Blu-Ray technology has not become mainstream yet, basically due to the lack of content on the market and the high price of the related hardware. Pioneer seems to have made a significant step in making the Blu-Ray disc format more popular among PC users, with the new BDC-202.

When we received our Pre-production sample, our enthusiasm was constrained because of the possible problems we might face during testing, due to the early stage of its hardware/software. However, the results looked impressive.

Starting with the CD/DVD reading tests, the drive was fast enough for everyday needs with all CD/DVD formats. The average CD error correction capability of the drive is certainly compensated for by the positive behavior of the drive with defective DVD-ROM/Video discs. Audio extraction was also adequately fast and accurate.

DVD recording speeds were limited to 12x maximum for DVD recordables. This might seem slow to the majority of DVD burning enthusiasts. However, the writing quality of the burned DVD+R/-R media was high with the most of the media we tried. The drive also burned accurately with DVD-RW/+RW discs, while its performance with some DVD R DL media could be better.

Moving on to Blu-Ray support, we welcome the drive's ability to play back Blu-Ray movies as well as read BD-R /RE media, including dual-layer BD-Rs (50GB). With the appropriate PC configuration, the Pioneer BD-202 will transform your computer into a Blu-ray entertainment home PC.

With the majority of the Blu-Ray burners currently available for around $500, and the boom in the high-definition movie production, especially in the U.S., Pioneer seems to have wisely decided to focus on Blu-Ray playback support for the PC with the specific model. Priced at around $300, the BDC-202 (BDC-S02 retail) could still be considered as expensive for the masses, but it could definitely replace your current DVD burner in your high-end PC. The drive will be introduced in Europe and the U.S. markets around the end of June.

The generally high performance of the Pioneer drive, especially considering that we tested a Pre-production sample, leaves us with no option but to give it our Editor's Choice Award.