The world’s first Media Center Blu-ray disc recorders are debarking in Europe for demonstration at IFA next week, and for sale!
From the preliminary info, this appears to be a real “killer application” product and we’ll be bringing you more directly from IFA as we’ll be there, of course, and try to get one for “first-hand” analysis and a video clip “under the hood” presentation !
Here’s a summary of the technical specs, which are really impressive :
- The AMEX DIGITAL M505-BDR plays Blu-ray software titles at the highest resolution available via a native 1080p HDMI output for films digitally mastered in 1920 × 1080p. The M505-BDR also up-converts conventional DVDs to 1080p through the HDMI digital interface so the picture quality of any traditional DVD will look noticeably more detailed when used with the disc player. The M505-BDR is backwards compatible and plays both standard DVDs and CDs in addition to supporting all DVD formats including, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD-R, DVD+RW, and DVD+R.
- Microsoft® Windows® Multimedia Centre Edition is included with a Hard Disk Drive of 1.5 TB (yes 1,500 Giga!). It offers the new Intel® 945P Express chipset delivering significant performance gains with a variety of new generation architectures including the latest Core Duo 2 64 bit processor, dual-channel DDR2 main memory, PCI-Express interface.
- The M505-BDR has included a dual Hybrid digital TV turner with PIP (Picture in Picture) Function and wireless WiFi b/g, 100/1000Mb network, Fire Wire IEEE1394, S/P DIF in/out interface that supports all the major formats source from internet and HD-DV Cam, the native high definition resolution contained in 2-megapixel and larger digital still pictures can be fully rendered on a high definition television via slide show functionality built into the M505-BDR. Data sheets show 8.1 Channels onboard audio.
The product looks, on paper, very sexy, but what’s maybe as important to note is where it’s coming from. Amex Digital has its business address is Hong Kong, but the head office is in Shenzhen, with manufacturing facilities also in China. They have been in business for over 15 years. Maybe all the Chinese today don’t have a home cinema (yet!), but with a population of over 1.3 Trillion, that’s twice that of North America & Europe combined. There are already a lot of “Happy Few” to create massive economies of scale… Let’s hope this huge market will also inspire much more content (200 titles announced for year end) for these super new machines!
Indications are that the M505-BDR will be available in stores in Europe starting August 28, 2006 at a SRP of $2,000 including a free Blu-ray movie title. More from IFA…