCP-XA also yields extremely smooth color gradation, giving richer, more realistic skin tones.
• Digital Reality Creation™ Multifunction version 2.5 circuit (DRC™ MF v2.5). As broadcast and packaged media shifts from SDTV to HDTV, televisions must accommodate a wide range of signal formats. These include 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i and 1080p. Sony's native 1920 x 1080 resolution means that these televisions never need to downconvert and throw away pixel data. It also means that any signal that does not originate as 1080p must first be upconverted. Sony's proprietary Digital Reality Creation circuit performs this crucial function.

Unfortunately, upconversions are notoriously difficult, as they attempt to turn a lower-resolution input into a higher-resolution output. Some televisions merely "connect the dots" with interpolation, ending up with a soft picture of higher resolution. Sony demanded more. Our proprietary Digital Reality Creation (DRC) circuitry analyzes the lower-resolution input signal in real-time, and then determines what that signal would have been, if it had originally been an HD signal. In this way, DRC circuitry can generate resolution that wasn’t present in the original signal. The result is quality that conventional interpolation has a much more difficult time achieving: stunning detail approaching HD quality from SD sources.

There's more. Sony Full HD 1080 televisions with our BRAVIA Engine™ Pro system incorporate the DRC-MF version 2.5 circuit, with increased processing power compared to our previous designs. This extra horsepower means that the advantages of DRC-MF can now be applied not only to 480i (SD) sources, but also to 480p, 720p and 1080i sources. This yields more detail for a wider range of inputs. The circuit also includes an advanced mode, optimized for content that has previously been upconverted from SD to HD. Combining this advanced algorithm with our Interlace-to-Progressive (I/P) conversion, Sony's 1080p Direct Creation achieves a picture of spectacular quality.

If a signal doesn't originate as 1080p, DRC™ MF version 2.5 converts it beautifully. (Simulated Picture for Illustration.)

The DRC MF Palette on-screen control enables you to adjust the conversion according to the video source. Once you find the optimum setting, the television remembers your choice for each input. (Simulated Picture for Illustration.)

• Image Format Processor 2 (IFP2). Sony's IFP2 circuitry establishes superb picture uniformity. A Digital Texture Enhancer optimizes the entire range of BRAVIA Final Page 8 contrast from dark to bright while improving picture clarity. Motion Vector Noise Reduction minimizes unwanted artifacts in moving subjects.
• Panel Driver. The final stage of the BRAVIA Engine™ Pro circuit, the Panel Driver optimizes the output signal for the specific requirements of Sony's LCD panel. Highly precise nonlinear video processing and color compensation enable reproduction of video images with vibrant blues, greens and whites, as well as superb dark-area detail.

The most advanced video processing block in the history of Sony television, BRAVIA Engine Pro circuitry lays the groundwork for all the picture enhancements that follow. It's only available in BRAVIA XBR television.

Live Color Creation System
By itself, an LCD panel cannot generate color. It can only pass or block light. The total available color depends on the backlight behind the LCD panel, while the final color is determined by a series of color filters in front of the LCD panel. Sony takes these elements a generation further with our Live Color Creation System, which delivers dramatically saturated, lifelike color. The system includes three distinct elements:

• Panel Driver. The last stage of the BRAVIA Engine Pro system, this circuit performs color space conversion tailored to the specific characteristics of Sony's Wide Color Gamut CCFL backlight.

• Compared to a conventional backlight (blue triangle), Sony's Wide Color Gamut CCFL (red triangle) produces far deeper, more saturated yellows and greens.

  Wide Color Gamut CCFL backlight. While others considered the cold cathode fluorescent light (CCFL) a "generic" part with no potential for improved performance, Sony saw an opportunity. Sony's Wide Color Gamut CCFL incorporates exclusive phosphor chemistry. The result: an improved phosphor spectrum for an expanded "gamut" or range of colors the television can express. The industry's first of its kind, the Wide Color Gamut CCFL is one big reason why Sony's BRAVIA XBR television can reproduce such gorgeous greens and deep, saturated blues.
• RGB Color filters. In the Full HD 1080 picture, the over 2 million pixels are all comprised of three sub-pixels, each filtered for Red, Green or Blue. An LCD television's gamut or range of reproduced colors is ultimately determined by the colorimetry of these filters. That's why Sony carefully matched the color filters in front of the LCD to the potential of the Wide Color Gamut CCFL behind the LCD. The result is the intense, vivid, true-to-life color that sets BRAVIA television apart.

Advanced Contrast Enhancer (ACE)
The CCFL backlight is remarkable for one other reason: the ability to vary the backlight, enhancing the perceived contrast. Contrast is the ratio between the brightest possible white and darkest possible black that a television can reproduce. Contrast is an essential tool of cinematographers and videographers, who use it to endow their source material with breathtaking impact.

"Static" or "on-screen" contrast ratio measures the maximum contrast that can be on the screen at a given instant. Simulated Picture for Illustration.)

Today's televisions are evaluated by two distinctly different types of contrast. "Static" or "on-screen" contrast is the ratio of the luminosity of the brightest white and the darkest black that a television can produce simultaneously on the screen. This is the truest measure of core performance. Sony BRAVIA XBR televisions achieve one of the highest On-Screen Contrast Ratios in LCD television: 1300:1.

"Dynamic" contrast ratio measures the luminosity of the brightest white and the darkest black the television can produce at two different instants in time. Sony's Advanced Contrast Enhancer (ACE) automatically senses the average picture level of the video signal and adjusts the intensity of the backlight accordingly. This increases the "dynamic" contrast ratio to 7000:1. You'll see better picture in night and day scenes, automatically. You can switch ACE on or off, according to your preference.

"Dynamic" contrast ratio measures the maximum contrast that the television can generate over time. (Simulated Picture for Illustration.)

Unfortunately, contrast specifications can be misleading. It is not always obvious whether a spec refers "static" or "dynamic" contrast. One manufacturer's measurements may not be directly comparable to another's. Your best guide is overall picture quality, as seen on a well-adjusted television, with a good signal source and appropriate room lighting.

7th Generation Sony LCD panel
A crucial component of any television is the part that makes the picture—what engineers call the "display device." In the case of BRAVIA™ XBR® televisions, that device is a remarkable 7th Generation Sony LCD panel. LCD "generations" reflect the size of the mother glass from which each panel is cut. 7th Generation mother glass is substantially larger than previous generations. This enables Sony to deliver state-of-the-art picture quality at extremely attractive prices.

• The picture from many previous LCD televisions deteriorates at extreme viewing angles (left). Sony BRAVIA XBR television delivers a vibrant picture over a 178 degree viewing angle (right). (Simulated Picture for Illustration.)

  Slow response (left) can add unwanted blur to moving objects. Sony's 8-millisecond response (right) renders crisp, clear picture in many fact action scenes. (Simulated Picture for Illustration.)

  178 degree viewing angle. Plasma flat panels and conventional LCDs typically fall well short of the ideal viewing angle approaching 180 degrees. In contrast, Sony's 7th Generation panel has an internal Liquid Crystal structure that increases viewing angle to a phenomenal 178 degrees, so the picture remains vibrant when view ed from almost anywhere in the room.
• Ultra-fast 8-millisecond response. The internal structure of Sony's LCD panel also promotes fast switching speed, important for picture clarity. Slow speed can add unwanted blur to fast-moving objects on the screen. This can be particularly noticeable when a bright object is moving against a dark background, or vice versa. Sony's fast, 8-millisecond switching speed keeps up with the world's most demanding video content. BRAVIA XBR televisions renders sports, action movies and video games with sharper, crisper and more lifelike motion.

Reduced-reflection screen
Even a high-contrast television picture can be undone by something as simple as room lights or natural light coming through a window. In particular, these light sources can reflect off the television screen shining unwanted ambient light onto the screen. Plasma TVs are particularly susceptible to this glare effect. But Sony BRAVIA XBR televisions incorporate a screen that reduces reflection, preserving the quality of the picture.

Total picture quality
Sony's thorough approach to BRAVIA™ XBR® television goes far beyond any single feature or individual specification. Sony's total system method results in simultaneous improvements across the board, with 1920 x 1080 resolution, highimpact contrast, gorgeous color, seemingly effortless clarity and lifelike gradations of the most challenging subjects, such as skin tones. The result is a picture less like television, and more like a window on the world.

Other video features

• Integrated HDTV tuner. BRAVIA™ XBR® televisions can receive free, overthe-air HD broadcasts, as well as unscrambled digital cable (QAM) tuning.
• PC input1. The D-sub 15-pin PC input on BRAVIA™ XBR® televisions enables you to surf the Internet, watch downloaded movies, share photo slide shows or watch web videos right in your living room. No more huddling around that tiny computer monitor.
• Light sensor. Intelligently adjusts the screen brightness to match the ambient light in a room, for much more comfortable viewing. For example, in a dim room the screen automatically reduces brightness.
• Freeze Function. Enables you to temporarily freeze the picture in a separate window while the programming continues. This comes in handy when you want to copy a recipe, URL or phone number. Simply touch the Freeze button on the remote and copy the details down at your leisure.

1. For supported resolutions and timings please consult the user manual.

Audio
While many owners will choose to connect their BRAVIA™ XBR® televisions to an external audio system, Sony builds in complete facilities for on-board sound reproduction.

• Dolby® Digital decoding. Modern digital program material, including HDTV broadcasts and DVDs, offer Dolby® Digital sound tracks with rich dynamic range, low distortion and extended frequency response. These televisions include a built-in Dolby Digital decoder to reproduce these sound tracks through the built-in stereo speakers.
• SRS® TruSurround® XT audio. DVD and HDTV broadcasts include rich surround sound information, the effect of which can be lost without a full 5.1-channel speaker system. SRS TruSurround audio processing takes advantage of the psychoacoustics of head-related transfer functions to simulate the effect of surround sound even when you're only using the television's built-in stereo speakers. The latest TruSurround XT technology adds three advancements. Dialog Clarity enhances speech in surround sound programs. TruBass extends the perceived bass response beyond the physical limits of the television's speakers. Finally, WOW widens the perceived stereo soundstage.

Custom Design

Complement or accent your decor with five designer colors, offered as extra-cost options for the bezel and pedestal stand of the larger XBR2 models: Scarlet Red, Sienna Brown, Pacific Blue, Velvet Black and Arctic White.

From the very first model, Sony XBR televisions have always broken fresh ground in design. BRAVIA XBR televisions carry that tradition forward with a striking enhancement in the "floating" glass panel design we first introduced in our XBR900 series televisions. The XBR2 models offer a silver bezel and matching pedestal stand, with five designer colors available as options. The choice of colors enables a large HDTV screen to integrate gracefully into your personal decor.

As you would expect, the BRAVIA™ XBR® televisions offer space-saving mounting options, including the supplied pedestal stand and hang-on-the-wall flexibility with an optional mounting bracket that is compatible with the standard spacing of VESA-mount screws.

A final word
While technical papers and mastery of specifications have their place, they're not required to appreciate the BRAVIA XBR televisions. All you need is a good High Definition source, a comfortable chair and some time to sit back and watch. When you do, Sony's BRAVIA XBR technology will speak for itself.

What's In the Box: KDL-46XBR2 46-inch LCd flat-panel HDTV, remote control (RM-YD010), 2 AA Batteries, HD-15 to HD15 Cable, Operating Instructions, Quick Setup Guide.

Product Description

Sony KDL-46XBR2 Bravia XBR LCD HDTV

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

66 of 69 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Has clouds, but I still love it, April 24, 2007

By 

Travis Dockweiler "tdockweiler" (kalamazoo, mi USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony Bravia XBR-Series KDL-46XBR2 46-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV (Electronics)

I previously had a Westinghouse 42" 1080p LCD that went bad after just 6 months! I used my service plan and got a full refund since they didn't even want to touch the thing. The only problem i've found that that the prices in 6 months actually increased and suddenly I found that 42" 1080p LCDs were less common.

I first went with the Samsung LN-S4695D. I had some major issues with that so returned it for this. I originally skipped this Sony for the Samsung because it was cheaper.

When I purchased this I knew of the cloud issue and had them deliver it and crossed my fingers. Turned it on and after awhile I noticed clouds. The problem in all honesty does not bother me AT ALL EVER. I think in the 4-5 months i've owned this i've noticed it once or twice. Please note that I almost NEVER watch TV in the dark. If you do, maybe it's more of a problem. Sony's claim that it's "normal" is such a joke. How could you ship out thousands of these LCDs with this issue and knowing it's there? I've knocked off a star due to this. For the price you pay on this thing (it was more expensive when I bought it months ago) you'd expect it to be perfect. My first Sony was. It's not true that there is no PERFECT TV out there. There is.

Anyway, I immediately calibrated this using AVIA and DVE and the picture quality is even better than any previous TV i've owned by far. This thing has so many features in the menu system that you could spend hours just configuring it to get it right. I disliked the menu system on the Samsung and this one is so much better. It's really easy to navigate and not slow.

This also has so many different types of connections. Three HDMI ports. Most people think two is enough, but I don't agree. I currently use all three. Switching inputs on previous Sony televisions was a pain. Now it's a little bit easier. To press a button to display 'external inputs' and switch to the one you want. You can even label the inputs. I have mine set to PC, Wii, PS3, Cable and DVD PLAYER.

Games show no ghosting at all that i've noticed. A couple times i've noticed very slight motion smearing on really low quality cable TV. It's extremely rare and i'm going to blame my cable provider because it never happens on DVDs or anything else.

I don't use the TV speakers but I do when I connect my HD antenna up. That's about once every 2 weeks for NBA games in HD. Some would complain it sounds bad but they've probably never heard sound from other LCDs. My mother's plasma display has such bad sound that it sounds like it's coming from a $2 speaker. Honest. It's impossible to listen to it it's so bad. The sound from the speakers isn't good, but acceptable. My guess is that a large percentage of the people that buy a TV this expensive have a home theater system. I currently use a Yamaha Sound Projector since i'm in an apartment.

The design is much better than my Samsung I previously tried out. The only problem is that it will not tilt/rotate like the Samsung did. Not a big deal for me but it would have been nice. The design on the back is not good. It's hard to access all the HDMI and cable inputs. I'd imagine it's like this due to some people wanting to mount this on a wall? It's nothing that bad.

HD-DVDs and Blu-Ray movies are pretty amazing on this thing. Same goes for Playstation 3 games. DVD movies even look good but it depends on the DVD quality. Old movies don't really look good. I'm mainly talking about DVDs that came out when the players cost a fortune. I've compared the picture quality between an upconverted movie and one that's not and I definitely notice a huge difference.

I will admit though that my Oppo DVD player hates this LCD. It will display dark scenes but they will contain greenish tint/macroblocks etc. I thought it was the LCD but i've tried 5 others and this does not occur. I've tried many ways to fix this with not much luck. I currently use the Denon 575 and so far so good.

Standard "Digital" cable still looks terrible in most cases. I don't have HD cable yet and my cable provider's picture quality is terrible. That's all. It's not the TV's fault. Too bad I can't get Satellite TV out here.

I also was pretty impressed with the results I got when I connected my PC to this. Seeing your desktop at 1080i is pretty nice. I don't really use this feature though much. I've played a game that supports widescreen at that high of resolution (Final Fantasy XI) and it looks pretty good!

Other than the few negatives above, I can't think of many. I've waited months to post a review. I really wanted to give it some time. So far i've not experienced many problems at all.

The cloud issue might make it a risk buying this. Maybe they've fixed the problem already. Even with the cloud issue it's still a good TV. BTW my clouds are nearly impossible to see until I have a completely black screen and my lights are down. I have them on the top left and bottom left. When the actual movie plays they are GONE. Completely unless a scene is completely black, not just a little dark.

If I run into anything bad i'll update this review. So far, so good!

69 of 75 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful!, October 17, 2006

By 

Maximum (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sony Bravia XBR-Series KDL-46XBR2 46-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV (Electronics)

We got this TV about a month or so ago and love it. It really shines displaying HD. Nature shows on HD Discovery are unbelievable with out-of-the-box color calibration seeming very good to my eye. I can still picture the vivid snake scales and close ups of Mantises (Mantisi?) days after watching them on this set.

The only downside is that I notice some macro-blocking if I sit within about 6 feet. Not really a problem though since we usually sit further back. Also, I think this may be an issue with the content encoding rather than the TV itself.

I've read in forums that some people are disappointed in the non-HD performance of the TV. However, while it really does shine in HD, I find it totally acceptable when viewing the occasional non-HD content.

Definitely worth checking out if you are in the market for a high end TV and plan on watching lots of HD. I also can't wait to try this set with an XBOX 360 and/or PS3 :-)

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars perfect TV set... unless viewed in the dark, December 29, 2006

By 

RRS (Silicon Valley, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sony Bravia XBR-Series KDL-46XBR2 46-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV (Electronics)

Honestly, this about the best 1080p TV you can buy right now. Everything about it screams quality -- the incredibly vivid image, the absurd amount of inputs, and the striking physical design.

However, if you watch dark films (say, the Godfather, or Underworld: Evolution) in the dark (as in a movie theater), you will quickly be exposed to the set's weakness: the so-called cloudiness defect. On a totally dark image, you will see lighter-than-black patches, which will mean an uneven blackness level, and thus a distracting "cloud" effect when the camera moves through a dark scene. Don't be surprised if you end up feeling very frustrated at this.

I give the set 3/5 stars -- but it would have been 5/5 easily if not for the clouding problem.