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Pioneer intros BDP-120 / BDP-320 / Elite BDP-23FD Blu-ray players

by Darren Murph, posted Jan 7th 2009 at 9:15PM

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Pioneer has put a few new BD-related products of late in other regions of the world, but America has been longing for a fresh line of Blu-ray decks from the outfit for months. At long last, we're being treated to a shiny new Profile 2.0 trio: the BDP-120, BDP-320 and the RS-232C-packin' Elite BDP-23FD (pictured above). From the top, the 120 features HDMI 1.3a, Dolby TrueHD / DTS-HD bitstreaming, 1080p24 output, BD-Live with no internal memory (1GB flash drive is included), TrueHD / DTS-HD Master Audio decoding and an Ethernet jack. The 320 steps it up with 48-bit Deep Color support, three noise reduction circuits, KURO Link, 7.1-channel analog audio outs, 1GB of internal memory and a "jitter free audio transmission for CD playback." The Elite deck adds an aluminum front panel, RS-232C control port and little else. The trifecta is expected to hit in April for undetermined prices, though you can find the ultraslim DV-420 upscaling DVD player in June for just $90. The finer details are just past the break.

Update: We're hearing "around $300" for the low-ender and "sub-$400" for the step-up model. Final prices should be out soon.
Gallery: Pioneer intros BDP-120 / BDP-320 / Elite BDP-23FD Blu-ray players

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At CES 2009, Pioneer's home entertainment group is introducing three new Blu-ray Disc players and one new upconverting DVD player.

Blu-ray Disc Players

Pioneer introduces BD-Live line of players

Pioneer is expanding its current line of BonusView Blu-ray Disc players to now offer a complete lineup of models with full BD-Live capabilities. Two Pioneer-brand players and one Elite-brand unit take full advantage of HDMI 1.3a output capabilities along with unique feature sets that give consumers a choice for interactive home theater source needs. These players continue to offer industry-leading high definition picture and sound quality as a result of hand selected, professional grade components and technologies. All three models supports full decoding and bit-stream output for emerging high-resolution audio formats including Dolby® TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio.

Offering either external or internal memory storage on the new line, Pioneer is providing BD-Live entertainment right out of the box

All three of Pioneer's new players come complete with either on-board memory or flash drive for expandable memory to ensure consumers can take advantage of BD-Live right out of the box. Developed for a convenient user experience, the new players provide an array of convenience offerings that greatly reduce power on, disc load and power off times as a result of proprietary software and hardware solutions. The players' improved audio and video performance is also attributed to Pioneer's unique construction techniques that have been honed for more than 30 years in the optical disc manufacturing business.

Pioneer's Elite Blu-ray Disc players are custom install-ready with RS-232

Pioneer has created synergy between its Blu-ray Disc players, KURO displays and A/V Receivers

When a Blu-ray Disc player is connected to a Pioneer KURO display, KURO Link provides a tailored picture setting between the TV and Blu-ray player.

Pioneer sought to create jitter-free playback and dynamic sound quality for music CDs. When connected to a Pioneer receiver via HDMI, these Blu-ray Disc players enhances CD playback with the proprietary Precision Quartz Lock System (PQLS).

Product Specs

Pioneer BDP-120
Entry BD-Live Blu-ray Player with slim profile

• HDMI 1.3a Output
– Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Bit-stream Out
• 1080p True 24FPS Video Output
• Limited Picture Control Suite
• BD Live with No Internal Memory
– USB Expandable Memory including HDD
– 1GB Flash Drive Included
• Internal Audio Decoders
– Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus
– DTS-HD Master
• Ethernet for BD-Live and firmware updates
• Date/Price: April 2009 / Price TBD

Pioneer BDP-320
Entry BD Live Blu-ray Player

Step up features:
• 48-Bit Deep Color Support – Improves subtle gradations between colors to deliver a range of hues for a smoother, more dynamic picture
• Picture Control Suite - 13 video adjustments allow viewers to fine-tune the smallest of film image details that are ideally customized to a user's viewing preferences.
• 3 Different Noise Reduction Circuits – Improves the image performance of poor and lower-quality disc content
• KURO Link – Pioneer created a synergy throughout their Blu-ray Disc players, A/V receivers and KURO plasmas. KURO Link syncs the Blu-ray Disc player with the connected KURO plasma to allow for unified remote operation between products.
• 7.1 Channel Analog Output
• Precision Quartz Lock System (PQLS) - Jitter free audio transmission for CD playback. Feature synchronizes music data coming from the Blu-ray Disc player to a connected Pioneer A/V receiver giving music fanatics a revolutionary high resolution listening experience far exceeding traditional methods.
• BD Live with USB Expandable Memory (HDD Support)
– Has 1GB of internal memory
• Date/Price: April 2009 / Price TBD

Pioneer Elite BDP-23FD
Elite BD-Live player designed for the custom install market

Step Up features
• KURO Link (New Synergy Feature) - Goes beyond synergized product performance to now offer an advanced picture setting between the TV and Blu-ray Disc player that can only be enjoyed when using Pioneer's products. Pioneer engineers understand the true performance of these products and have set them to perform perfectly.
• PQLS Multi-Channel – Provides jitter-free audio transmission for multi-channel soundtracks including Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio.
• Jitter Reduction Circuit – To reduce potential for out of sync HD audio and video content to negatively impact the home theater experience, the new circuitry basically times the content (information) so it is distributed from source to display in sync for accurate reproduction to the viewer.
• Aluminum Front Panel

• RS-232C – This is the first player to feature RS-232 for improved home automation capabilities
• Date/Price: April 2009 / Price TBD

DVD Player

DV-420
Step-up 1080P DVD Player
• 108Mhz/12-Bit Video DAC
• Provides upconversion of DVD content to 1080p resolution for better picture quality to a connected HDTV; ideal for a bedroom or other secondary room application.
• CD to USB MP3 encoding - New feature allows users to take regular audio CD and "rip" it into MP3 file format then place directly onto a USB flash drive, hard drive or MP3 player. No PC required.
• Front USB port for audio, video and photo playback
• Can play back array of audio and video formats
– WMV/WMA/AAC/MP3 audio files
– DivX for Internet content
– JPEG photoviewer
• HDMI. S-Video/Component Video Output
• Extremely slim profile measures only 16-inches (420mm) wide
• Date/Price: June 2009 / $90

Click to expand...