The new generation Blu-Ray DVD uses a blue light laser to illuminate the holes in the DVD disc. It results in a lot of information storage in the same space, since blue light has a shorter wavelength and therefore the wells can be closer to each other. HDTV – Blu-Ray HD players are designed to play such compact DVDs.
The summer of 2006 saw the market flooded with an incredible variety of players from big players like Panasonic, Samsung and Pioneer. The starting cost of these players is around $1000 to $1800, but it will surely go down with the competition. These players are compatible with 1080p resolution HDTVs that were released at the same time.
The technical specifications of the player: 720, 1080 or 1920 x 1080 represent the number of horizontal lines of pixels, the higher number corresponding to the resolution. The printed letter ‘p’ or ‘i’ indicates progressive and interlaced, respectively. These specifications determine the quality of projected images.
The latest Blu-Ray players are designed for 1080p signal output through the HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) connector. Although today’s TVs convert 1080i resolution to HD-DVD models, the future is bright for HDTVs with native 1080p resolution very soon. There are various models and their salient features drive the interest of the market.
The Samsung BD-P1000 model costs $1,000 (twice the cost of Toshiba’s HD-DVD player). This player is a slim, high-quality unit from one of the leading HDTV DLP manufacturers. Although many HDTVs come with a built-in memory card slot, this player has a 9-in-2 multi-memory card slot that allows you to display digital photos on your TV. Samsung also promises to add an alarm utility to the player, which will alert the viewer to an upcoming program or event. This model is just a player and does not support recording as of now.
The Pioneer BDP-HD1 player offers some features like Home Media Gallery software that allows viewers to display digital photos, listen to music or watch movies, all stored on the home computer, which is not found on the Samsung. Pioneer manufacturers are known for their high-quality consumer electronics like CD changers and reliable HDTV models. So the player looks promising but costs around $1800 initially.
The Panasonic DMP-BD10 was launched in September 2006, along with the company’s plasma-type 1080p HDTV. The initial market price is around $1,500. Panasonic is rated as the most favorite in the field due to the report of its excellent quality DVD player and HDTVs. The unit was launched alongside the company’s proprietary EZ-Sync HDAVI feature, which allows viewers to connect and control multiple HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface) units with a single remote.
Sony should provide HD player compatibility with its PlayStation 3 model in November 2006. This model would cost around $600 and should be able to play Blu-Ray discs in addition to downloading and playing games.