According to reports, Sony has introduced a Blu-ray disc player, BDP-S300, priced 40 percent less than the old model, BDP-S1.

The new model is similar to the older BDP-S1 model, and sells at $599 (Rs 26,412), while the older model is priced at $999 (Rs 44,050), which the company continues to sell.
The company spokesperson said that the reason behind the introduction of the low-priced model is to broaden the market, and to make these types of products available to consumers.

The BDP-S300 is smaller than the BDP-S1, but according to the company, both have similar features. Like the older model, it enables signal output in the highest HD format, known as 1080p, and reportedly also plays CDs, which the BDP-S1 does not.

However, the company has accepted the fact that there are only a few differences between the two models, and that those will be noticeable only to enthusiasts and not to average consumers.

The step is considered crucial in the company's battle to make the HD format the replacement for DVDs.

Reportedly, though the company has come up with a low priced Blu-ray disk player, it still cannot beat the price of the rival HD DVD format. The Toshiba HD DVD disk player is available at a still lower price of $499 (Rs 22,003).

According to industry reports, because of all the uncertainty in the pricing and formats, both Blu-ray and HD DVD are presently selling at a moderate rate.