Pioneer's new Blu-ray player, the BDP-LX70

It has almost been a year since the first generation Blu-ray players hit the market, and we're already starting to see second generation players; well the Pioneer BDP-LX70 is most certainly a new model, but we're not sure if it's second gen or not. The BDP-LX70 is currently only listed on Pioneer's Eurpean site and although HD DVD originally annouced their second generation players in Europe, they looked completly different from the first gen. Not only does the LX70 looks alot like the HD1, but the features are also very similar; in fact other than having a Dolby TrueHD decoder built in, it doesn't seem to have any other new features. The latest must have feature -- HDMI 1.3 -- isn't specifically mentioned, but what is mentioned, is the fact that an "HD audio bitstream output player" is already set to replace this model. Second gen or not, Blu-ray fans in Europe are about to get a new option in June when this new player hits the street, but no word on a price.

[zed @ May 9th 2007 11:55AM]

"The latest much have feature -- HDMI 1.3"

I think you mean "must have feature".

[Ben @ May 9th 2007 11:56AM]

Thanks, I updated it.

[pigfister @ May 9th 2007 12:06PM]

great... more anti consumer drm players on the market just what we all DONT need! *research: blu-ray BD+ SPDC(the ability to remote disable players permanently identified by the phone home ability)*

[Chris @ May 9th 2007 12:54PM]

'alot' is two words.

[dvs @ May 9th 2007 1:13PM]

Boogie Down Productions

[cydeweyz @ May 9th 2007 1:34PM]

You mean, BDP. You wouldn't call KFC by it's un-hip name, would you?

[Xyzzy @ May 9th 2007 1:49PM]

As posted on another blog:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=789994

Also, who would buy a player now, a few months before the actual BD specs are finalized? I guess people who want an obsolete player...?

[Dave @ May 9th 2007 2:31PM]

Obsolete in your dreams. Blu-ray players will always be able to play Blu-ray movies. Its only new requirements for the new players...

[tekdroid @ May 9th 2007 2:30PM]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hdmi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Access_Content_System
I love glossy fingerprints & new laws that benefit the cartels & Digital Rights Restrictions

[JP1111G @ May 14th 2007 3:42PM]

The reason they (and other manf.) don't mention HDMI 1.3 is that having 1.3 allows for but doesn't guarantee all the features of HDMI 1.3 so it can be misleading. The possibilities of 1.3 allowed by the 1.3 spec are:

* Higher speed
* Deep Color™:
* Broader color space
* New mini connector
* Lip Sync
* New HD lossless audio formats

[Stuart Williams @ Jul 13th 2007 5:24AM]

The specification for BDP-LX70 doesn't indicate that it supports MPEG4-AVC. Surely it should since there are several Blu-ray DVDs recorded with this format.