PANASONIC LAUNCHES DV/DVCPRO DESKTOP VTR WITH IEEE1394

Panasonic showed for the first time at IBC a new entry-level priced, desktop VTR, the AJ-SD255, with both DV and DVCPRO recording and playback of DV, DVCAM™ and DVCPRO cassettes. The VTR comes with an optional IEEE1394 interface for digital transfers between camcorders and edit workstations.

“The AJ-SD255” said Robert Pascher, Marketing Manager, Panasonic Broadcast Europe, “is part of Panasonic’s continued investment in tape-based production, bringing out new equipment with IEEE1394 for digital transfers and significantly reducing the cost of DV/DVCPRO production.” Weighing only 7kg, two VTRs can be installed alongside each other in a single 19” rack. With an L cassette it provides up to 184 minutes of recording time. It has 2 PCM audio recording channels. Operation of the VTR is enhanced with a joystick. The AJ-SD255 will be available in spring 2005.