This secret streaming service is better than Netflix, but I had buy a TV to get it

There are a lot of decisions to make when you’re in the market for a new TV. Part of the reason is there are so many reputable brands out there, and it’s tough to go wrong. If you’re on a budget, TCL and Hisense make a lot of sense, and you’ll still get a solid set for a low price.

When you start to look at some of the higher-end brands such as Sony and LG, there are even more options to weigh. Fortunately, it’s not difficult to find things like an OLED or Mini-LED screen from any of the marquee brands, so a lot of your decision comes down to personal preference. Something that might sweeten the pot a bit are some exclusive features.

If you opt for a Sony Bravia, a fine choice on its own, you can try out Sony Pictures Core, formerly known as Sony Bravia Core. The name change has loosened up its restrictions, but it’s still exclusive to the Sony ecosystem. It’s rolled into your PlayStation Plus subscription, provided you’re a Premium member, and available as an app on your PS4 and PS5 along with your Sony TV. Depending on how much you value things like an expanded IMAX aspect ratio and high bitrate streams, you might fall in love.

Sony Pictures Core is a treat

Higher quality than Netflix

Physical media isn’t completely dead, but it’s shrinking, and it’s expensive to get into considering how much equipment you need to snag — not even mentioning the cost of the discs. Sony Pictures Core is a service that offers 4K content that streams at a much higher bitrate than its competition. It’s advertised as hitting up to 80 Mbps, a bitrate that can rival a disc. It’s not widely advertised, and I wouldn’t blame you for not knowing about it, even if you have a Sony TV.

The way it works isn’t the same as your regular streaming service. Instead of paying a monthly subscription fee, you purchase digital movies. Yes, you run the risk of the service shutting down and losing your films if the service abruptly shuts down, but that’s the case with going digital anywhere. Like it or not, it seems like digital seems to be the future, and if you’re looking for the best quality, it’s tough to ignore Bravia Core.

When you buy a Bravia TV, you’ll get some credits for free movies on Bravia Core, but it won’t be long until you have to start spending on it. If you’re a PlayStation Plus Premium member, you get access to 100 curated titles, but you’ll still have to buy movies that aren’t included. If you aren’t looking to splurge a ton, you can always rent movies and experience the higher quality.

Disney+ subscribers should be familiar with the IMAX Enhanced films that increase the aspect ratio for supported movies. That same functionality is available with Sony Pictures Core, and it’s a big selling point of the service. Signing up is free of charge, and if you have a Bravia TV with some free credits included, I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t give it a shot. While it might not fully match the power of a 4K Blu-ray, it’s likely the closest we’re going to get from a streaming service for quite a while.

One thing I’ll say is that it’s tough to go back to streaming after using this service, much like it is going from a Blu-ray back to streaming. My best advice is to not count pixels or think too much about it, because Sony Pictures Core can get expensive in a hurry.

I think Sony TVs are worth it without Sony Pictures Core

A solid powerhouse

Even if I didn’t use Sony Pictures Core, which, admittedly, I don’t use a ton since I like collecting 4K Blu-rays, I’d still grab a Sony TV. For a long time, people looked to LG for flagship OLED TVs, and while that might still be the case, it’s not like Sony doesn’t have solid OLED TVs. I don’t have an OLED TV myself — I have an X90J — but I don’t have any complaints. I have a big glare going across my screen when the sun’s up, so I need something that can get bright, and I’d say my TV does a good job of combating the problem.

Sony has a good reputation within the TV manufacturing business, and part of that is because the company has been around for a very long time. When I started to get more into retro games, I saw many people online have glowing recommendations for the Sony Trinitron CRTs, so imagine my surprise when I was able to find one in the garbage and not have to pay a dime for it. Obviously, that doesn’t compare to the modern design of my X90J, but it’s still nice to game on with my Nintendo 64.

I didn’t actually learn about the then-Bravia Core until way later, after buying a TV. Because of that, it didn’t have any impact on my purchase as I was looking for something that would support 120 FPS gaming for my Xbox Series X. This TV does that, so getting Pictures Core was just a bonus for me. I can see Pictures Core having a lot of value if you’re already a PlayStation Plus subscriber with a Bravia TV, because it’s just a freebie. Of course, the downside is that Sony curates the movie rotation for you, much like PS Plus, so you’re at the whim of what’s on offer for a particular month.

This is largely the same as any streaming service, but you have the added benefit of not having a monthly subscription to pay for Sony Pictures Core. I know some months go by without me being interested in anything from services, but then I forget to cancel the subscription and end up paying for months I didn’t intend to. That’s not a thing that can happen with Sony Pictures Core, and I appreciate that. So far, I have no reason to suspect my digital library is going anywhere either.

Ultimately, when the time comes to get another TV, fingers crossed that it’s still a while because these things aren’t cheap, I’ll probably stay with Sony. I like having access to an exclusive service, and even if I don’t get as much use out of it as I could, it’s still nice to have the option instead of having nothing at all.