Various high definition technologies round up

After much discussion and wandering thought of the subject, we came to agreement about who this TV is for right now. If you are the kind of guy (or girl) who has to have the latest in tech, no matter what the cost – an early adopter, a frequent flyer on the bleeding edge – you’d be wise to take a closer look at the LaserVue. The picture quality is fantastic across the board, from unruly action flicks to serene, Sunrise Earth-like films.

The short story is that the Sony KDL-55XBR8 is the best-performing flat-panel LCD we’ve ever tested, earning the category’s first-ever "9" we’ve awarded for performance. It delivers picture quality that’s nearly as good as the Pioneer PDP-111FD, the best flat-panel performer period. Black level and color accuracy were superb, there’s a cornucopia of video processing choices including the best dejudder mode we’ve tested, and bright-room picture quality was best-in-class. Our only gripe, and it’s enough to cost the Sony the title, was its tendency to fade when seen from off angle.

MGM has just released its first wave of six Bond titles on Blu-ray, and the first I chose to review was ‘For Your Eyes Only.’ I saw this film incessantly on cable back in the early ’80s, and have owned it on just about every other video format, including LaserDisc and DVD. Being rather familiar with the film over the years, I can certainly say ‘For Your Eyes Only’ has never looked better than it does on this Blu-ray. MGM has done a kiss kiss-bang bang job on this restoration.

Lowry Digital’s 4K-mastered HD transfer looks generally very good, and is certainly improved from the previous DVD releases, though it isn’t perfect given the age of the film. The presentation features light grain, with variable detail based on the restored condition of the original elements. Color is exceptionally vibrant (note the deep blues of the "speargun" sequence), and contrast is generally good throughout, though the blacks do look slightly gray from time to time. Audio-wise, surround sound is available in a DTS-HD 5.1 mix that’s satisfying, yet recreates the sonic character of the original theatrical presentation. The original mono audio is also available, for those who prefer it.

Ignore the marketing-spin of HDMI Rev 1.3b and 1.3c — it’s only for the testers.