Press Release

Plug & Play      Volume 8     Issue Number 14 
Circulation over 1,457 Members & Registered Readers. 


DVDA membership has reached 536 and is rising.

Contents: Low cost  $399, DVD Video authoring - Free exhibit and awards at 
DVDPro.

>From the Editor.

Do not forget the first official meeting of the DVD Association.  Aug 15, 
Seacliffe Room at 5.30 pm.  Richard French the Chairman and I will be around 
during the whole of DVD Pro, to discuss the new association, select speakers 
for the Summit and encourage exhibitors for the Mini-expo, so please look for 
us.  
Jim Taylor, author of the definitive book on DVD, DVD Demystified, has 
accepted a seat on the DVD Association Advisory Council, joining Dana Parker 
and John Barker. Jim's advice will be a great help in the shaping of the 
association's future.
We are close to finalizing the arrangements for the DVDA in Europe and will 
have all the details for the next issue.
Web site, wwwdvda.org
We have had some problems with the web site this week due to some technical 
difficulties.  Please excuse us.  However the Suppliers part of the Resources 
section of the web site, www.dvda.org is now operating.  There are however 
some companies listed with incomplete information.  Please visit the site and 
check your listing.  Several companies have already reported receiving 
inquiries from our web site so don't miss out.
Free membership ends on October 1, so join now, just send me your details by 
e-mail.
Summit registration and awards entry forms are available on the Home Page of 
the web site. www.dvda.org
All the platforms pages have some information except CD-ROM.  If anyone would 
like to contribute articles of interest on this or any other subject please 
send them to me.
It is your web site.
Interactive DVD standard
If you are interested in the possibility of Interactive DVD there is a plea 
for an Interactive DVD standard on the DVD platform page. www.dvda.org
Employment in DVD.
The DVD employment site is up and running, Roland Wood has done an 
exceptional job on this site and has the full backing of the DVDA.  We will 
provide a link to http://dvdjobsusa.com from our web site, for those looking 
for a job in the world of DVD.

Don't get us confused with the 'DVD Video group.'

When we announced the formation of the DVDA, in the press release we 
mentioned that we were working with members of the 'DVD group'.  This is a 
group of people enrolled on the 'DVD list,' not the 'DVD Video group'. The 
DVD Video Group was started by a group of interested parties, mainly the 
movie studios, under the chairmanship of Emiel Petrone.  Their object is to 
promote DVD Video as the home theater platform of the future.  They are 
continuing this task in the consumer markets, as the DVD Association is 
working alongside them to promote DVD in the non-consumer markets. The two 
associations have agreed to work closely together and either Emiel or the 
Executive Director, Amy Jo Donner will speak on the subject of the "Future of 
DVD Video in the consumer market," at the DVDA Summit. 

DVD PRO 99
Free Registration for the Keynote, Exhibits and the Awards ceremony at DVD 
Pro 
Go to the official web site http://www.dvdpro.net/, for more information.
Only a few more days to go before the 1999 DVD Pro conference takes place in 
San Francisco.  If you intend to be at this important meeting, make sure you 
arrive on Aug 15 in time for the first official meeting of the new DVD 
Association at 5.30 pm.
I look forward to meeting many of our new DVDA members and prospective 
members at this conference.
At 6.30 pm, directly after the DVDA meeting, the SMPTE DVD Working Group, 
will meet in the same room.
DVD pro Discus Awards
Those attending the DVD Pro conference, will also be able to attend the DVD 
pro Discuss Awards.  Here are the twenty-four finalists in the six categories 
which have been selected from over 120 nominations: 
Best Consumer DVD-Video
>From the Earth to the Moon, Ghostbusters Collectors Series, Tender Loving 
Care, Tomorrow Never Dies
Best Consumer DVD-ROM
Encarta Reference Suite 99 DVD, From the Earth to the Moon, Lost in Space, 
Pleasantville 
Best Corporate DVD (ROM or Video)
411 Digital North America, 1998: The Year of Thinking Different, MSDN 
Library, Philips ProDVD 170 Player DVD Video
Best Educational DVD (ROM or Video)
1999 World Book Family Reference Suite DVD, Barney's "Let's Play School",From 
the Earth to the Moon,World Book Discoveries
Best Packaging
>From the Earth to the Moon, More Tales of the City, Pleasantville, The Ten 
Commandments
Technical Achievement
Ghostbusters, Lost In Space, Taxi Driver--Collectors Edition, Tender Loving 
Care.
"The titles nominated this year really reflect the sophistication of both the 
authoring tools and the developers," said Adam Pemberton, President of Online 
Inc. "The number of titles nominated this year grew by 80% and they really 
reflect the sophistication of both the authoring tools and the developers," 
said Adam Pemberton, President of Online Inc.
Low cost software only DVD creation

One of our members, VITEC Multimedia's is about to launch DVD Toolbox.  With 
this software only product, any home PC user has the ability to create a 
simple, interactive DVD-Video that can be stored on hard disk, CD-R, CD-RW, 
DVD-RAM and, of course, on a DVD-R; and be played back on a full screen with 
full motion, full color and with full interactive control. 
DVD Toolbox includes all the necessary tools to: Encode AVI into DVD 
compliant elementary streams,  Edit DVD streams in MPEG-2 format, Produce 
DVD-Video by organizing DVD chapters, Playback DVD with an integrated 
software DVD player. 
DVD Toolbox will take an AVI file (Audio Video Interleave commonly used 
format for audio/video data for the PC) and turn it into a DVD-Video 
Compliant MPEG 1 or 2 file. Through the use of the new proprietary DVD 
Direct� features from the encoder, the file can then be authored, edited or 
modified and placed on a wide range of media with its own DVDMAKER� authoring 
software. Available in September at $399.
If you want to make an earlier start, you can purchase the MPEG Toolbox-2, 
which is actually a component of the DVD Toolbox, providing the MPEG-2 
encoding / editing portion now for $249.  VITEC are offering to credit the 
full $249 against the purchase of DVD Toolbox, on any MPEG Toolbox-2's 
purchased up to the September release date. 
The encoding speed is around 10-14 x on a typical PC.
VITEC are accepting DVD TOOLBOX pre-orders now for September shipments FOB
Sunnyvale.
Tel.: USA (801) 897 3646  Check the free demos on the web site.www.vitecmm.com

See it at the Summit.
You will be able to both see and try the new software at the Summit, yet 
another reason to be there.
The Panasonic DVD RAM / MPEG Toolbox press release validates the unique
combination: 
www.panasonic.com/industrial_oem/computer/storage/dvd-ram/new/press/pr16.htm

The Tote book Inter-Con/PC Model 6000
 
Is this the ultimate in Technology Convergence?
Processor: Speed: 350 MHz, Memory: 64 mg/PC 100, DVD, Dolby� Pro Logic 
Surround Sound, TV output: S & Composite Video, Modem: 56 K, International 
power supply, Infrared keyboard and mouse, Phone line out & in, MIDI 
interface, Parallel port 
PS/2 keyboard /mouse port, Game port, 2 USB external ports, 2 serial ports, 
Ethernet 10/100 base T . 
Easy to use Infra red wireless keyboard. Reduces the customer's need for 
multiple components at a competitive price.




DVD Success stories.

Home Depot goes for DVD.

Home Depot have selected an interactive touchscreen, DVD kiosk, to provide 
customers with detailed information about products from AOSafety, the leading 
brand of personal protective equipment.
Access Technology, created the DVD kiosk which premiered in Home Depot's new 
concept store, Village Hardware, that opened in New Jersey this Spring.
"The kiosk allows us to present our safety products in a way that is both 
informative and entertaining," explained Jim Gray, Director, Marketing 
Services of Aearo Corporation. "The technology engages customers in selecting 
appropriate safety gear and helps raise awareness of these important -- but 
often overlooked -- products."  The kiosk profiles AOSafety consumer products 
and allows customers to search by product or by application.  For example, 
the customer can select ear, eye or head protection and find out about 
specific products and for which hazards they provide protection.  Customers 
can also select an application, such as lawn care, pool and spa care, 
painting or plumbing, and the kiosk lists all the protection needs for that 
activity.  Each safety product is described in detail with information on 
what type of protection it provides, such as protection from chemical splash 
or flying objects.
The kiosk uses a professional DVD player connected to a touchscreen monitor.  
This technology provides easier set-up and maintenance when compared to a 
video kiosk using a computer system.
Contact: Rob Carroll, e-mail [email protected].

Purchasing DVD and CD-I players on line.

Low-cost online ordering is now available from Videotronic North America at 
www.vtna.com, for DVD, VCD, CD-i  and M2 players.  From the phone calls I 
receive I know there are companies out there looking for CD-I players in 
particular. They have them here. The information you enter is securely 
transmitted online to their order database and confirmed by a human operator 
before any charges or shipments are made.   

Videotronic appearing at National Hardware Show '99. 

If you are not going to DVD Pro, maybe you will visit the  1999 National 
Hardware Show at McCormick Place, in Chicago August 15-18.  Videotronic 
International will be showing examples of how they have worked with product 
manufacturers and retail stores around the globe to sell more products with 
video, computer and now DVD information kiosks at the Point of Sale.  If you 
plan to attend the show, be sure to stop by and say hello!  Booth 30456, East 
Hall, McCormick Place.

Panasonic's Premiere DVD-Audio Players 

Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company (PCEC) is the first to announce 
delivery timing and suggested pricing for two models of DVD-Audio players, 
the Panasonic-brand DVD-A7 and the Technics DVD-A10. 
Beginning this October, both models will be shipped to dealers nationwide. 
The Panasonic DVD-A7 has a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $999.95. 
The Technics DVD-A10 carries a manufacturer's suggested retail price of 
$1,199.95. 

These next generation audio players can be easily incorporated into your home 
entertainment system. But while the players will accept and play conventional 
CDs, future DVD-Audio discs will be reproduced with far greater fidelity then 
presently available. And DVD-Audio is capable of much more. Attached to a 
home entertainment's television or projection TV, a DVD-Audio player can also 
reproduce video: graphics, text, music videos, and more can be shown. 
Additionally, since the player is compatible with DVD Video discs, your 
favorite DVD movies can be played as well -- along with up to 5.1 channels of 
Dolby Digital and dts multi-channel sound. 

Want more? Future DVD-Audio discs could even contain URL addresses for 
instant access to relevant Web sites as you listen -- or watch -- a DVD-Audio 
disc. 

"DVD-Audio not only far exceeds the audio quality of conventional CD 
reproduction, but provides new enhancements that can combine listening with a 
truly interactive experience," says Gene Kelsey, vice president and general 
manager of Panasonic's Audio Group. "A DVD-Audio/Video player will be the 
cornerstone component of all home entertainment systems of the near future." 
CONTACT: Panasonic http://www.panasonic.com/


Strategic Partnership Enables DVD Solutions for Training and Promotion 

Rapidly growing demand for training and development services requires 
seamless integration of DVD technology with advanced design and analysis of 
training, communication and target audience needs. 
Henninger Media Services and IBT Group have formed a strategic partnership 
that will focus on providing those comprehensive DVD-based multimedia 
solutions to corporate, government, communications and association 
communities. With DVD gradually achieving increased acceptance for commercial 
applications, Henninger Media Services has concurrently built the largest DVD 
production facility on the East Coast. The upgraded DVD facilities cover 
2,000 square feet and feature separate suites designed for DVD authoring, 
encoding and graphics. Using Sonic Solutions DVD Creator to author and edit 
their DVD products, Henninger services more than 20 current DVD clients. 

IBT Group provides product development services that guide clients through 
the product development cycle by assessing the needs of the target audience, 
developing the user interface, instructional design and content, and 
developing and implementing evaluation methods. For projects that require 
audio or video production, IBT Group can capture the events while Henninger 
Media Services provides post-production facilities and services. 

"This partnership positions our team as the leader in end-to-end development 
and production of DVDs," said Tom Boots, vice president at IBT Group. "We 
will make it easy for organizations to move into the world of DVD. As DVD 
becomes the standard medium for training and promotional material 
distribution, organizations will be able to turn to one team to produce DVD 
projects that will contribute to the achievement of organizational goals


"Plug and Play" is published by the Interactive Digital Media Association as 
a free service to our members and readers.

The Editor is Paul Holmes, he can be reached at [email protected] (440) 
349-9661

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