Toshiba announces 3D Blu-ray player, streaming models
Toshiba has announced three new Blu-ray players for 2010, including a 3D Blu-ray to come out in the third quarter.
LAS VEGAS--When Toshiba announced its first Blu-ray player back in September, the company's heart didn't seem in it, with the BDX2000 offering little beyond a basic feature set. Luckily, the company seems to be putting more effort into Blu-ray in 2010, with Toshiba announcing three new Blu-ray players, including a 3D Blu-ray player to be released in the third quarter of 2010. Let's take a look at the key specs.
Key features of the Toshiba BDX2500
- Netflix, Vudu, CinemaNow, Pandora-streaming capability
- Onboard decoding for Dolby TrueHD, and DTS-HD Master Audio
- 7.1 analog outputs
- Wireless ready with a USB dongle (sold separately)
- $200 list price; available spring 2010
Key step-up features of the Toshiba BDX2700
- Built-in Wi-Fi
- $250 list price; available spring 2010
Key step-up features of the Toshiba BDX3000
- 3D Blu-ray player
- Additional features to be announced later
- Available in the third quarter of 2010; no pricing announced
Unfortunately, we haven't seen much pricing from competitors so it's tough to gauge how exactly these new models will stack up. On the other hand, these offerings are significantly more attractive than the BDX2000--especially the BDX2700, with its combination of built-in Wi-Fi and a solid collection of streaming services.
As for the BDX3000, we haven't had enough hands-on testing with 3D Blu-ray to report whether the format will be worth it. It's worth mentioning that 3D Blu-ray will likely require both a compatible HDTV and a new HDMI 1.4 cable, so the true cost of 3D will be relatively high. There's also the issue of 3D Blu-ray media, which will probably be scarce for all of 2010.