Posted Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 09:19 AM PDT by
Samsung has revealed new details (including a new model, pricing and release date guidance) for its planned third-gen Blu-ray players, but BD-J audio/video support remains an open question.
As we first reported yesterday, the previously-announced BD-P1400 will feature 1080p output capability, full HDMI v1.3 support and in-board Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD audio decoding. Samsung now says the player will hit stores in September at a suggested retail price of $549.
In October, the manufacturer will release a second third-gen player -- the BD-P2400 -- which will feature everything included in the BD-P1400, plus Samsung's proprietary de-interlacing technology, powered by the company's HQV (Hollywood Quality Video) image processor. Samsung has set a retail price of $599 for the higher-end model.
It's worth noting that the Blu-ray Disc Association has mandated that Blu-ray hardware manufacturers include BD-J audio/video support in all new players released after October 31st, 2007. This technology will power more advanced interactive features like Warner's "In Movie Experience," which the format-neutral studio currently only offers on its HD DVD discs.
No word yet on whether Samsung's planned third-gen players will include BD-J audio/video support, but if the company sticks to its current release guidance in the September/October time frame, it won't be required.
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