Sony has debuted its first Blu-ray Disc (BD) products, along with details on suggested pricing and availability for some of the new offerings.

These next generation devices include a home player, VAIO desktop and laptop computers, an aftermarket internal computer drive, and recordable/rewritable media. All will offer the highest-definition experience available from a five-inch optical disc.

Headlining Sony’s new product debuts are the BDP-S1 Blu-ray Disc player and the VAIO RC desktop computer. The player is targeted to ship in July for about $1000. The VAIO PC with Blu-ray Disc will be available for about $2300. Both the VAIO RC desktop and laptop with a Blu-ray Disc drive will be available by early summer.

In April, Sony plans to begin shipping 25GB BD-R (write once) and BD-RE (rewritable) discs for about $20 and $25 respectively. The 50GB BD-R and BD-RE dual-layer discs will come in subsequent months for about $48 and $60 respectively.

The BD player is designed to deliver 1920x1080p output, the highest HD signal output currently available through an HDMI connection. The player supports various high quality video codecs, including MPEG-2, MPEG4-AVC and VC1. Analogue component output for 1080i has been included so people who own HD-capable televisions without HDMI can enjoy the Blu-ray Disc experience.

The new BDP-S1 model is compatible with standard DVDs with the added feature of 1080p upscaling through HDMI, which gives new life to existing DVDs libraries. Enhancing the BD entertainment experience further, BD-Java interactivity has been incorporated, allowing for the design of advanced interactive features.

The BDP-S1 player offers uncompressed multi-channel linear PCM digital audio output via HDMI, delivering optimum surround sound to an HDMI- equipped receiver. The player also has optical digital audio out and 5.1 channel decoding capability for backward compatibility with existing receivers. In addition, the unit has a separate audio circuit board, finely tuned audio components, rigid beam chassis construction, drive brackets and off center insulator feet.

This robust BD-ROM/R/RE player supports DVD playback from DVD/DVD+R/+RW encoded discs, as well as MP3 audio files and JPEG images stored on DVD+R/+RW discs.

The VAIO RC Series computers, Sony’s first Blu-ray desktops, combine BD recording technology with high-octane performance, allowing aspiring moviemakers and videographers to capture and burn their high-definition content. You can edit high-definition footage with a comprehensive suite of software applications.

You can then archive and share it on Sony high-capacity BD-R and BD-RE Blu-ray Discs or downconverted to standard definition DVD+R/+RW dual layer discs, capitalising on flexibility in storage, playback and recording. The VAIO RC Series will be shipped with a 25GB Blank BD-RE (rewritable) blank disc.

The BWU-100A, an aftermarket internal Blu-ray Disc drive for computer use, will support recording of 25GB and 50GB BD-R (write once) or BD-RE (rewritable) discs at 2X max speed. It is capable of burning a full 25GB disc in about 30 minutes. The drive will also support recording of standard single layer 4.7GB DVD+R/+RW, Double/Dual Layer 8.5GB DVD+R, DVD-RAM and CD-R/-RW media, making it a true all-in-one ‘tri-mode’ recorder/reader.

The new drive can be installed in a standard half-height computer bay with a parallel ATAPI (P-ATA) interface. Comprehensive authoring software will be included for capturing, editing, and burning high-definition personal content captured by an HDV format camcorder, keeping the video in native 1080i HD format for playback on a Blu-ray Disc player. Video can also be ‘down-converted’ to standard-definition (SD) resolution for burning onto a DVD disc. The BD drive will be available this year with pricing to be announced prior to product shipments.

Sony’s AccuCORE technology, which was integrated into recordable DVD discs more than a year ago, has been re-engineered for Blu-ray Disc media to deliver enhanced accuracy, compatibility and reliability.

Throughout the summer months, all 32 Sony Style retail stores across the country will go ‘Blu’ - Blu-ray, that is. With in-store product seminars by trained Blu-ray experts and the opportunity to see BD high-definition content on Sony’s high-end HDTVs, the stores will be ideal venues to experience the impact of Blu-ray Disc.

Sony Pictures’ Home Entertainment division recently announced it will be shipping eight movies on BD-ROM discs beginning on May 23 with an additional eight titles being released in June, spanning from recent hits to classic favourites. In total there will be close to 100 titles made available by all of the Blu-ray Disc supporting studios by the end of the year.

[Best DVD Pricing UK]
[Best DVD Pricing US]

Got this product? Got a camcorder/mic? Let us post YOUR video/podcast review!

BIOS, Mar 20, 06 | Print | Send | Comments (0) | Posted In DVD drive