WM9 HD-capable DVD player coming out...

[HDTV4ever]

Here we go, a PR about an upcoming DVD player with WMV9 with HD support, a nice way to view those Euro1080 recordings, after a "little" conversion and DVD-burning:

 

FOR RELEASE: JANUARY 6, 2004

 

V INC. ANNOUNCES BRAVO HD DVD PLAYER WITH WINDOWS MEDIA VIDEO 9 AND HIGHMAT PLAYBACK

 

* V Inc. Bravo D3 Home HD DVD Media Player is First to Announce Support for High Definition WMV9 and HighMAT Formatted Playback

* Powered by Sigma Designs' New EM8620L Single Solution on-chip Processor with REALmagic HD Decoding and Processing

* Windows Media Video 9 Provides Better Compression for Streaming and Storing Content with Full Digital Rights Management Protection for HD Content

 

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CA and LAS VEGAS, NV (CES) -- January 6, 2004 -- V Inc., the multiple award-winning digital display brand, today announced the first high definition DVD player with Windows Media Video 9 and HighMAT formatted playback. Powered by Sigma Designs' (Nasdaq: SIGM) EM8620L on-chip processor, the Bravo D3 also provides pure perfect DVD playback via DVI output in high-resolution 480p, 1080i and 720p formats. Expected to ship in Q'2 2004 with a target retail of $349.00, the Bravo D3 is consistent with V Inc.'s mission to bring practical technological innovation to consumer electronics products while maintaining operational simplicity and value.

 

The Bravo D3 will also include DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, CD, CD-R/RW playback. The Bravo D3 is the first DVD player capable of playing MPEG2, MPEG4 and WMV9 in High Definition. Audio decoding includes WMA9, WMA Pro, WMA lossless, Dolby Digital, MP3, MPEG-1/2 (layers 1, 2, and 3) and MPEG-4 AAC. The player supports Dolby Digital and DTS multi-channel audio pass-through on Toslink optical and S/PDIF coaxial digital outputs. The player features NTSC/PAL output in composite and S-Video formats with interlaced or progressive component video output in 480i, 480p, 1080i, 720p and user-definable linear and non-linear resolutions.

 

Any form of decoded content can be output in a direct digital DVI-HDTV video RGB format keeping the display free from analog conversion artifacts. Beyond the normal decoding of content, the player will offer REALmagic scaling and scan conversion with appropriate 3:2 pull down, advanced display processing including, programmable linear and non-linear scaling, a 5-plane video mixer, adaptive de-interlacing, adaptive flicker filtering and pixel-based alpha mixing - all free of annoying interlaced chroma problems. The player's component video output will be limited to 480p on playback of DVD content when CSS copy protection is found. The player's DVD drive and processor will be second to none with transparent layer changes and a convenient zoom function for non-anamorphic content rendering.

 

"We're extremely pleased with our successor to the popular Bravo D1. By integrating Windows Media Video 9 decoding, the Bravo D3 continues our goal of making more high definition content readily available for HDTVs." stated William Wang, CEO of V Inc.

 

The Sigma Designs EM8620L Media Processor

The new EM8620L media processor from Sigma Designs provides a complete single-chip solution for IP video set-top boxes, DVD receivers and DVD players. The EM8620L offers a wide range of media processing functions for video decoding, audio decoding, and graphics processing based on REALmagic HD technology, for the highest quality image possible on high definition displays. For single-chip systems, it features an on-chip RISC processor, PCI-bus IDE controller and additional peripheral ports for supporting other subsystems. Configured with standard front-end components, the EM8620L provides a full-featured solution for advanced set-top appliances.

 

"As the demand for more ubiquitous video along with high-definition features continues to increase, the popularity of new advanced CODECS such as Microsoft's Windows Media 9 Series will no doubt rise," said Ken Lowe, VP of strategic marketing of Sigma Designs. "At this point, we are seeing substantial momentum towards the use of Windows Media Video 9 for IP video solutions that can deliver high-quality video streaming, as well as DVD players such as V Inc.'s Bravo D3 that can accept the widening range of video formats."

 

About Windows Media Video 9 and HighMAT Formatting

The entertainment industry is examining technologies such as Windows Media 9 Series, which provides better compression efficiency for streaming and storing digital media content and supports full digital rights management protection, where it was previously not possible. Driven primarily by increased compression efficiency, network providers can now offer a new range of high-quality, high-resolution video services over bandwidth-limited networks. Additionally, with both published DVD and user-created content beginning to appear, WMV9 support looms on the horizon as the new must-have feature for enthusiasts buying DVD players. These DVD players will be able to read and navigate a mixture of video, audio, and image content created using the new HighMAT format, a standard established jointly by Matshushita and Microsoft.

 

The Windows Media Video HD format of a "Terminator 2" bonus DVD from Artisan studios in June of 2003 was the first evidence of an underlying movement to deliver a large number of titles encoded in HD. Concurrently, the amount of compelling downloadable and streaming video content is also building up rapidly, and can be accessed from Web-sites such as at CinemaNow, iFilm, Movielink, Movie Magix, netcine, SkyPerfecTV, WOWOW and BMWfilms.com. Aside from commercially available content, Windows Movie Maker 2, Microsoft's easy to use video editing feature of Windows XP, is another tool that's providing consumers with loads of home movies.

 

About Sigma Designs, Inc.

Sigma Designs (Nasdaq: SIGM) specializes in silicon-based MPEG decoding for streaming video, progressive DVD playback, and advanced digital set-top boxes. The company's award-winning REALmagic® Video Streaming Technology is used in both commercial and consumer applications providing highly integrated solutions for high-quality decoding of MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4. Headquartered in Milpitas, Calif., the company also has sales offices in China, Europe, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. For more information, please visit the company's web site at www.sigmadesigns.com.

 

About V Inc.

V Inc., "Where Vision Meets Value," headquartered in Fountain Valley, California, is a leading edge digital technology company. Within months after its launch, the brand won numerous product awards from leading print and online publications. Founded by William Wang, a leader in the computer display industry, V Inc. is bringing vision to the consumer electronics market through practical innovation. V Inc. products offer customers the most advanced technologies at the most affordable value. Products now include the Vizio and Velite lines of plasma, LCD and DLP EDTV/HDTV displays, along with Bravo DVD and HDTV set top solutions. For more information, please call 714-962-4848 or visit them on the web at www.Vinc.com.

 

The V name and symbol are registered trademarks of V, Inc. All other trademarks may be the property of their respective holders.

 

Source: V Inc.

 

# # #

 

Contacts:

Laynie Allen

V, Inc.

T: 714-962-4848

E: Laynie.allen@vinc.com

 

Jim Noyd

Jefferson/Acker Advertising + Communications

T: 310-374-5904 x223

M: 310-951-3768

E: Jim_Noyd@acker.com

 

Editors note: Photos and preliminary specifications available upon request from agency.

---------------

 

http://www.vinc.com/

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread....threadid=347428

[HDTV4ever]

Sweet, looking at this PR, there are a couple of more units coming out with the same chip, having the same HD capability, but not knowing about the outputs though, too bad that the chip wont be out until May and then the dvd players have to be manufactured too:

http://www.sigmadesigns.com/news/press_rel...ases/040107.htm

 

"Apex is a company rocketing ahead in the market based on providing consumers with exciting consumer electronic products, like DVD players," said Stephen Brothers, President, Apex Digital, Inc. "In continuing our drive towards excellence and maintaining our leadership in the electronics arena, we recognize that selecting a solution like Sigma's EM8620L is a natural necessity. Our customers depend on us to provide leading-edge products with solid reliability and performance. Our new DVD player delivers steady reliability and precise performance."

 

KiSS Technology, a globally leading Scandinavian manufacturer of DVD products will launch three new products at CES. These include the DVD player DP-600, DVD recorder DP-678, and a streaming device SB-020, all using the EM8620L media processor from Sigma Designs. The DVD player, DP-600 offers WMV9, progressive scan, MPEG-4, MP3 playback, advanced user interface and a photo album feature. The player is already equipped with an Ethernet 10/100 port and wireless connection. The DVD recorder, DP-678, includes a standard DVD drive, 80 GB or 120GB hard disc and integrated TV tuner. The tuner enables the consumer to easily record programs, download files from the PC to the DVD player or TV, and the Ethernet and wireless capabilities allow consumers to watch movies, view photographs, and listen to music and radio via the Internet. The SB-020 streaming device provides a wireless network connection, eliminating the need to lay wires in the home to transfer material from the PC to the streaming device. The streaming device also connects directly to the Internet and provides video-on-demand for viewing and renting movies from the Internet.

 

"The entertainment world is changing rapidly for the avid consumer," said Peter Christensen, CEO, KiSS Technology. "KiSS has traditionally provided its customers with the most advanced features and capabilities to provide the consumer with a seamless entertainment experience. Working with Sigma's solidly proven solutions provide us with the opportunity to raise the bar with each new product. With wireless networking and Internet capabilities - the world of consumer devices will continue to evolve and grow."

 

V Inc., the multiple award-winning digital display brand plans to launch the Bravo D3 high definition DVD player with WMV9 and HighMAT formatted playback. Bravo D3 is powered with Sigma's EM8620L on-chip processor allowing the Bravo D3 to provide DVD playback via DVI output in high-resolution 480p, 1080i and 720p formats. The Bravo D3 will also include DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, CD, CD-R/RW playback. The Bravo D3 is one of the first DVD players capable of playing MPEG2, MPEG4 and WMV9 in high definition. Audio decoding includes WMA9, WMA Pro, WMA lossless, Dolby Digital, MP3, MPEG-1/2 (layers 1, 2, and 3) and MPEG-4 AAC. The player supports Dolby Digital and DTS® multi-channel channel audio pass-through on Toslink optical and S/PDIF coaxial digital outputs. The player features NTSC/PAL output in composite and S-Video formats with interlaced or progressive component video output in 480i, 480p, 1080i, 720p and user-definable linear and non-linear resolutions.