Sony Announces 1080p PlayStation 3D Television for $499. We Have Details and Specs (updated)

by Sohrab Osati | Jun 7, 2011 | 14 comments
Sohrab Osati

Right from the beginning of the PlayStation press conference at E3, it was clear that Sony was again going to heavily push 3D with the PlayStation 3. We were shown clips of games running in native 3D and looking more beautiful then ever. Some of those games included PS exclusives like Uncharted 3, inFAMOUS 2 (which you can now buy from Amazon) and Resistance 3. Still, as Jack Tretton, President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment of America, stated, 3D content is only half the battle. After all, you can have all the 3D content in the world, but if there is no affordable way for the consumer to view it, then the adoption rate will continue, but at a slower rate.

That is, unless Sony and their PlayStation team have something to say about it—and they indeed do. Under the PlayStation brand, Sony is releasing a brand new television bundle that aims to make 3D available to the masses at a very affordable price. Although the TV is perfect for the dorm room, bedroom or a LAN party, it can really accommodate anybody. Set to be released this fall at retailers nationwide, this $499 TV bundle includes:

  • 24” LCD screen
  • 1080p Screen
  • 5000:1 Contrast Ratio
  • 176 degree Viewing Angle
  • Edge LED Lighting
  • 2D and 3D
  • Dual View 3D (more on that later)
  • 2 HDMI Inputs
  • 1 Component
  • 1 Composite
  • 1 3.5 Audio Out
  • W 650 x H 391 x D 207 mm (stand included)
  • W 650 x H 346 x D 35 mm (stand excluded)
  • 1 Pair of 3D Glasses
  • Built in Speakers and Subwoofers
  • 6ft HDMI
  • Resistance 3 on Blu-ray disc (which of course is 3D)

Hit the jump for the full breakdown, including pictures of the television and its dual view 3D mode.

So, besides being ridiculously  priced for a 3D TV that includes lots of additional goodies, what else makes the PlayStation TV special? The dual view 3D, which we reported on months ago, optimizes two-player mode by delivering individual full HD screens, giving each person their own full-screen view of the action on the same display while playing co-op or head-to-head. This gives you and your buddy to play the same game, say Resistance 3, head to head or co-op on the same screen, without the need to cut down your screen real estate by half via spilt screen. That means that each person, equipped with 3D glasses, will have the entire 24-inch screen to themselves, without seeing the other players screen. One thing to note is that this option is only available for 3D games, though I could see it in the future advancing to movies as well. Also, not all 3D games will automatically work this way as they need a special patch. However, Resistance 3 will come out of the box ready for this and you can bet that Sony is working with their partners and in-house studios to make sure that there is a wide array of 3D games that work with this feature. Also, keep in mind that this 3D PlayStation television is not limited to just playing 3D games and 3D Blu-ray movies. The TV will function as a normal unit as well, giving you the option to plug your TiVo and whatever else you might have into it for playback in 2D and 3D, though the number of inputs on the device is not yet clear.

For those of you who have been looking to jump into the 3D world, what do you think? Will this entice you to make the upgrade sooner? How about those of you who haven’t been looking at 3D? Does this now change your mind?

Update:

We can now report and confirm that the PlayStation branded LCD will have 2 HDMI inputs, 1 component and 1 composite. Additional facts are now noted above.