Samsung Intros High-End Dual Format Player

Samsung's new BD-UP5000 Duo HD Player handles both Blu-ray and HD DVD discs, and is aimed at high-end home theater buffs who can't decide which format to embrace.

At a product showcase in New York, electronics maker Samsung has shown off several consumer electronics offerings it plans to market for the upcoming end-of-year holiday season, including the high-end BD-UP5000 Duo HD Player, which supports both HD DVD and Blu-ray high-definition discs as well as their respective interactive technologies, HDi and BD-Java. The unit marks only the second hybrid player to be put on the market; the first was the LG’s Super Multi Blue, which has been available since February but doesn’t support interactive features.

The BD-UP5000 supports full 1080p video and an HDMI 1.3 interface, along with componsent, X-Video, and composite video outputs. An Ethernet jack lets the unit ride on a home network (and access Internet-based interactive content, and offers both stereo and 7.1 surround sound output and coax/optical audio inputs. The unit supports HQV digital up-conversion of content to 720p, 1080i, or 1080p, and can handle audio encoded using Dolby Digital Plus, dts HD, Dolby True HD, and MP3. It’ll also handle content on traditional DVDs, CDs, and writable CD media.

Samsung may be correct to target the high end of the home theater market with the BD-UP5000, since stand-alone players for both high definition formats are available at lower total costs (and, due to promotions, often with free movies to boot). Samsung expects to ship the unit during the fourth quarter of 2007 at a suggested retail price of $1,049; Samsung also plans to offer a Blu-ray based home theater (the HT-BD2) for $1,499, and two new Blu-ray players (the BD-P1400 and BD-P2400) for $549 and $649, respectively, in September and October.