For the best results, set up the BRAVIA 8 II in stages: finish the TV’s required software update, choose picture settings by source, configure each HDMI input for its device, and check the built-in sound before deciding whether you need external audio. There is no single picture mode or HDMI setting that is best for every show, game, and device.
This guide covers Sony’s 2025 BRAVIA 8 II / XR80 family. Sony’s U.S. product page describes the 65-inch K-65XR80M2; model suffixes, features, and menu labels may vary by region. Use the Help Guide for your exact TV: Sony BRAVIA 8 II manuals and guides.
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1. Complete the initial setup and update
Turn on the TV and follow the on-screen setup flow. Connect to your network, sign in to a Google account if you want Google TV apps and services, and complete any broadcast tuning relevant to your region. Sony notes that a mandatory software update is part of setup; allow it to finish before assessing picture or sound. Sony’s first-time Android TV setup guidance describes the general on-screen process.
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App availability and network services can vary by region and may change. If your set’s labels differ from the steps below, check its model-specific Help Guide rather than assuming another regional model has the same menus.
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2. Choose picture settings for the content you watch
Start with a picture mode that looks right to you, then evaluate it separately for streaming, broadcast TV, and games. A more vivid image may suit a bright room or personal preference; a presentation intended to follow the source more closely may look less punchy. Sony’s 2025 BRAVIA picture-mode overview confirms that picture modes are available, but it does not establish a universal mode or numeric calibration recipe for every viewer and room. Avoid treating unverified brightness, color-temperature, or motion values as a guaranteed calibration.
Try Studio Calibrated mode in supported apps
Sony describes Studio Calibrated mode as a picture-quality setting developed with its partners and designed to reproduce content as the creator intended. Its documented menu path is Quick Settings → Image Settings → Picture & Sound → Picture → Studio Calibrated. Sony lists Netflix, Prime Video, and Sony Pictures Core as supported apps in its Studio Calibrated mode guidance.
This is an app-specific option, not a global mode for every input. When active, it can make streaming look different from broadcasts or other video, and it prevents selection of other picture modes. Compare the result with your usual setting and leave it on only if you prefer the presentation.
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3. Set up HDMI inputs around the connected device
Configure each HDMI input for what is attached to it. A compatible console or PC may need a high-bandwidth format for features such as 4K at 120 frames per second; a device that outputs Dolby Vision may need a different combination. Sony lists 4K/120fps and HDMI 2.1 gaming support for compatible equipment and content on the BRAVIA 8 II product page. An HDMI cable is sold separately, but replace yours only if the existing cable cannot support the features your source needs.
If Dolby Vision disappears from an HDMI source
Sony warns that some external Dolby Vision devices may not output Dolby Vision when HDMI signal format or VRR is set to Enhanced format (4K120) or Enhanced format (Advanced). If Dolby Vision is missing, use Sony’s Dolby Vision HDMI troubleshooting guidance to check the input’s signal-format setting. Also confirm that Dolby Vision output is enabled on the source, if it has that setting, and restart the source after changing its configuration. Menu names and available formats can vary by model. Verify the actual result for that device rather than assuming one format is right for every HDMI input.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.4. Set up supported PS5 features during first pairing
If you use a PS5, pay attention to its first connection to the TV. Sony says Auto HDR Tone Mapping must be enabled when pairing the PS5 for the first time; enabling it later requires factory-resetting the PS5 so the option can be set during initial setup. For Auto Genre Picture Mode, set Auto Picture Mode to ON. Sony limits these features to a direct TV connection or a compatible Sony soundbar; see the BRAVIA 8 II product details for the stated conditions.
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- Dive into cinema-like visuals at home. Our home entertainment picture quality expertise helps us faithfully reproduce the creator’s vision with Studio Calibrated modes developed through collaboration with Sony and the world’s top streaming services.
- Every scene brighter with brilliant color and contrast: More color and contrast in highlights. With a high luminance panel and temperature sensor, this TV with XR Contrast Booster precisely controls light for brighter pure black pictures.
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5. Check the TV’s built-in sound before adding equipment
The BRAVIA 8 II uses Acoustic Surface Audio+, which makes the screen itself act as a speaker. Try the built-in audio with your usual content before buying a soundbar: an external system is optional, not a setup requirement.
If you want a separate audio system, check that the exact Sony soundbar, receiver, or home-theater product supports the feature you intend to use. Acoustic Center Sync and BRAVIA quick-setting integration are compatibility-dependent, and some functions or products may require optional rear speakers. Sony’s product information describes supported Sony audio integrations; confirm the current compatibility details for your chosen equipment before connecting it.
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