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Prepare for launch: Blu-ray players revealed

David Rudden
Assistant editor

Updated May 3, 2006

With summer fast approaching, the opening shots in the next-gen HD-DVD-vs.-Blu-ray format war will finally be traded. HD-DVD has a head start with the currently available Toshiba HD-A1 and HD-XA1 sitting on store shelves for two months before Blu-ray's June debut. However, not too much differentiates most of the first stand-alone players. The first BD player scheduled for release, Samsung's launch-day $1,000 BD-P1000, stands apart with a memory-card reader (yawn), while neither the similarly priced Sony BDP-S1 nor the supposedly more expensive Panasonic DMP-BD10 have any major distinguishing features. The Pioneer BDP-HD1 should have some pretty impressive home-networking technology under its $1,800 hood when it comes out on launch day with the Samsung player. The one major question mark, though, is the PlayStation 3, due in November. It'll be able to play Blu-ray movies as well as PS3, PS2, and PS1 games, and if Sony wants it to survive in the marketplace, it'll be priced to compete with the $400 Xbox 360.

More resources

CNET's quick guide to HD-DVD vs. Blu-ray

Ask the Editors: Dedicated Blu-ray player or PS3?

Toshiba's HD-DVD players compared

DVD 2.0: HD-DVD and Blu-ray

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Product name	Samsung BD-P1000	Panasonic DMP-BD10	Sony BDP-S1	Sony PlayStation 3 (60GB)	Pioneer BDP-HD1

Review date	June 30, 2006	December 14, 2006	March 29, 2006	November 13, 2006	February 23, 2007

Editors' rating (Editors' rating explained)	4.6 Mediocre	6.5 Good	CNET editor's take	8.7 Excellent	6.5 Good

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Review summary	With video quality that's impressive but still not as good as its HD-DVD competition, the costly Samsung BD-P1000 will appeal only to those willing to risk a grand on a first-generation player in the middle of a format war.	The Panasonic DMP-BD10 is a very competent first-generation Blu-ray player, but its high price and the comparably affordable PlayStation 3 make it hard to recommend.	CNET editors preview the Sony BDP-S1, the company's first stand-alone Blu-ray player for the U.S. market.	The high-end Sony PlayStation 3's larger hard drive and ability to play PS2 games makes it a worthwhile alternative to the cheaper model--so long as you're willing to wait several months for the more promising exclusive titles to hit store shelves. If backward compatibility is your top priority, this hard-to-find model may be worth the search.	The high-priced Pioneer BDP-HD1 offers top-notch Blu-ray image quality and some nice home networking features, but inferior DVD upconversion and no CD playback curbed our enthusiasm.

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Basic Specs
	• Dolby Digital , DTS decoder , Dolby Digital Plus • Blu-Ray disc player • Tabletop • BD-ROM , DVD+R , CD , DVD-RW , DVD+RW , DVD-RAM , DVD , DVD-R Full specifications	• 24bit / 192kHz • Dolby Digital , DTS decoder , Dolby Digital Plus • 10.4 lbs • Surround Sound • 14bit / 296MHz • Blu-Ray disc player • Tabletop • CD , CD-RW , DVD-RW , DVD-RAM , DVD , BD-RE , DVD-R , DVD+R , BD-ROM , DVD-R DL , DVD+R DL , CD-R , DVD+RW , BD-R Full specifications	• 24bit / 192kHz • Dolby Digital , DTS decoder • 16.5 lbs • Surround Sound • Blu-Ray disc player • Tabletop • BD-ROM , DVD+R , DVD-RW , DVD+RW , DVD-ROM , DVD , DVD-R • NTSC Full specifications	• 256 MB • 1920 x 1080 • 256 MB • NVIDIA RSX • Cell • BD-ROM , CD-ROM , DVD-ROM Full specifications	• 24bit / 192kHz • Dolby Digital , DTS decoder • 13.9 lbs • Surround Sound • 12bit / 148.5MHz • Blu-Ray disc player • Tabletop • BD-ROM , DVD-R DL , DVD-RW , DVD , DVD-R • NTSC Full specifications