Sony brings smaller 4K TVs in 2013, more Full HD TVs

With the tagline of “everything looks better on Bravia 4K,” Sony has launched the latest models of what it believes is the next generation of home entertainment technology. And even if you can’t yet justify the price 4K will demand, there are plenty of other options in Sony’s range, with Full HD pushed to its highest quality yet.

Thirteen models have been announced for Sony’s 2013 Australian range, and more than ever, Sony is pushing WiFi, Smart TVs, and amongst the best colour for any TV.

While the first two features have become more or less standard across new televisions in the past year, a better understanding of colour and its importance in a TV seems to be one of the messages Sony is trying to send with the launch of these new sets, and the addition of a new processing chip Sony called “X-Reality Pro.”

“It doesn’t matter what video content or panel you have, if you have a dodgy processor, you’ll get dodgy images,'” said Paul Colley, Group Manager for Network Services and Technology at Sony Australia. “It’s the most important part of a TV.”

That important piece of technology has been worked on by aspects of Sony’s film division, with the Colorworks group providing Sony with information about movies that go into creating Blu-ray content, and what bits and pieces of information work best for colour and compression.

Sony tells us that it is the only TV manufacturer with that sort of information, and that is what can help Sony get the best colour out of its panels.

There’s more to it than that, however, and many of Sony’s new displays in the range will take advantage of the X-Reality Pro technology, with some working alongside quantum dot Trilmunos LED technology to provide more colour gamut than competitors, while the sound will be enhanced using some neat technology called Magnetic Fluid.

Originally developed by NASA, this allows a small tube of metal-injected liquid to become a cushion for the speaker driver, while letting the temperature of the liquid to actively cool the speaker at the same time.

This technology allows the speakers to get smaller while making it possible for them to be driven harder, effectively reducing size and making them ideal for thinner screens.

Technology such as Near-Field Communication (NFC) will also be included, making it easy for an NFC capable device (like many Android phones) to pair with the remote and start throwing media straight to the TV, though we’re told Miracast may be required.

Apps will be made available, however, with Sideview making it possible to look around the TV and electronic program guide (EPG) on both Android and Apple iOS devices.

At the low end of the spectrum is Sony's W670A, which starts at $749 for the 32 inch, while the 42 inch costs $1049.

Much of this technology will be made available on several of Sony’s TVs, and with models available from 32 inches all the way up to 70 inches, there’s certainly an abundance of choice.

While they’re not all equal, the prices will range from $799 to $4999 recommended retail, though only the W900A which comes in 47 and 55 inch models will support the high-end Triluminos display technology.

Sony's R550A comes in three sizes, with a 50 inch retailing for $1999, the 60 inch costing $2999, and the 70 inch model coming in at $4999.