Sony has spent more than 20 years pursuing the ultimate cinematic experience on large-screen LCD TVs. BRAVIA 9 II represents the culmination of that journey.
From the introduction of the new RGB Mini LED Backlight, delivering richer colors, higher brightness, and smoother gradations, to the development of a low-reflection film that dramatically reduces screen glare, and even the innovative Mirage Stand, which creates the illusion that the picture is floating in midair—every detail has been designed with one goal in mind: to elevate movie watching into a truly immersive storytelling experience.
Why do the engineers describe this product as the "culmination" of their work? Through an in-depth interview with the development team, we uncover the thinking, innovation, and craftsmanship behind BRAVIA 9 II.
Watch the full Engineers' Interview with English subtitles:
BRAVIA 9 II Development Team
 | Project Manager Souma 相馬 |  | Product Planning Staff Washino 鷲野 |  | Backlight Design Specialist Shimonozoe 下之園 |
 | Low-Reflection Film Design Specialist Uchida 内田 |  | Design Staff Yokota 横田 |  | Design Staff Kamata 兼田 |
Interview Highlights
Mastering RGB Mini LED Backlight Technology Through Over 20 Years of Accumulated Expertise.
Question
Could you tell us what kind of product the new BRAVIA 9 II is?
Souma
Project Manager
Answer
The BRAVIA 9 II is the latest flagship model, planned and developed as part of a three-year product strategy, alongside the previous model BRAVIA 9 (released in August 2024, sold alongside). With a strong desire to deliver the best movie experience to customers' homes, we pursued high-quality image quality by solving challenges such as further improvements in color and brightness, and reducing reflections on screen, using the 'master monitor' used during film shoots as a benchmark. It is no exaggeration to say that this product embodies everything our development team truly wanted to do and the ideals we wanted to realize.
Question
Compared to BRAVIA 9, we expect even higher image quality from its successor, the BRAVIA 9 II, but what specific improvements have been made?
Washino
Product Planning Staff
Answer
Delving deeper into what creators involved in film production value most, I became aware of three key points of visual expression: color, brightness, and gradation. Therefore, in BRAVIA 9 II, we have thoroughly enhanced image quality around these three aspects.
Question
One of the key technologies for enhancing picture quality is the latest technology currently trending in the TV market: the RGB Mini LED Backlight. Could you tell us what exactly this is?
Shimonozoe
Backlight Design Specialist
Answer
To help you understand the RGB Mini LED backlight, let me first explain the Mini LED backlight that was installed in the previous model, the BRAVIA 9.
In the BRAVIA 9, compared to the LEDs used in previous LCD TVs, it adopted a backlight system that densely packs extremely small Mini LEDs. By controlling the Mini LED by dividing it into finer parts, bright areas are thoroughly brightened and dark areas are precisely obscured, high contrast was achieved. However, the color remains the same as before: a single dot is divided into subpixels of red, green, and blue, and colors are expressed by closing or opening the LCD placed in each pixel like a shutter. To bring out purple, open the red and blue LCDs and close the green.
Question
If you zoom in on the LCD TV screen with a magnifying glass or similar, you can visually see that a single dot is divided into three RGB colors.
Shimonozoe
Backlight Design Specialist
Answer
In contrast, the BRAVIA 9 II retains the basic structure of the LCD panel, but is equipped with an RGB Mini LED backlight that splits the Mini LEDs behind them into three RGB colors and allows individual lighting control. While the Mini LED backlight in the BRAVIA 9 only controlled the brightness, the RGB Mini LED backlight allows for detailed control of the backlight color by combining the light of three colors. This allows for the creation of pure colors without unnecessary shades during the backlight stage, and combined with color control via LCD, it is now possible to express a wider color gamut. Additionally, the RGB backlight enables fine, previously difficult color control, allowing for smoother gradient expression.
The Mini LED backlight (left) only controls brightness, but the RGB Mini LED backlight (right) allows fine control of both brightness and color.
Question
RGB Mini LED backlight technology addresses many of the challenges associated with conventional LCD TVs. However, TVs equipped with RGB Mini LED backlights are already available from a number of manufacturers. What sets Sony's RGB Mini LED backlight apart from the competition? What are its key strengths?
Shimonozoe
Backlight Design Specialist
Answer
The key strength of Sony's RGB Mini LED backlight lies in its color accuracy. LEDs have an inherent characteristic whereby their brightness is affected by factors such as temperature and electrical current. In RGB Mini LED systems, each of the red, green, and blue LEDs responds differently to these factors, meaning that changes in operating conditions can easily disrupt color balance. In addition, beyond the characteristics of the LEDs themselves, it is also necessary to design a power supply capable of delivering optimal, stable power to each color LED in real time, while compensating for even the slightest variations in component quality and manufacturing that can cause inconsistencies in color and brightness.
To address these challenges, BRAVIA 9 II incorporates Sony's proprietary drive algorithm, optimized for the unique characteristics of each color LED, together with an all-new control algorithm for the driver ICs that individually control every LED. As a result, color balance remains consistent regardless of changes in operating conditions, ensuring that viewers see colors exactly as the creator intended.
Souma
Project Manager
Answer
BRAVIA 9 II monitors not only temperature, but also a wide range of data from the backlight circuitry, including the current and voltage supplied to the LEDs. By feeding all of this data back in real time to optimize both picture processing and backlight control, the TV is designed to maintain accurate color reproduction over the long term, delivering beautiful images that remain true to the creator's intent.
An Overwhelming Difference You Can See at a Glance.A Stunningly Immersive Cinematic Experience Created by Our Newly Developed Low-Reflection Film.
Question
In the BRAVIA 9 II, a major improvement alongside the RGB Mini LED backlight is dramatically reducing outside light glare. The reflections have disappeared so much that you don't even need to compare them side by side. What was the intention behind this?
Uchida
Low-Reflection Film Design Specialist
Answer
When watching TV at home, it's difficult to set up a pitch-dark environment like a movie theater. In environments with lighting or light coming in from windows, that light can reflect off the panels and enter the viewer's eyes, reducing immersion. I wanted to create a TV that could focus on beautiful images in any environment without this.
We have newly developed the low-reflection film "Immersive Black Screen Pro," which is applied to the surface of LCD panels. This technology reduces reflections through two major approaches. One is to minimize the reflection of light coming in from outside as much as possible. The other is to diffuse and blur the light that enters.
A test device with the "Immersive Black Screen Pro" film applied only to the right half of the screen.
A Picture That Appears to Float Like Magic - Introducing the Innovative "Mirage Stand".
Question
The BRAVIA 9 II achieves overwhelming visual beauty, but they also pay a lot of attention to the beauty of the product design. What stands out most is the presence of the "Mirage Stand," which lets you see through the other side of the stand. Could you tell us about the origin of that idea and how you can actually do this?
Yokota
Design Staff
Answer
Compared to previous models, the BRAVIA 9 II has achieved even greater thinning. This is an evolution that especially notices the difference when wall-mounted, but we wanted people to feel that "lightness" when placing the stand as well, which was the reason we challenged the "transparent stand." We aimed for a design that enhances immersion in the content, as if only the screen stands there.
Question
What's not surprising is that not only is the other side visible, but the cable that should be behind you is also invisible. It's almost like magic. How is this achieved?
Kamata
Design Staff
Answer
The transparent part in the center of the Mirage stand uses a special sheet called 'lenticular,' which has been treated with optical treatment to diffuse light in specific directions. When you run the cable through the back of this sheet, the vertically cut slits diffuse the black lines of the cable, visually erasing it and eliminating the need to bundle or hide the cable.
Message
BRAVIA 9 II: The Culmination of Sony's TV Development
It has been more than 20 years since Sony began its dedicated pursuit of large-screen LCD televisions. Throughout that time, our engineers have remained united by a single ambition: to deliver the most moving and unforgettable viewing experiences to our customers. That passion has never faded—it has been passed down from one generation of engineers to the next. Today, we are incredibly proud to introduce BRAVIA 9 II, the culmination of more than two decades of innovation, expertise, and dedication.
From the very beginning, we asked ourselves one question: How can we faithfully deliver every emotion, intention, and subtle nuance that creators put into their work, without compromise? BRAVIA 9 II is our answer. Every aspect of the television has been engineered with uncompromising attention to detail. This includes our latest backlight technology for exceptional picture quality, a newly developed low-reflection film, precision mechanical engineering, advanced thermal management, meticulous image tuning, and Sony's unique acoustic design that makes dialogue seem to come directly from the screen—just like in a cinema.
The design is equally distinctive. Features such as the new Mirage Stand embody Sony's signature approach to craftsmanship, creating the illusion that the picture floats effortlessly before you. Working alongside generations of Sony engineers, we believe we have created a television that truly represents the culmination of Sony's television engineering heritage.
Whether you've been a longtime fan of Sony products or are experiencing a Sony TV for the very first time, we are confident that BRAVIA 9 II will deliver an entirely new level of entertainment. We invite you to experience its breathtaking picture and immersive sound for yourself at your nearest retailer, and we hope you'll welcome it into your home.
Project Manager Souma
