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Hardware Sony Announces Two New Blu-ray Disc Players
Marcus Yam (Blog) - September 6, 2007 6:32 AM
Print E-mail del.icio.us 78 comment(s) - last by wordsworm.. on Sep 8 at 8:37 AM

BDP-S500 Blu-ray Disc player  (Source: Sony Electronics)

The top of the line BDP-S2000ES  (Source: Sony Electronics)
Sony adds two pricey Blu-ray Disc players to its lineup

Sony announced that it will be adding two new Blu-ray Disc players to its roster of high-definition movie players. Joining the $499 entry-level BDP-S300 sometime this fall will be two higher-end machines.

The BDP-S500, set to retail for about $700, features full 1080/60p and 24p True Cinema output, 7.1 channel linear PCM and Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, as well as DTS-HD High Resolution Audio bitstream output via HDMI version 1.3.

The new players also support AVCHD discs encoded with x.v.Color (xvYCC) technology, an international standard for wide color space. The standard expands the current data range of video by about 1.8 times, allowing the players to output more natural and vivid colors.

At the very top end of Sony’s offerings is the BDP-S2000ES – the first Blu-ray Disc player in the company’s "Elevated Standard" (ES) line. Interestingly enough, this $1,300 player shares the exact same feature set as the cheaper BDP-S500, but does boast several differences in construction that could lead some of the most dedicated home theater buffs to spend the extra cash.

Setting itself apart from the BDP-S300 and BDP-S500, the BDP-S2000ES model features “dual shield construction,” to prevent dust from collecting on the disc drive, along with a rigid drive bracket to minimize vibration. The player also sports a rigid beam chassis that reduces internal vibration, possibly providing more stable playback.

Similar to other Sony ES products, the unit's aluminum insulator feet help isolate the player from external vibrations, while separate audio and video boards deliver better sound and picture quality, according to comments from Sony. The unit also includes the IR-in feature for custom installation market.

"Consumer support of Sony's Blu-ray Disc products has been outstanding and the new models are targeted to satisfy the demand of those who crave an even greater level of entertainment and performance," said Chris Fawcett, vice president of marketing for Sony Electronics' Home Product Division. "From the enthusiast level of our ES line down to the entry-level models, our commitment to the finest quality video and sound delivered by the BD format has never been stronger."

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Drop prices
By mdogs444 on 9/6/2007 6:55:05 AM , Rating: 5
When i first saw the headline - I assumed Sony was bringing in some quality BD players at affordble & comptetive prices with the HD market. I guess I was wrong.

At $1300, i guess you dont need to sell as many to profit as you would with a $200-300 HD player. But isnt the goal right now to gain marketshare by releasing affordable players for the everyday consumer in hopes to put a BD or HD player in their household, then start selling movies for it?

By selling at such outrageous prices, albeit good products, it does not appear to me that they are trying to convince people to purchase BD as oppsed to HD.

Right now should be about dropping prices to gain marketshare, consumer confidence, and sway consumers to purchase one format over the other. However, I see this as telling consumers "go ahead, buy your $200 HD player".

Just doesnt make any sense to me.




RE: Drop prices
By George Powell on 9/6/07, Rating: -1
RE: Drop prices
By TomZ on 9/6/2007 10:19:11 AM , Rating: 4
I disagree. The strategy you've outlined would be perfect if there was no competition. Since HD-DVD is also competing with BD for the next-gen disc format, it is critical for Sony to bring out low-cost players to drive mass market acceptance of their format now - not later.

If HD-DVD has $200 players and BD mostly has $1000+ players, then the format war will clearly be decided in favor of HD-DVD. Remember, the the format war is one by market share, and there's little reward to owning a small niche of the market, i.e., enthusiasts with lots of money. This market thrives on volume because that drives the bootstrapping or chicken-and-egg situation where you need content and players sales volumes to rise in order to reinforce each other.

The idea of early adopters driving the market was true 20 years ago, but it makes no sense now. The market is much faster and is now primarily cost- and volume-driven. Just look at HDTV's - the reason they are finally getting some acceptance after all these years is due to the existance of low-cost brands being sold at big retailers like Wal-Mart. The same will be true of HD-DVD/BD - cheap players will drive high sales volumes, which will drive more content, which will drive higher player sales volumes, etc.


RE: Drop prices
By timmiser on 9/6/2007 2:08:10 PM , Rating: 2
The only problem is that the early adopters that might buy this model, already own a Sony Blu-Ray player because: They are early adopters!


RE: Drop prices
By therealnickdanger on 9/6/07, Rating: -1
RE: Drop prices
By FITCamaro on 9/6/2007 7:57:49 AM , Rating: 2
Yes....inferior.....despite the fact that both support exactly the same features and offer the same picture and audio quality. The only difference is disc space and the extra space just is not needed for a movie unless you want to cram many hours of extras all on one disc. But I think people have shown they don't mind the extras being on a separate disc.

You can feel free to spend $1300 on the player. You obviously don't mind throwing money around. And Blu-ray is only better because Sony claims it is.


RE: Drop prices
By Oscarine on 9/6/2007 8:01:59 AM , Rating: 2
I'm pretty sure he was being sarcastic :P


RE: Drop prices
By therealnickdanger on 9/6/2007 9:24:00 AM , Rating: 4
*ding ding ding*

TomZ and mdoggs, I was hoping my post would be so outlandishly sarcastic that there would be no way anyone would interpret it as my actual thoughts. Obviously there must be people out there who are so stupid as to actually make comments like that and mean it. Believe me, I have not drunk the Blue-rasberry Kool-Aid. I'm am well-versed in the tech.


RE: Drop prices
By retrospooty on 9/6/2007 9:42:17 AM , Rating: 2
LOL - I actually thought you were serious until I read the reasoning - "Blu-Ray is better because it's "Tru Blu"

"the BDP-S2000ES model features “dual shield construction,” to prevent dust from collecting on the disc drive, along with a rigid drive bracket to minimize vibration. The player also sports a rigid beam chassis that reduces internal vibration, "

Seriously, for the $500 and $700 we don't get enhanced vibration protection? Gimme a break.


RE: Drop prices
By EclipsedAurora on 9/7/2007 8:31:28 AM , Rating: 2
Becox Daily tech miss up plenty of spec

The ES grade product feature better DACs and reclocking feature. The audio part the whole signal path feature double thickness design. Also audio and video signal are completely seperated into 2 PCB to process, with their own power supply unit as well. Therefore the interence is minimized. This is no difference from a all-in-one motherboard against those with seperated sound card and video cards. That's the quality that those >$500 BR/HD-DVD player never can offer!


RE: Drop prices
By therealnickdanger on 9/6/2007 9:43:15 AM , Rating: 2
I mean FITC and mdoggs...


RE: Drop prices
By TomZ on 9/6/2007 10:22:38 AM , Rating: 2
What was strange about your mistake is that I was just about to reply to your post, when I saw your new one mentioning my name. I thought for a moment you had discovered some way to see into the future, or else you were here looking over my shoulder. Eerie...


RE: Drop prices
By Chaser on 9/6/2007 9:14:27 AM , Rating: 2
I'm not sure why in a new disk format for movies and PCs why the format with lower capacity is "the same". I can't speak for everyone but I'd prefer the disk with the highest capacity for data and quite frankly movies too. Having one disk in place of two is a good thing right? So swapping disks in this so called high def age coming upon us? Um, no thanks.

As usual the same 360 cheerleaders chime in and try to tell us "oh everything's the same" except for one "minor" difference: capacity. Uh huh. Nice spin effort though.


RE: Drop prices
By mdogs444 on 9/6/2007 9:16:41 AM , Rating: 2
What is the difference if one has 30gb and another 50gb, if the contents on them are the same? You have to realize that alot of people out there dont even know how much space is on a regular DVD or a CD. They just know it holds a movie or their music and it works.


RE: Drop prices
By Chaser on 9/6/2007 9:26:09 AM , Rating: 1
Less is better. Brilliant.


RE: Drop prices
By mdogs444 on 9/6/2007 9:27:39 AM , Rating: 2
where is it proven that "more is always better".


RE: Drop prices
By Chaser on 9/6/2007 9:34:08 AM , Rating: 2
Um when the entire and purpose of the new format is to increase the capacity of the compact disk standard for high def movies, gaming "headroom", and PC disk storage?


RE: Drop prices
By mdogs444 on 9/6/2007 9:37:02 AM , Rating: 4
The purpose of the disk to was to fit HD content, which both formats do.

With SSD, 160gb 1.8" disk drives, and 1TB+ 3.5" disk drives out....recordable media is not as major of a means for storage as it once was.

And in case you didnt notice, it was not developed for gaming. If that was the case, PS3 would have outsold 360. The PS3 would then have better graphics because it fits so much more on the disk!

Silly rabbit. I think those little kids are pulling tricks on you.


RE: Drop prices
By Chaser on 9/6/07, Rating: 0