Bravia Core is Sony’s premium movie streaming service. It promises picture quality rivaling 4K Blu-ray, the world’s largest selection of IMAX Enhanced movies, and the latest box office releases from Sony Pictures. but is it good for you? And how can you get it? Here’s everything you need to know about Bravia Core …
As we reported in January, Bravia Core claims to offer the highest bit rate of any streaming service currently available. Where Netflix streams 4K video in HDR at up to 17.2 Mbps and Apple TV + stretches up to 40 Mbps during certain scenes, Bravia CORE claims to go further with high quality streaming up to 80 Mpbs.
Impressive. If Sony’s numbers are correct, Bravia Core is truly an industry first. It’s not for everyone, however – we’ll explain why below. Read on as we reveal Bravia Core’s price, launch date, streaming quality, movie selection and more …
Bravia Core: release date
Bravia Core – the “Core” stands for Center of Real Entertainment – was unveiled at CES in January 2021 and officially launched on April 6, 2021. The service is expected to launch in 50 territories in 2021, including UK, US , Canada and Australia and most of Europe (but not Italy).
The video streaming service aims to serve the latest blockbusters from Sony Pictures Entertainment as well as hundreds of the company’s classics in 4K Blu-ray-like HDR quality (provided you have a fast enough internet connection). Some content also supports DTS – but not DTS: X.
Here’s a preview of the Bravia Core launch video …
Bravia Core: price
Bravia Core is available for free, but only when you purchase a Bravia XR 4K or 8K TV from the Sony 2021 TV line. Currently, the Bravia Core app is preloaded on the Master Series Z9J 8K LED and Master Series models. A90J, as well as other 4K LED models such as the X95J, X90J, and X80J (you can find the full list here).
Don’t want to jump into a brand new Bravia XR TV? Unfortunately, there is no other way to experience Bravia Core yet.
So will Bravia CORE be available on older Sony TVs, or other Sony devices such as the PS5, in the future? Sony’s FAQ page seems pretty straightforward: “No. BRAVIA Core will be available for qualifying BRAVIA XR models.”
Finally, it’s worth noting that the more you spend on a Bravia XR bundle, the more free Core you get. Splash on the Z9J or A90J and you get 24 months free Bravia Core plus 10 credits to spend on lossless titles that would otherwise be available on a pay-per-view basis. Buy any other Bravia XR model and you get 12 month access and five credits.
At this point, you might be wondering what happens when the supplemental period ends? Short answer: nobody knows. Sony has yet to announce a long-term pricing, but under Core’s terms and conditions, “you can watch the movies you’ve traded through Bravia Core until February 23, 2026”. This suggests that Core could transition to a paid subscription model in the coming years … assuming it’s successful.
Bravia Core: free trial
The likes of Disney +, Paramount +, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV + all offer new users a free trial, you might be wondering if Sony offers a free trial of Bravia Core. The answer? Kind of.
Sony Is offer a “ free trial ” – a 12 or 24 month free subscription to Bravia Core – but only with the purchase of a Sony Bravia XR 2021 TV. This is not a bad thing, because the Bravia XR range may well include some of the best televisions Sony has ever made.
Bravia Core: streaming quality
Bravia Core aims to “bring the movie experience home” using Sony’s own Pure Stream technology, which offers streaming at 30 – 80 Mbps.
“Pure Stream is the best streaming picture quality available on Bravia XR television,” commented Bill Baggelaar, EVP and CTO, Technology Development, Sony Pictures Entertainment.
The main attraction of Bravia Core is its collection of 300 new and recent titles which can be purchased or redeemed via Core Credits. These are the cream of the crop, in terms of quality, and many are available to stream at up to 80Mbps (4K Blu-rays tend to be around 82Mbps).
Then there’s “ Unlimited Streaming, ” which features over 100 titles from the Sony Pictures catalog in up to 4K HDR quality. Finally, Sony has released more than 50 “IMAX Enhanced” titles, each of which is remastered using IMAX’s proprietary technology in 4K HDR. Some of these titles also offer DTS sound.
Of course, the quality of streaming you get depends on the speed of your broadband …
Bravia Core: high speed speed
While Netflix recommends a 25 Mbps connection for streaming 4K movies, Sony says Bravia Core “requires a minimum internet speed of 43 Mbps”.
For reference, the average broadband speed in the UK is around 64 Mbps according to the regulator Ofcom. That’s nowhere near enough to maximize your Core experience – especially if Sony is adding 8K content later in the year, as has been hinted at.
This is because those who want to stream the highest quality lossless movies through Core will need a minimum internet speed of – battery roll, please – 115 Mbps. Unfortunately, many UK households do not yet have access to this type of speed.
Bravia Core: catalog
Sony has yet to release a full list of Bravia Core movies, but the Japanese giant has highlighted the following titles:
Venom
Blade Runner 2049
Peter Rabbit
ghost hunters
Blade Runner 2049
Jumanji: the next level
Little woman
A beautiful day in the neighborhood
Bad boys for life
Baby driver
Bloodshot Hotel
Transylvania
Smurfs: the lost village
Expect around 450 titles in total, including the above premium titles, popular classics, and a huge selection of IMAX Enhanced movie titles. Up to 100 titles can be streamed as many times as you want, free of charge, in HDR quality up to 4K.
On top of that, there is exclusive “ Studio Access ” content, which features additional behind-the-scenes footage and interviews from Sony Pictures productions.
Bravia Core: early verdict
Bravia Core will almost certainly end up as “the top-of-the-line Netflix,” but it’s a very different proposition. First, it is exclusive to some Sony TVs. Second, it is designed to serve as a showcase for Sony’s Pure Stream technology. And third, the current selection of movies is still quite limited when you compare it to some competing services.
If you’re looking for a next-level cinematic experience and have a steaming broadband connection, Bravia Core could be a fantastic addition to your home theater. If you don’t, a 4K Blu-ray player could deliver equally good picture quality and, we imagine, superior sound given the lack of compatibility with high quality audio formats such as Dolby TrueHD. .
Still, Sony’s ambition is clear and we can’t wait to put Bravia Core to the test when testing compatible Sony TVs.
AFTER:
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