Sony Europe to premiere first HD Video Walkman

The European division of Sony is set to debut the GD-HD700E, the first HD Video Walkman. Despite its name, the player is not designed for portable entertainment; it is instead meant for viewing camcorder footage, culled from HDV discs or just the standard miniDV format. HD resolutions top out at 1080i, but video can be viewed on an seven-inch, 800x480 screen, or sent via component and HDMI to much larger displays such as TVs. The 700E is also the first Video Walkman to support x.v.Color, a gamut said to double the amount of colors on compatible xvYCC screens.

i.LINK, RCA and S-Video inputs allow recording directly to the Walkman, and stills can be captured through a Memory Stick slot. Sony expects the viewer to be released throughout Europe in September, though no prices have been announced.