Sima Products, a video accessories supplier based here, said sales of its GoDVD! video enhancement device for DVD dubbing were so successful that it is introducing a pair of new models to cash in on the explosion in sales of DVD recorders.
Doug Marrison, Sima’s president, said the company will ship in April two new GoDVD! video enhancement models, including the new entry-level model (CT-100) and a step-up model (CT-200). The CT-100 will carry a $99.95 expected retail price, while the CT-200 will retail for between $129 and $139.
Like the earlier CT-2, which Sima launched last year, all of the models are designed to clean up the look of low-quality videos before transfer onto recordable DVDs, VHS tapes, etc. In addition, they will allow legitimate analog “fair-copy” backups of VHS and DVD feature movies.
Marrison explained that the movie backup capability is legal under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act because users make analog (not digital) recordings of content by relying on analog input and output connections. This will make less-than-full-quality digital dubs, but with the video enhancement system built into the GoDVD! products, the image quality differences are difficult to discern with the naked eye, Marrison said. Additionally, the analog dubs will make stereo recordings out of 5.1-channel surround sound.
“As consumers understand that we have the only real legal solution for making backup copies on a DVD recorder, they are embracing the technology in a big way,” Marrison said. “With the explosion of portable and mobile DVD players, consumers are really understanding the benefit of being able to backup their copies of DVD movies.”
In addition, the system will boost the image quality of home videos recorded by camcorders, as consumers begin to make more permanent copies of their family memories.
The new CT-100 model is called a mass retail product, with a sub-$100 entry price. The model removes from the CT-2, the S-video connection and the ability to convert PAL sources to NTSC, and vice versa.
The CT-200 is both a step-up and eventual replacement to the CT-2. That unit includes a composite and S-video connector, PAL to NTSC conversion tool, and a couple of new video enhancement modes. Most notable of the new modes is a color bar gauge that allows users to measure the level of color enhancement applied to the backup recordings by the GoDVD! device.
Marrison said Sima retail partners have been successful selling bundles including a DVD recorder and a GoDVD! video enhancer.
