First Blu-ray HD Recorder Needs Dedicated TV

Sharp officially released to the Japanese market yesterday the first Blu-ray Disc recorder console to record high-definition TV content directly. But Sharp's solution to the problem of securing the digital connection between the recorder and TV tuner could become controversial: It requires a dedicated link to the company's own Aquos brand HDTV units.

Sharp's dedicated connection, called Aquos Fami-Link, uses a four-pin derivative of FireWire for connecting components, called i.LINK. The connection has been deployed for quite some time in Sharp's HDTVs and DVD-R consoles capable of high-definition recording.

The BD-HP1 console is being described by Sharp as "one more way to enjoy the AQUOS Fami-link, a setup that combines the AQUOS LCD TV and AV equipment to provide entertainment."

To build interest in the product among existing Sharp customers, the company has added a feature enabling users connect existing Sharp Aquos HD recorders to the BD-HP1, and transfer their existing content from DVD or tape onto BD.

The unit promises three hours of HD recording time for terrestrial broadcasts (which in Japan are 1035i); or two hours of 1080p HD recording at full quality and six hours at slow speed. Sharp's specifications indicate the unit will only record to BD and not to DVD.

Part of the reason why manufacturers want a highly-controlled digital connection between components is to comply with content providers' wishes to disable individuals from making unauthorized, potentially DRM-free copies of video content.