Here's a pr piece on HDCD...
censees Unveil New HDCD Products
For DVD and CD
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 25, 1998--
Pacific Microsonics Adds 192/96 kHz to HDCD Processor For
DVD Recording; Burr-Brown Announces New 96/88.2 kHz, 24-Bit,
HDCD DAC Chip For DVD And CD Players; Denon and Harman
Kardon Introduce New HDCD-Equipped DVD And CD Players
At the Audio Engineering Society (AES) Convention in San Francisco (Sept. 26-29), Pacific
Microsonics and its HDCD(R) licensees introduced key HDCD recording and playback products to
both strengthen HDCD's position in the audio Compact Disc market and firmly position HDCD as
the leading technology for the maximizing the audio fidelity of the emerging DVD format.
Pacific Microsonics also reported that over 1,500 HDCD have now been mastered with the HDCD
process, while unit sales of HDCD CDs have topped the 75 million mark worldwide.
''HDCD's presence has grown significantly over the last year in both the CD and DVD market,''
said Bennet Goldberg, President of Pacific Microsonics. ''In the last 12 months, the number of
HDCD recordings has more than doubled, we have successfully implemented our HDCD chip
licensing program with many of the world's leading audio chip manufacturers, and a growing number
of the world's best known consumers electronics companies have introduced HDCD-equipped CD
players and DVD players,'' Mr. Goldberg continued.
Pacific Microsonics Adds 192/96 kHz to Model One HDCD Processor
Pacific Microsonics announced that it is adding 192 kHz A/D conversion and 96/48 kHz output
capability to the Model One HDCD processor. Currently the Model One performs A/D conversion
at 176.4 kHz with the ability to output an 88.2/44.1 kHz signal. With the addition of these new
sampling rates, mastering engineers will be able to use the Model One to create a very high
resolution master tape without concern for the limitations of commercial release formats. Then, using
HDCD technology embedded in the Model One, the mastering engineer can ''fit'' this high fidelity
signal into any release format -- CD, DVD, or Surround, while maintaining many of the sonic
benefits of the original high resolution master.
Burr-Brown Introduces New 96/88.2 kHz, 24-Bit HDCD Chip
Burr-Brown Corporation (NASDAQ:BBRC - news) announced an agreement with Pacific
Microsonics to incorporate HDCD technology into a single Burr-Brown integrated circuit -- the
world's first single chip HDCD audio digital-to-analog converter (DAC).
The new chip, the PCM 1732, combines the same high quality HDCD decoding and HDCD filtering
contained in Pacific Microsonics PMD-100 chip along with Burr-Brown's leading edge 24-bit,
96/88.2 kHz DAC technology. The PCM 1732 will be targeted for a wide range of high
performance consumer audio applications such as A/V receivers, CD players, and DVD players.
Samples will be available in the first quarter of 1999.
According to Mike Pawlik, Vice President of Marketing at Burr-Brown, ''We are excited to partner
with Pacific Microsonics to combine their innovative HDCD technology with our leading edge
mixed-signal audio technology to produce a high performance, cost effective product which will
increase the market size of HDCD.''
Burr Brown is the fourth HDCD licensee to announce an audio chip with HDCD technology. Earlier
in 1998, Analog Devices and Motorola announced DSP chips with HDCD for the A/V receiver
market, and Sanyo announced a ''CD player on a chip'' with HDCD for high volume CD players,
mini-component systems, and portables. Pacific Microsonics plans to announce several more
agreements with leading chip manufacturers before the end of 1998.
Denon and Harman Kardon Introduce First HDCD Products
Consumer electronics giants Denon and Harman Kardon both introduced their first
HDCD-equipped products. Denon introduced the DCM-5000 CD changer and DVD-5000 DVD
player. Harman Kardon introduced the FL 8550 CD changer and Signature Series 3.0 DVD player.
These products will be sold in select national electronic superstores, regional audio/video retailers,
and independent audio and audio/video specialists.
''Denon's reputation has been built around developing products with state-of-the-art audio
performance. HDCD's superb sound coupled with the large number of HDCD encoded CDs now
available from popular artists makes HDCD decoding an important feature for high performance
DVD and CD player products,'' said Stephen Baker, Vice President of Marketing and Sales for
Denon.
Bennet Goldberg of Pacific Microsonics added, ''The addition of Harman Kardon and Denon to the
family of leading manufacturers that have recently announced HDCD playback products is great
news to consumers everywhere. Over the coming months we expect to announce the names of
several other leading-brand HDCD products. The increased momentum of the HDCD brand with
consumers, consumer electronics, manufacturers, record companies, and the global chip
manufacturers has been phenomenal.''
In addition to Denon and Harman Kardon, there are over 100 models of HDCD players available
from such high quality manufacturers as Adcom, Arcam, California Audio Labs, Linn, Luxman,
Madrigal (Mark Levinson), and Rotel.
About HDCD
Developed by Pacific Microsonics, HDCD(R) (High Definition Compatible Digital(R)) is a patented
process for delivering on Compact Disc the full richness and detail of the original microphone feed.
HDCD encoded CDs sound better because they are encoded with 20-bits of real musical
information as compared to 16-bits for all other CDs. HDCD provides more dynamic range, a
focused 3-D sound stage, and extremely natural musical timbre. HDCD recordings offer improved
sound quality on any CD player, and when played on HDCD equipped players they provide the
ultimate in sonic fidelity.
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