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Spatial View Creates Glasses-Free 3D for the iPhone

Fri Nov 20, 2009 at 01:00 PM ET
Tags: Sony, iPhone, Apple, 3D, Industry Trends (all tags)

According to an announcement from Spatial View and Sony Music Entertainment Germany, the new 3DeeSlide iPhone and iPod accessory will allow users to watch glasses-free 3D movies.

3D movies are experiencing a great amount of popularity in theaters, with an expected boom in upcoming Blu-ray releases, and 'Avatar: The Game' bringing three dimensional viewing to game consoles. A practical solution for viewing 3D content while outside of the home – one that doesn’t involve a separate headset or glasses – has not yet been established.

Spatial View, a company specializing in stereoscopic 3D, offers the 3DeeSlide as the solution. Using a lenticular screen, this device slides over your iPhone or iPod Touch and allows the viewing of three-dimensional content without the need for glasses.

The viewing angle is a bit limited, but when it comes to mobile devices, there’s usually only one person watching. Users are recommended to keep their device at a 90 vertical viewing angle, perpendicular to their eye line. The sweet spot distance wise is between 12” and 16” according to Spatial View.

The 3DeeSlide will be available shortly from in Germany (one of the countries that Spatial View calls home) and is expected to be on Amazon soon after. The product will be available individually or bundled with Sony Music’s “forsenses” Blu-ray disc, though a price has not yet been announced.

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Netflix Hits Sony BRAVIA Sets

Wed Nov 18, 2009 at 03:15 PM ET
Tags: Sony (all tags)

Back in July, Sony announced that their BRAVIA sets would be getting a fall 2009 update to enable Netflix viewing. Well, it’s finally here.

Only four months ago Sony put out the word that Netflix would hit capable BRAVIA sets. The initial announcement sparked a bit of ire from PlayStation 3 console owners, who questioned why the addition would be hitting televisions, rather than the incredibly capable PS3.

Sony responded of course, by offering Netflix streaming capabilities to the PS3 through the use of a Blu-ray disc and the BD Live feature. When the service hit the PS3, it left many BRAVIA users feeling left in the lurch, but not for long. True to their word Sony has added Netflix to the web offerings of connected BRAVIA sets.

A quick firmware update and a restart will get owners ready to go with the new service, which offers a large library of on demand video for consumption. For as low as $8.99 a month, unlimited streaming is available.

This addition makes Sony products much more appealing, and marks a bit of a victory for the company. Most new Sony hardware – TVs, consoles and Blu-ray players – comes with Netflix streaming capability, which is certainly a huge boon for both Sony and Netflix.

Source: Press Release

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Review: Netflix Streaming on Sony’s PlayStation 3

Wed Nov 11, 2009 at 05:20 PM ET
Tags: Netflix, PS3, PlayStation 3, Sony, Michael S. Palmer (all tags)

Michael Palmer got his hands on a Netflix Streaming Disc for the PS3 and gave it a whirl. Here's what he thought of it...

By Michael S. Palmer

Following Sony’s new marketing campaign (“It Only Does Everything”), Netflix Streaming has finally arrived on the PS3. When announcements were made last month that we’d finally be joining the ranks of the Xbox 360 as well as various LG, Samsung, and Insignia networked Blu-ray Disc players, I immediately signed up for my free Netflix “Instant Streaming Disc.” I wasn’t exactly sure why they were sending me a disc, thinking that it would be some type of firmware update. But it turns out (or, if I had read the announcement further than “go here to sign up for your free disc”) the Instant Streaming Disc is actually a Blu-ray, which uses BD-Live to stream movies and television episodes from the Netflix server. Meaning, every time you want to stream content, the Instant Streaming Disc must first be inserted into the PS3.

Setting It Up.

Netflix Streaming on the PS3 rquires: a Netflix membership subscription plan with unlimited viewing included (1-at-a-time DVDs with unlimited streaming is $8.99/month, and $10.99/month for a 1-at-a-time with Blu-ray Disc access), the free Netflix Instant Streaming disc, and a broadband internet connection (hard wired or wireless).

For installation and title selection, you’ll at first need both a computer and your PS3 (in the future, one could use the PS3’s internal internet browser). First, insert the Instant Streaming Disc into the PS3. An unlocking code will show up on your TV’s screen. From there hop over to your Netflix account, in the “Watch Instantly” tab, where it will ask you for that code. Once entered, the PS3 will sync up your Instant Queue. Selected titles can be arranged as you see fit, just like your DVD Queue. It’s handy to pick carefully here, because if you have a lot of titles, scrolling over to the last one can be a bit time consuming.

Daily Use.

Running the disc brings you to your Instant Queue. Clicking to the right (using either a remote, or a PS3 game controller – I personally am using a Harmony 880 via the Nyko PS2 USB adapter. Logitech now makes a PS3 adapter for their remotes) scrolls you through your Queue. Click UP and then to the right to access other categories, such as Recently Watched, New Arrivals: Movies, New Arrivals: TV, Comedy, Drama, Action, and a myriad of other genres.

Click (or press down) on any title to “play,” give the title a star rating, or “remove from Instant Queue.” Once a movie is started, options will change to “resume playing” or “play from the beginning.” TV shows are organized by season, so play options include “Play Episode 1” or “Choose Episode.” “Play,” “pause,” “fast forward” and “rewind” buttons work as they should (though fast forward and rewinding require 10 or so seconds to buffer). But pressing stop will exit you out streaming all together (taking you back to the PS3’s menu); to go back to your Instant Queue, simply press “menu” and then click “up.”

Movies and TV episodes are available in “HD” (AVC encodes oscillating between 1.5 and 5 Mbps) and SD (running just under 600 kbps), with all audio in two-channel, stereo Dolby Digital. There are over 17,000 movie and TV titles. TV shows are a mix of old and new; movies are generally older, given contracts movie studios have in place with pay cable outlets which streaming would violate. “Starz Play” titles are newer releases (anything that’s currently playing on the Starz network), but they don’t appear to be in “HD.”

Impressions.

For anyone savvy enough to have a Netflix account and a PS3 already, this is a no brainer. It’s free (well, included in your subscription), and easy for those of us who have no trouble surfing the web. For folks less technically savy, this service is more difficult than using cable or satellite On Demand services because you can’t manage your account from one location.

Quality-wise, Netflix Streaming certainly isn’t a Blu-ray killer, let alone even competitor, but I suppose that’s not really the point. This is an added feature to allow subscribers more content and added value. Quote-unquote HD content is “serviceable.” Not as good as HD cable/satellite, but a bit more resolution than DVD. I checked out ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ (a fantastic Blu-ray, btw) and the opening sequence of ‘Scorpion King 2’. These two features weren’t as clear as the Vudu HDX titles I’ve seen, nor as good as Quicktime HD movie trailers. They suffered from banding, blocking, and digital artifacts. Once my expectations were in the proper place, I was generally pleased. This would be a good way to see a title when you didn’t want to wait for Netflix to send out your next disc. The one thing to mention here is that my Internet connection did drop out once, and so ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ paused, and started replaying in SD, which was no comparison. To get it back up to “HD”, I hit “menu”, and “resumed playing” which re-buffered the feed, and brought it back in “HD.”

On my 52” Sony LCD, the SD streaming content was subpar (but truthfully, most SD content doesn’t look great). It’s like watching a non-anamorphic widescreen DVD, and “zooming in” your TV to make it fill more of the screen. Images and text are hazy, fuzzy, and colors are muddy. Here I checked out ‘Armageddon’ (which was in anamorphic widescreen), ‘Dead Space: Downfall’ (non-anamorphic widescreen) and ‘Big Bry’s Western Style BBQ’ (1.33:1). Each title had its own disappointment. ‘Armageddon’ was blocky, and less engaging without its 5.1 mix; ‘Dead Space’ looked clear, but it had letterboxing and pillar boxing happening at the same time; and ‘Big Bry’s’ audio was out of sync for the entire presentation (though, this might not be the fault of the service).

Despite its ease of use, and the fact that it’s free (Xbox 360 owners have to pay over $50/year for Xbox Live Gold service), my biggest complaint is the necessary Instant Streaming Disc. Sure it’s a nifty use of BD-Live, and no doubt there’s a specific, genius-computer-programmer reason as to why it had to be designed this way, but frankly, it’s cumbersome. Is it really THAT hard to get up off the couch and insert a disc, like when playing any Blu-ray or DVD? Of course not, but like the PlayStation Store or Network, streaming content seems better served for when you can exit out of a movie or game, and then click over to something else. Now streaming is forced to be a conscious choice, and given the quality of the service, it might be a better value to pop in another Blu-ray or in some cases, a DVD. At least with many DVDs, you’re getting a discreet surround sound mix.

Bottom Line.

Though Netflix Streaming may have its uses (digging back in to childhood classics like ‘Voltron’!), and it’s great to bring another feature to the PS3, video/audiophiles need not apply. The current lack of quality will be bothersome. Hopefully, with time, the streaming / video encoding quality will grow along with the selection of “HD” content. For now, enjoy what you can.

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'Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs' Streams Free for New Sony Owners

Wed Nov 11, 2009 at 09:00 AM ET
Tags: Sony, Industry Trends, High-Def Retailing (all tags)

New owners of Sony internet connected televisions and Blu-ray players will get free access to an early stream of 'Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs' in 720p. Existing Sony owners, you’ll have to pay $25.

To show off the streaming capabilities of their new hardware, Sony is hooking new Bravia owners up with a free rental of 'Cloudly With a Chance of Meatballs.' Customers will be able to watch the movie in a 24 hour window, anywhere from December 8th until January 5th.

This availability marks a unique offering from Sony, as the streaming rentals will start nearly a month before the film’s January 5th DVD and Blu-ray release date. The rental will be in a 720p resolution, rather than the 1080p of Blu-ray discs, and while pausing and rewinding will be possible, recording will not.

Existing Sony owners will not have access to the free rental. Sony isn’t completely leaving these customers in the lurch though, as they can opt to pay a $24.95 rental fee for the same 24 hour viewing window. That’s right, for around the same price as the Blu-ray disc of the same movie, you’ll be able to rent it in 720p for a whole 24 hours.

Information is fuzzy at best, as it is entirely unclear exactly which TVs and Blu-ray players will qualify to receive the free stream, and whether there is a certain time during which these purchases must take place. Sony has stated that PS3s will not have access to the film.

Source: Associated Press

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'District 9' Blu-ray Includes 'God of War III' Demo for the PS3

Fri Oct 30, 2009 at 11:00 AM ET
Tags: Disc Announcements, Sony, PlayStation 3 (all tags)

As previously reported, Neill Blomkamp's 'District 9' will hit stores on December 29, and the release will reportedly include a playable demo for 'God of War III.'

According to the folks at Game Informer, the Blu-ray will include the PlayStation 3 demo on the disc.

After completing the demo players will have access to a behind-the-scenes featurette on the making of the game.

Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.95.

You can find the latest specs for 'District 9' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under December 29.

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Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
District 9 (Blu-ray)

Sony May Be Looking To Hit Entry Level Pricing

Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 04:00 PM ET
Tags: Sony, High-Def Retailing, Industry Trends (all tags)

Looking for a way to strengthen their share of the market, Sony appears likely to release lower priced HDTVs

While there's a constant struggle to dominate in field of high end HDTVs, the economically priced entry level television market seems to be dominated by the likes of Vizio. Sony sees an opportunity there, and is set to launch a new B series of televisions.

According to Taiwan’s DigiTimes, Sony’s B series will launch with prices lower than their current entry level TVs in both 32” and 40” sizes. Sources say that “the price of a 32-inch B series Sony LCD TV is estimated at about NT $15,000 (US $462.96) or even lower.”

The other advantage of producing a less expensive line of televisions is that Sony would have a little more flexibility as far as production goes, something that would help the manufacturer hit the numbers it forecast earlier this year. Currently, it looks like Sony will only be able to ship 14 million sets in the 2009 fiscal year, despite a projected 17 million.

The B series is expected to launch in early 2010, and a more official announcement is expected soon.

Source: DigiTimes

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Sony Boasts 360 Degree Glasses-Free 3D

Tue Oct 20, 2009 at 10:00 AM ET
Tags: Sony, 3D (all tags)

The inconvenience of 3D technology makes it questionable for home adaptation, but Sony’s new glasses-free 3D tech looks good for consumers and advertisers alike.

Still in the prototype phase of course, Sony will be showing the new 3D technology at a conference later this week that they hope will revolutionize the way things are done. With a look reminiscent of a space heater, and sitting only a foot high, Sony’s 360 degree 3D display is certainly unique.

It’s not quite high definition, but the 96 x 128 pixel display uses LED lights to show a 3D image all the way around the cylindrical base. Sony states that this will be able to be used for digital signage, as well as for home use, such as in photo frames and of course, televisions. A Sony spokesman reminds us that this is still in the prototype phase and that they still need “to continue with further research and development. [We] will consider a variety of applications [for] development.”

The prototype will be shown October 22nd through the 25th at the Digital Content Expo in Tokyo.

Source: AV Watch (via Google Translate)

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Sony Boasts 360 Degree Glasses-Free 3D

Tue Oct 20, 2009 at 10:00 AM ET
Tags: Sony, 3D (all tags)

The inconvenience of 3D technology makes it questionable for home adaptation, but Sony’s new glasses-free 3D tech looks good for consumers and advertisers alike.

Still in the prototype phase of course, Sony will be showing the new 3D technology at a conference later this week that they hope will revolutionize the way things are done. With a look reminiscent of a space heater, and sitting only a foot high, Sony’s 360 degree 3D display is certainly unique.

It’s not quite high definition, but the 96 x 128 pixel display uses LED lights to show a 3D image all the way around the cylindrical base. Sony states that this will be able to be used for digital signage, as well as for home use, such as in photo frames and of course, televisions. A Sony spokesman reminds us that this is still in the prototype phase and that they still need “to continue with further research and development. [We] will consider a variety of applications [for] development.”

The prototype will be shown October 22nd through the 25th at the Digital Content Expo in Tokyo.

Source: AV Watch (via Google Translate)

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Sony Confirms 'Angels & Demons' On Demand Day and Date

Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 12:00 PM ET
Tags: Sony, Industry Trends (all tags)

'Angels & Demons' is one of four films that Sony has announced will be hitting retail shelves and On Demand services on the same day.

In an effort to test the waters for new ways to sell films, Sony confirmed that they will be releasing four titles through standard retail channels and On Demand on the same day. The biggest of these films, and expected to be the biggest seller from Sony in the fourth quarter, is 'Angels & Demons' which grossed an impressive $133 million at the box office.

Also seeing these day-and-date style releases are 'The Taking of Pelham 123,' 'The Ugly Truth,' and 'Julie and Julia.' Specific retailers and cable providers that will be participating in the test have not yet been discussed officially. Sony has said that they will be allowing a 48 hour viewing window, rather than the standard 24 hours.

Interestingly, Warner Home Video will be taking the opposite approach. While they have historically debuted DVDs and VODs simultaneously, Warner will be pushing back the On Demand release dates of both 'Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince' and 'The Hangover.'

Source: Video Business

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Sony Shows $75,000 TRIMASTER Quad HD Display

Thu Oct 08, 2009 at 11:00 AM ET
Tags: Sony (all tags)

On sale in Japan starting November 1st, the Sony TRIMASTER features a 4K2K resolution, RGB LED backlighting and more.

Sony’s 56” TRIMASTER is certainly positioned to take the wind out of the sails of Toshiba’s Cell REGZA. Rather than attempt to offer a superior slew of consumer options, Sony has concentrated strictly on the picture and is aiming towards businesses that require precise image reproduction.

Though the name could certainly use a bit of work, Sony says the moniker was assigned because of the trio of factors decided to be most important in making the display: “Exact Color”, “Accurate Picture”, and “Reliability”.

The TRIMASTER also features three individual display modes. The first is of course the standard 4096 x 3840 full screen display mode. The second, as we’ve seen with 4K2K televisions in the past, is a Quad View mode, which allows up to four Full HD signals to be displayed simultaneously. The final viewing mode is a zoom mode, which allows standard 1080p signals to be blown up to fill the whole screen.

There’s no word yet on a US date, but we can expect to hear more as Japan’s CEATEC expo continues.

Source: Sony Japan (via Google Translate)

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