Pioneer Corporation announced today the introduction in Japan of the DVR-530H and DVR-555H, the first DVD recorders with built-in HDD to incorporate the Dual Layer DVD-R (DVD-R DL) technology, which allows recording up to 24 hours of content on a single DVD-R DL disc.

In accordance with a rapid expansion of the DVD recorder market in Japan, the DVD format has now practically become the de-facto standard for recording TV programs at home in Japan. Pioneer's new DVD recorders realize superior performances in terms of recording time, operability and dubbing convenience by offering DVD-R DL recording as well as a variety of easy, convenient functions including: "Quick Disc Navigator," "Help Navigator," and the industry's fastest high-speed dubbing of 100X max (HDD to DVD). They are likely to appeal to a wide range of customers, from beginners to serious users of home-use DVD recorders.

The DVR-530H (200GB HD) and DVR-555H (250 GB HD) will be available in early May and early June respectively in the Japanese market. No retail prices of these models are suggested.

Main features

1) World's first -the DVD-R DL format compatible: capable of recording up to 24 hours on a single-side disc:

A newly-developed MPEG encoder allows even higher picture quality and longer recording time for both DVD and HDD. Onto a DVD-R DL disc, the new DVD recorders can record up to 24 hours of video content in the MN1 recording mode, or a maximum of about 6 hours with the same picture quality as commercially available DVDs. For the HDD, the DVR-530H (equipped with a 200 GB HDD) can record up to about 569 hours, and the DVR-555H (with a 250 GB HDD) up to about 711 hours.

2) A variety of high picture quality functions including the "XP+ recording mode" (around15 Mbps transfer rate, capable of recording in super high quality to the HDD)

The new recorders are equipped with the "XP+ recording mode" (to HDD), which allows recording even better quality images at 15 Mbps, besides the previous highest picture-quality recording mode "XP" (10 Mbps). Based on the designing concept for the "DianaCircuit," the full-digital signal processor employed in Pioneer high-end DVD recorders, the new recorders' high-quality video engine realizes finer, clearer videos. A TV tuner with ghost reduction functionality enables clear reception of terrestrial broadcasts. (DVR-555H only)

3) New "Quick Disc Navigator" and "Help Navigator" support easy, comfortable and smooth operations

Through human-friendly designing approach, a new, easy-to-use on-screen interface (GUI) for the new recorders has been developed in cooperation with the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (RCAST) at the University of Tokyo. Even when users operate these new recorders for the first time, they will sufficiently enjoy their simple, convenient, and clear on-screen controls thanks to the following new functions:

• "Quick Disc Navigator" offers rapid scrolling and title display options. Users can find the programs they want to view quicker than ever before with rapid scrolling and several title display options (number of titles displayed: 4 or 8; order of title displayed: from the latest recording to the oldest one, priority to new programs, alphabetical/numerical by title name, or from the oldest recording to the newest one). In addition, users can select multiple titles at the same time in the delete, edit or other operation modes.
• "Help Navigator" displays the operation guide screen to tell users the next operation even if they haven't read the instruction manuals. With this function set to ON, a pop-up operation guidance is automatically displayed to give tips on convenient playback functions, etc.

4) Advanced Electronic Program Guide (EPG) functions

In addition to popular auto-recording features such as the "Automatic Key-word Recording," new search functions for easier timer recording are available: "New Program Search" to search for new programs, and "Show Me Search (Omakase Search)" to search for programs based on user-specific genre preferences. Thus, the new recorders' timer recording is now more simple and powerful than ever.

5) The industry's fastest high-speed copy capability of approximately 100x speed (HDD to DVD-R) makes it possible to copy a one-hour program in about 40 seconds

Thanks to Pioneer's proprietary DVD-R/DVD-RW drive capable of recording on DVD-R at 12x and on DVD-RW at 6x speeds, the new recorders can copy the one-hour program recorded in the MN1 mode onto a DVD-R disc in about 40 seconds, while the previous models needed over one minute to copy the same program. Based on the DVR-A09 recorder for PC, the new devices could support the 16x for DVD-R recording, with the latest firmware installed. However, the 12x is reccomended in order to maintain video quality and stability.

In addition, the "Two-Path Pro Dubbing" automatically optimizes the copy bit rate allocation depending on the images, and copy the program recorded on the HDD in the "XP+ mode" to a DVD disc in the optimum picture quality.

6) Equipped with USB terminals (Pict-Bridge compatible) - the first - to allow transferring images from a digital camera onto the HDD (DVR-555H only)

Via the USB terminal, users can connect their digital cameras to the DVR-555H, and transfer and store digital camera images directly onto the new recorder's HDD. In addition, they can copy the stored data from the HDD onto a DVD disc in a slide show and picture format to distribute the data to their friends and family easily. With a Pict-Bridge compatible printer connected, users can print images stored in a digital camera without a computer. Connecting a keyboard to the USB port enables users to easily enter title name.

7) Other advantageous features

• Supporting the playback of DVD-RAM and DVD+R/+RW discs as well as DVD-R/DVD-RW discs.
• "Jukebox" function allows one-touch recording of music CDs to the HDD.
• Bilingual recording and variable resolution (2/3D1, 3/4D1) recording onto the HDD
• The compact, stylish design (height: 5.9 cm, depth: 27.3 cm) can be installed in a narrow space.

8) Environment-conscious design to realize low energy consumption

Power consumption in the standby mode (FL off): 0.38W