Pioneer Expands Leading Line of Professional DVD Recorders; PRV-9200 Offers Speed & Simplicity For Wide Range of Applications.

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. announced today the availability of the PRV-9200 professional DVD recorder. Boasting a 160-gigabyte built-in hard disk drive (HDD) and 48X high-speed copying, the PRV-9200 offers speedy, simplified and convenient creation of compliant DVD-Video discs without the need for a computer or authoring software. This professional DVD recorder is available for recording and playback in NTSC and PAL standards for a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $1,025.

"When archiving video content to DVD, the PRV-9200 can quickly copy files directly from the hard drive without any loss of video quality, drastically reducing recording times, saving valuable time and money," said Linda Toleno, vice president for Industrial Video and Mass Storage at Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. "Unique features such as high-speed copying, combined with ease-of-use and the targeted price point of the PRV-9200 make it a natural extension of Pioneer's powerful line of professional DVD Recorders," she added.

In addition to drastically reducing copy times, DVD-R/DVD-RW discs recorded on the PRV-9200 are highly compatible and can be played back in most DVD players including industrial players, consumer players, in-car systems, portable DVD players, as well as computers.

For added flexibility, the recorder allows high-speed copying of content from a DVD-RW disc recorded in Video mode to be directly recorded back onto the internal HDD, allowing users to re-purpose content, making edits or changes before recording it to a new DVD-R/DVD-RW disc. Users also can re-encode original HDD recording while making a copy simultaneously to a DVD disc in real time.

Additional product highlights include:

--Extended Recording Times - four optional recording levels offering varying picture quality (Extended Play, Long Play, Standard Play or FINE mode, allowing up to six hours on one DVD-R/DVD-RW media in the extended play mode);

--Convenient Copy Modes - including one-touch copy, copy list management, disc backup and simultaneous high-speed copying and recording/playback;

--Exclusive Disc Backup and Bit-for-Bit Recording - using the HDD, identical discs can be copied at high speeds without the need to recompress the video to another format.

--Chase Play - allows users to simultaneously watch, stop or pause the content while recording;

--Smart Variable Bit Rate Recording (VBR) - lets the user choose or automatically sets the best possible recording quality level suiting the content and project;

--Advanced Disc Navigator - user-friendly menu system for all key functions and options;

--Full Motion Thumbnails with Sound - for simplified previewing, locating and editing material;

--Built-in Tuner - combined with Pioneer's timer record, allows added flexibility for recording sources and automation;

--Sophisticated Video Playback - featuring PureCinema 2:3 Progressive Scan for more film-like presentation, a full set of connections including component video output for higher quality signal, and a JPEG photo viewer compatible with Fuji and Kodak discs and CD-R/RW discs burned from a PC;

--Superior Audio - built-in Dolby Digital and DTS Digital Surround Sound outputs and AV D/A converters;

--IEEE-1394/DV Input/Output (i.LINK) - allowing users to record digital component video content from a DV source such as a DV camera, tape deck or DV output from a computer.

--Three-pin AC Power Cable - for simplified connection and use with relevant vertical market components;

--NTSC, PAL/SECAM TV Format Support

"From basic editing and compliant DVD-Video copying to more integrated vertical market applications, the PRV-9200 provides an ideal range of features, reliability and convenience unmatched in the marketplace," said Toleno.

Pioneer's Industrial Video & Mass Storage Group is the leader and technical innovator in professional DVD-Video products for a variety of industrial markets. It is a part of the Industrial Solutions for Business Division, which provides professional business-to-business products across a wide range of markets including professional video/audio, education, medical, legal and banking.

Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif., and its U.S. Web address is www.pioneerelectronics.com. Its parent company, Pioneer Corporation, is a leader in optical disc technology and a preeminent manufacturer of high-performance audio, video, computer and cable equipment for the home, car and business markets. The company focuses on four core business domains including DVD, display technologies, Digital Network Entertainment and components. Founded in 1938 in Tokyo, Pioneer Corporation (NYSE:PIO) employs more than 36,000 people worldwide. Its shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange.