Sony’s new TV webcam will tell you when you're sitting too close to the screen

Sony's new TV webcam volition tell you when you're sitting as well shut to the screen

(Prototype credit: Sony)

We couldn't escape the historic period of social distancing without a few of the best webcams designed specifically for TVs, letting you hold video calls without getting up from your couch. Only Sony's new Bravia Cam, revealed during CES 2022, isn't simply a webcam — it's also a sensor that automatically adjusts TV settings based on your location and proximity. It supports gesture controls, likewise.

The Sony Bravia Cam tin can recognize where users are sitting to optimize moving-picture show and sound settings such as brightness levels, too as alarm a user when they're sitting as well close to the screen. When the Bravia Cam doesn't sense anyone in the room, it can shut the Boob tube off to save power. All of these settings are individually enabled, so users tin pick and cull which features they want to introduce to their Bravia Cam experience.

Of these Bravia Cam features, I'm most intrigued by proximity alerts. Sitting too shut to the TV for an extended period tin can be harmful to center health. While adults should be more enlightened of how close to sit to a TV, children might demand visual warnings. When the Bravia Cam senses someone budgeted as well close to the Television set, a popular upwardly message volition appear at the bottom of the screen. If the person remains too shut, a full-screen detect will block what's on TV and sound an alarm.

At present for the to the lowest degree-compelling feature. While the Bravia Cam promises gesture controls that allow y'all navigate your TV, I experience like I'd exist improve off leaving this tool disabled, especially if the set has far-field mics. Gesture controls are ofttimes fickle, though I estimate I should still give the Bravia Cam the benefit of the dubiety.

I'll say the aforementioned for privacy concerns. Though a device positioned on top of my Tv that faces me while I'm watching sounds creepy, I can call up of it more like one of the best cameras for photography The Bravia Cam is intelligent enough to know when someone'south in frame, simply it doesn't record actions or reels for playback. No data leaves the device, either. At that place's fifty-fifty a concrete lens shutter for added peace of heed.

The fact that the Bravia Cam is a webcam compatible with the best video conversation apps for your Television receiver is a total side annotation. Maybe I'one thousand just tired of using video calls to stay in bear upon, but you certainly won't catch me pausing The Book of Boba Fett to reply a video conversation while I'm comfy on my couch.

Sony'southward Bravia Cam arrives alongside the Sony 2022 Goggle box lineup and comes arranged with the new Z9K and A95K Serial, both of which have magnetic terminals for mounting the photographic camera direct on the TV. Optionally, customers tin can add a Bravia Cam to the 2022 A90K, A80K, X95K, X90K, X85K, X80K Series via USB, though there'south no information nonetheless nearly how much the webcam volition cost on its own.

Be sure to check out all the latest production news at our CES 2022 live blog.

Kate Kozuch is a senior writer at Tom's Guide covering wearables, TVs and everything smart-domicile related. When she's not in cyborg mode, y'all can find her on an practise bike or channeling her inner celebrity chef. She and her robot regular army volition rule the world one day, but until then, reach her at kate.kozuch@futurenet.com.