I was tempted to try to find a late-90s press release for Pioneer’s first 12x CD burner to see how closely the language matched this one—let’s just assume “very”—but a) I couldn’t find one, and b) I didn’t want to diminish Pioneer’s achievement here too much—any device that cuts into the atrociously long Blu-ray burn times we’ve become slowly and begrudgingly accustomed to is a categorically good thing. The BDR-205 is due in October for $US250. [Crunchgear]

Pioneer Launches First 12x Blu-ray Disc Writer

High-Speed 12x Write Capability Lets Professional Users and Enthusiasts Quickly Test, Author and Preserve High Definition Content

LONG BEACH, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. today announces its new BDR-205 Blu-ray Disc® Computer Writer, the industry’s first and fastest model to feature up to 12x write speed for single and dual-layer Blu-ray Disc (BD) media*. Ideal for authoring providers and system builders, the Pioneer® BD/DVD/CD Writer provides accurate, rapid performance for demanding professional applications.

“The BDR-205 drive represents our ongoing efforts to combine Pioneer’s engineering expertise with advanced technologies, and our next generation Blu-ray Disc writer is a great example of our no-compromise approach to optical disc product development,” said Steve Cohn, director of optical disc sales for Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. “We are bringing to market the fastest Blu-ray Disc writer to date, and it is just one of the many ‘firsts’ that have come to define Pioneer’s 30-year heritage in optical disc innovation and leadership.”

Dynamic Performance for an Array of Professional Users

When utilized with a properly configured PC, the drive’s Low Vibration Mechanism Design improves overall writing accuracy, especially for those preserving copious amounts of critical data. Designed for maximum flexibility, Pioneer’s writer provides significant solutions for multiple user groups, including:

* System builders can confidently recommend the sophisticated BDR-205 to their clients, noting the drive’s unique design, robust build quality and high grade parts
* With 50Gbytes** of storage space on a dual-layer Blu-ray Disc, professional users can utilise the BDR-205 to rapidly test high definition feature films during the authoring process, as well as to back up large volumes of data with ease
* Besides up to 12x write speeds for Blu-ray Disc media, Pioneer’s new computer drive also provides read and write speed performance up to 16x for DVD and 40x for CD media

The new BDR-205 Blu-ray Disc computer writer begins shipping October 2009. The retail version of this product, the BDR-2205, will be available Q1 2010 for $US249 MSRP.

Pioneer has been an innovator of optical disc technology since it shipped its first LaserDisc products, the precursor to DVD, to the consumer market in 1980. Pioneer went on to introduce the first DVD writer for video authoring use in 1997, the first DVD recorder as a VCR replacement in 1999, the first DVD/CD writer for home computer users in 2001 and the first Blu-ray Disc writer in 2006. Pioneer Corporation is one of the original Blu-ray Disc Founders. More details can be located at www.pioneerelectronics.com.

[News.com.au; Image: Charlie Brewer]

The Asus SBC-04D1S-U External Slim is one of only a few USB-based Blu-ray drives that reads BDs at 4.8x, plus it can read/write DVDs as well. (Sadly, it’s tray-loading.)

While there’s no price/release date at this time, keep in mind that USB drives like this one tend to rely on your computer for the actual Blu-ray decoding. So while the SBC-04D1S-U will technically play Blu-rays, it’s up to Cyberlink software powered by your processor/video card to render the data. [Asus via EverythingUSB]

The Watchmen BD comes out July 21, then Zack Snyder will host a community screening (allowing viewers to watch the movie along with his live commentary on their Blu-ray players) during Comic-Con on July 25. Is the experience worth the price of the disc alone? Definitely not. But if you’re a big Watchmen fan, the screening is certainly a nice bonus if you’re already purchasing the Blu-ray on day of release. I just wonder if Snyder’s bladder is heartier than Nolan’s. Place your bets on pee breaks now. And remember, Watchmen is a long movie, too. (AU: I wouldn’t expect this to be available to Australian Watchmen fans… [Video Business via engadgetHD]

That’s because the costs of licenses for people to make Blu-ray stuff will drop as much as 40 percent, since manufacturers won’t have to talk to all three companies to get the rights. So a licence under the cheaper regime would be about $US9.50 for a read-only Blu-ray device and $US14 for a burner, while discs will run 11-15, from read-only to re-writeables.

It won’t result in incredible price drops—probably not enough to spur a sudden rush on Blu-ray right now—but it should help push Blu-ray players even further past the $US199 mark that became the bar over the holiday season, and every little bit cheaper with content helps, given how much pricier discs are typically then movies on DVD.

How cheap do you need movies to be before you go Blu-ray? [Electronista]

Nice to see some creativity in the BD player zone–the wall-mountable 4600 especially, which reminds me a lot of Naoto Fukasawa’s awesome wall-mounted CD player (now if only you could watch the Batman logo spin with no door). And on top of Profile 2.0, (via ethernet or USB slots which can accommodate and included wi-fi dongle) and Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD HR/MA decoding and audio bitstream output, both decks will stream Netflix Watch Instantly or Pandora radio. They’re available the first half of 2009.

SAMSUNG’S LATEST AWARD-WINNING BLU-RAY PLAYERS OPEN UP A NEW MULTIMEDIA EXPERIENCE PORTAL

BD-P4600 Delivers HD Entertainment for the Whole Family in Contemporary Style;
BD-P3600 Satisfies Home Theatre Enthusiasts with Superior Sights and Sounds

LAS VEGAS, January 7, 2009 – Samsung Electronics America, Inc., a market leader
and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, today unveiled the world’s first
wall-mountable Blu-ray player, the BD-P4600, as well as the new standard for Blu-ray
performance and versatility, the BD-P3600. A 2009 CES “Best of Innovations” Award
Winner, the BD-P4600 unites a plethora of multimedia features in a svelte, first-in-class
package. The enthusiasts’ choice, the BD-P3600 promises top-notch video playback,
comprehensive audio decoding, and unprecedented networking capabilities for an
immersive, theater-like experience. Both players set a new direction for the Blu-ray
category with wireless networking, access to video and music streaming services, such
as Netflix and Pandora, as well as sleek designs. Samsung’s new Blu-ray players will
be on display at Booth #11033 during the International Consumer Electronics Show,
which will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Centre, January 8 -11, 2009.

“Samsung is heralding a new direction for the Blu-ray industry with the BD-P4600 and
BD-P3600,” said Reid Sullivan, vice president of Audio/Video and Digital Imaging
Marketing at Samsung Electronics America. “The BD-P4600 makes it easier than ever
to bring Blu-ray into the living room with its unique, wall-mountable design, while the
BD-P3600’s comprehensive specs place it on the short list of even the most discerning
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home theatre consumers.”

The BD-P4600 and BD-P3600 include BD Live™ (Profile 2.0) and Bonus View (Profile
1.1) support, Full HD 1080p Blu-ray playback with DVD upscaling, and total HD
soundtrack support. Standard CD playback, with support for JPEG photos and DivX
videos, ensure even more entertainment value with the BD-P4600 and BD-P3600.

A New Era of Functional Design
Samsung’s newest Blu-ray players continue the trend of stylish and décor-friendly
electronics, with new versions of Samsung’s groundbreaking Touch of Color™ (ToC™)
design and touch sensitive controls. The BD-P3600’s traditional set-top form is just over
two inches tall, and comes encased in deep black with charcoal grey highlights curving
along the outer edges. The wall-mountable BD-P4600 is just 1.5 inches thin with a
piano black design infused with ruby highlights, and finished with clear, prism-like
edging. If wall-mounting is not an option, an integrated stand lets the BD-P4600 be
placed on a table at a 25 degree angle.

Cutting Wires Without Cutting Back on Entertainment
Both the BD-P4600 and BD-P3600 can wirelessly connect to the latest Blu-ray features
when the included 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi dongle is connected to one of the players’ two
USB 2.0 ports, or via the traditional wired Ethernet connection. The two players can also
instantly stream more than 12,000 movies and TV episodes from Netflix and Pandora
music services (subscriptions required), to deliver an ever-expanding library of
entertainment into the living room without having to leave the house. And with 1GB
internal flash memory, both players can access the latest BD Live™ and Bonus View
Blu-ray features out of the box, leaving the USB 2.0 ports for wireless networking and
memory expansion duties when needed.

Speedy Control and Upgradeability
Samsung’s newest Blu-ray players improve traditional disc loading time to begin fast
playback and can eject a disc in a single second. The players’ touch sensitive controls
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help to create a seamless experience that is pleasing to see, hear, and ultimately, use.
To keep consumers updated with the latest features and improvements, Samsungs BD-
P4600 and BD-P3600 also can easily access upgrades wirelessly via the included
802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi dongle, through the wired Ethernet connection, by connecting a USB
drive, or with a CD / DVD / BD.

Total Full HD 1080p Video and HD Soundtrack Support
Samsung’s BD-P4600 and BD-P3600 promise Full HD 1080p playback of Blu-ray discs
and crisp upconversion of standard DVDs through the HDMI 1.3 connection. For a true,
Hollywood-quality experience, both players can internally decode the latest high-
resolution digital multichannel audio soundtracks, including Dolby Digital Plus™, Dolby
TrueHD™ and dts-HD HR / MA®. The BD-P3600 can also output any of the
soundtracks as a bitstream through its 7.1-Channel analogue audio outputs, or as an
uncompressed PCM signal, for consumers desiring the best cinematic sound with an
older A/V receiver.

SlySoft’s AnyDVD HD really kickstarted the back-and-forth war with studios over Blu-ray’s updateable BD+ copy protection back in March, since it stripped discs of BD+, allowing you to back up Blu-ray movies. Subsequent updates to BD+ copy protection went uncracked for less than a week, Ars notes. But the latest update, last month appears to be the most solid yet, with SlySoft believing it will take three months to bust it this time around.

But it will be busted. And so will the update after it. And the one after that. BD+ might have changed the game from a one-round boss battle to a ten-round boxing match, but it’s one that the studios are destined to lose, even if it costs the cracking community more than it did before. [Ars]

From what I can tell, a similar if not identical “blueline” machine can be used to produce whiteprints. (Feel free to chime in regarding that point, builders and architects—deciphering the various printing processes has humbled my brain for at least the next week.) But any way you look at it, this Blu-ray device is pretty much the anti-digital…which is absolutely fantastic. [Thanks Justin!]