Panasonic has announced the introduction of the DMP-BD30, which the company calls the next generation High Definition 1080p Blu-ray Disc player. The DMP-BD30 is the first Blu-ray player to be introduced with Final Standard Profile, which adds a variety of new and enhanced features to the Blu-ray arena and one that separates the Panasonic Blu-ray player from the rest of the field.
Also unique to the DMP-BD30 is the inclusion of an SD Memory Card slot for playback of High Definition content recorded in the AVCHD format. The SD slot also allows for viewing of digital still images recorded to an SD Memory Card.
Final Standard Profile is an advanced function added to the Blu-ray standard, which opens the door to new functions such as Picture-in-Picture (which displays a second image in a sub window) and Audio Mixing (allows the consumer to switch the sound between the main and sub windows).
According to Gene Kelsey, Vice President, Panasonic Entertainment Group, "The DMP-BD30 will contribute greatly to Blu-ray's mounting lead over the competing format. Panasonic's adoption of the Final Standard Profile adds a whole new dimension to the entertainment experience. For example, when the added value features inherent to the Final Standard Profile are incorporated into a Blu-ray movie, the viewer could have a myriad of entertainment options. One of the more intriguing aspects of the Final Standard Profile is the Picture-in-Picture feature that would allow the movie fan to access a variety of entertainment enhancements, such as having the director or an actor pop up to discuss a scene you are watching, or with an animated movie, you might see the actor performing their character's voice over, all while still watching the movie. Not only do these features give Panasonic a strong advantage in the high definition market, but they provide the movie community with numerous opportunities to embellish the viewing experience with additional creative elements."
Key Features
Final Standard Profile adds a variety of new and enhanced features* to BD media produced using BD-ROM Profile 1 Version 1.1. For example, a Picture-in-Picture feature displays a sub-screen, and an Audio Mixing function lets the user switch the playback sound between the main screen and the sub-screen.
The DMP-BD30 incorporates the same unique Panasonic P4HD (Pixel Precision Progressive Processing for HD) technology that gained widespread popularity in the DMP-BD10/10A. In addition, the PHL Reference Chroma Processor in the DMP-BD30 expresses the fine details and nuances of movie scenes by reproducing clearer color boundaries, and the 1080/24p Playback function provides BD movies with the same 24-fps (frames per second) playback used in movie theaters. The DMP-BD30 is also compatible with HDMITM V.1.3 and the Deep Color function, for superbly smooth gradation and 4,096-step gradation. These and other features greatly boost image processing performance.
To enhance the sound quality, HDMITM V.1.3 compliance also enables the DMP-BD30 to output Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD audio in bitstream form with no degradation, and brings remastering to the Blu-ray Disc for the first time ever.
These high-quality image and sound technologies are incorporated in the UniPhier chip, a Panasonic-created system LSI developed by applying 45-nanometer processing to a consumer product for the first time in the world. This single-chip integration technology also contributes greatly to the DMP-BD30's slimmer dimensions and lower power consumption.
For networking convenience, the DMP-BD30 comes with an SD Memory Card slot. This enables easy linking with an HD camcorder or digital still camera. AVCHD video images and JPEG photos can be viewed on a large-screen TV at a high 1920 x 1080 resolution by simply inserting an SD Memory Card into the DMP-BD30's SD Memory Card slot.
The inclusion of a multi-function SD Card slot is another new addition to the Panasonic Blu-ray player. Coupled with the AVCHD codec, the DMP-BD30 allows for images recorded on a high capacity HD SD card to be outputted directly from the player's HDMI terminal in their original 1080p form. To further benefit the user, the DMP-BD30 provides an AVCHD Direct Navigator function that makes it easy to search for particular scenes. The player can also play back JPEG still images on an SD card, such as those recorded with a Panasonic Lumix digital camera. The DMP-BD30 converts the images to 1920x1080 resolution, ideal for viewing on a1080p HD Plasma and output them through the HDMI terminal.
The new DMP-BD30 Blu-ray Disc Player both maximizes BD media enjoyment and links with other High Definition products such as camcorders and digital still cameras to serve as a vital hub for HD entertainment.
Like its predecessor, the DMP-DB30 features the EZ-Sync HDAVI Control that allows the consumer to operate their Panasonic home theater system with one remote. With one touch of the EZ-Sync button, all the components turn on, the correct TV input is chosen, the TV's built-in speakers are muted and the home theater starts playback.
With a suggeste retail price of $499.95, the DMP-BD30 also features a myriad of technology advances, including Deep Color Compatibility, and
HDMI 1.3B, that bumps the step gradation from 8-bit 256 all the way up to 12-bit, 4,096 step gradation. To further enhance the viewing experience, the DMP-BD30 also provides 1080/24p playback, so the consumer can enjoy the same 24-fps (frames per second) reproduction as the original movie. This eliminates the need to utilize 3.2 pull down, a process to convert 24-fps images to 60-fps, resulting in a smoother picture.
Kelsey added, "Panasonic's commitment to excellence in entertainment and technology is evident in the establishment of Panasonic Hollywood Labs, where a great deal of research went into the development of Blu-ray. PHL has become one of the major centers for the authoring of Blu-ray titles and works closely with studio engineers in developing High Definition compression technologies."
Based in Secaucus, N.J., Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company, a market and technology leader in high definition entertainment, is a Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. (NYSE: MC) and the hub of Panasonic's U.S. marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. Information about Panasonic products is available at
www.panasonic.com. Additional company information is available at
www.panasonic.com.
