Samsung launches first portable Blu-ray 3D player

Samsung has brought out its first portable Blu-ray 3D player, as well as 3D TVs priced starting at US$1,099, in an effort to make 3D products accessible to buyers.

The BD-C8000 player allows users to watch full high-definition movies on the go, or to watch 3D movies when connected to a 3D TV, said John Revie, Samsung senior vice president of home entertainment, at a press event in New York.

The portable player has a 10.3-inch screen and built-in Wi-Fi. It runs about three hours on batteries and connects to 3D TVs via an HDMI 1.4a port. The HDMI specification allows for content in 3D formats to be transferred between devices, including movies based on the Blu-ray 3D format.

The player is priced at $499 and is available now, according to the company.

For budget-conscious buyers, Samsung also announced three new plasma 3D TVs, including one priced at $1,099. That one, the PN50C490 3D TV, has a 50-inch screen size and is capable of playing 720p high-definition video. Also new are plasma 3D TVs that are capable of playing full high-definition 1080p video, including the $2,299 PN58C680, which has a 58-inch screen, and the $1,599 PN50C680, which has a 50-inch screen.

The company also announced what it called its largest 3D TV to date, a 65-inch LED TV priced at around $6,000.

“We’d like to believe that 3D has raised the bar for … the immersive entertainment experience,” said Tim Baxter, president of the consumer electronics division at Samsung Electronics America.

The adoption rate of 3D products has been fantastic and will continue to grow, Baxter said.

“The opportunity for 3D is constantly evolving. We think it will follow a path very similar to what we experienced with HD rollout and Blu-ray rollout,” Baxter said.

In late July, market research firm DisplaySearch said that 3D TV shipments could reach 3.4 million this year, increasing from 214,000 units that shipped last year. The increased interest in 3D TVs is partly being driven by 3D gaming and 3D movies on Blu-ray, according to DisplaySearch.

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Jim Love, Chief Content Officer, IT World Canada

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Agam Shah
Agam Shah
Agam Shah is a reporter for the IDG News Service in New York. He covers hardware including PCs, servers, tablets, chips, semiconductors, consumer electronics and peripherals.

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