High-end Blu-ray players to bow at CEDIA
Pioneer's $2,200 model to carry 4GB of storage
By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 8/26/2008
AUG. 26 | Next-generation Blu-ray players from Panasonic and Pioneer will be among the star products at next week’s home theater installation conference CEDIA.
Pioneer's BDP-09FD will be priced at $2,200.
Manufacturers consider the annual conference, running Sept. 3-7 in Denver, the perfect place to hype the format because of installers’ luxury home entertainment consumer base.
Panasonic is expected to talk up two new BD Live models, the DMP-BD35 and DMP-BD55, say sources. These players feature slight changes from the manufacturer’s debut Web-enabled set-top, the DMP-BD50, which launched earlier this summer. The BD35 should be somewhat smaller than its BD50 predecessor. Panasonic’s BD55 will represent the company’s first Blu-ray player boasting 7.1 surround sound. Pricing and street dates haven’t yet been specified for the two models.
Samsung confirmed that it will be launching its first out-of-the-box BD-Live player, the $499 BD-P2500, this October. Unlike its current BD-P1500, the BD-P2500 will immediately be able to play back Web-enabled bonus feaures and doesn't require a future firmware upgrade.
Especially targeting the high-end CEDIA niche, Yamaha and Pioneer are rolling out players tagged at hundreds of more dollars than the going $399 set-top average. Yamaha will be introducing a $1,199.95 picture-in-picture, non-Web-enabled set-top (the BD-S2900) which may face an uphill battle wowing the CEDIA base. A consumer can enjoy both Web features and picture-in-picture through the $399 PlayStation 3. No street date has been announced yet for the Yamaha set-top, the company’s first Blu-ray player.
However, Chris Walker, Pioneer senior manager of marketing and product planning, promises its latest Elite BDP-09FD, streeting by the end of the year, is worth its $2,200 price tag.
As Pioneer’s debut BD Live player, the BDP-09FD is being touted as one the first set-tops that can fully playback Web-enabled bonus features immediately upon purchase because of its unique 4GB of storage space. With firmware, PS3s also enjoy the same instant BD Live playback.
At the moment, people who buy Panasonic’s first BD Live model must pick up an SD card add-on to handle some of Blu-ray titles’ Web interactivity memory requirements. Similarly, the latest Samsung and Sony models on shelves are BD Live-ready and won’t be fully Web capable until firmware is available at an as yet unspecified date.
Also distinctive, Pioneer’s BDP-09FD carries three video processing chips, which contributes to improved imaging over most Blu-ray players’ single chip, according to the company.
“Right out of the box, everything will function,” said Walker. “This is a player that will play Blu-rays, DVDs and CDs to the best of their ability. This is for that certain customer that is high-end. I can’t imagine anyone putting in a home theater system without putting in a Blu-ray player.”
Pioneer is considering its BDP-09FD its flagship model and it will likely stay in retail circulation past the usual one-year term for most Blu-ray set-tops.
Other manufacturing sources expect companies to announce pricing cuts on current set-tops, in addition to parading out new Blu-ray models at CEDIA.
Blu-ray marketing in general also will be a key activity at CEDIA. Unlike last year’s event, there is no format war confusing the Blu-ray message. But studios and manufacturers believe that even the early adopter installer community needs some further convincing of Blu-ray’s appeal.
“I think people might be OK with a $500 or more Blu-ray player, but then the discs are between $25 and $35 dollars,” said one source. “I have a Blu-ray player, but I don’t have that many discs because I see Batman Begins for $13 on DVD and then see it for $35 on Blu-ray. Blu-ray is better, but you want to get that point across.”
To address any skepticism, both the Digital Entertainment Group and the Blu-ray Disc Assn. will be marketing the format at CEDIA. The DEG will be meeting with home installer dealers, and the BDA will be holding a Sept. 4 press luncheon to provide an overall update on the format’s progress.
“We hope to convey the message to dealers and retailers that as a unified front, we as an industry are well positioned to give Blu-ray Disc much deserved marketing, advertising and consumer educational support going into the balance of the year,” said DEG executive director Amy Jo Smith. “There will be ample player devices at varying price points as well as scores of titles representing in excess of $4 billion in box office revenue.”
Among those attending the BDA luncheon are Bob Chapek, president of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Worldwide; Mike Dunn, president worldwide of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment; Eisuke Tsuyuzaki, Panasonic VP of corporate development and general manager of Blu-ray Disc Group; and Andy Parsons, senior VP of product planning at Pioneer Home Entertainment Group and U.S. chairman of Blu-ray Disc Assn. Promotions Committee.
“Our main objective is to keep the industry informed of the great progress that Blu-ray Disc is making in the market,” said Parsons. “CEDIA represents a sweet spot for high definition technology. Custom installers typically serve the most influential consumers that are enthusiastically embracing Blu-ray, much as they did when DVD first came to market.”
Panasonic spokesman Jeff Samuels is confident Blu-ray proponents will be successfully convincing at CEDIA.
“With a show like this, people who are willing to spend the kind of money it takes to put together a great home theater system will want Blu-ray,” he said.
