The Blu-ray market just keeps on growing; Sony is adding fuel to the fire with two new models aimed at the mid-range.

October 5, 2009 — The sales figures for Blu-ray players are rising constantly, while the prices are doing the opposite. It’s no wonder that manufacturers keep introducing more new models to the market. Among them is the Japanese electronics corporation Sony; this autumn, the company will release two new players: the BDP-S560 and the BDP-S760.

Both models will, according to Sony, offer easy operation, as well as, of course, excellent picture quality. Both provide multimedia extras, including a USB connection on the front panel, allowing users to play back media such as JPEG photos. The devices can also both access files across PC networks.

On sale this autumn: the BDP-S560.

The difference between the two Sony players is that the BDP-S760 — the more expensive model — has a 7.1-channel audio output, while the BDP-S560 does not. But, in practice, the analog 7.1-channel output will only be useful for owners of older AV receivers without HDMI interfaces. Where HDMI isn’t present, the player — in this case the BDP-S760 — must process and decode the audio signal so that the receiver can read it.

The cheaper BDP-S560 is expected to arrive first — this October in continental Europe — and will be followed by the pricier BDP-S760, most likely in November. We haven’t found official pricing and availability for the devices in the U.K., but online offers are cropping up at around 250 GBP for the BDP-S560 and around 400 GBP for its bigger brother, the BDP-S760.