Samsung Ships Digital Set-Top Boxes, Home Theater
By Greg Tarr -- TWICE, 8/5/2002
NEW YORK— Continuing its brand-building efforts, Samsung formally unveiled 2002-03 video and audio product lines, highlighted by new-generation digital set-top boxes and the company's first upmarket home theater audio systems.
The flagship SIR-T165 ATSC/NTSC model with both DVI-HDTV and IEEE-1394 DTVLink interfaces highlighted the line. The unit, which covers many bases except QAM cable compatibility, will carry a $799 suggested retail price when it ships this month. It will receive and output most of the primary ATSC broadcast formats — 480i, 480p, 720p and 1080i.
The now shipping SIR-T160 ($699 suggested retail) is the company's first combination HDTV ATSC/DirecTV decoder. It will also output the primary ATSC formats, and will receive over-the-air and DirecTV standard and HD signals. Like the T165 it offers a DVI-HDTV digital connector and HD component analog output. It lacks QAM compatibility and a DTVLink interface.
Samsung unveiled its first home-theater-in-box solutions, highlighted by the HT-SK6 DVD home theater system (due in the fall at a $1,199 suggested retail) that packages surround sound speakers from Klipsch Audio Technologies.
The HT-SK6 combines a single-disc progessive-scan DVD players, 725-watt total 5.1-channel Dolby Digital receiver and Klipsch Quintet Microsystem loudspeakers. The system includes the Klipsch KSW-10 225-watt powered subwoofer with 10-inch down-firing driver.
Claude Frank, Samsung digital A/V productions marketing director, said the association with Klipsch is hoped to open doors to new retail partners for each company. However, Samsung will only distribute the product to dealers that carry both brands.
Qualified dealers include Tweeter, Ultimate Electronics, Magnolia HiFi, Now A/V, American TV, Nebraska Furniture Mart, The Wiz, Good Guys and Vann's.
Also introduced was the HT-DM150 HTIB with Samsung speakers. The system, which is due this month at a $399.99 suggested retail price, includes an integrated progressive-scan DVD player and 5.1-channel surround sound receiver.
Highlighting new DVD offerings, is the DVD-L100 laptop DVD player (now shipping at a $1,199.95 suggested retail) with a 10W-inch 16:9 flip-up TFT LCD screen.
The unit offers a 0.9-inch chassis, built-in Memory Stick port, and compatibility with optical media and MP3.
The DVD-P721M is a single-disc progressive-scan DVD player with built-in Memory Stick port for digital photo and music files. The player is currently available at a $249.95 suggested retail price.
The DVD-V2000 and DVD-V2500 are next generation combination DVD/ VCRs featuring a 4-head HiFi VCR section with 400X-rewind speed. Both are currently available at suggested retail prices of $299.99 and $349.99, respectively.
In camcorders, the company is carrying MiniDV digital models in two styling configurations — horizontal and vertical. The company also carries a pair of analog Hi8 models priced at $299 and $399, respectively.
The new vertical MiniDV SC-D950 ($1,199 suggested) offers a compact design. The SC-D86 ($699) is a horizontally configured MiniDV.
