AfterDawn: News

Panasonic Blu-ray/VHS player headed to America

After showing off the player in Japan last August and then again at the CES event this January, Panasonic's Blu-ray/VHS player, the first and probably only in the industry, is headed stateside in April, with a price tag of $399.95 USD.

The company is also launching two other BD-Live Blu-ray players the same day, each of which include Panasonic’s own Viera Cast technology which allows any Web-enabled BD-Live standalone "to access Amazon.com’s Video On Demand, YouTube and Bloomberg, among other services."



The entry level model, dubbed the DMP-BD60, will sell for $299.95 while its more expensive brother, the DMP-BD80, will retail for $399.95.

The BD/VHS dual player, dubbed the DMP-BD70V, as well as the other two units, will each include SD memory card slots and USB ports to allow playback of photos and video.

“With the expansion of the unique Viera Cast functionality and the introduction of the industry’s first dual VHS/Blu-ray player, Panasonic’s 2009 line cements our position as technology leaders and places Panasonic in the forefront of the Blu-ray arena,” said Richard Simone, director of the entertainment group at Panasonic.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 14 Mar 2009 19:13

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• 15 comments

• gallagher

  Quote:“With the expansion of the unique Viera Cast functionality and the introduction of the industry’s first dual VHS/Blu-ray player, Panasonic’s 2009 line cements our position as technology leaders and places Panasonic in the forefront of the Blu-ray arena,” said Richard Simone, director of the entertainment group at Panasonic. wow, I guess if I come out with a Blu-Ray player that also plays laserdiscs then I'll really be an industry leader.

  14.3.2009 20:07 #1

• domie

  blu ray player with a VHS deck ? that's like sticking a bicycle wheel and chain inside a lamborghini engine - i guess there must be a market for it but i would have thought anyone who has moved on to blu ray has left VHS way behind.

  14.3.2009 21:14 #2

• colw

  What about Betamax support? I still have a couple lying around somewhere - I think.
  
  Crazy

  15.3.2009 01:23 #3

• iamgq

  Blue Ray/VHS sounds disgusting

  15.3.2009 03:13 #4

• bankok

  Hang on a minute - what about all the videos on VHS we still have, don't forget we recorded them because we wanted to keep them! Why shouldn't we have a VHS to Blu-ray machine to get a better copy to keep?

  15.3.2009 08:44 #5

• Stu_dent

  Some People in America are obviously still living in the 80's with VHS

  15.3.2009 10:25 #6

• dRD

  Damn. I was holding my breath for HD DVD/Betamax combo instead..

  15.3.2009 13:03 #7

• Toshibot

  I have 2 aunts and a grandmother that refuse to enter the 21st century so I need a machine that can record camcorder video from SDHC cards to VHS. I guess I got my wish.

  15.3.2009 14:15 #8

• DXR88

  Originally posted by Toshibot: I have 2 aunts and a grandmother that refuse to enter the 21st century so I need a machine that can record camcorder video from SDHC cards to VHS. I guess I got my wish.
  your lucky i got grandparents that are at a loss when they see a tv remote with more that 4 buttons.

  16.3.2009 13:50 #9

• Hunt720

  Well if people are still buying cell phones with a walkie talkie feature, this really shouldn't suprise anyone. Logic doesn't have to precede action... afterall the U.S. is still looking for WMDs in Iraq right? Colon Powell did point to those REALLY convincing satellite photos right before the invasion. So just wait for a best buy employee to make the connection between blu-ray and a format they no longer sell. You'll probably support it then. Ask him to point to a vaguely convincing photo if it helps things feel farmilliar.

  16.3.2009 15:45 #10

• ST2006

  Quote:Quote:“With the expansion of the unique Viera Cast functionality and the introduction of the industry’s first dual VHS/Blu-ray player, Panasonic’s 2009 line cements our position as technology leaders and places Panasonic in the forefront of the Blu-ray arena,” said Richard Simone, director of the entertainment group at Panasonic. wow, I guess if I come out with a Blu-Ray player that also plays laserdiscs then I'll really be an industry leader.
  Lol this really made me laugh; thank you Gallagher!!

  20.3.2009 18:27 #11

• hermes_vb

  Originally posted by colw: What about Betamax support? I still have a couple lying around somewhere - I think.
  
  CrazyIt has 8-track support too. ROFL

  22.3.2009 01:38 #12

• DXR88

  Originally posted by Stu_dent: Some People in America are obviously still living in the 80's with VHSWhat are you talking about the 80's where the bomb only slightly beaten out by the 70's.
  
  i still have an Radio/8-trac player and my favorite 8-trac tape is Meco.
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  22.3.2009 18:40 #13

• LionelS

  We did not just jump to blue-ray/VHS don't forget dvd/vhs players are quiet common. People seem to forget that a blue-ray/dvd combo may not be that useful to many unless the blue-ray is also a blue-ray recorder to convert your vhs home movies etc.

  24.3.2009 22:53 #14

• DXR88

  Originally posted by LionelS: We did not just jump to blue-ray/VHS don't forget dvd/vhs players are quiet common. People seem to forget that a blue-ray/dvd combo may not be that useful to many unless the blue-ray is also a blue-ray recorder to convert your vhs home movies etc.MacroVision on a VHS tape wouldn't let you do that anyway you can try but all you would get is a DVD with rolling picture.
  
  Besides VHS isn't going to look Pretty on your 32+ inch TV less its got one hell of a analog Converter or is analog TV.

  24.3.2009 23:01 #15