Panasonic Announces More Affordable BDXL Blu-ray Recorder


In case you always wanted to get one of those Blu-ray recorders that allow you to store up to 100GB of content on a single BDXL disc but were put off by the high prices for these devices so far, Panasonic might have announced [JP] the right device for you today. Apart from the BDXL compatibility, the DMR-BR585 also offers a built-in 320GB HDD.

But the biggest bullet point is the price: at $780, the device is (relatively) inexpensive, which is why Panasonic plans to manufacture 48,000 units monthly (that’s a relatively high number for a Blu-ray recorder). The DMR-BR585 allows you to copy content from the hard disc to Blu-ray and vice versa (next to recording TV programs and video-on-demand content). It also comes with an HDMI interface, a USB port, and Ethernet.

The DMR-BR585 will go on sale in Japan on November 25. Panasonic hasn’t revealed any international sales plans yet.