SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Expanding the DVDirect(TM) DVD recorder product family, Sony Electronics today introduced another new model that allows both digital photos and home videos to be recorded onto discs without the need for a computer.

Like the presently available VRD-VC20 model, the new VRD-MC1 recorder can transfer home video footage in real-time from a camcorder or VCR tape to a DVD without a computer, and also enables "computer free" recording of digital still images directly from memory cards to DVD as a slideshow for playback on most home DVD players and PC DVD-ROM drives.

The new recorder can also be directly connected to PictBridge(TM) compatible photo printers for printing individual digital pictures from a memory card or from a DVD disc.

One side of the new DVDirect model incorporates digital and analog video/audio inputs, enabling direct connection of a camcorder or VCR to transfer tape-based videos to DVD. On the other side, it sports slots for five of the most popular digital camera memory cards, allowing you to take pictures from your digital camera and create a slideshow on a DVD disc, all without a computer.

"Home movies and digital pictures tend to end up languishing on tapes or memory cards," said Bob DeMoulin, marketing manager for branded storage products in Sony Electronics' IT Products Division. "The new DVDirect recorder is an ideal solution, allowing those precious family memories found in both home videos and digital pictures to be recorded onto convenient DVDs for enjoying, sharing, and preserving."

Using the VRD-MC1 without a Computer

For home video transfers, the VRD-MC1 includes a digital video (DV) input (i.LINK(R)/FireWire(R)/IEEE 1394) that allows for quick and easy high-quality video transfers from a digital camcorder, including full camcorder control from the DVDirect recorder in synchronized recording mode. It also has analog S-Video and Composite Video inputs.

The new model can record digital still images directly from a Memory Stick(R) and Memory Stick Duo(TM) storage media, Compact Flash(R), Secure Digital (SD), and xD cards to a DVD, creating a slideshow that can be played back on a DVD player, or simply used as a backup DVD of the images for storage or printing. When recording digital images, the DVDirect recorder keeps the JPEG files in their original high resolution format, and is capable of printing them directly from a photo DVD to a PictBridge-enabled printer.

The VRD-MC1 features a two-inch color LCD screen for previewing video and images when used in stand-alone mode. It can burn up to 12 hours of high-quality hardware encoded MPEG-2 video on DVD+R DL Double Layer discs, or up to six hours of video or up to 2,000 photos onto supported standard single layer discs. These discs can then be played back and enjoyed on most home DVD players or computer DVD-ROM drives.

Advanced Capabilities Using a Computer

For additional functionality, the new DVDirect model can also be connected to a PC for more advanced DVD video projects, including making copies of home videos and photo DVDs to share with family and friends.

The VRD-MC1 recorder comes with the Nero(R) software suite to use when it is attached to a PC via Hi-Speed USB (USB 2.0), giving users the ability to jazz up their home movies and digital pictures.

The package includes software for making copies of home movies and slideshows, as well as authoring DVD discs with customized menus and other advanced features. The bundle also includes DVD-video playing software, backup software, virtual disc drive software, management/jukebox, disc label creation, and drive tool software.

All tasks and applications are accessible via the Nero StartSmart launcher, which makes it simple to load all necessary software.

In computer-attached mode, the VRD-MC1 model can burn DVD+R and DVD-R discs at 16X, which equates to about six minutes of recording time. It also supports 8X DVD+R DL, 4X DVD-R DL, 8X DVD+RW, 6X DVD-RW, 48X CD-R and 24X CD-RW recording speeds.

Availability and Pricing

The new DVDirect recorder (model VRD-MC1) will be available early next month for $299. Pre-orders are now being accepted on SonyStyle.com. Sony will continue to offer the existing video-only VRD-VC20 model for about $230. Sony DVD/CD rewritable drives are sold through SonyStyle.com, at Sony Style retail stores nationwide (http://www.sonystyle.com/retail) and at authorized resellers and retailers nationwide, through certain mail order catalogs, and select online shopping sites.

Contact: Elizabeth Boukis Sony Electronics Inc. (408) 955-5616 elizabeth.boukis@am.sony.com Kristin Hehir The Hoffman Agency (408) 975-3098 khehir@hoffman.com

CONTACT: Elizabeth Boukis of Sony Electronics Inc., +1-408-955-5616, or
elizabeth.boukis@am.sony.com; or Kristin Hehir of The Hoffman Agency,
+1-408-975-3098, or khehir@hoffman.com, for Sony

Web site: http://www.sony.com/news