Up close with the Sony BRAVIA range: Part 4: Sound

Sony has paid just as much attention to how their TVs reproduce audio as they have with how the picture looks.

If you’ve ever complained that actors seem to be mumbling, or that the background music or noise is louder than the dialogue, then Voice Zoom could be a boon. It allows the viewer to boost the frequencies associated with the human voice, making it much easier to follow conversation and narration.

Most BRAVIA TVs feature Dolby’s virtual surround sound technologies, with top-of-the-range sets also having Sony’s exclusive S-Force Front Surround. Both simulate 5.1 channel surround sound from just the two in-built speakers. Paired with this is the BBE VIVA system which enhances fidelity and dialogue in 3D sound, and reduces echo…

AmberFin: Snell & Wilcox launches end-to-end content creation solution: good news for consumers

snell_wilcox_icr.png

At first glance, the news that a well-established company which supplies services to the broadcast industry has launched a new service for handling video content may not seem particularly relevant to consumers. Yet Snell and Wilcox’s work is something that most TV viewers in Britain will have experienced even if they’ve never heard of the company.

Yesterday I spoke to Joe Zaller (VP Corporate Development) and Simon Derry (CEO) from S&W. It’s clear that broadcasters, ISPs and telecoms companies need a system like AmberFin if they’re to deliver digital video in a variety of formats to an ever more demanding consumer, in high quality, while still making money.

AmberFin should create a win-win situation for everyone…

Four HD channels will arrive in time for the 2012 Olympics, says airwave police Ofcom

five-uk-hd-terrestrial-trial.jpg

The slow, painful, expensive trek toward free-to-air HD TV channels took another tiny little baby step forward today, with wireless data chiefs Ofcom declaring that we’ll definitely have HD TV through our telly aerials by 2012.

Previously Ofcom and the major broadcasters signed a “non-binding memorandum of understanding” stating that they were all well up for it in principle – now it’s 100% definitely happening. No more massively expensive Sky HD subscription required!

A total of four HD…

Up close with the Sony BRAVIA range: Part 2: Display technology

Last time, we looked at how Sony’s BRAVIA range of TVs produce the optimum picture from any video source.

It doesn’t end there, though. There’s plenty more technology built in to these TVs to ensure that programmes and films look their best.

LCD Technology

Most of the BRAVIA TVs feature a state-of-the-art high performance LCD panel. These feature Advanced Contrast Enhancement, which monitors the brightness of the backlight and automatically adjusts contrast to ensure good detail levels, an ultra wide viewing angle of 178 degrees, and a non-reflective frame which helps to reduce reflections caused by artificial light sources in a room…

Men getting into interior design – so their lovely new LCD TVs match the curtains

LG-TV-INTERIOR-DESIGN.jpg

The trend of replacing ugly old CRTs with fancy new LCDS has lead to men getting all worried about the insides of their houses.

A survey from fancy LCD maker LG found that 6/10 Brits believe their TV’s design is important to their homes, with an even higher percentage saying that the TV is “an integral part of their interior design decisions.”

Men, in fact, are now so worried about how their growing home cinema setup looks…