The small memory card SSFDC (Solid State Floppy Disk Card) has been developed based on the concept that it constitutes a small-volume data storage card with compact, lightweight, portability and lower cost. SSFDC has the simple composition with a 0.65 mm thick semiconductor package called OMTP (Over Molded Thin Package) containing one NAND type Flash EEPROM die and pasted on a plastic base card of a thickness of 0.76 mm. SSFDC dimension is 37.0×45.0 mm, smaller than the half size card. SSFDC contains 22-pin flat electrode terminals. SSFDC standardization of application specifications is in progress through the SSFDC Forum. In view of the advantages that SSFDC is compact, lightweight, portable, and consumes a less power despite its speed, it will be expected to find the wide application in portable markets.

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This paper presents features of SmartMedia (SSFDC : Solid State Floppy Disk Card) for newly developed Digital Camera, DS-7. The media for Digital Camera are classified with PCMCIA cards, built-in memories, and various small cards. SmartMedia has the characteristic of small, thin, inexpensive and exchangeable for Digital Camera. The system configuration of DS-7,the physical format and the image file format (Exif) of SmartMedia are described.

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This Paper describes about IMTC (International Multimedia Teleconferencing Consortium, Inc.) Activities for TV Conference & TV Phone Standardization. IMTC was established in October of 1994 and merged with PCWG (Personal Conferencing Working Group) in December of 1995. IMTC's mission is to promote the adoption and widespread use of international standard for multimedia communication, specially for ITU-TTV Conference and TV Phone Standards (mainly H.320,H.324,H.323,T.120). This paper reports about IMTC Fall Forum held on Oct. 22-24 in 1996 at Oregon US.

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We have developed an IT VISION receiving set that enables viewers to easily participate in an interactive TV program. This Intertext system based on today's infrastructure has realized interactive service inexpensively. The set receives an interactive application with the related TV program transmitted by the vertical blanking interval (VBI) of the video signal. By using a remote controller, the set displays information and navigation data on the TV screen, and sends the viewer response to the response server via the phone line. The server can send the response to the broadcasting station or a transaction service bureau as occasion demands.

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We have constructed an electronic news service system (E-NEWS) and developed a receiver set (Station and Viewer). The E-NEWS system delivers to subscribers daily news and various information by TV broadcasting, which enables information distribution service with quite a low cost. A portable viewer unit of receiver set being developed allows customers to read the information anywhere they like

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We developed HNC (HDTV to NTSC Converter) which is cheapar and has better quality NTSC outpul than the conventional MNC (MUSE to NTSC Converter). The Departments of SONY cooperaled and developed ES1 in about six months (including examinations of specification). We hope that HNC will add more value to Sony's HDTV sets, activate the industry and boost the damand for high-quality NTSC VCR. MUSE : Multiple Sub-Nyquist Sampling Encoding the standard of transmitting Japanese HDTV

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Digital multi channel CS broadcast, started this year, has various new functions, such as channel selections by using EPG (Electronic Program G aide), reservasion, etc. This paper introduces NEC's Digital Tuner, developed for PerfecTV.

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Development of CS digital set top box for 'PerfecTV!, ' especially on software, is introduced. The SI (Service Information) provided by 'PerfecTV!' broadcast enables STBs to realize various functions. Software process dealing with the SI information is outlined, taking EPG (Electronic Program Guide) as an example. Methods for quickening operation response are also discussed.

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A new Authoring system is developed based on DVD-Video specification. This system include Video/Audio encoder, Logical formatting software, File system formatting software, Player emuration hardware and Relese master tape writing software.

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The optimum DVD mastering process has been developed. On the basis of the mastering process for LD and CD, super resolution photoresist was introduced and the cutting conditions, the developing method and so on, were optimized to cope with the higher density recording.

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DVD standard for an optical disk of next generation, which enables huge capacity 7 times as large as CD-ROM standard and enables more than 2 hours recording of high quality MPEG2 encoded digital moving pictures in the optical disk of the CD size, is now proposed. The outline of read-only DVD phisical specifications, a playback system developed for evaluating various read-out signal characteristics of read-only DVD disks and the results obtained by using the system are discussed in this paper.

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We have developed a dual focus optical pickup with a holographic optical element (HOE). The optical pickup uses a laser diode with a wavelength of 835/650nm and an objective lens with a numerical aparture (NA) of 0.6. HOE causes an useless incident light to a photo detector (PD). Using an eccentricity of HOE, we can avoid an useless signal. And we found that a suitable tilt angle of a pickup and a object lens reduces a coma aberration by the eccentricity of HOE.

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We have developed LSI chips for DVD players. A data processing LSI contains a Viterbi decoder, an 8/16 demodulator, an error correction circuit, and a variable bit rate control circuit. A video processing LSI contains a subtitle decoder, a graphical image processing circuit, an NTSC/PAL encoder, and a D/A converter. And we have developed a DVD player employing these two LSIs, an MPEG2 video decoder, and an AC-3 audio decoder.

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In recent years, electronic still cameras (SV cameras) have been important items as image input tools, or "image capturing tools" in the EP system. By commercializing a series of MAVICA cameras for business/home use, starting in 1987,Sony proved that there was potential market for electronic still cameras which conventional still cameras and video cameras couldn't handle. In recent years, the demand for downloading, processing and data-bank images on a computer has been rapidly increased in the business field. And the more widespread personal computers have been rapidly getting to offices and homes, the more opportunities we have had to handle color still images on personal computers. On the other hand, at the same time the demand for digital still cameras as capturing tools have been increased for the last a couple of years, we have started requiring higher image quality, a higher magnification zoom lens and more functions for those cameras. To meet such requirements, this fall SONY will introduce an easy-to-use digital still camera with high image quality and a high magnification zoom lens (12 times lens)-the DKC-ID1. Here we introduce the DKC-ID1 and describe its technical features.

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We have developed Photo Player (AP-1) for Advanced Photo System Negative film which scan developed roll film by line CCD and display playback picture for a TV monitor with some effects such as zoom, pan tilt, and so on. AP-1 also edit picture taking information that recording MOF (Magnetic On Film). This letter introduce the special feature and the new technology for using AP-1.

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This is a study for presentation of speed rating for an electronic still camera (ESC). At first, I considered the definition of film ISO-speed in JIS, and consequently found that speed rating of an ESC ought to be based upon JIS K7613 (equivalent to ISO2240) which is a standard for colour reversal films. Next, I investigated "a characteristic carve" about an analog type camera, which is necessary to reckon speed rating, and obtained a definition of film-equivalent speed rating for an analog ESC. And then, I tried adapting the definition for a digital camera. Finally, I got a definition of speed rating for an ESC including a digital camera (called "Y-ISO-speed" in this paper) and its measuring method.

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We have developed and commercialized the still picture transmission system using serial interface for Consumer Use Digital VCR. According to this system. PC can receive compressed digital still picture (DV compressed), send control commands to a DVCR and communicate with daisy-chain-connected devices. In this paper, an outline of this system, the communication protocol and the hardware of this system in NV-DP1,NV-DL1 we have commercialized are reported.

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