Event Coverage

CES 2008: Home Entertainment Galore

By Terence Ang & Zachary Chan - 15 Jan 2008

Sony's Booth

Sony's Booth

 While prototypes are many, including Sony's 27", the 11" XEL-1 Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) TVs by Sony are finally on sale in the US. With a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1 and an estimated lifespan of 30,000 hours or 8 hours a day for 10 years, the XEL-1 costs US$2500.

 Sony showed us an 82" prototype LCD TV that displays video images at 4096 x 2160 resolution (or 8.8 megapixels). Based on Sony's SXRD projection technology and the high-end CineAlta 4K cinema system, the 82-incher can show one large image or four 2K resolution videos.

 Among the 18 TV models shown at the show, Sony's new top-of-the-line TV is the 46" Z series model. Boasting a multitude of technologies like thin bezel, Motionflow, 24p True Cinema, x.v.Color, a Digital Media Port to connect optional cradles for your Network Walkman or iPod, BRAVIA Internet Video Link and 4x HDMI ports, this TV is set to bolster Sony's BRAVIA campaign even further this year.

 The Sony HDR-SR12 has the highest built-in hard drive capacity of 120GB among the Full HD consumer camcorders announced at the show. It supports Face Detection for both still and video and while it takes still shots at 10.2 megapixels, it lets you take simultaneous dual recording (movie and 7.6-megapixel photos). US release expected in March 2008 at US$1400.

 Another interesting Sony HD Handycam is the HDR-UX20. It is a Hybrid Plus model in that it not only lets you record video to a DVD disc or Memory Stick DUO, but also to its internal 8GB memory. It also comes with Face Detection and lets you shoot photos at 4 megapixels. Expected US release in March 2008 at US$1000.

 Featuring a Blu-ray Disc drive for stunning HD playback, the updated Sony VAIO TP-25 Home Theater PC (in Singapore, the previous generation is the TP-1) also comes with two external CableCARD-compatible TV tuners (for US) so that users can view and record two HD programs simultaneously. With a built-in DVR functionality, each unit can record up to 50 hours of HD television programming and pause/rewind live TV for on-demand playback. With integrated BRAVIA Sync, wireless LAN and wireless router, the TP25 comes with a wireless keyboard for easy surfing from the couch. The TP25 comes with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor T8100, uses Windows Vista Home Premium and has a half-terabyte of hard drive space. The VAIO TP25 Home Theater PC is available in the US in polar white (US$1600) and piano black (US$3000).
 

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