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Panasonic DVD Recorder Gets Connected
Device offers remote programming, features a whopping 400GB of
storage.
Paul Kallender, IDG News Service
Thursday, September 09, 2004
Panasonic aims to be the first consumer electronics manufacturer to
release a high-end DVD recorder that offers network connectivity.
Matsushita Electric Industrial, better known for its Panasonic brand,
says it will soon start sales of its networked-enabled DMR-E500H.
The DMR-E500H--which will be shown at the CEDIA consumer electronics
show in Indianapolis this week--is the first DVD recorder that can be
remotely programmed from PCs or mobile phones; it's also the first to
enable people in different rooms to watch the same recording,
according to the company.
Panasonic hopes the DMR-E500H will help spark interest in the
company's latest ideas on networked devices, says Ichiro Kawamura,
general manager of Matsushita's Panasonic AVC Networks company.
Tons of Storage--and More
The DMR-E500H has a 400GB hard drive that can store up to 709 hours of
recording in extended play (EP) mode (which is typically considered
about VHS-quality). The DMR-E500H has a maximum effective speed of 64X
when recording in EP mode from a hard drive to DVD-R, allowing it to
record a 60-minute program in 56 seconds, which Panasonic claimed is
the fastest in the industry. (Panasonic says that the speeds quoted
are effective speeds, not data transfer speeds, since they're
referring to how many hours you can record for a given amount of
data.) The recorder has a maximum speed of 40X when recording in EP
mode from hard drive to DVD-RAM.
The unit will go on sale in Japan on September 21 for $1715, and will
be offered outside of Japan shortly thereafter, says the company. The
product is geared towards higher-end users; Panasonic says it will
initially produce only 3000 units per month.
The DMR-E500H has an Ethernet port that allows consumers to view MPEG4
video and JPEG photos stored on the recorder on their PCs. Multiple
recorders can also be linked by LAN, so that a DVD playing on one
machine can been viewed in more than one room. In Japan, people using
Panasonic's online video recording service can program their recorder
through their cell phone.
"The DMR-E500H means network convenience combined with a home server,"
says Shunzo Ushimaru, director of Panasonic's corporate marketing
division.
More New Models
Panasonic also introduced four other new models in its Diga brand, of
which the DMR-E500H is a part. The other models will go on sale in
Japan starting October 1, and sport combinations of features that the
company hopes will push its market share in DVD recorders in Japan
from 35 percent in 2004 to over 40 percent in 2005, says Ushimaru.
But these new recorders won't be available outside of Japan. Since the
high capacity of the hard drives, along with the other advanced
features, makes all of the new recorders relatively expensive for the
price-sensitive U.S. and European markets, Panasonic has no immediate
plans to sell these models in international markets, says Ushimaru.
One of those other models, the DMR-E250V, has a 160GB hard drive, as
well as a DVD recorder and VHS deck. Many people want a convenient way
to digitalize their VHS tapes, according to Ushimaru. The DMR-E250V
targets that audience, by allowing you to record VHS tapes to its hard
drive or its DVD drive.
The DVD recorder is becoming a mainstream consumer electronics product
in 2004, with prices expected to fall to an average of $200 per
player, according to U.S. market research company.
http
/www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,117723,tk,dn090904X,00.asp
===
"I'd rather be playing video games." -- Me
Panasonic DVD Recorder Gets Connected
Device offers remote programming, features a whopping 400GB of
storage.
Paul Kallender, IDG News Service
Thursday, September 09, 2004
Panasonic aims to be the first consumer electronics manufacturer to
release a high-end DVD recorder that offers network connectivity.
Matsushita Electric Industrial, better known for its Panasonic brand,
says it will soon start sales of its networked-enabled DMR-E500H.
The DMR-E500H--which will be shown at the CEDIA consumer electronics
show in Indianapolis this week--is the first DVD recorder that can be
remotely programmed from PCs or mobile phones; it's also the first to
enable people in different rooms to watch the same recording,
according to the company.
Panasonic hopes the DMR-E500H will help spark interest in the
company's latest ideas on networked devices, says Ichiro Kawamura,
general manager of Matsushita's Panasonic AVC Networks company.
Tons of Storage--and More
The DMR-E500H has a 400GB hard drive that can store up to 709 hours of
recording in extended play (EP) mode (which is typically considered
about VHS-quality). The DMR-E500H has a maximum effective speed of 64X
when recording in EP mode from a hard drive to DVD-R, allowing it to
record a 60-minute program in 56 seconds, which Panasonic claimed is
the fastest in the industry. (Panasonic says that the speeds quoted
are effective speeds, not data transfer speeds, since they're
referring to how many hours you can record for a given amount of
data.) The recorder has a maximum speed of 40X when recording in EP
mode from hard drive to DVD-RAM.
The unit will go on sale in Japan on September 21 for $1715, and will
be offered outside of Japan shortly thereafter, says the company. The
product is geared towards higher-end users; Panasonic says it will
initially produce only 3000 units per month.
The DMR-E500H has an Ethernet port that allows consumers to view MPEG4
video and JPEG photos stored on the recorder on their PCs. Multiple
recorders can also be linked by LAN, so that a DVD playing on one
machine can been viewed in more than one room. In Japan, people using
Panasonic's online video recording service can program their recorder
through their cell phone.
"The DMR-E500H means network convenience combined with a home server,"
says Shunzo Ushimaru, director of Panasonic's corporate marketing
division.
More New Models
Panasonic also introduced four other new models in its Diga brand, of
which the DMR-E500H is a part. The other models will go on sale in
Japan starting October 1, and sport combinations of features that the
company hopes will push its market share in DVD recorders in Japan
from 35 percent in 2004 to over 40 percent in 2005, says Ushimaru.
But these new recorders won't be available outside of Japan. Since the
high capacity of the hard drives, along with the other advanced
features, makes all of the new recorders relatively expensive for the
price-sensitive U.S. and European markets, Panasonic has no immediate
plans to sell these models in international markets, says Ushimaru.
One of those other models, the DMR-E250V, has a 160GB hard drive, as
well as a DVD recorder and VHS deck. Many people want a convenient way
to digitalize their VHS tapes, according to Ushimaru. The DMR-E250V
targets that audience, by allowing you to record VHS tapes to its hard
drive or its DVD drive.
The DVD recorder is becoming a mainstream consumer electronics product
in 2004, with prices expected to fall to an average of $200 per
player, according to U.S. market research company.
http
/www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,117723,tk,dn090904X,00.asp===
"I'd rather be playing video games." -- Me
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