Sony Delivers Living Room PC With Blu-Ray Disc

With the Digital Living System you can watch movies in stunning HD clarity, as well as record, store and playback personal content on high-capacity BD media.

A built-in NTSC and an ATSC television tuner, in addition to a unidirectional digital CableCARD, allows the VAIO XL3 Digital Living System to replace an HD digital video recorder so you can watch and record TV without the need for a separate set-top box.

The unit’s high-storage capacity allows you to burn entire seasons of your favorite television programs to its hard drive and play them back in high-definition. A wireless remote and keyboard let you browse the Web-- all from the comfort of your sofa.

About the size of a traditional stereo receiver, the XL3 model features a stylish, horizontal form factor engineered to fit into a home entertainment rack. The unit connects to a television via an HDMI ™ cable to output high-definition video and multi-channel digital audio in a single connection.

“Sony is defining the digital home by integrating the latest technologies on the market into a unique offering and pushing the boundaries of HD adoption in the living room,” said Mike Abary, vice president of VAIO product marketing for Sony Electronics. “With the XL3 Digital Living System consumers can turn a typical entertainment center into a thrilling high-definition media hub and enjoy HD in a way previously not possible.”

With more and more television networks offering full-episode programming streaming through their web site, Abary said the XL3 model is a great way to enjoy online programming on a TV. And, with the rising popularity of free video sharing websites, you can catch up on the latest viral videos with friends and family on your television without huddling around a small PC display.

Capture, Edit and Burn in HD

The system offers end-to-end support for high-definition camcorders with a suite of video applications that let you capture, edit and burn to Blu-ray Disc high-definition media in full 1080 resolution without downgrading video quality and integrity.

The XL3 unit incorporates the latest technologies including an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GTL graphics, 2GB of RAM memory, and a roomy 500GB hard drive.

The unit also uses liquid cooling technology to maintain high CPU performance while remaining quiet enough for the living room. The XL3 model is equipped with Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium operating system with Media Center functionality for easy content navigation and management.

Sony also incorporated Sound Reality technology to boost audio performance for high-quality digital sound and support for Direct Steam Digital for unsurpassed reproduction.

The VAIO XL3 Digital Living System will be available in March in crimson black for about $3,300.

Source: Sony