Audio Video News

On March 9, <A HREF="http://www.pioneerusa.com">Pioneer New Media Technologies</A> announced the availability of its first DVD-Recordable (DVD-R) drive, the DVR-S101, bundled with DVD mastering software from Prassi Software USA and five blank DVD-R discs. Aimed at the professional desktop DVD market, Pioneer's SCSI-2 DVD-R drive lists for $16,995 and provides a data-transfer rate of 1.428 megabits per second, a data-buffer capacity of 4 MB, and a tray-loading system. Together with the mastering software, this products constitutes the first fully functional DVD-R drive to be offered for sale that allows users to create a disc image file and record on the desktop. "The Pioneer/Prassi bundle provides the DVD-mastering market with the only DVD-R solution available," says Paul Dempsey, senior vice president of marketing and sales at Pioneer New Media Technologies. "This is a powerful product offering that is incredibly easy to use."

Pioneer has introduced three entry-level, 7.2-channel AV receivers equipped with HDMI 2.0, Roku Ready certification, and its proprietary iControlAV5 app. The new models will be available at the end of the month with suggested prices of $399 for the VSX-824, $499 for the VSX-1024, and $599 for the VSX-1124.

Pioneer, best known as a maker of plasma TVs, is also planting a foot in the LCD camp. The company already sells 32- and 37-inch LCD sets in Europe. Soon it will launch them in North America and Japan, according to JCN Network, a Japanese business news outfit.

Pioneer today introduced two richly featured AV receivers aimed squarely at home theater enthusiasts who are on a budget.

Pioneer has announced a lower-priced addition to its high-end SE line of headphones.

The Nani? PHA-M70 Personal Sound Amplifier Pioneer previewed at CES in January is now available in the U.S. for $150.