Those who still own a library of VHS tapes will be happy to hear that at least one manufacturer is not leaving you in the lurch. Panasonic's new DMP-BD70V ($399, coming next month), is not only a full-fledged high performance Blu-ray Disc player, but it will also play back and upconvert standard DVDs and VHS tapes all the way up to 1080p resolution. It's the first combo VHS/Blu-ray Deck to hit these shores, though they have been available in Japan (along with Blu-ray Recorders) since last year.
Although some may find the very idea of upconverting VHS tapes to 1080p akin to putting "lipstick on a pig," I was actually surprised by how good VHS could look through this player. Using an advanced 3D comb filter as well as Panasonic's acclaimed UniPhier video processing technology, the BD70V makes standard VHS tapes look pretty sweet indeed. No, it's not the same as Blu-ray, or even a good DVD, but it's probably better than you've ever seen your old tapes look before. In a press event and demo in New York City yesterday, Panasonic reps demonstrated their full 2009 line of Blu-ray players, including the BD70V and I must say, colors looked richer, edges sharper, and details more three-dimensional than a VHS tape has any right to. We hope to be able to get one of these in soon for a review to see how it really performs
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| A bit taller than its Blu-ray only peers, the DMP-BD70V still takes up less space than 2 dedicated components. |
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| Although the HDMI and ethernet ports (left) are where the magic happens, the BD70V also includes component and composite video outputs as well as digital and analog audio outputs for compatibility with a wide range of gear. |
Also on hand were the full suite of models in Panasonic's Blu-ray line as well as pricing and availability details. All models except the portable player are expected to be shipping next month (April, 2009) and pricing is as follows:
- DMP-BD60 Blu-ray Player: $299
- DMP-BD80 Blu-ray Player with 5.1/7.1-channel analog outputs: $399
- DMP-BD70V Combo VHS/DVD/Blu-ray/SD Card Player: $399
- SC-BT200 7.1-channel Blu-ray Home Theater in a Box: $599
- SC-BT300 7.1-channel Blu-ray HTiB with tallboy speakers: $699
- DMP-B15 portable Blu-ray Disc player: $799
All players in the 2009 line (including the HTiB systems and the portable player) will include support for Panasonic's VIERA Cast feature, enabling internet-based content such as YouTube and Amazon Movies on Demand, to be viewed on your HDTV without having to connect a computer.
Also, see details on Panasonic's 2009 VIERA HDTV line.
More Information:
Where to Buy:
(note: 2009 models not yet available)
