Sony’s 4K Ultra HD Video Player revealed, COO Phil Molyneux tells us what ‘only Sony can do’

Sony's 4K Ultra HD Video Player revealed, COO Phil Molyneux tells us what 'only Sony can do'

Kaz Hirai has promised a "One Sony" that aligns its various capabilities in entertainment and electronics to work better together, and it seems we'll have one of the first examples in its launch of the 84-inch XBR-84X900 LED TV. We spoke to Sony Electronics COO Phil Molyneux about the 4K Ultra HD Video Player that's coming with each purchase of its (MSRP: $24,999.99) beast and why, as he says, it's something "only Sony can do." First, we finally have the confirmed details of this first ever 4K player for the home: it's a hard-disc server, available exclusively on no-additional cost lease to purchasers that's preloaded with 10 full-length feature films (including The Amazing Spider-Man, Total Recall (2012), Taxi Driver, Bridge Over the River Kwai -- see the press release for a full list), a number of short concert / action sports clips from Red Bull, and an Xperia Tablet S packing a special remote control app that's similar to its Movies Unlimited service.

This is the first time home viewers will be able to experience 4K video of this caliber at home, and from the cameras, to its Colorworks digital facility opened in 2009, to the special white glove service charged with periodically updating the hard-disc's content for well-heeled buyers, Sony plans on pushing more soon. Check after the break for more details on how that will happen.

Continue reading Sony's 4K Ultra HD Video Player revealed, COO Phil Molyneux tells us what 'only Sony can do'

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This is what native 4K home cinema looks like on Sony’s VPL-VW1000ES projector

This is what native 4K home cinema looks like on Sony's VPL-VW1000ES projector

Why are folks so keyed up about 4K? At first glance, that's the type of question that answers itself: by definition, a 4096-pixel wide image delivers around four times the resolution of 1920 x 1080, and that's a healthy multiple. It's actually of a broadly similar magnitude to the difference between 1080p and old-fashioned analog NTSC video, and nobody these days questions the value of that upgrade. On the other hand, there must come a point where pixels cease to be visible in a home theater environment, such that buying more of them at inflated prices stops being worth it. Sure, 4K can be a big help with 3D footage, because it boosts the resolution to each eye -- something we experienced with the REDray projector. But what about regular 2D material, which is still very much the default viewing option? That question's been nagging at us, so when Sony invited us back for a second look at its 4K projector, the VPL-VW1000ES, this time with full-throttle native 4K source material rather than just upscaled 1080p, we turned up with a tape measure. Read on for what came next.

Continue reading This is what native 4K home cinema looks like on Sony's VPL-VW1000ES projector

This is what native 4K home cinema looks like on Sony's VPL-VW1000ES projector originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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