Toshiba Introduces its First DVD-Video Player in Japan

TOKYO -- September 26, 1996 -- Toshiba Corporation today announced its first DVD-Video player, the SD-3000. The company expects the player to promote development of a broadly- based consumer market for DVD, the next-generation high-density optical disc. Sales of the new player start on November 1 in Japan, at a price of ¥77,000.

The new player draws on Toshiba's state-of-the-art expertise in DVD-related technologies, including advanced LSIs, optical disc technology, MPEG2 video decoding and other digital information processing technology. The SD-3000 fully complies with the unified DVD standard, which Toshiba took the lead in setting.

On top of superior image and sound output, the digital technologies at the heart of the SD-3000 allow it to offer a wide range of advanced features, including mulitlingual capabilities and multi-aspect function. The SD-3000's highly-reliable dual lens pick-up also allows it to playback music CDs.

Dolby, AC-3 and Pro Logic are the trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation.

Background to commercialization

The DVD disc offers a 4.7 gigabytes of storage capacity on a single side of a 12cm disc. That's equivalent to 3,200 floppy disks or 7 CD-ROMs. Thanks to the use of optical discs only 0.6mm thick, a single DVD can store 133 minutes of superior- quality moving pictures and sound on a single side -- space enough for an entire movie. DVD's range of applications is virtually unlimited, extending far beyond movie software to embrace digital storage of any and all forms of audiovisual publishing.

The worldwide DVD hardware market is expected to reach 120 million units in the year 2000. The worldwide market for DVD players for playback of audiovisual software is expected to get off to a flying start with sales of 2 million units in the first year, rising to 20 million in the year 2000. In Japan, 500,000 units are expected to be sold in the first year, rising to 4 million in the year 2000.

Main features of the new product

  1. The SD-3000, which fully complies with the unified DVD standard, is able to take full advantage of the rich functionality of DVD software. Pictures and sound are played back with all the outstanding quality associated with DVD.
  2. Equipped with a highly-reliable, switchable dual-lens pick-up, the SD-3000 can also play back music CDs whose signal layer position is different from that of DVD by automatically detecting the difference, and responding accordingly.
    Focus control enables playback of single-sided, double-layer discs (with a capacity of 8.5 gigabytes).
  3. By using the remote controller, various functions can be set and selected on screen, including Multilingual capabilities enabling selection of soundtrack and subtitles, Multi-aspect to optimize picture reproduction in accordance with the screen format of the TV to which the player is connected, Multi-angle viewing, and Multi-story function. TV channel selection and volume control can be executed by using the remote controller's multifunctional cross keys. Program playback of music CD is available by 10-key input.
  4. Among the many playback functions available are 2X- and 8X-speed playback; frame-by-frame playback; slow motion playback; last memory playback to start playback from the position at which the playback previously stopped; title/chapter/track search to search the start of a desired title, chapter or track; repeat playback to playback only the desired title, chapter, track or portion; and memory playback to playback up to 30 desired titles, chapters and tracks in a desired sequence. Easy operation via remote controller allows playback of the visual the user desires to view.
  5. For video output, in addition to S-video output and composite video output terminals, a Y/Cr/Cb output terminals are equipped to take full advantage of the player's superior picture reproduction capabilities. For audio output, 2 analog audio outputs and 2 PCM/AC-3 digital audio outputs (coaxial/optical output) are equipped. To enjoy superb picture performance, simply connect the DVD player to a TV.
    And, by connecting Dolby digital bitstream output to the speaker via the amplifier with Dolby Digital (AC-3) decoder, realistic audio ambiance by Dolby Digital (AC-3) 5.1-channel surround sound is achieved.

(Note)

Main functions of DVD-Video standard

  1. The large capacity of 4.7 gigabytes achieves long storage time with superior image and sound quality. By using MPEG2 high-quality digital signal image compression technology, a disc with the large capacity of 4.7 gigabytes can store 133 minutes of images and sound superior in quality to VHS-video, video CD or laser disc. (*1)
    High-quality images with horizontal resolution of 500 lines are achieved. Audio performance is outstanding thanks to linear PCM sound exceeding the CD standard (No. of quantization bit: 16/20/24 bit, sampling frequency: 48/96KHz) and Dolby Digital (AC-3) 5.1-channel surround sound, realizing surround sound comparable to that experienced in a movie theater. (*2)
    (*1) at an average data rate of 3.5Mbps for image 3 audio channels and 4 subtitle channels of Dolby Digital (5.1ch).
    (*2) for playback of DVD software supporting Dolby Digital (AC-3) 5.1ch surround sound over a suitably equipped sound system
  2. Multilingual capabilities
    It is possible to store a maximum of 8 soundtracks, each in a different language, and subtitles in 32 languages. Users can freely select and combine soundtracks and subtitles stored in the DVD software for playback.
  3. Multi-aspect feature
    DVD supports Squeeze system whereby full-spec information of wide-aspect images is compressed to 4:3 images and stored on a disc. With a wide-screen TV, squeezed images are returned to 16:9 wide-aspect images in Full mode for reproduction of high-quality images. With a 4:3 TV, squeezed images are reproduced in Letter-box format or Pan & Scan. With Letter-box, wide-aspect images are displayed on a 4:3 screen with black margins at top and bottom of the image, and with Pan & Scan, some portions of wide-aspect images are deleted to fit a 4:3 format.
  4. Multi-story function
    Multi-story function allows users to select the story development in advance, or select from a menu screen at key turning points, so that various story developments prepared by software producers can be enjoyed.
  5. Multi-angle function
    Software producers can store multiple shots of the same action from different camera angles. Multi-angle function allows users to select the angle they prefer.

Specifications: