Sony earlier this week unveiled two new Handycam camcorders which can record in full 1080i HD resolution and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. The new HDR-UX1 camcorder will be available in September for around $1,400, while the HDR-SR1camcorder will appear a month later for around $1,500.

These two new camcorders will be capable of directly playing back on a HD television via HDMI outputs, in addition to being able to record at 1080i HD resolution. The HDR-SR1 camcorder, which will have a 30GB hard drive, will be capable of recording over 10 hours of HD video in long play mode. The HDR-SR1camcorder, meanwhile, will make use of three-inch DVD discs for recording. Both models support the new AVCHD camcorder recording format based on the H.264/AVC codec for video compression and Dolby digital audio as well as offering other features like four-megapixel digital still image capture and a 3.5” LCD swivel screen display which doubles as touch-sensitive control panels, giving easy access to many of the camcorders’ settings.