Sony just dumped one of the most monstrously gorgeous sets we've seen in some time—an 84-inch Bravia LCD with four times the resolution of today's top HDTV. It could be in your living room by the end of the year.
The 4k (3840 x 2160) set, Sony CEO Kaz Hirai explains, will be able to upconvert existing movies, TV shows, and photos into 4k res—since there's nothing out there in that format yet. Yet! But when there is—and that moment is inevitable—you'll not only have a gigantic TV with a gigantic number of pixels packed into it, but ten (ten!) separate speaker units built directly into the set, creating a virtual 5.1 surround sound field.
We haven't put eyeballs on it yet, but this could be a pretty spectacular instant home theater rig—if you can fit it in your house. We'll also have to reserve judgment on how well that upconversion engine works, as that's a critical component here. But thanks to the 4k format, even if you have to cram it close to your couch, you still probably won't be able to notice nine million individual pixels—there are just too many of 'em. No word on pricing yet (it'll be a lot of money!), but Sony says the KD-84X9005 will be out by the year's end. [Sony]