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Strategies & Market Trends : Rande Is . . . HOME -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Kevin Shea who wrote (6619)	5/12/1999 12:04:00 PM
From: Rande Is	Respond to of 57584

Hearing word there is some press coming on BDE. . .briefings, recommendations, the usual stuff. I think we will blow thru 6 and head to seven today yet. . .predicting high of 7 1/4 for the day. . .then tomorrow . . .well OK, I'll go out on a limb here and say it. . . 10. Rande Is

To: Kevin Shea who wrote (6619)	5/12/1999 12:33:00 PM
From: Rande Is	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 57584

Sony and Philips to Debut Super Audio CD in U.S. CHICAGO, May 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Continuing a legacy of developing leading-edge digital audio formats, Sony Corporation (NYSE: SNE) and Philips Electronics today held the U.S. debut of Super Audio Compact Disc (SACD), a technologically advanced extension of the Compact Disc (CD) format that delivers ultra high-fidelity sound. Today's announcement marks the upcoming fall introduction of Sony's first SACD player. In addition, Philips announced initial pilot production of SACD hybrid disc software. SACD, which has been created for audiophiles and consumers, offers a clear migration path from CD, which Sony and Philips co-developed. In addition, Sony Music Entertainment and a number of leading audiophile labels, including Audioquest, Delos, DMP, Mobile Fidelity, Telarc and Waterlily Acoustics, announced their initial plans to release approximately 40 SACD titles. "Our goal was to create a new reference standard in audio, and we believe we've accomplished that," said Mike Fidler, senior vice president of Home Audio/Video products at Sony Electronics. "SACD also ensures a logical migration from present-day CD technology." Added Paul Reynolds, Philips' director of new business development: "The infrastructure for this format is quickly solidifying. We expect SACD to be embraced by the music industry because of its unsurpassed sonic quality." Format Flexibility, Compatibility The new SACD format offers enthusiasts unsurpassed stereo as well as high-quality multichannel sound. The format, which has been under development since 1991, represents another strategic collaboration between Sony and Philips. Since the two companies introduced CD in 1982, more than 600 million players and 12 billion discs have been sold to date worldwide. SACD has been designed to build upon this strong foundation, with every SACD player being able to play any existing CD title. Direct Stream Digital The SACD format utilizes a new digital technology called Direct Stream Digital(TM) (DSD), which simplifies the audio encoding/decoding process and virtually eliminates artifacts typically associated with the conventional Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) recording system. DSD employs a sampling rate of 2.8224 MHz to directly record 1-bit signals. By recording the signal directly, there is no need for decimation and interpolation filtering. With DSD, the waveforms more closely resemble the original analog signal and capture all the nuances and dynamics of the original source material. DSD also provides an ultra-wide frequency response, plus an incredibly high dynamic range across the entire audible spectrum. "Super Audio CD is a significant step up in providing consumers with the richest and clearest sound available," said Leslie C. Cohen, vice president of business development for Sony Music Entertainment. "As a 'pure' audio format created solely to provide the finest possible sonic reproduction, SACD is astonishing in its ability to deliver transparent sound. We are making available a diverse slate of great recordings, each of which was chosen for their superb production value, and all of which will showcase the breadth and depth of this new technology." "I am totally committed to DSD for all future DMP projects. After having made several recordings with this technology, there is no going back to PCM--at any word length or sampling rate," said Tom Jung, president of Digital Music Products (DMP). SACD Disc Variations Versatility is one of the hallmarks of the SACD format, which offers content providers a choice of three disc variations: a single high-density layer disc; a disc with dual high-density layers; and a hybrid disc that incorporates both high-density and standard density (CD) layers. Backward compatibility is made possible with the hybrid disc, which can be played in both new SACD players and conventional CD hardware. "We feel that the hybrid disc should be fully embraced," said Robert Woods, president of Telarc International. "It offers a clear advantage by providing backward compatibility with all of the CD players on the market." SACD titles can also feature such information as graphics and still images along with text such as disc title, artist name, track name, lyrics and liner notes. Copyright Protection To protect music providers' intellectual property rights, Sony and Philips are introducing several technologies that ensure copyright protection with the SACD format. SACD software will feature visible and invisible watermarking technologies that utilizes Pit Signal Processing (PSP), a special digital watermark that will not affect sound quality. The visible watermarks -- faint images or letters that are extremely difficult to clearly duplicate -- are highly effective against illegal copying and piracy. The watermarks are also expected to help consumers, retailers and manufacturers distinguish between real and unauthorized discs. Invisible watermarks will also be embedded in the SACD titles. These watermarks are needed in order for software to be recognized by SACD players. Direct Stream Digital technology is also capable of being encrypted to prevent digital copying. Fall Introduction Scheduled Initial SACD hardware and software will begin shipping to U.S. retailers in October. Additional player and title introductions are expected to continue throughout the coming year. "The SACD format offers outstanding benefits for audiophiles, consumers, retailers and the entire music industry," Fidler noted. SOURCE Sony Electronics Inc.