The Short Form

$7,000 / SONYSTYLE.COM / 877-865-7669

Snapshot

Though pricey, Sony's LED-backlit XBR8 establishes a new performance benchmark for LCD TVs

Plus

• Deep blacks and strong shadow detail • Accurate color • Clear, smooth 120-Hz picture with most Motion Enhancer settings enabled

Minus

• Expensive • Picture contrast shifts when set is viewed from off-center seats • Bulky, too-wide cabinet

Key Features

• 120-Hz display • RGB LED backlight • LED Dynamic Control (local dimming) • Motion Enhancer processing to reduce film judder • Side-panel HDMI and USB inputs • DLNA-compliant for home-network connection • DLNA-compliant for home-network connection • 58 5?8 x 33 3?4 x 14 1?8 in, 120 lb (with stand)

Even though flat-panel LCD TVs continue to sell better than plasma sets, the best plasmas still outperform the best LCDs. But during the past year, both Samsung and Sharp introduced LCD models that use LED backlight arrays with "local dimming" to deliver deep, film-like blacks - the technology's traditional shortcoming. And while none of the ones we've tested has yet managed to topple Pioneer's Kuro plasma as our reference-standard TV, some have come close. With LED backlighting now in the picture, plasma's got a reason to watch its back.

At $7,000, Sony's 55-inch KDL-55XBR8 LCD costs 2 grand more than the Samsung LN55A950 reviewed in our December 2008 issue. But it's also $5,000 less than the Sharp Limited Edition LC52-XS1U we covered in January. (The Samsung and Sharp reviews are available on our Web site.) As with the Sharp, the Sony's backlight uses an LED array consisting of separate red, green, and blue lamps, as opposed to the Samsung's colored-filtered white LEDs. Unlike the Sharp, which sports a slim 21?4-inch-deep panel and a brushed-stainless-steel frame, the Sony TV is something of a design throwback. Its gloss-black bezel is the same standard-issue one seen on other LCDs, while its side-mounted speakers, which can't be removed, extend the TV's width a full 6 inches (although they do sound uncommonly good for TV speakers). And at 6 inches deep, the 55XBR8's cabinet is also unusually bulky for a flat-panel model.

Along with its locally dimmed RGB LED backlight (a feature called LED Dynamic Control), Sony's flagship TV has a 120-Hz display and numerous Motion Enhancer modes to reduce film-judder/motion-blur artifacts. The TV's DLNA-compliant (Digital Living Network Alliance) LAN and USB ports extend its appeal to photographers looking for a big-screen set for viewing their digital pictures.

The 55XBR8's other connections include four HDMI slots, a pair of component-video inputs, and an RGB PC jack for a computer. There are also some Sony-centric connections like the Digital Media Port and DMex inputs, which connect a video iPod (through an optional adapter) or a Sony Bravia Link module for things like Internet video streaming.

The largish remote control has a backlit keypad and a clean button layout. Pressing Input calls up an onscreen menu showing connected devices; you can toggle or scroll through the menu to select the one you want to access. Display options called up by the Wide button include Normal (4:3), Horizontal Stretch, Zoom, and Wide Zoom, all of which can be selected for both standard- and high-def programs.

SETUP

The 55XBR8 has a huge number of setup options and picture adjustments. My first step was to hit the Screen menu and choose Full Pixel in the Display Area submenu. With this option selected, the TV displays 1080i/p programs "pixel for pixel" with no screen overscan to lop off the outer edges of the image.

My next step was to select the Custom option in the Picture Mode menu. The Sony offers eight picture presets, including a Cinema mode that delivers a natural-looking image for watching movies in a dark room. Settings for each preset can also be modified on a per-input basis, and the TV remembers your adjustments. Other tweaks I made in Custom included choosing the Warm 2 color temperature, pulling the Backlight level adjustment down three notches from its default, and selecting both Standard Color Space and Low LED Dynamic Control in the Advanced Settings submenu.