Sony intros 2005 MiniDisc player line

Sony today tried to breathe more life into their MiniDisc format by announcing several new players due to hit store shelves soon. They are:

• MZ-DH10P: This player, which will debut in May for around $500, combines a MiniDisc player with a 1.3 megapixel digital camera with 4x zoom. It also features a color LCD screen and uses Hi-MD re-recordable MiniDisc media to record up to 45 hours of MP3, ATRAC3, WMA and WAV files on a 1GB disc.
• MZ-RH910 and MZ-RH10: These two models, slated for April release at $200 and $300 respectively, are also set to be compatible with Hi-MD. Both units will offer the option to record from multiple line in sources, with the MZ-RH10 adding a large six-line, self-emitting organic EL (electroluminescence) display, so sound-setting screens, track, title and artist can be viewed from wide angles and without a backlight.
• MZ-DN430 Psyc Net MD: The newest member of the Pysc Net MD family will hit store shelves this month for around $100. It is not compatible with the newer Hi-MD format (it works wih the standard 177MB discs), but does offer skip-free technology for when the player is jostled, up to 56 hours of AA battery life and CD/MP3 transfer via USB. It is available in stereo black with orange highlights or electric white with lime green accents.

"Many musicians, journalists and digital music fans rely on the flexibility and durability of the MiniDisc format," said Allan Jason, vice president for portable audio products at Sony Electronics. "Our latest models increase the utility of the players and bring more advantages to our MD customers."