Hitachi Licenses Digital8 From Sony

Also, DVD-Based Camcorder Arrives This FallBy David J. Elrich

2-May-00

Hitachi has become the first company to license the Digital8 video format from Sony. The company also announced that it will introduce a DVD-based camcorder this fall, but gave no specifications or pricing for the highly anticipated device. At its 2000 dealer meeting, Hitachi unveiled a wide assortment of new gear, including Digital8 camcorders, a DVD-based camcorder that was first shown at the Japan Electronics Show last October, a combination DVD player/CD-recorder deck and nine digital TVs (both integrated and HD-ready). The company also debuted 16 plain old NTSC sets and seven VCRs. Digital8 Compatible With Older FormatsThe biggest news is that Digital8 camcorders, first introduced by Sony in March 1999, record digital video and audio on high-band 8mm blank cassettes, which are far less expensive than DV blanks. Sony's first generation of Digital8 camcorders sold very well, because consumers appreciated that the format is backward compatible with their existing libraries of older 8mm/Hi8 tapes. And at $899 list, Digital8 was a relatively affordable way for home video makers to go digital. Sony introduced most of its second-generation Digital8 camcorders in March and April. The least expensive model is the DCR-TRV120, which sells for around $800. Hitachi's new entry-level Digital8 cam, the VMD865LA, has a list price of $699. The prices of these devices are definitely headed downward. The Hitachi VMD865LA has a solid feature package. Like most new camcorders, it has two viewfinders: a swing-out 2.5-inch LCD monitor and a smaller black-and-white eyepiece. Its 22x optical zoom can be boosted to 500x digitally. The unit also has electronic image stabilization (EIS), Program Auto Exposure settings for point-and-shoot recording, and digital special effects and fades. The more expensive VMD965LA ($799 list) adds a second color viewfinder and a built-in color enhancement light to illuminate dark scenes. Hitachi also unveiled a pair of full-sized VHS camcorders: one 8mm model and two high-band 8mm models. There's nothing unusual here, other than the fact that you can now buy a Hi8 camcorder with a 2.5-inch LCD monitor for $499 list, a major price drop from last year. New DVD Players Start Well Below $250As for DVD players, Hitachi has three for 2000. The least expensive model is the DVP305U ($229 list). It has component video outputs, 10-bit video digital-to-analog converters (DACs) and 96kHz/24-bit audio DACs. It passes DolbyÆ Digital and DTSÆ bitstreams. The DVP505U ($299 list) is compatible with CD-R and CD-RW discs and has a built-in Dolby Digital decoder and component video outputs. The standout, however, is the new dual-deck DVW1U ($799 list). The silver-finished component has a DVD drive on the left and a CD-RW drive on the right. It has one-button dubbing and 2x on-screen dubbing, synchro start, CD text editing and auto finalize. There's a jog/shuttle dial on the remote control, virtual surround sound, a built-in Dolby Digital decoder and component video outputs. Hitachi has HD-ready and integrated HDTVs (high-definition TVs) ranging in price from $2199 for a 43-inch tabletop projection TV to a cool $9999 for the 61-inch 61DMX01W, which uses DLPô (Digital Light Processingô) technology. The company's 61HDX01W, based on the traditional CRT (cathode ray tube) system, has a list price of just $5999, which indicates just how smartly HDTV prices are starting to drop. This 61-inch widescreen rear-projection TV (RPTV) has a built-in DIRECTVÆ Plus receiver for standard and high-definition DIRECTV satellite broadcasts and a built-in ATSC tuner to handle all 18 digital TV formats. It offers full 1080i and 540p progressive-scan SDTV (standard-definition TV) resolutions. Hitachi also had a number of analog direct-view TVs on display, ranging from $349 for a 27-inch model to $1199 for a 36-inch set. Among the RPTVs shown were a 50-incher for $1499 and a 61-incher for $2799. Despite all the hype about PVRs (Personal Video Recorders), VHS VCRs will continue to overwhelmingly outsell them in 2000 and for several years beyond. Price is the key reason. Hitachi's new VTFX6500A hi-fi stereo VHS deck has a list price of $99, while the top model tips the scales at a mere $179. The coolest one, though, has to be the iMac-inspired VTFX65SK, a hi-fi model with a see-through plastic case with blue accents. Nicknamed the ""Skeleton,"" it lists for $109.

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