Pioneer to launch PIP Blu-ray players in summer
By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 5/7/2008
MAY 7 | Pioneer will roll out its first picture-in-picture Blu-ray Disc players this summer, priced well above today’s widespread $399 tag for BD set-tops.
Like its previous Blu-ray hardware, Pioneer’s BDP-51FD and Elite BDP-05FD are geared for the upscale market, designed to work seamlessly with the company’s high-end Kuro TV line. Priced at $599 and $799, respectively, each new Pioneer model supports several advanced audio formats and promises jitter-reducing 1080p video playback.
Both also offer an exclusive Picture Control Suite, with which viewers can make more than a dozen adjustments to fine-tune the picture. Pioneer’s ‘Elite’ model is bolstered with a longer warranty, a higher quality video encoder, plus gold-plated components, not featured in the entry-level version.
Pioneer’s picture-in-picture set-tops, also known as Bonus View players, could face steep competition from other manufacturers’ relatively similar but significantly cheaper offerings.
Last November, Panasonic rolled out the industry’s first picture-in-picture Blu-ray set-top at a $499 price point.
Panasonic will street its first players featuring both Bonus View and BD Live Web-enabled functionality at $699.
Yet, Sony is offering this summer and fall that same Bonus View/BD Live one-two punch for less, with models priced between $400 and $500.
Additionally, the built-in Blu-ray player inside the $399 PlayStation 3, offers both Bonus View and BD Live capabilities.
Neither Pioneer’s BDP-51FD nor higher-end BDP-05FD are BD Live, allowing players to refresh software with content downloaded from the Web.
Although Pioneer’s players come at a $200 to $400 premium over other players with similar and even superior abilities, the company believes customers will be swayed by their quality.
“Our new Blu-ray Disc players continue to demonstrate Pioneer’s unwavering commitment to delivering an immersive seeing and hearing experience for those who want the absolute best in form and function,” said Chris Walker, senior manager of marketing and product planning for Blu-ray Disc at Pioneer. “In offering a full line of players, we are solidifying Pioneer’s reputation as a brand that is continually meeting the needs of consumers who are designing or upgrading their home theaters.”
