Denon launches world's first universal Blu-ray player

Denon DVD-A1UD

It joins the AVP-A1HDA preamp and POA-A1HD 10-channel power amp in Denon's flagship high-definition home entertainment system.

"With the combination of the newly-developed, proprietary fourth-generation Denon Link, in conjunction with HDMI transmission technology, digital signals from discs can be transmitted with negligible jitter to produce a pure, high-quality sound," says Denon.

As for picture quality, the unit supports Deep Colour via its HDMI 1.3a connection, has a Silicon Optix Realta video processor to produce richer pictures from DVDs and supports 1080p/24 frames-per-second video on Blu-ray.

The player is BD-Live ready and has onboard decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD soundtracks, as well as Dolby Pro-Logic IIx and DTS Neo:6.

Here's a more detailed list of the player's extensive technical specification:

Audio features:

* Dynamic Discrete Surround Circuit-HD (DDSC-HD), for high-quality sound
* Denon Link 4th to achieve the world's first jitter-free transmission of digital audio via HDMI
* Advanced AL32 Processing Multichannel, Denon's proprietary technology that optimises audio performance, used for the first time in the DVD-A1UD
* Discrete 192-kHz, 32-bit D/A converters for all channels
* Multichannel support from Denon's proprietary Compressed Audio Restorer function (two-channel for MP3/WMA, multichannel for Dolby Digital/DTS)
* A/V Pure Direct (two HDMI output ports)
* Dolby Pro Logic IIx and DTS Neo:6 decoding, in addition to Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio
* Support for SACD, DVD-Audio and HDCD

Video features:

* Denon's video circuitry for high picture quality, to produce a richer video image from DVD (REALTA, highly acclaimed Silicon Optix video processor)* Digital Noise Reduction, effective for both HD content from BD media and SD content from DVD media
* 1080/24p output, for maximum enhancement of film texture
* Denon Pixel Image Correction (D.P.I.C.), for more natural curvature correction
* Dual HD video processing to individually select HD resolutions for HDMI & component out
* Vertical Stretch (supporting the CinemaScope aspect ratio for anamorphic lense), a world first in a universal player with Blu-ray
* Source Direct, to output disc content in its original resolution
* HDMI (ver. 1.3a, supporting Deep Colour, High Bit Rate Audio output), for transmission of high-definition video and audio signals

Other features:

* Easy-to-read and easy-to-operate G.U.I. (Graphical User Interface)
* Support "BONUSVIEW" functions
* "BD-Live" ready
* Support for HDMI Control (Consumer Electronics Control)
* Backlight for all remote control unit buttons

The Denon DVD-A1UD will be available in March in premium silver and black.