Yamaha, Panasonic to Bow Pricey Blu-ray Players

26 Aug, 2008 By: Erik Gruenwedel

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While consumer electronics manufacturers and retailers slowly reduce the SRP for Blu-ray players for wider consumer appeal, Yamaha Electronics is going the opposite the direction with the introduction of the BD-S2900 for $1,199.95.

The profile 1.1 Blu-ray player features 1080p/24fps-compatible HDMI, 12-bit deep color, HD audio bit stream output, picture-in-picture (BonusView) and an array of other custom installation features.

The deep color feature reportedly delivers 4096 shades of each of the three primary colors for a total of 68.7 billion colors. A so-called virtual package allows for interactivity between a Blu-ray movie and information on a separate SD card.

An Ethernet port for Internet connectivity is included.

Separately, Panasonic Oct. 1 is planning to bow a $1,450 Blu-ray player (DMR-BR630V) in Japan that allows playback and transfer of VHS content into digital format.

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