by Anton Shilov
05/21/2006 | 08:59 AM
While Sony Corp., one of the world’s largest producers of consumer electronics, said it would reveal its Blu-ray products in June, 2006; the players are available for pre-order now, weeks before actual availability. While Blu-ray players from Sony are more expensive than HD DVD devices by Toshiba, their cost is not as high as expected initially.
According to Amazon.com online store, Sony’s BDP-S1 Blu-ray disc player will cost $999, which is $800 less compared to Pioneer’s Blu-ray disc player, but still, about $200 more expensive compared to Toshiba’s premium HD DVD player. Moreover, Sony’s player is expected to be available in summer, whereas HD DVD devices are available already now.
Sony BDP-S1 Blu-ray disc player is able to playback various, both single-layer and dual-layer, Blu-ray discs and a range of DVD media. The BDP-S1 will process audio in DTS-HD, Dolby Digital and some other formats. The players can output video in up to 1080p (1920x1080) resolutions using HDMI interconnection and multi-channel audio using the same method.
Traditional single-layer DVDs allow consumers to watch movies in 720x480 (NTSC) or 720x576 (PAL) resolution with Dolby Digital audio. The blue-laser discs will provide consumers 1920x1080 resolution as well as DTS or Dolby Digital Plus audio along with some additional interactive features.
Blu-ray and HD DVD formats compete for replacing the DVD standard. HD DVD discs can store up to 15GB on a single layer and up to 30GB on two layers. Its competitor, Blu-ray, can store up to 27GB per single layer and up to 50GB on two layers, but Blu-ray discs are more expensive to produce. The HD DVD is pushed aggressively by Toshiba and NEC as well as being standardized at the DVD Forum, which represents over 230 consumer electronics, information technology, and content companies worldwide. Blu-ray is backed by Sony and Panasonic, which are among the world’s largest makers of electronics. Among Hollywood studios HD is supported by Warner Bros. Studios, New Line Cinema, Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures, whereas Sony Pictures, Walt Disney, Warner Bros. and Twentieth Century Fox endorse Blu-ray.