One thing was clear during Sony’s CES 2012 announcement and subsequent demonstrations was the companies commitment to pushing beyond 1080p and going towards 4K. The eventual predecessor to 1080p HD, Sony showcased scenes from the upcoming The Amazing Spider-Man and the then new in theaters, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in stunning 4K resolution. At CES, Sony introduced a new projector 4K projector which was being fed 4K content via a network though devices like the above can directly connect to it as well. Besides the high end projector, Sony does not currently have any televisions which support the 4K format, nor does it have any 4K content for consumers. However, it was clear that Sony has internally set a roadmap to transition their HD fleet to the higher resolution, including the PlayStation 3. The first part of puzzle is to reduce the barrier to 4K content creation and they have done so by announcing the NEX-FS700 cinema camera, a first of its kind which will be priced under $10,000. This pits the camera well below the internet darling Red Scarlet, which despite popular believe, does not cost $10k and is actually priced from $16k+.

Now, Sony is following up their 4K roadmap by making available the Sony BDP-S790 4K-upscaling Blu-ray player. After the jump, lets talk details.

The BDP-S790 will be Sony’s flagship Blu-ray player for 2012 with a host of features you would expect like 3D playback, DLNA and access to services like Sony Music and Video Unlimited, Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, Amazon Instant Video, Slacker, Pandora and social media sites like Twitter and Facebook via dedicated apps. What makes the BDP-S790 unique is the devices capability to upscale content to 4K resolution, making your HD movies look even sharper. To make 4K upscaling possible, the BDP-S790 comes with a dual-core processor, unheard of in any other Blu-ray player on the market. Those who own Sony’s HomeShare Network Speaker should also note the players capability to stream audio to the wireless speakers. And if one less remote is what you desire, both iOS and Android users will be able to download Sony’s free ‘Media Remote‘ app which lets you control the player.

Available now on Sony”s online store, the BDP-S790 is priced at $249.99 while those who prefer the brick and mortar stores will have to wait till May 6th to get your hands on this new beast.

Discuss:

Will you jump on the 4K transition as things pickup in the next two years?

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SONY ANNOUNCES ARRIVAL OF ITS 2012 FLAGSHIP BLU-RAY DISC PLAYER WITH DUAL-CORE PROCESSOR

What: Sleek, fast and smart – the new Sony BDP-S790 Blu-ray Disc™ player is now available for consumer pre-order. In addition to Blu-ray Disc, DVD and CD playback, this WiFi® connected flag-ship model supports digital services from Sony Entertainment Network and a variety of other providers, including UltraViolet™ streaming services powered by VUDU. With its built-in 4K upscaling, the BDP-S790 player also delivers superior playback quality from a number of other HD and SD sources – even those in 3D!

Key Features
– Dual core processor for faster response
– 4K upscaling
– IP Content Noise Reduction
– Dual HDMI outputs
– IR input

Sony Entertainment Network
– Video Unlimited
– Music Unlimited
– Netflix
– Flixter
– VUDU
– Amazon Instant Video
– Slacker
– Pandora
– And many more Internet powered services

– Social media integration with Socialize, Twitter and Facebook
– Entertainment Database Browser with Gracenote technology
– DLNA Client and photo, music, and video playback
– HomeShare Network Speaker compatible
– Photo, music, and video playback via front USB
– “Media Remote” (iPhone/iPod touch/Android BD Remote Control application)
– Available for about $249

When: Pre-order – April 22
In stores – May 6
Where: Online at www.store.sony.com, at Sony Stores and at electronics retailers nationwide

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[Via Sony]