<P> The first DVD - Audio players were released in Japan by Pioneer in late 1999, but they did not play copy - protected discs . Matsushita (under the Panasonic and Technics labels) first released full - fledged players in July 2000 for $700 to $1,200 . DVD - Audio players are now also made by Aiwa, Denon, JVC, Kenwood, Madrigal, Marantz, Nakamichi, Onkyo, Toshiba, Yamaha, and others . Sony released the first SACD players in May 1999 for $5,000 . Pioneer's first DVD - Audio players released in late 1999 also played SACD . SACD players are now also made by Accuphase, Aiwa, Denon, Kenwood, Marantz, Philips, Sharp, and others . </P> <P> A DVD player has to complete these tasks: </P> <Ul> <Li> Read a DVD disc in ISO--UDF version 1.02 format </Li> <Li> Optionally decrypt the data with either CSS and / or Macrovision </Li> <Li> Read and obey the DVD's Regional lockout codes and display a warning if the player is not authorized to play the DVD </Li> <Li> Decode the MPEG - 2 video stream with a maximum of 10 Mbit / s (peak) or 8 Mbit / s (continuous) </Li> <Li> Decode sound in MP2, PCM or AC - 3 format and output (with optional AC - 3 to stereo downmixing) on stereo connector, optical or electric digital connector </Li> <Li> Output a video signal, either an analog one (in NTSC or PAL format) on the composite, S - Video, SCART, or component video connectors, or a digital one on the DVI or HDMI connectors . </Li> <Li> DVD players cannot play Blu - ray discs . However, most Blu - ray players are "backwards compatible" and they will play DVDs . </Li> </Ul> <Li> Read a DVD disc in ISO--UDF version 1.02 format </Li>

When were dvd players released in the uk