Toshiba Showcases New DVD-Video Players

6-Dec-02

Lineup Features Industry's First DVD Recorder With Hard Disk Recording, Progressive Scan Portable Player, High-Performance Models In All Price RangesToshiba, a primary developer and leader in DVD technology, demonstrated its comprehensive lineup of players designed to satisfy the market's fast-growing demand for superior quality DVD entertainment. The company continues to expand its broad range of DVD players, covering key price ranges and feature sets--including the industry's first DVD recorder with an 80 GB built-in hard disk drive (RD-X2) and the industry's only progressive scan-equipped portable DVD-Video/Audio player featuring an 8.9-inch high-resolution LCD display (SD-P2000).""As a primary developer of DVD technology it is our responsibility to lead the industry with a full range of innovative players that push the envelope of the DVD format--enhance and expand the DVD experience--and give consumers more ways to enjoy the high-quality benefits of the DVD experience while giving our retailers more value-added DVD products,"" said Jodi Sally, Director of Marketing for Toshiba Video Products. Stylish New Cosmetics, Innovative Convenience FeaturesDistinguished by their slim, streamlined and sophisticated appearance, all Toshiba DVD players combine aesthetic appeal with unsurpassed image quality and audio performance. Toshiba has also made significant enhancements to convenience and flexibility with features such as expanded front panel controls, WMA playback capability, Digital Photo Viewer Technology, a Dialogue Expander, an on-screen Virtual Remote Control, and a Bookmarking function that permits carousel users to label nine favorite scenes on any loaded DVD disc for instant access.Toshiba's lineup of six high-performance players includes four progressive scan-equipped models. These include the SD-4800 DVD-Video/Audio player featuring a newly designed universal TV/DVD remote control, and the high-quality, high-performance SD-3800. Complementing the performance of the SD-3800 is the five-disc carousel SD-3815, equipped with MP3 and progressive scan capability. The high-value SD-2800, equipped with component video output and front panel menu access, is complemented by the five-disc carousel model SD-2815.Toshiba continues its tradition of leadership with the RD-X2, the industry's first DVD with 80 GB hard disk recording capability and DVD-R/RAM, as well as the company's first ultra-high-resolution (1024 x 600) portable widescreen DVD-Audio/Video player with progressive scan, two-channel DVD-Audio compatibility, and a 8.9-inch widescreen display (model SD-P2000). Toshiba Innovation...In Image QualityImage quality has always been paramount in Toshiba DVD players. Toshiba was the first manufacturer to offer DVD players equipped with ColorStreamÆ component video outputs (included on every Toshiba model produced) for enhanced video performance, as well as ColorStream ProÆ progressive scan technology, featured in four of the company's players (SD-4800, SD-3815, SD-3805, and SD-3800).ColorStream ProÆ is characterized by a film-like, virtually flicker-free video image with demonstrably enhanced resolution and color detail. Every nuance of the video signal is reproduced, yielding an incredible 540 horizontal lines of resolution. To further enhance picture quality, the SD-3800 and SD-4800 have a built-in 54 MHz/10-bit video DAC which contributes to an artifact-free picture during playback of fast motion and highly detailed scenes.Toshiba progressive scan-equipped DVD players are the ultimate ""future-ready"" video source components. Connecting a Toshiba progressive scan-equipped DVD player to an HDTV monitor display device yields an unsurpassed home theatre experience, with on-screen images that are film-like in quality. In addition, the Toshiba SD-3800 and SD-4800 progressive scan DVD players feature 8:8:8 oversampling of interlaced color signals, simultaneously enabling them as the ideal source component for display on a conventional analog color television set.Further enhancing image quality, many Toshiba DVD players feature Video Black Level Expansion circuitry. This capability allows viewers to set the reference black threshold cutoff to either Normal (7.5 IRE) or Enhanced (0 IRE). The Enhanced position expands the overall contrast range in the picture, resulting in richer, deeper blacks, and finer tonal gradation and gray scale reproduction. Most Toshiba DVD players also include the capability of reproducing ""blacker than black"" PLUGE signals, a critical feature for calibrating optimum brightness levels in a home theatre environment.Toshiba Innovation...In Flexibility And Control SimplicityToshiba's new DVD players are designed to provide consumers the fastest, most flexible, and user-friendly operation, with quick access to all functions. For example, select models include an expanded complement of front-panel controls, including a new one-touch Picture Zoom button, and a menu access button, which provides access to key player and disc functions.Many Toshiba DVD players are equipped with an intuitive NAVI menu that utilizes on-screen graphics and a simplified icon display for instant access to key menu capabilities. An easy-to-use Quick Menu navigation feature further enhances ease-of-operation. 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 layers of menu options. In addition, 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. Easy Creation Of Digital Photo Slide ShowsThe popularity of digital photography has opened up yet another method for Toshiba to expand the DVD entertainment experience. Toshiba's SD-4800 and SD-3800 players feature a Digital Photo Viewer feature that makes it easy to create digital photo slide shows. Digital still images (JPEGs) downloaded from a digital camera to a CD-R can also be played. Users can simply insert a Kodak, Fuji, Canon, or Konica Photo CD on the disc tray and press close. Viewers have total creative control over their digital slide show, with viewing options including thumbnails, pan, zoom, multiple transition sequencing, and slide timer. All processes are executed via an intuitive on-screen interface, and the four-way compass buttons on the remote control. Another unique SD-4800 and SD-3800 feature is Toshiba's Strobe Picture Viewer, which 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 instructional video scenes such as a golf swing or tennis swing. In addition, all Toshiba DVD players include a picture zoom feature, enabling viewers to magnify selected areas of the picture, enlarge widescreen images, or examine effects close-up. Toshiba carousel players feature a 16x power zoom mode designed specifically for enhanced close-ups.Toshiba DVD players equipped with the NAVI menu feature include a 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 four-way compass cursor of the hand-held remote. This feature provides ready access to primary player operations in low-light home theatre environments. A remote confirmation feature, included on selected models, adds to the convenience of remote operation, providing an audible confirmation tone whenever a command has been received. The new SD-4800 and SD-3800 DVD players take remote control technology to the next level, offering ergonomically placed keys. The SD-4800 also adds universal TV/DVD functionality.Toshiba Innovation...In Audio PerformanceToshiba contributed to the development of the DVD-Audio format and has supported this format enthusiastically since its inception. With its astounding 144 dB dynamic range and a frequency response from approximately 2 Hz to 100 kHz for two-channel stereo audio, DVD-Audio marks a significant milestone in the quest for audio perfection and is the natural successor to the Compact Disc format. Toshiba presently offers two high-performance DVD-Video/Audio players, the SD-4800 and the two-channel DVD-Audio portable model SD-P2000. All Toshiba DVD-Audio players also include built-in Dolby DigitalÆ decoders, and all are equipped with leading-edge 192 kHz/24-bit DACs from Analog DevicesÆ, designed to deliver the full sonic benefits of two-channel DVD-Audio performances.The Toshiba SD-4800 can deliver up to six channels of full-bandwidth audio. In this mode, the DVD-Audio format utilizes MLPô (Meridian Lossless Packing) decoding for high-resolution (96 kHz/24-bit) multi-channel DVD-Audio programs.During playback, the MLP function ""unpacks"" the data and outputs it in its original bit-for-bit, high-resolution form, for sonic purity and fidelity that is absolutely faithful to the original multichannel digital master used to author the disc. Every nuance of the original performance is reproduced; rich overtones, natural harmonics, and the ""airiness"" of the room are all captured sonically. The effect of multichannel DVD-Audio is one of total immersion in the music.All Toshiba DVD players feature MP3 playback capability. With MP3, up to ten hours of a listener's favorite music can be compressed and stored as digital files on a single CD-R. The five-disc carousel model SD-3815, for instance, potentially allows users to access up to 50 hours of continuous MP3 music, or approximately 600 songs, without changing discs.All Toshiba DVD-Video players also offer playback of CD-R and CD-RW CDs for additional flexibility in music listening enjoyment. A Dialogue Expander feature, included on all models and accessible via the Enhanced Audio Mode (EAM) menu prompt, enhances critical center channel frequencies, improving intelligibility of movie dialogue scores. Elegant Cosmetics And Attractive Silver CabinetsToshiba's newest DVD-Video players for 2002 are distinguished by elegant new cosmetic styling that combines a sleek aesthetic with the ultimate in convenience and utility. Model SD-3800 for example, features a streamlined silver-finish cabinet accented by acrylic trim. In addition, the cabinets on all new players have been reduced in width, and select models feature acrylic faceplates that provide an attractive, high-tech appearance. The new slimmer cabinets on the SD-2815 and SD-3815 players are half the size of traditional DVD/CD changers, producing more entertainment value in less space. For more information, visit www.tacp.com.

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