Sony showed to the public its next-generation, optical disc video recorder for consumers that is based on the "Blu-ray Disc" format leveraging blue-violet laser beam technology. The company showed the product during the press pre-view session on Sept. 11, 2002 at the "Sony Dream World 2002" exhibition held at Pacifico Yokohama, Kanagawa prefecture. The company has often showed its prototype recorders based on "DVR-Blue," the next-generation optical disc specification, which the firm has been advocating with Netherlands-based Royal Philips Electronics at several international conferences for optical memory. But it was the first time for Sony to exhibit a Blu-ray Disc recorder.

The new recording format can accommodate a single-sided single layer media with a capacity of 23.3GB, 25GB or 27GB, with a data transfer rate of 36Mbps, or x1 speed of the specification. In the exhibition hall, four units of the optical disc recorders were displayed to appeal as post-DVD products.

These units were trial products, and Sony did not clarify when to make these generally available on a commercial basis, but they seemed to be very close to commercial products. The size of the new recorder is bigger than the existing VTR of a desk-top type, but such capabilities as receiving/recording of programs of digital satellite broadcasting and recording of the present ground-based TV broadcasting are all packed into one box.

The new recorder is also capable of using a DVD-Video disc or a music CD, as well as Blu-ray Disc media, the company added.