Pioneer Europe has announced the availability of its new Blu-ray Disc combo drive, the BDC-202. With its support for Blu-ray, the
BDC-202 can play back HD movies as well as read and write to most existing CD and DVD formats.
Pioneer today confirms the
availability of its new 'BDC-202' Blu-ray Disc Combo Drive. With BD-ROM compatibility, the drive enables professionals and consumers to
watch pristine quality high-definition (HD) movies on PCs. It also includes read support for single and dual-layer Blu-ray disc formats
together with high-speed read/write compatibility with a range of DVD and CD media. With Pioneer reliability and a competitive price
point, the BDC-202 meets the growing demand for a versatile HD entertainment experience complemented by practical general-purpose back-up
capabilities.
Awareness of the stunning quality of HD content is growing among end-users; knowledge that's gathering steam as
the increasing numbers of high-profile movie titles are published and promoted in the Blu-ray format. At the same time, unit costs of
powerful graphics processors, high-specification sound cards and attractive flat-screen displays are falling and, in combination with
Blu-ray drives, provide the option of offering an exceptional PC-based movie experience.
According to Pioneer's press
release, the BDC-202 will be available in the second quarter of 2007 and sold directly to OEM's and system builders. Still no word on
pricing. However, Pioneer claims that BDC-202 will be priced "competitive to existing next generation drives." More information,
including a full list of specs, can be found here.
