Sony's Blu-ray big bang
While the Sony PlayStation 3 may be the best bang-for-buck Blu-ray player in Asia, its high operating noise is more than what some may have bargained for. On the other end of the spectrum, purists and the performance-oriented will probably appreciate a more traditional design. In short, something less PC-centric with a meaty feel and built from the ground up using A/V-tuned components. If this is exactly what you seek, Sony has just answered your prayers with the upcoming BDP-S1E.
An enhanced model of its first-generation player, the S1E is now capable of playing back audio CDs and many popular formats of the inexpensive DVD recordable. Extensive surround sound compatibility is also supported via HDMI and an onboard decoder. These cover lossless (think encoding with no impact in quality) audio such as Dolby TrueHD and uncompressed soundtracks, delivering quality multichannel sound to match its film-oriented 24Hz 1080p pictures.
To coincide with the player's debut, Sony is partnering with Origin Entertainment for the official Singapore Blu-ray movie launch. This follows an earlier Hong Kong release and a scheduled Taiwan market entry later this month. The 28 pilot titles from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will be distributed at S$49.90 (US$36.74) to S$59.90 (US$44.10) a piece. These include Hong Kong and Hollywood blockbusters ranging from Kung Fu Hustle to Casino Royale and the recent Ghost Rider.
The BDP-S1E will be available in Asia from July, reaching Singapore's shores in the middle of the month for S$1,699 (US$1,250.89) at selected authorized Sony dealers. Software selection-wise, expect future releases of up to five new titles per month.
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In a nutshell |
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Notable features:
Enhanced first-generation Blu-ray player
DVD video upscaling
Supports 1080p video
Supports Dolby Digital Plus, TrueHD and DTS-HD
CD-R/RW, DVD-R/RW/R DL, DVD+R/RW/R DL compatible
Component-video and HDMI outputs
Digital optical, coaxial and analog 5.1 audio output
494 x 234 x 542mm
9.8kg
Availability in Asia: July and middle of the month for Singapore
Price: S$1,699 (US$1,250.89)
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