JVC Digital Receivers with HDMI Upconversion

JVC showed off two new receivers with HDMI upconversion, Faroudja deinterlacing and USB audio inputs. The two receivers, the $500 RX-D401S/D402B and $800 RX-D702B, also feature USB inputs for streaming audio from a PC and JVC's Hybrid Feedback digital amplifier technology.

The unit can take up to two HDMI-equipped source components, such as a DVD player or cable/satellite box and output a single HDMI cable to the display. To ensure flexible integration, regardless of the source, both the RX-D401S/D402B (S = silver; B = black) and the RX-D702B up-convert composite, S-Video and component signals to HDMI. Handling the HDMI up-conversion is a Genesis deinterlacer that incorporates DCDi (Directional Correlational Deinterlacing) technology from Faroudja.

Both new JVC receivers also feature a USB connection and transmitter that allows music to be sent from a PC to the receiver for playback. The connection is wireless on the RX-D702B, using the 2.4GHz band (802.11g) to transmit uncompressed signals over a range of approximately 100 feet. The transmitter plugs into the computer's USB input. Interference from other devices is automatically detected by the transmitter and an interference-free band is automatically selected. It essentially turns the receiver into a conduit for whatever computer-based audio is sent from the PC.

To deliver the best possible sound quality when playing compressed audio files, JVC receivers feature the something they call the CC Converter, which uses advanced digital signal processing to improve the quality of these files. The CC Converter computes the data that was lost during the digital-to-analog conversion and recreates the original signal.

JVC's entire receiver line features the company's Hybrid Feedback digital amplifier that is compact, highly efficient and able to generate high power output with low distortion levels. This technology uses two digital feedback loops to generate a precise signal and two analog feedback loops to ensure that the final signal is identical to the original. It is this digital amplifier technology that allows JVC's receivers to be significantly lower in profile than traditional receivers.

Both receivers are 7.1-channel units and deliver a wide sound field from various sources. The units include nearly all available audio codecs, including Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital EX, DTS, DTS-ES, DTS NEO:6, DTS 96/24, and Dolby Pro Logic IIx. Additionally, JVC's digital audio processor can create a full range of sound fields from multi-channel sources. The receivers also feature JVC's Quick Speaker Setup, an interface to set the receiver for the user's specific speaker configuration. The RX-D702B also includes Smart Surround Setup Version 3.0 - with just a handclap the unit automatically sets up an ideal multi-channel sound field by optimizing speaker delay times and levels for the listening position. Another new JVC feature is Center Channel Alignment - DSP (digital signal processing) technology that compensates for placement of the center channel speaker either above or below the display, shifting the apparent source of the dialogue to the screen.

The RX-D401S/402B is rated at 110 watts for each of its seven channels. The RX-D702B is rated at 150 watts per channel.

JVC also offers the RX-D301S/302B, similar to the RX-D401S/402B but without HDMI interfaces. It does, however, offer video up-conversion from composite to S-Video and component, and from S-Video to component.

The RX-D401S/402B and RX-D702B will be available next month and sell for about $500 and $800, respectively. The RX-D301S/302B is available immediately and sells for about $400.

For more information please visit www.jvc.com .