DVD video for cars??? (Thanks for the CES link, Maya)
cesweb.org
Car Audio Vendors Embrace Mobile Video
CES Daily
By CES Staff 13:25 01/08/99
By Jamie Sorcher, TWICE
The car audio industry, which put its arms around mobile video last
year, goes for a powerful embrace in 1999 as vendors show in-car
DVD players and 15-inch monitors for the U.S. market for the first
time at CES this week.
With car audio sales flat since 1997, vendors said they plotted their
courses quite some time ago for categories outside traditional car
stereo fare. Mobile video, multimedia, and now, even MiniDisc, may
all offer greater opportunity for healthy margins.
Alpine, like several other car audio companies including Clarion
and JVC, repositioned itself last year from premium car audio
maker to high-performance mobile multimedia company. Explained
Steve Witt, Alpine's VP of brand marketing, "Our fully integrated
platform will focus on three key areas: information, entertainment
and ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems). We are delivering
products in all three categories."
In entertainment, Alpine adds a DVD player designed for the 12-volt
setting with suggested retail in the $1,200 range and Dolby Digital
in-car surround sound processor, suggested retail in the $800
range, for what Alpine's hyping as its full-blown mobile theater
experience.
Additionally, Alpine introduces its Mobile MayDay system,
scheduled to ship this month, for a suggested retail under $1,000
installed. The system includes a central control unit with backup
battery, a GPS antenna and two in-car (communications and
panic) buttons providing motorists with personal security, roadside
assistance, communications, concierge services and theft
recovery through the OnGuard 24-hour emergency response
center operated by San Antonio, Texas-based ATX Technologies.
Panasonic presents its DVD interpretation in a show vehicle with
in-dash DVD player, three-amp system and Dolby Digital DTS
processor, all available in the spring. The 7-inch diagonal LCD
monitor can be installed between the front seats or in an overhead
panel.
Audiovox will show its first 12-inch LCD screen driven by a DVD
player, both scheduled to ship during the second or third quarter. In
addition, Audiovox will unveil several new vehicle-specific mobile
video overheads for the Nissan Quest, Jeep Cherokee, Ford
Explorer and the Chevy Blazer. By the end of '99, the company
said it expects to have 24 vehicle-specific consoles in mobile
video.
"The mobile video category is growing and VCP size is an issue,"
said Tom Malone, group VP for Audiovox's mobile electronics
division. "We've gotten around it with vehicle-specific overheads,
but for the high volume, we'll want to be in not only the SUVs, but
passenger vehicles -- and that's where size is an issue. With DVD
it can be mounted in many places or kept portable. DVD will
answer many questions for mobile video."
Santeca, which has more than a dozen TFT/LCD modules,
monitors and TVs, will display its 12.1-inch and 15.1-inch monitors
at CES. "The progression, the growth of our product line, continues
to expand," said Jef Fry, VP sales and marketing. "The market
specifically asked us to develop and build a mobile big-screen
product to meet high-end demands for clarity and brightness."
Pioneer, which terms its video product under the banner of Visual
Audio, replaces its 5.5-inch monitors with 7-inch models.
JVC, which renamed its mobile electronics division last year to
mobile entertainment, confirmed it will make A/V a big push this
year as well. JVC's lineup includes the KV-M65 monitor, a 6.5-inch
TFT active-matrix LCD display.
"More of the automakers are getting involved with it now," said
Chad Vogelsong, national product/engineering specialist for JVC.
"There are two scenarios. Some consumers will take it OEM, but
with the leased car market and for those people who want larger
screens, there will be many opportunities for the aftermarket."
Jensen, which introduced a 4-inch LCD mobile TV and VCP last
year, also bumps up its offerings with larger screen sizes for 1999.
"This category is only going to get bigger," echoed Jim Braun, VP
sales and marketing for Recoton Mobile Electronics (RME),
Jensen's parent company. "There was more mobile video installed
in 1998 than ever before. For us, at the moment, our screen is
entertainment-oriented. Our navigation efforts will be focused on
our portable model. But all of this could become part of a
multimedia approach at some point."
With DVD, Braun added, "We want to be there as this technology
becomes practical for the car." Looking ahead, he added, "One of
the areas we're observing is recordable CD capability. That's
something we need to keep a close eye on."
Clarion -- maker of the single-DIN AutoPC, which integrates car
audio, computing, navigation and wireless communications, and
was unveiled at last year's CES -- shipped its first models in a soft
launch on the West Coast just last month. The national rollout
begins this month--the product carries a $1,299 suggested
retail--with the next-generation AutoPC targeted for June.
Additionally, Clarion will display a DVD player and Dolby Digital
processor, although president Jim Minarik said there were no firm
dates for delivery. The company will also show a 10-inch LCD
monitor for rear-seat viewing.
Kenwood, said VP sales and marketing Bob Law, will update its
in-dash P907 with flip-out screen and introduce a second monitor.
Additional video products will be presented later next year. As for
DVD, Law said, "We won't have it at the show, but by this time next
year we'll have it."
An equally spirited format crusade is underway with MiniDisc. Sony
MobileComm's VP Ron Boire said, "As a format we feel MD is
firmly launched and now we're seeing competitors join the fray."
This year, Alpine and Pioneer show their first MD units and Clarion
re-enters the market.
Alpine's MD lineup includes two MD/CD combo units, one MD
player and two AM/FM/MD units, all shipping in February.
Clarion's unit, an AM/FM/MD player with CD changer controller,
also controls the TTX 7501 TV tuner for multimedia expandability.
Pioneer will have three MD products, including an add-on DIN-size
MD player, all available in April. The high-end unit will feature RDS,
changer control and 4 volts of preamp output.
Sony continues its aggressive push with two new receivers and
one new changer, all shipping in March. One model from last year
continues in the line as well.
Like last year's $10 million endeavor, "Make it With MD," Sony will
have another aggressive ad campaign for MiniDisc, Boire said. At
press time, he would not disclose details, but did say, "It will be one
of Sony's most highly promoted categories." |
