The HD DVD device has been on the market for a month now, but the technological battle for DVD has just begun. Samsung’s Blu-ray player is already available at many retail outlets in the United States, despite its official release date being June 25.
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| Samsung BD-P1000. Image: PC World |
The Samsung BD-P1000 has been distributed to various stores, but consumers will only be able to purchase the product starting next week. This device displays high-definition video at 1080p (1920 x 1080 pixels) via an HDMI connection. However, it also employs several conventional DVD customization methods for playback on HDTVs.
In addition to Blu-ray discs, the BD-P1000 can read multiple formats such as CD, DVD-RAM, DVD±R, and DVD±RW. Moreover, Samsung has included a memory card reader capable of displaying JPEG images taken with digital cameras in HD format on high-definition TVs. The Samsung BD-P1000 will first be sold in the U.S. at a price of $999.99.
In April, Toshiba outpaced the Blu-ray supporter group by swiftly releasing the world’s first HD DVD player, named HD-XA1 and HD-A1. Samsung’s product boasts a more impressive design than the HD-XA1, featuring a luxurious black finish and a highly responsive remote control.
Currently, there are fewer than 30 movie titles available for HD DVD on the market, and it is anticipated that an additional 50 films will be released by the end of this year. In contrast, Samsung asserts that over 200 films on Blu-ray discs are set to hit the shelves soon.
