Sony LF-X11 12.1 inch Location Free Wireless TV

by Sony

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 11 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000BGIA3W
• Item model number: LF-X11
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #135,091 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 2, 2001

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

LocationFree® TV sets you free to live beyond the living room. You can access your favorite content virtually anywhere via the LF-X11's 12 inch (4:3) screen. Because LocationFree TV is a dual-band wireless TV, reception will be excellent regardless of what types of 2.4GHz devices (such as microwave ovens and cordless phones) you have in your home. Enjoy your favorite programs, movies, even Internet and e-mail7, streamed from the Base Station in your living room, bedroom or kitchen. Additionally, LocationFree TV can deliver your personal video content from the Base Station to your Wireless LCD Monitor via WiFi Hotspots5 or Internet hotspots at airports, universities and cafes1. You can even view your favorite photos via the Memory Stick® slot. Expand your A/V home network in ways unlike any the world has ever seen. And it’s only from Sony.

• Dualband MAT Antenna Newly developed MAT (Multi-directional Audio & Visual Transmission) antenna achieves stable wireless A/V streaming with real-time and high-speed transmission. Sony's advanced wireless technology allows you to transmit high quality video-even severe conditions where wireless interference is common.
• NetAV NetAv enables you to connect your Base Station via a broadband internet connection from outside your house (at public wireless access point, hotel etc.) You can enjoy your TV and favorite A/V content virtually anywhere. Initital setup is easy and quick.

Product Description

Comprised of a 12.1-inch wireless touch screen LCD monitor and a base station, the personal TV system uses the industry's first dual band wireless connection and high speed Ethernet port to transmit data, transforming it into a mobile video entertainment powerhouse that lets you enjoy television, video, Internet browsing/streaming video, e-mail, and digital photos--- all without a PC. It can also be used to control most major brand A/V components in the home. The innovative system uses advanced dual band wireless transmission technology delivering the most stable wireless performance. It employs the IEEE 802.11a/11b/11g for a wide selection of transmission channels and switches the channel for minimized interference when used up to 100 feet from the base station. The portable 12-inch TV (800 x 600 SVGA LCD panel) delivers improved video and audio quality from various content sources using high performance circuitries found in high-end TV sets. Among them: 3D Y/C separation circuitry for clear, vivid picture and color blur reduction; angled line correction circuitry for smoothing out jagged lines; motion adaptive I/P conversion circuitry for improving fast moving action scenes; and digital audio amplifier circuitry for crisp sound and minimized distortion. On-screen universal remote and learning remote to address emerging A/V products WorryfreeSETUP 800x600 LCD Flat-panel screen 2 Stereo Speakers NTSC TV Tuner 2 Video source inputs High speed broadband capability - Featuring a wireless connection to the base station, users can easily and quickly access the web via a dedicated Internet browser. Using the on-screen keyboard, users can exchange e-mail, shop on-line and more

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

78 of 78 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Expensively Awesome, December 13, 2005

By 

Robert Lamb (Alexandria, VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony LF-X11 12.1 inch Location Free Wireless TV (Personal Computers)

First things first, it is absurdly expensive (the ONLY reason for 4 stars). Here is how I justified the expense:

This was a gift to my wife (early Christmas), and I wanted her to have a tv in the kitchen for when she is cooking/baking. This would involve getting a tv with an antenna, and we would get terrible reception (and none of her cable shows).

I also wanted to get her a tv for her scrapbooking room. That would require the same solution, tv with rabbit ears.

Then I looked at the slingbox type solutions, but read reviews about there being upload bandwidth restrictions for some internet providers, and it would require a notebook computer (which could be found cheaper than this Location Free product, but not as elegant a solution).

Instead of dealing with the hassle of any of those solutions, I simply bought this one product. I placed the base station in my office, split the cable TV signal before the modem so that one half goes to the station (and uses the built in cable tuner), and then connected a lan cable to my wireless router. And I was done.

Now we have a TV that we can take anywhere in the house or even outside (and theoretically anwhere in the world with a wifi connection, although we haven't tried it), and we didn't have to buy multiple tv sets, or deal with any of the hassle of wireless networks, snowy reception over antenna, etc.

This is a simple, beautifully efficient solution to our particular situation, although expensive.

Performance wise, we get great reception throughout our house (base station is on first floor, we get reception throughout the house (even on the 3rd floor) with very few dropped signals. When the tv does lose a signal, it automatically switches networks until it finds a good one. Now this will cause skips and jumps in your program for several seconds while it does this, which can be annoying, but it isn't a dealbreaker for me by any means.

Yes it does internet, email, and a photo gallery, neither of which we use. So if you are looking at this as a pseudo touchscreen notebook, don't. At its heart it is a TV, so don't expect too much above and beyond that.

The screen and sound are fantastic. I'm glad we went with the 12 inch version, as it allows us to share the tv in our office, with both of us being able to see it quite well.

They advertise the 'wide range' mode, which works as advertised. It can extend the range significantly, but it will make your picture and sound quality drop noticeably.

You can connect other video devices (VCR, DVD, etc) and use the remote IR blaster to control them, but we have yet to try that.

The onscreen remote is easy to use with the touch screen, although depending on the connection type, there may be a delay when changing channels.

In the end this is another fantastic Sony product, overpriced, but for our situation, worth every penny.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great Idea - Disappointing Performance, July 19, 2006

By 

Barry Megginson (Redondo Beach, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony LF-X11 12.1 inch Location Free Wireless TV (Personal Computers)

The other reviewers have pointed out the many good things about this product, so I will provide my impressions based on about 4 months of use.

First, although the base unit is about 6 feet from the TV, the signal is lost once or twice an hour on average. This causes the display to freeze for about 5 seconds (sometimes longer). Twice the base unit had to be turned off and then back on before the TV would resume operation.

Second, about every 2 weeks the TV will not turn on until the battery is removed and reinserted. It seems like there is an intermittent battery connection.

Third, the user interface is the worst I've ever seen. This TV badly needs a wireless remote. The channel must be changed using the touch screen, which would not be so bad if it worked well. When the screen is tapped once, a "remote" appears on the screen. I've been unable to figure out a technique which works when I touch/tap/press/push/bang on the appropriate number or button. There is a beep intended for feedback, but it works unreliably.

I'm giving up and buying a regular lcd TV.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a little gem..., October 6, 2006

By 

John (Galena, OH, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony LF-X11 12.1 inch Location Free Wireless TV (Personal Computers)

I only use the portable TV functionality, not the mobile web, etc., etc. So this review rating is based exclusively on usage for that purpose.

I love the outdoors and this little TV lets the patio, porch, garage, woods, wherever, instantly become a great place to watch the game (check customer pics). You'll find all kinds of uses for it, like in the kitchen cooking or washing dishes, on the vanity watching ESPN in the morning or soaking in the tub and it's light w/a handle, so you won't mind carrying it around.

The screen is small at 12 in., but the picture quality is so good, you'll enjoy watching a whole game. It's bright, even at an angle and the battery life is 2.5 to 3 hours for me. Buy the craddle charger and a 2nd battery which will charge before the other runs out, so you can swap and keep watching. The sound is absolutely amazing for those little tiny speakers, it doesn't seem possible. I get range over 100 feet.

There isn't a remote for it, which is the one improvement I'd like to see, but the touch screen becomes a virtual remote with a "tap" and sends channel changes, menu, guide commands, etc. back to the cable/satellite box. It even works with my DVR. I have wireless phones and wireless network, but interference hasn't been a problem. I occassionally can get a "pause" in the picture, but it never approaches annoying.

Everyone who has watched this TV with me seems to want one and I'll buy another if anything happens to this one. That rates 5 stars from me. bhvideoproducts did a great job with my order and had copies of my receipt prep'd and ready for mailing in the rebate. Note, the actual rebate check was a small postcard and looked like junk mail, almost threw it out.