Sony Insights » Television

Energy Saving TVs from Sony are Watching

Tom Pretty — Mon, 17 May 2010 10:16:50 +0000

Bravia WE 5

The BRAVIA motion sensing technology has been in existence for some time now. Incorporating facial recognition as well as heat and movement sensors these televisions are able to monitor the environment around them, adjusting the output in accordance with demands so that energy usage is optimised.

Put simply, the sensors, now being rolled out in the latest Sony BRAVIA range will automatically turn the screen off if no one is in the room watching. According to reports they will also be able to sense when the watcher is sleeping, once again altering the performance to match so that energy is saved. Ultimately this will help owners to save energy and money as well as help the environment. These features will also work with the ambient light sensor that dims the screen automatically when the room is darkened.

The BRAVIA WE5 was the first in the range to take an environmental emphasis and evidently the rolling out of these energy saving features across the BRAVIA 2010 range highlights the growing importance of environmental principles within the company.

This is not the first of Sony’s efforts to become more eco friendly. The eco section of the Sony website contains a plethora of information from energy saving tips to details of initiatives Sony are involved in around the world. There is also information on how the company is actively changing the way in which they operate to reduce their impact upon the planet, specifically how the company is striving to reduce the annual energy consumption of all Sony products by 30 percent within the next five years.

Sony BRAVIA TV Scoops International Design Awards

Tom Pretty — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:58:19 +0000

Ultra Slim Bravia ZX1

Sony has always had a penchant for the dramatic and aesthetic when designing their products. The latest proof of this is the Awards dished out to Sony from the international Design Forum, a group that has been giving design awards for over 50 years. The iF Gold Award is given to products strictly on a design basis, not taking into account the technology inside at all. The two products given the iF Gold Award are the Sony BRAVIA ZX1 Series and the BDV-Z7 Blu-ray Disc home theatre system.

The Sony BRAVIA Zx1 impressed the panel of the international Design Forum predominantly for its extruded aluminium frame that acts dually as the chassis and the housing. The result is not only chic looks but also an extremely light piece of television equipment, the 40V format LCD TV weighing in at a paltry 12.2kg.

Sony is understandably proud of the BRAVIA ZX1 highlighting the designers desire to create an “exquisitely light look suggestive of a piece of paper floating in mid air”. Such minimalist design combined with wireless technology meaning that the equipment simply oozes contemporary style and elegance. The BDV-Z7 Blu-ray system also received an award for its sleek looks, particularly the tilted back speakers that provide elegant lines as well as optimal performance.

Sony 3D TV Bravia Ranges Unveiled in Store for Pre Order

Josh Tait — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 10:10:23 +0000

All new Bravia 3D TV at CES 2010

The 3D TV bandwagon is certainly gaining considerable momentum, particularly since this year’s CES in Las Vegas. The latest 3D TV developments have come from Sony with their announcement that three Bravia ranges capable of faithfully recreating 3D images will be hitting the market soon, just days after Samsung and Panasonic made similar statements.

Of the models it is the LX900 that will be 3D capable out of the box whilst the HX800 and HX900 will need an add on. These TVs however seemingly offer more than a 3D experience, the HX900 for example provides viewers with Full HD 1080p resolution and a technology labelled as “Intelligent Dynamic LED”. The technology actively alters the backlighting of sections of the screen in order to heighten contrast levels and provide a richer picture.

The LX900, as the 3D TV flagship will, according to reports will have a built in 3D transmitter and is likely to come boxed with a pair of active shutter glasses. No prices have been mentioned as of yet but customers can see some of these TVs at Sony Style stores. In store the TVs will be placed in a mock up living room where viewers have the chance to see 3D clips from a FIFA football match (probably to prepare people for the “3D World Cup”) and trailers from the 3D version of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. This effort to have 3D in real life situations apparently helps Sony engineers to better understand the public’s reaction to this new technology and of course allows customers to pre-order what will certainly be one of the hot technologies of 2010.

For those not lucky enough to see one of these new TVs it is clear that simple styling has played a major part in the design of these models. Monolithic Design combined with the slim profile means that these new models will perfectly sit in any modern home. Available in screen sizes from 22 to 60 inches we will be waiting with baited breath for this latest step in the 3D TV revolution.

Sony Expands 3D TV Offerings With Home Cinema Update

Naomi Roberts — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:51:36 +0000

3D Television at home!

After news that Sony will be releasing 3D capable Blu-ray players they have now announced that 3D movie playback will now be available for some 2.1 and 5.1 home cinema systems via a software update.

Customers that want to experience the immersive experience that is 3D have a number of home cinema products available. The BDV-F500 and BDV-F700 2.1 channel packages offer Blu-ray 3D capability, the former with desktop or wall mountable satellites, the latter with slim floor standing speakers. Sony’s 5.1 home cinema system offering are equally impressive in technological terms. Style has also played an important part in the design of these models, created to perfectly match the latest BRAVIA televisions. Models include the BDV-E370, BDV-E670W, BDV-E870, BDV-E970W and the BDV-IZ1000W.

Sony are certainly throwing their weight behind the 3D revolution, after a raft of announcements at CES this year that included the latest models of BRAVIA televisions, a demo of Gran Turismo 5 in 3D and a host of Blu-ray players, this latest news highlights that 3D TV and movies are an important aspect to Sony’s offerings this year. The commitment of the company to start broadcasting television, movies and sporting events in the 3D is further evidence of this commitment.

The hope is that the cardboard glasses of yesteryear will be completely done away with; instead Active Shutter glasses delivering the stereoscopic experience will bring 3D technology into the home. The Active Shutter technology tricks the eyes by synchronising the refresh rate of the TV set with the glasses, displays are then alternated to deliver a 3D effect to the viewer.

It is technology like this that will make a Sony home cinema system a key component in creating a 3D movie experience in the living room. This latest update to home cinema systems and new 3D ready products will only add to the speculation that 2010 will be the year of 3D.

Sony Step up 3D TV Commitment with Blu ray and Home Cinema

Josh Tait — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 10:50:48 +0000

3D Blu-Ray on the way!

At the CES this year 3D technology was certainly one of the major talking points. Following the show, Sony has now announced that they are now releasing a 3D blu-ray player at an affordable price. The BDP-S470 will be 3D capable after a quick firmware upgrade and of course when connected to a 3D enabled TV. The bonus for owners is the fact that blurry images will be no more; a full 1080p High Definition picture is brought to life with the specially designed Active Shutter glasses, bringing the action right into your living room.

The other product Sony has announced today is the BDP-S570. This blu-ray player will be 3D capable out of the box, doing away with the need for the firmware upgrade. This latest addition to the range of Sony 3D products complements existing 3D TV models and home cinema systems, all products building upon what is an already high performance HD experience to deliver 3D technology to the home viewer.

As 3D works its way into many of our lives it is clear that television, blu-ray and home cinema will play an integral part in bringing the third dimension into the home. This year it is expected that existing television companies such as Sky and the Discovery Channel will be jumping on the 3D bandwagon and even some matches during the FIFA World Cup will broadcast in 3D.

Stuart Kemp, Business Manager of Sony Europe’s Audio & Video Marketing stated that these latest products “confirm that Sony is in a unique position when it comes to providing consumers with the full 3D experience”. Mr Kemp went on to say that “the fact that we are already able to expand our range of 3D capable Blu-ray Disc Players shows our commitment to making 3D available to all.”

Sony TV maybe Nearer than You Think on the Playstation Network

Naomi Roberts — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:24:00 +0000

Who will be The Tester?

Sony as a corporation has regularly played a part in the production of music, film and of course technology, but news of Sony venturing into the reality television market has now become evident. It seems that the main impetus behind this move is to change the emphasis of the Playstation Network from a place where PS3 owners can play games online, to a fully interactive library of movies and television shows.

Sony’s first reality television series is called “The Tester” and it will be broadcast on the PSN from next week. The production company involved with Sony in the series is 51 Minds Entertainment, a company with experience in creating reality TV shows. The premise of the show is simple enough, 11 contestants compete for what is considered a dream job by millions; a position at Sony Computer Entertainment America as a video game tester. To sweeten the deal a five thousand dollar signing bonus has also been included.

The Senior Director of the Playstation Network stated that she would love to see the company producing “great shows in pop culture and society”, showing that Sony are certainly committed to creating yet more original programming; seemingly “The Tester” is just the first stage in this plan.

Playstation owners can download episodes of this “legitimate TV content” for free on the Playstation Network, if it successful we may well see a raft of new shows as Sony think tanks continue to look into different avenues of broadcasting.

Keep on Trucking, Sony 3D Broadcast Truck Hits the Road

Naomi Roberts — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:29:30 +0000

3D is going to be big for 2010

It seems that 2010 is going to be the year of 3D. The technology has made a massive resurgence due to the use of new techniques that deliver impressive results. The latest development in the world of 3D is that Sony has ordered a truck capable of performing outcast broadcasts in 3D. This news comes off the back of Japanese broadcaster Sky Perfect Communications announcing that they will begin transmitting programme in 3D from the middle of the year.

This is not a technology purely for Japan either, many television companies have started to consider the benefits of 3D. In the U.S. the major sports broadcaster ESPN has announced a commitment to 3D, whilst other companies such as the Discovery Channel and Sony have also shown interest in launching 3D channels. Over in the UK BSkyB have also announced the launch of a 3D channel this year, this trend is being shown all over the world.

3D has experienced a massive growth in popularity. The latest 3D movie creation, ‘Avatar’ has shown that there is certainly an appetite for 3D amongst cinema goers and with Sony due to announce 3D compatible televisions and an update for the Playstation system that allows for 3D gaming, seemingly even gamers will get a taste for this before the year is out.

The truck ordered by Sony will be capable of outside broadcasts. Viewers are likely to get their first true taste of the 3D revolution during the World Cup, where Sony have committed to broadcasting 25 of the matches in the new format. With Sony set to release 3D televisions as well as blu ray players later this year it is becoming increasingly likely that 3D will be a major part of the technological landscape in 2010.