Dual-Format Disc Player

- Developed by: LG and Samsung
- Common uses: plays both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray format video discs
- Price range: $500 - $1,000
- Introduced in January 2007

A Dual-Format Disc Player is a DVD player that allows users to play both HD-DVDs and Blu-Ray DVDs.
History

Until early 2008, when the HD-DVD was effectively discontinued, there was an ongoing battle of the formats between Blu-Ray and HD-DVD. Recalling the VHS/Betamax "war" of the early 1980s, consumers and manufacturers were loathe to invest in a format that may become extinct. In January 2007, at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, LG unveiled the LG BH200 Super-Blu player, a gadget designed to mediate the format war by playing both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD discs. The following December, Samsung introduced its BD-UP5000 model, designed to compete with the Super-Blu.
Buying Guide

Due to a critical mass of movement toward the Blu-Ray by manufacturers, retailers and the movie industry, the HD DVD has been discontinued. However, the dual format player can still be a wise investment for film buffs, or for consumers who already have an HD-DVD collection, and want the flexibility of playing both formats. Both the LG and Samsung models were originally sold for over $1000, and the price has come down precipitously. Before buying one model or the other, read consumer and professional reviews at Engadget and Gizmodo.
Top Brands
1. Samsung
2. LG

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Dual-Format Disc Player Videos Powered by YouTube
- LG expands 2008 digital audio-video line with 'Super Blu™ Pl
  
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Dual-Format Disc Player on Amazon
- LG DR1F9H - DVD recorder - $199.99
  
  This Super-Multi DVD Recorder plays and records all DVD video formats, creates slide shows from your digital camera. It is compatible with all major memory card formats. A special ...
  
  Amazon
- PANASONIC SC-VK470 - 5 DISC CHANGER MINI COMPONENT SYSTEM. MULTI FORMAT PLAYBACK INCLUDING WMA, MP3, JPEG, MPEG4, Divx®. Powerful Sound System with 16cm Woofer, 2800W (PMPO) / 250W (RMS - $201.95
  
  Super Sound EQ for Dynamic Sound at the Touch of a Button Preset EQ (Heavy, Clear, Soft, Disco, Live, Hall) Manual EQ Advanced Sound Energy Saving: Low Standby Power Consumptio...
  
  Amazon
Dual-Format Disc Player Questions
- What are your impressions of your Sony Blu-Ray S350 disc player? 1 Answer
  
  I bought mine a couple of weeks ago and am so far fairly happy with it. It was a bit of a change to get used to Blu-Ray's tendency to want to download a softwar... read more
- Should I upgrade from a DVD player to a blu ray player? 2 Answers
  
  Yes this is true that you can play regular DVD's on a blu ray player. In my opinion until they blu ray DVD's are more affordable you should wait. DVD's are so c... read more
- If I put a Blu-Ray disc in a DVD drive, will it damage it? 8 Answers
  
  No, it just won't recognise it or be able to read it. It's not the same as putting, say, a data cd in an audio player. Blu-Ray's data tracks are thinner since ... read more
- Does a VIDEO_TS folder need to be burnt in a special way to be playable on a home DVD player? 2 Answers
  
  In general, most people in the tutorials that I'm finding are suggesting a free program called ImgBurn (available at http://www.imgburn.com). If you're interest... read more
view more questions...