JVC Report



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)


# # #



HOME PAGE MAIL

(c)copyright 1999 VICTOR COMPANY OF JAPAN, LIMITED. All rights reserved.