Sony and FIFA are best buddies. Not only is the Japanese company filming 25 games at the current tournament in 3D in preparation for a 3D Blu-ray disc, but the World Cup and Champions League sponsor has chummed-up with FIFA and is offering World Cup goals galore on its latest 'smart' Bravia LCD TVs.
Present on its new NX803, EX703 and HX703 TV ranges, its success is largely down to presentation – it's based around the Xcross Media Bar found on the PlayStation 3.
The interface is a winner; scroll across to 'video' on the XMB – which floats nicely over the live channel you're watching – and icons for each widget are presented as a list.
The front-end of each and every widget is almost identical, presented in a grid of thumbnail images that makes good use of the screen real estate – and crucially makes it easy to navigate. Each icon either leads straight to the content, or to a further grid of thumbnails beneath.
Content isn't too bad, either. With on-demand programmes from Five, streamed movies from LoveFilm and a special FIFA widget stacked with World Cup goodies, it's a highly attractive proposition for some, though many of the other widgets are lazily US-centric (the whole service is delivered via Sony USA).
The quality is also good; the TV streams from websites dynamically, delivering a lower-resolution picture if the speed of the network slows down, and upping it when it's fast. That helps cut out pauses and on-screen buffering messages, though that's also helped by the TV's seven second video buffer.
Your comments (4) Click to add a new comment
hexx
June 15th 2010
4. you can get LOVEFiLM for free for 2 monhts - this is staff code which gives you 2 months free - link: http://www.lovefilm.com/9pf6yhyd4/visitor/sign_up_1.html
Alert a moderator
bradavon
June 15th 2010
3. This is certainly more interesting than 3D TV!
Alert a moderator
bradavon
June 15th 2010
2. This looks like a work in progress/a sign of things to come but it needs iPlayer, ITV Player, 4oD and Demand Five.
I don't believe BBC have finalised the APIs for BBC iPlayer. It's not activated on the 3view PVR yet.
Alert a moderator
cousteau2010
June 15th 2010
1. i'm not sure where you've been reading your information on the Sony TVs lately, or even for that matter the full information, but i can tell you that the Bravia Internet Video service is a available on a LOT wider range of Sony TVs and Blu-Ray players...
also, you mention that there's no Twitter, Facebook, Ebay etc services... that's because you've been looking at the wrong set of TVs...
to clarify:
Bravia Internet Video Only:
EX403, EX503, EX703, NX503, HX703, HX803 (3D Ready), HX903 (3D Ready)
Bravia Internet Video AND Bravia Internet Widgets (which includes Facebook, Twitter, Ebay, Flickr, Betfair, Yahoo RSS news feeds and LOADS of other internet widgets):
NX703, NX803, LX903 (3D Ready)
all of the services are activated and up and running. The internet widgets services WONT be coming to the EX or HX range as they are only available on the NX (Network) range
also to note, Sony's latest Blu-Ray players (BDP-S370/373, 470, 570, E370, E670, E870) also include the Bravia Internet Video services
in respect of BBC iPlayer and ITV Player, they are in final testing stages of iPlayer on the latest Bravia TVs and will be activated shortly, and are in negotiations with ITV to add ITV Player later in the year. BBC iPlayer and Five On Demand ARE currently available and up and running on Sony's latest Blu-Ray players...
hope this helps with info :)
Alert a moderator
Tell us what you think
You need to Log in or register to post comments