Only Blu-ray Player to Feature Final Standard Profile
LOS ANGELES, Calif., Oct. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Panasonic, a leader in
High Definition technology, announced today the introduction of the
DMP-BD30, the next generation High Definition 1080p Blu-ray Disc player.
The DMP-BD30 is the first Blu-ray player to be introduced with Final
Standard Profile, which adds a variety of new and enhanced features to the
Blu-ray arena and one that separates the Panasonic Blu-ray player from the
rest of the field. Also unique to the DMP-BD30 is the inclusion of an SD
Memory Card slot for playback of High Definition content recorded in the
AVCHD format. The SD slot also allows for viewing of digital still images
recorded to an SD Memory Card.
Final Standard Profile is an advanced function added to the Blu-ray
standard, which opens the door to new functions such as Picture-in-Picture
(which displays a second image in a sub window) and Audio Mixing (allows
the consumer to switch the sound between the main and sub windows).
"The DMP-BD30 will contribute greatly to Blu-ray's mounting lead over
the competing format," said Gene Kelsey, Vice President, Panasonic
Entertainment Group. "Panasonic's adoption of the Final Standard Profile
adds a whole new dimension to the entertainment experience. For example,
when the added value features inherent to the Final Standard Profile are
incorporated into a Blu- ray movie, the viewer could have a myriad of
entertainment options. One of the more intriguing aspects of the Final
Standard Profile is the Picture-in- Picture feature that would allow the
movie fan to access a variety of entertainment enhancements, such as having
the director or an actor pop up to discuss a scene you are watching, or
with an animated movie, you might see the actor performing their
character's voice over, all while still watching the movie. Not only do
these features give Panasonic a strong advantage in the high definition
market, but they provide the movie community with numerous opportunities to
embellish the viewing experience with additional creative elements."
With an SRP of $499.95, the DMP-BD30 also features a myriad of
technology advances, including Deep Color Compatibility, and HDMI 1.3B,
that bumps the step gradation from 8-bit 256 all the way up to 12-bit,
4,096 step gradation. To further enhance the viewing experience, the
DMP-BD30 also provides 1080/24p playback, so the consumer can enjoy the
same 24-fps (frames per second) reproduction as the original movie. This
eliminates the need to utilize 3.2 pull down, a process to convert 24-fps
images to 60-fps, resulting in a smoother picture.
The inclusion of a multi-function SD Card slot is another new addition
to the Panasonic Blu-ray player. Coupled with the AVCHD codec, the DMP-BD30
allows for images recorded on a high capacity HD SD card to be outputted
directly from the player's HDMI terminal in their original 1080p form. To
further benefit the user, the DMP-BD30 provides an AVCHD Direct Navigator
function that makes it easy to search for particular scenes. The player can
also play back JPEG still images on an SD card, such as those recorded with
a Panasonic Lumix digital camera. The DMP-BD30 converts the images to
1920x1080 resolution, ideal for viewing on a 1080p HD Plasma and output
them through the HDMI terminal.
Like its predecessor, the DMP-DB30 features the EZ-Sync(TM) HDAVI
Control that allows the consumer to operate their Panasonic home theater
system with one remote. With one touch of the EZ-Sync button, all the
components turn on, the correct TV input is chosen, the TV's built-in
speakers are muted and the home theater starts playback.
"Panasonic's commitment to excellence in entertainment and technology
is evident in the establishment of Panasonic Hollywood Labs, where a great
deal of research went into the development of Blu-ray," added Kelsey. "PHL
has become one of the major centers for the authoring of Blu-ray titles and
works closely with studio engineers in developing High Definition
compression technologies."
About Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company
Based in Secaucus, N.J., Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company, a
market and technology leader in high definition entertainment, is a
Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North
American subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. (NYSE: MC)
and the hub of Panasonic's U.S. marketing, sales, service and R&D
operations. Information about Panasonic products is available at
http://www.panasonic.com. Additional company information for journalists is
available at http://www.panasonic.com/pressroom.
|
