14 DAY TRIAL // Samsung and LG both have curved OLED UHD TVs out, as well as a bunch of “normal” UHD panels, curved or otherwise.Sony didn't go out of its way to match them, but it doesn't have a curved TV of its own.
Called S990A, it is described as the world's first Curved LED TV by the company.
And that's actually pretty strange, because LED is the backlighting technology, not the display technology. The screen is still one of those good old LCDs.
Anyway, Sony's S990A boasts the Triluminous technology, which makes colors seem particularly vibrant by precisely controlling the intensity of the backlighting system.
Color saturation should, thus, be very good, and the difference between it and normal (flat)screens should be obvious as long as the source material hasn't been compressed too much.
Moving on, Sony included a sound setup that, while not on par with high-tech speaker systems, should do quite well for those that don't want to buy one for whatever reason. The top speakers on either sides of the LCD are pointed slightly outwards, bouncing sound across the room.
It's not a true surround experience, but it comes reasonably close.
Besides, with UHD LCDs/OLEDs as the new high end of the display industry, Sony's 65-inch S990A is actually a mid-range invention.
Sure, it costs $4,000 / €4,000, but that's a pittance compared to the several dozen thousands that UHD TVs, curved or otherwise, require.
Speaking of which, Sony's S990A LED LCD curved TV should already be up for pre-order and will ship by the end of the month (September 2013).
Keep in mind, though, that there is one drawback that curved screens bring, on LCD more than on OLED: narrower viewing angles. It's the same issue plaguing 3D sets, and which hurt initial LED model sales all those years ago.
Sony Curved LED LCD TV (8 Images)
