Toshiba announced its new video enhancement technology for DVD with the introduction of the XD-E500. XDE, or "eXtended Detail Enhancement," a technology that offer more than just DVD upconversion, the company claims. In addition to providing upconversion from 480i/p up to 1080p, XDE offers user selectable picture enhancement modes that allow for greater detail, more vivid colors and stronger contrast that bring standard DVD quality closer to the HD experience. XDE technology lets consumers enjoy their existing DVD libraries in a whole new way.

"Consumers have embraced the DVD format like no other technology and invested in large libraries of their favorite movies. As the market moves towards high definition, XDE lets them experience their existing DVD library and the tens of thousands of DVD titles in a whole new way," said Louis Masses, Director of Product Planning. "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."

XDE Flexibility In addition to upconversion from 480i/p to 1080p, XDE technology offers consumers the ability to customize their viewing experience to their liking with its picture mode settings.

Sharp Mode offers improved detail enhancement that is one step closer to high definition. Edges are sharper and details in movies are more visible. Unlike traditional sharpness control, XDE technology analyzes the entire picture and adds edge enhancement precisely where it?s needed.

Color Mode makes the colors of nature stand out with improved richness. Blues and greens are more vivid and lifelike. Color Mode combines the improvement in color with the detail enhancement of Sharp Mode and is ideal for outdoor scenes.

Contrast Mode is designed to make darker scenes or foregrounds more clearly visible without the typical "washing out" that can occur with traditional contrast adjustment. Recommended for dark scenes where detail may be difficult to notice, Contrast Mode is also combined with Sharp Mode to provide a clearer viewing experience.

In an effort to reach a broad spectrum of consumers from around the world, Toshiba's new XDE technology will be featured in an extensive print and online advertising campaign. This includes placement on NBCOlympics.com, a site that signifies strength, performance, diversity and unity among many. A new Web site, www.toshibaxde.com, will be launched to help educate consumers on the benefits of XDE technology and how it works so they can experience the best of what this new technology has to offer and enjoy their DVD movies in near HD quality.

XDE will be launched today onboard the XD-E500 1080p/24fps Upconverting DVD player. Featuring XDE technology, the XD-E500 also incorporates key features found on today?s upconverting standard DVD players such as HDMI-CEC, DivX certification, JPEG capability, MP3 and WMA playback and much more in a slim, high-gloss cosmetic design to complement today's HDTV. The XD-E500 is shipping this month with an MSRP of $149.99 and can be found at authorized retailers in the U.S..