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Gadgets Sony's BDP-S1 Blu-ray Disc Player on Pre-order
Sven Olsen (Blog) - March 17, 2006 3:15 PM

24 comment(s) - last by mmp121.. on Mar 19 at 9:23 PM

Sony's first Blu-ray Disc Player is now on pre-order

Sony Electronics, one of the major players in the development of high capacity Blu-ray media, will be releasing its first set-top Blu-ray disc player: the BDP-S1. The BDP-S1 will have the ability to play Blu-ray discs and has backwards compatibility with current DVD media. Take a look at Sony's specifications below:

Features

Full HD 1080p Video Output through HDMI connection
DVD Upscaling to 1080p Through HDMI
Uncompressed Multi Channel Linear PCM Output
Build Quality with Rigid Beam Construction
BD-Java Interactive Capability

Output Connections

HDMI: 1 (rear)
Component Video (Y/Pb/Pr): 1 (rear)
S-Video: 1 (rear)
Composite Audio Output(s): 1 (Rear)
Optical Audio Output(s): 1 (Rear)
Coaxial Audio Digital Output(s): 1 (Rear)
Analog Audio Output(s): 5.1 ch; 1 (Rear)
Analog Audio Output(s): 2 ch; 1 (Rear)

The BDP-S1 is now on pre-order at SonyStyle.com for the retail price of $999.95. Amazon.com also has the unit on pre-order, but has not yet set a price for customers. As with all first generation models, the price is usually set at the ceiling and we should see a drop within the next few months as various other manufacturers begin shipping their own Blu-ray disc players.

One of the major applications for the Blu-ray format is the long awaited PlayStation 3 gaming console also being developed by Sony which has been officially delayed until November of this year.

The Blu-ray disc is one of two competing standards at the moment which is capable of storing 25GB-50GB per disc paving the way for high definition content to be viewed in the living room. HD-DVD is the competing standard which can hold between 15GB-30GB with 1-2 layers while a 3rd layer can support another 15GB taking the total capacity to 45GB. Toshiba has been working on developing a triple-layer disc to give 50% more capacity.

Companies like LG are working on products which will ease the Blu-ray/HD-DVD pain for consumers by developing multi-format players. The BD199, announced earlier this month, is said to play both Blu-ray and HD-DVD media.

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$1000?

By Shinei on 3/17/2006 7:37:37 PM , Rating: 2

So, can somebody explain to me how Sony expects to sell the PS3 for less than $400 if they're charging $1000 for their single-purpose BDROM player?

RE: $1000?

By SunAngel on 3/17/2006 7:44:37 PM , Rating: 2

Your way too smart for your own purposes. That was supposed to be a secret. Shame on you.

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RE: $1000?

By tuteja1986 on 3/17/2006 10:22:14 PM , Rating: 2

quote:
So, can somebody explain to me how Sony expects to sell the PS3 for less than $400 if they're charging $1000 for their single-purpose BDROM player?
quote:

they don't :! the expected price is $499 and i highly doubt they will even do a world wide launch. They said the same crap about worldwide launch for psp and it never happened. They only extended they hype by saying that all game will use a Hard drive and come with a linux os and they will have a worldwide launch just to keep people from buying an xbox 360. But when the time comes they will make someother excuse like they always do. HDD included on ps3 will mean the price will be around $599 or you buy the Ps3 and then you buy a $100 as a extra just to play your games which would be crazy that is if that developer are really using the hard drive for games like the KK is telling everyone. I bet when in Q4 2006 you will see the ps3 come out in japan with no real online system or HDD or great title at launch or awesome stock. Remember Sony has done this so many time and if you still believe them now then your nothing but a blind sony fanboy. Ohh i am not anti-ps3 dude as i will buy the console for its great range of rpg like FF.

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RE: $1000?
By KristopherKubicki (blog) on 3/18/06, Rating: 2

By KristopherKubicki (blog) on 3/18/2006 1:50:57 AM , Rating: 2

closing quote/italic

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RE: $1000?

By nowayout99 on 3/18/2006 1:02:18 PM , Rating: 2

Easy. PS3 loses money. Their BRD players make a profit.

Consoles don't follow the same dynamics as other electronics. They're always sold at break-even or a loss. While regular electronics follow the supply/demand curb and price accordingly.

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HD-DVD or Blu Ray, hrmm

By masher2

(blog) on 3/17/2006 3:57:22 PM , Rating: 2

As much as I appreciate the better technology behind Blu Ray, my first purchase will be HD-DVD (in about two weeks, actually). The selection of movie titles looks far better...and the player is a bit cheaper as well.

RE: HD-DVD or Blu Ray, hrmm

By BladeVenom on 3/17/06, Rating: -1

RE: HD-DVD or Blu Ray, hrmm

By masher2

(blog) on 3/17/2006 4:42:22 PM , Rating: 2

Begone, troll. I have no 'loyalty' to Microsoft...as anyone whose seen any of my glowing reviews of the Cell processor would attest.

As soon as the first dual-format players are available, I intend to buy one (if not two) of them. But until that point, HD-DVD has the greater content base, so they win my dollars.

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RE: HD-DVD or Blu Ray, hrmm

By suryad on 3/17/2006 6:10:13 PM , Rating: 2

I thought HD DVDs were coming out with no titles at first.

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RE: HD-DVD or Blu Ray, hrmm

By masher2

(blog) on 3/17/2006 7:11:31 PM , Rating: 2

There are forty-some odd titles announced already...the first disks were due out end of March, but last week it was announced they were delayed till a week or two.

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RE: HD-DVD or Blu Ray, hrmm

By BaronMatrix on 3/17/2006 7:13:44 PM , Rating: 2

Neither of them will have titles until Hollywood finishes AAAC spec. They won't put any movies out unitl they can get as much money as they can out of them. They also want to make sure that you can't make ANY kind of copies. BluRay is upporting it but HD-DVD wants customers to be able to legal make copies for personal use.

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Secret's Out

By JASANITY on 3/17/2006 9:32:41 PM , Rating: 2

The delay with the PS3 is that they wanted to gouge consumers first on a Blu-Ray player, then have PS3 users laugh when they would pay "only" $900 for the PS3. I have contacts at Sony so I guess the secrets out.

RE: Secret's Out

By Clauzii on 3/18/2006 12:10:39 AM , Rating: 2

Yeah, and I´m a Cell processor so I´ll now how much in return I´ll get WHEN it comes.. Heh!

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RE: Secret's Out

By nowayout99 on 3/18/2006 1:04:00 PM , Rating: 2

Uh, I'm pretty sure that while the BRD format is the scapegoat for the delay, the fact that there aren't even any final dev kits factors in just as much, or more, than the BRD issue.

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RE: Secret's Out

By Clauzii on 3/18/2006 10:02:58 PM , Rating: 2

Ther might not be any "final" dev kits. But afaik. at least 4500 dev kits was released months ago, and a LOT of gamestudios are already working their a.... off to bring forth at the end of the year. I don´t think SONY is going to blow it this time (either!)...

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Handome unit

By hmurchison on 3/17/2006 3:22:16 PM , Rating: 1

Like most Sony products. They go all out on the initial product.

RE: Handome unit

By Assimilator87 on 3/17/2006 3:44:03 PM , Rating: 2

It's nice that they include upconverted DVD playback as well.

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RE: Handome unit

By creathir on 3/17/2006 7:48:30 PM , Rating: 2

Most high end DVD players have this already...
For $1000 I would HOPE it at LEAST had that...
Overpriced garbage if ya ask me...
- Creathir

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RE: Handome unit

By sxr7171 on 3/18/2006 2:50:23 AM , Rating: 2

Agreed. I generally hate Sony, but their launch products are bulletproof. I have an SCD-1 and DVP-S7000 and I really want this to round out the collection.

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wow, 1080p output

By mmp121 on 3/17/2006 3:53:32 PM , Rating: 2

Its great that these players can output a 1080p signal, yet I believe none of their hardware can not accept a 1080p signal as input. Way to think outside the box Sony!

RE: wow, 1080p output

By BenSkywalker on 3/18/2006 3:38:30 AM , Rating: 1

quote:
yet I believe none of their hardware can not accept a 1080p signal as input.

The SXRD line of Sony TVs can, and they look stunning.

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RE: wow, 1080p output

By mmp121 on 3/19/2006 9:23:35 PM , Rating: 2

Uh, according to CNET:

http://reviews.cnet.com/Sony_KDS_R 60XBR1/4505-6484...

quote:

The bad: Blacks are not quite as good as those of the best DLP rear-projection sets; inaccurate primary colors; cannot accept 1080p signals.

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HD-DVD & Blu-Ray

By allometry on 3/17/2006 3:35:43 PM , Rating: 2

It's fantastic to see Sony ramp up production on BD. Hopefully we'll start seeing full blown sets that include HD-DVD, BD & DVD.

Nice

By probedb on 3/18/2006 8:29:57 AM , Rating: 2

Although I'll not be investing in hi-def stuff for a while, the price is fair enough. My first DVD player (Sony's first high-end unit in the UK) cost £600/$1000 so it's quite reasonable plus the initial purchasers are usually enthusiasts as was the case with DVD.

One day I'll get one :)