Video: Sony's BDZ-A70 Blu-ray recorder with 1-touch transfer to Walkmans, cellphones, and PSPs

Now we're talking Sony, this is the type of integration we expect to see on the heels of your promise to cash in on portable video after losing the audio battle to Apple. As a Blu-ray recorder, the BDZ-A70 features all the in/outs you'd expect and recording to a 320GB (the new BDZ-T90 offers 500GB) disk or dual-layer BD-RE media from a host of analog and digital tuners. Great, but what's most notable here is the new one-touch video transfer to Sony's PSP, select mobile phones including NTT DoCoMo's FOMA 905i, and video Walkmans like Sony's new NW-A820. As you may have noticed, those last two are Japanese products. Appropriate given the Japan-only launch of these players in April for about ¥170,000 ($1,658). Still, we're pretty sure they'll go global soon enough. Quickie demonstration video after the break.

[Via Impress]

[mushrooshi @ Apr 8th 2008 8:15AM]

I saw the new walkmans at a sony store. They seem sturdy, but I didn't like the controls.

[mymaclife @ Apr 8th 2008 10:12AM]

And this little anecdote relates to what part of this story?

[LC @ Apr 8th 2008 3:46PM]

I'm guessing the part that mentions the transfer to Sony Walkmans.

[Oliver @ Apr 8th 2008 8:18AM]

Haha, competition ftw! Its always good for the consumer.

[riggs @ Apr 8th 2008 8:21AM]

losing the audio battle with apple?

[CT A @ Apr 8th 2008 9:40AM]

If it was an audio battle with apple, Sony would win hands down.

Now the portable music/video player war.. that another thing.

[Flashpoint @ Apr 8th 2008 8:22AM]

SONY needs to work on revising the PSP.
Flash memory has reached a point where we can get 2GB on the cheap. That means that the UMD FORMAT can be phased out for games as well as movies.

What I want to see is the PSP adopt a hard disk / SSD drive so it can accept full version game downloads. It only makes sense simply because if you can do digital media downloads, you aren't burdened by wasting money putting UMD disks on store shelves.

While they are at it, they can add a second analog stick - maybe even a force feedback motor where the UMD space USED TO BE.

[Erwos @ Apr 8th 2008 8:47AM]

You know, the PSP can already do full version game downloads. You buy them from the Playstation store, and put them on the memory stick. UMDs are only 1.8gb max, IIRC, so you can fit a fair few on an 8gb stick.

Also, force feedback on a battery-constrained handheld is pretty much the worst idea ever.

[modified @ Apr 8th 2008 4:59PM]

@Erwos

You're just further proving his point that the UMD drive is a waste of space. Force feedback could be optional for times when you are able to play while you are plugged into a power source.

[DiscoCat5 @ Apr 8th 2008 8:29AM]

does anyone know how long this process goes for and how large the output file would be?

yes i also beleive that sony has to be working on some kind of ipod killing iphone killing psphone that has everything everyone desires in it in a small form factor for like $250ausd


in my dreams i know its happening.

[Jamar @ Apr 8th 2008 10:09AM]

I think you'll find that the SO906i due to come out soon will be it. Dunno if it'll ever be released outside Japan, though (sigh... the rest of the world seems to get the bottom of the SE design barrel compared to Japan)

[Jerome @ Apr 8th 2008 8:30AM]

Cool idea but at what price??
1658$ is a little bit expensive.
The PS3 will do the same thing for my PSP! 499$

I want that walkman!

[Maestro @ Apr 8th 2008 9:19AM]

Your PS3 can record blu-ray? Want to trade?

[Mike @ Apr 8th 2008 8:35AM]

People forget standard def. DVD recorders were $1,000 when they first came out. This price doesn't seem to far fetched and will surely come down in price.

[Rob @ Apr 8th 2008 8:39AM]

That commercial is so funny. "Now that I can watch my soaps during my daily commute to work I'm ready to tackle all of life's challenges." lol...

[KK @ Apr 8th 2008 9:02AM]

This is what Apple should have added to the AppleTV - record from TV onto hard drive, one-touch sync to iPhone, iPod or your Mac/Windows iTunes. Combined with the movie/TV download service, it would be near perfect.

But good for Sony. Stepping up to the plate where Apple falls short.

[DQKennard @ Apr 8th 2008 9:23AM]

Apple will do the one-touch synch in some future (near future?) version, and it will get splashed all over mainstream media as Apple's brilliant idea.

[DT @ Apr 8th 2008 9:59AM]

@DQKennard

I doubt Apple would come out with a DVR-like device that records TV (although it is a possibility), but even if they did, it would most certainly sync wirelessly with your computer automatically, which this Sony does not (as far as I know). And it would be "no touch" syncing. But kudos to Sony for getting this kind of functionality out there.

[PeterF @ Apr 8th 2008 7:36PM]

@DT you want your blu-ray player/recorder to automatically copy every blu-ray you watch to your PC?

[eddib @ Apr 8th 2008 9:31AM]

indeed,

and more moving parts, come on,
that's exactly what we don't want.

The HD in my old Creative jukebox was the first thing to go.

[eddib @ Apr 8th 2008 9:32AM]

above is a reply to flashpoint's entry,
sorry, wrong click

[cduran01 @ Apr 8th 2008 9:44AM]

This is just what I need......hope they come out with a DVR attachment for the PS3 soon like "PlayTV" in EU. Though the BD recording is cool, I just like the DVR side of this, I would just record to BD once in a while to back up shows I really like.

[DT @ Apr 8th 2008 9:54AM]

I'm curious as to what exactly you can record to Bluray. I'm sure all the premium channels flag programs to disallow digital copies (such as to Bluray), and maybe the HD broadcasters do the same. And neither of those sources are 1080p. So is this only useful for burning your own, self-created 1080p video? And if so, why would you need a standalone unit to do that? A Bluray burner in your PC would do the job nicely.

[Bob Caswell @ Apr 8th 2008 10:00AM]

In related news, Sony thinks it will sell as much Blu-ray stuff as regular DVD by the end of the year, citing new Blu-ray recorders (like this one) among the reasons. For more crazy ass reasoning as to why Sony thinks Blu-ray will take over the world very soon, check this out:


http://www.techconsumer.com/2008/04/08/sony-thinks-blu-ray-will-sell-like-dvd-by-end-of-2008/

[dj496 @ Apr 8th 2008 10:57AM]

Good ad. Very effective for their target market.

[VampireHunter Z @ Apr 8th 2008 11:59AM]

I'm guessing the one touch function only works on your recorded Blu-ray and not on Blu-ray movies you purchase. If so the one touch function is useless.

[Anthony @ Apr 8th 2008 12:15PM]

Wouldn't it be great to have for regular features though? I'd happily spend $1500 for that functionality. Recording things to my computer, then reformatting for my phone is such a hassle & takes forever.

I think the studios should agree on one "format recopy". I don't think it would reduce sales, but might actually increase them (I haven't bought a DVD in a long time, but might reconsider w/ something like this).

[Jimmijam @ Apr 8th 2008 12:26PM]

Just to clarify; the transfer to PSP is in reference to transferring a "PSP pre-formatted media that's been included on the Blue Ray" as opposed to "Convert the media into PSP friendly format _and_ transfer to PSP"... Yes?

[electron @ Apr 8th 2008 1:51PM]

a cookie to the person who figures out how to make it play nice with other MP3 players

[nistorica @ Apr 8th 2008 3:01PM]

Sony makes great hardware,but software is weak.My experience with the Connect store was like this:bought an album and tried to put the music on my minidisc and a Sony mp3 player.The process was cumbersome at best,with the minidisc player,Sony of course,even more challenging allowing me to transfer only 3 songs at the time.Sure enough was the only purchase I've made at the Connect store!Back to the story,I will not try this new stuff soon!

[Nietzche @ Apr 8th 2008 3:40PM]

walkmans, walkmen.. the eternal dilemma..