Kodak To Bring Picture CD To DVD

ROCHESTER, N.Y.— Kodak and ESS Technology announced an agreement to develop features for DVD players that will enable consumers to view images stored on Kodak Picture CDs on their television.

Additionally, consumers will be able to send photographs to friends or order prints online through their television.

Kodak and ESS intends to offer the Kodak Picture CD service to consumers on DVD players and other electronic devices that carry the Kodak Picture CD compatibility mark. As part of this new initiative, ESS is offering DVD chipsets supporting these new capabilities to its OEM customers worldwide.

Kodak and ESS also have agreed to work together to simplify and promote online printing of digital images. Vialta, a subsidiary of ESS Technology, is launching a multifunctional ViDVDT player that offers Kodak Picture CD service, allowing customers to view Kodak Picture CDs directly on their television.

Planned future upgrades will also allow families to receive pictures directly through the ViDVDT player via a regular phone line. In addition, ESS's JPEG digital image technology will offer enhanced picture viewing with image rotation, thumbnail/catalog display in one screen for quick browsing, slide-show features, pan and zoom, and image special effects.

In the future, the companies plan to allow consumers to send pictures from an ESS/Vialta Internet-enabled DVD player for printing at Kodak's Internet photofinishing service.

Apex Digital was the first manufacturer certified to produce DVD players with the ESS chip and will release model 5131 this month for a suggested retail price under $200.