IFA NEWS: Sony expands Blu-ray line with two new players and all-in-one system - and Spider-man is free!

Andrew Everard 31 August 2007 08:56

sony HTP-BD2RSF scaled

Sony is boosting its commitment to Bu-ray with the arrival of two new players and a complete home cinema system - and buyers of any of them will get the Spider-man trilogy on Blu-ray disc absolutely free.

sony bdp_s300_scaled

The new machines are the BDP-S500 and BDP-S300 (above) , and while prices have yet to be announced, we've already spotted the BDP-S300 on the Argos website at £500, and it's started to appear at some online shops for as little as under £300. It's expected that the BDP-S300 will list for around £400, with the BDP-S500 at about £600.

The two players have different styling, and under the lids there are differences between the specifications, too. Both models can output 1080p Full HD via HDMI, partnered with 7.1 channel Dolby Digital Plus audio, with 5.1-channel DTS-HD decoding on the BDP-S300 and 7.1-channel on the pricier model.

sony bdp_s500_scaled

The BDP-S500 (above) also has Dolby TrueHD decoding and HDMI output of DTS-HD, Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus audio signals, where the discs allow, and both players have upscaling for DVDs, and 24fps and xvColour from suitable Blu-ray discs.

The Bravia Theatre HTP-BD2RSF system, which it's thought will sell for under £1000, combines the BDP-S300 with Sony's HT-SF2000 digital amp/speaker package. The 5.1-channel system has Sony's DCAC automatic calibration, and shares with the new players Bravia Theatre Sync for one-button operation of the complete system and a Sony Bravia TV, while high-definition sound is passed between player and amp as Linear PCM.

The amplifier also has Sony's Digital Media Port, which can accept modular adapters to connect iPods, Sony Network Walkman players, Bluetooth music sources and even wi-fi networks.

The new models will appear in UK shops in the next couple of months, and buyers of the new player or system will receive a free copy of the Spider-man trilogy on Blu-ray disc, on completion of product registration and an online questionnaire.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , ,

Comments

Vowani August 31, 2007 09:07

Alas, these players do not support the Blu-ray "profile 1.1" specification, only the older 1.0 spec.

Compliance with the 1.1 profile will be mandatory for player models introduced to the market after October 31, 2007.

When disks authored with interactive features dependent on Profile 1.1 hardware capabilities are played on profile 1.0 players some features may not be available or may offer limited capability. (Profile 1.0 players will still be able to play the main feature of the disc, however).

So, I do not think it is wise to invest in devices which do not meet those future-proof specs. Especially with the war between Blu-ray and HD-DVD absolutely not yet decided.

Most consumers would be better off to stay away from high-definition disk formats until the industry gets its act together.

Anonymous comments are disabled

About Andrew Everard

Andrew Everard, Audio Editor of Gramophone since November 1999 and What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision's Consulting Editor, read English at Queens' College, Cambridge a very long time ago! He started his journalistic career in 1982 on Haymarket's photographic magazines, and subsequently worked on What Hi-Fi?, High Fidelity, Audiophile and Home Cinema magazines, as well as contributing a monthly column to Japanese title HiVi.