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Matsushita plans to launch Blu-ray HDD recorder in November

But only in Japan

20 September 2006 14:29 GMT / By Amber Maitland

Matsushita, makers of Panasonic-brand products, has announced that it will start selling two Blu-ray hard drive recorders in Japan with a firm launch date of 15 November.

The November launch means Panasonic will be the first to release a Blu-ray/HDD recorder, although it is restricted to the Japanese market. The prices for the two devices are prohibitively high; the 200GB model will cost about ¥240,000 (£1082), while the 500GB model will cost ¥300,000 (£1353).

The company said it plans to produce 3000 units of each model each month, but it has not yet decided whether or not to offer the recorders in other markets. In the US, it will offer a Blu-ray player later this month, while Europe will get on in October.

Full tags

Home Cinema, Blu-ray, PVRs, Matsushita