Sony Unveils a Weird TV Speaker That Doubles as a Remote Control

It may look a bit unusual at a glance, but this new wireless compact TV speaker by Sony could actually be useful in a very noisy room, as it is able to bring a TV’s sound output a lot closer to your ears. Dubbed SRS-LSR100, the device includes a pair of 2-watt speakers and also doubles up as a remote control, even though it looks nothing like one. Its top panel includes a rather large volume dial and a number pad that can easily be used by the elderly, which is probably the gadget’s aimed demographic. What’s interesting about the speaker, though, is that it features an automatic volume mode based on a microphone placed by the speaker.

The microphone keeps tabs on ambient sound and uses Sony-developed algorithms to adjust sound levels and sound quality automatically. The device is touted as the first wireless TV speaker to boast such a function. There’s also a “voice zoom” function that enhances the sound level of voices, which can come in handy when watching sports events. On a three-hour charge, the speaker can remain on for up to 16 hours. The sound link between the TV and the speaker is ensured by a cradle that plugs into the TV and sends sound to the speaker through 2.4 GHz radio waves. The remote control is based on infrared and can be used from 30 meters away.

The SRS-LSR100 will only become available in Japan for now, and it will retail for about $166. Sony might decide to release it abroad eventually, but I’m not exactly sure that there is a market for it. Would you buy one of these unusual TV speakers?

Thank you PcWorld for providing us with this information.