Toshiba Delivers The Promise Of The Future With Advanced Lineup Of DVD-Video Players For 2001

Company Expands DVD Line With Five Models, Including Two Progressive Scan Players Plus A Full-Featured Five-Disc Carousel Changer

20-Feb-01

Toshiba, a leading developer and manufacturer of advanced digital entertainment products, has expanded its line of DVD player offerings at the 2001 CES with five models that redefine the potential and possibilities of the DVD format. The company is adding two ColorStreamÆ progressive scan-equipped players, as well as two players with DVD-Audio capability plus the five-disc Model SD2705 DVD changer. Toshiba is also delivering on its commitment to ""go anywhere"" entertainment at the 2001 CES, with the announcement of its second portable DVD player.With the introduction of its five models, Toshiba now offers a lineup of ten advanced DVD-Video players, including its flagship Model SD9200 equipped with Super ColorStream PRO progressive scan component video output DVD-Audio compatibility. Toshiba DVD players for 2001 feature a slimmer, more stylish cosmetic design, including the company's first-ever deck with a silver matte finish, the Cinema Series SD5700. For enhanced ease-of-operation many of the new players feature Toshiba's new advanced and intuitive NAVI menu and First Setup menu. Toshiba's DVD lineup for 2001 also includes five models with progressive scan (SD9200, SD6200, SD5700, SD4700, SDP1000) and three DVD-Audio compatible players (SD9200, SD5700, SD4700). Rounding out the lineup is the advanced SD2300 DVD-Video player. Its high-speed microprocessor and NUONô-enhanced capability redefines interactivity and special effects playback.""Consumers have overwhelmingly chosen DVD as the video medium of choice for the 21st century,"" noted Craig Eggers, Director of Product Management for DVD. ""As a prime developer of DVD, Toshiba's goal is to provide consumers with the widest possible range of product selection as well as the most advanced, leading-edge technologies that tap the full potential of the format's capabilities. With the addition of these five new models, Toshiba now offers the industry's most advanced line of DVD players, delivering reference-standard image quality while expanding the format into the realms of both serious audiophile-quality sound and multimedia interactivity.""Image Quality Is Paramount In 2001 LineupSuperior picture quality remains the single most important aspect of Toshiba's DVD strategy for 2001. To this end, all Toshiba players include ColorStreamÆ component video outputs. The ColorStream component video connection is the ideal interface between a digital video source and a connected display device. The resulting picture is characterized by superior image purity, incredibly lifelike colors and crisp color resolution.Further enhancing image quality, all Toshiba DVD players feature Video Black Level Expansion circuitry. With this function, the viewer can choose to set the reference black threshold cutoff to Normal (7.5 IRE) or Enhanced (0 IRE). The Enhanced position expands the overall contrast range in the picture, resulting in richer, deeper blacks, finer tonal gradation and grayscale reproduction. All Toshiba DVD players include the capability of reproducing ""blacker than black"" PLUGE signals, a critical feature for calibrating optimum brightness levels in a home theatre environment.The ColorStream PRO DifferenceToshiba was the first DVD manufacturer to announce, demonstrate and market the image-enhancing benefits of ColorStream PRO progressive scan video. At CES 2001 the company expanded its lineup of progressive scan DVD players with the new SD4700 and Cinema Series SD5700 DVD players, both of which provide reference-standard image quality. Toshiba ColorStream PRO technology utilizes advanced analog and digital filtering to process the entire video signal and significantly reduce associated video noise in the progressive scan image. The result is the purest most natural and film-like video image available today. Super ColorStream PRO is characterized by a flicker-free video image with demonstrably improved edge definition and enhanced color detail. Every nuance of the video signal is reproduced, yielding an incredible 540 horizontal lines of resolution. To further enhance picture quality, a built-in 10-bit/54MHz Video DAC contributes to an artifact-free picture during playback of fast motion and highly detailed scenes. Toshiba Digital Cinema Progressive technology elegantly identifies and displays native 24-frame film-based content as 60 complete frames of video. The resulting images are precise, highly detailed, and free of the motion artifacts that occur in conventional progressive scan players.DVD-Audio For Audiophile-Quality PerformanceDVD's inherent advantages in high density storage make possible a higher level of digital audio performance than any other packaged medium previously available. This potential is realized with Toshiba's two new DVD-Audio players (SD4700 and SD5700), as well as the flagship Model SD9200. DVD-Audio can deliver up to 192kHz/24-bit stereo audio (compared to 44.1kHz/16-bit for standard CD audio). This translates to a remarkable improvement in sound quality that is far superior to CD, with wider frequency response, vastly improved dynamic range and resolution, exceptional warmth and clarity and a far more realistic sonic presentation. Importantly, DVD-Audio can also deliver up to six channels of full bandwidth content. The effect is one of total immersion in the music. Listeners have compared the experience of DVD-Audio to being present in a concert hall where they can actually ""hear"" the air in the room, with every aspect of the musical performance, including subtle harmonics and hall reflections recreated in vivid detail. All Toshiba DVD-Audio players are equipped with leading-edge 24-bit/192kHz converters from Analog DevicesÆ that are designed to deliver the highest possible sound quality.Further reflecting Toshiba's commitment to exemplary audio performance and the versatility of its products, several models feature HDCDÆ precision filtering and decoding, a process that provides true 20-bit audio resolution from the growing number of HDCD-enhanced discs. The patented HDCD precision filtering process also enhances the playback sound of conventional CDs. With HDCD decoding, a Toshiba DVD player is literally transformed into a superb audiophile-quality CD player, capable of providing the full sonic benefits of the thousands of HDCD-encoded CD titles now available. Additionally, in 2001, virtually all Toshiba DVD-Video players offer playback of CD-R formatted CDs.Commitment To High Performance And High ValueToshiba includes performance enhancement and convenience features throughout its entire DVD line, and the SD2700 exemplifies the company's commitment to high performance and high value. A special Picture Preference mode (designated as EPM on the remote control) offers viewers a choice of two black level settings and three preset picture modes. The NORMAL setting provides the NTSC standard black cutoff level of 7.5 IRE. The ENHANCED BLACK LEVEL is preset for zero black level cutoff, providing a wider dynamic range of brightness (black level). The three preset picture modes include: MOVIE ONE, for enhanced contrast and brighter black levels, MOVIE TWO for softer, more lustrous color rendition, with a glossy tone, and ANIMATION, which enhances the image by brightening colors and providing for rich, solid black reproduction.For optimum audio performance, the SD2700 features coaxial and optical digital audio outputs, permitting external decoding of DolbyÆ Digital and DTSÆ Digital Surroundô-encoded soundtracks. In addition, HDCD precision filtering and decoding provides true 20-bit audio resolution from the growing number of HDCD-enhanced CDs and also enhances the playback sound of conventional CDs.Model SD2300 - NUON-Enhanced Functionality Toshiba's recently introduced Model SD-2300 with NUON-enhanced functionality points the way to the future of DVD interactivity. Developed by VM Labs Inc. of Mountain View, California, the 128-bit NUON Media Processor enables the SD2300 to function as complete interactive home entertainment system. The user interface is enhanced with advanced graphic capabilities that provide a compelling look and feel to on-screen menus, multiple overlay capability and picture-in-graphics displays. NUON technology also provides dramatic advancements in special effects, such as seamless slow motion, reverse playback images and a unique 16-power zoom function with digital filtering. For playback of compact discs, the SD2300 features a Virtual Light Machineô mode that provides users with a variety of distinct visuals and graphics that pulse and beat in sync with the music. The NUON-enhanced SD2300 offers complete compatibility with NUON-enhanced DVD movie titles created and distributed by major Hollywood studios, in addition to pure gaming capabilities. Consumers will soon have access to expanded movie viewing features including interactive menus and extra content not before available from a set-top player. Future access to the Web will be possible, through the use of an external compatible module.Ergonomic Improvements For Convenience And FlexibilityEase-of-use and viewer convenience have always been a top priority in Toshiba DVD players. For example, many new models feature an advanced and intuitive NAVI menu that utilizes bitmap-level graphics and a circular-icon based display for instant access to key menu capabilities. A unique QUICK MENU navigation feature on many Toshiba DVD players ""pre-anticipates"" consumer needs and further enhances ease-of-use. When the ""QUICK"" key on the remote is pressed, an on-screen menu appears, displaying only those commands specific to the particular playback mode in which the player is engaged. This makes interaction with the player faster and easier, eliminating the need to scroll through the full range of menu choices. A unique FIRST SETUP menu, first introduced by Toshiba, assists consumers in accurately setting up their player to suit their system's capabilities. The FIRST SETUP menu quickly configures the DVD player for 90 percent of all home entertainment applications in a simple and straightforward manner. And for users who consistently misplace their remote control, many Toshiba DVD players include front panel navigation of player menu and disc-based menu functions. Another Toshiba feature accessible via the NAVI menu is the company's Strobe Picture Viewer, featured on Models SD2300, SD4700, SD5700 and SD9200, allows users to display high-speed action images in successive order by selecting the number of picture ""samples"" desired and varying the time between each successive image. This feature is ideal for examining scenes such as a golf swing or special effect sequence. Additionally, Toshiba DVD players feature four-power picture zoom, enabling viewers to magnify selected areas of the picture by a power of four - another especially useful feature for examining special effects and sports sequences.Most new Toshiba DVD players also include a newly redesigned remote control with a unique toggle switch design, eight-way compass cursor and Virtual Remote key. When the Virtual Remote key is pressed, an easy-to-read on-screen remote control display appears as an overlay on the video image. The Virtual Remote feature allows users to access key DVD playback functions on-screen, directing their commands entirely from the compass cursor of the handheld remote. This feature provides ideal access to primary player operations in low light home theatre environments. A remote confirmation feature adds to the convenience of remote operation, providing an audible confirmation ""beep"" whenever a command has been received. For more information, visit www.toshiba.com.

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