San Diego - Sony Electronics on Monday began shipping a new Blu-ray Disc player to U.S. retailers, which will carry a price tag of $499, or $100 cheaper than previously announced.

The BDP-S300 features 1920 x 1080/24p high-definition video for owners of HDTV sets with an HDMI connection; otherwise the player outputs 1080i video.

The player also adds support for Dolby Digital Plus audio, Sony's Bravia Theatre Sync, and audio CD playback.

"The BD format gained great momentum in the past several months, and we're going to capitalize on that with the new model," said Chris Fawcett, vice president of marketing for Sony Electronics' Home Product Division.

"The player gives a broader consumer segment the opportunity to experience the exceptional quality of Blu-ray Disc format at a competitive price."

Related Links:
http://www.sony.com/bluray