Samsung Unveils Hybrid High-Def Disc Player

Electronics giant Samsung has announced plans to release a hybrid DVD player, the BD-UP5000 that will support both Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD formats and will be released by the end of the year. The new player is intended to bridge the remaining gap for consumers who remain undecided about what format to choose.

Although Samsung has long been one of the major supporters of the Blu-ray Disc format, the South Korean electronics maker has decided to release a player capable of supporting both Blu-ray and rival HD DVD formats.

The model BD-UP5000 will also support both formats" interactive technologies, HDi and BD-Java, according to the company.

Bridging the Gap

The new player is intended to bridge the remaining gap for consumers who remain undecided about what format to choose.

HD DVD is backed by a consortium headed by Toshiba, whereas Blu-ray has been backed by a group led by Sony (NYSE: SNE) and Samsung.

Both formats, which have been jostling for market share since their introduction last year, use optical discs the same size as CDs or DVDs, but have much higher storage capacities than current DVDs.

Accessing All Titles

The new player will allow consumers access to every HD movie title available regardless of the authoring format, said Dongsoo Jun, executive vice president of Samsung"s Digital AV Division

Multi format on the Rise

The announcement markets another step in the slow progress toward dual-format compatibility. Recently, LG Electronics said it plans to release a next-generation DVD player that supports both Blu-ray and HD DVD formats; Ricoh announced a similar player. The Samsung player is "another solution in the marketplace that will help reduce consumer confusion," said Ron Sanders, president of Warner Home Video.

"This is an innovative product that can move us closer to mainstream consumer adoption of HD technologies," he said.

Source: technewsworld.com