Sony Unveils Set-Top Box for Home Info Appliances
nikkeibp.asiabiztech.com
April 5, 1999 (TOKYO) -- Sony Corp. unveiled part of its strategy for
information-based home electric appliances with the introduction of the SAS-MS9SET
set-top box.
The new set-top box illustrates Sony's strategy of focusing the home network on the
TV and not personal computers.
Sony, which advocates the PlusMedia STATION concept, announced the
SAS-MS9SET set-top box for SkyPerfecTV! as the first product in a line supporting
the concept.
The concept holds that AV devices are connected to a network via the i.LINK
interface (an IEEE1394 version expanded by Sony) with a set-top box as the hub. The
SAS-MS9SET will retail for 62,000 yen, including an antenna, connection cables and
other items. (119.37 yen = US$1)
By utilizing a remote control unit for the set-top box atop a TV, users can operate
digital broadcasting services, including delivering the received content to AV
devices, and controlling the AV devices (such as editing the content), a Sony official
said.
The SAS-MS9SET only handles communication satellite (CS) broadcasting. However,
Sony plans to add a function to handle broadcasting satellite (BS) features as well as
terrestrial digital broadcasting.
Sony said that the new unit includes hardware enhancements to the existing DST-D
900 model. Those upgrades include an improved microprocessor and a
more-advanced graphics chip, an extension to the main storage capacity, and an
i.LINK terminal added to the back.
The electronics company plans to ship the product on May 20. It will ship the
MDS-DL1, an MD deck equipped with the i.LINK terminal and priced at 59,000 yen, on
June 21.
Also, Sony will start MusicLink, a broadcasting service for selling music, on May 12.
Digital Media Entertainment Inc., a Sony subsidiary, will provide the service via
SkyPerfecTV! links. Within a single-channel band is a band for carrying regular TV
programs, or MPEG2 video, and data for 10 pieces of music (using the ATRAC MD
compression technique). This enables the music data to be delivered in parallel with
the broadcasting of TV programs.
Users can record music on their MD media by connecting a MusicLink set-top box to
an MD deck (MDS-DL1) and selecting the music they want to purchase via the TV
screen. The broadcasting company uses the billing system of SkyPerfecTV! to charge
the users for every piece of music. If the i.LINK interface is used to connect the MD
deck, they can record the music four times faster than the actual performance time of
the music.
In March, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. announced the tentatively named
PlayStation2 video game machine. It is also equipped with such interfaces as
IEEE1394, a PC card and a USB port. Various peripheral equipment can be connected
to the unit, Sony said.
(Nikkei Byte) |
