Sony announce 200-disc, 500GB Home Entertainment Server

Sony has unveiled a new Home Entertainment Server featuring a full HD 1080p 200-disc changer and a 500GB hard disc drive that stores up to 137 hours of video, 40,000 songs or 20,000 digital photos. The stand-alone HES-V1000 is Sony’s first Blu-ray Disc-capable component (other than a VAIO notebook or optical PC drive) that can burn content to Blu-ray Discs as well as DVDs.

Designed as a solution for organizing home digital movie, music and photo collections, the unit’s full HD 1080p Blu-ray Disc/DVD/CD changer holds 196 12cm BD/DVD/CDs and four 8cm BD/DVDs and includes new applications for digital scrapbooking and the presentation of photo slide shows. Navigation is via Sony’s XMBTM (XrossMediaBar) menu and an Ethernet connection enables the download of firmware updates directly to the system.

The HES-V1000 system can play back music stored on the hard disk drive and has the ability to wirelessly stream music throughout the home with a router to other devices including PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3) consoles. Up to ten devices with four independent audio streams can be registered.

The unit’s design features a mirror black tower measuring about 12 1/4 x 31 5/8 x 15 7/8 inches with integrated backlit, touch sensitive controls. The displays can either be read from the front or top of the tower.

Connectivity options include S-video, composite, audio and HDV/DV (i.LINK) inputs, as well as HDMI with BRAVIA Theatre Sync, component, optical, coaxial and analog outputs. The unit also features Memory Stick media inputs, Secure Digital cards, CompactFlash media and xD-Picture CardTM flash memory readers to cater for transfer of digital image content.

Unveiled at the 2007 CEDIA Expo currently taking place in Denver, Colorado, the Sony HES-V1000 Home Entertainment Server will be available in October for about US$3,500.