Sharp introduces Blu-ray disk recorder with hard drive, DVD

[erdega79]

Sharp introduces Blu-ray disk recorder with hard drive, DVD

OSAKA, Nov 11, 2004 (Kyodo via COMTEX) -- Sharp Corp. said Thursday it will introduce on Dec. 9 a new Blu-ray disk recorder with a built-in hard drive and conventional DVD unit, which can record and play back high-definition pictures with the same resolution seen in digital broadcast images.

The BD-HD 100, to be priced at about 320,000 yen, features a built-in hard drive capable of recording 160 gigabytes of data, or approximately 19 hours of digital Hi-Vision broadcasts. The company plans to produce 3,000 units per month, according to Sharp.

The new product is equipped with what the company claims to be the world's first twin Blu-ray disk/DVD tray that enables digital dubbing in six directional combinations from and to the hard drive, Blu-ray disks and DVDs, including the ability to dub five DVDs onto a single Blu-ray disk, Sharp said.

Together with Sony Corp. and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Sharp has been promoting the Blu-ray disk standard for next-generation DVD players.

The Blu-ray camp has been battling intensely against a consortium led by Toshiba Corp. and NEC Corp. that have produced another next-generation DVD format called HD DVD.

EDIT:More images added