backtop

Print E-mail del.icio.us 16 comment(s) - last by RubberJohnny.. on Sep 5 at 9:56 PM

The LG BH200 dual-format HD DVD/Blu-ray Disc player  (Source: LG)
LG's second crack at the hybrid HD player will support interactive PiP features

At the Consumer Electronics Show 2007, LG launched the industry’s first dual-format high-definition player that was capable of playing both Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD media. While LG’s $1,200 player – model designation BH100 – did play both formats, its support for special interactive features such as picture-in-picture were completely lacking.

LG is now looking to right the wrongs of its first attempt at a dual-format player with the announcement of a second-generation player dubbed the BH200. The new model is due in mid-October and will sell for around $1,000.

Like the earlier model, the BH200 will play both HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc movies – but added in the new model is support for interactive features on both formats. LG says that BH200 will support both HDi for HD DVD and BD-Java – adhering to the new features mandated by the Blu-ray Disc Association earlier this year.

Although LG was the first arrival to the dual-format game, it isn’t the only one playing for both sides. In July, Samsung Electronics announced the BD-UP5000 Duo, which claims to also support HDi and BD-Java. Samsung’s player is set to launch this holiday season for $1,049.

Comments     Threshold


This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
I guess this makes for a decent showpiece, but...
By h0kiez on 9/5/2007 2:01:37 PM , Rating: 3
If they really want to get any kind of market penetration at all, these things really need to be something like $499 or less. Being able to buy a PS3 and a high-end HD-DVD player for less than this makes it a no-brainer to avoid for the vast majority of even the techno-nerd shoppers.




By AnnihilatorX on 9/5/2007 2:45:14 PM , Rating: 2
For a dual format player, to be cheaper than $499 currently is asking for too much.


By grenableu on 9/5/2007 3:05:17 PM , Rating: 2
I'd pay $600 for a dual format player. They should be at that price in about 9 months.


By h0kiez on 9/5/2007 3:46:09 PM , Rating: 2
Yeah...and in 9 months, a newer model will be out. Which means they'll sell basically none of these.


By porkpie on 9/5/2007 4:03:19 PM , Rating: 1
They'll sell more than you think. There are a lot of people that consider a $1000 player an impulse buy.


By mcnabney on 9/5/2007 5:22:50 PM , Rating: 3
They will sell hardly anything. Until players go under $200 the general population will not care. 10,000 nerds with decent jobs and no girlfriend to support does not a market make.


By gramboh on 9/5/2007 7:31:05 PM , Rating: 2
They will sell hardly any to the mainstream market, but to people who spend $3000+ on a TV and $5000+ on audio, why wouldn't they buy this? I'd consider it but I still have a first gen 480p/1080i HDTV so it's not worth it until I upgrade to a 1080p set.


By timmiser on 9/5/2007 7:23:31 PM , Rating: 5
All those "inpulse" people already bought a $300 HD-DVD player, a $500 Blu Ray player, and a $5 roll of duct tape. Stack one on top of the other, duct tape them together, send in your two coupons for 10 free HD movies (5 HD-DVD and 5 BluRay), at a total cost of $805 saving 2 bills off of the LG "standalone" player.

People, quit trying to make sense of this ridiculously overpriced player. LG Missed it the first round because their player cost more than the stand alone players combined, and they will miss it again because they STILL cost more than the stand alone players combined.

Get your duct tape out and do the math!


Street prices...
By ChristopherO on 9/5/2007 2:04:13 PM , Rating: 3
The prices might seem high, but the street prices on these will be a lot less.

The Samsung, listing at $1050 can be had for less than $800 on pre-order.

I imagine the LG will be in the 750-800 range when it streets.

It's good to see LG get in the game with full HD DVD logo compliance. I think this is going to be the first in a wave of very capable dual format players. And the nice thing is they cost the same as the higher-end single format players. Sure you can get entry-level single formats for much cheaper, but the high-end HD and Blu players are pretty close in price.

I think both of these formats are going to be main stream in a couple years time, and almost all players will support both. Sure that might hose the early adopters, but the current number of HD owners represent a fraction of a single percent of the total potential market (these are also people that go through technology like hot cakes so I think they won't mind buying a new player as much as the average consumer).




RE: Street prices...
By therealnickdanger on 9/5/2007 2:31:28 PM , Rating: 2
Since it hasn't been touched on, I'd like to know what type of de-interlacer/scaler chip this thing will use for SD-DVD playback. If it uses a Reon or higher, then I would gladly fork over $800... pending reviews of course.


RE: Street prices...
By ChristopherO on 9/5/2007 2:42:51 PM , Rating: 2
The Samsung is a Reon (which is why I have a pre-order, it will also be the *first* player to do DTS-MA). My only concern about the Sammy is that it is their first HD DVD player, so I don't know if their OS will be as thoroughly debugged as Toshiba's.

I think no one knows anything about the LG besides the initial press release.


With $1000, I would buy 360+HDDVD and PS3.
By Roy2001 on 9/5/2007 2:40:38 PM , Rating: 3
With $1000, I would buy 360+HDDVD and PS3.




RE: With $1000, I would buy 360+HDDVD and PS3.
By Denigrate on 9/5/2007 2:51:41 PM , Rating: 2
And have some cash left over.


By RubberJohnny on 9/5/2007 9:56:37 PM , Rating: 2
...to spend on some sound deading material for your x360's av cabinet ;)


All for the low low price....
By mdogs444 on 9/5/2007 2:00:06 PM , Rating: 2
.......that almost no one intends on paying.

Seems stupid to spend more money on a single standalone player when you can spend hundreds less, while getting up to 16 free movies (with the amazon special) for buying each player seperately.




Yeesh... why!?
By marsbound2024 on 9/5/2007 5:00:33 PM , Rating: 2
Just get a PS3 and an Xbox 360 and let it be the end of it if you are really concerned about having both formats! Heck, you can at least play the latest and greatest games on two consoles, do some pretty nifty folding for the greater good and, if you have kids, make them happier (probably works wonders for discipline--by taking them away--or keeping them content and also entertaining their friends as well).




"I f***ing cannot play Halo 2 multiplayer. I cannot do it." -- Bungie Technical Lead Chris Butcher










botimage
Copyright 2008 DailyTech LLC. - RSS Feed | Advertise | About Us | Ethics | FAQ | Terms, Conditions & Privacy Information | Kristopher Kubicki