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Sony’s gargantuan exhibit this year was home to many interesting products, one of the more spectacular being the new KDS-70XBR100 70” rear projection television with three SXRD panels. Instead of normal transmissive LCD panels, where line shines though the panels and the portion that is blocked makes up the image, SXRD technology is reflective and allows for higher contrast ratios – up to 3000:1 – and deeper blacks. But the most impressive part is that the display is capable of reproducing a full 1980 by 1080 high definition image in all its glory.
You might remember that SXRD technology was first introduced last year in the form of the limited production Qualia 004 projector which retailed for $25,000 without lens: not exactly an impulse purchase for most folks. The KDS-70XBR100, on the other hand, is expected to retail for less than $10,000. Certainly still not as inexpensive as traditional LCD or DLP rear projection sets have gone, but seeing the KDS-70XBR100 next to the current KDF-70XBR950 model, which retails for $7,000, the newer SXRD is oh so worth the difference.
Other nifty features include Sony’s latest image processing technologies, a new 200 watt high output lamp, a special lenticular glass screen with antireflective coating, digital audio amplifier, detachable speakers, plus a wide variety of inputs including HDMI, firewire, Memory Stick and component video. Drool...
In the remote control section of Sony’s booth one could see the new RM-TP100 touchscreen remote, part of the CAV-M1000ES multi-zone distribution system. The computer programmable RM-TP100 has a 5.1” 4-color display, 2-way 916MHz RF communications and supports up to 256 macros.
The CAV-M1000ES and RM-TP100 are also being sold as part of a new “home theater in a box” style kit – but this is like no kit you’ve seen before. Instead of a tiny all-in-one unit that does nothing particularly well, the Sony NHS-2000 system comes with full sized components: a 400-disc CD changer, 400-disc DVD changer, VCR and ES line audio receiver (in addition to the CAV-M1000ES). The NHS-1000 replaces the jukebox DVD changer with a 5-disc carousel model. All components come already mounted in an expandable rack system and are pre-wired to a single input/output section.
These system will also be in more customizable forms, along with a selection of televisions, ranging from a basic 3-room package to a deluxe 7-room setup.
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