By Shane McGlaun

Every now and again, someone I know will ask me what Blu-ray player they should buy to go along with their new TV. I always tell them to get the PS3 because I think it’s one of the best Blu-ray players out there. I had a guy tell me he didn’t want video games in his house the other day and preferred a stand-alone Blu-ray player to the PS3.

For people who feel the same way Pioneer has launched a trio of new Blu-ray players including the Elite BDP-23FD, the BDP-120, and the BDP-320 models. The 23FD is aimed at the professional integrator looking for a player with full control capability for integrating into high-end home theaters. It includes a special KURO Link Picture Mode and a precision quartz lock system that helps prevent playback jitters. The 23FD sells for $599.

The BDP-320 offers 48-bit deep color support, three video noise reduction circuits and 13 different picture adjustment capabilities and sells for $399. The BDP-120 is the entry-level machine and carries a MSRP of $299. All three machines also have a USB port for playing digital files.

[ Pioneer Electronics ]