Panasonic intros DMR-BR360V Blu-ray / VHS combo player
Blu-ray and VHS together at last -- so crazy it just might work? Probably not, but if you're still clinging to a library of tapes and haven't been able to bring yourself to upgrade or transfer them to a more 21st century-friendly format, you'll no doubt be happy to know that Panasonic has now introduced the combo player of your dreams -- in Japan, at least. For maximum combo-ness, the DMR-BR30V also boasts a 320GB hard drive to boost your recording options, along with both digital and analog TV tuners, a USB port, and an SD card slot. For those ready to make a clean break with their past, Panasonic also has three VHS-less models with hard drives of various sizes, each of which are also apparently exclusive to Japan for now. Just don't expect any of them to come cheap, as the DMR-BR360V leads the way with a price tag of ¥160,000, or just about $1,500.
[Via OhGizmo!]
[Via OhGizmo!]
Filed under: Blu-ray, Other formats, Players, Recorders, Panasonic
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jeremy @ Aug 25th 2008 11:47AM
What's next? An 8 Track adapter for the iPod?
gameforall @ Aug 25th 2008 11:48AM
They have thrown in everthing, including the kitchen sink at this machine, but the price is still prohbitive.
TrentD @ Aug 25th 2008 12:19PM
Let VHS die! Let...it...DIEEE!
DenverBob @ Aug 25th 2008 12:27PM
In wonder why they don't make the VHS portion of the machine both analog and digital? By now, D-VHS is an old technology.
Also other than transferring VHS tapes to Blueray, what can this machine do that the average $1,500 computer cannot? I'd rather buy the computer and get the computing power that goes with it. It's now no big deal to integrate a computer into the home entertainment system.
They might have something good on their hands if they sold it for, say $300, which probably still leaves them with a tidy profit. But for $1,500, they're nuts.
kcmurphy88 @ Aug 25th 2008 12:34PM
Any display that will show blu-ray to advantage will display VHS in all its hideosity. It's not even SVHS, worse luck.
crycry @ Aug 25th 2008 1:03PM
This hurts my brain.
Omegablue14 @ Aug 25th 2008 1:15PM
This think will sell because people are crazy. I can see someone buying this so their kids/grandkids can watch Blu-ray while they stick to good old tapes. I mean these tapes are perfectly good, why would I stop using them?
Ken @ Aug 25th 2008 1:27PM
Oh god.
I laughed at my customers when they asked me for this...now its real.
NOOOOO!!!
imonit @ Aug 25th 2008 1:52PM
Finally! A blu-ray option that is fit for the masses. JIT for the 08 holiday season.
Big Wizz @ Aug 25th 2008 2:30PM
I look forward going to the nearest electronic super-store when this hits, so I can harass a CSR for about an hour.
"Can I play HD-DVD's in it?"
"What's the best video cord to use?" "Monster Cable? You don't say?!"
Mr. E @ Aug 25th 2008 3:32PM
Well, this is obviously a CLEAR sign that Blu-ray is doomed, and the future belongs to VHS!
/Some banned guy
Peter F @ Aug 25th 2008 3:43PM
What's VHS?
Sean @ Aug 25th 2008 4:00PM
I'm still waiting for the HD DVD/Betamax combo player.
unicode787plus @ Aug 25th 2008 4:25PM
This sucks. It's just substandard 240i analog VHS, not 480i S-VHS nor digital D-VHS (which supports up to 1080i). Especially when it comes from the master of combo units (yes, Panasonic is the combo master, it once made a TV/VHS/DVD monster unit). Come on Matsushita, you can do better than this, kill this joke and bring us a D-VHS/BD combo with HDMI/FireWire instead! Or, much better, the grand-daddy of all TV combos: a plasma HDTV/DVHS/BD monster set!
kcmurphy88 @ Aug 25th 2008 5:45PM
What, no HD DVD?
dj496 @ Aug 25th 2008 6:20PM
What weird people in Japan are going to buy this?
JBDragon @ Aug 26th 2008 3:05AM
WHY? and way to much money. They're going up in price, where are the lower cost full featured players? A couple more years? $1500, are they nuts?
Ry @ Aug 26th 2008 12:50PM
why not just by a $20 VCR, and a $400 blu-ray player? WTF is this $1500 business?
Gus @ Aug 27th 2008 1:45AM
Interesting the difference between $420 and $1500 is the magical "1080".
Perhaps thats why BR is so expensive, $1 per line