NEWS: Samsung's first Blu-ray home cinema in a box system supports high-def audio

OK, we've done a bit of digging and finally come up with some more details on Samsung's new HT-BD2 Blu-ray system.

It's an all-in-one home cinema set-up, capable of handling Full HD 1080p images at 24 frames-per-second (fps) and delivering high-definition 7.1 audio. However, it doesn't have the latest Profile 1.1 and 2.0 Blu-ray spec.

The HT-BD2 supports Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, has audio/video lip sync functionality which allows the sound delay to be adjusted between 0-300msec, and delivers 135w across all seven channels.

Video output is handled via HDMI, component or composite connections, there's a single-slot disc loader, and an FM tuner with 30 presets is included.

The system can also handle advanced video content on Blu-ray discs such as picture-in-picture displays, bonus features and enhanced internet access using the system's BD-J mode.

Playback compatibility includes CD/CD-R/-RW, DVD/DVD-R/-RW, MP3 and JPEG discs, and additional audio decoding includes Dolby Digital EX, DTS ES Discrete 6.1, DTS 96/24 and DTS Neo:6.

We've yet to be told a UK price and release date, but are pestering Samsung to tell us.

Technorati Tags: 1080i, 1080p, 24fps, Blu-ray, Blu-ray Disc Profile 2.0 Association, CD, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, DVD, FM, HDMI , home cinema in a box, Samsung

Andy Clough

Andy is Global Brand Director of What Hi-Fi? and has been a technology journalist for 30 years. During that time he has covered everything from VHS and Betamax, MiniDisc and DCC to CDi, Laserdisc and 3D TV, and any number of other formats that have come and gone. He loves nothing better than a good old format war. Andy edited several hi-fi and home cinema magazines before relaunching whathifi.com in 2008 and helping turn it into the global success it is today. When not listening to music or watching TV, he spends far too much of his time reading about cars he can't afford to buy.