San Diego – Sony Wednesday launched its BDP-S470 3D-ready
stand-alone Blu-ray Disc player, which can be upgraded to support forthcoming 3D
Blu-ray Disc titles with a firmware upgrade.
The company also announced that the previously introduced
BDP-S570 Blu-ray Disc model and the BDV-E770W and BDV-E570 Blu-ray Disc
home-theater systems will be upgradeable to support 3D Blu-ray Discs with a
firmware update planned for release this summer.
The new models, along with the previously announced BDP-S370,
are now shipping dealers and will be available through Sony Style next
month.
“Consumer excitement for 3D is unbelievably high and Sony is
poised to deliver the best possible in-home experience,” said Chris Fawcett,
Sony home division VP. “Involved in every facet of the 3D chain from
professional equipment to content production and hardware, Sony is the one
company that can lean on its broad expertise to deliver 3D to the home that
truly captures consumer imagination.”
Sony said all of the new player will also support broadband
Internet connections for BD-Live feature playback, as well as accessing
streaming entertainment content through the Bravia Internet Video platform,
which supports more than 25 service providers including: Netflix, Amazon Video
On Demand, YouTube, Slacker Internet Radio, Pandora (starting this spring), NPR,
Sony Pictures and Sony Music.
The new models also feature Sony’s Entertainment Database
Browser using Gracenote technologies, which allows browsing for such topics as
actors and production information from a Blu-ray Disc and streaming
content.
The new models also support player control through an iPhone or
iPod Touch device, using a free app called BD Remote. The app will be available
for download from the Apple App store.
The app will also access a Blu-ray Disc’s details such as jacket
artwork, actor and production information as well as search for additional video
clips online.
The models also offer faster loading and startup times through a
quick-start feature. The stand-alone Blu-ray Disc players can start-up from
power off in about three seconds.
The BDP-S570 will carry a $250 suggested retail, and features
FullHD 1080p single-disc playback of Blu-ray Discs, with additional support for
DVD videos, music CDs and SACDs. Blu-ray 3D support will be available this
summer with a firmware update.
Other features include Bravia’s new monolithic design, Internet
Video and IP content noise reduction, built-in Wi-Fi access with Wi-Fi Protected
Setup (WPS), an Entertainment Database Browser with Gracenote support, BD remote
control via an iPhone/iPod Touch free app, photo/music/video playback via USB
and DLNA (with firmware update), DVD up-scaling to 1080p, and support for Dolby
TrueHD and dts-HD Master Audio sound tracks. It also includes one 1GB of
built-in memory for BD-Live playback.
The BDP-S470 has a $200 suggested retail, and includes all of
the same features as the S570 except built-in Wi-Fi access and 1GB of built-in
memory. Memory must be added externally to support BD-Live features. The deck
includes an Ethernet port for wired LAN networking or for WiFi access with an
add-on adapter.
The BDP-S370 carries a $180 suggested retail and includes most
of the same features as the S470 February for about $180
In Blu-ray home-theater systems, the BDV-E770W will be available in March
at a $650 suggested retail. Features include: 1000 watts of total power; FullHD
1080p Blu-ray Disc support; playback of DVDs, CDs and SA-CD 5.1 channel audio
discs; Blu-ray 3D playback following a firmware update this summer; monolithic
design; Bravia Internet Video and BD-Live support with 1GB of built-in memory;
IP content noise reduction; integrated S-AIR wireless rear speakers; wireless
LAN Ready with included USB Wireless LAN adapter (802.11); Entertainment
Database Browser with Gracenote support; iPhone/iPod Touch remote control app
support; photo/music/video playback via USB and DLNA (with firmware update);
iPod audio playback via USB; DVD up-scaling to 1080p; and Dolby TrueHD and
dts-HD Master Audio decoding
The BDV-E570 will ship in March at a $550 suggested retail and
includes most of the same features as the E770, except it will be S-AIR ready
for wireless rear and wireless multi-room speakers, which are sold
separately.
