9 April 2008
By: Alex Vochin, Technology Editor
Sony's Latest Blu-ray Recorders Can Push Video Content to the PSP, Walkman
The BDZ-A70 and BDZ-T90 models
Now that Sony has remained the only major player on the high-definition players' market, with Blu-ray scoring an overwhelming victory over HD DVD, the Japanese company is free to focus on some additional products, capable of providing various extra-functions beside the basic, playback-related ones. And that's exactly the case with its latest announcement, namely the BDZ-A70 and BDZ-T90 Blu-ray recorders, which provide a very interesting feature aimed directly at Sony PSP and Walkman owners. As the company informs us, the two new recorders offer users the possibility of transferring the recorded video content onto their portable devices in a very fast and easy manner. Apparently, there's even an "one touch" button on the front of the device which makes things a lot easier for the users allowing them to transfer up to 60 minutes of QVGA-grade video in around 3 minutes. Much like most other modern recorders on the market, these models pack twin tuners, which means that users will be able to record a show aired on one channel while watching another program. Furthermore, they offer quite an OK amount of storage space, namely 320 GB for the A70 and 500 GB for the T90, which means that the A70 can record up to 39 hours of HD programs, while the T90 can go as high as 62 hours. Additionally, both models offer a rather standard set of connectivity options, including here HDMI-out, Composite Video, S-Video and various audio connectors. Furthermore, the devices also incorporate Sony's Roomlink interfaces. Although details are still pretty sketchy, it seems that both models will hit the shelves in Japan towards the end of April at an estimated retail price of around 1,700 US dollars. Not exactly very mainstream, but those people who love to watch video content on their PSP might give these things a go. We are just a few, but there are many of you, Softpedia users, out there. That's why we thought it would be a good idea to create an email address for you to help us a little in finding gadgets we missed. Interesting links are bound to be posted with recognition going mainly to those who submit. The address is.
The BDZ-A70 Blu-ray recorder from Sony Sony
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29 April 2008

By: Bogdan Botezatu, Hardware Editor
Sony and Samsung Launch the Blu-Ray Offensive
New Blu-Ray products signed by the creators of the format
Sony's BDZ-A70 Blu-Ray burner comes with a built-in HDD Tech Digest
Sony and Samsung have independently started shipping new Blu-Ray devices to meet the increasing demand in high-definition video worldwide. The new devices are not only a passport to the high-definition digital world, but also the creation of two major trendsetters in the industry, having been among the key factors that triggered the death of Toshiba's HD-DVD. Sony announced two new Blu-Ray players that can also burn HD media, called the BDZ-A70 and BDZ-T90. The latest Blu-Ray burners come with hard-disk drive and dual-tuners for Japan's digital TV broadcasting system. While the BDZ-A70 model features a 320 GB hard disk and an iLink port able to connect a DV camcorder, the BDZ-T90 packs a 500GB hard-disk drive but lacks the iLink connector.For the moment, the two units are available on the Japanese market only and sell for an estimative retail price of $1583. Although the two burners do not share the same technical specifications, they sell at identical prices because the iLink port compensates for the storage space difference.Sony's new products are part of the company's commitment to promoting the Blu-Ray standard. Last year, Sony announced that all its upcoming digital video recorders will be compatible with the Blu-Ray technology.On the other side, Samsung released a single Blu-Ray player called the BD-P1500. The new device supports full-HD 1080p playback but it can also work with other optical media, such as CDs and DVDs. When playing DVD movie titles, the Blu-Ray device upconverts the resolution to 720p, 1080i and 1080p. However, Samsung's newest addition comes without support for the BD-Live technology, an interactive system that allows users to enjoy gaming, e-commerce and the whole Internet experience using a wired connection. The new feature will kick in during the following months. However, according to the company, a firmware update will fix the problem at no extra cost.Samsung will release its BD-P1500 drive in mid-May at an estimative price tag of about $395.
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