Are you reading?

By Shane McGlaun

There are gobs of Blu-ray players on the market today. I still think one of the better players is the PS3. I like that it has all the features you want from a Blu-ray player, can be updated with new features and plays great video games all for less than many other high-end Blu-ray players.

If you don’t want a PS3 there are certainly enough options available in the Blu-ray market and now there is one more brand to consider. Harman Kardon has announced its first Blu-ray player called the BDP1. You may recognize the Harman Kardon brand from the line of speakers the company has sold for years.

The BDP1 supports BD-Live and BonusView along with LPCM, MP3, Dolby Digital, Dolby TrueHD, DTS, DTS-HD Master Audio and WMA audio formats. Internet connectivity is provided via an RJ-45 connector and the player has IR-remote in/out jacks for system integration. A front panel USB jack allows for direct play of MP3 and image files and can act as additional memory for BD-Live. The player will be available this month for $499.

[ Harman Kardon ]

Related posts

• No related posts.

By Shane McGlaun

Every now and again, someone I know will ask me what Blu-ray player they should buy to go along with their new TV. I always tell them to get the PS3 because I think it’s one of the best Blu-ray players out there. I had a guy tell me he didn’t want video games in his house the other day and preferred a stand-alone Blu-ray player to the PS3.

For people who feel the same way Pioneer has launched a trio of new Blu-ray players including the Elite BDP-23FD, the BDP-120, and the BDP-320 models. The 23FD is aimed at the professional integrator looking for a player with full control capability for integrating into high-end home theaters. It includes a special KURO Link Picture Mode and a precision quartz lock system that helps prevent playback jitters. The 23FD sells for $599.

The BDP-320 offers 48-bit deep color support, three video noise reduction circuits and 13 different picture adjustment capabilities and sells for $399. The BDP-120 is the entry-level machine and carries a MSRP of $299. All three machines also have a USB port for playing digital files.

[ Pioneer Electronics ]

Related posts

• No related posts.

By Andrew Liszewski

At just 20 inches in size, you wouldn’t expect this new AQUOS DX LCD TV from Sharp to be brimming with features, and to be honest it’s not. It’s got a 1366×768 HD resolution with a 1500:1 contrast ratio and 450cd/m2 brightness, but what makes it unique is the fact that it will include both a DVD and Blu-ray burner built-in, allowing you to record over the air digital broadcasts to the medium of your choice.

Of course there’s no ETA on when the AQUOS DX will be hitting North America, but Japan will be privy to it come June for about $1,580.

[ Akihabara News - Sharp's New AQUOS DX, World's First 20” LCD TV with Blu-ray Recorder ]

Related posts

• No related posts.

By Andrew Liszewski

According to Akihabara News, LG Korea announced this new Blu-ray home theater combo this morning that includes a pop-out iPod dock on the player that will apparently accept all iPod models (I assume that means the iPhone too) allowing you to listen to music stored on the devices. There’s no word on whether or not it can access video content on the iPods, but details are a bit vague at the moment. What is known though is that the HB954TBW will be sold in Korea for just over $1,000.

[ Akihabara News - LG latest Blu-Ray Home-Theater combo iPod friendly ]

Related posts

• No related posts.