Pioneer to Introduce New HDD/DVD Recorders for Japanese Market; Industry's First HDD/DVD Recorders with a Digital Tuner Supporting HDD Add-on Function.

Tokyo, Japan, Sept 14, 2006 - (JCN Newswire) - Pioneer Corporation announced today the introduction in Japan of four new HDD/DVD recorders, the DVR-RT700D (combination VHS/DVD with a 250 GB built-in HDD), the DVR-RT900D (combination VHS/DVD with a 400 GB built-in HDD), DVR-DT75 (with a 250 GB built-in HDD), the DVR-DT95 (with a 400 GB built-in HDD), and a 400 GB add-on hard disk drive HDD-S400. All of new four HDD/DVD recorders are the industry's first(*1) HDD add-on compatible HDD/DVD recorders with a digital tuner.

It is estimated that, with the expansion of the reception area in Japan for terrestrial digital broadcasts, over 80 percent of all Japanese households will be able to receive terrestrial digital broadcasting by the end of 2006.(*2) Demand and opportunities for recording terrestrial-digital high-definition broadcasts, which contain approximately four times more information than analog broadcasts, are growing dramatically. Even DVD recorders with large-capacity built-in hard drive may lack sufficient recording capacity.

The Pioneer HDD add-on function supported by the new HDD/DVD recorders is capable of increasing storage space for recording depending on users' need. It will be strategically placed to meet the demand of a large number of customers eager to record hours of programs in beautiful high definition as the age of digital high-definition broadcasting moves into high gear.

To further improve convenience and user-friendliness in operations, the new recorders offer various functions including the newly-designed Smart Remote Control to realize smart remote operations by employing a simple button-layout and a Smart Jog dial, high-resolution GUI screen, and Pioneer Recorder Hot Link remote operation from a Pioneer PureVision plasma TV(*3).

Pioneer plans to launch the DVR-RT700D and DVR-RT900D in Japan in early November, and the DVR-DT75, DVR-DT95 and HDD-S400 in mid-October, with no retail prices suggested.

Main Features

[Common to the DVR-RT700D, DVR-RT900D, DVR-DT75, and DVR-DT95]

1) The industry's first(*1) HDD/DVD recorders equipped with a digital tuner supporting an HDD add-on function capable of increasing storage space for recording depending on user's need

The Pioneer add-on HDD(*4) can be easily connected to the new recorders via a single prescribed cable. By replacing the add-on HDD, users can increase the available space for recording as many times as needed. The existing HDD-S250 offers approximately 29 additional hours of recording time, and the new HDD-S400 allows recording time to be increased by some 46 hours(*5). Dubbing between the built-in HDD and HDD add-on connected to the recorder, timer recording directly to the add-on HDD and chase play of recordings stored on add-on HDD are possible.

2) Newly-designed "Smart Remote Control" improves ease-of-use by employing a simple button-layout and a "Smart Jog" dial.

On the new remote control, the EPG button for setting timer recording is green in color, while the View button for viewing the recorded program is blue. Besides a simple layout that boasts the industry's least number(*1) of buttons among all remote controls for HDD/DVD recorders, the Smart Remote Control employs a Smart Jog dial whose function changes depending on how the recorder is being used. For example, the Smart Jog can be used to skip commercials during playback and frame-by-frame advance during Pause. Selecting digital broadcast channels is also a snap via the new remote control. Smart Channel Selection to list all current program information on the screen, and Quick Program Search to quickly search programs for timer recording, and other smart functions are available.

3) High-resolution (1920 x 1080 dots) Electronic Program Guide (EPG)(*6) screen

The 1920 x 1080 high-resolution GUI screen displays a large volume of information to realize a clear, easy-to-use EPG screen. The user can select the number of displayed channels. When the lower number is selected, the text in each channel display is larger, making it easier to read and select.

4) "Recorder Hot Link" remote operation from a Pioneer plasma TV

Pioneer's new DVD recorders support the Recorder Hot Link feature included in the Pioneer PureVision plasma TVs(*3). Simply pressing the Recorder Hot Link button on the TV remote control turns on power to the DVD recorder and displays the Disc Navigator screen. Viewers can also use the TV remote control to select a program displayed on the Disc Navigator screen and start play.

5) Environment-conscious design to realize low energy consumption

Power consumption in the standby mode (FL off) is 0.6 W for DVR-DT75 and DVR-DT95, and 0.8 W for DVR-RT700D and DVR-RT900D.

6) Other features

- HDMI(*7) output terminal for high-quality digital video transfer

- VR-mode recording to a Dual Layer DVD-R disc to allow users to move high-definition digital video recorded in the HDD to a disc at a higher picture quality than before

- Simultaneous recording of digital and analog TV broadcasts, while playing back the program from the HDD or DVD

- Simple and powerful auto-search functions in EPG timer recording including Keyword Search (using the specially tailored data containing about 220,000 words), New Program Search to quickly search for new TV programs, and Rough Genre Search to search for TV programs related to the user's desired genre selected from 12 selections.

- Program Trace (Program delay and Event Relay), unique to digital TV broadcasts, to free users from timer-recording failures

- Program trace functions are available to automatically/manually adjust the ending time of timer recording each for selected programs in case of the extension of the broadcasting time.

- Help Navigator displays the operation guide screen to tell users the next operation even if they haven't read the instruction manual.

- Equipped with a DV-input terminal for easily copying video material from a DV camcorder to the HDD or a DVD disc

- Remote Timer Recording from PCs or mobile phones

[Unique to the DVR-RT700D and DVR-RT900D] (Combination VHS/DVD models)

1) 'One-button Auto Dubbing' to copy an entire VHS tape of video content onto a DVD

After setting a VHS tape to be dubbed and a blank DVD into the DVR-RT700D or DVR-RT900D, what users do is simply press the "Auto Dubbing" button. The recorder will automatically perform all of the operations for dubbing: fast-rewinding the VHS tape, measuring the recorded time, selecting the optimum recording mode to DVD, and dubbing from VHS to DVD.

2) '6-way Dubbing' for easy copy among VHS, DVD and HDD

3) Easy connection with a single HDMI cable to output video and sound not only from the HDD and DVD but also from VHS tape

[Unique to the HDD-S400] (Add-on HDD)

1) The HDD-S400, a 400 GB hard drive, can store recordings of up to about 46 hours in the DR mode(*5).

2) The power will automatically turn on/off in conjunction with the power of the DVD recorders connected to the add-on HDD.

Notes:

*1 In the field of HDD/DVD recorders equipped with a digital tuner announced in Japan according to Pioneer survey as of Sep. 14, 2006

*2 According to the report made by Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

*3 Plasma TVs supporting the Recorder Hot Link are Pioneer PDP-607HX, PDP-507HX, PDP-427HX, and PDP-427HXD

*4 Please use Pioneer designated add-on HDDs (HDD-S250 or HDD-S400 as of Sep. 14). It is possible to record onto the add-on HDD only in the DR mode.

*5 The maximum recording times are obtained by based on the bit rate of 17 Mbps for terrestrial digital broadcast HD picture quality. The recorders may not record up to the maximum time when the total number of recording titles exceeds the limit.

*6 For terrestrial analog broadcasts, the Electronic Program Guide (EPG) uses the G-GUIDE technology developed by Gemstar-TV Guide International, Inc.

G-GUIDE is an EPG service provided by Interactive Program Guide Inc. based on the technology developed by Gemstar-TV Guide International, Inc.

G-GUIDE and G-GUIDE logo are registered trademarks of Gemstar-TV Guide International, Inc.

*7 HDMI: High-Definition Multimedia Interface. HDMI, HDMI logo, and High-Definition Multimedia Interface are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing LLC.

For photographs of all the models, please visit http://pioneer.jp/press/release169.html

About Pioneer Corporation

Pioneer Corporation is one of the leading manufacturers of consumer and business-use electronics products such as audio, video and car electronics on a global scale.

Source: Pioneer Corporation

Contact:

Pioneer Corporation
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