Tuesday, 19 August 2008

Toshiba Boosts DVD Playback without using Blu-ray Discs

Toshiba America Consumer Products has announced a new DVD player that it says significantly enhanced existing DVD playback without the need for Blu-Ray discs. The XDE (eXtended Detail Enhancement) ups resolution from 480i/p to 1080p and also offers several picture enhancement modes that allow for greater detail, more vivid colors and stronger contrast.

XDE, or extended detail enhancement, will be in Toshiba's new XD-E500 DVD player, which will ship this month. The player will be priced at USD 150, about twice as much as regular up-converting players.

"XDE offers consumers a simple solution to add on to their HDTV purchase. XDE works with existing DVDs to deliver a near HD experience with enhanced detail and richer colors. Toshiba is delivering to consumers what they want, a high quality experience at an affordable price," said Louis Masses, director of product planning, in a statement.

Toshiba plans to promote its new technology in an extensive print and online advertising campaign, starting with ads on the NBCOlympics.com Web site. The company also has launched a Web site dedicated to promoting XDE.