The Carmen II is a completely new edition of Theta’s original Carmen DVD/CD Transport. The player was conceived as the ideal marriage of an audiophile CD transport with a videophile DVD transport, with redesigned and enhanced internal components of the original Carmen, a new DVD board and disc drive, new audio and video circuits, new power supply, and a new front-panel display.
The Carmen II can handle digital audio at 44.1, 48, and 96 kHz with resolutions of 16, 20, and 24 bits. Its advanced drive mechanism has twin laser diodes—650 nm for DVD and 780 nm for all CD formats—for complete compatibility with any disc format available. The advanced drive mechanism includes special low-jitter digital servo circuits to control the motor speed, laser tracking and focus. Additional circuits use sophisticated parametric statistical analysis to correct errors introduced by fingerprints, dust and warping
At the heart of the Carmen II is a massive shielded 65-watt power supply, highly filtered at both the input and output stages to keep unwanted noise from degrading the power used by the signal processing circuits. Both CD and DVD sections are addressed separately, with interaction between the circuits kept to a minimum. Separate low-jitter clocks for both the CD and DVD playback dramatically reduce digital noise that can degrade sound and picture. The audio and video circuits are also isolated from each other, and multiple regulated sub-power supplies with integral RF suppression are dedicated to each section, as well as to individual areas within the sections.
Nothing was overlooked in the design of the Carmen II. The player is said to be capable of revealing the finest details to be seen on DVD and the smallest nuances to be heard in the audio, achieving a remarkable three-dimensional presence. Images are equally good, thanks to Theta’s new Digital Direct Ultra-Sync II Progressive Scan System that de-interlaces the video signal in the digital domain before it is converted to analog. Theta-designed discrete video filters and high-speed video amplifiers—with 108-mHz, 12-bit video digital/analog controllers—are now coupled with Faroudja Laboratories’ acclaimed DCDi™ deinterlacing technology, assuring a superb 480p picture, free from motion artifacts. Theta's proprietary ultra-low jitter video re-clocking circuits and video correction software further improve image quality.
Digital audio outputs include RCA, BNC and AES/EBU connectors to accommodate Dolby Digital, PCM, DTS, MP3, CD-R, and CD-RW (CD Audio and Video CD formats); as well as MPEG1 and CD-ROM (for which some format restrictions apply). Video outputs includes Composite on RCA, two S-Video connectors, three Component Video / RGB Video (Y, Cr/Pr, Cb/Pb) connectors on BNC, and a 15-pin “D” connector [VGA] for the special Ultra-Sync II 480p Progressive Scan output. These accommodate Component Video with Sync on Green (H/V Sync. can be added to Sync. on green), and RGB with either Sync. on Green or H/V Sync. Other outputs include a single-direction RS-232 control port, and a rear IR input connector for added remote control capabilities. Unusual front-panel controls on the Carmen II include Motion (using Faroudja DCDi processing), Film, Animation, RGB/Component, and H/V Sync. The player also has a 4:2:2 Serial Digital Interface (SDI) for Video available as an option. Image quality is said to remain pristine by keeping the signal in the digital domain, rather than subjecting it to further conversions to analog and back again. A Digital Video Interface (DVI) will be available at future date.
The Carmen II weighs approximately 23 lbs., measures 19" W x 3.5" H x 13" D, and is available in both Silver and Black in standard and rack-mount configurations. The player and other new products are available now at all authorized Theta dealers.
