Tru details on Blu-ray players

Pioneer's BDP-HD1
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Samsung's BD-P1000
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Sony's BDP-S1
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The second-most detailed Blu-ray player announced came courtesy of Samsung. The company's BD-P1000 will likely be the first stand-alone Blu-ray player on the market; Samsung is targeting April availability, pending last-minute resolution of issues with Blu-ray's Java component. At $1,200 list, the unit will cost significantly less than Pioneer's.

As we mentioned, the Blu-ray group has yet to determine whether to allow the players to pass high-definition video via analog component-video outputs in addition to digital HDMI. Hollywood studios are loathe to allow HD via component because they perceive the analog output as a copy-protection loophole that might be exploited by pirates. HD-DVD has already announced that its units would not pass analog HD resolutions, instead downconverting all analog outputs to standard-def. We hope Blu-ray allows HD to pass via component, since it would allow people who own HDTVs that don't have HDMI or DVI/HDCP inputs to enjoy the new format, but we're not optimistic.

Details from other manufacturers were vague. LG also announced a Blu-ray player at its press conference, and its PowerPoint slide also mentioned 1080i/1080p upconversion. To utilize Blu-ray players' 1080p output, a high-definition television needs to have 1080p input capability via HDMI--a rarity in today's HDTVs but something that will become commonplace in 2006 models. LG didn't announce pricing and mentioned an availability time frame of "spring" in the press conference Q&A session, accompanied by a chuckle and an admonishment that a couple of issues still impede Blu-ray's availability.

Sharp also showed a Blu-ray player at its booth. It didn't stipulate pricing, and availability will be the "summer of this year." Philips, for its part, chimed in with a "competitively priced" player, and its spokesperson seemed optimistic that the Blu-ray group would approve the passing of HD resolutions via analog output. Sony didn't have any details on its Blu-ray player aside from a model number (BDP-S1) and availability of "early summer."

Pioneer also announced a PC-based recorder, model BDR-101A, that will be available Q1 2006 (list price: $995). It's primarily targeted for professional use, and unlike the non-PC-based Blu-ray units above, it can actually record. Samsung also had a couple of PC-based recorders in its booth, including a portable USB version. None of the companies we spoke to would speculate on when a non-PC-based recorder would be available, and many cited copy-protection issues as the major stumbling block.