Toshiba To Launch Its First Blu-ray Player, The BDX2000

Japanese electronics manufacturer Toshiba has launched its first Blu-ray player, the BDX2000, which finally closes a very costly and counterproductive era in the company's history as the HD DVD format faded away.

Toshiba announced the launch back in July and the first pictures of the beast suggest that the company has opted for a run of the mill model.

The BDX2000 comes with the following specifications : BD-Live (Profile 2.0), 1080p/24 fps which corresponds to full HD, AVCHD Playback, Toshiba REGZA-LINK (HDMI-CEC), an Ethernet port, support for enhanced audio formats from Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio, Bonus View, SD memory card slot and Energy Star certification.

The player, which is set to cost around $250 or £160, should come out in November in the US and a UK release date has yet to be nailed down. One issue that Toshiba will have is that the device is only $50 cheaper than the PS2 Slim which also comes with a Blu-ray player.

Toshiba will face some tough competition towards the end of the year as the holiday season looms. Currently, Samsung has a £140 Blu-ray disc player available nationwide while LG has one for £130.