The Sony PlayStation VR comes out this week. If you have a PlayStation 4, all you'll need is the headset, Move controllers, and camera. It'll be the easiest way yet to get into virtual reality gaming. Leo has tried all of the virtual reality headsets, and so far he hasn't found any to be exciting for very long. He does think that as companies evolve the technology, we may see something miraculous years down the road.
Rocko is looking to edit Let's Play Minecraft videos for YouTube and he wants a free or cheap video editor. He has a PC running Windows 10.
Windows Movie Maker is the best free PC video editor, but it isn't available for Windows 10. If he can find it, it will work. Leo's favorite is Sony Vegas Movie Studio, which is about $50. It also has a 30 day free trial.
Rick says that Leo should give Playstation Vue a try for streaming online. For $55, it has cable over the internet via the Playstation 3 or 4 console, Roku, etc. There are a ton more channels than Sling.
Leo says it looks interesting but you don't really save anything over paying for cable or satellite. So from a cost saving cord cutting perspective, there isn't much point to it. It is worth a try if you want to cut the cable, though.
Linda has a Sony Vaio laptop and after a system restore, it's asking her to install PCI Modem hardware. Leo says the new version of Windows doesn't have the drivers for her hardware and is asking her for it. She should search Sony's website and download the latest drivers.
Leo got to try using the Sony PlayStation Virtual Reality Headset this past week. Two VR headsets are already available: The Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive. Google just announced its own virtual reality platform this past week as well, called Daydream.
While the Oculus and HTC Vive both require a high end PC, Sony's solution will make use of something that 40 million people already have -- the PlayStation 4 console. Leo tried one of the demo games for PlayStation, and he really felt like he was inside an action movie. It's a very vivid experience.
John needs a camera that will take better video in low light. Leo says that smartphones aren't really known for having good low light performance, but they are getting better. A camera will perform a lot better, especially if it has a larger chip. Full frame 35mm are the best in low light, but it's also a lens speed issue. The lower the f-stop rating, the faster the lens.
Jeff wants to know more about Sony Digital Paper. Leo says it uses e-ink, and while it has extremely long battery life, it has traditionally had a problem with latency. Sony has a video that shows it keeping up with handwriting, so maybe they've overcome the latency issues. At $800, though, it's a bit pricey. But if it does what Jeff needs, being a digital yellow pad, then perhaps it'll be worth it.
Scott says that the AVSForum has been redesigned so that it's easier to get the editorial content. Scott also says that there's a lot of HDR movies coming in theater including The Martian, PAN, and the Maze Runner Scorch Trials. Scott's really looking forward to The Martian. The book is fantastic, and according to reviews from the Toronto Film Festival, the film is really faithful to the book.
Doug just got the Sony A6000 camera with a kit lens and he thinks it's a great entry level camera. Amazing camera, especially with video. It shoots though in AVCHD, which is new to him. Leo says it's a very standard format. It's essentially Sony's own version of MPEG4. But don't worry, every editor can import it. If he wants to convert it to a more familiar format, he can try Handbrake.
Elliot wants to get a new camera and he can spent about $500 to $800. Leo says that the Sony DSC-RX100M II is a great point and shoot. It's the best out there because it has a 1" sensor, making it great in low light. It's also great for video too. Canon makes a good one as well, but Sony is really making the best stuff right now.
