Sony has officially announced details of its standalone web TV box, called the SMP-N100 Network Media Player, which will now launch on the European market. The box has been some time available in the US giving users access to online services such as Netflix, YouTube, Amazon and Pandora.
The box will bring the same internet connectivity we have seen in Sony Bravia TV sets, PSP3 consoles and Blu-ray players and has DNLA connectivity. It is clearly pitched against the relaunched Apple TV.
The Media Player has both Ethernet connections as well as wireless 802.11n, also HDMI and USB slots are available. The box has Content Noise Reduction and full support for 1080p video. The box only accepts streams, there is no built-in hard disk, but external storage can be connected through the USB ports.
Sony’s Network Media Player is capable of playing broad range of video formats including DivX, Xvid and H256 video in MKV containers. There will be free Android and iPhone apps available to control the machine.
For the UK version, set to hit the shops in October, the box will give access to BBC iPlayer, YouTube, LOVEFiLM, Demand Five and FIFA football highlights and more content via Sony’s Qirocity, their Video on Demand portal. No details have been issued about the content in other European countries.
Retail price in the US is S129; for the UK a price of around £120 is envisaged.
