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Sony Aims to Make 3D Personal in 2011

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 24, 2011 | 2 comments

It was just a little over a year ago when a little movie, one which audiences and critics alike were unsure if it was going to flop or not due to its reported $300-$500 million budget, came into theaters in 3D. Now, with nearly $3 billion in the bank from just the tickets, Avatar is the highest-grossing movie of all time and will probably be for a decade to come. But Avatar’s effect was not just limited to the film industry where we can just write it off as a Hollywood blockbuster. Instead, Avatar has affected the way we watch movies, the kind of televisions we buy, and the technology that will be in your next camera, camcorder and handheld portable. Just a little over a year after the film’s release, manufacturers like LG, Toshiba, Samsung, and Sony are out in full arsenal with their 3D televisions, so you can watch a movie like Avatar or Despicable Me in 3D at home. In 2011, 16 out of Sony’s 27 Bravia televisions will feature built-in 3D with no 3D transmitter bar needed. In two months’ time, Nintendo is releasing the 3DS, their next handheld portable gaming machine that will display games in 3D. Just in case you get pulled into a 3D event, you can now look good and not need to borrow a pair of glasses as Oakley and other high end companies will be releasing their own stylish 3D glasses. Sure 2010 might have had some sour points with films like Clash of the Titan (though I enjoyed the movie myself) and The Last Airbender with their horrible last minute rush job of up converting a movie that was not made in 3D to be in 3D. Still look how far we have come already. Tron was a smash hit with it’s 3D and Alice in Wonderland, another post converted movie hit the $1 billion mark as well and animated films like Pixars Toy Story 3 and How to Train a Dragon which were all also released in 3D. Now we are seeing more and more movies being filmed in 3D from the beginning like the up coming Transformers: Dark of the Moon, the Sony Pictures Spider-man reboot and we are seeing some of Hollywoods top directors like Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg plan their upcoming projects with 3D in mind.

Of course as I pointed out, 3D is not going to be limited to just the movie experience. Nintendo will indeed be pushing out their Nintendo 3DS in two months and that will introduce 3D to a large audience, who will grow up with 3D as just the standard just like how kids in the last 7-10 years might view HD as nothing new. Remember how much flack HD got when it was first introduced and many wrote it and Blu-ray off as just a gimmick and a fad. Fast forward a few years and both are the industry and consumer accepted standard. Lets also not forget Sony when it comes to gaming and 3D, Sony is making sure that their AAA games like Gran Turismo 5, LittleBigPlanet 2, Killzone 3 and Uncharted 3, along with their new gaming attachment, the PlayStation Move are offered to consumers in 3D. If you haven’t had a chance to view these games in 3D, I highly recommend you visit your nearest Sony Style store as they will blow you away with how crisp, deep and beautiful they are. Still, when all is said and done, gaming is just another avenue of 3D that is being catered to the audiences by those who have the power to create them; big companies and it was apparent during CES that Sony understood, that in order for 3D to succeed, they needed to bring the technology down to the consumer level and give the public the capability to create 3D for themselves for cheap. After watching and playing with their 2011 arsenal of products, I now believe.

You see, for any real product to catch on, it cannot be something that is just controlled by the elite. Sure all products come to market higher priced than what consumers might want, but like all technologies, it will eventually get cheaper as consumers adapt and newer and better versions of them are released. Years ago, you couldn’t get a 3D TV for under $5,000, and now you cannot find a TV that is not HD. Even the $500 television you find at Wal-mart is in fact HD (now this isn’t insinuating that all HD is the same, but rather the fact that anybody can have access to it). But that’s really only one avenue to view HD in; how about recording? Every single camera on the market now has some form of HD recording in it. From the thinnest smart phone on the market, the iPhone 4, which can record 720p video, to pocket camcorders, like the Flip HD, which can be bought for $150 with 8GB of memory, consumers can record HD in all sorts of ways without really thinking about them. If you own a Mac, you can open iMovie and start editing your HD video in minutes and soon after that be posting it to sites like YouTube and Facebook. Through the consumer, HD has become the norm and the standard, due to its ease of handling and low entry price point. I’m here to tell you that 3D will be the same and Sony is leading the way.

Meet the 2011 XBR, the XBR-HX929. We Have Specs

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 24, 2011 | 38 comments

Though the naming scheme might have changed from the previous XBR6-7-8 and 9 style, Sony realizes that the XBR name is not only still strong in the home theater world, but that consumers know that it stands for something: quality. The XBR has been the pinnacle of Sony televisions for well over a decade. Only the biggest, thinnest, and most feature-packed of Sony’s televisions get branded as an XBR. And oh yea, they have the best damn picture quality available too. The XBR-HX929 is no different.

In April, consumers can get their hands on this beefy new TV, starting with 46, 55 and 65-inches, though the latter will be available in August due to the new glassing used on them across the XBR lineup and the more difficult process of producing it in the 65-inch variation. What new glassing? Corning’s Gorilla Glass, of course, which allows for a thinner, lighter, and stronger screen material than anything else on the market, setting itself apart from other available televisions.

First let’s cover some of the specs and features you would expect from this 1080p Bravia. Internet functionality, a feature that Sony has been pushing for the last two years, is front and center on this unit with services like Sony Music Unlimited Streaming Service and Video on Demand ; Qriocity, as well as Netflix, Pandora, HuluPlus, Amazon Video on Demand, YouTube, Slacker Internet Radio, Crackle, and Blip.tv. So although it might not have Google TV built into it like some of other Sony’s offering, it’s damn close. Of course, all of those services can be enabled via the integrated Wi-Fi (802.11n). 3D of course is fully enabled in this flagship Bravia with a built in transmitter bar, something that is now standard on all Sony Bravia’s.

VUDU Gains 3D Movies, PS3 Now Offers Another Avenue for 3D Content

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 21, 2011 | 23 comments

Without a doubt, Sony would not have won the battle of HD-DVD vs. the Sony backed Blu-ray, had every PlayStation not been equipped with a Blu-ray player. Since then, Sony has been able to leverage the PlayStation 3’s Blu-ray player to give developers extra space to create their games and owners of the PS3 the capability to watch the latest movies on Blu-ray. This combination of next generation gaming and movie watching experience though was costly to Sony during the initial three years of the PlayStation 3, has now locked Blu-ray as the winning future format for movies and continues to be a big draw of the PS3.

What many might not have seen though is the fact that Sony will once again be using the PlayStation 3 as a means to draw audiences to 3D. Currently, the PlayStation 3 offers a few games in 3D with the list expanding heavily during 2011 with all first party PlayStation 3 games being in 3D. On the movie side of the PlayStation Network Side (PSN), Sony also currently offers 9 movies for download or rent which are in 3D, giving those who own a 3D television some much needed content. But Sony isn’t looking to go at this alone, instead now announcing that movie streaming app VUDU is now gaining 3D movies. The free app which just recently saw an update is again gaining a new server side update that allows users to rent movies in 3D. That’s not all, VUDU has also stated that they are looking to soon provide users with the option of buying movies in 3D as well.

So if you are a current 3D TV owners with a PlayStation 3, I highly recommend you picking up one of these devices as it will be the source of a lot of upcoming 3D content from Sony and partners alike. If you already own a PlayStation 3 and are on the fence about 3D, look at this as a clear sign that Sony and it’s partners are serious about 3D and it’s not something that is going away.

Sony Introduces 27 New Bravia Models for 2011, Most with Internet and 3D Built In!

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 20, 2011 | 3 comments

During CES, Sony made it apparent that they want to give their Bravia lineup a refresh across the board and pack them with features not found on other sets. This is in part, the evolution of the Bravia televisions that began their internet connectivity over two years ago and the 3D expansion that Sony started a year ago. Now for their 2011 lineup, a whopping 27 new models across 9 lineups is being released. 22 of the models will be gaining full internet TV connectivity (only the 5 starting models don’t gain this feature) while the top 16 models will be getting transmitter free 3D built in. Some of the internet TV services will Sony Music Unlimited Streaming Service and Video on Demand ; Qriocity, as well as Netflix, Pandora, HuluPlus, Amazon Video on Demand, YouTube, Slacker Internet Radio, Crackle, Blip.tv. Other features to set the Bravia lineup apart from others will be Skype connectivity for select devices which with a Sony 720p camera (CMU-BR100) will give you access to any other user out there with Skype. Having played with the feature during CES, I can happily report that the features works effortlessly and smoothly.

While in middle of watching a show, if somebody contacts you while you are logged into your Skype account via your Bravia set, a small notification will appear on the TV which you can then choose to accept or decline the call. Once accept, your TV show will get muted and reduced to the bottom corner and the video call will go live, full center on the screen. Here, you will also have full Skype functionality, meaning you can call other numbers and connect to any other Skype enabled device.

Bravia Television with Skype, Live!

Sony also debuted the XBR-HX929, their new flagship model with some great industry firsts. Besides having the built in 3D, 720p Skype calling and internet TV functionality, Gorilla Glass will be making it’s way into the model as the new screen, allowing for thinner, lighter, and stronger screen material. Like it’s predecessor, full-array local dimming LED backlight is back with Sony’s new Bravia engine, the X-Reality PRO Engine which has been built from the ground up to offer better color and image accuracy. To top off all these features, Sony is also introducing what they call MotionFlow XR960. Those who are familiar with MotionFlow will know that first we started off with 120hz and higher end TV’s later gained 240hz to match the quality of Plasma TV’s by reducing the ghosting effect that LCD televisions can have and this can be more apparent with 3D content. Now the XBR-HX929 will offer 960hz, almost quadrupling previous offerings and having witnessed it, it’s damn impressive. The XBR-HX929 will come in a 65-inch (XBR-65HX292, which is available in August 2011), 55-inch (XBR-55HX929), and 46-inch (XBR-46HX929) and will be out in April.

Bravia Monolithic Design

Hit the jump for the full press release and spec offerings of the 9 new model lineups from Sony, as well as additional pictures.

Sony Bloggie Goes 3D for Cheap, 1080p Video Capture

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 14, 2011 | 10 comments

I have to say that one of my favorite Sony products from CES 2011 was not only one that I didn’t see coming, but also one of the cheapest offerings in their lineup. I had written previously that the Bloggie Touch would more than likely get an update, and I was right on that matter. In fact, there will be two different Bloggie models coming out in the next two months. What I didn’t expect was for one to offer 3D recording and to be priced so low.

First I will get what I consider the more boring of the series out of the way. The next generation of the Bloggie is being dubbed the Bloggie Duo (MHS-FS2) which sports two different LCD lenses. The first is a 2.7-inch on the back for video and picture playback and 2.0-inch on the front under the lens, perfect for when you want to utilize the 5.1 megapixel built in camera to take some self portrait shots. The Duo will now come with a LED light and be available in violet, green, pink, and white for $170 for the 4GB model in March. Next up is actually the new entry model Bloggie (MHS-FS1) which is thinner then the previous Bloggie and the new Bloggie Duo. Coming in at $150 for the 4GB, this white and black only model comes with just the single back 2.7-inch LCD. It should be noted that both models come with Sony’s Sensitive Exmor™ CMOS sensor and Auto Focus/Auto Macro lenses. Now hit the jump to read all about one of my favorite CES products, the Bloggie 3D.

S.W.A.T. Firefight Comes to Blu-ray

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 11, 2011 | 2 comments

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has announced a March 1 blu-ray release for S.W.A.T. Firefight. This direct-to-video action/crime thriller stars Gabriel Macht as a Los Angeles S.W.A.T. officer who is sent to Detroit, and Robert Patrick as a government assassin obsessed with terminating him and his team. If the title sounds familiar, it’s because this is a sequel/spin off of the 2003 Sony Pictures film S.W.A.T. which starred Samuel L. Jackson, Colin Farrell, Michelle Rodriguez and LL Cool J. Though the larger box office based audience may never hear of a film like this, direct-to-video films are a very lucrative market for film studios as they can produce the entire piece for fractions of the original Hollywood version and release them to video rental stores and brick and mortar outlets for a considerably lower price, hoping to draw the casual consumer. Disney has been known to this with many of it’s animated films, like The Lion King 1 1/2, Hercules Zero to Hero and Tarzan 2 to name a few. Still, simply because they don’t have the original cast and budget shouldn’t mean that we should ride these films off as not worthy, as I know many kids who adore the sequel to their favorite Disney movies and many adults who continue to want to see more in the Van Wilder world.

[Amazon Pre-order]

Sony Ditches 3D Transmitter Bar on all 2011 Bravia Televisions

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 11, 2011 | 5 comments

During CES, I had the pleasure to have some great conversations with different Sony engineers and get their takes on different products and features from Sonys many current and future offerings. In the mix of all the many different product launches and 27 new Bravia models from Sony, I both noticed something interesting and later confirmed something that seemed to have gotten missed by almost all other outlets. Sony has ditched the $50 3D transmitter bar on all of their 2011 3D TVs. With the current model of Bravia’s in the market, only the high end model, the LX900 offers 3D built in with no transmitter bar where the rest of the series like the HX and EX were dubbed 3D ready, meaning that you could buy a 3D transmitter bar and give it 3D. But with all 2011 Bravia models, 3D will be built in no transmitter bar needed. What’s even more amazing is when you take in the fact that 16 of Sony’s 2011 Bravia’s will be 3D, starting with models as small as 27-inches which will place them well under the $1,000 price and in the price range of many consumers.

Improvements to this year’s 3D models include panel drive enhancements that deliver quicker response time helping to reduce crosstalk, 5:5 pull down for a more realistic cinematic movie experience, built-in 3D emitters on all 3D models.
Expanding the 3D content users can view, the new BRAVIA 3D capable models can display 3D images taken with Sony’s new Cyber-shot cameras like the DSC-WX9 via USB input.

Sony to Buy IMAX? (Updated)

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 10, 2011 | 58 comments

Rumors over the last week have been pointing to the buy out of IMAX theaters by Sony Corp. With the big launch 3D had during 2010 and 2011 promising to bring 3D to more devices, both professional and consumer, the move does make sense. Especially if you consider that IMAX plays a big roll when it comes to 3D movies, a venue that Sony’s movie division; Sony Pictures and Columbia Pictures can take great advantage of. Still, it’s not like upcoming 3D movies from Sony like The Green Hornet, The Smurfs, Men In Black 3D and the Spider-man reboot wouldn’t have been shown in 3D without IMAX. But with a chain of 3D theaters under its belt, Sony can take advantage of the screens and offering and not only use its own 4k 3D projectors which are considered some of the best, but to also hold events to show off 3D to consumers like the upcoming Lakers game. With Sony using their own equipment in the mix, Sony can make sure that the 3D experience is at the highest quality and wow audiences the proper way, in order to have them buy in the 3D experience, something that currently consumers are mixed about. But alas, if you were looking for CES announcement to confirm or deny it, you will be disappointed though the two companies will continue collaborate on the upcoming 3D channel.

Update:

Based on the rumor, IMAX stocks have hit a 52 week high of $32 per share though they are now trading back to their normal value of $27, due to the lack of any announcements between the two companies.

New Sony 12X Blu-ray Burner/Player with 3D (BD-5300S, BWU-500S and BWU-500S)

by Sohrab Osati | Jan 7, 2011 | 15 comments

Sony has announced a new lineup of internal Blu-ray burners and players with 12x speed and 3D playback. The new Sony Optiarc lineup will come in 3 models: the BD-5300S, BWU-500S and BWU-500S, offering 12x BD-R burning speed and 8x for dual layer Blu-ray discs. Sony is going to be offering these in a variety of retail and OEM configurations but no price point is set yet. For those who are looking to edit some videos, the BWU-500S retail branded model comes with CyberLink’s Media Suite 8 software for capturing, authoring, editing, backing up, viewing high-definition personal content and playing back Blu-ray disc movies including 3D Blu-ray movies. For those looking for an external solution, Sony also offers the BDX-S500u. Hit the jump for a full press release.

Sony Offers the Best 3D LCD TV, According to Consumer Reports

by Sohrab Osati | Dec 29, 2010 | 13 comments

Over the last several months, Consumer Reports has done a lengthy amount of tests on different LCD 3D TVs from Sony, Samsung, and LG. Using exclusive 3D test patterns developed in-house, as well as 3D Blu-ray movies and recorded 3D sports broadcasts, Consumer Reports pitted these units against each other to test the 3D quality, including black level, brightness, image detail, and viewing angle. Another major factor that comes into play with 3D is the leveling of ghosting a TV produces, especially in 3D. This is something that plasma TVs do not have to deal with, but LCDs are limited to their refresh rate and thus ghosting can appear.

Of the 14 sets that were tested, Consumer Reports found that “Sony’s LCD TVs came closest to the plasmas: ghosting was minimal” and they offered a much better viewing angle, compared to that of Samsung and LG.

“It remains to be seen whether 3D TV is just a novelty or a new product category in the consumer electronics space,” said Paul Reynolds, electronics editor for Consumer Reports. “But, our tests show that there are some fine 3D TV sets out there for those consumers eager for a new experience.”

For those who are still on the fence about a 3D TV, I highly recommend going to a store with a proper 3D setup and really experience it hands on. On top of that, the difference between a 3D-ready TV (one that will need a transmitter bar like the Sony HX810 series) and the not-3D TVs like the EX700 is about $350. I look at it like this: a TV isn’t something I purchase once a year or even every other year. I would much rather spend a little more and know that my TV will be able to do 3D if I ever want to get into it, no matter if its 6 months later or a year later instead of needing to invest into a new TV down the line just to experience 3D. I know personally I will be getting a 3D TV this upcoming summer and I’m already starting to invest in my 3D Blu-ray catalogue.

[Via Consumer Reports]

Sony Bravia KDL-22PX300 LCD Hides a PS2 Inside

by Sohrab Osati | Dec 28, 2010 | 16 comments

If you are looking for a TV for your cabin, side bedroom, or, hell, any room, and you want to get some entertainment out of it for under $300, then Sony is going to be your one and only destination. The Sony Bravia KDL-22PX300 LCD is not only a 22″ 720p TV, but also a mean gaming machine as the base stand is actually a PlayStation 2. This little harmony between HD TV and PS2 means that you can not only have access to one of the greatest gaming libraries of all time, but also play any PlayStation One games as well. Of course, the PS2 also supports online gaming, as well as DVD and CD playback for your enjoyment. Not enough? How about 4 HDMI ports on the back of the TV, in case you want to plug in any other device you own? Sadly, we’ve only seen listings for this device in Europe, but we hope it finds its way to the US shores as well.

[Via Richer Sounds]

Spider-man Reboot Being Shot in RED EPIC 3D

by Sohrab Osati | Dec 22, 2010 | 2 comments

I’m sure by now you know that there is going to be a reboot to Spider-man, sometime in 2012 (May 4th or 11th if I had to take a guess) and that it is going to be in 3D, like most big movies now. But the good news is the guys over at Sony Pictures have the sense of shooting the entire film in native 3D, instead of delivering a post conversion of the film in 3D which so far, few have done appropriately, and instead, most have turned out messed up like Clash of the Titans and Last Airbender (I loved Clash but the 3D was wack). John Schwartzman, the cinematographer behind such movies as The Rock, Armageddon and Pearl Harbor will instead be using Red Epic 3D cameras, the same units that Peter Jackson just recently snatched 30 of to shoot The Hobbit in 3D with. If the recent 3D movies like TRON: LEGACY and trailers for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is any indication of the future of 3D movies has to offer, then I can only imagine what a film like Spider-man will look like which begs for the depth 3D has to offer, especially when Peter Parker decides to swing throughout the city.

[Image, courtesy of Engadget]

Australian thriller "Red Hill" Announced on Blu-ray

by Sohrab Osati | Dec 17, 2010 | 3 comments

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has announced a January 25th, 2011 release date for the Australian thriller Red Hill. This limited release movie is based around “a young police officer in his first day in a small town must deal with an escaped murderer.” Hit the jump for the official movie trailer.

Sony Creates New LCD Technology 'Hybrid FPA', Looks to Close Gap Between LCD and Plasma

by Sohrab Osati | Dec 16, 2010 | 16 comments

Sony has announced the creation of a new LCD technology called Hybrid FPA (field-induced photo-reactive alignment). This new Hybrid FPA is designed to improve LCD response time, contrast ration, panel stability, and production speed, bringing the LCD one step closer to the plasma, a type of TV Sony used to make itself. As the guys over at Engadget put it, “this boils down to Sony finding a better way to wrangle unruly liquid crystal molecules (LCMs) into more optimal alignments — which is important since this affects how light passes and therefore how images are resolved.” Previously, LCD makers have fought off ghosting and improved response time by raising the hertz on their television from the traditional 60hz to 120hz and to the now standard 240hz for 3D TVs. With this new Hybrd FPA LCD technology, Sony is going to attempt to further reduce the response time on their sets, thus eliminating the need for raising the Hz count in the near future. 3D TV fans will benefit from this as well. While many complain that 3D can look dark, this new technology will boost future televisions’ ability for a higher contrast ratio and offer a brighter picture. It’s unclear when Sony is looking to commercialize this technology, though we hope for sooner rather than later.

As always, hit the jump for the official press release.

[Via Sony]

Sony Bravia Update Adds Photo Sharing Capabilities

by Sohrab Osati | Dec 6, 2010 | 0 comments

The already available Bravia Postcard App on Sony’s lineup of TV’s will be receiving a new update by end of the month that will give users photo sharing capabilities. Powered by Sony’s own Life-X online service, Bravia users will now be able to attach pictures from services such as Picasa and Flickr to create albums and slideshows and share them with other Bravia owner via a postcard. Although a fun app, the audience limited app update is further narrowed down to those who bought a Bravia set after February 2010, due to hardware limitations of previous units.