Television

Sony and Panasonic Form Joint Venture to Create Medium Sized OLED Displays

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OLED displays continue to be the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. While every company including Sony has been able to create small displays and incorporate them on camera viewfinders and more prominently on devices like the PlayStation Vita, mass production on large displays remains a challenge. While Sony and others have been able to create large OLED televisions, due to production woes and astronomical costs, none of these sets have come to the market in a meaningful way due to the large price tag they carry. Still, the industry seems to want to make large OLED displays happen while it’s unclear if consumers truly care or if a proper 4K set is enough.

Sony, for its part, has had a turbulent history with OLED productions. In 2012, the company announced a joint venture with Panasonic to combine R&D which never led anywhere. Sony followed up by showcasing a 56-inch OLED TV at CES 2013, but that was the last we heard of the set. Eventually the company did release 30-inch (4,096 x 2,160) and 56-inch (3,840 x 2160) 4K OLED monitors for professionals but rumors followed in early 2014 that they were poised to exit the OLED business.

If that makes your head spin, you’re not alone but Sony is now coming full circle by announcing a new joint venture with Panasonic to once again create OLED displays.

Sony Pictures Television Acquires CSC Media Group in UK TV Market

Sony Pictures TelevisionSony Pictures Television has recently announced plans to expand further into the UK market with its acquisition of CSC Media Group, adding a further 16 television channels to it’s UK portfolio.

Currently Sony owns TV channels in the UK including Sony Movie Channel, Movies 4 Men, and Movie Mix. These channels are ad-supported and are will now be complemented with the addition of popular channels including True Entertainment, Pop and Chart ShowTV.

 The acquisition of CSC further demonstrates our commitment to the UK market and our intent to continue to grow our tremendously successful global portfolio of networks, 

Andy Kaplan, president of worldwide networks for Sony Pictures Television

Read on for more details.

2014 Sony 4K Televisions (X850B and X900B) Now Shipping, Starting At $2,099

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If you’ve been holding out for Sony to prepare its 2014 fleet of 4K televisions then this post should bring a smile to your face. As of now, you can head down to your local Sony retail outlet or potentially Sony Experience showcase inside a Best Buy store and purchase yourself an XBR-X850B or XBR-X900B. As a recap, the X850B come in 49-, 55-, 65-, and 75-inch models while the X900B ships with 55-, 65-, and massive 79-inch model. It’s worth noting though that the largest of the X900B series is still not available for purchase while all other models are.

Sony’s 4K Content is Locked to Their Televisions But It May Not Be a Bad Thing

Sony 4K Media Server with XBRThought not new, it’s been recently brought to the attention of CNET that 4K media by Sony is proprietary to the company’s television sets. While consumers are free to purchase 4K Blu-ray discs and play them back via any compatible 4K player and 4K television sets, 4K streaming is something entirely different. Set to be released later this month, the Sony 4K Ultra HD Media Player (FMP-X10) is capable of tapping into Sony’s growing line of 4K content (as well as Netflix with shows like House of Cards), thanks to Video Unlimited and stream 4K content. The issue is that if you own a Samsung or LG 4K television, the two devices won’t work together. The debate goes that this move by Sony is hurting 4K growth but is it really true? It’s worth mentioning that Samsung has a similar device which is equally locked to their line of televisions.

So let’s talk after the jump.

Meet the Sony Wireless Subwoofer (SWF-BR100)

Announced at CES 2104, the Sony Wireless Subwoofer (SWF-BR100) is designed to accompany Sony’s 2014 W and X series televisions. Featuring a 100W digital amplifier in a cabinet that is constructed from 18mm thick medium density fibre, the SWF-BR100 adds meaningful bass with nearly no setup and no cables. From there, the sub wirelessly syncs with compatible Sony TVs and allows for easy manipulation of settings like sound level, cutoff frequency, and phase via the TV screen. For those looking for an easy solution and a subwoofer that they can place anywhere in their house, the BR100 might just be what you’re looking for. That is, if you’re also in the market for a 2014 W or X series Sony television.

The above video gives you a quick glimpse of the wireless subwoofer in action during CES 2014.

Sony Set to Exit OLED TV Business?

CES_2013_Sony_4K_OLED_Demo_1In a continued effort to shutter off parts of the company that are not profitable, it’s expected that Sony CEO, Kaz Hirai, will soon end the company’s OLED television division. In 2012, Sony and Panasonic entered into a partnership in order to get a better return on OLED R&D, and share technology to help bring manufacturing costs down. Since then, little has progressed on the partnership that many consider dead.

While OLED televisions are pristine to a product portfolio and stand out from traditional HD televisions, due to the enormous cost of producing them, there’s been little appetite from consumers to purchase them. In fact, consumers keep expecting larger and large HD sets at lower and lower price points – the exact opposite of OLED televisions, which will trickle out in smaller sizes with larger price tags. So what’s next for Sony’s television business?

Meet the 2014 Sony W600B, W700B, W800B, W850B, and W950B Full 1080p Televisions, We Have Prices and Specs

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Just a little over a week ago, we reported on Sony beginning to ship their 2014 fleet of HD televisions which includes the W600B, W700B, and W800B series. While limited to 1080p, Sony has created a range of Full HD televisions range between 40- and 70-inches with different varying options and prices. Like their 4K counterparts, the entire series offers out of box features like Quick Start which allows the set to be turned on in under 2 seconds and One-Flick remote on the W850B and W950B for easy navigation, especially within apps.

After the jump, we’ve got a break down of each line.

2014 Sony 4K Televisions to Include PlayStation Now, Can Stream PS3 Games In 4K

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Unveiled at CES 2014, PlayStation Now is a streaming services that can bring PlayStation 3 titles to the PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 4. Think Netflix for gaming. At the time of its unveiling, we were able to get our hands on the PS Vita and stream God of War: Ascension to the powerful handheld without a hitch. It’s expected that Sony will officially release the cloud-based service at E3 2014. While at the time, Sony was only talking about PlayStation Now for the PS4 and PS Vita, the company made it clear that the service would expand beyond gaming consoles and onto televisions, smartphones, and tablets. Today, Sony takes the first big step to bring PS3 titles to a entirely new market and reach beyond the core gaming enthusiast.

2014 Sony 4K Television Prices Officially Unveiled, Lower Than Previous Leaks

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We’d previously outlined Sony’s 2014 4K television fleet with specs and prices which includes the X850B (good), X900B (better), and the X950B (best). At that time, we were quite surprised about the prices of their 2014 4K fleet which had made huge strides in both the technology offered and the prices, but the news gets better. Sony has now officially unveiled pricing for their 4K televisions and while many are the same as we’d leaked, some are a few hundred dollars cheaper.

Sony Bravia W600B, W700B, and W800B Are Now Shipping

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While the focus of 2014 has been Sony’s fleet of 4K televisions, which consists of the X850B, X900B, and X950B, Sony isn’t abandoning the traditional 1080p HD market. To that end, Sony has announced that the Bravia W600B, W700B, and W800B are now shipping worldwide, including features like Quick Start and One-Flick remote. If the Bravia W700B seems like a line you haven’t heard of, that’s because it’s exclusive to Europe.

Netflix 4K App Now Available for Sony 4K Televisions, Includes ‘House of Cards’

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At CES 2014, Netflix promised to bring 4K to televisions and the company has now fulfilled that promise. As of today, those with a compatible 4K television can download the free app which will provide 4K content with no added premium to your subscription. Content currently includes House of Cards: Season 2 and nature documentaries with more titles to come in the future.

Sony’s TV Business Reform – Decoding the Business-Speak

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In early Febraury Sony announced plans to reform their TV business and sell their PC section when they released their latest financial results.

Subsidiary, restructuring, streamlining; the announcement was full of management-speak, so what is actually happening?

The TV business is being set apart as a separate company that will be still be fully owned.

Let’s take a closer look at the language used in Sony’s news release on the TV business.

Sony’s 2014 Televisions to Include “One-flick” Touchpad Remote

Sony 2014 One-flick Remote

Let’s be honest; most remotes that ship with products, minus what TiVo includes with their DVRs, tends to be crap. At best, it’s ugly and at worst, it’s both ugly and clunky. To that end, products like the Harmony remote exist which tend to give a sleeker look and better overall functionality, perfect for those of us who own a multitude of home theater products. Now, Sony is throwing a bit of a wrench in this with their new One-flick remote which will be standard across their entire 2014 line of televisions.

Sony Further Discounts 2013 4K XBR Televisions (updated)

Sony_2013_4K_TelevisionsSony’s 2013 line of 4K XBR televisions already saw a massive price cut in late January. At CES 2014, Sony announced an entirely new fleet of 4K XBR TVs, which include the X850B (good), X900B (better), and X950B (best). The 2014 models, as you’d guess, are here to replace their predecessors, and that means that Sony needs to clear out what’s left of the old fleet. Now that we’re approaching Spring 2014, the timeframe Sony has given for the new fleet to be released, the company has decided to do another round of price cuts. Just how much? Let’s talk numbers.

2014 Sony 4K Television Prices Leaked for XBR-65X950B, and 85X950B (Best)

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If you’re looking for something a bit more top of the line in the 4K world then fear not. While Sony will likely see their biggest growth come from their entry (X850B series) and mid-range (X900B series) 4K televisions, it doesn’t mean that they don’t want to draw in the big spenders. To that end exists the XBR-X950B series which comes in a more standard 65-inch and a eye melting 85-inch variants. Packing in all that the X900B series has to offer, the X950B series drops the wedge design and Magnetic Fluid speakers that come with it for a more streamlined look, sure to sit flush and command attention on any wall. So what makes the X950B series command the “best” tagline?

Unlike the X900B which offers edge dimming, the X950B series packs in local dimming, ensuring the brightest of colors and the darkest of blacks. Sony is also utilizing its X-tended Dynamic Range Pro engine, giving it what the company believes is a 300% better results when compared to their mid-range fleet. So what’s it going to cost you? We reveal that and more, after the jump.