Power to impress

Home theatre technology has moved ahead in leaps and bounds in recent years, but one of the most defining characteristics of today's systems is their interactive capability.

Not only can you tailor audiovisual systems to suit your personal preferences, and control these settings remotely you can also have creative input. Recording and editing your own home movies, and showing them on a cinema-quality screen at home is a major technological advance.

In light of the increasing demand for such systems, Sony has developed a MiniDV Handycam and a microphone that can record in four-channel surround sound. With a Sony Vaio notebook and its Click-to-DVD software, you can then make a 5.1 surround sound DVD.

Senior product manager Sam Duncan says the quality of the DVD brings a new dimension to home movie making.

"Viewing DVDs on a top-of-the-line television screen, such as a Sony Wega Plasma or LCD television, is like having a cinema in your living room," he says.

The latest addition to the Sony Wega line-up is the KEMX42S1 plasma television, which features an ultra-slim floating glass design and advanced picture enhancement technologies.

"This television incorporates Sony's Wega Engine technology, which utilises full digital processing to reduce noise and enhance details. As a result, it delivers extremely sharp images, great contrast and realistic pictures."

Duncan says the Wega Engine also features an intelligent picture enhancement system, fully compatible with analogue and digital broadcasts, DVD, memory stick and other input signals.

"The MX Series has a conveniently located memory stick slot, which can be used to view JPEG still images and MPEG1 motion pictures," says Duncan.

The new plasma television can be paired with the DAVSR4W home theatre system and the new RDRHX900 hard disk DVD recorder. Duncan says this DVD recorder is an advanced model that not only offers high-capacity hard disk drive storage, but also a longer video recording time and a high picture quality level.

The home theatre system also provides 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 of the most advanced high band-width media, such as DVD and HDTV, 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.

For big-screen entertainment at home, Sony has updated its Cineza range of projectors. Available in entry-level and advanced mid-range models, the Cineza features three-panel LCD technology and widescreen projection.

"Large-screen entertainment is at the heart of the home theatre experience, and Sony has dedicated much of its technology to ensuring the highest picture reproduction possible," says Duncan.

Another development from Sony is the new generation VAIO T- series notebook.

"The T17GP offers big performance in a small, lightweight magnesium alloy chassis. Whether you are viewing spreadsheets or DVDs, you will enjoy the new Clear Bright LCD screen. The notebook also comes with software that lets you share audiovisual content such as music, photos and video files on your home network," says Duncan.

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

Story by: Trendsideas