In September, the company will begin to sell a Blu-ray player, as well as an audio-video receiver and a set of speakers tuned to work with the player. Panasonic will promote these components alongside its plasma TVs: the company in fact will deliver a 65-inch plasma TV to coincide with the Blu-ray launch.

Japanese electronics maker Toshiba said on Thursday it would launch the next-generation, high-definition optical disk recorder based on the HD DVD format on July 14 in Japan.

Toshiba expects the world’s first HD DVD recorder, equipped with a hard disk drive, to sell for 398,000 yen ($3,466).

…YOW. I hope that comes with lube. (I know, early adopter tax, BD recorders aren’t any better.)

Samsung may produce a twin-format Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD player later this year after all. The company this week revealed it is “considering” such a “universal” machine, according to a company spokesman.