Audio Video News

Home theater fans will enjoy perusing JVC's new video products—especially its combination digital TV decoder and high-def–capable hard disk recorder, due at dealers this fall.

At its mid-May press conference, JVC showed the TU-9000, a prototype HDTV tuner with built-in hard drive. The consumer version is projected to include a 120GB hard disk drive and an ATSC over-the-air tuner, as well as dual-tuner standard/high-definition decoding for EchoStar's DISH Network. The TU-9000 will stream only one HD channel at a time, according to JVC marketing executive Al Levene. Connections on the TU-9000 will include DVI and IEEE-1394 ("FireWire"). The 1394 connector will yoke the PVR to JVC's HM-DH30000U D-VHS VCR, allowing users to make tape copies of HDTV programs.

JVC is also pushing a new line of HD-capable D-VHS VCRs, to debut in June with the simultaneous launch of the first pre-recorded HDTV D-VHS movies encoded with "D-Theater" copy protection, a proprietary JVC technology said to prevent unauthorized duplication of feature films and other valuable content. Artisan, DreamWorks, Fox, and Universal have all committed to release HDTV titles in the D-Theater format this year. The tapes will be playable only on D-Theater machines, according to JVC executives.

JVC will encourage cooperation between software and hardware retailers with a referral program, according to Consumer Video vice president Jerry Barbera. The company expects that most initial HDTV D-VHS movie sales will occur through electronics stores and Internet distributors.