Sony LCD TVs with 60 Hz backlight strobing for gaming

[balazer]

Many Sony TVs support 60 Hz backlight strobing for 60-fps sources in game mode. The feature is enabled by different settings on different TVs:

• LED Motion Mode on 600-level TVs from 2012–2014
• Motionflow Impulse on 700-, 800-, and 900-level TVs from 2011–2014
• Motionflow Custom on 2015+ TVs. Set Clearness to max (5), and Smoothness to min (0) to turn off frame interpolation.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of North American models that I believe support 60 Hz strobing in game mode. Models vary by region.

• 2011: XBR-46HX929, XBR-55HX929, XBR-65HX929
• 2012: KDL-40EX640, KDL-55EX640, KDL-60EX645, KDL-55HX850, XBR-55HX950
• 2013: KDL-32W650A, KDL-42W650A, KDL-47W802A, KDL-55W802A, KDL-65W850A, KDL-55W900A, KDL-46W950A, KDL-55W950A, XBR-55X850A, XBR-65X850A
• 2014: KDL-40W600B, KDL-48W600B, KDL-60W630B, KDL-42W700B, KDL-50W700B, KDL-55W700B, KDL-50W800B, KDL-55W800B, KDL-60W850B, KDL-70W850B, KDL-55W950B, KDL-65W950B
• 2015: KDL-40R510C, KDL-48R510C, KDL-50W800C, KDL-55W800C, KDL-65W850C, KDL-75W850C, XBR-55X810C, XBR-65X810C, XBR-55X850C, XBR-65X850C, XBR-75X850C, XBR-55X900C, XBR-65X900C, XBR-65X930C
• 2016: KDL-60W630B/2, KDL-40W650D, KDL-48W650D, KDL-55W650D, XBR-49X700D, XBR-55X700D, XBR-65X750D
• 2017: XBR-65X850E, XBR-75X850E
• 2018: KD55X750F, KD65X750F
• 2023: XR-85X95L
• 2024: K-55XR70, K-65XR70, K-75XR70, K-85XR70, K-65XR90, K-75XR90, K-85XR90

A letter at the end of the model number indicates the year of introduction: A=2013, B=2014, C=2015, D=2016, E=2017, etc. W and EX models here are 1080p. X and XR models are 4k.

Not every TV supporting Impulse or Clearness supports it in game mode, e.g., the X900A, X950B, and X690E series.

Not every TV supporting Clearness strobes at 60 Hz. Starting in 2016, some Sony TVs strobe at 120 Hz even with a 60-fps source, e.g., the X850D, X800E, X900E, and X850F series.

The strobe pulse duration is related to the screen's effective brightness setting. From my testing of 2013 TVs, pulse durations range from 25% of a frame period at maximum brightness down to 6% at minimum brightness, with the brightness being determined by the Backlight setting and the light sensor. On 2015+ TVs, the Clearness setting changes the pulse duration and the screen brightness: higher settings have shorter pulses with a darker image and clearer motion. On at least some TVs such as the W800C and X850C series, Clearness must be set to 5 to get 60 Hz strobing, as settings of 1–4 give 120 Hz strobing.

Some Sony TVs strobe the backlight globally, but some TVs with horizontal backlight zones (Dynamic Edge LED backlighting) will strobe the backlight progressively down the screen. Progressive strobing would seem to minimize ghosting artifacts because the strobing is better synchronized with screen image updates across the whole screen.

[JimProfit]

I had done a bit of research on RTINGS when I first heard of the motion clarity performance on older Sony LCDs via Motionflow Impulse.
I was already familiar with low-MPRT ULMB monitors at that point but I didn't think anything approaching this existed in flatscreen TVs.

It appears, judging by the BFI capture shots, that some 2015 TVs still had remarkable motion clarity without the "Motionflow Impulse" moniker, however sadly subsequent Sony TVs have basic (i.e. poor) BFI performance and it has remained the case since.

Notably, the 2015 higher-end model X850C displays pretty exemplary BFI capture shot on RTINGS, and is a 4K TV with (very) basic local dimming and HDR barely checking the bare minimum 400nits mark - and also 3D compatibility.
It definitely would have been an interesting find back in the day, but then again how could it compete with Sony's own Z9D flagship model from a year or two later, that had all of the same features but lot brighter with better PQ, but alas has the same poor BFI implementation that Sony TVs have had since.
Edit: The Z9D was actually pretty decent for backlight strobing. While the RTINGS BFI capture shot shows it performing slightly below the LG GX OLED w/Motion Pro High, and more noticeably the aforementioned X850C, it is still much better than all modern non-Samsung LCDs, and the motion clarity might also be brightness dependent i.e lowering the brightness would yield lower MPRT.
So had I been aware of that fact and willing to spend the premium price back then, the Z9D would have been close to ultimate.
Pictures included for comparison.

It's infuriating that Sony TVs had something good that got nerfed for no reason all of a sudden, and now Samsung, of all brands, is the only player in town for low-MPRT LCD TVs...Fortunately they trounce Sony TVs from 2015 so I don't feel compelled to hunt one down, but hey we really need some competition in here.

[troyan]

Thanks for the list balazer. I was looking for an alternative to my Philips CRT 720p TV.
After looking through all these old reviews and having experience with the W805A (IPS) and W905A (VA) i can say that the W905A ist really good with strobing. The VA panel is nearly as good as for example the Samsung QN90D and much better in (very) dark transistion. HDTVTest was able to get the display to over 90 nits with strobing. So the brightness isnt bad.

The IPS panel of 805A is to slow for strobing, even slower than the 905A. So there was a lot of crosstalk of bright colors.

If someone is looking for an older TV i can recommend the W905A. Its night and day to play at 1080p/60 FPS with strobing. I dont think that 4K and HDR are worth when playing with just 60 FPS as a console gamer.

[balazer]

I have a Sony KDL-55W900A and a KDL-47W802A, among others. On the UFO test, the W802A has more frame-to-frame crosstalk ghosting in Impulse mode than the W900A does. But during actual gameplay, the ghosting cannot be seen on either TV.

The W900A has less ghosting on the UFO test, but not because the panel is faster. It's because the strobe timing is aligned more closely to the screen updates. The backlight is strobed progressively down the screen, zone by zone.

[Clear Motion Seeker]

I have a W650A and its backlight strobing is way too dim and doesn't provide a CRT-like crisp motion, so almost unusable and thus pointless.

[kyube]

I have a W650A and its backlight strobing is way too dim and doesn't provide a CRT-like crisp motion, so almost unusable and thus pointless.

I don't think a single TV-sized LCD provides the necessary requirements for "CRT-like" motion. Even in desktop LCDs (21-32"), the market is extremely limited...
From a theoretical aspect, you'd need the following characteristics:
MPRT<0.5ms (green phosphor is around that)
Luminance ~100cd/m²

Depending on the vertical frequency (f= 60, 120, 144 Hz), we're looking at a 3%, ~6% & 7% duty cycle.
This would require a pulse amplitude of ~3333,33 cd/m² @ 60Hz, ~1666cd/m² @ 120Hz, ~1430cd/m² @ 144Hz...

I haven't seen a single desktop LCD do that (when@60Hz), let alone a TV-sized (>34") LCD.

Side-note: I don't see a single reason to use 60Hz strobing in the first place.... it's a eye comfort nightmare.

[Clear Motion Seeker]

Strobing effect is only strong when the main color displayed on screen is white, such like a snowy landscape. I don't think it's much worse than a CRT at 60hz regarding that aspect.

The main issue is the dramatic brightness loss.