Philips Consumer Electronics' first DVD-Video Recorder, the DVDR1000, which is based on the DVD+RW technology, is to be introduced in the region in the second-half of 2001. Compatible with both existing and future DVD-Video and DVD-Rom equipment, Philips' DVD-Video Recorder allows consumers to create their own DVDs and play the bare disc back on past, present and future players.

"Only DVD-RW technology offers consumers compatibility that the DVD recordings they make will play back on existing DVD-Video players," said Olivier Delahaye, general manager, Philips Consumer Electronics, Middle East and Africa.

"Since we expect the installed base of DVD-Video and DVD-Rom players in the world to exceed 160 million by the end of this year, we think that this feature will be highly appreciated by consumers. Philips DVDR1000 broadens the functionality of the DVD-video player by allowing consumers to simply press a record button to create their own DVDs."

Explaining the benefits, the company said the Philips DVD video recorder would allow customers to create their own DVDs, recording up to two hours of content on a single 4.7 GB DVD+RW disc in DVD quality. It was also possible to record up to four hours of better-than-VHS quality footage. For consumers who wanted to record even more content on a single disc, it was possible to create a double-sided disc with a 9.4 GB capacity DVD, which allowed a total of up to eight hours of recoding on a single disc.

The DVDR1000 features an AC-3 decoder/encoder for superior sound quality and an index picture screen, which allows users to see what has been recorded as well as how much space is available on the disc.