The company hopes that the set-top, which will play both Blu-ray discs and HD DVDs, will appeal to consumers confused about which format to choose in the high-def war.
Samsung's player (model: BDP-UP5000) will be the second on the market, following LG's dual-format player which was introduced earlier this year.
But unlike LG's player, which carries a whopping $1199 price tag, Samsung said its player would cost less than $600, according to several online reports.
That's roughly $50-$100 more than a standalone Sony Blu-ray player ($499), which is the cheapest Blu-ray set-top on the market. Toshiba's entry-level HD DVD player now costs $299.
At less than $600, Samsung believes its player could find a niche, although it's likely that standalone Blu-ray and HD DVD player prices will fall further in the coming months.
Samsung said the dual-format player would support all the features available on both Blu-ray and HD DVD, including Net-based material accessed via an Ethernet connection.
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