RCA HDV5000 HD DVD Player

RCA's first DVD player compatible with the new HD DVD disc format, the HDV5000 combines the superior image and sound quality of high-definition images and multichannel surround sound with the convenience of DVD disc playback. Using the HDMI output, which provides uncompressed, all-digital video and multi-channel audio delivered via a single cable, you'll be able to view HD DVD discs in high-definition 720p or 1080i resolution. The HDV5000 is also backward compatible with your library of standard DVD movie and CD audio discs, and it offers an upconverting function that brings your favorite DVDs to near HD quality. Since the conversion occurs in the player, the signal is free of excessive digital-to-analog conversion artifacts. Note that viewing high-definition HD DVD Disc content requires an HDTV or HD-ready TV.

HD DVD movie discs provide the ability to search the on-screen menu, make changes to set-up options or access other menu functions while the movie is playing. Scene searching is facilitated with thumbnail images on the TV screen that allow you to use the cursor to go directly to a specific scene. You can even access bonus material like directorÕs comments while the movie is playing without going back to the discÕs menu. Other features include:

• Capability to connect the HDV5000 to a home network using the Ethernet port, enabling upgrades of the player as new features are developed
• Dual front-panel USB game controller ports
• Enhanced black level selection for optimum brightness
• Letterbox pan and scan support for multiple video formats
• Multiple audio and video stream decoding with separate volume control
• Parental controls
• Multi-lingual on-screen display (English, French, Japanese)
• Disc compatibility: HD DVD, DVD movie, CD audio, DVD-R/RW, Dual Layer DVD-R, DVD+R/RW, CD-R/RW

The HDV5000 provides a full range of audio decoding, including Dolby Digital, Dolby DTS, MP3, and WMA. It has stereo outputs as well as coaxial and optical digital audio outputs for 5.1-channel home theater surround sound. It offers the following video output connection options:

• Composite AV (RCA): 1
• S-Video: 1
• Component Video: 1
• HDMI: 1

HD DVD Disc Format
Officially endorsed by the DVD Forum industry organization as the next high-capacity DVD disc, the HD DVD format delivers sharper, more detailed picture performance than standard DVD discs. Moreover, the HD DVD format opens new avenues of interactivity including enhanced on-screen menus, scene searching, directorsÕ commentaries and the potential for online shopping. HD DVD discs can offer both the current DVD and HD DVD formats on one disc, which means that special HD DVD discs will play in older DVD players as well as new high definition players.

Tech Talk
HDMI is a lossless, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface to link any audio/video source (such as a set-top box, DVD player, or AV receiver) with your TV--all over a single cable. HDMI supports standard, enhanced or high definition video, plus multi-channel digital audio on a single cable. It supports all ATSC formats--standard (SDTV), enhanced (EDTV), and high (HDTV).

Component video (also called Y/Pb/Pr) features a three-jack video input, which provides separate connections for luminance (Y), blue color difference (PB) and red color difference (PR). This results in increased bandwidth for color information, resulting in a more accurate picture with clearer color reproduction and less bleeding than you would get with S-Video or composite (RCA yellow video plug) connections. You will need a separate RCA left/right audio cable for sound.

• High Definition Formats: The most common high-def (HD) video format is 720p, which displays video at 720 vertical by 1280 horizontal pixels. The "p" denotes that it is progressive scan, meaning that all video lines are filled at the same time. The 1080i format displays video at 1080 vertical by 1920 horizontal pixels, and the "i" means that it is interlaced (the old-school way of presenting video where the screen scans the odd-numbered video lines first, then the even-numbered lines). The 1080p format has the same pixel resolution as 1080i, but it is a progressive scan format and thus has a constant vertical resolution of 720 lines.

What's in the Box
HD DVD player, remote control (with batteries), L/R audio cable, video cable (yellow), HDMI cable, printed operating instructions