Pioneer launches the BDR-101A Blu-ray Disc writer

[paulw]

FYI.

http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/12851

Pioneer Japan today announced its first Blu-ray Disc writer, an internal ATAPI half-height burner with the model name BDR-101A. The drive supports reading and writing bare single layer 25GB BD-R and BD-RE discs at 2x speed (72 Mbps). It also supports reading single and double layer BD-ROM discs as well as burning DVD±R at 8x, DVD±RW at 4x, DVD+R DL at 2.4x and DVD-R DL at 2x. Pioneer expects to start shipping the BDR-101A at the end of January

[Brian Ellis]

Well, don't count me amongst the pioneers (pun intended) for this technology
a) the unit is costly
b) no blanks are available yet in most countries
c) blanks at >$100 make it unacceptable
d) no BR DVD players available here
e) BR DVD players, when they come, will probably be >$1,000
f) no computer I possess can support the 72 Mby/s transfer rates
g) the BR/HD-DVD war has not been resolved; which will become mainstream (if either)?
h) no CD support
i) no formal standards for HD DVD, of any type.

A lot of points to be resolved before it could possibly become mainstream, if it ever does.

[Debbie]

j) No buy, then !

Debbie

[Mikele]

... and never buy the first version.

You will be a beta tester... paying.