Life in 3D, come mid-2010

CEBU, Philippines - Get this.

It seems that the world of three-dimensional entertainment is upon us, as the world’s leading 3D innovator unleashes its new arsenal in the next months. Expect a lot of gore, screaming and unreasonable pushing and shoving as people try to be the first to get their hands on the limited number of units come June or July.

Sony Philippines gave Cebuanos a taste of the Sony Bravia 3D HDTVs during the Summer Fever 2010 event in SM City Cebu late April to early this month. And you thought that HD was already the best that the entertainment industry could cook up this season.

This is a total entertainment experience, not just with TV with its regular signals, but also with movies and games as the new PS3 is totally 3D-capable, playing both movies and games.

This means getting a totally different experience in finishing your quests for Final Fantasy XIII and more realistic fight scenes for Super Street Fighter IV. Add to that PS3’s Dualshock3 controller that rumbles for every crash and explosion, you get a total 4D experience sans the smell, slime, and goo. Now, as the Sony Bravia 3D HDTVs are WiFi capable, this upgrades online gaming to a different dimension.

So, for the moment, while we are waiting for our TV signals to start broadcasting in 3D, games and movies might do. Sony’s branch manager for Visayas Benjamin Youankee, however, said that some cable channels are already offering programs in 3D.

Nonetheless, despite this lack, as Sony is a total entertainment company with movie production and games developing companies in their portfolio, I would not say that this piece of technology would be naught. Rather, this would be a rave that would totally change the viewing and gaming habits of many Filipinos.

Since, Youankee is unwilling to reveal any specs prior to its release, I decided to do my own research and found out through sonyinsider.com that the line has two models – the Bravia LX900 Series and the Bravia HX800 Series.

I was told by Youankee that the Bravia brand is that which carries their full LED picture technology. This includes the HD units.

The LX900 Series would come in four different screen options starting with 40-inches up to 60-inches. While the HX800 series has three screen options – 40-inches, 46-inches, and 54.6-inches.

Both would feature full HD with 1080p resolution and Edge LED Backlighting. It also boasts of MotionFlow PRO 240Hz Technology, which is the technology behind the silky smooth movement of Sony’s LCD lines giving crisp details regardless of the shift of scenes. And with the fast scene transitions of today’s movies, this is a total plus.

The LX series features built-in WiFi capability which answers to your connectivity issues, allowing you to view internet video via YouTube and other internet video content provider, as well as access to countless social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook.

Now, of course, 3D could not be appreciated with just the TV screen, so the unit would come with an Active Shutter 3D glasses. These are not like the glasses that you would get when you watch 3D in the theater, rather these are battery operated glasses that contains liquid crystals and a polarizing filter that would turn dark when voltage is applied, according to sonyinsider.com.

Youankee, however said that you would not be able to see the transitions as these happen so fast to ensure that you would really get the total 3D view and not give you a cross-eyed experience.

Pricing has not been finalized in the Philippines but sonystyle.ca pegged the LX series from Can$4,500 to 5,500, while the HX series is pegged at Can$2,600 for the 40-incher to Can$3,800 for the 55-incher. That would roughly translate to P115,000 to P243,000.

For reservations and more information on the Sony 3D HDTV, call (032)412-4551 or 231-2535.