About the Sony KDS-R50XBR1
The wait is over. Videophiles who have followed the development of Sony's dazzling SXRD (Silicon Crystal Reflective Display) projection TV technology can now enjoy it without taking out a bank loan.
SXRD is a refined version of LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) display technology. The KDS-R50XBR1 uses Sony's newest high-definition SXRD image panels, each with 1920 x 1080 pixels the highest resolution available. SXRD also boasts the highest "pixel density" of any TV available, as well as the tightest between-pixel spacing. The distance from the middle of one pixel to the middle of the next is only about 1/8 the width of a human hair! SXRD images possess jaw-dropping clarity, detail and depth, but the most striking quality is a silky smoothness that creates a more filmlike look.
The KDS-R50XBR1's exceptional color purity is one of the main advantages of using three SXRD image panels (one each for red, green, and blue signals). This 3-chip design ensures rich, radiant, rock-steady color. Sony's innovative Cinema Black Pro "dynamic iris" technology improves contrast and black level by reducing the TV's light output in dark scenes. A circuit continuously samples the brightness content of the video signal and adjusts the iris opening on the fly to deliver the best possible brightness, contrast, and black level.
This "Digital Cable Ready" TV can receive both over-the-air and cable high-definition TV signals without using a separate set-top box. To make the most of the built-in cable tuner, request a CableCARD from your local service provider. The CableCARD replaces the cable box, simplifying your hookup, providing a slightly better picture, and eliminating one remote control.
Before now, SXRD was only available in Sony's $30,000 Qualia 004 front projector and $13,000 Qualia 006 rear-projection TV (often hailed as the world's finest HDTV). With the KDS-R50XBR1, this groundbreaking technology can now be yours for a fraction of that cost. Once you've seen SXRD work its magic in your home theater, you may decide to stop paying to see movies at the local theater. It's that good.
Tip: To find out if HDTV signals are available in your area, visit this helpful site and punch in your zip code.
Large Item Special Shipping: This item will be delivered and placed in any accessible room in your home. Available to physical addresses in 50 United States only. Limited delivery available to Alaska and Hawaii for $99 per item call 1-888-955-6000 for more details. Sorry, we can't ship to P.O. Boxes or freight forwarders. Delivery takes 5-7 business days once your order has been processed. Extra charges may apply to items that must be carried up more than 5 flights of stairs. Allow extra time for delivery to remote addresses. Free return shipping not available with this model.
Product highlights:
- high-definition TV receives and decodes digital standard-definition and HDTV signals from over-the-air broadcasts (antenna required) and cable TV service (CableCARD required)
- widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio
- 1080p 3-SXRD light engine (1920 x 1080 pixels)
- ultra-fast pixel response time (2.5 milliseconds)
- 130°(H) x 60°(V) viewing angle
- Cinema Black Pro with Advanced Iris for improved black level and contrast
- 10,000:1 max. contrast ratio
- Wega Engine HD digital video processing
- adjustable DRC MultiFunction V2 (upconverts video signals to near-HD quality)
- Twin-View® Picture-in-Picture (split-screen)
- built-in stereo speakers (15 watts x 2)
- multibrand remote control
- picture settings memory for each video input
- 10 A/V inputs, including:
- 3 composite video (2 rear, 1 front)
- 3 S-video (2 rear, 1 front)
- 2 component video (accepts 1080i/720p/480p/480i signals)
- 2 HDMI digital audio/video inputs (accepts signals up to 1080i)
- 3 i.LINK® (IEEE 1394) ports (2 rear, 1 front)
- PC input: analog RGB (D-Sub 15-pin)
- 2 RF inputs (1 Antenna, 1 Cable)
- Memory Stick® slot for viewing digital photos
- optical digital audio output for Dolby® Digital
- 57-1/4"W x 33-7/8"H x 18-3/8"D (pedestal is 39-1/8"W x 18-3/8"D)
- weight: 94.8 lbs.
- warranty: 1 year parts & labor in-home service
- Contact your local cable provider for details regarding the availability and costs of CableCARD-related services
- MFR # KDSR50XBR1
What's in the box:
Sony KDS-R50XBR1 owner's manual
- 50" SXRD High-Definition 1080p rear-projection TV
- RM-Y914 wireless remote control
- 2 "AA" batteries
- Operating Instructions
- Quick Setup Guide
- Warranty sheet
- Product Registration card
- "Required Public Statement for GPL/LGPL Licensed Software Used in this Television" sheet
- Warning sheet concerning removing remote and manual before discarding packing materials (attached to TV)
- SonyCard (for www.sonyrewards.com)
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Inputs and Outputs Notes
SXRD Technology: SXRD is a refined version of LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) display technology. SXRD employs three Silicon X-tal Reflective Display panels, which aid in the response time of image changes and movement. SXRD delivers high-level resolution, greater contrast ratio, faster response speed and film-like reproduction compared to other conventional devices.
HDTV: The KDS-R50XBR1 has a built-in ATSC tuner that will receive over-the-air and cable High Definition signals without the need for a separate DTV set-top box. With its HD-compatible component video and HDMI inputs, the TV can also display programs in High Definition from high-end DVD players and set-top boxes. In addition, the TV also includes an NTSC tuner for analog broadcasts, and is CableCARD ready.
CableCARD: CableCARD provides cable subscribers with access to digitally encrypted cable channels without the need for a separate set-top box. With CableCARD, you can receive both standard definition and high definition programming. The CableCARD, provided by the cable TV company, inserts into the TV's rear panel CableCARD slot.
Native Resolution: The KDS-R50XBR1 has three high-definition SXRD image panels, each with 1920 x 1080 pixels. Each panel has 2 million pixels, so there is no loss of detail. SXRD preserves every pixel of the source, and brings the full 1080 lines to the screen without interlacing, displaying the signal at 1080p. The resulting picture has incredible clarity and a smooth, filmlike quality.
WEGA Engine System: Sony's Proprietary WEGA Engine System delivers superb picture quality from any video source by minimizing the signal deterioration caused by digital to analog conversion and stabilizing the signal processing. This engine features 3 key technologies engineered and designed by Sony:
- Composite Component Processor (CCP-X): The first step in the digital processing system is the Composite Component Processor (CCP-X), which enhances the input signal-to-noise ratio by chroma decoder digital processing.
- DRC (Digital Reality Creation)-MF V2: Unlike conventional line doublers, the DRC Multifunction feature replaces the signal's NTSC waveform with the near-HD equivalent by digital mapping processing. The DRC Palette option lets you customize the level of detail (Reality) and smoothness (Clarity) to create up to three custom palettes.
- IFP (Image Format Processor): The Digital Texture Enhancer function of this chip provides the optimal contrast by utilizing a wide dynamic range. This chip also reduces signal noise while maintaining image sharpness.
Advanced Iris: This advanced iris shutter opens and closes automatically according to the incoming signal level. This results in brighter whites and better overall contrast in dark scenes.
DRC Modes: You can choose from the following DRC advanced video options to create a high-resolution picture with 4x density for high quality sources:
- Mode 1: recommended for moving pictures
- Mode 2: recommended for still images and text
- CineMotion: provides an optimized display by automatically detecting film content and applying a reverse 3-2 pulldown process. Moving pictures will appear clearer and more natural-looking.
BN Smoother: To reduce noise caused by the digital video encoding and decoding process, you can activate the BN Smoother feature. It is especially effective for watching a DVD or digital TV picture. You can select High, Medium, Low, or Off.
Note: This feature is not available for 480p, 720p, or 1080i sources, or when using Twin View, Freeze, or Memory Stick.
Advanced Video Settings: In addition to the DRC Modes, DRC Palette, and the BN Smoother, the Advanced Video Settings menu also features the following:
- Color Corrector: makes the colors more vivid; you can select High, Low, or Off
- DTE: enhances the texture of the picture; you can select High, Medium, Low, or Off
- Clear White: emphasizes the white colors; you can select On or Off
- Detail Enhancer: sharpens picture definition; you can select High, Medium, Low, or Off
- Black Corrector: enhances the black colors and gives the picture strong contrast; you can select High, Medium, Low, or Off
- Gamma Corrector: adjusts the balance between bright and dark areas of the picture; you can select High, Medium, Low, or Off
- White Balance: allows you to adjust the white color intensity by changing the red, green, and blue levels
S-master Full Digital Amplifier: The built-in S-master Full Digital Amplifier delivers superb clear dialog and reproduces the original sound quality while minimizing any sound fragmentation or jitter noise. The amplifier delivers 15 watts per channel to the left and right speakers.
Optical Engine: The Sony optical engine provides a high-resolution picture from corner to corner across the entire screen. It also renders an image with high-brightness utilizing a 120W UHP (Ultra High Pressure) Lamp (Model XL-5100) that you can easily replace.
Note: No lamp life information is provided.
Program Guide: This TV is equipped to show program information if it is available from the station. The Program Guide lets you review program information, and select both analog and digital channels.
Twin View: Twin View allows you to watch two programs side-by-side with the ability to zoom in on one picture and listen to the program in the selected window. You can watch pictures from two different sources simultaneously.
Freeze Function: This function allows you to temporarily capture a program's picture. The TV switches to Twin View mode and displays the "frozen" picture on the right, while the current program continues on the left. This function only works in normal view mode; if you are in Twin View mode already, it will not work.
Favorite Channel Preview: This feature allows you to preview up to 16 favorite channels without leaving the current channel. The preview is shown in the upper right corner with the favorite channel list shown below, while the current channel appears in the left 3/4 of the screen.
Video Mode: You can select Vivid, Standard, or Pro. The Vivid setting enhances picture contrast and sharpness. The Standard setting displays a standard picture for normal viewing environments. The Pro setting displays a picture with minimum enhancements. You can set a Video mode independently for each video input.
Wide Screen Modes: You can select a default screen mode to use for 4:3 sources. While watching a channel, you can use the Wide Mode button to cycle through the wide screen modes. If the 4:3 Default is set to anything but Off, the wide screen mode setting changes only for the current channel. When you change channels, the wide mode is automatically replaced with the 4:3 Default setting. You can choose from the following screen wide screen mode options:
- Wide Zoom: enlarges the center portion of the picture and stretches the left and right edges to fill the screen
- Normal: returns the 4:3 picture to normal mode with side bars to fill the screen
- Full: enlarges the 4:3 picture horizontally only to fill the wide screen
- Zoom: enlarges the 4:3 picture horizontally and vertically to an equal aspect ratio that fills the screen
Power Saving: You can view the picture with reduced power consumption by selecting the Power Saving mode. The picture becomes darker, but the black level is enhanced. To view the picture without the benefit of Power Saving, you can select "Standard" mode.
Steady Sound: This feature stabilizes the volume level, preventing unwanted blasts of sound during commercials.
Surround Effects: To enhance the sound, you can select one of three surround effect modes:
- Virtual Dolby: for surround sound effects for Dolby Surround-encoded programs only
- TruSurround: adds a three-dimensional sound to stereo programs
- Simulated: adds a surround-like effect to mono-channel programs.
Sleep Timer: The sleep timer switches the television off after a specified amount of time. The sleep timer can be set to 15, 30, 45, 60, or 90 minutes.
Timers: This unit has two timers that can be set by day, time, duration, and channel.
Optional TV Stand: The TV can be mounted on the optional Sony SU-GW12 stand (item # 158SUGW12).
Memory Stick Viewer: This television has a front-panel Memory Stick slot that is compatible with JPEG images taken with Sony digital still cameras and MPEG1 movies taken with Sony digital cameras and camcorders. The slot will accept Memory Stick Duo and Memory Stick PRO Duo without having to use a Memory Stick Duo adapter. The Memory Stick viewer is compatible with Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO (up to 1GB), Memory Stick Duo and PRO Duo (up to 1GB), and Memory Stick with Memory Select function.
Memory Stick Index: The Memory Stick Index displays up to 15 thumbnail images of the files stored on a Memory Stick. You can individually highlight and display any image in the Index.
Viewing Still Images: When viewing a still image, you can rotate the image 90 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise. In addition, you can zoom in and out and pan up/down/left/right to view a portion of the picture.
Playing Movies: When viewing a movie on a Memory Stick, you can enlarge the movie window for easier viewing. During playback, you can pause the movie or move to the previous or next movie on the Memory Stick.
Slide Show: You can view JPEG images or MPEG1 movies in a Slide Show. During Slide Show playback, you can choose one of the following interval speeds: Fast (3 seconds), Medium (6 seconds), Slow (12 seconds), or Manual Advance. If you desire to have music playing during the slide show, you can start playing back a built-in MP3 file of piano music.
Multibrand Remote: The supplied remote is pre-programmed to operate this unit and a number of functions on other brands of A/V components, including DVD players, laserdisc players, VCRs, cable boxes, and satellite receivers.
HDMI Inputs: The TV features two HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) inputs that provide an uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface between the TV and any HDMI-equipped device, such as a DTV set-top box, DVD player or A/V receiver. HDMI supports enhanced or high-definition video, plus multi-channel digital audio. You can also connect a DVI-equipped device to the TV via an HDMI-DVI adapter cable. Since a DVI connection does not output audio, you will also need to connect an audio cable from the DVI-equipped device to the TV. One of the two HDMI inputs has an audio input.
i.LINK: The TV has three i.LINK inputs, one on the front panel and two on the rear-panel, allowing the display to be used with compatible i.LINK-equipped A/V components.
Note: These terminals are not intended for use with personal computers.
Component Video Inputs: The two component video inputs will accept 1080i, 720p, 480p and 480i signals.
Audio Out: The TV has a rear-panel audio output, which consists of left and right RCA audio jacks. Using the menu, you can choose Fixed or Variable audio output. The audio jacks are only operable when the TV's built-in speakers are turned off.
Optical Output: You can use the TV's optical digital audio output to connect a Dolby Digital/PCM-compatible digital audio device, such as an audio amplifier.
Control S: Control S allows you to control the TV and other Sony equipment with one remote control. There are two Control S connections; both 3.5mm mini-jacks, one in and one out.
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Excellent TV! After 10 years, today I'm changing the lamp for only the 2nd time. Other than a persistent fan noise, this TV still running in perfect condition. Sony ROCKS!
DD from Miami, FL