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The fabulous looking Avatar has given 3D a huge kickstart, and the tech has bowled into CES on a fresh wave of momentum. Every tech manufacturer (apart from Sharp, arguably) has put it front and centre as the next big thing to persuade you to upgrade your goggle box. Sony, with its massive investment in the PlayStation 3, has more riding on it than most and arrived in Vegas with a massive pile of 3D-enabled kit.
It’s really throwing the kitchen sink at its 2010 Bravia line-up, with a truly stupendous number of features crammed in. As well as showing 3D movies in 1080p (you’ll need a PS3 or other 3D Blu-ray player — more on those later), this year’s Sony TVs are all packing Freeview HD tuners. Most offer integrated Wi-Fi and Internet widgets for access to services such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Excitingly, a new partnership with LoveFilm pipes on-demand video straight to your eyeballs.
The product names are the usual alpha-numeric headspin. The Bravia LX903 and NX803 (pictured above) have the sleek new ‘Monolithic’ design, although the NX803 and its NX-series brethren don’t support 3D. Other models in this year’s line-up include the HX series, with special cinematic image voodoo but no online features, and the EX and BX series, which do have the Web stuff but not 3D. We have no idea how much any of them will cost, but most start at 32 inches and go up to 52 or 60 inches.
This year’s Blu-ray players are also rocking it Monolithic-style. The top of the range BDP-S770 (above) supports 3D Blu-ray discs and brings all the Internet stuff the above Bravias offer, should you be errant enough to opt for a rival manufacturer’s TV. It’s got connections up the wazoo too, with built-in Wi-Fi, DLNA and USB, and Bluetooth so you can use your iPhone or iPod touch as a remote with the aid of a special app.
The lesser BDP-S570 loses the 3D ability, and the runty BDP-370 goes without Wi-Fi, although you can do all the Web stuff over Ethernet or a USB wireless adaptor. Again, prices are TBC. The Bravias will be available in February, but there’s no word on the Blu-ray players. Stay tuned for hands-on pics of all Sony’s latest kit from CES in Las Vegas.
Update: Our cheery US colleague Brian Tong has had his hands on the S770 out at CES — here’s his video report.
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Sony BDP-S770 Blu-ray disc player
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Brian’s also had a butcher’s at the Bravia LX and HX TVs. Hit play for a better look at the Monolithic design and the 3D specs that come with them:
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Sony Bravia 3D TV series
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