NEWS Article: Sony Drops DVD for Blu-ray

[ReduxInflux]

Sony Drops DVD for Blu-ray Disc

Sony will no longer use the standard DVD format in its video recorders,
instead moving to Blu-ray Disc for all future models in Japan.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,137152-c,dvdtechnology/article.html

Martyn Williams, IDG News Service
Thursday, September 13, 2007 6:00 AM PDT

Sony Corp. is increasing its bet on Blu-ray Disc and plans to ditch DVD and use the high-definition video disc format in all future digital video recorders in Japan, the company said Wednesday.

The announcement was made at the same time as Sony, the biggest backer of the technology, unveiled four new Blu-ray Disc video recorders. They include support for dual-layer discs -- something that was missing from models announced this time last year -- and can transcode video into the more efficient MPEG4 AVC format to increase recording time per disc.

A 50G-byte Blu-ray Disc typically holds just over 4 hours of HDTV when the over-the-air MPEG2 stream is recorded directly to the disc. By transcoding this stream to MPEG4 AVC it's possible to squeeze 16 hours of HDTV onto the same disc.

The four models are aimed at three different applications.

The BDZ-X90 is targeted at home cinema use and is capable of 1080p video output -- the highest quality of several video subsets that fall under the HDTV banner -- and "Deep Color" output. This latter feature should mean better colors when using a TV with support for the HDMI1.3 signal. The machine has a 500G-byte hard-disk drive.

The BDZ-L70 is focused on those with high-def camcorders and supports one-touch transfer of video from Sony Handycam camcorders. It has a lower capacity 250G-byte hard-disk drive.

Finally there are the BDZ-T50 and T70 machines aimed at people who want to record digital TV without other bells and whistles. The machines have 320G-byte and 250G-byte hard-disk drives respectively.

Other functions on all four machines include 4X Blu-ray Disc recording for fast transfer of TV shows from the hard-disk drive to disc, lossless HDMI audio output, compatibility with the AVCHD format used on many high-definition camcorders and Sony's Bravia Link and Bravia Premium Photo technologies.

The move to replace DVD isn't perhaps as much of a gamble as it might seem. The DVD recorder market is very competitive and it's becoming increasingly difficult for companies to make money in the sector. A switch to Blu-ray Disc takes Sony into a less competitive market place of higher price products.

But whether consumers will pay the extra money for HD recording will be seen in the coming months. The cheapest of the new recorders is expected to cost about 140,000 (US$1,226) compared to a street price of about 50,000 for the cheapest Sony DVD recorder currently available, the RDR-HX67.

The top-of-the-range X90 model will cost around 200,000, the L70 will cost about 180,000 and the T70 and T50 will cost 160,000 and 140,000 respectively, said Sony. They'll be available in Japan from Nov. 8 and are not scheduled for release overseas.

[Dadds]

Nice now only if they would drop everything else that as DVD.

[jermwhl]

Not scheduled for overseas release, but in a different article it stated that they would eventually come here. So probably another year or so!

Quite a move by Sony! I was thinking this article was referring to DVD media, not recorders at first! LOL!

I'm excited about this, replaces the good 'ol VCR. I wonder if the recorders can still record onto DVD also? Or if they only record to BD...hmmmm.

[E-Dogg]

Kool!

[glenn22]

Originally Posted by Dadds

Nice now only if they would drop everything else that as DVD.

I thought that was what this article was gonna say! I was like WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA?!?

This makes a lot of sense though.

[stockstar1138]

Originally Posted by E-Dogg

Kool!

wow! all i can say is wow!

[UltimateFighter]

I wonder if these will be able to burn on DVD's as well?

[talbers23]

Nice for Sony and Japan. No idea how much this will impact anyone in the states.

[jbuttler007]

Not as good. It seems that it's a way to force people into going BLU, good job sony

[undertow1141]

[QUOTE=ReduxInflux;220454]Sony Drops DVD for Blu-ray Disc
Sony will no longer use the standard DVD format in its video recorders, instead moving to Blu-ray Disc for all future models in Japan.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,137152-c,dvdtechnology/article.html



A 50G-byte Blu-ray Disc typically holds just over 4 hours of HDTV when the over-the-air MPEG2 stream is recorded directly to the disc. By transcoding this stream to MPEG4 AVC it's possible to squeeze 16 hours of HDTV onto the same disc.

All I can say is Holy Shite. 16 hours of HD on a dual layer. At 4x burning even, I mean, DAMN.

[Marcusarilius]

Bold Move by Sony! This is a true Pioneer (pardon the use of brand X) company. This will help the general population be exposed to and catch up on HD technology. I have to say, these guys are not sitting on the fence. Nice to see a company take this technology by the balls and run with it.

[WickyWoo]

Yeah, I wouldn't transcode though, broadcast is already compressed enough

It'll still do 3 hours on a BD-25 at those rates.

[PaulGo]

Sony Drops DVD for Blu-ray Disc
Sony will no longer use the standard DVD format in its video recorders, instead moving to Blu-ray Disc for all future models in Japan.
Martyn Williams, IDG News Service
Thursday, September 13, 2007 06:00 AM PDT

Sony Corp. is increasing its bet on Blu-ray Disc and plans to ditch DVD and use the high-definition video disc format in all future digital video recorders in Japan, the company said Wednesday.

The announcement was made at the same time as Sony, the biggest backer of the technology, unveiled four new Blu-ray Disc video recorders. They include support for dual-layer discs -- something that was missing from models announced this time last year -- and can transcode video into the more efficient MPEG4 AVC format to increase recording time per disc.

A 50G-byte Blu-ray Disc typically holds just over 4 hours of HDTV when the over-the-air MPEG2 stream is recorded directly to the disc. By transcoding this stream to MPEG4 AVC it's possible to squeeze 16 hours of HDTV onto the same disc.

The four models are aimed at three different applications.

The BDZ-X90 is targeted at home cinema use and is capable of 1080p video output -- the highest quality of several video subsets that fall under the HDTV banner -- and "Deep Color" output. This latter feature should mean better colors when using a TV with support for the HDMI1.3 signal. The machine has a 500G-byte hard-disk drive.

The BDZ-L70 is focused on those with high-def camcorders and supports one-touch transfer of video from Sony Handycam camcorders. It has a lower capacity 250G-byte hard-disk drive.

Finally there are the BDZ-T50 and T70 machines aimed at people who want to record digital TV without other bells and whistles. The machines have 320G-byte and 250G-byte hard-disk drives respectively.

Other functions on all four machines include 4X Blu-ray Disc recording for fast transfer of TV shows from the hard-disk drive to disc, lossless HDMI audio output, compatibility with the AVCHD format used on many high-definition camcorders and Sony's Bravia Link and Bravia Premium Photo technologies.

The move to replace DVD isn't perhaps as much of a gamble as it might seem. The DVD recorder market is very competitive and it's becoming increasingly difficult for companies to make money in the sector. A switch to Blu-ray Disc takes Sony into a less competitive market place of higher price products.

But whether consumers will pay the extra money for HD recording will be seen in the coming months. The cheapest of the new recorders is expected to cost about %140,000 (US$1,226) compared to a street price of about %50,000 for the cheapest Sony DVD recorder currently available, the RDR-HX67.

The top-of-the-range X90 model will cost around %200,000, the L70 will cost about %180,000 and the T70 and T50 will cost %160,000 and %140,000 respectively, said Sony. They'll be available in Japan from Nov. 8 and are not scheduled for release overseas.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,13...y/article.html

[blu-rayfan101]

cool!

[ReduxInflux]

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=16748

[dobyblue]

Very cool news - go Blu.

[richard lichtenfelt]

Give me LOTR trilogy on one disc and I can officially become a shut-in.

[radagast]

Originally Posted by jbuttler007

Not as good. It seems that it's a way to force people into going BLU, good job sony

They aren't forcing anyone in Japan. Blu is overwhelmingly the choice in Japan.

[JadedRaverLA]

Originally Posted by UltimateFighter

I wonder if these will be able to burn on DVD's as well?

I'm almost certain they all will -- all the other recent BD recorders in Japan have been able to burn DVDs. They might limit the DVD recording to SD content, though.

This is really an awesome move by Sony. I find it interesting that the CE companies seem to think that in Japan only recorders will sell, while in the rest of the world, only players will sell. There's definitely some flawed logic in that. However, at least one of the stories about these new players states that they will be coming to other areas later, which would be awesome. If Sony would release a cable-card ready dual-tuner PVR with BD recorder in the U.S., I would gladly plunk down some ridiculous cash to get one.

[msallaq]

great news