New Medium Enterprises announced its first US-based distribution deal with PC Rush to bring its HD Versatile Multilayer Disc (VMD) players to the US market for the first time.

Through this three-year distribution deal, PC Rush will distribute and market the HD VMD Media Player Duo and HD VMD Media Player Quattro, which will allow consumers to play their existing standard-definition DVD collections up-converted to HD, as well as allow consumers entrance into the HD playback market with the red laser-based multilayer VMD disc format.

The HD VMD Media Player Duo, starting at recommended retail price of $199 and the HD VMD Media Player Quattro, starting at just $249, will both be available from PC Rush in Q2 2007.

HD VMD is a true HD format with 1920 x 1080i/p resolution, up to 40 Mbps bit rate playback, video up-conversion for SD DVD, Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) and all region codes. The HD VMD media format is suitable for playback on all HD capable display devices and will support existing optical disc formats: CD, DVD (DVD5 & DVD9).

“The world-class supply chain and logistics expertise provided by PC Rush is the ideal complement to NME’s breakthrough technical innovations," says PC Rush Chairman and COO Frank Khalili. "For the past few years the USA customer base has eagerly awaited a product that addresses the desire for high quality HD playback without abandoning existing investment in conventional formats.”

NME says HD VMD is currently being adopted by content providers and distributors in 12 regions worldwide, including Brazil, Central Europe, China, France, Germany, Iceland, India, Japan, the Middle East, Russia, Scandinavia and the United States.

Story filed 26.02.07