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CES 2007: LG confirms Dual-Format HD disc player

But Philips say it won't help the format war

7 January 2007 21:00 GMT / By Amber Maitland

For all those readers not sure which high-definition format to opt for, LG has confirmed that it will be launching a dual-format player which supports both Blu-ray and HD DVD format.

However the move, which is likely to be well received by consumers wanting the best of both worlds hasn't been well received by Philips who is backing Blu-ray.

"The player will not unify the format", "We do not think it’s a good idea" and "It's not good for the consumer", were all quotes that came from top Philips executives at its press conference when asked what the company thought of the move.

LG of course thinks differently and prices around $1200 is the same price as the Samsung Blu-ray in the US.

At it's press conference LG confirmed that the player will be released in the US in the next couple of months. The BH100, will be the first player on the market with the capability to play both next-generation disc formats, addressing the challenge of the current format war.

"We've developed the Super Multi Blue Player to end the confusion caused by the current competition between Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD. Customers are no longer forced to choose between the two formats", said Dr. Hee Gook Lee, president and chief technology officer of LG Electronics.

The player also upconverts standard DVDs to 1080i resolution, providing compatibility with consumers' existing movie libraries while improving the picture quality of those discs.

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Home Cinema, HD DVD, Blu-ray, LG, CES2007