Sony Reveals Video Streaming TV Set-top Unit

By Ryan Fleming August 27, 2010

Coming this fall, Sony will release the SMP-N100, a DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) client capable of streaming content from your home network, as well as online video services like Netflix, YouTube, Amazon, several Sony exclusives online, and many others. The device will be similar to Sony’s Bravia Internet-enabled Blu-ray players, but will cost only $129 and offer more content.

When it is released, the SMP will be a direct competitor to other streaming set-top boxes like the Roku, the Popbox, and possibly the next AppleTV when it eventually is detailed.

The SMP will stream all of the features that Sony’s Internet-enabled Blu-ray devices offer, including Netflix, YouTube, VoD, Pandora, Amazon, and Slacker. The device will also offer exclusive Sony video content, including everything on the PlayStation Network. There will, however, not be any way to stream Hulu or Boxee — at least for now.

The SMP will feature HDMI connections, a USB port to play media, and a built in 802.11n wireless modem. There is currently an iPad app for the Sony Bravia Internet service, so a comparable app for the SMP is likely on the way.

The SMP is set to ship later this fall for $129, but CEPro, who had a chance to test the unit out are, are suggesting that the price may drop to $99 before Christmas.

Editors' Recommendations

13 best tech deals you can shop today — including a cheap 70-inch 4K TV

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Ryan Fleming is the Gaming and Cinema Editor for Digital Trends. He joined the DT staff in 2009 after spending time covering…

Computing

Quest Pro 2: What we know about Meta’s next premium VR headset

From a side view, you can see how glasses can be worn along with a Quest Pro.

While Meta’s Quest Pro is one of the best VR headsets available, it never reached its full potential as a laptop replacement for spatial computing. Meta hasn’t given up on making a work-centric solution, and rumors suggest a Meta Quest Pro 2 is still in development. Here’s what we know so far about Meta's answer to Apple's Vision Pro.
Meta Quest Pro 2 release date speculation
It’s difficult to make a solid prediction on when Meta will launch the Quest Pro 2. Meta CTO Andrew “Boz” Bosworth made it clear in an Instagram AMA that Meta is continually prototyping new VR headsets to find out what’s possible with current technology. That gives Meta more flexibility than manufacturers that research for years before doing hardware testing.

If Meta is satisfied with the performance of the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 and LG can deliver enough micro-OLED displays, the Quest Pro 2 could arrive as early as this October at Meta Connect 2024.

Computing

Does RAM speed matter for PC performance?

Installing RAM sticks in a motherboard.

RAM is one of the primary components in a PC, and it's important that you have at least a certain amount of RAM depending on what you want to do with your PC. However, there are more things to RAM than just capacity: Frequency and latency are important considerations, too.

The question of whether RAM speed matters is especially important now that we have two generations of RAM available, both DDR4 and DDR5 -- and they have vastly different speeds. The official maximum clock speed for DDR4 was 3200MHz, while DDR5 starts at 4800MHz, an increase of 50%; however, you'll easily find RAM kits reaching above 7000MHz. Although latency significantly went up, from CL14 on most 3200MHz DDR4 kits to CL40 on most 4800MHz DDR5 kits, DDR5 is still found to be faster.

Computing

The 6 best 2-in-1 laptops for drawing in 2024

Portal RTX running on the Surface Laptop Studio 2.

Whether you're a seasoned professional or enjoy drawing as a hobby, investing in a 2-in-1 laptop is a great idea for all sorts of artists. Drawing on a laptop makes it easy to quickly share your creation with others, which is especially useful if you're doing it as a professional–negating the need to upload your pen-and-paper sketch to the computer before sending it to a client. Moreover, working on a laptop lets you undo mistakes, zoom in to better handle small details, and quickly change utensils.

There are a lot of perks to drawing on a 2-in-1 laptop, but not all of them are great for creators. Some have unresponsive displays that can't register all your movements, while others might have a lackluster resolution or color spectrum that turns most images into a muddled mess. Because of that, it can be hard figuring out which laptop is best for your needs. And if you'll be spending a good chunk of change on the laptop, you'll want to make sure you get it right.