New Pioneer DVD players include a $399 model with a 10-bit video DAC. They are coming down in price. Just wait until the DVD rental business is in place.............
Pioneer Corporation Introduces First DVD Player with TruSurround,
SRS Labs' Virtual Technology for Multi-channel Audio
Pioneer Features Both SRS 3D Sound and TruSurround in New Line of DVD Players, Home Audio/Video Receivers and HDTV Products
SANTA ANA, Calif., March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- SRS Labs, Inc. (Nasdaq: SRSL),
the world's leading licenser of audio enhancement technologies, announced
today that Pioneer Electronics has furthered its commitment to SRS Labs'
advanced audio expertise and has introduced five new products that include SRS
Labs' technologies. Earlier this year at the International Consumer
Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Pioneer unveiled the DVL-909, DV-606D and
DV-505 DVD Players, which are the world's first DVD Players with TruSurround,
SRS Labs' virtual technology for two-speaker playback of multi-channel audio.
Pioneer also debuted the VSX-D507S and VSX-D457 audio-video receivers which
allow users to take advantage of TruSurround from a Dolby Pro-Logic input
source. In addition, Pioneer Japan recently announced the HDTV Plasma Display
Television System that includes SRS Lab's award-winning 3D Sound technology.
Since 1996, Pioneer Electronics has been shipping car audio products with
SRS Labs' stereo enhancement technology, SRS 3D Sound, which takes any stereo
signal and applies patented processing to replicate the frequency response of
the human hearing system and create an exciting 3D sound image from any two
stereo speakers. TruSurround, which is certified by Dolby Laboratories, takes
SRS one step further.
"TruSurround and the SRS technologies fit perfectly into our Advanced Home
Theater concept," comments Matt Dever, manager of home electronics marketing.
"These technologies bring a whole new dimension to a home theater, that could
fit into anyone's budget."
Many consumers have not yet invested in the speakers and electronics
traditionally required to playback the six channels of Dolby Digital sound
encoded on laserdisc and DVD. TruSurround employs patented psycho-acoustic
techniques that allow users to experience a holographic surround-sound
experience from a two-speaker home theater system. Movie watchers are now
able to hear discrete sounds coming from the sides and rear of their position,
exactly as intended by the film director and the level of immersion and
realism is unparalleled.
Pioneer's DVL-909 is the latest Laserdisc/DVD compatible player which will
playback DVDs, audio CDs, video CDs and laserdiscs and is slated to begin
shipping this month at an estimated street price of $1099. The DV-606D is a
second-generation DVD player with a built-in Dolby Digital decoder with an
estimated street price of $599. The DV-505 DVD player is also a second-
generation DVD player and will become Pioneer's new entry level DVD product
with an estimated street price of $399. All three units include an MPEG 2
decoder using the Viter-Bi RF error correction process, 10-bit video, 96
kHz/20-bit PCM audio DAC and TruSurround with SRS, which delivers an immersive
virtual audio experience through only two standard stereo speakers.
Lastly, for the domestic Japanese market Pioneer's new 50-inch HDTV Plasma
Display System has been introduced with SRS 3D Sound. Pioneer is positioning
the plasma display as the next generation display replacing the CRT, and has
focused their R&D heavily in this area. The results of their efforts are
impressive in this new unit which features a 50-inch wide screen and a
phenomenal 3.8" depth. SRS 3D Sound has been included for an expanded
listening area, joining the latest in sound technology with the latest in
vision.
"We are very excited about these new products from Pioneer," stated Tom
Yuen, chairman of SRS Labs, Inc. "Pioneer's expansion of product offerings
that include one of our technologies is a perfect example of the Penetrate and
Expand Strategy that we have been discussing for quite some time. In 1996,
SRS Labs penetrated the Pioneer account and their initial usage of SRS
technology was for one model of a car CD player. Our continued sales and
marketing efforts over the last year have led to the expansion of Pioneer's
usage of SRS into other product lines as well as the adoption of our latest
audio technology, TruSurround. Not only is this rewarding for our company,
but also it's indicative of the success of our overall marketing strategies --
both from the chip partnering level to the overall consumer awareness
campaigns. We will continue to work closely with Pioneer in support of these
and future product launches."
About TruSurround Technology
Designed to render any multi-channel audio signal through only two
speakers, TruSurround is a ground breaking new technology from SRS Labs. In
addition to applications in the home theater market, TruSurround is quickly
being adopted for use in computer applications. The rising trend of putting
DVD in the PC is becoming evident with major OEMs offering it in next
generation products and after-market upgrades. In computer applications,
TruSurround provides a means of delivering surround-sound in an environment
where users may rarely if ever install six speakers.
About SRS Labs
Under the leadership of chairman Thomas C.K. Yuen, co-founder of AST
Research, SRS Labs, Inc. is the world's leading developer and licenser of
premium audio enhancement technology to consumer electronics and computer
OEMs. SRS 3D Sound or TruSurround has shipped in over 23 million products
worldwide from over 170 industry leading manufacturers, such as Sony, Kenwood,
RCA, Nakamichi, Sharp, Pioneer, Kawai, Hitachi, Compaq, Kurzweil, Samsung,
IBM, Packard Bell, Dell, Micron, Gateway 2000, AST, Acer, Apple and
Mitsubishi. SRS Labs has partnered with leading semiconductor companies to
introduce digital and analog chip solutions of its core SRS 3D Sound
technology as well as TruSurround(TM), its latest virtual audio technology.
These chip partners include Cirrus Logic, Chromatic Research, S3, Zoran, SGS-
Thomson, Fujitsu, JPI, Toshiba Semiconductor, Motorola, Phillips, Mitsubishi,
AKM Semiconductor, Medianix, LSI Logic, and New Japan Radio (NJRC).
SRS, the SRS symbol and the phrase "everything else is only stereo" are
registered trademarks of SRS Labs, Inc. in the United States and selected
foreign countries. TruSurround is a trademark of SRS Labs, Inc. All other
brand names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their
respective holders.
Statements made in paragraph four and those made in paragraphs six and
seven by the Company in this release are forward-looking statements and
projections (including statements concerning plans and objectives of
management for future operations and services, and statements concerning
earnings expectations), that are based on management's belief as well as
assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management.
Although the Company believes that its expectations are based upon
reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurances that the Company's
financial goals will be realized. The forward looking statements and
projections made in this release may be affected by certain factors beyond the
control of the Company, such as the ability to deliver sufficient and timely
quantities of Pioneer's Product with SRS Labs' technologies to consumers, the
ultimate acceptance of Pioneer's Products with SRS Labs' technologies by
consumers, the acceptance of DVD players and HDTV systems by consumers, and
the continued use of SRS Labs' audio technologies by Pioneer.
Numerous additional factors may affect the Company's actual results and
may cause results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking
statements made by or on behalf of the Company. Some of these factors include
the extent to which the Company's licensees incorporate SRS or the Company's
other technologies into products, the increase in the Company's licensee base,
the acceptance of the Company's new technologies, the rate the Company's
semiconductor licensees manufacture and distribute chips to OEMs, the
Company's ability to continue to effectively compete with others in the field
of audio enhancement technologies and general business and economic
conditions, particularly those affecting the consumer electronics market.
SOURCE SRS Labs, Inc.
/CONTACT: Tony Farinella, Marketing Communications Manager of SRS Labs,
Inc., 714-442-1070, tonyf@srslabs.com; Joni Saphire, Manager, Corporate Public
Relations of Pioneer USA, 213-746-6337, jsaphire@pioneer-usa.com/
/Web site: srslabs.com
(SRSL) |
