Sony Takes One Small Step for Man, One Giant Leap For DVD – Company Makes History Again with First Portable DVD Player in Space
Sony
Electronics is taking on-the-go entertainment to the next frontier.
The company today announced its DVP-FX1 portable DVD player will be
aboard the next Space Shuttle Discovery launch scheduled for March 8.
The portable DVD player will be the first in space, playing movies
and music for the three astronauts aboard the International Space
Station, where it will be housed for an extended period of time. Five
Sony portable DVD players will be on board, along with about 50 DVDs
and CDs, forming the first A/V entertainment system in space.
“Sending the DVD player into space is the perfect opportunity for
Sony to equip the ultimate road warrior with the ultimate travel
accessory,” said Mike Fidler, senior vice president of home
video/digital media marketing at Sony Electronics. “We’ve always known
the DVP-FX1 was versatile enough for use on air, land and sea and now
Sony is making history by taking DVD entertainment into space.”
The stylish DVD player has been utilized by business people and
families alike in airplanes, trains, cars/minivans and even cruise
ships since its introduction. Now, it will entertain astronauts and
cosmonauts while still playing movies, music and concert videos on its
crisp, 7-inch 16:9 LCD display.
The ultra-thin units are encased in a magnesium alloy housing, not
available on any other portable DVD player. The casing is integral in
its selection to go into space, providing the lightweight durability
needed for space travel. The units also deliver the exclusive
technologies and high performance found in Sony’s DVD players
reinforcing the high-quality cinematic experience associated with the
product line.
The DVP-FX1 will be challenged by some unearthly conditions. The
shuttle will lift off at a speed of 200 miles per hour when it clears
the tower before reaching an orbital speed of 17,500 miles per hour
and encountering a maximum of three G forces. After having endured
such extremes, the player will rely on its Advanced SmoothScan(TM)
Picture Search for seamless transitions between video frames. The
limited space aboard the shuttle and the International Space Station
are no problem for the DVP-FX1, which is slimmer than three stacked
DVD cases even with the battery.
What will the astronauts watch in space? People will soon have the
opportunity to make their opinion known on what movies and music are
ideal for a stay in space on www.sony.com. Beginning in mid-February,
consumers can cast their vote on the contents of the first-ever DVD
library in space.
Sony Editor’s Note: For information regarding the nearest Sony
authorized dealer or service location, your readers can call
1-800-222-SONY. For photographs of Sony products, editors can call
Linda Smith at 201-930-7454. On the Internet, you’ll find Sony at
http://www.sony.com.
NASA Editor’s Note: For information regarding the space shuttle
and International Space Station as well as photos, media inquiries
should be directed to Eileen Hawley at 281-483-5111.
Note: A Photo is available at URL:
