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By Philip Wong, CNET Asia
Oct 02, 2008

Now into its third run, the 2008 Sony Bravia X-series is available in two flavors: The regular X450 and the HD digital broadcast-enabled X4500. With the new introduction of the 200Hz Z-series, the X450 and X4500 have also lost their flagship stature despite a somewhat superior feature set. What's notable, however, is the ultra-high contrast LED backlighting for selected models such as the KLV-46X4500.

Upside: The 46- and 55-inch X450 and X4500 stood out from all the remaining 2008 Bravia LCD TVs with their RGB Dynamic LED backlighting system. This feature uses red, green and blue LEDs, which enhance dynamic contrast to 1,000,000:1, to deliver even deeper blacks and richer colors. Another key differentiator is the PRO iteration of its Motionflow function that offers both 100Hz motion enhancement and backlight blinking for sharper and more stable visuals. The last major upgrade is the high-end Bravia Engine 2 PRO video processor implemented across the new X-series.

For couch potatoes, the KLV-46X4500's built-in analog and digital DVB-T tuners cover most TV broadcasts relevant in Asia. An added MPEG-4 video decoder further extends its program selection to encompass HD content such as the recent Beijing Olympics coverage. Matching this flexibility is an electronic program guide and Dolby Digital surround sound support. The former outputs TV program schedule onscreen, while the latter dishes out 5.1-channel soundtracks--either decoded externally by a home theater or reproduced through its powerful 44W dual-woofer audio subsystem.

An Ethernet socket and Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) compatibility complements the set's USB 2.0 port. Together, they allow direct MP3 and JPEG playback from a variety of USB as well as DLNA-certified devices. Alternatively, you can opt for Digital Media Port addons such as the S$159 (US$106.40) TDM-BT1 dongle for wireless multimedia streaming from any Bluetooth-enabled gadgets. If you're familiar with the PlayStation Portable's unique XrossMediaBar (XMB) interface, you should find this Bravia's XMB software menu an intuitive and refreshing overhaul as well.

Downside: There are two noticeable omissions worth highlighting here. First of all, the Asian set is missing a fourth HDMI port which is found on its UK counterpart (KDL-46X4500). More importantly, there's no onboard DivX playback that is increasingly common on the latest Samsung and LG offerings. Though bandwidth may be a potential issue in a congested home network for streaming video, the USB port should pose little problem for this matter. Speaking of which, the overly recessed USB input is probably going to be a bottleneck, especially for wall-mounted units in confined spaces.

Outlook: The Sony Bravia KLV-46X4500 is one of the few LED-powered LCD TVs in the market today. It may not have all the features of the competing Samsung Series 9, but hopefully this translates to a more pocket-friendly price. This is a crucial consideration which we will get to know when the X450 and X4500 are launched throughout Asia in a few weeks' time.

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