Sony's HDTV Strategy Takes Page From "Betacam Playbook".

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 7, 1998--Walk into almost any television or production studio in the world today, and what jumps out are Sony Betacam(R) systems. Sony is applying the same winning formula of addressing multiple applications cost-effectively to its HDCAM(tm) recording systems for DTV.

"Now broadcast and production customers have the same breadth of choice in high definition as they have in today's analog and SDTV television applications," said Laurence Thorpe, vice president of acquisition systems for Sony Electronics' Broadcast and Professional Company. "Customers can now choose the HDCAM format as `the BVW of HD'--from acquisition through post production--knowing that a full product line extension is also coming. Sony's 1/2-inch HDCAM format ensures the same flexibility, cost-effectiveness and robustness professional customers have come to expect with the BVW, PVW and UVW Betacam family line up."

This HDCAM strategy is targeted to jump-start the DTV era of affordable HDTV production.

"The bottom line of our HDCAM strategy is very simple and attractive to customers: Provide compatibility among established industry formats for both HDTV and SDTV," said Anthony Gargano, senior vice president of the Communications Systems Division for Sony Electronics' Broadcast and Professional Company. "Customers delivered a clear message at the recent ITS show in Los Angeles. They want to master in the highest resolution format. As a result, Sony is announcing an HDCAM Progressive system. Our new 1/2-inch 1080 24-frame Progressive system will include a full end-to-end line up of cameras, VTRs, switchers, editors, effects, monitors, conversion and distribution equipment, and even a multi-resolution telecine."

According to Gargano, Sony continues to deliver, in quantity, these flexible HDCAM systems for applications ranging from acquisition through distribution, our next step is to extend the HDCAM line into broader applications with even further cost benefits in mind. He stated that a new line is planned which will play back Digital Betacam and Betacam SP(R), so even more customers may participate in HDTV.

"Sony also recognizes that as customers continue to experiment in high definition, today's HDTV systems have yet to meet the stringent expectations of lossless Digital Betacam format applications," Gargano said. "Here again, Sony is planning a 1/2-inch high-end full-bandwidth system based upon very mild compression--less compression than anything available today. It will record and play back both 1080I and 720P. This full-featured system will utilize 10-bit quantization at 1080I or 720P."

"We see a simple, easy-to-understand road map," Thorpe added. "HDCAM as a `BVW' formula for HD--an HD `PVW' extension on the way--and then a `DVW' extension for HD in time to meet the highest end post requirements. The DTV era is upon us and Sony is DTV-ready."

Editor's Note: More information about Sony products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www. sony .com/professional, or readers may call 1-800-686- SONY. Additional press information is available at http://www. sony .com/news.

The Broadcast and Professional Company of Sony Electronics is an Emmy award winning, leading U.S. provider of video and audio equipment for the broadcast, production, business, industrial, government, medical, and education markets. Sony offers a wide array of products and systems for image capture, production, and display. Sony also provides specialized equipment and systems for data recording, duplication, electronic photography/ publishing, video conferencing, high definition video, interactive and security applications. In the fiscal year that ended on March 31, 1998, Sony Electronics had record sales of $10.5 billion.