A TV set isn't just about looks, however. The panel has to perform in order for it to really stand out in a market saturated with confusing display gimmicks and LED displays. Thankfully the Sony more than matches its design in the performance department. Incorporating the latest in image processing technology, almost everything looks great - from standard definition terrestrial TV and streamed video content from YouTube, right the way up to the latest in 3D Blu-ray.
Like the HX8, which admittedly uses a slightly more powerful version, the HX7 takes advantage of Sony's X-Reality engine. This means essentially that the television can detect what kind of content you are watching and then adjust the individual brightness levels of the screen to retain detail in the picture while keeping contrast levels high. In practice it works 99 per cent of the time. Low quality video and low res TV benefits particularly from the feature. Other material however can suffer slightly. Gaming in particular can go a tad haywire as the panel struggles to deal with all the blown out colours and contrasting scenes.
Included in the HX7 package is access to Sony's Entertainment Network and all the other trimmings of its top tier internet connected TVs. This means built in Wi-Fi so you can get an internet connection straight out the box, as well as things like an iPlayer app, Skype and Twitter. YouTube content can also be streamed straight from television.
Irritatingly, Sony hasn't incorporated Google TV into the set, instead using its somewhat lacking own-brand UI. It makes for a clunky and laggy experience a lot of the time and the included remote just isn't geared up for doing things like sending a tweet.
Thankfully a lot of this improves when viewing photos and video from the included USB port. The UI is quick to respond and pretty much any form of video content will play back instantly on the TV. Sony has done a good job making the HX7 feel like a set you can just connect your camera up to and start enjoying photos on the big screen.
The 400hz panel in the HX7 coupled up with the included motion flow image processing makes for quite an experience. In a lot of cases the motion smoothing can be overkill, but dialled down to the standard setting it can work wonders for things like sport and action movies.
Formula One in particular impressed, with an incredibly smooth picture that cut a lot of the judder out of the signal. This makes us think this could be a set worth considering for those looking to make a purchase for the Olympics.
For Blu-ray and 3D content the HX7 truly shines. The edge-lit LED display has some of the best viewing angles we have ever seen and black levels which are more than impressive at this price range. Gone are a lot of the blown out reds and blues found in a lot of Blu-ray content, as the HX7 can be setup to show a incredibly rich yet natural looking picture. This is where the set is at its best.
All in all then, a pretty impressive television set from Sony. We can't help but think some of the similarly priced Samsungs with their better UIs might be worth considering. If however picture quality and looks are all you are about, then the HX7 could be the thing for you.
Click here for full manufacturers specifications.
Irritatingly, Sony hasn't incorporated Google TV into the set, instead using its somewhat lacking own-brand UI. It makes for a clunky and laggy experience a lot of the time and the included remote just isn't geared up for doing things like sending a tweet.
Thankfully a lot of this improves when viewing photos and video from the included USB port. The UI is quick to respond and pretty much any form of video content will play back instantly on the TV. Sony has done a good job making the HX7 feel like a set you can just connect your camera up to and start enjoying photos on the big screen.
The 400hz panel in the HX7 coupled up with the included motion flow image processing makes for quite an experience. In a lot of cases the motion smoothing can be overkill, but dialled down to the standard setting it can work wonders for things like sport and action movies.
Formula One in particular impressed, with an incredibly smooth picture that cut a lot of the judder out of the signal. This makes us think this could be a set worth considering for those looking to make a purchase for the Olympics.
For Blu-ray and 3D content the HX7 truly shines. The edge-lit LED display has some of the best viewing angles we have ever seen and black levels which are more than impressive at this price range. Gone are a lot of the blown out reds and blues found in a lot of Blu-ray content, as the HX7 can be setup to show a incredibly rich yet natural looking picture. This is where the set is at its best.
All in all then, a pretty impressive television set from Sony. We can't help but think some of the similarly priced Samsungs with their better UIs might be worth considering. If however picture quality and looks are all you are about, then the HX7 could be the thing for you.
Click here for full manufacturers specifications.
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