4K TV Reviews

Unit-to-unit sample variations, the viewing environment, and the source might render these recommendations less than optimum. They are only provided as a potentially useful starting place.

The settings here that are most likely to translate reliably from one sample to another are those involving specific features with only a few selections, such as Gamma and Noise Reduction. The ones most likely to be subject to sample variations are video controls offering a wide range of adjustment, such as white balance (grayscale) and color management. Even relatively small differences in the common control settings, such as Contrast, Black level, and Gamma, can shift the white balance, though the resulting visible change may be minor.

We strongly recommend that you find the optimum basic SDR video settings for your sample by using one of the many available Blu-ray display setup discs, such as DVE HD Basics (no such discs are yet available for HDR). These will help you to set the basic controls, Brightness (Black level), Contrast (called “Picture” in earlier Sony sets), Sharpness, and sometimes Color and Tint, correctly. Experimenting with the more complex color calibration and other controls in the user menus will do no harm; the changes may be easily reset. But adjusting these by eye is unlikely to produce an accurate result and is no substitute for a full calibration. The latter is best left to a trained and properly equipped technician such as those certified by the Imaging Science Foundation (ISF) or THX.

Per color adjustment:

(Note: Adv. Color temperature and Per color temperature settings are the same for HD/SDR and UHD/HDR in the Custom Picture Mode.)