FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 29,
1999
JVC and SONY Announce
Joint Development of a D-VHS System for the Network Age
Victor Company of Japan Ltd. (JVC) and Sony Corporation
today announced that they are cooperating in the joint
development of a D-VHS system which features an IEEE 1394
interface appropriate for the age of networking and
digital broadcasts.
The joint collaboration between the two firms is intended
to improve the manageability of D-VHS and its connectors
on digital interfaces, by combining JVC's technology and
know-how on basic D-VHS systems with Sony's expertise
regarding IEEE 1394 interface technologies.
This allows the D-VHS video device to be connected to a
set-top box to receive satellite broadcasts or digital
terrestrial broadcasts, providing broad capabilities in
recording, playback, and transferring of digital video
images.
D-VHS was developed by JVC as a next-generation VCR
technology for the digital age.
Sony's digital data transfer technology was incorporated
into the joint development effort to standardize a
digital video system for the "network age" and
support a wide range of applications by adopting the
IEEE1394 Interface.
The cooperative agreement shows the intent of both firms
to proceed with development, in order to commercialize
and expand the capabilities of D-VHS as a next-generation
VCR technology in the era of digital broadcasts and
networking, and to further promote the format to
consumers.
| <D-VHS
Features> |
| |
1. |
Can
record both the analog signal of today's
broadcasts and the bit stream of digital
broadcasts. |
| |
2. |
Can
take advantage of tape media characteristics to
provide large-capacity digital data storage
(approx. 44 gigabytes). |
| |
3. |
Maintains
compatibility with current VHS system, and can
play any of the vast number of VHS video titles
currently available around the world. |
| |
4. |
Can
use currently available VHS technology, parts,
and manufacturing facilities to hasten evolution
and acceptance in the consumer market. |
| |
5. |
Adopts
IEEE 1394 interface which is compatible with a
wide range of digital multimedia devices. |
| <IEEE
1394 Interface Features> |
| |
1. |
Digital
interface connection through a single cable. |
| |
2. |
High-speed
transmission of high-volume digitized audiovisual
data. |
| |
3. |
Transmission
of control signals in addition to ordinary data. |
| |
4. |
Versatility
in connecting to various digital equipment, to
enable running of coordinated applications. |
| |
* The Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers (IEEE) set the standard in
1995. In order to have the standard recognized
by, and widely used among, more consumers, Sony
suggested in April 1997 that the interface be
called "i.LINK" and it be used as a
logo as well. |
| <Companies
that have provided technical advice for the D-VHS
format> |
| |
|
Hitachi, Ltd. |
| |
|
Matsushita
Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. |
| |
|
Philips
Electronic N.V./Grundig AG |
| |
|
|
| <Companies
that support the D-VHS format> |
| |
|
Hardware
makers: |
Tape
makers: |
| |
|
Daewoo
Electronics Co., Ltd. |
BASF
Corporation |
| |
|
Funai
Electric Co., Ltd. |
Fuji
Photo Film Co., Ltd. |
| |
|
LG
Electronics Inc. |
Hitachi
Maxell, Ltd. |
| |
|
Mitsubishi
Electric Corporation |
Konica
Corporation |
| |
|
Samsung
Electronics Co., Ltd. |
Sumitomo
3M Limited |
| |
|
Sanyo
Electric Co., Ltd. |
TDK |
| |
|
Sharp Corporation |
| |
|
Sony Corporation |
| |
|
Thomson Consumer Electronics |
| |
|
Toshiba Corporation |
| |
|
(listed in an
alphabetical order) |
# # #
|
