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The BDP-S2000ES model features dual shield construction, but no recording features.
Sony seems determined to not have Blu-ray become the next Betamax.
Today the company announced that they plan to release four new Blu-ray recorders next month, just in time for your holiday shopping needs. Maybe they plan to flood the shelves so you won’t notice HD DVD?
Unlike last year’s models, the new line will support dual-layer 50GB Blu-ray discs, says Forbes. That translates to 16 hours of HD on one disc. The top-of-the-line unit (the BDZ-X90) will have a 500GB hard drive and a $1,752 price tag.
The other models are the BDZ-L70 and the BDZ-T70, which each have 320GB of internal storage. The littlest of the line is the BDZ-T50, with a mere 250GB.
I have to wonder if just the Japan market will see these units, since prices are popping up all over the web—but in Yen. Also, Sony just announced two other Blu-ray units last week in Denver (the $1,300 BDP-S2000ES is shown here). Why wait a week to announce another four? For momentum?
As far as we know, all of the four of the new Blu-ray recorders will go on sale everywhere beginning November 8.
Sony doesn’t want Blu-ray to become the next Betamax, yet expects units approaching $2,000.00 to save them? I think Sony’s grasp of reality is a little tenuous.
While I admire Sony’s current and past attempts to develop cutting-edge technology, they always seem to forget that at some point you have to actually market it to a public that probably has more modest needs, and certainly has a more modest budget. Since HD DVD offers the same (and in many cases, superior) picture and sound quality as Blu-ray at a price that the average consumer is willing to pay, I can’t see how Sony can avoid failing.
Additionally, if movie studios supporting HD DVD start replacing current DVD releases with HD DVD/DVD combo discs, then it’s game over for Blu-ray, as the exponentially larger DVD market will by default also become a future HD DVD market. $1,752.00 seems an awfully large sum to bet on a format that shows no signs so far of becoming mainstream.
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I think this is great news. Blu-ray already offers so much more than HD DVD (including many more good movies), having real recorders compatable with 50GB discs is a real plus.
I know at our house we record many things onto a HDD, but wish for BD recording ability. 16 hours of HD on one disc! The entire football season in HD on two discs! I am very interested in the final US pricing on these units.
Not everyone will need or be able to afford these products, but it just further enforces the reality that Blu-ray is a more versatile and superior format to HD DVD due to its specs and higher number and types of products. With more computer companies, more electronic companies, more camcorder companies and more movie studios supporting the Blu-ray format a much higher number of useful products are possible when compared to HD DVD where Toshiba is basically going it alone.