Just in case you want to record 7 channels at the same time for a week, Sony has just the product. Well it's a PC too so I guess it's not a complete ripoff. Ripoff? Sony hasn't even presented the price yet. I'll take a guess though, and say...$9000? Just a guess.

Sony held a meeting in Tokyo o­n the 10th to present their new "VAIO" products. Among them was the "type X," a HD recorder o­n a PC base.

The device features 7 above ground analog TV tuners, as well as more than 1TB of HD space, and a maximum of 7 channels can be recorded at the same time. o­ne can store about o­ne week's worth of programming from seven different channels, and Sony has said that it is "to keep in touch with past and present programs like a time machine, o­ne can choose their favorite program and watch it."

Sony plans o­n releasing the machine before the end of 2004, and since it is currently under planning/development, concrete specifications have not yet been finalized.

The device has been placed in the "next generation recorder with a PC base" category, and unifies AV and PC functions. It can also be used as a normal PC with a wireless keyboard/mouse and remote controller. Also, using the D4 output, it can output to flat panel TVs such as the "Wega" series.

Furthermore, Sony also plans o­n selling an optional terrestrial/BS/110 CS digital tuner. There is currently no PC supporting digital transmissions besides NEC's "VALUESTAR TX/TZ." The VALUESTAR also has limitations such as o­nly being able to output up to 480p, so much attention is being paid to what the type X will support, since the current specifications are not final.

At the announcement event, there was also a demonstration from Sony's IT & Mobile Solutions Network Company NC President, Keiji Kimura, involving the type X and a portable video player currently in development. He introduced the company's next generation AV concept by wirelessly outputting video to a Wega from the video player, whose video data was transferred from the type X.

From May 14th until the 16, there will be reference models of the "type X" o­n display at Sony's Mediage in Odaiba, in the "Do VAIO World 2004" event.



Inspired by:
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20040510/sony3.htm

Product Notice:
http://www.vaio.sony.co.jp/Info/2004/products_0510_typeX.html