Lights, camera action

For several years now, the various merits of LCD versus plasma screens have been keenly debated. During this time numerous developments have refined both these technologies.

But for Sony New Zealand, it's the new LCD technology that points the way of the future. The company recently launched its seventh-generation LCD panel the Bravia LCD television, which complements the updated Grand Wega 3LCD television series.

Sam Duncan, Sony New Zealand senior product manager, says LCD is now widely accepted as the successor to the traditional box set.

"LCD advantages include resistance to screen burn, long-term reliability and the fact that they use less power. LCD televisions also offer high brightness and contrast with natural colours and highly detailed images."

Sony's new Grand Wega 3LCD projection televisions provide three LCD panels to further enhance the brilliance and projection quality.

"Sony's innovative 3LCD optical unit splits the white light from the lamp into its basic red, green and blue components, and then shines these individual colours through three separate liq-uid crystal panels," says Duncan. "Displayed on each panel at a high resolution, each colour dot isoptimised, appearing as shades and highlights, giving high-definition picture quality. This allows purer, sharper and more defined colour reproduction and detail down to the smallest dot."

The Grand Wega 3LCD televisions also benefit from the Wega Engine technology, which provides an integrated digital processing system. This ensures images are more life-like, with better resolution and higher contrast.

These televisions feature a new speaker technology that uses sound projection principles directed from the bottom of the television. This technology incorporates a high-quality, multi-speaker array to evenly distribute sound towards and around the viewer for crystal-clear audio.

Both the 42- and 50-inch models have HDMI connectivity and a PC input, so the televisions can also be used as PC monitors. In addition, Sony Grand Wega televisions also have a user-replaceable UHP lamp. The lamps are designed for a long life and to give consistent brightness over time.

Duncan says most of the new Bravia LCD TVs feature Sony's high-definition S-LCD panel, which has more than one million pixels for prec-ise images.

"These panels have overcome the problem of image blur, as the pixels have an ultra-fast 8 millisecond response time for fluid on-screen motion," he says. "The V-Series Bravia LCD televisions also feature Sony's Wide Colour Gamut LCD backlight technology, which provides up to 140% improvement in colour over conventional LCD televisions."

Both the homes shown here also feature Sony's latest DVD hard-drive recorders.

The HDD/DVD recorder features dual-layer DVD recording and high-capacity hard disk drives for added versatility and longer recording times.

"Sony understands that recording to a DVD is a new experience for many people," says Duncan. "For this reason, the new HX series HDD/DVD recorders have a user-friendly on-screen display system with visual thumbnails. The interface includes an Easy Set-Up menu with clear, simple options. The screen interface is also five times faster than earlier models."

The new HX series DVD recorders have a Chasing Playback feature, which means you don't have to wait until the recording is finished to watch a show. You can simply play it from the beginning while it continues to record the end. In addition, the Simultaneous Record and Playfunction lets you record one programme while you watch another that has already been recorded onto the same disk.

Duncan says all Sony products are designed to complement the aesthetics of contemporary interiors. Many of the home theatre systems provide wireless audio transmission technology so there is no need to worry about cabling spoiling the look of your room.

Sony's new S-DIAT (Digital Infrared Audio Transmission) system transmits the audio signals using infrared light.

"Unlike conventional wireless transmission systems based on analogue FM technologies, S-DIAT signals are not compressed," says Duncan. "This means the original signal integrity is maintained without distortion, even in the presence of noise interference."

With the S-DIAT technology there is no need to run speaker cables from the front to the rear. One of the rear speakers is powered and has a built-in amplifier, which then sends a signal to the other rear speaker through a single cable across the back of the room. This is more discrete than running cables from front to back.

Duncan says Sony has also launched its new generation Vaio notebook computers. Innovations include the introduction of a graphics chip-switching feature designed to maximise battery power, depending on the level of graphics performance you require. These computers also offer Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP), and many models also have an integrated Motioneye web camera and microphone jack.

For more information, or details of your nearest showroom, contact Sony New Zealand, phone (09) 488 6188, fax (09) 488 0115. Or visit the website: www.sony.co.nz.

Story by: Trendsideas