February 28, 2007
Sony earlier this week that, early this summer, it will release a less expensive Blu-ray discs player, a move that may propel Blu-ray Disc technology past Toshiba-backed rival HD DVD, thus supplanting the standard DVDs. Sony’s Randy Waynick said the new player, the BDP-S300, will cost $599 while boasting the same capabilities as the $999 BDP-S1 Blu-ray player Sony is currently selling.
Besides being cheaper, the BDP-S300 is a smaller unit than the BDP-S1 - it’s about the same size as a DVD player - and it will be able to play CDs, whcih the BDP-S1 cannot do. Like the BDP-S1, it will be able to output a signal in 1080p.
Sony has so far received a boost thanks in part to its PlayStation 3 (PS3) console, which features a built-in Blu-ray player, and most people buying high-definition discs are apparently doing so to play them on the PS3 console. ”Eighty percent of people who buy a PS3 also buy Blu-ray movies to go with it,” Waynick said. “The consumers have determined that that’s the format they’re choosing to go with,” he said, citing retail data from Nielsen VideoScan that showed Blu-ray discs outselling HD DVDs by three to one this year.
Sony has previously complained that DVD players became a commodity product too soon, and that it was hard to make a profit in a market dominated by $50 units, but Sony Electronics president Stan Glasgow predicted that Blu-ray players would take the same route: “Over time, I think it will be just like DVD.” Glasgow also said that by Christmas, prices for Blu-ray players should be down below $500.
February 27, 2007
Earlier today, Sony today unveiled its new line of newly-named BRAVIA 3LCD micro-display models, featuring cabinets that are over 20% slimmer than previous Sony Grand WEGA projection TV models.
The new line features the 1920 x 1080p 50″ KDF-50E3000 and the 46″ KDF-46E3000 models, along with the 1280 x 720p 37″ KDF-37H1000 TV. All of the new micro-displays are compatible with Sony’s BRAVIA Internet Video Link module, which features Xross Media Bar (XMB) user interface for enhanced on-screen navigation.
The new E-series models offer even greater flexibility to consumers for whom space is limited who have limited room space for a large screen TV; the KDF-50E3000 measures in at 12.6″ deep, while the KDF-46E3000 comes in at under 11.9″. The sets also include exclusive Sony picture performance technologies, like BRAVIA Engine EX with DRC-MFv1.0 and Advanced Iris, as well as two HDMI inputs that support both 1080/60p and 24p frame rates, three component video inputs, and a PC input via HDMI.
The models also feature Sony’s BRAVIA Theatre Sync, which integrates the operation of the television with external components connected via an HDMI cable. Through a simple one button click of the remote, users can quickly switch among content sources.
The KDF-50E3000 and KDF-46E3000 BRAVIA micro-displays will be available in July. pricing information is not yet available.
The new H-series models were designed for customers with TV cabinets or other tight spaces looking to upgrade to a larger widescreen HDTV. Sony’s new KDF-37H1000 model is a 1280 x 720 progressive micro-display that features a compact cabinet design. The new micro-display model has nearly identical length and width measurements as Sony’s KV-32FS170 CRT television, but reduces depth by more than 10″. At only 43 pounds, the set weighs in at almost a third less than the smaller CRT screen.
The KDF-37H1000 unit also offers Sony’s BRAVIA Engine EX with DRC-MFv1.0 and Advanced Iris, two HDMI inputs, three HD component inputs, a PC input via HDMI, and BRAVIA Theatre Sync.
The KDF-50E3000, KDF-46E3000, and KDF-37H1000 support Sony’s recently introduced BRAVIA Internet Video Link module that provides direct access to Internet video programming, including high-definition content. The optional module mounts on the back of a compatible Sony TV and connects directly to the Internet via an existing broadband Ethernet connection without the use of a PC.
The KDF-37H1000 model ships in May for about $1,300, and the BRAVIA Internet Video Link module will be available in July for about $300.
