Panasonic To Launch Worldís Smallest And Lightest Portable DVD Player With Built-In LCD Screen
Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company (PCEC) has announced its latest triumph in DVD technology, the new DVD-L50 PalmTheaterô portable DVD player. The miniature miracle is even more compact and versatile than last yearís celebrated DVD-L10 (hailed by many as the ""coolest gadget of 1998""), making it the worldís smallest and lightest portable DVD player with a built-in LCD screen. Like its predecessor, the DVD-L50 puts all the incredible video and audio performance of DVD right in the palm of your hand. The DVD-L50 weighs less than 2 pounds (without battery). With the battery attached, it weighs just 2.07 pounds. It measures 5.51 inches by 5.96 inches and is less than 2 inches thick. The portable player features a built-in, 5-inch LCD monitor with 280,000 pixel resolution for outstanding picture quality with a wide viewing angle. The touch of a button lets you select either the 4:3 (1.33:1) standard TV screen dimension or the 16:9 (1.78:1) widescreen aspect ratio supported by most DVD titles. Advanced Virtual Surround Sound and a DTSÆ Digital Surround audio output are among the new features found on this yearís player. Other improvements include up to 3 hours of playback time, thanks to a new lithium ion battery pack. The DVD-L50 has its battery re-charger built right into it, so recharging is easier than ever. For added convenience, a ""credit card"" size remote control is supplied. The DVD-L50 also comes with a multi-voltage AC adapter for power supply for 110V to 240V, making it more convenient than ever to take your favorite DVD movies on the road. ""Weíve taken our PalmTheater concept to the next level,"" notes Rusty Osterstock, Assistant General Manager for Panasonicís Consumer DVD division. ""DVD forever changed the way people view movies. Panasonic added the convenience of portability. With its extraordinary mobility and playing time, the DVD-L50 lets consumers enjoy the exceptional performance of digital entertainment virtually anywhere."" Although designed to travel, the ultra-compact PalmTheater DVD-L50 offers the same wider array of features found on full-size DVD decks, and is said to be able to optimize the performance of the most sophisticated home theatre systems. The player features S-Video output, composite video output, and direct audio output for convenient connection to a TV and audio system for home enjoyment. A 10-bit video DAC (digital-to-analog converter) provide superb picture quality by minimizing digital artifacts. On-screen menu icons make navigating the playerís features and functions fast and simple. Features include multiple language selection, title/chapter search with marker function, auto-switching file/frame still, frame advance (forward and reverse), repeat mode and more. The DVD-L50 also provides the advanced audio features needed to completely appreciate the DVD experience. Its 96 kHz, 24-bit audio DAC produces optimal sound quality whether youíre playing a CD or DVD disc. The player can deliver superb sound through built-in, front-firing stereo speakers, or through external headphones via a headphone jack. And if you wish to connect the DVD-L50 to your home theatre system, Panasonicís Advanced Virtual Surround Sound feature simulates a 5.1 channel surround sound effect, down-mixed from either a 5.1 channel or 2.0 DolbyÆ Digital soundtrack, from the stereo speakers of any home audio system. The player also features output for both DTS Digital Surround and Dolby Digital decoding. The Panasonic DVD-L50 PalmTheater portable DVD player carries a suggested retail price of $1,099.95, and is slated for introduction in May 1999. For more information contact Rusty Osterstock at 201 271 3027 or access Panasonicís home page at www.panasonic.com.