The following information is true and accurate at the time of publication.
September 28, 2000
Towards Easy Wireless Access to the Internet and Video Contents
Sony's Personal IT Television Introduces a New Concept of AV/IT Convergence
Personal IT Television "airboard (IDT-LF1)"
(Tokyo, Japan) - Sony Marketing (Japan) Inc. today announced the launch of a personal IT television called "airboard (IDT-LF1)". With wireless technologies and easy operation, the "airboard" allows users to enjoy E-mail and the Internet as well as TV broadcasting and video contents anywhere inside the home.
| Product | Introduction Date | Price |
| Personal IT Television "airboard" 'IDT-LF1' | December 1, 2000 | Open |
The "airboard" consists of a 10.4-inch LCD panel monitor and a base station to connect it to a wide range of information such as TV broadcasting and video contents. It is an entertainment system with a completely new concept. By applying the newest wireless technologies, Internet communication technologies, and moving image compression technologies (MPEG2), the "airboard" enables data transmission between the base station and the monitor. Users can carry the monitor and easily access the Internet, TV broadcasting, and video contents anywhere inside the home, simply by using a touch panel control.
Main features
- 1) Wireless access to television and video contents, E-mail, and the Internet
- The "airboard" consists of 1) a base station equipped with an AV terminal, TV antenna input, and a modem terminal and 2) a 10.4-inch LCD panel monitor. Data transmission between the base station and the monitor employs the newest wireless technologies and digital compression technologies, which enables users to carry the monitor and access TV broadcast, video contents, the Internet, and E-mail anywhere inside the home.
- 2) Easy network access
- By connecting a home telephone line to the base station, users can access E-mail and the Internet.
- 3) Convenient and easy to use operation
- * Easy channel switch between the Internet and E-mail
The monitor is equipped with a touch panel, which allows users to select screens by touching an index screen.
- * Simultaneous display of two different media contents
While using the Internet, users can view television or video contents on a subscreen.
- * Remote operation of AV products by the touch panel screen.
By connecting a video/CS tuner or DVD player to the base station's external input terminal, users can control A/V products in the home, using a remote control on the touch panel screen.
- 4) Easy to use mailing functions
- * "Me Mail" and "Me Internet" functions with Memory Stick
- * Easy to use touch panel
- * Employment of prediction input program
Sony's original prediction typing program employed for text input.
- * Easy copy and paste of images
- 5) Electronic album functions
- By uploading digital images from a digital camera (JPEG, GIF, BMP, etc.) by Memory Stick, users can create their own digital photo albums.
Main Specifications
| TV reception format | NTSC format |
| LCD panel | 10.4 inch, transmission TFT/active matrix (800 x 600 pixels) |
Input/output terminal
Base station
Monitor |
Antenna terminal x 1
Video input x 1
Telephone line x 1
AV mouse output x 1
Memory Stick slot x 1
Headphone terminal x 1
Keyboard terminal x 1 |
Wireless communication
modulation format | DS-SS(IEEE802.11b compliant) |
| Wireless communication distance | Approx. 30m (inside the home in optimum conditions, it may be affected by the size and complexity of the environment) |
| Modem | 56kbps modem (V.90 compliant) |
| Volume | Base station: approx. 1.0kg
Monitor: approx. 1.5kg (includes accessary batteries) |
| Dimension | Base station: 23.9 x12.0 x 14.8cm (width x height x depth)
Monitor: 32.0 x 20.4 x 3.9cm (width x height x depth) |
Screen examples:
| Index screen | Video screen
(with remote control display) |
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| Internet screen (with subscreen display) | E-mail input screen (with prediction typing technology) |
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| Album screen (list display) |
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