Sony Electronics has unveiled its first 3D-ready Blu-ray player in the form of the BDP-S470 Blu-ray Disc Player, hoping to tap into home theater fans’ newfound lust for high-definition 3D content. The unit will offer support for single-disc Blu-ray, DVD, CD, and SA-CD media and will be 3D-ready when Sony ships a firmware update “this summer”—and its expected $200 price tag should be friendly to most consumers’ wallets.
“Consumer excitement for 3D is unbelievably high and Sony is poised to deliver the best possible in-home experience,” said Sony home division VP Chris Fawcett, in a statement.
The S470 uses Sony’s new “monolithic” Bravia design, and of course hooks up with Sony’s Bravia Internet Video (that includes Amazon Video On Demand, YouTube, Netflix, Slacker, and more) and Internet-enabled BD-Live content—although you’ll have to do that via wired Ethernet unless you buy a separate USB-based wireless adapter. The player sports Sony’s Entertainment Database Browser (powered by Gracenote) for IDing discs, movies, and CDs, and offers 1080p upscaling from standard-resolution DVDs. Of course, Dolby TrueHD and dts-HD Master Audio are on board too. The unit powers on in about three seconds, so there’s less waiting around for equipment to get ready.
Although the S470 is Sony’s first Blu-ray player to roll out the door with planned 3D support (and remember, you’re still waiting until summer for that), Sony says its BDV-E770W and BDV-E570 Blu-ray home theater systems will also pick up 3D support via firmware updates around the same time.
The S470 should be available in mid-March for $199.99; pre-orders are available now.
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