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Technology Stocks : C-Cube -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Stoctrash who wrote (29528)	2/15/1998 10:46:00 PM
From: BillyG	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 50808

Sorry Fred. Sometimes I get the feeling that I've read an article before, but I post it anyway. Must be losing too many brain cells watching Caddy Shack!

To: Stoctrash who wrote (29528)	2/16/1998 11:19:00 AM
From: DiViT	Respond to of 50808

Major Aussie release of DVD players due in April... 02/16/98 Sydney Morning Herald Page 9 Copyright of John Fairfax Group Pty Ltd WITH the major Australian release of digital video disc ( DVD ) players and movie titles due in April, many readers must be wondering if DVD players will connect with existing TVs and what new equipment they might need if they take the plunge. From an operational viewpoint, think of a DVD player as your regular stereo VCR, except that the player will not record. A DVD player looks and feels like a CD player and will also play regular audio CDs. The DVD disc is the same shape and size as a CD and looks like a regular CD - except that most DVDs are double-sided. At the back of the DVD player you will find regular stereo Audio-Out and one Video-Out, RCA-type connectors. These normally mate with the stereo Audio-In and Video-In connectors on your stereo television. Most DVD players to date are also equipped with an S-Video output. This produces even clearer pictures on televisions that have an S-Video input. If your TV does not have AV inputs, you might be out of luck but perhaps not entirely. For instance, VCRs have a RF-Out connector to feed the signal into a TV via the antenna connector. However, most DVD players released to date do not have this feature. Of course, you can always sidestep the mono television sound and connect the stereo audio outputs from the DVD player to your hi-fi system. This will provide high-quality stereo sound but will not improve picture quality. Here are some frequently asked questions about connecting DVD players. Will DVD work with: (a) A black and white mono television with no AV inputs? Strictly speaking, yes, but you would have to take your chances on picture clarity using a VCR. You are probably better off sticking with a mono VHS VCR. Most if not all major movie titles on DVD are likely to be available on VHS video cassettes, anyway. (b) A colour mono television with no AV inputs? Again, you will lose picture clarity by feeding the program signal in via a VCR. As well, the sound will be mono. Stick with the VCR or feed the stereo sound from the DVD player into your hi-fi system. (c) A colour stereo television with no AV inputs? Use the VCR option for connecting the video to the TV. Connect the stereo Audio Outputs on the DVD player to the AUX stereo audio inputs on your hi-fi system and play the stereo sound through the hi-fi speakers. (d) A colour stereo television with AV inputs? This is the most likely scenario for anyone who has bought a TV in the past year or so. Connect the stereo AV outputs on the DVD player to the stereo AV inputs on your TV. If you do not have surround sound you will not hear surround sound effects. What if I already have a Dolby Pro Logic system? You will also get Dolby Pro Logic by connecting the stereo Audio Outputs on the DVD player to your Pro Logic system. I already have a Pro Logic system but no Dolby Digital decoder. How do I get Dolby Digital surround sound? First you will need a Dolby Digital decoder. This can be purchased separately and connects to the Digital Bitstream output on the DVD player. Alternatively, models such as the Panasonic Model DVD -A350A DVD /CD Video/CD Player have the Dolby Digital decoder built in, plus separate line outputs to connect to a multi-channel audiovisual amplifier or receiver. Many audiovisual (AV) receivers also have a built-in Dolby Digital decoder and the additional amplifiers required for full cinema-surround sound. I already have a Dolby Digital receiver or separate Dolby Digital decoder. How do I get Dolby Digital surround sound? You will not necessarily require a DVD player that has a Dolby Digital decoder built in. However, the DVD player must be equipped with a PCM or Bitstream digital output to connect to your existing Dolby Digital decoder. This connector might be coaxial or optical or both, depending on the model DVD player so make sure you get the right connector to match your existing decoder input. BUYERS CAN'T IGNORE ZONING DVD has been on sale in Australia, albeit quietly, since October last year. Roadshow Entertainment has since released several movies on DVD but a wide range of software titles will not be available until at least April. Zoning is a critical feature of DVD marketing. It is designed to enable producers to control the release of movie titles on DVD into various world markets. There are six zones, or locales, worldwide. Australia is in Zone 4. Software (discs) produced for Australia is coded accordingly. If the locale code on the disc does not match the locale code on the player then it simply will not play. However, it is likely there will be many DVD labels produced worldwide that will play in all zones. Nonetheless, it would pay to make sure before you buy a player at a bargain price - especially from overseas - that it will at least play Locale 4 discs.