http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/0...ref=technologyQuote:
August 22, 2008, 3:26 pm
Pioneer Previews Its New Blu-ray Player
By ERIC A. TAUB
One of the reasons that Blu-ray players are still a niche consumer product is what marketers like to call the “value proposition.”
For many, if not most, consumers, standard DVD is good enough, and much, much better than the VHS tape format it replaced. That’s especially true for those who don’t have the video gear to get the most from $300-plus Blu-ray machines: a large, 1080p high-definition plasma display. Frankly, watching a regular DVD on a 1080i HDTV looks very good. And with a $75 upconverting DVD player, it looks even better.
Which is why Pioneer’s new top-of-the-line Blu-ray player is not for that crowd. Informally introduced Thursday at a Pioneer event in Hollywood (much to the chagrin of Pioneer’s PR crew, who were taken aback at its presence and had no information on the unit), the $2,200 Elite BDP-09FD is not going to attract value customers. The unit, which will be available later this year, offers users the option to adjust 16 different picture variables to get the ultimate image, gold-plated connectors, plus a wide range of audio formats and high-bit-rate picture processing.
While it wasn’t actually demonstrated as much as discussed, the Pioneer engineer assured us that it would offer the ultimate in picture quality, as well as BD-Live, the new interactive technology that allows Blu-ray viewers to control a movie remotely, send messages from a laptop and insert them into the film, download updated trailers and play interactive games with others around the world.
If all of that sounds a bit much for your budget, the company is now shipping the DV-410V, a standard definition DVD player that upconverts images to 1080p, or near Blu-ray quality. Its price: a much more down-to-earth $99.
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http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/22/p...yer-leaks-out/Quote:
Pioneer Elite BDP-09FD Profile 2.0 Blu-ray player leaks out
by Nilay Patel, posted Aug 22nd 2008 at 7:01PM
Pioneer's last batch of Blu-ray players wasn't exactly earth-shattering, but if you're in the market for the highest of the high-end, it sounds like the upcoming Elite BDP-09FD might be worth waiting for. The first Pioneer unit to support Profile 2.0 and BD-Live, you'll also be getting 4GB of internal storage, eight independent D/A converters for each 7.1 channel (which means there are tons of receiver-caliber adjustments possible from the player), and 16-bit color output over two HDMI jacks. Should be out soon, for a whopping $2200.
--Bob
, I was told that neither would be included. Frankly, the cost of building them in factored with the small market interest (except around here) makes it unreasonable and would probably add more to the price than it would be to simply buy a DV-48 or Dv-58 in addition.
