LG Launching New Hybrid HD Disc Player

By Geoff Duncan Updated September 5, 2007

LG Launching New Hybrid HD Disc Player

High-definition enthusiasts who are eager to soak up the pixels but haven’t been keen on taking sides in the HD DVD/Blu-ray format war have been keeping an eye on hybrid players: disc players which can handle both Blu-ray and HD DVD discs. They come at a premium, but the good news is that users never have to worry about the format their favorite content might have embraced: pop the disc in and they’re ready to go.

LG Electronics shipped its first hybrid player earlier this year; now, the company is getting set to launch its new BH200 hybrid player. That’s about 15 percent less than LG’s current hybrid offering, and the BH200 supports both BD-Java and HDi interactive technologies, so high-def fans will be able to take advantage of any and all disc-specific extras. The new player will also support 60Hz 1080p output, upscaling of standard DVDs to 1080p, and improved support for standard audio CDs. The unit will also support Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS, and DTS-HD audio, and will sport both HDMI 1.3 and Ethernet connections.

Expect the BH200 to reach U.S. retailers in mid-October at a price around $1,000—that’s roughly 15 percent cheaper than LG’s first hybrid offering.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

Audio / Video

Bose kills off its Sport Open Earbuds as new players enter the category

Bose Sport Open Earbuds

Bose has decided to pull the plug on its Sport Open Earbuds, a set of wireless earbuds that sit on your ear instead of inside it, according to a report from The Verge and confirmed by Bose. The move comes less than two years after the product's debut. The remainder of Bose's Sport Open Earbuds is now discounted to $119 (down from its regular $199 price) until all of the inventory has been sold.

The Sport Open Earbuds were the first to try something entirely new for the wireless earbuds market. Instead of placing an earbud inside your ear, or pressed up against your ear canal, they perch on top of your ears, with a portion of the C-shaped device wrapped around the back of your ears. The design has one major strength: it lets you hear the outside world as clearly as you do when not wearing any earbuds at all.

Audio / Video

LG prices its Flex, StanByMe TVs, and debuts a new model that doubles as magazine rack

LG OLED Flex TV.

2022 has been a big year for LG's TVs, as the company has moved well beyond traditional wall- or stand-mounted models, into new designs that are targeted at specific audiences like gamers and those who want their TVs to be more than just black rectangles on a wall.

The company had previously introduced us to the bendable OLED Flex and the touchscreen-based StanByMe, but now, as part of the company's presence at the CEDIA show in Dallas, TX, LG has told us how much they'll cost. LG is also taking the opportunity to introduce a new model in its Objet series, known as the Posé -- a quirky, easel-like TV that has space for things like magazines on its rear shelf.

Audio / Video

Google’s new Chromecast is cheaper, tops out at HD resolution

Chromecast with Google TV.

Google, as had been rumored, today announced a newer, cheaper Chromecast with Google TV, and one that tops out at HD resolution and does not support better 4K UHD resolution.

The new $30 dongle looks and acts just like the $50 model, only this one is limited to 1080p and 60 frames per second. It still supports HDR, however, that's limited to HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG, and it lacks Dolby Vision.