Sony Ships Blu-ray Disc HD Media Hub

Stateside, Sony has introduced a new High Definition version of its spherical digital living system - the VAIO TP Home Theater PC.

A unique approach to the home PC design, the new model's round chassis serves as an entire entertainment center, where you can watch and record analog, digital and cable TV, including premium HD channels (CableCARD required).


Sony's New VAIO TP Home Theater PC

It can also access the Internet so you can play back online TV programming on a compatible big-screen television.

The VAIO HTPC comes in both a standard and a premium configuration. Both versions feature a Blu-ray Disc optical drives. The premium model comes with two external CableCARD compatible TV tuners so you can view and record two HD television programs simultaneously.

With built-in DVR functionality, each unit can record up to 50 hours of HD television programming and pause and rewind live TV for on-demand playback.

The models connect to compatible High Definition televisions via an included HDMI cable for playback in full HD 1080 resolution through a single cable.

And with integrated BRAVIA Sync technology, based on HDMI-CEC functionality, you can power on connected devices, at the touch of a button, eliminating the need for multiple remote controls (on certain BRAVIA HDTV models only).

The console?s small, circular shape is engineered to fit into areas of the house not typically known for having a PC, such as the living room, without the added network cables. With its built-in wireless LAN technology and a wireless router, it can be positioned virtually anywhere in the house and still access your home network.

The model also comes with a remote control and a matching, wireless keyboard. The unit is equipped with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor T8100, allowing for high performance while maintaining a smaller, cooler form factor. It also employs the Windows Vista Home Premium operating system, discrete graphics and a half-terabyte hard drive.