Sony X90J 55 Inch TV: BRAVIA XR Full Array LED 4K Ultra HD Smart Google TV with Dolby Vision HDR and Alexa Compatibility XR55X90J- 2021 Model

I did say in the headline that this is a fantastic television. Although it is more expensive than many 65" 4K TVs, which can be found for as little as 700 dollars. This Sony Model has a number of unique technologies that set it apart; however, Sony describes it as one of three "step-up" models. As their higher-end, more expensive OLED TVs are introduced in 2021, they'll have to "scale down" their models. First and foremost, it's helpful to understand what makes a good image on a large-screen television. While those low-cost 65" 4K TVs aren't bad, they don't compare to the image on this Sony. To be honest, you'd have to be a snob to disagree with Sony that this is the lowest of their 2021 "Step Down Models" based on what I've seen. br>br>First, some background on myself, followed by a discussion of how televisions produce good images. In 2015, I had nearly no vision in my right eye and just enough detail in my left eye to drive, thanks to early-onset cataracts that began in my fifties rather than my 60s, 70s, or 80s. I was convinced I'd never be able to see clearly again, so I promised myself that if I got the cataract lens replacement surgery, I'd buy the best television I could. My "older" TVs at the time were a Sharp 1080P edge lit TV purchased in 2012, and a Sony Bravia 720P HD TV purchased for my late mother when she was in a nursing home in 2005, which was backlit with a long lasting florescent lamp of some sort. Anyway, I had the operation in 2016, and aside from at my request (to read and do computer work without glasses), I got near perfect vision except for a little nearsightedness, so I use glasses to drive Since the replacement surgery went well, I spent nearly $3000 on an LG OLED TV from a local seller, along with an expensive warranty. I received a replacement model of the same type, but upgraded to 2019 technology, due to some issues with the OLED. Warranties can be beneficial in certain circumstances. For the past four years, I've had this type of television in my living room. 5 years. It's pretty cool, but it's about a third the price of the new Sony from 2021. I'll make some contrasting comparisons in my review because they're both 65". Sony has an advantage in packaging and setup. I had to struggle with the LG to put on the support base, despite the fact that it was significantly heavier than the wafer-thin LG OLED TV. It required several screws to be installed, and someone had to carefully support the screen while they were done. The Sony had more screen protection, but I was able to easily slide and snap it open when lying flat on a bed. in the leg pieces that provide support Screwdriver isn't required, and it's simple enough that one person could do it in a pinch, though I had a friend to assist me. There were four screw-in anchors in total. If you want to attach the support legs to a wall-mounted bracket, you'll need barrel connectors. One connector can be used to create a tipping hazard protector, but you'll need to buy your own eye loop piece. Because the TV is nearly twice as heavy as an LG of similar size, make sure the platform you use can support 70 pounds of TV and any other devices you might connect (DVD players, streamers, and so on). br>br>Directed setup when the TV is turned on also goes to Sony over LG, though to be fair, LG's remote controlled a lot of special functions, so it had more features that needed setting up than this Sony. Both TVs have voice-activated inputs, and the Sony makes excellent use of its microphone by optimizing the sound for the position in which you are sitting. In fact, the sound quality on the Sony 2021 is far superior to that of the LG 2019 model. Although, because I use a 7, my LG sound experience is slightly better. 1 "Sony" sound bar with subwoofer and two back speakers controlled by a remote This was also a product I reviewed for Sony via the VINE about four years ago. This Sony TV doesn't have any external speakers, but it sounds great on its own because the speakers are far superior to the LG speakers. br>br>In terms of apps, LG comes out on top, with the set-top box being the clear winner. Up comes with a number of apps and the ability to add more, as well as a web browser. That's nice; some of the services I used to watch NFL games required a web connection, and it was nice to be able to watch them on the big screen rather than on my laptop. LG also has a built-in Chromecast that allows you to project content from your computer or smartphone onto your TV. I set up Google Play on the Sony, but it was limited in comparison to the LG's Magic Remote and the number of things I could do with it. br>br>In terms of image quality, LG comes out on top by a hair; the Sony's XR contrast booster makes it look great, but LG's OLED pixels come out on top. It took me a long time to figure out what was going on. I put some 4K YouTube videos on both, stood in front of them at the same distance, and watched three different videos (landscape bright tropical island, dark movie short, and ultra colorful Japan business district walk through). Each gave me something to judge, so I watched five minutes of each and then did it again. After that, I switched to the other TV and back. Despite the fact that, unlike cheaper older TVs, it's difficult for most people to tell the difference, the LG's black levels won out. br>br>An explanation is in order: the low-cost TVs are edge-lit. That is to say, the image is a color liquid crystal that does not produce its own light. While they may be referred to as LED TVs, what they really mean is the backlight, which is edge lit, meaning it shines from the TV's perimeter and is likely reflected across the entire screen. This is why you'll need a thicker back and a larger television. It's impossible to make it as thin as an OLED display. Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) is a type of display that produces its own light rather than relying on a backlight. This Sony TV employs a backlighting system, but it is far superior to edge-lit LED TVs in terms of quality and sophistication. It's referred to as "full array LED lighting. " Instead of just controlling the brightness of an edge light to shine through a liquid crystal matrix, you have the entire back populated with LEDs behind the liquid crystal matrix, and the incoming picture frames are determined by a complicated algorithm (software program design). It then adjusts the intensity of some of the LED lights to match the light and dark areas in the image. By keeping the light areas lit and the dark areas dark, it aids in contrast and black levels. It is slightly less effective than OLED because OLED allows you to control the intensity of individual pixels to achieve a true black level. Sony is switching to OLED on their higher-end models, but the difference between what I see here and the real-world resolution seems insignificant to me unless you have a lot of money to burn. I'm sure those high-end models will have some fantastic features, but you can bet you'll have to pay a premium for them. While it is pricey, you will not be disappointed with this fantastic new model, whether it is "Step Down" or not. br>br>Getting away from the LG comparison for a moment, I liked the initial set up guide for this Sony. It allowed me to quickly choose a language and connect to the Internet. The software was then updated, and I was asked to connect to some native apps. I went to my other computer and activated Amazon Prime Video, and I was excited to see that the Crunchyroll Anime app was available in the All Apps section, so I just added it and logged in. The only thing that disappointed me was not being able to locate a Web browser. I did a search and it suggested that I look for it in the extended all apps section, but there was no browser there. I tried connecting Google TV to see if it had a Chrome-like app, but there was nothing new. I'm guessing that because their help tells you where to go, the memory and other resources required to support a Web browser are too limited, and they only include it on higher-end models. I'm not sure; I might be able to add one later. br>br>Another nice feature is the USB input; Sony appears to be on top of the latest video file formats and has the codex for them in its native media player. It worked well with some of my downloaded video files in a variety of formats and resolutions. I did have a minor annoyance with having to manually set the subtitles on the remote for each file, and I'd like to be able to leave subtitles or closed captions on when watching non-English content. The content is written in English. I didn't like the fact that there was only one coax input; I like to keep my LG (which has two) connected to both the Cable box and a powered antenna in case the cable goes out, which happens all too often. The Sony has a total of four HDMI inputs. Despite the fact that I am not currently using a sound bar with this TV, I suppose I should discuss eARC and ARC because it is a feature. Audio Return Channel was abbreviated as ARC. There is an ARC input on the Sony Sound bar that I use with my LG, as well as an ARC output from the LG that I've connected. This enables me to connect high-resolution audio without the need for a separate optical cable or analog set of RC jack connection cables. The eARC feature on this new Sony 2021 model TV stands for Extended Audio Return Channel, and it differs in sound bandwidth and data transfer. It can, for example, send uncompressed audio to a sound bar or another audio system. 1 or 7. There is only one sound. While the previous ARC was about 37 times slower, and it could only work with compressed 5 at best, the new ARC is significantly faster. 1 data. A decent high-spec HDMI cable was required for ARC, and an HDMI cable with Ethernet support was required for eARC. I'm not going to test it for this TV unless Sony releases a newer, higher-end sound bar system for the VINE; if that happens in the future, I might test it. For the time being, the sound on this TV from the native speaker is exceptional, as I previously stated. br>br>Overall, this is a very nice television with a sound system that is good enough to eliminate the need for an expensive external sound system. A picture that outperforms the majority of mid-priced and lower-priced televisions. App connections and streaming services for the same. It's easier to set up than some of LG's more complicated, feature-rich TVs, as well as the high-end, newly released Sony OLED TVs. For the most part, this will suffice. It is highly recommended. br>br>UPDATE: br>br> 21 In the review, I mentioned that I'd keep looking for a way to add a Web Browser. Some videos on the internet demonstrated how to install Chrome from a third-party website. Using the microphone, I was able to add a Browser that claimed to be designed for Sony TV. I discovered a lot of uses for it, such as navigating between apps, connected USB drives, connected 4K DVD players, and broadcast TV via an attached antenna. To find movies and shows, the TV can use one area search or multiple apps at once. It's as good as, if not better than, the Cable TV remote I have on my other TV. With the addition of the Browser, I can now access news, as well as the websites of other services, online shopping, and so on. The only gripe I have with something like Chrome is that it doesn't append the " if I don't spell out the entire URL. It wouldn't find the site even if I added ". com" to the URL or completed the URL.

Magnus Jacobson

| Jun 29, 2021

I've seen a lot of 3 and 2 star reviews that say things like, "Oh, it's a great TV, but it's not for gaming. " Let me try to explain:br>This television comes without auto HDR and a slew of other crucial features. To begin, you must first connect a PS5 or Series X to the hdmi 3 and 4 ports. They are the only two of their kind. 1 slot that can support it, then double-check that the plugs you're using came with the console or state that they can support up to 120 at 4K. Then, in the TV's settings, change the HDMI signal format to enhanced. Now you can get the most out of this fantastic television. Check to see if the console has all of the 4K features turned on; there are plenty of videos online that will show you how. The TV does need a lot of tweaking, but that's true of almost all products; the factory can't tell if you're in a bright or dark room, or if lights are reflected in the TV's screen. I know that the tvs 120 at 4K feature works because I've used both consoles. I am extremely pleased with my purchase.

Maximo Bullock

| Apr 28, 2021

] Great picture, problems syncing with soundbar [see update], issues with eARC support, and CEC support. [Updated on June 15, 2021]br>br>Amazon is a saving grace. Because I purchased this from Amazon, I was able to easily return the first unit after Sony TV engineering declared it defective, which was a huge relief because Sony support was terrible. br>First and foremost, there is good news:
1. The picture quality is fantastic.
2. Google TV is supported by TV. This is a user interface for Android TV. Exceptionally nice. br>3. The Sony remote controls TV, streaming, and cable box/DVR (for the most part when CEC is enabled). br>br>Now for the bad news. br>On April 10th, I bought the television. I had immediate issues with the HDMI/eARC interface to the soundbar. Symptoms:
1. With the Arris DCX3600M (cable box/DVR), CEC is not working properly. If the cable box is turned off when you go to it, it should be turned on. This does not work in the majority of cases.
2. When the TV is turned on, the soundbar (Vizio M51a-1) should turn on as well. H61). In the vast majority of cases, this is not the case.
3. The soundbar may be recognized if I use the Vizio soundbar remote to turn it on before turning on the TV.
4. If the soundbar is detected (sometimes requiring the use of settings to indicate sound from the Audio System rather than the speakers), I may experience correct behavior (soundbar works and on-screen display indicates Audio and volume), incorrect behavior (soundbar works but no on-screen display indicates volume), or no sound at all.
5. The TV was declared defective on April 28th, after many hours on the phone with Sony support and delays in receiving a response from Sony TV engineering. In order to "validate" my problem, I received an email requesting that I send photos of the defect (sound issues- I'm not sure what a picture of no sound looks like), as well as photos of the model number and serial number (which I already gave them over the phone). They promised to "validate" my problem within 24 hours and send me a new replacement TV within 5 days of receiving it. 7 days to complete. The good news is that I chose to work for Amazon. The return was handled quickly by Amazon, and I ordered a new set the same day (the price had dropped $200 in the two weeks since I bought it). The following day, my new TV arrived. That is one of the reasons I enjoy Amazon so much! After all of the troubleshooting on the defective model, I decided to take a more cautious approach with the replacement. I discovered that if I turned off eARC on the TV and only used ARC, I had fewer soundbar issues. br>I also did some independent research into whether the cable box's CEC interfered with other CEC devices. Sony stated that they have no way of knowing whether or not there are known issues with any equipment other than their own, regardless of whether or not customers have reported them. br>According to my research, a CEC Less HDMI adapter can be used to prevent the cable box's CEC from interfering. This disconnects HDMI pin 13 from the rest of the system. If you're feeling brave, you can use your cable to disable it. I decided to test out two Amazon-purchased CEC Less HDMI adapters. I'm still putting it to the test, but it appears to be working. I bought: br>BlueRigger 4K HDMI CEC Less Adapter (and Lindy HDMI CEC Less Adapter, Female to Male (41232) (Once I've completed my testing, I'll post reviews for each of those products. ) br>br>Current Status: br>br>Present Situation: br>br>Present Situation: br>It's better now than it was before. CEC issues with turning on the soundbar when the TV is turned on continue to be an issue. The soundbar is more stable, but only when using ARC. CEC stability and eARC continue to be a problem. br>Sony customer service is taking another look at it. By Monday, May 10th, I'm hoping to receive a response. br>br>Update (5/7/2021)br>On May 6th, I received a response from Sony. My issue was forwarded to Sony TV engineering, but with the caveat that "no sound" was included. Spent 1. 5 hours on the phone with no end in sight for troubleshooting After the call, I'm having even more problems. On Tuesday, May 11th, I was told that I would get a response! br>br>Update (5/11/2021)br>I received a response from Sony. There has been no progress. I went over the symptoms once more. I asked if I could buy a new soundbar and have it shipped to Sony so that Sony TV Engineering could test it and isolate the problem. br>br>Update (5/14/2021)br>It's been 3 business days (the allotted time to wait for a response). I called Sony because I hadn't received a response. Even if I bought one for them, they said they wouldn't be able to test it with my model soundbar. They determined that the TV and soundbar are incompatible, and the issue was resolved. They didn't present me with any alternatives. They said I could re-test with a different soundbar if I still had issues. This is an open case. In fact, I had tried a different soundbar with the previous (defective) model and had issues, so I asked them to re-ship it to me. This is an open case. This makes me angry. br>br>05/17/2021br>We have some exciting news. Now that I have a soundbar connected to my television, I can watch it. The majority of the issues have been resolved. I bought a Vizio Elevate, model P514a-, from Amazon. Soundbar with the model number H6. All of the CEC issues have been resolved, though there is still a small sound start delay on the television when changing channels. The sound start delay with eARC is unacceptably long. There is a three-second delay between each channel change or DVR start. There is a four-second delay. br>I don't need the CEC Less HDMI adapter any longer. br>I'm changing my rating from two to three stars as a result of this latest update. br>br>06/15/2021br>After much more testing, the CEC Less HDMI adapter has been added back, as well as the first firmware update to the TV (6. 0471NAA will be available on June 8, 2021. ) I've reached a point of stability. The Lindy HDMI CEC Less Adapter was the CEC Less adapter that I used. br>I'm still having some minor CEC issues, and I'm still unable to use eARC reliably. Sony, I hope, is working on making improvements in this area.

Sawyer Ferguson

| Oct 27, 2021