Both the Samsung and Toshiba players do not support full 1080p output so video quality freaks will have to wait until Pioneer Corp. launches a BD player later this year that is capable of full 1080p picture output. It will cost around $1800. Samsung said it left out 1080p in the interest of speeding up development. "It allows us to get to market quicker, and so as we look at future models we’ll look at 1080p output," said Jim Sanduski, senior vice president of marketing for Samsung Electronics America Inc.’s digital and audio products group.
However, there is one complication. The April target for the BD-P1000 release depends upon BD-J (which provides interactive features on BD discs) being completed. "BD Java is one thing that is still being worked out. The timetable, as I understand it, is late March," said Sanduski. "So that’s why [our timetable is] end of April. We think we can do it." Toshiba's players utilize iHD for interactivity features.
Source:
Macworld
Samsung Press Release
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