Sony sells $74k projector as gaming arm hosts huge PlayStation party

Pssst! Got $73,999 under the mattress? Then you can buy Sony new high-end 4K home theatre projector.

Sony $74,000 4K VPL-VW5000ES projector

Pssst! Got $73,999 under the mattress? Then you can enjoy gold class at home with near cinematic quality using Sony new high-end 4K projector. But at a recommended $73,999 from February, it will cost you more than a Mercedes C-Class 180 Coupe.

Cinemas typically show 4K prints of movies with a resolution around 4096 x 2160 pixels. In comparison a full HD TV displays content at 1920x1080 pixels. On that score the VPL-VW5000ES projector matches cinema resolution, although cinema projectors typically can cost $500,000 to $1m.

The VPL-VW5000ES seeks to approach cinematic quality with 4K and with having a 5000 lumens laser light source. Sony says the projector is compatible with high dynamic range (HDR) colour, and its colour processing will work with upcoming home video formats.

But consumers will need access to 4K movies content to enjoy a $73,999 pseudo cinema experience at home.

The best solution so far comes from rival Samsung which next year is due to release a player capable of playing 128GB Blu-ray disks with 4K movie content. 20th Century Fox says it will make its movies available in that 4K format.

Sony’s new projector is due for release in February

Meanwhile the entertainment arm of Sony tonight is hosting a huge party at Cockatoo Island on Sydney Harbour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its PlayStation gaming console in Australia.

Sony Computer Entertainment ANZ managing director Michael Ephraim said the company had sold more than 30.2 million PlayStation 4 gaming consoles globally and it was the fastest selling console in the history of hardware in Australia “full stop”.

He announced the availability of streaming service Presto on the gaming console and said PlayStation 3 and 4 offered apps for all major movie streaming services with Netflix, Stan and Quickflix already available. Catch-up TV services ABC iview, SBS On Demand and Plus7 were also available on PlayStation.

The consoles were yet to carry 9Jumpin and Tenplay but Sony hopes they will soon.

As yet there is no firm date for the release of Sony’s long awaited PlayStation VR headset, with Mr Ephraim saying the price and release date would be announced “sometime next year”.

Sony is currently demonstrating the 3rd version of the VR headset prototype which suggests development is well down the track.

Mr Ephraim said Sony’s VR foray was focused entirely on gaming but other opportunities had been presented to global management on VR.

“It’s going to be up to the developers. There’s so much potential for VR and the applications will vary from being an adjunct to a PlayStation 4 game to being a complete VR game.”

He said Sony had more than 200 games publishers working on producing virtual reality content.

At last week’s PlayStation Experience event in San Francisco, Sony displayed a raft of new VR content for the upcoming player. They included a version of classic rhythm game Rez, Eagle Flight, 100 Ft Robot Golf, Ace Combat 7, Zombie Taxi Game, Eclipse, Distance, Classroom Aquatic and Job Simulator.

They join Tekken 7, Until Dawn: Rush of Blood, Battlezone and Robinson: The Journey on PlayStation VR.

PlayStation was continuing its association with international soccer with an option for Australian console users to participate online through the PlayStation FC. UEFA Champions League app.