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To: BillyG who wrote (30834)	3/13/1998 12:06:00 PM
From: DiViT	Respond to of 50808

Indigenous VCD player proves a winner in more ways than one Shareem Amry 03/08/98 The New Straits Times The New Straits Times Press New Sunday Times; 2* Page 25 (Copyright 1998) BRINGING the latest blockbuster movies to the home has been an evolutionary process that has already seen the video cassette format fall by the wayside. While laser discs are still popular, it's video compact discs, or VCDs, that are now surging to the fore. Sharp's new V500 VCD player jumps on this trend, and as the first product for the Malaysian market from Sharp's newly-established research and development company Sharp Electronic Malaysia, it's a winner in more ways than one. The player, which also does triple duty as a CD player and karaoke set, took home the first Malaysia Good Design award in January. "It won the award based on its innovative features, such as the twin tray mechanism which allows the changing of one disc while the other is still playing," said Shamsudin Khalid, Sharp-Roxy Sales & Services Company (M) Sdn Bhd's marketing manager for audio video products. "Most VCD players on the market have only one tray, which requires changing and is disruptive. Those that have the three-tray carousel are more expensive, so this product offers that uninterrupted advantage at a single tray price," he added. "We also took the bold step of re-designing the product, and changing its colour from the usual black to a more high-tech metal colour for a more futuristic look," said Raymond Lee, marketing executive for the company's consumer electronics products division. The V500 VCD player took just six months to design from scratch, develop and manufacture, all done with Malaysian expertise. "This is really from the Malaysian people, a product that's been injected with local taste and flavour," Shamsudin said. "We were all very happy when the award was announced. Every country has a version of this award and we're proud that this is the pioneer winner. The VCD player has been on the market for two months and, at an advertised price of RM948, has already elicited a good response from consumers despite the economic downturn. Sharp has targeted to sell 18,000 units for the first year, and Shamsudin said that the product's performance since it was launched was as the company had hoped for. "The availability of software, or VCDs, in the regional market is really the main reason why VCD players are now so popular. More and more laser disc and compact discs shops, even in the smaller towns, are now stocking VCDs as well." Sharp is making the product available nationwide to match this level of penetration in the market, and is coupling its marketing strategy with a "Buy Malaysian" advertising approach. Caption: New in the market ... Consumer electronics products division marketing executive Kazumi Ikawa with Sharp's V500 VCD player. By Rahim Rahmat.; Shamsudin very happy with award.; Lee futuristic look.