Electronic Ecstasy: Hitachi Launches Impressive Line of TV’s, DVD Recorders and Projectors

TORONTO (djc Features) — A hybrid DVD/VCR player. A stunning 57-inch CRT rear-projection TV. An LCD TV with a high-contrast fine-pitch screen. A DVD camcorder that sports a 16×9 filming format.

No, this isn’t my birthday wish list. Rather, it’s what Hitachi recently unveiled, giving tech heads even more goodies to gobble up. Known as an electronics leader, and boasting more than $81 billion (US) in total sales in fiscal 2003, Hitachi is brimming with products both technically exquisite and stylishly designed. If you’re a home theatre enthusiast hungry for top-notch gear, read on.

Televisions

Digital Journal is especially enthusiastic about the Cineform 55-inch plasma TV ($15,000), which displays a brighter picture at a screen resolution of 1366 x 768.

“The industry trend is thin and sleek,” says Brandon Osmond, product manager of Hitachi Canada and the latest models are shedding the pounds to get skinny. Its CRT rear-projection line (from $2,200 to $2800) features a thin cabinet design ideal for compact spaces. The picture quality is excellent, boasting a 4:3 Expanded Mode for all TV signals.

Hitachi is banking on our need for less clutter its LCD TV displays by moving the bottom part of the TV (the control settings, etc.) into the actually unit, thereby reducing cabinet volume by 21 per cent from Hitachi’s previous LCD designs. “People want something that looks like plasma but not as expensive,” says Osmond. Available in 50-inch and 60-inch and screen sizes($5,000 to $6,300), the Cineform LCD TVs use a Fresnel lens that distributes the image evenly across the screen and directs the reflection of the light straight into the second screen element. Basically, a sharper and clearer image.

Digital Journal is especially enthusiastic about the Cineform 55-inch plasma TV ($15,000), which displays a brighter picture at a screen resolution of 1366 x 768. While pricier than its cousins above, the latest plasma TVs from Hitachi do give you a big bang for your buck. Pixel-driving technology reduces the amount of electrodes and thus allows more room for light-emitting phosphors — a good thing, trust me. Other highlights include an adjustable colour decoder, four-step black enhancement, photo memory card USB and screen savers.

DVD Players/Recorders
Ever wanted to take your old wedding VHS tape and transfer it on to DVD? Hitachi recently released a DVD recorder and VCR player ($700) that allows VHS-to-DVD transfer, along with recording in both formats. You can also record new programs while watching previously recorder material, and Triple Navigation allows you to pinpoint recorded scenes based on date or time.

And if you’re a caveman and still don’t own a DVD player, Hitachi offers the DV-P745U ($100), a single-disc progressive scan DVD player that provides instant access to selected chapters, MP3 playback and 2x-4x digital zoom.

But the industry is destined to change soon. “Hard-disk drive recorders are the future,” Osmond asserts. “Imagine a recorder with a 400GB hard drive built into it, allowing 100 hours of quality video on a video disc.” The future hasn’t arrived yet but stay tuned.

DVD Camcorders

The DZ-MV550A Camcorder ($1,000) features 18x optical zoom lens with 500x digital zoom expander, a six-mode auto exposure and 2.5-inch TFT LCD colour monitor.

These products are gaining ground, coming in second to mini DV, according to Osmond. What should intrigue burgeoning users is the DVD-RAM feature — use in-camera editing to create playlists on the fly. If your friends come over to check out your vacation video, do they really want to see you suntanning for two hours? With RAM, you can grab specific scenes, align them in order and create a selection. One RAM disc, which comes with an Hitachi DVD camcorder, allows 100 playlists to be created.

The DZ-MV550A Camcorder ($1,000) features 18x optical zoom lens with 500x digital zoom expander, a six-mode auto exposure and 2.5-inch TFT LCD colour monitor. With a DVD-RAM disc, it can record around 40 minutes of video in extra-fine mode or 120 minutes in standard mode. Close to 2000 still images can also be recorded at 1280 x 960 resolution. Weighing just over a pound, this puppy is a powerhouse that won’t wear down the forearm muscles.

High-Definition Projectors

Projectors are moving from the boardroom to the living room. The latest model, the PJTX100 Ultravision LCD front projector ($4,000).

A big seller for Hitachi, projectors are moving from the boardroom to the living room. Osmond highlights the ELD lens on the latest model, the PJTX100 Ultravision LCD front projector ($4,000). Short for Extra Low Dispersion, this lens ensures a sharp picture without the usual colour bleeding and picture break-up found when projecting an image from a long distance. Also, the projector boasts lens shifting, a technology that centres the image on the screen, even if the unit is not aligned perfectly.

Additional features include Whisper Mode to reduce noise output to an industry low of 25db, and a 10-step motorized iris to adjust brightness for varied room environments. This isn’t your grandfather’s projector, but a product ideal for home-theatre lovers with a penchant for something different.

Technology advances so rapidly these days but Hitachi keep a close ear to the electronics ground, never missing the boat. Their innovations, described above and available at the web site below, can complete your ideal home-theatre experience — and your birthday wish list.

www.hitachi.ca
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