Despite all their recent supply problems, Sony announced they have finally begun shipping their first dedicated Blu-Ray Disc player, the BDP-S1. This player is capable of a 1920 x 1080p (progressive) resolution through HDMI, backward compatibility with DVDs, upscaling to 1080p, and most of the features you expect to have in a high-end player.

“I’m thrilled that it’s here just in time for the holidays,” said Randy Waynick, senior vice president of marketing for Sony Electronics’ Home Products Division. “Combining a Sony 1080p HDTV set and our new BD player with an HDMI-enabled A/V receiver and surround sound speakers provides the epitome of the high-definition lifestyle.”

You can expect to see this player in all major consumer electronic shops just in time for the holidays for a retail price somewhere around the $1000 mark. This price tag will surely make many consumers think about it twice, especially because of the limited movie library which is no better than HD DVD's, while the player itself does come at an added cost.