Sony to release Freesat TVs by end of the year

Sony: Freesat-enabled TVs are on the way
Sony: Freesat-enabled TVs are on the way

Sony has indicated that it will be rolling out televisions with integrated Freesat tuners by the end of the year, and indicated that Freeview HD sets are also in the pipeline

The Japanese giants will be following in the footsteps of rivals Panasonic by producing HD televisions with the tuner built-in.

A representative of the company gave the news to What Satellite and Digital TV magazine at a function on Monday evening.

"At a UK press event last night, a Sony representative told What Satellite that Freesat HD-ready TVs would be available by Christmas but did not disclose features or screen sizes," says WotSat

Freeview HD

According to the same source, Freeview HD televisions will go into production with the necessary DVB T2 chips when the specifications are finalised and the chips become available.

Freesat has gained decent purchase in the market since its high-profile launch as an alternative satellite service to Sky.

The lack of a subscription and the fact that it is both HD-enabled and carrying the ITV HD functionality exclusively, have been major factors in the take-up of the service.

The news that Sony will get involved in Freesat will be a boost arrival to the service, bringing a key manufacturer into the equation and a massive lift in credibility.

Via WotSat

Patrick Goss

Patrick Goss is the ex-Editor in Chief of TechRadar. Patrick was a passionate and experienced journalist, and he has been lucky enough to work on some of the finest online properties on the planet, building audiences everywhere and establishing himself at the forefront of digital content.  After a long stint as the boss at TechRadar, Patrick has now moved on to a role with Apple, where he is the Managing Editor for the App Store in the UK.