Sony's
DVP-FX1first DVD 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.
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