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Let's start at the foundation of every good TV, how well it displays 2D content. The Sony HX820, with all of its high-end technology performs admirably with 2D programs.

As I mentioned, the engineers seem to pay particular attention to trying to improve the PQ of lower resolution material that is common with Internet sources. Before you become too excited, the X-Reality PRO gnomes cannot transform the froggiest of videos into princes. Expect to see the occasional wart, especially on a 46" screen.

As good as the HX820's PQ is with high resolution material - and it is - I still prefer the deeper blacks and slightly richer colors that I see with direct-lit LED TVs and plasmas.

After reviewing a number of 3D TVs and testing them with an array of 3D Blu-rays, I am realizing that you can't expect a constant barrage of Wow moments. Often good 3D PQ has more to do with rendering a more subtle sense of depth.

With that said, I still can't rate the HX820's 3D performance as anything more than average. And I still prefer the comfort of the passive 3D glasses over the active shutter type that Sony requires.

I also find that the picture color subtly but noticeably shifts if you lean your head from side to side. I recently saw a new Sony 3D projector that solved this color shift problem, but the HX820 still suffers from it.

As for integrated audio, Sony TVs have always ranked at or near the top of my list. When I noticed in this TV's specs that it included three speakers rather than the normal two, I was hoping a little more fullness in the sound.

It was incrementally better, but the speakers did not produce a sonic quality that would convince you not to replace the audio duties with a dedicated 5.1 or 7.1 audio system.

With perhaps the longest list of extra features that I have seen, the 46HX820 is a video geek's delight. Its video technology tries its darnedest to improve the look of Internet content and often succeeds, which is good because Sony supplies a stack of providers. I just wish the 3D PQ was better.