I have been following the news release on this new toy in the US and was wondering if any of you were interested in it as well. It is pretty impressive in its features and practical at home and when you travel. You can read about it here:
http://news.sel.sony.com/pressrelease/4266

and the latest announcement here:
http://news.sel.sony.com/pressrelease/4816

Stan

Looks interesting…I am still waiting for Verizon’s broadband internet anywhere in the US for $80 a month…

Erik

I just got this toy and will test it for some time. I will post some pics and maybe write a small review on it. I am pretty excited about the features of this LocationFree TV and see if it is all worth it. I will see how people react in Barnes and Noble (one of the Wi-Fi spots here) when I access my DVD library or TV or my camcorder to see what is going on at home from that LCD.  :wink:

Yes, you can access your TV channels or your DVDs anywhere in the world as long as you have broadband connection. I am accessing this site by using my toy right now. It is pretty cool. It does not have a HD in it, but you can record your shows if the base is connected to your TIVO or DVR.

Well, I finally created my review of this new toy I got and it is ready to be posted. So here it is:

Overview
Sony has recently introduced its Locationfree TVs in the US: LF-X1 and LF-X5. The idea has existed in Japan and there Locationfree TVs were called Sony Airboard. Finally Sony Japan decided to bring this modified TV to the US market.
As an early adopter on new tech, I picked up one of the models LF-X1 with 12.1 inch LCD screen (LF-X5 features 7 inch screen and some limited capabilities) and decided to give it a try.
First of all, the idea of having a wireless TV is great. Both models include Base Station with multiple AV IN and OUT, 2 USB ports (as Sony mentions the ports are for the future use – in Japan certain printers like Epson and Cannon can be connected to it, the US models do not disclose that info yet), Network RJ-45 port, IR blaster port.
The 12.1-inch TFT SVGA LCD is very crisp (Sony always supplies the best LCDs) and has a tablet function. You can manipulate the GUI interface with the supplied stylus and I found it very useful and responsive. The following are the specs of the LCD:

 12.1-inch TFT SVGA LCD monitor with touch panel and 800 x 600 native pixel resolution; 14.4 x 9.5 x 1.3 inches (W x H x D) monitor only – very light!
 Dual-band wireless A/V transmission using 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g IEEE protocols; auto-selects for the best signal
 3D digital comb filter, cross-color suppressor, noise reduction, 3:2 pulldown reversal, and motion adaptive IP conversion
 Internet function, mail function, photo album, hand drawing function, Memory Stick Pro slot, stereo speakers
 Universal onscreen A/V remote commander controls most major brands of A/V components; supplied IR blaster wirelessly controls A/V components

The LCD also has a USB port for external keyboard connection, an AV in mini port to connect your camcorder or any other video device, headphones port, RJ-45 network, and an MS Pro slot of course.  On the back of the LCD there is a stand that is attached to it and the battery just slides into it.
The speakers on the LCD are surprisingly great. The sound is crisp and well balanced.

After a week of real life testing and playing with it, I can conclude that this wireless TV is quite impressive and useful for a certain population and since it is the first generation needs some improvements that I will integrate in this review.

Easy Setup
The setup is very simple. You connect the Base Station to your cable TV box (or you can connect your antenna directly to the unit), and since it has a few AV in/out capabilities I also connected my Sony DVD player DVP-F21 and my Network IP camcorder DCR-IP220 to video stream the live feed of the room (the latter will be useful for parents to set up in babies room to watch what the baby is doing). If you have TiVo or any other PVR it will work flawlessly and deliver all of its contents to you wherever you may be located. The remote control function of the Locationfree TV supports the majority of A/V components on the market – for most major brands (some of those listed I have never even heard of!).
  On your LCD you have two connection types: Home (wireless or wired) and On the Go (wireless or wired). I connected my base to the VAIO wireless converter to speak with my VAIO PCWA-AR800 router. And since Locationfree TV supports Sony’s Hi-Bit a/b/g wireless protocols – that “marriage” setup worked wonderfully for me.
So, when you are at home you would choose Home connection which syncs it wirelessly with your base. Now you may roam your house, switch your TV channels or watch your DVDs wirelessly. Sony even sells a waterproof jacket for the LCD if you want to use it near your pool or on your Jacuzzi. Also they sell a wall mount (VESA compliant) and a stand. Any Sony remote control can control LF-X1 and its basic functions.
To browse the net, you may connect through your Base which can be wired to the router or like in my case wirelessly connected to the router. If you do not have a router it also can be configured to use your DSL or Cable connection. Or you can directly connect to your wireless set up at home (or outside) without the need of your base.
Sony also thought of an idea to make the Base Station to be used as a wireless access point (you can either enable or disable that function).

Wireless Technology
Since Sony integrated its own a/b/g Hi-Bit wireless chip, you have an option to configure your wireless channel used between the Base Station and the Monitor. It has
1. Automatic 2.4 GHz only
2. Automatic 5 GHz only and
3. Manual, where you decide what wireless environment to choose. Anytime you connect wirelessly, you get to see a wireless signal quality (strength).
The innovative system employs as I mentioned before the IEEE 802.11 a/b/g protocol for a wide selection of transmission channels, and it switches the channel automatically to minimize monitor interference across a range of up to 100 feet from the base station. The 802.11a/g standards support a higher bit rate than the conventional 802.11b standard, helping the set maintain stable, high-quality video images. The LocationFree TV also uses advanced QoS (Quality of Service) technology, which delivers extra bandwidth security for reliable audio/video transmissions, even in high-traffic wireless environments.
Faroudja’s DCDi (Directional Correlation Deinterlacing) is a video algorithm designed to eliminate the jagged edges along diagonal image lines resulting from video interpolation. DCDi monitors image edge transitions and fills in the gaps between frames. It also includes angled-line correction circuitry for smoothing out jagged lines; motion-adaptive I/P conversion circuitry for improving fast-moving action scenes; and a digital-audio amplifier for crisp sound with minimal distortion.
Internet
Browsing websites on the monitor is very easy and comfortable with the use of the stylus or the keyboard (internal or external). The web settings support JavaScript, Java Applet and Flash 6.0 (HTML 4.0, HXTML Basic 1.0, SSL).
The embedded tabs let you switch from one website to another up till 6 all together. Even here Sony outdid Microsoft IE by utilizing tabs instead of webpages being stuck on the bottom.
There are a few limitations to the web browsing however. Since Sony is using NetFront web browser (not sure of the version, very different from Clie version), it does not support downloads (your internal storage is limited to 20 MB, though you can use MS Pro for more storage), or any kind of music or video streaming which is very sad of course. Sony’s initial ideas were to include all the above, but they decided not to for some reason. I can see their future Locationfree TVs models use an internal 30 or 40 Gig hard drives and full web support.
The source code will be available to the public soon and is open for modifications.

Email
Email function is also available and the Locationfree TV supports POP3 and SMTP email systems. A mail indicator on the monitor will let you know if you get any new mail. Bad news for Hotmail users: you won’t be able to access its web log-in page – the browser is not supported.

Photo
Photo Album lets you basically view a slide show, send pictures via email, and draw directly on the screen or on your pictures. Similar to PictureToy software (if anyone is familiar with it, Sony supplied it with their PenTablet LX series) is supplied. There is a Capture function on the monitor that will allow you to snap images of your TV screens or websites and store them on your MS or your internal memory. Good for housewives to capture recipes off the TV programs when they are displayed usually for a few seconds.

While you browse the Net or check your Email, there is a PIP – picture-in-picture capability to allow you to check on your weather or just surf through the TV channels to see what is on: you can place the little PIP function in any corner of the screen and continue surfing the net while keeping an eye on the game or you may choose to use just the sound of the program or video you are watching.

Overall at home use was an excellent experience, the picture quality of your TV and DVDs is superb and I did not have any problems with distance (max 100 feet from the base).

NetAV
Well, let’s turn to the fun part now. The NetAV function is something that this Locationfree TV stands out with.
This function allows a user and I would say and advanced user (I will explain why) to connect to your AV library, whether it is your TV (TiVo, DVR), your DVD library (imagine your 300 DVD player) or your camcorder’s live feed of the house and of course enjoy it all from the distance. With the help of an on-screen remote that you have configured at home previously, you have now control of your AV device as if you are at home controlling it physically with a remote. You can stop, rewind, record and do all kinds of functions that your device allows you to do normally. Please note, there is a delay and some lag when you press play, so it does not start instantaneously.
If you are traveling and stopped at a hotel with high-speed internet and would like to check on your local news, go for it! If you are at the airport with high-speed wireless and bored with your layover – access your DVDs again. If you are abroad and miss your ESPN channel or your son’s birthday party – connect virtually and enjoy!
I only wish that Sony also implemented support for the Sony Roomlink® or your PC. If I was able to control my Roomlink, I would be able to access my GigaPocket® video files, shows and everything I have recorded so far, as well as my music and photos. The Japanese older version of Sony Airboard was actually able to control the VAIO PC and its GigaPocket. I also noticed that the JDM LF-X1 has PSX support – a Japanese version of Sony for TiVo.

It is all going to work as long as you have high-speed wired or wireless and Sony recommends 300 Kbps.
The NetAV function is an advanced function and it took me a while to set it all up and understand its configuration. I am not going to go in detail with it, because it may seem pretty complicated (Dynamic DNS service, port forwarding or DMZ functions are a must on your router). Sony has created a NetAV Quick Guide and has a FAQ area on their support site. Once it was all up and running it was a piece of cake to start NetAV and see its authentication with the base, buffering and vola….. I was able to access my home! 
Now, the quality of the picture or video feed degrades some and sometimes significantly. The NetAV has a Rate function that will allow you to adjust the quality from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). The Base Station encodes the video into MPEG4 format and sends it via your internet connection to your monitor. If I was at a Hot Spot with 300 Kbps and more, I had no problem viewing my video, and if the net traffic was slow I would experience jaggedly images and slow motion. But since the High Speed Internet connection is expanding everywhere, I do not see a problem with it in the future.
It is a total shocker when people see you at a coffee shop watching your local/cable television or your favorite movie on this stylish LCD monitor and then you switch to the Web and they wonder if it is a computer.
The battery life is good and will last you for the whole movie. You may always deem your already bright LCD and save more on a battery life.

If you would like to see how this Locationfree TV works, SonyStyle Canada has David Chalk review its functions and you can watch it all and maybe understand what I am talking about here. Please go here and watch the video clips:
http://www.sonystyle.ca/view/LocationFreeTVLanding/davechalk.shtml?categoryId=47640

Please see the pictures below. This is my first review of this kind, so do not judge too strict. Have fun!

http://www.sony.com/locationfree

Side Picture with available ports:

Back without the battery:

Controls on top (volume, capture, power and stylus):

Back of the Base Station with AV in/out:

Use with a wireless keyboard and a pic of the battery:

Settings Menu:

Side Panel Menu:

Pic with a handle on the LCD for portability:

That’s it!

Please see the review above. Sorry it took me a while to post.

Any pix of it actually displaying TV or video?  :wink:

You know what…good idea! I will add some tonight. Thanks groovy! 

here is one borrowed online for now (I will add my own in the review later):

Here are some pictures of live TV taken by me tonight:

That almost looks like Dick Cheney in the middle playing Wheel of Fortune.  :shock:

I don’t get the battery part…where does it attach?

Erik

It slides in right into the stand, see the pic of the back of the unit. See the pic below and compare it with some above:

Thanks for the pix…it’s an intriguing device. I may have to hook my dad up with one of these for Christmas. Of course, I may want to test it first.  :wink:

[quote author=“VAIOfreak”]It slides in right into the stand, see the pic of the back of the unit. See the pic below and compare it with some above:

Nice…I couldn’t figure out where it went…it works there just right.

Erik

You are welcome guys.
Groovy, buy it from Sonystyle directly and have 30 days to review it for yourself, and if you do not like it for some reason, return it with no penalty.

I thought I would add this info I found online re the a/b/g module installed in the Locationfee TV.
“Sony to Sell Airboard Wireless LAN Module
July 26, 2004 (TOKYO)—The MiniPCI wireless LAN module incorporated in the LF-X1, the latest model in Sony Corp’s Airboard series of network-capable, liquid-crystal TVs, is to be sold as an independent product.

The latest model of Airboard ‘LX-X1’ and its wireless LAN module ‘SWU-AGK152M’
Samples of the SWU-AGK152M module will start shipping later this month.

The LF-X1 Airboard has a 12.1-inch panel. It was announced on Jan 19 and went on sale in Japan in April. It will be released in the United States this fall, along with the 7-inch LF-X5 Airboard.

The SWU-AGK152M module supports two wireless standards—the IEEE 802.11a operating in the 5GHz band, and the IEEE 802.11g that uses the 2.4GHz band. The user can choose which standard to use, according to the situation and the communication distance. The IEEE 802.11a standard is free from interference by sources such as microwave ovens, but it covers only a short distance. The IEEE 802.11g standard may be subject to interference, but offers a potentially longer communication distance.

The SWU-AGK152M module is equipped with the Hybrid Coordination Function (HCF), a communication protocol that can guarantee the video quality of the television signal. HCF is one of the protocols expected to be adopted in the IEEE 802.11e standard for guaranteeing the quality of service (QoS) defined by IEEE 802.11. Since the IEEE 802.11e standard is still awaiting final approval, Sony jumped the gun in adopting HCF.

The SWU-AGK152M measures 59.6mm x 50.7mm x 3.6mm, and weighs 12g. Power voltage is +3.3V. Samples are priced at 35,000 yen.

As well as releasing its wireless LAN module, Sony will offer an installation consulting service. This will encompass advice on designing and installing the antenna required for incorporating the module in a product.” - borrowed from http://neasia.nikkeibp.com/wcs/leaf/CID/onair/asabt/news/321253