Sony Rallying Cry for HD is Nothing New

by David Kender
Published on Apr 23, 2006 7:00 PM



Las Vegas, NAB, April 23, 2006 - In what could only be described as a thorough press conference, Sony gave the NAB audience testimonials from a Hollywood director, two preachers, an Iditarod captain, a mountain climber, several PBS television figures (including Jim Laher), an NFL sports announcer, and Robin Leech, who graciously offered champagne wishes to all. Yes, it was thorough in all aspects… except new products.

The hour and a half message, themed “HD for All,” took an overall look at the state of HD in today’s media, and how Sony is a key player in that world. It contrasted with Panasonic’s message, which focused much more heavily on broadcast television, the primary market for Panasonic’s P2 digital card format.

Surprisingly, Sony did not introduce any new products. Though the NAB floors do not officially open until tomorrow, and Sony did not have press packets available, it is unlikely that they will announce anything at the show.

Those speaking at the conference gave testimony neatly down the Sony product line, covering HDW-F900L, PDW-F330L, and PDW-F350L, all professional-grade cameras, and the HVR-A1U, a prosumer camcorder introduced May 2005 (available for under $2700). All models shoot HDV, as do 90% of the products Sony has on display at NAB.

If nothing else, the event may have helped to unmask the phrase “HD for All” as more of an edict than a rally. With the 2009 Congress-imposed deadline for broadcasters to convert to HD, Sony helped illustrate the wide swath of media producers that must shoulder that burden, from big-budget filmmakers to indies to televangelists. As these technologies trickle down to the consumer market and standard definition goes the way of the dinosaur, it may only be a matter of time before that edict becomes “HD… for you.”