TMCnet News
Mobile Audio, Video and Navigation Evolves into Next Generation Multi-Format Integrated Entertainment ProductsKOBE, Japan --(Business Wire)-- Jan. 5, 2005 -- ECLIPSE by Fujitsu Ten Casts Excitement Over 2005 CES Show With Introduction of Second Generation "Must-Have" Automotive Audio Video Navigation Control Units ECLIPSE unveils second-generation AVN products that integrate advanced navigation and multi-entertainment at the 2005 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas (booth LVCC North 1413). Maintaining sleek, compact double-DIN configurations to grace center consoles, the top-of-the-line AVN5495 and AVN5435 significantly enhance the total driving experience by incorporating refinements and advances both in navigation as well as entertainment, demonstrating ECLIPSE's leading position in automobile electronics. ECLIPSE was first in introducing the AVN concept of integrating audio, video and navigation capabilities into a single unit and continues to lead development in this sector, which addresses all the requirements of a vehicle's driver and passengers. Navigation features The AVN5495 incorporates a 30GB hard disk to store a comprehensive navigation database to efficiently access the navigation tasks. Together with the powerful CPU and dedicated graphics processing in the AVN5495, all navigation responses and mapping are accelerated. The HDD-navigation database is 10GB, with coverage extended to Hawaii and most of Canada. AVN5435 navigation is DVD-based and incorporates a 64-bit bus RISC CPU to manage the unit's responsive navigation and mapping tasks, delivering impressive performance as well as accelerated graphics-processing power. The AVN5435 incorporates two optical disc mechanisms so that navigation can be accessed during entertainment without any interruptions. The DVD-navigation database is 8.5GB with coverage similar to the AVN5495. Both the AVN5495 and AVN5435's fulltime visual map referencing continues the AVN legacy of exemplary performance, with the vehicle's position smoothly moving on the display, providing a highly accurate visual positional fix that aids in navigation. Searching has been refined with numerous search modes offered for users to select from, including address with street name and number, points of interest, map searching, emergency, memory search including assignable sound tags and directivity to locations, previous location, intersection search by inputting two cross streets, freeway search with name and entrance/exit, searching by telephone number (AVN5495 only) and map coordinates. Routing options are plentiful, including multiple recommendable routes; route previewing; detour inputs, to avoid problem areas; points of interest; and "must-travel" routing for all routes to include two most favored roads. ECLIPSE makes use of its accumulated expertise in navigation by offering versatile assistance through voice announcements and guidance, with most major intersections announced; as are curves, turns and driving lanes, all with ample time for reaction and repeats. Lane directions are provided as the vehicle approaches a freeway exit with the recommended lane also displayed. The voice announcements are multi-directional, using eight compass directions that simplify complex intersections. The highly responsive touch control display is ideal for navigational assistance, with the screen splitting to show zoom in and out displays to help orient the position. Maps of different scales can be shown for any selected combination of modes and zooming flexibility ranges from 150 feet to 250 miles. The split screen feature can also be switched off. Multi-format entertainment features The AVN5495 and AVN 5435 are designed to extract the best performance from popular program formats -- CD, CD-R/RW, DVD-Video and MP3. Both units utilize a low glare, high-quality, high-resolution 6.5" LCD display with a 16:9 viewing aspect ratio (selectable) ideal for movies. The AVN5495 has one DVD mechanism and the AVN5435 has two. Both units also incorporate the latest version of the popular ECLIPSE FM/AM tuner section. To maintain signals in the digital domain, the tuner section analog output is fed into a dedicated A/D converter before entering the DSP section. The AVN5495's 30GB HDD has enough capacity to accommodate the navigation database as well as Music Juke, ECLIPSE's automated music library. Music Juke automatically "rips" tracks from a CD that is inserted into the AVN5495. Music Juke records track after track (employing ATRAC3(a) compression) from CDs until the maximum storage limit of approximately 3,000(a) tracks -- roughly equal to 250 CDs. Music Juke also supports play lists to allow music files to be easily grouped and instantly retrieved. CDDB is also present for CD title and track information. The popular Gracenote CDDB database (compiled November 2004) is used. The AVN5495 audio circuit includes Circle Surround II technology to deliver multichannel surround sound from any program source over four speakers. In addition to surround sound, this technology also offers Focus which raises the soundfield, allowing the listeners to perceive in-car sound to be coming from the front and at ear level, as would normally be experienced in a home environment. It eliminates the in-car sound that has been more or less accepted over time, with sound emanating from speakers positioned well below ear-level that often require higher than normal volume setting levels to make listening satisfying. TruBass utilizes psychoacoustics and knowledge of the human hearing system, so that the listener perceives extended low frequency sounds being generated, without having to have an actual subwoofer. Audio features Both models maintain the traditional ECLIPSE focus on high audio performance with high preamplifier output voltages of five volts coupled with low impedance of 55 ohms which provide optimal electrical signal transfer characteristics for downstream power amplification sections. Circuit design employs many custom components selected for both electrical and sound characteristics. Much care has been expended on ensuring the digital and analog sections are electrically isolated, with multiple regulation to minimize noise and signal degradation. The digital audio signal is maintained in the digital domain to just before the power amplification stage, where a high-performance 24-bit Delta Sigma DAC is utilized. ECLIPSE regards extensive listening evaluations as essential, and the AVN models, even though integrated configurations, offer audio performance that compares favorably to conventional audio-dedicated models. All signal processing uses an ECLIPSE proprietary DSP chip that offers five-mode soundfield control, versatile nine-band equalization with memory and sophisticated listening position adjustment to compensate for in-car seating that often results in unbalanced sound. The AVN5495 and AVN5435 share the same power amplification circuit that uses a version of ECLIPSE's output stage incorporated in several other high-end ECLIPSE models, delivering 50W into four channels. Other features and expansion options ECLIPSE's proven ESN theft-deterrence feature is incorporated into both AVN models, the AVN5495 having MS ESN, a new version that uses a Memory Stick as a personalized access device and the AVN5435 with ESN that uses a user-specified CD. The AVN5495 and AVN5435, in keeping with ECLIPSE's philosophy for maximizing the return for purchasers, easily serve as the control centers for expanded systems as they are equipped with multiple inputs and outputs to drive various external ECLIPSE equipment such as external amplifiers for powering subwoofers and/or additional speakers, CD changers (2 can be daisy-chained) and a rear view camera as well as a rear monitor. With the AVN5495 and AVN5435, ECLIPSE reinforces its position as an industry innovator and comprehensive manufacturer in audio electronics. (a) Based on average song lengths and using ATRAC3 compression. |
