Sony enhances J-Series compact videotape players with i.LINK IEEE-1394 interface

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March 30, 2025

by -- Sony of Canada

New connectivity allows half-inch SD Betacam material to be converted to DV signals, transferred to compatible DV machines

TORONTO, March 30 /CNW/ - Sony of Canada Ltd., Canada's leading supplier
of electronic and computer products for consumers and business, today
announced that it has updated its J-Series compact videotape players with an
i.LINK(R) IEEE-1394 interface as a standard feature.

The new i.LINK-equipped models include the J-Series J-10, J-10 SDI, J-30
and J-30 SDI (Serial Digital Interface) videotape players. Since its
introduction in 2025, the J-Series player has become an established
standard-definition desktop deck that broadcast producers and journalists use
for material viewing, logging, and source feeding to servers or nonlinear
editing systems.

The J-Series' IEEE-1394 connectivity now enables professional users to
migrate easily to a DV (digital video) environment, allowing half-inch
SD Betacam(R) series materials, even 20-year-old archives, to be converted to
a 25 Mbps (megabits per second) DV signal and transferred to a compatible DV
device via a single digital interface cable.

"The enhanced interfacing capability makes the series an even more
powerful production tool," said Calvin Judges, Marketing Manager, Broadcast
Storage, Communication Information Solutions Group, Sony of Canada Ltd. "And
the new players retain the same design concept, affordability and fundamental
features of their predecessors."

The J-Series compact players can be easily switched between 525/60 and
625/50 play back modes, enabling operation in international environments. The
J-10 and J-10 SDI models can play back Betacam SX(R), Betacam SP(R), and
Betacam tape recordings. The J-30 and J-30 SDI models add playback capability
for MPEG IMX(R) and Digital Betacam(TM) recordings.

During cassette loading, each format is automatically identified for
playback, so no menu settings or switching is necessary. And despite their
compact size, the J Series Compact Players can play large-size as well as
small-size cassettes.

"Perfect for space-constrained or awkward environments, the players can
be placed on the desks of busy producers, journalists, and editors either
horizontally or upright in the supplied vertical stand," said Mr. Judges. "In
addition, their new light-metallic finish makes them suitable for any office
environment."

J-Series compact players offer a choice of either analog component output
or SDI output depending on application requirements. While the J-10 and J-30
offer one set of analog component outputs (BNC x 3) as standard, the J-10 SDI
and J-30 SDI offer two SDI outputs (BNC x 2), including one with
superimposition capability. One-time code output is also provided on the
J-10 SDI and J-30 SDI models.

Two channels of analog audio output are available either through the XLR
connectors or RCA pin jacks located on the rear panel of the players. A
headphone jack is also provided on the front panel. The audio channels to be
output to the analog outputs and headphone jack can be selected from channels
1/2, 3/4, and cue track. Audio is automatically muted for off-speed playback
and non-data playback.

Also suited to presentation and demonstration applications, the J Series
players incorporate an infrared remote controller, which allows basic
operations to be controlled wirelessly. This feature comes in handy for
connection to conventional TV monitors, as well as data projectors with
composite video or S-video input capability.

The J-30 SDI model can read Unique Material Identifier (UMID), a type of
metadata approved as a SMPTE standard (SMPTE-330M) on MPEG IMX and Digital
Betacam tapes, and output this data through the SDI interface. The UMID
consists of a globally unique number and a material number, used for the
identification of recorded material.

The J-Series compact players can scan tapes with Shot Marks and
automatically detect their position. After scanning, a list of all marks can
be displayed on a video monitor, allowing easy cueing to any mark.

The players measure 12 1/8 x 4 x 15 3/4 inches in size and weigh
16 pounds, 9 ounces. Suggested list pricing for the J-10 is $9,250 and $17,260
for the J-30, while the J-10 SDI and J-30 SDI are $10,800 and $18,800,
respectively. They will be available in April.

About The Communication Information Solutions Group
The Communication Information Solutions (CIS) Group is a division of Sony
of Canada Ltd., headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. CIS Group markets and
supports Sony's full range of broadcast professional video and audio
equipment, including videoconferencing, high definition video, interactive and
security applications for the broadcast, production, business, industry,
government, medical and education through a network of authorized retailers.

About Sony of Canada Ltd.
Established in 1955, Sony of Canada Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Sony Corporation of Tokyo, Japan, a world leader in the manufacture and
marketing of electronic and computer products for consumer, business,
electronics publishing and multimedia applications on a global scale. With
headquarters in Toronto, sales offices in Vancouver, Calgary, and Montreal,
and distribution centres in Coquitlam, British Columbia, and Whitby, Ontario,
approximately 1,200 employees support more than 70 Sony stores and a network
of more than 3,000 authorized dealers across Canada.

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