Sony unveils world's first, ugliest HD Video Walkman

For those of you not blinded by the unsightly image above, that there is the "world's first HD Video Walkman," or in other terms, one of the ugliest devices we've seen in years. Beyond the fact that this thing resembles a decade-old handheld cassette recorder with a seven-inch HD display flanked on top, it enables users to watch their HDV / miniDV tapes on the go, which isn't likely to entice you unless you shoot for a living. Furthermore, the GV-HD700E can record HDV1080i/DV signals from an external source, sports i.LINK / HDMI / component outputs, supports x.v.Color, and includes a Memory Stick slot for tape-to-flash card conversions. No word on just how much this curious creature will set you back, but those still fascinated can look for it to land in Europe this September.

[Dan @ Jul 26th 2007 1:07PM]

Of course, if it's the first... then it's also the prettiest.

[Manfred @ Jul 26th 2007 4:02PM]

Tape, we hate mini DV tapes . . .
Sony is release dead products again.

Where are the mini blue-ray discs?

[Wildness @ Jul 26th 2007 7:59PM]

Only a consumer would call tape dead...HDV is the lower end prosumer gear for those who can't afford full DVD, but know that recording to AVCHD DVD is still low grade, low quality, consumer junk.

[Spyvie @ Jul 26th 2007 1:12PM]

This is pro gear, and it looks just fine for pro gear.

[CharlieX @ Jul 26th 2007 1:14PM]

HDV is hardly pro

[ProfessionalGun @ Jul 26th 2007 1:47PM]

Hey CharlieX - I really do think this is intended for at least a semi-pro audience. If you're shooting HDV that you care about enough to review in the field between shoots - you're probably not just a consumer shooting home videos.

I'll be very surprised if this device actually does carry the consumer-based "Walkman" name when launched.

[Electromodo @ Jul 26th 2007 2:24PM]

@ CharlieX

Charlie, HDV is a format used by professionals, there is no arguing about that. Are you saying that, for example, Sony HVR-Z1U that is widely used for field news gathering, is not a professional camera? Of course, if you work in the studio and shoot on HDCAM, or you are a cameraman working with George Lucas, then you might think of HDV as a "cheap" format.

Regarding the walkman: when you work on the field, it is very inconvenient when people ask you to watch what you've just recorded. Unfortunately, it happens often. Sometimes you want to see it by yourself too.

Pros do not rewind tapes on the camera, it puts additional "mileage" on the heads and extra dirt. Here this walkman will really helpfull, not to mention the big screen and, even more important, that you can use it as an external recorder.

And regarding the "ugliness". Guys, this is a pro equipment, and ALL PRO EQUIPMENT looks just like that. It is not meant to please your eyes with aerodynamic forms used for consumer stuff.

[Aaron @ Jul 28th 2007 3:07PM]

Spyvie, that's what I was thinking. It looks like a professional device. It would fit right in with other video equipment.

[Jeff @ Jul 26th 2007 1:14PM]

I like the way it looks. It's like 90's retro, very cool.

[Frankenstein Black @ Jul 26th 2007 1:29PM]

Exactly! Not Ugly, Just "Old School"...

[Wwhat @ Jul 26th 2007 3:26PM]

I like the look too, looks sturdy and as if you get what you pay for :]

[psxp @ Jul 26th 2007 1:14PM]

The 1980s just called, they want their style back

[Veritas II @ Jul 26th 2007 1:41PM]

SNL just called. They want their joke back.

[Xavier Gill @ Jul 26th 2007 2:51PM]

I called... no one answered.

[coy @ Jul 27th 2007 10:58AM]

they're all dead jim!

[Paul Barrett @ Jul 26th 2007 1:14PM]

My eyes!

That's an awful looking bit of kit. Sony, what were you thinking?

[Msakaji Yoshiro @ Jul 26th 2007 2:16PM]

Functionality over aesthetic

[Chuckles McGee @ Jul 26th 2007 1:15PM]

Looks like the bastard child of a VCR and a laptop.

[echo @ Jul 26th 2007 1:16PM]

Is there a reason it should look pretty? I don't care what my camera gear looks like as long as it does the job and this doesn't look hideous. Just looks like a piece of video equipment which it is. Therefore it is fine.

[Chuckles McGee @ Jul 26th 2007 1:16PM]

Looks like the bastard child of a VCR and a laptop.

[Glenn @ Jul 26th 2007 1:20PM]

Ugly? What?... too many buttons, Mr. Jobs?

Form above function, I guess.

[murray @ Jul 26th 2007 1:27PM]

Some people prefer stuff that works than stuff that looks pretty and has to be sent back to the maker for a battery replacement. Looks like a useful device for an amateur filmmaker.

[Amir Naqui @ Jul 26th 2007 1:30PM]

Kind of off-topic but...
Do companies purposely make new players fat even if they can make them slimmer? The current blueray and hd-dvd players are as fat as the first gen dvd players. I'm sure the current circuitry size for the HD disc players don't need to be so huge.

[Manuel @ Jul 26th 2007 1:38PM]

it is common phenomenon called "1st Generation hardware"

[murray @ Jul 26th 2007 1:59PM]

They might do. This could be to avoid a low-end appearance. You can buy a regular DVD player for $40 that's maybe 1.5" tall. They might want to avoid association with that category, and thus make their players taller and appear more substantial, more high-end.

Or maybe these players just have chunky power supplies.

[Devub @ Jul 26th 2007 1:34PM]

Sony needs to give up the memory stick. Proprietary formats just aren't cutting it, especially when they're twice the price of their competitors' memory.

[ark_v2 @ Jul 26th 2007 1:37PM]

Well, they're not in problems since their cybershot cameras use it and has a large portion of the market.

[rk3muzik @ Jul 26th 2007 4:05PM]

sony as much as I love them have always favored proprietary media formats.

[ark_v2 @ Jul 26th 2007 1:35PM]

It's for pros, people, come on. It's a waste to spend large amounts of money just to make a pretty design that will appeal to the controllable masses that won't use that.

[Dahk @ Jul 26th 2007 1:36PM]

Oh god, I feel like cyclops when Kratos ripped his eye out.

[NHAnimator @ Jul 26th 2007 1:45PM]

I'm far from a Sony fanboy, and I don't usually rag on Engadget, but after reading that this unit is the "ugliest" while calling Logitech's monstrosity "curvalicious" (earlier today), I really have to wonder if there isn't a tad of bias against Sony.

I don't see the black helicopters, but I don't think there is consistency at Engadget either.

[christapher @ Jul 26th 2007 1:49PM]

Does it have FW400/800? If so it would be very useful in the prosumer videographer area. My old miniDV deck only has a 2.5" b&w preview screen, so this would also be nice for running at large places where youre showing things printed to miniDV tape, we did this all the time working on the film crew at a camp this summer.

[Jonny @ Jul 26th 2007 1:50PM]

But can it play DOOM?

[Ray-- @ Jul 26th 2007 1:52PM]

I thought Sony called portable devices you watch stuff on, "Watchmans" not walkmans??

[Jim @ Jul 26th 2007 1:52PM]

I like it. I think it looks fab. Reminds me of the professional walkman sony did years ago. Just simple no messing functionality. Sony should do more products like this

[refractured @ Jul 26th 2007 2:02PM]

I totally understand the desire this might have for filmmakers, and I agree with function over form, however this is taking that statement waaaaay too far. This thing is inexcusably ugly. Especially coming from Sony. Even if the argument is made for saving a few bucks, this thing is a travesty and a slap in the face to industrial designers everywhere.

[Aargh @ Jul 26th 2007 7:21PM]

As an Industrial Designer I take offence at your comment. Your comments are based upon viewing a few pictures of an object and discerning the functionality of the design based solely on aesthetic appearances. While simplicity of form is often a major factor contained in many designs it should never be an overriding point. Industrial Design is more than making an object look pretty, if we wanted to create something with that discards functionality for form we would have become Interior Designers.

[refractured @ Jul 26th 2007 7:37PM]

Well sir, you offend too easily. I made no such comment concerning the functionality of the design, nor the simplicity (or lack there of). I was simply stating that the aesthetics were certainly not taken into consideration whatsoever. Coming from such a major electronics company its a surprising mistake. If you don't think aesthetics play a major part in consumers' gadget/electronics purchasing decisions (sometimes over functionality) you may want to reconsider your choice of profession. Now here's a pre-emptive tissue for that last statement.

[Videoarizona @ Jul 27th 2007 9:57AM]

As someone who has been in the audio/video business as a professional for 40 years, I disagree with your statement and logic.

The design is made for rugged, simplicity in the field. Period. Get over it.

It is a pro tool....and will be used by same to efficiently record/review HD footage in the field.

Regards,

David

[Masterbeef @ Jul 26th 2007 2:04PM]

This is traditional Sony design, I love it.

[tekdroid @ Jul 26th 2007 2:18PM]

1) stunning, usable design for its intended market and uses

2) removable batteries, as god favours getting the job done instead of docking-and-charging downtime.

[Magallanes @ Jul 26th 2007 2:31PM]

Looks MACHO!... black and with many button for experiment not a fancy "press the only button to play" device.

[ran @ Jul 29th 2007 7:32PM]

Yes, you are right. Apple products looks gay when you see this video walkman.

[Mr. B @ Jul 26th 2007 2:31PM]

All the 'ugly' comments, not to mention the headline, is very perplexing. This isn't ugly, it's classic Sony, pro-level design... I wonder how the comments would read if this thing was white.

[Ondra Soukup @ Jul 26th 2007 2:35PM]

So...that's the first one...where's the ugly ? Did Dell enter the video market and you forgot to link us a picture ?

[Ondra Soukup @ Jul 26th 2007 2:39PM]

and think the design perfectly matches my HDR-FX1...

for anyone who is puzzled - please google "sony mini dv walkman" - yes, they were actually making this before, just not HDV.

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B00005K4LP.03._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

[Jesse S @ Jul 26th 2007 3:11PM]

I think it looks better than an iPod honestly.

I think Apple's designs are disgusting and ugly.

Looks are subjective.

[max headroom @ Jul 26th 2007 3:14PM]

This is pro equipment and looks like that, rugged and functional.

The real point is that engadged should be named macfangadget or sonybashergadget, because at the end is not more than a mac fan/sony hater meeting point.

And this is a pity, really.
Like they said that commenting the ifa winners was too much, but apple release a phone and we have to read zillions of irrelevant iphone posts for years, hmmmm biased maybe?

[sonicj @ Jul 26th 2007 3:56PM]

clearly a professional piece of gear.

how many consumers need a $1200 portable dv deck? output your home videos to optical disc or your personal media player.

looks like every other product in the sony broadcast lineup.

[Lyris @ Jul 26th 2007 3:57PM]

You guys really are the original "Sneery tech blog". This is a piece of professional equipment, I'd imagine the people using it won't really care what it looks like.

>> it enables users to watch their HDV / miniDV tapes on the go, which isn't likely to entice you unless you shoot for a living.

Yes... that probably is who it's aimed at.