Panasonic Ships $600 Blu-ray Player

Although HD DVD may still have the lead when it comes to price, Blu-ray continues to add more manufacturers, with Panasonic today releasing its DMP- BD10A Blu-ray player, priced at $600. The player offers 7.1 channel sound with support for Dobly True HD and dts-HD audio.

The DMP- BD10A features full 1080p resolution and upconverts older DVDs to the high-definition signal. Although Panasonic's player is double the price of Toshiba's entry-level HD DVD offering, the company is bundling five Blu-ray movies for free. Consumers will receive copies of "Pirates of the Caribbean, Curse of the Black Pearl" and "Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man's Chest" from Disney, "Transporter" and "Fantastic 4" from Fox and "Crash" from Lionsgate.