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Why 115 Inches?

'I'll start', I announced, as I sat down with two pivotal figures in the consumer tech space: Sunil Nayyar, Managing Director, Sony India, and Nezu Daisuke, Global Head of Home Product Business Division, Home Entertainment Business Unit, Sony Corporation, who had flown in straight from the Japan headquarters. We were gathered to discuss Sony's latest marvel- the staggering 115-inch True RGB TV. My first question for Sunil was straightforward: what was the need to come up with something as big as 115 inches? Knowing Sony's track record, they never seem to know when to stop innovating. "We just launched this beautiful piece of art", Sunil laughed, admitting he wasn't sure when they'd launch anything bigger. But his rationale for the 115-inch display was grounded in pure cinematic ambition. "It's closest to real cinema viewing. When you go to a cinema, it is a massive screen, but no house can make that happen. Even a large 6,000 to 10,000 square feet house cannot fit that kind of screen. What is the next best option? A projector. But how about a beautiful-looking TV which is as large, equipped with the best picture technology, and completely immersive? It's a real cinema experience."

The Power of True RGB and Immersion

I could instantly relate. I shared a recent experience from my trip to Hyderabad on July 29th, where I was invited by Dolby to the massive Allu Cinemas, Hyderabad. Watching Spiderman: Brand New Day on a 75-foot Dolby Cinema screen alongside 600 people absolutely blew my mind. Sitting right next to industry stalwarts like Allu Aravind, Allu Arjun and Allu Shirish, I watched it in sheer excitement and appreciated the visual quality and immersive audio. If technology can touch your senses like that in a theatre, imagine capturing that same feeling at home. Sony's philosophy of cinematic immersion isn't just restricted to massive displays; it translates directly to their home audio. I recently set up Sony Bravia Theatre Trio at my place. My mother was sceptical at first, but the moment the right content played, we all felt transported inside a movie hall. I think it's simply the easiest plug-and-play home theatre system in the industry right now.

Projectors vs. The 115-Inch Revolution

This brought us to the global perspective. I turned to Nezu Daisuke to understand the challenges and opportunities of pitching a 115-inch TV across different markets. Mr. Daisuke noted that while huge screens might physically struggle to fit into smaller homes in Tokyo or the UK, markets like the United States and China have long embraced 120-inch projectors. However, projectors come with inherent limitations- namely, the need for a dedicated, dark theatrical room. "Ten years ago, they were making dedicated theatrical rooms", Daisuke explained regarding the US market. "However, now we're shifting to open spaces where they cannot shut out the light." Sunil echoed this sentiment for India. Modern homeowners want the freedom to enjoy content without being restricted to a pitch-black room. A projector's picture quality deteriorates with ambient light, a problem the 115-inch True RGB TV entirely eliminates.

Seeing is Believing

In a market flooded with QLEDs, OLEDs, and various audio-visual jargon, convincing a cinephile to invest heavily in Sony's premium ecosystem requires a tactile approach. "Seeing is believing", Sunil emphasised. "At the shop front, we have my promoters. We ensure that the customer sees exactly what he will see at home: Netflix, Amazon, compared to all the other televisions. Sometimes it takes less than 5 minutes for users to buy our TV." During the demo, I witnessed this firsthand, and I was stunned by the True RGB. The blues were the bluest I'd ever seen, and the reds and greens were mind-blowing. But beyond the colours, it was the depth that truly set it apart, a depth that subconsciously allows you to drop your phone and completely lose yourself in the magic.

The Headline

Before wrapping up, I asked both executives for one final message for potential buyers. For Daisuke, the target is clear: "The potential user is a full projector user now. They love movies. However, the improvement point on the projector is already limited. Once we offer True RGB, it drastically improves their experience." Sunil delivered the perfect closing thought, one that immediately gave me the headline for this piece: "Unless you are very sure that you can deliver four- or five-times better picture quality in any environment, what is the need to change from a projector? This is the best news from Sony for movie-lovers who want to watch good cinema under any conditions, without any restrictions." I couldn't agree more.

(Disclaimer: The author is an expert in the fields of consumer technology, lifestyle and auto. Views shared here are personal.)

(ANI)