CES 2007: LG dual format HD player
Multi format drive for the PC also unwrapped in Las Vegas
LG 's GGW-H10N Super Multi Blue player is the first of several dual-format Blu-ray and HD DVD players to be shown at CES.
The player is fully compatible with 1080p, though upscales DVDs to 1080i. LG expects it to cost $1,199 in the US.
LG points to consumer bewilderment as the main reason it has launched the player. "We've developed the Super Multi Blue Player to end the confusion caused by the current competition between Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD. Customers are no longer forced to choose between the two formats," said Dr. Hee Gook Lee, CTO of LG.
The player supports MPEG-2, VC-1, H.264 video, MPEG1/2 audio, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital , DTS and DTS-HD audio. There are also outputs for 5.1 channel audio and component/composite and, naturally, HDMI.
PC drives
The company also chose its Las Vegas press conference to announce a GGW-H10N Super Multi Blue drive for the PC - though it can only write Blu-ray discs, not HD DVD. However, it can read HD DVDs and is also compatible with DVD and CD.
It can write up to 50GB on a BD-R or BD-RE disc at 4x speed. A 25GB single layer disc can be written in around 24 minutes. However, pricing isn't exactly accessible at around the $1,200 mark.
LG has also taken the wraps off a host of other internal and external drives - the internal GSA-H42N and external GSA-E30N up the ante with a writing speed of 18x for DVD R and DVD-R.
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Dan (Twitter, Google+) is TechRadar's Former Deputy Editor and is now in charge at our sister site T3.com. Covering all things computing, internet and mobile he's a seasoned regular at major tech shows such as CES, IFA and Mobile World Congress. Dan has also been a tech expert for many outlets including BBC Radio 4, 5Live and the World Service, The Sun and ITV News.