NEW
YORK, July 18, 2006 - Sony is making sure home movies
meet the high-def expectations of home theater fans with its new
HDR-UX1 and HDR-SR1
Handycam® camcorders.
These are the first consumer camcorders to record in full 1080i HD
resolution and Dolby® Digital 5.1 surround sound, offering a choice
in recording media. While the HDR-UX1 model records directly to
readily-available, three-inch DVD discs for effortless playback and
sharing, the HDR-SR1 camcorder’s built-in 30GB hard drive
facilitates mass video storage as well as in-camcorder and PC
editing.
“With more families adopting high-definition
televisions and acquiring HD content, we want to give them a variety
of ways to enjoy their home video in the same high quality,” said
Linda Vuolo,
director of marketing for camcorders at Sony Electronics. “Our HD
camcorder line offers people greater functionality and more choice
to make high-def video creation fun and easy.”
High-Def
is Not Just For
Sports
Sony’s new HD camcorders bring home movies fully into the home
theater fold. They feature HDMI™ outputs for simple, one-cord
connection to an HD television with no data conversion and
subsequent degradation of picture quality.
Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound assures a life-like audio
experience when viewing your home movies. This experience can be
further enhanced with the sold-separately Sony ECM-HW1
Bluetooth®
wireless microphone, which amplifies the center channel sound of the
multi-point surround system and even lets you record them wirelessly
up to 100 feet away.
The HDR-SR1 hard disk drive model is the perfect choice for that
week-long vacation in Hawaii when the convenience of long recording
times and not having to manage removable media is much appreciated.
This model records more than ten hours of high-def video in long
play mode. You can extend the recording time of the HDR-UX1 model up
to an hour in long play mode by using Sony’s new +R double-layer,
single-sided DVD.
Effortless
HD Playback
HD content recorded on DVDs with either the HDR-UX1 or HDR-SR1
models can be played back on
Blu-ray Disc devices, such as the
forthcoming Sony BDP-S1 player and PLAYSTATION® 3 video game
console. Standard DVD drives on compatible PCs can also play back
these DVDs with the bundled software.
Both support the new AVCHD™ camcorder recording format based on the
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 codec
for video compression and Dolby digital
audio. This technology makes it possible to not only achieve
high-quality HD video and audio, but also produce camcorders that
are power efficient and compact.
Both models allow for quick data transfer from the camcorder to a
compatible PC for playback and editing. The hard disk drive unit
also features Sony’s One Touch Disc Burn button for easy DVD
creation using a PC.
Imaging
Technologies for Like No Other
These lightweight camcorders feature Sony’s
ClearVid CMOS Sensor™ and
Enhanced Imaging Processor™ technologies. Together, they provide
high-resolution and heightened sensitivity for virtually smear-free
video with vivid color and clarity.
Other benefits include four-megapixel
digital still capture, a Dual Record function that allows you to
shoot video and simultaneously capture 2.3
megapixel stills, and a Smooth
Slow Record function to shoot video in slow motion.
Both models are also equipped with an advanced Carl
Zeiss®
Vario-Sonnar®
T* lens to ensure true-to-life color saturation and minimize
unwanted glare and flare from reflected light. Even while shooting,
the camcorders’ extra-large, 3.5-inch
SwivelScreen™ LCD screens display
video with high-contrast and optimal color due to Sony’s Clear Photo
Plus LCD™ technology. Video is easy to view on screen from any angle
and in virtually any environment. The screens double as
touch-sensitive control panels, giving easy access to many of the
camcorders’ settings.
The HDR-UX1 camcorder will be available in September for about
$1,400, and the HDR-SR1 will hit stores in October for about $1,500.
Options will include a full line of accessories, including lights,
lenses, microphones,
InfoLithium® batteries, chargers and cables.
Both models will be available online at Sonystyle.com,
at Sony
Style® retail stores (www.sonystyle.com/retail),
and at authorized dealers nationwide. Pre-orders will begin on July
21st at
www.sonystyle.com/handycam.
AVCHD
Licensing and Supporting Companies
On July 13, Panasonic and Sony announced the commencement of
licensing for AVCHD, the high-definition digital video camera
recorder format, as well as an expansion of the format’s
specifications. The two companies have been promoting this format
extensively throughout the industry and the following companies have
expressed their support for AVCHD.
Consumer Electronics Manufacturers:
Canon Inc.
Pioneer Corporation
Samsung Electronics
Sharp Corporation
Non-liner Editing Software Suppliers [Software
Supporting AVCHD]
Adobe Systems Incorporated
[Adobe Production Studio]
CyberLink Corporation
[PowerDVD,
PowerDirector
InterVideo, Inc.
[Win DVD]
Nero AG [Nero 7 Premium
(Nero 7 Ultra Edition)]
Sonic Solutions [Easy Media
Creator 9]
Sony Media Software [Vegas 7.0
Ulead Systems, Inc. [Video Studio, DVD
MovieWriter]
Editor's Notes: