CES 2020: Sony Updates 4K, 8K Lineup With New LED Displays

At CES 2020 Sony seeks to deliver products, content, and services that resonate with people and affect a positive impact on society, based on its Purpose to “fill the world with emotion, through the power of creativity and technology.” Some of the biggest innovations include new 8K LED, 4K OLED, and 4K LED models.

Main Products and Prototypes Being Showcased
The Sony booth introduces a range of initiatives which harness the power of creativity and technology, under the theme of sustainable value creation that all of Sony’s diverse businesses strive to achieve as part of its corporate direction of “getting closer to people.” Exhibits range from technologies Sony is pursuing in order to get closer to creators and users by enabling them to deliver `reality,’ such as high-resolution video and sound in three-dimensional space, in addition to `real-time’ technologies that support every stage of the production process through to the viewing experience, as well as various combinations of these technologies.

Contributing to Society Through the Delivery of Safety and Reliability
Sony will demonstrate the contribution it intends to make to realize a highly advanced autonomous driving society, and the new emotional experiences it aims to deliver in the world of mobility.

Evolutions in Imaging and Sensing Technologies in the Realm of Mobility
“Safety Cocoon” represents a safe-zone concept in which supports vehicle safety in various daily driving situations by detecting 360 degrees around the vehicle, enabling early preparation to help evade risk. At the Sony booth, visitors can experience advancements in the Sony imaging and sensing technologies listed below, which support the realization of this concept. Through Sony’s imaging and sensing technologies, which are beyond the human eye, we aim to contribute to the achievement of safe, reliable, and comfortable mobility experiences.

• CMOS image sensors which achieve high sensitivity, high definition and high dynamic range while also suppressing LED flicker*3 to deliver accurate object recognition, even in situations where conventionally detection has been difficult.
• Solid State LiDAR which uses highly accurate distance measurement to gain a precise 3D grasp of real-life spaces.
• Sensor fusion technology which merges the capabilities of sensors of varied attributes to enable early and accurate recognition, even in challenging conditions such as fog, backlight and night-time driving.
• Time-of-Flight (ToF) in-cabin sensing solutions use distance measurement technology to detect and recognize people and objects inside the car. This information is used to provide an optimized infotainment system with intuitive interfaces such as gesture control and improve safety and comfort inside the vehicle.

New Mobility Proposals Pursuing Comfort and Entertainment
Sony’s efforts in the area of mobility – such as pursuing safety, reliability, comfort and entertainment – are being positioned as a new initiative, named “VISION-S.” The first prototype vehicle to result from “VISION-S” will be showcased at the Sony booth. This prototype incorporates Sony’s imaging and sensing technologies, as well as on-board software regulated using Sony’s AI, telecommunication and cloud technologies, in order to continuously update and evolve its features.

A total of 33 sensors including CMOS image sensors and ToF sensors are embedded within the vehicle, in order to detect and recognize people and objects inside and outside the car, and provide highly advanced driving support. Sony’s “360 Reality Audio” provides a deep and immersive audio experience through speakers built into each seat to encapsulate passengers in sound. The front seats face a panoramic screen on which rich and diverse content can be enjoyed through an intuitive user interface. Sony will continue to combine its advanced technologies to deliver greater safety and reliability, while also striving to inspire new emotion through revolutionary in-car entertainment experiences.

Helping Creators Realize Their Dreams
Sony is bringing about a technological revolution at every stage of the creative process, from production to when content reaches audiences, in order to further inspire creators and help them deliver their work to viewers and listeners.

Transforming Live Sports Broadcasting through Technology
Advances in 5G and AI technologies are bringing new artistic and video production workflow possibilities to creators.

• 5G Proof of Concept Trial
  • Sony conducted a proof of concept trial in December 2019, by capturing video of a live American football game with a 5G-connected camera, showing how 5G can allow for more creative and untethered camerawork while also reducing set-up time and costs. Visitors to the Sony booth will be able to see a video introducing this initiative, and also the equipment used during the trial including Sony’s PXW-Z450 shoulder camcorder, Xperia 5G mmWave device that enables high-speed data uplink, and a prototype transmitter box that encodes and transmits high-quality video in real-time.
• AI-based Real-time Video Analytics
  • Sony is also proposing new video experiences that further enhance the excitement of sports through our AI-based real-time video analytics technology. The booth will feature a table tennis demonstration by athletes, and the game will be captured on multiple devices including Sony’s HDC-P50 POV system camera and the cameras with Sony’s unique high-speed vision sensors. From the image, the athletes’ postures and the flight path of the ball are instantly analyzed, and CG characters will mimic the movements based on estimations of the athletes’ postures by deep learning technology. The booth will also exhibit a demo video showing the number of times the ball rotated by analyzing super-slow-motion video.

Empowering Creators’ Imaginations through 3D Volumetric Visual Technology

• 3D Spatial Reality Display Technology
  • Sony’s unique Eye-sensing Light Field Display uses high-speed vision sensors and face recognition algorithms to enable super high precision spatial reality experience not found in conventional naked-eye 3D displays. It can be easily applied to VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality) content, providing a versatile volumetric content creation environment to creators in various fields such as entertainment and product design.
• Virtual Production Technology using 3D Volumetric Capture
  • The Sony booth also features a virtual production set which transforms the way motion pictures and TV shows are made. The set has been captured from the Sony Pictures studio lot as photo-realistic volumetric data and is shown as a background image on a Crystal LED display. The background changes in real time with the movement of the camera, ensuring the final image has the proper perspective and depth. Virtual production empowers the creator’s imagination by allowing directors, cinematographers, and actors to experience the scene as if they are really there, and provides creative flexibility where film production can take place at any time.

New Content Creation Environment Provided by Large Screen, High Resolution Display System
As TVs continue to trend towards larger screens, and more content with higher resolutions and in HDR (Higher Dynamic Range) is created, there is a corresponding need for comprehensive, accurate evaluation of content on the professional monitors used by creators. In a professional editing room setup with a 4K x 2K Crystal LED display system (220 inch), visitors will be able to experience ongoing and future developments in the production environment for movies, TV shows, and online content.

8K and 4K
Offering a premium viewing experience consumers have come to expect from Sony, this new lineup features proprietary technologies previously only found in Sony’s MASTER Series models. These new televisions aim to deliver the most immersive viewing experience in their class, with evolving technologies and premium large screens, created to deliver content the way creators intended.

By utilizing Sony’s best-in-class Picture Processor X1 Ultimate, clear and precise picture quality is achieved, offering customers a highly realistic viewing experience. Additionally, with TRILUMINOS Display, Sony reproduces the subtle nuances of color, light, and gradation from video lens to living room, offering more shades of red, green and blue than ever before. Premium quality sound is a key part of the viewing experience as well, and the new models feature Sound-from-Picture Reality, which aligns the position of the sound with the images on the screen to offer a uniquely lifelike experience. The new models will continue to deliver the creator’s intent with Netflix Calibrated Mode, offering studio-quality Netflix content, and IMAX Enhanced1, which brings The IMAX Experience into the home by offering a new level of sight, sound, and scale.

This lineup also introduces Ambient Optimization, a new technology that optimizes picture and sound quality in any customer environment. To bring this new concept to life, Acoustic Auto Calibration detects where the customer views their TV from during initial setup and calibrates sound quality based on the environment. This new feature brings the television’s full sound potential to any environment.

In addition to Ambient Optimization, this lineup will feature a new Immersive Edge design concept. In order to maximize the immersive experience, a noiseless stand is now located at the edge of the screen. The minimalist stand is less noticeable, offering customers an improved and unobstructed viewing experience.

For the upcoming next-generation gaming consoles, select new models will support 8K HDR (7,680 x 4,320) resolution, 4K (3,840 x 2,160) 120fps high frame rate and fast response time via HDMI inputs to deliver their maximum performance for a cutting-edge gaming experience.

New Lineup Highlights

• Z8H’s New Frame Tweeter: The most immersive experience is realized through enhanced picture quality, slim design and Sound-from-Picture Reality with Sony’s new Frame Tweeter technology. The Frame Tweeter vibrates the frame of the TV to emit sound, giving customers the feeling that sound is coming directly from the screen.
• X-Motion Clarity for OLED: This revolutionary technology from Sony will now be available for OLED, refining action on the screen in real time with an incredible refresh rate that is brighter and clearer than ever before.
• X-Wide Angle X950H Expansion: X-Wide Angle technology provides vivid real-world colors from any angle while retaining more brightness than other conventional LED TVs. Enjoy a great picture with incredible contrast from anywhere in the room. To offer an even more impactful viewing experience, the X950H has expanded X-Wide Angle to 55″ and 65″ class size.
• Z8H’s Backlit Remote: Customers can now enjoy their viewing experience in darker environments with the Z8H’s backlit remote.
• Android TV: The new lineup will feature Android TV with the Google Assistant, Google Play Store, and Chromecast built-in, which offers users easy access to content, services, and devices via its extensive platform. Sony’s original user interface menus and voice controls are also enhanced for better daily use. Expanded voice control functions enable users to enjoy live TV, apps and connected devices hands-free.
• Hands-free Capabilities for X950H and Z8H: Sony’s voice-activated TVs work alongside Google Assistant to provide a smarter viewing experience.2 Ask the Assistant to search for the latest blockbuster, stream shows, or open multiplayer games. Have it dim the lights by connecting smart home devices. Manage tasks and see your calendar. Or ask it questions and see the answers on your TV.
• Smart Speaker Compatibility: With the Google Assistant2 and Amazon Alexa3 enabled devices, you may cast and control videos from YouTube with Google Home or change the channel or volume with Amazon Alexa enabled devices.
• Easy Connectivity to Most Devices: With Apple AirPlay 2, users can stream movies, music, games, and photos to their television right from their iPhone, iPad or Mac. Apple HomeKit technology provides an easy, secure way for users to control their television from their iPhone, iPad, or Mac 4 5