Sony Delivers the Ultimate Home Cinema and Multi-Channel Music Experience With Its Latest ES Family of Products

Three New Products Combine to Give the Very Best in HD Home Entertainment

IFA

-- High-end system of Blu-ray Disc player, Super Audio CD player and AV receiver, designed for state of the art performance with all multi- channel and stereo media

-- BDP-S5000ES is the world's most advanced Blu-ray Disc Player, designed to make the most of Blu-ray Disc movies as well as offering excellent upscaling of DVDs

-- SCD-XA5400ES Super Audio CD player has onboard decoding as well as the ability to deliver music at Super Audio CD quality over HDMI

-- STR-DA5400ES AV receiver combines the latest high definition audio formats with advanced audio and video processing for a breathtaking home cinema experience combined with the Super Audio CD player for crisp yet deep sound

For many years, Sony's ES range of audio and video components have set the standard in home cinema and stereo performance. Now ES moves to the next level with the arrival of a complete high-end system designed to excel with all of today's High Definition stereo, multi-channel audio and video formats.

Designed to appeal to audiophiles, home enthusiasts and those buyers who demand the best, the new ES range comprises the BDP-S5000ES Blu-ray Disc Player(TM), the SCD-XA5400ES Super Audio CD/CD player and the STR-DA5400ES AV receiver, each designed to set new standards in its class and to work seamlessly together to deliver the ultimate all-round home entertainment experience.

BDP-S5000ES: The world's most advanced Blu-ray Disc Player, for customers who require absolute perfection in home cinema

Blu-ray Disc has revolutionised the home cinema experience, bringing huge increases in video and audio quality, and features designed to further enhance viewers' engagement with the movie they are watching. Although the quality of the complementary products of the range, BDP-S350 and BDP-S550, make them perfectly capable of delivering the full HD experience, the new BDP-S5000ES Blu-ray Disc Player is designed to take that audio and video experience to the limit.

Sony has put all its expertise in video and audio processing into the BDP-S5000ES, making it the best player yet. The combination of the HD Reality Enhancer and Super Bit Mapping takes the picture quality way beyond what has previously been available from Bu-ray Disc, ensuring a stunning image whether you use a BRAVIA(TM) LCD TV or a home cinema projector from Sony.

The HD Reality Enhancer continually analyses the image coming from the disc, sharpening edges while not over-emphasising other elements of the picture, reducing the effect of grain on the original filmstock, and increasing the colour depth from the 8 bits on the disc to the equivalent of 14 bits. Meanwhile Super Bit Mapping, which uses unique processing based on human visual sensitivity, enables the player to deliver the best possible quality over HDMI(TM), with smoother colour tones.

To match all the video capability, the BDP-S5000ES has been designed to sound better than any other Blu-ray Disc Player. It uses a high-stability Precision Drive HD transport mechanism in the center position, an ultra-rigid Frame and Beam chassis to reduce vibration and a low-leakage R-Core transformer.

The analogue audio board is isolated from the video and servo sections to avoid interference, and the player offers Linear PCM and HD audio decoding with bitstream output, and 7.1-channel analogue outputs. It will handle all formats up to Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, either decoded internally or output as bitstream.

It will also upscale your existing DVDs to 1080p using Sony's Precision Cinema HD Upscale, and even the analogue component video output is superior, thanks to the use of 14-bit/ 297 MHz Video D/A conversion.

To make the most of the extra features becoming available on Blu-ray Disc releases, the S5000ES is compatible with BD-Live and BonusView, This enables it to access exciting online services and extra content, such as commentaries and special features, which can be downloaded from the Internet and saved on the included 1GB USB flash storage device.

In addition that Internet connection, via the player's Ethernet port, will allow future firmware enhancements, ensuring the player to be kept up to date with any developments in features or funtionality.

The newly announced BDP-S5000ES does complement the existing Blu-ray Disc Player range with the BDP-S350 and BDP-S550. All those models use Sony's award winning XrossMediaBar(TM), an easy to understand control menu that makes it simple for everybody to use all of the player's functions.

The BRAVIA(TM) Sync technology makes connecting the players to BRAVIA televisions and BRAVIA Theatre systems easy and enables you to switch on the whole system, including all components by just pressing one button on one single remote control.

SCD-XA5400ES: The Super Audio CD player for the true music lover

For those who want the ultimate sound quality from audio discs, the new ES range features the SCD-XA5400ES Super Audio CD/CD player, designed to deliver superlative audio quality from stereo and multi-channel software.

This is Sony's first Super Audio CD player to allow the transfer of Super Audio CD's native Direct Stream Digital audio format over HDMI, and ensures a perfect transfer to its matching AV receiver, the STR-DA5400ES (see below) via Sony's H.A.T.S., or High-quality digital Audio Transfer System. This allows the AV receiver to control the flow of data from the player, and this, in association with buffering in the AV receiver, ensures the smoothest possible transfer between the two -- and the best possible sound.

If the player is used with other amplifiers or AV receivers it employs its high-quality Super Audio CD conversion system, which uses the equivalent of 12 separate digital-to-analogue converters, to output the audio as stereo analogue, either on phono or balanced XLR connectors, or as conventional multi-channel audio via HDMI.

This is a player built to perform; as well as the remarkable H.A.T.S. system it uses a super-rigid frame and beam chassis and utilises separate R-Core power supply transformers for the audio and digital/control sections.

And just in case you thought CD had been forgotten, the SCD-XA5400ES plays those too, as well as CD-R/RW discs. The designers have even used a twin-laser system to ensure the machine plays both Super Audio CDs and CDs to the same standard: there's a dedicated laser for each kind of disc, ensuring it is read as accurately as possible.

STR-DA5400ES: A flagship AV receiver designed for today's HD entertainment -- and the future

The STR-DA5400ES AV receiver sits at the top of the new ES receiver range, and is designed to form the heart of a total entertainment system. Compatible with all the latest high-definition audio and video formats, it can handle the most complex systems, thanks to no fewer than six HDMI inputs and two outputs, enabling owners to connect to both a BRAVIA LCD TV for everyday use and a home cinema projector for those big movie events, and switch between them at the push of a button.

As well as having built-in decoders for Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD Master Audio, the STR-DA5400ES can accept eight-channel Linear PCM over HDMI, and even the DSD format native to Super Audio CD, enabling it to give excellent results with video and music discs alike. The H.A.T.S. for HDMI transfer system, used when DSD data is passed to this receiver from the new SCD-XA5400ES player, ensures the very best sound quality from Super Audio CD music.

And the STR-DA5400ES has the power to entertain, too, with 7x130W output, while Sony's Digital Cinema Auto-Calibration ensures perfect set-up at the push of a button, and BRAVIA Sync allows total control of a complete set of Sony's components from a single handset. It can also form the heart of a whole-house entertainment system, able to deliver audio and video into a second zone, and audio into a third.

It supports the latest high-definition video formats -- 1080/24p, Deep Colour and x.v.Colour -- and can upconvert and upscale video from standard definition sources up to 1080p.

Aew Graphical User Interface designs make the AV receiver simple to use, with a Picture in Picture option making it possible to make adjustments while still watching a programme.

What's more, the STR-DA5400ES is designed to work with portable and computer-stored music: it has two Digital Media Ports, into which modules can be plugged to interface with iPods, Walkman® players, wi-fi networks and Bluetooth® music devices.

Two further models complete the new ES AV receiver range. The STR-DA3400ES and STR-DA2400ES both offer 7x110W output, compatibility with the latest audio formats and eight-channel Linear PCM, video upconversion and upscaling to 1080P, plus 1080/24p, Deep Colour and x.v.Colour pass-through. Each also has Sony's Digital Media Port, Digital Cinema Auto-Calibration and BRAVIA Sync.

For use in custom installations, the BDP-S5000ES and STR-DA5400ES also feature infrared and RS232C remote control connections, and the STR-DA5400ES offers three 12V trigger sockets.

BDP-S5000ES at a glance

-- High-end Blu-ray Disc Player designed to make the most of the latest discs

-- HD Reality Enhancer and Super Bit Mapping for greater colour depth and resolution with the latest Full HD TVs

-- 24p True Cinema technology for total fidelity to the original cinematic experience

-- BD-Live and BonusView compatible for enhanced interactive content

-- Upscaling to 1080p for DVD with Precision Cinema HD Upscale technology

-- High performance 14-bit/297MHz Video D/A converter for superior analogue video output

-- Decoding for the latest high-definition audio formats including Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD

-- 7.1-channel Linear PCM output as well as Dolby TrueHD/DTS-HD bitstream audio output to external AV receivers/decoders

-- 7.1-channel analogue output with Advanced Current Segment Audio D/A converters for legacy AV receivers/decoders

-- Precision Clock Conditioner to reduce clock jitter noise over HDMI

-- Frame and beam chassis for rigidity and vibration suppression, and Precision Drive HD transport mechanism in center position

-- R-Core transformer and separate audio board to minimise interference

-- Separate audio board for the best sound quality

-- Back-lit Remote Commander for easy use in a darkened home theatre

-- RS-232C and infrared control inputs

-- Gold plated HDMI port and other A/V terminals

SCD-XA5400ES at a glance

-- High-end Super Audio CD/CD player for multi-channel and stereo music

-- DSD transfer via HDMI to STR-DA5400ES, with H.A.T.S. for HDMI system to ensure accuracy and sound quality

-- High-quality Super Audio CD conversion system, using six stereo converters, for analogue output

-- Twin-laser design for optimal reading of Super Audio CDs and CDs

-- Frame and beam chassis for rigidity

-- Twin transformers - one for audio, one for control and digital - for the best sound

-- RCA phono and balanced analogue outputs

STR-DA5400ES at a glance

-- Flagship AV receiver, designed to form the heart of a top-quality home entertainment system

-- 6 HDMI inputs and two outputs, enabling simultaneous use of TV and projector

-- 7x130W power output

-- Decoding for all current HD Audio formats, legacy surround formats, multi-channel Linear PCM and DSD from Super Audio CD

-- H.A.T.S. for HDMI system for optimal audio quality when used with SCD-XA5400ES

-- Video upconversion and 1080p upscaling

-- Digital Cinema Auto-Calibration for fast, perfect 'one-touch' set-up

-- BRAVIA Sync for simple operation with BRAVIA LCD TVs and other components from Sony

-- Picture in picture facility for Graphical User Interface

-- Three-zone multiroom operation - Zone 2 audio and video, Zone 3 audio only - with additional remote handset

-- Two Digital Media Ports, for connection to iPod, WALKMAN® players, Bluetooth® music devices and wi-fi networks

-- RS-232c and infrared remote control inputs and three 12V trigger connections, for use in integrated installations.

WALKMAN®, BRAVIA and Sony are registered trademarks of Sony Corporation. The names of actual companies and products or other trademarks mentioned herein may be the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

NOTES TO EDITORS

BRAVIA Sync

Use the the various components of the ES range with the latest BRAVIA LCD TVs and you can watch movies at the touch of just one button -- thanks to BRAVIA Sync. Press the play button on the remote control and the system fires up, the TV switches on and selects the correct input for the system, and the movie starts playing. When you've finished watching, just press the power off button, and the whole system will shut down. One remote will do it all. It couldn't be simpler.

Digital Cinema Auto Calibration

Sony's Digital Cinema Auto Calibration sets the system up for top performance. Plug the provided microphone into the control unit, place it where you would normally sit and press one button -- your system is set up and ready to fill your room with amazing surround sound regardless of shape and size, all in approximately 30 seconds.

DIGITAL MEDIA PORT

Whether with a MP3 player or a music-capable mobile phone such as the Sony Ericsson WALKMAN® series, the BDV-IT1000 range can release your music -- or even stream it from your computer via a wireless network. Using a socket on the control unit and modular adapters, the system can connect with MP3 players, including the Network WALKMAN®, stream music via Bluetooth from devices such as A2DP 'music phones,' or even hook into your home Wi-Fi network and to stream music from a VAIO notebook or other computers.

Environmental Information: 3Ps

Product: As with all BRAVIA(TM) TVs the X4500 series and W4500 series are very energy efficient. The Auto shut-off function automatically turns off the TV when there is no input signal and enters the standby state. This also happens when there is no operation during a certain period of time. Power Consumption in Standby mode is less than 0.2 watt (for all W4500 & 40" X4500), 0.5W for 46X4500 and 0.6W for 55X4500. Using an integrated Light Sensor the X4500/W4500 BRAVIA(TM) TV can automatically measure ambient lighting levels and dynamically adjust the brightness of the TV, resulting in lower power consumption for the typically darker home environment. All cover/housing parts > 25g are halogen-free, as well as the printed circuit boards.

The chemical specifications of flame retardants used in the cover/housing plastic parts are all provided according to the International ISO Standard 1043-4.

Process: To meet the requirements for recycling, all parts used in the production of the BRAVIA(TM) X4500 series and W4500 are easily separable. Also all plastic parts > 100g are made of one material or of easily separable materials. The material codes of all the plastic parts > 25g are according to the international ISO Standard 11469.

For the halogen-free packaging 35% of recycled paper and VOC-free ink is used.

The instruction manual is printed on non-chlorine bleached paper with VOC-free ink.

Planet: Sony is determined to lead the way as a responsible manufacturer, and as a result we are focussing on three key areas of investment:

1. Reducing CO2 gas emissions

2. Increasing the percentage of renewable energy used in manufacturing facilities

3. Minimising the resources used by our factories in manufacturing

About Sony:

Sony manufactures audio, video, communications and information technology products for the global consumer and professional markets. With its music, pictures, game and online businesses, Sony is uniquely positioned to be one of the world's leading digital entertainment brands. Sony recorded consolidated global annual sales of EUR 55.44 billion (yen 8,871 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008, based on an average market exchange rate for the same period of yen 160.0 to the EUR. It employs approximately 180,500 people worldwide.

In Europe, the Sony Group recorded consolidated annual sales of EUR 12.73 billion (yen 2,328 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008. Sony Europe, headquartered at the Sony Center am Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, is responsible for the company's European electronics business and registered consolidated sales of EUR 9.55 billion for the same period.

For more information on Sony Europe, please visit http://www.sony-europe.com and http://www.sony-europe.com/presscenter

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