AfterDawn: Tech news

Samsung delays first Blu-ray player launch

Written by James Delahunty @ 04 Apr 2006 6:28 User comments (7)

Samsung delays first Blu-ray player launch South Korean consumer electronics giant Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. has announced that the launch of its first Blu-ray Disc player will be delayed until June 25th, mainly to complete testing. The original date had been set for May 23rd. The BD-P1000 will cost a whopping $999. About fourteen titles are expected to be available from Sony for the launch, including Kung Fu Hustle, Stealth and Species. Prices are expected to range from $29 - $39.
Samsung expects to add support for the Memory Stick Pro Duo flash card and Mini-SD format in the extra month it has to finalize the player. The BD-P1000 will be able to upconvert standard DVD to 1080p on TVs or monitors that support High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI). Toshiba Corp. released the first HD DVD player in Japan last week, ensuring that HD DVD was the first next generation format off the starting line.



Two HD DVD players will be available in the United States this month priced at $499 and $799. The format was delayed by a few weeks to ensure that some movies will actually be available when the players are launched. Titles expected to be available include Million Dollar Baby, The Phantom of the Opera and The Last Samurai, and will cost around $28.99.

Source:
Ars Technica

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7 user comments

14.4.2006 18:48

Based on the releases, it seems like HD-DVD is better. I liked Species though, but the other two mentioned I hated... I am surprised to see the prices so lo on the movies though... How is it that they sell blanks for $45 and movies for $29 - $39??? I guess HD-DVD is actually an option now, since $500 is not that bad and $29 a movie means that within 2 months they will be $20-$24...

24.4.2006 18:56

Blue ray may flop. But considering someone mentionned that vcr was 1000$ when it first came out...the prices seem to be about the same. But im not sure why they sell it at this price, wheres the evolution in prices??? Oh and the 45$ blank, its pretty obvious, they want to discourage you in buying blanks and encourage you in buying originals.

34.4.2006 23:06

If HD-DVD does well, than I think companies will start to move toward it as opposed to Blu-ray. I think once Blu-ray is introduced and the two compete for about a year we'll have a good picture as to which format will win. I really don't care, as long as I don't have to pay a grand for a damn player.

45.4.2006 01:16

Seriously, who is gonna want to buy Stealth on Blu Ray?

55.4.2006 05:01

Yep - I would rather buy Sting-Ray on Blu-ray than Stealth ..

65.4.2006 05:19

most of you are probably too young to remember/realise but Betamax came out way before VHS in the early 80s and was recognised as being of superior quality to VHS. That didn't stop it from sinking...this war will either be solved by who has the greater marketing power or by dual compatible machines which will render the fight meaningless as has happened with DVD + and - discs.

75.4.2006 07:42
psyantist
Inactive

Unfortunately HD-DVD will have a hard time gaining strength against a Sony backed player. People are just to loyal to brands and way too quick to jump to anything new Sony puts out......"UMD". I would like to see HD-DVD personally because it seems to be the most user friendly and has better auxiliary functions. Sort of like DVD+R over DVD-R. If Blu-ray wins out, it is just another sign of the Apocolypse....."beware of Blu-ray, for ontop rides Sony, and Hell follows with it" ...hehe

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