Sony unveils new HD-ready camcorders

Sony’s new HDR-UX1 and HDR-SR1 camcorders will support the AVCHD format that can be used in tandem with 8cm DVDs, flash memory, or hard drive based storage. The HDR-UX1 records to 8cm dual-layer DVDs and is able to store a maximum of 10 hours of high-definition video, while the audio content is recorded in the Dolby Digital 5.1 format. The hard drive-based HDR-SR1 uses a hard drive as its storage medium of choice. Both models will be available in September, with the former retailing for $1400 while the latter is a wee bit more expensive at $1500. They both come with HDMI outputs and can take 2.3 megapixel stills.