DVD format battle rumbles on
Published by Admin on 28.1.07 at 1/28/2007 09:39:00 PM.
The battle of the formats - Blu-ray vs HD-DVD - got off to a very slow start in 2006. But some in the industry are not waiting around for a winner in the format war.
The majority of stand-alone next-gen players sold were HD-DVD, but content is king and Blu-ray received the greatest backing from Hollywood studios.
HD-DVD players were overdue and then mostly unobtainable for the first half of the year.
"One of the challenges, with both the hardware and the software, is that availability hasn't been up to where we've needed," said Toshiba advisor Mark Knox.
"Fortunately no-one's been trampled in a store buying one, but availability has been an issue." Link
The majority of stand-alone next-gen players sold were HD-DVD, but content is king and Blu-ray received the greatest backing from Hollywood studios.
HD-DVD players were overdue and then mostly unobtainable for the first half of the year.
"One of the challenges, with both the hardware and the software, is that availability hasn't been up to where we've needed," said Toshiba advisor Mark Knox.
"Fortunately no-one's been trampled in a store buying one, but availability has been an issue." Link
Netflix and Blockbuster compete for supremacy with new DVD services
Published by Admin on at 1/28/2007 09:38:00 PM.
Good news for couch potatoes: Netflix and Blockbuster are battling to be at the forefront of movie rentals, offering services to keep up with increasing requests for on-demand entertainment.
Both industry leaders offer competitive online DVD rental plans, and each recently has introduced a unique feature to attract the home entertainment audience:
This month, Netflix unveiled a new service for its subscribers -- free, streaming movies delivered over the Internet to the home computer.
Late last year, Blockbuster launched Total Access, a program that provides the best of both the virtual and brick-and-mortar movie rental worlds.
TV viewing platforms and habits are changing. Computers, portable MP3 video players and telephones are now options for watching downloaded TV shows and movies, especially among younger audiences. While online movie-watching is still a long way from mainstream, rental companies are scrambling to serve these emerging technologies. Link
Both industry leaders offer competitive online DVD rental plans, and each recently has introduced a unique feature to attract the home entertainment audience:
This month, Netflix unveiled a new service for its subscribers -- free, streaming movies delivered over the Internet to the home computer.
Late last year, Blockbuster launched Total Access, a program that provides the best of both the virtual and brick-and-mortar movie rental worlds.
TV viewing platforms and habits are changing. Computers, portable MP3 video players and telephones are now options for watching downloaded TV shows and movies, especially among younger audiences. While online movie-watching is still a long way from mainstream, rental companies are scrambling to serve these emerging technologies. Link
the £9 DVD player
Published by Admin on at 1/28/2007 09:37:00 PM.
Supermarkets' ongoing price war hit a new milestone last week when Asda, the UK arm of Wal-Mart, the US retailer, sold out of £9 DVD players within a day.
It is the first time in the UK that a DVD player has been sold at a lower price than a DVD. Asda's entire batch of 82,000 machines sold out on Thursday having been put in stores on Wednesday morning.
Last night, the Durabrand 1005 machines were being sold on eBay, the internet auction site, for up to twice their original value.
Asda's move was seen as a coup for consumers. But traditional high street electricals retailers questioned the quality of the product, while also voicing concerns that such drastic discounting could damage the long-term viability of smaller chains.
Mike Floodgate of the Radio, Electrical and Television Retailer's Association (RETRA), which represents 1,500 independent electricals retailers, was surprised that Asda was offering the DVD player for so little. "I don't think that even the Walkman in its last years was that cheap," he said.
Floodgate said such deep discounts were not necessarily a good thing for the sector. "From the retailers' point of view a reduction of the price devalues their margins and this has knock-on effects," he said.
A spokesman for DSG International, the electricals retailer formerly known as Dixons, said that rock-bottom prices in supermarkets often come at the expense of service or quality. "In our experience, customers like to balance price and function," he said. Link
It is the first time in the UK that a DVD player has been sold at a lower price than a DVD. Asda's entire batch of 82,000 machines sold out on Thursday having been put in stores on Wednesday morning.
Last night, the Durabrand 1005 machines were being sold on eBay, the internet auction site, for up to twice their original value.
Asda's move was seen as a coup for consumers. But traditional high street electricals retailers questioned the quality of the product, while also voicing concerns that such drastic discounting could damage the long-term viability of smaller chains.
Mike Floodgate of the Radio, Electrical and Television Retailer's Association (RETRA), which represents 1,500 independent electricals retailers, was surprised that Asda was offering the DVD player for so little. "I don't think that even the Walkman in its last years was that cheap," he said.
Floodgate said such deep discounts were not necessarily a good thing for the sector. "From the retailers' point of view a reduction of the price devalues their margins and this has knock-on effects," he said.
A spokesman for DSG International, the electricals retailer formerly known as Dixons, said that rock-bottom prices in supermarkets often come at the expense of service or quality. "In our experience, customers like to balance price and function," he said. Link
My HD DVD Blue Ray Problem
Published by Admin on at 1/28/2007 09:36:00 PM.
I was reading today about the BackupHDDVD program over on Engadget and how they guy who wrote the application to allow people to back up their HD content to other media. It got me thinking.
I already know the idea behind the upgrade is two fold, both higher resolution images, but also to make use re-buy all of our movies again (for me that would cost me around $5000 USD). Does anyone else feel like this is a bit of robbery? I’ve already forked over money to purchase the movies, sometimes twice - once for the VHS and once for the DVD.
I think this is really a problem for technology in general. Especially intangibles. These include movies, audio and even applications. I am totally confused as to why we are constantly being forced to purchase new versions of things that do the exact same thing as the older version?
DVDs are one thing. I get it that the picture is way better on these movies, but how about a trade-in discount. I mean, if you are going to lock me out of using MY DVD the way that I want, maybe you can update to the HD-DVD by trading your DVD and getting the HD-DVD for $5. After all, they are really reselling me almost the exact same thing!
Audio is another problem – but you all know about the MP3/DRM problem.
Software is another. I am going to talk about just two applications to illustrate this. Adobe Photoshop and Quickbooks. Photoshop and Quickbooks are both old programs. I remember getting a copy of Photoshop 10 years ago – same goes with Quickbooks. Both applications though are basically the same thing. After version 7 of Photoshop there hasn’t really been any significant update to Photoshop. You can do everything in 7 that you can in CS2 and it uses less system resources. What a deal. Quickbooks is the same thing – only they don’t update and fix their crappy code so it forces you to buy a new version every couple of years! Come on – accounting hasn’t changed in 100 years.
Or printer ink that expires after a couple of months!
So does this mean give away everything? Not at all!!! I am say lets make it worth my while. Let’s think about the consumer instead of just how to screw them. Adobe you better be scared as applications like Paint.NET (http://www.getpaint.net) keep coming out. I personally think that both the MPAA and the RIAA have been fleecing the American consumer for years!!
I think as long as you try and screw the public you will loose the battle between the hackers and the technology. Programs like DVD Decrypter, DVD Shrink, winLAME, and even BackupHDDVD will allow people to copy and use their own – and I stress THEIR OWN – product as they see fit. If I buy it and physically have the disc, it is MINE.
If you have a legitimate update or something new for me then I will buy it! I have an Intel 2 Core Duo processor because the benefit of owning it helps me. But do I want to buy songs I own or replace my existing DVD collection with HD DVDs? Hell no. That would require me to replace all of my DVD Players and my TVs. Or do I want to purchase Adobe Photoshop CS2 or Norton Anti-Virus – where little if any changes have been made? Hundreds of dollars. For what? I am a tech nut, but right now I do not see the benefits of such a huge investment. Link
I already know the idea behind the upgrade is two fold, both higher resolution images, but also to make use re-buy all of our movies again (for me that would cost me around $5000 USD). Does anyone else feel like this is a bit of robbery? I’ve already forked over money to purchase the movies, sometimes twice - once for the VHS and once for the DVD.
I think this is really a problem for technology in general. Especially intangibles. These include movies, audio and even applications. I am totally confused as to why we are constantly being forced to purchase new versions of things that do the exact same thing as the older version?
DVDs are one thing. I get it that the picture is way better on these movies, but how about a trade-in discount. I mean, if you are going to lock me out of using MY DVD the way that I want, maybe you can update to the HD-DVD by trading your DVD and getting the HD-DVD for $5. After all, they are really reselling me almost the exact same thing!
Audio is another problem – but you all know about the MP3/DRM problem.
Software is another. I am going to talk about just two applications to illustrate this. Adobe Photoshop and Quickbooks. Photoshop and Quickbooks are both old programs. I remember getting a copy of Photoshop 10 years ago – same goes with Quickbooks. Both applications though are basically the same thing. After version 7 of Photoshop there hasn’t really been any significant update to Photoshop. You can do everything in 7 that you can in CS2 and it uses less system resources. What a deal. Quickbooks is the same thing – only they don’t update and fix their crappy code so it forces you to buy a new version every couple of years! Come on – accounting hasn’t changed in 100 years.
Or printer ink that expires after a couple of months!
So does this mean give away everything? Not at all!!! I am say lets make it worth my while. Let’s think about the consumer instead of just how to screw them. Adobe you better be scared as applications like Paint.NET (http://www.getpaint.net) keep coming out. I personally think that both the MPAA and the RIAA have been fleecing the American consumer for years!!
I think as long as you try and screw the public you will loose the battle between the hackers and the technology. Programs like DVD Decrypter, DVD Shrink, winLAME, and even BackupHDDVD will allow people to copy and use their own – and I stress THEIR OWN – product as they see fit. If I buy it and physically have the disc, it is MINE.
If you have a legitimate update or something new for me then I will buy it! I have an Intel 2 Core Duo processor because the benefit of owning it helps me. But do I want to buy songs I own or replace my existing DVD collection with HD DVDs? Hell no. That would require me to replace all of my DVD Players and my TVs. Or do I want to purchase Adobe Photoshop CS2 or Norton Anti-Virus – where little if any changes have been made? Hundreds of dollars. For what? I am a tech nut, but right now I do not see the benefits of such a huge investment. Link
Blu-Ray, HD DVD Backers Admit Disc-Encryption Format Bypassed
Published by Admin on at 1/28/2007 09:35:00 PM.
A consortium of movie studios and technology companies backing the encryption system for high-definition DVDs on Thursday confirmed that hackers have stolen "title keys" and used them to decrypt high-definition DVDs through flaws in DVD player software.
Both the title keys and a number of decrypted films have been posted on peer-to-peer Web sites for downloading and copying, a spokesman for the Advanced Access Content System (AACS) Licensing Authority said.
The large size of the files and the high cost of writable hi-def discs make large-scale copying of high-definition DVDs impractical, but the attacks on the new format echo the early days of illegal trafficking in music files, AACS spokesman Michael Ayers said on Thursday. Link
Both the title keys and a number of decrypted films have been posted on peer-to-peer Web sites for downloading and copying, a spokesman for the Advanced Access Content System (AACS) Licensing Authority said.
The large size of the files and the high cost of writable hi-def discs make large-scale copying of high-definition DVDs impractical, but the attacks on the new format echo the early days of illegal trafficking in music files, AACS spokesman Michael Ayers said on Thursday. Link
Build a custom Vista install DVD with vLite
Published by Admin on at 1/28/2007 09:34:00 PM.
Thanks to the new Windows Image Format (WIM) which forms the basis of Vista installation media, Windows Vista is definitely the most scalable and flexible version of Windows yet from an installation perspective – incredibly easy to modify and deploy.
Most deployment/installation scenarios are really only useful for businesses who need to image up multiple machines on a regular basis. However, the benefits of WIM are available for home users as well.
I don’t know anyone who uses all the Windows defaults, or keeps all the installed programs.
So far with performing many installations of Vista, the first thing I’ve done is disabled the Sidebar and UAC. I’m never going to use them, so why install them?
That’s where vLite comes in. Created by Dino Nuhagic, the creator of nLite, vLite lets you customise Vista pre-installation, and create a bootable DVD with all the modifications in place.
Depending on which version of Vista you are working with and how much content you strip out, vLite will create a Vista install which fits onto a CD-R. Link
Most deployment/installation scenarios are really only useful for businesses who need to image up multiple machines on a regular basis. However, the benefits of WIM are available for home users as well.
I don’t know anyone who uses all the Windows defaults, or keeps all the installed programs.
So far with performing many installations of Vista, the first thing I’ve done is disabled the Sidebar and UAC. I’m never going to use them, so why install them?
That’s where vLite comes in. Created by Dino Nuhagic, the creator of nLite, vLite lets you customise Vista pre-installation, and create a bootable DVD with all the modifications in place.
Depending on which version of Vista you are working with and how much content you strip out, vLite will create a Vista install which fits onto a CD-R. Link
Lite-On preps a 20X Serial ATA DVD burner
Published by Admin on at 1/28/2007 09:33:00 PM.
The fastest recordable DVD media out there is generally rated for 16X, but that hasn't stopped a number of DVD burner manufacturers from releasing drives capable of higher burn speeds. According to a report by The Inquirer, Lite-On will soon introduce a burner that's not only rated for a maximum speed of 20X, but also uses a Serial ATA interface instead of IDE. The drive will be called the LH-20A1S, and it will come out in mid-February at a U.K. price of £32. If one takes out the British value added tax, that price should be equivalent to around $52 in the U.S. Link
Is The Real Danger To DVD Rentals Video On Demand?
Published by Admin on 23.1.07 at 1/23/2007 10:23:00 PM.
There’s been a lot of talk lately about Netflix (NFLX) and Blockbuster (BBI) are threatened by the rise of downloadable video on the Internet. Netflix has even unveiled plans for a streaming video service of its own. But according to Craig Moffett of Bernstein Research, the real challenge to the DVD rental business could be from a technology that’s been around for years: video on demand.
In a long research report today, Moffett makes the case that the cable industry and the movie studios alike could be big beneficiaries from growing consumer acceptance of video on demand. He notes that a key development to making that happen is “a dramatic shortening of traditional VOD release windows,” the time period in which movies are made available for sales or rental on DVD, but before they are released for digital distribution. Moffett says cable operators are experimenting with earlier windows, “reflecting an urgent desire on the part of the studios to experiment with alternative distribution venues, and to maximize rental margins in the face of slowing DVD sales growth.”
Moffett notes that Comcast (CMCSA) has been experimenting in two markets - Pittsburgh and Denver - with five major studios offering movies on demand on the same day they are released on DVD. Time Warner Cable (TWX) is doing a similar experiment in Greensboro, N.C., where it is also trying out a new “virtual video store” with more than 2,000 titles available for rent, about the same number in the average Blockbuster store, according to Moffett.
Moffett notes that the economics are far more favorable to the studios for VOD than for physical rentals. He says that in a rental model, revenues are split 70/30 in favor of the retailer; in a VOD model, the revenue split is 60/40 in favor of the studio.
One issue that concerns the studios is the possibility that earlier availability of VOD release could reduce DVD sales, which are more profitable than either form of rental. But given how much more profitable the VOD model is for the studios than the DVD rental model, he says, the math still works: he calculates that in a world in which 50% of DVD rentals shifted to VOD, the studios would have to lose more than 10% of their DVD sales before they would offset the added profits from increased VOD rentals. Link
In a long research report today, Moffett makes the case that the cable industry and the movie studios alike could be big beneficiaries from growing consumer acceptance of video on demand. He notes that a key development to making that happen is “a dramatic shortening of traditional VOD release windows,” the time period in which movies are made available for sales or rental on DVD, but before they are released for digital distribution. Moffett says cable operators are experimenting with earlier windows, “reflecting an urgent desire on the part of the studios to experiment with alternative distribution venues, and to maximize rental margins in the face of slowing DVD sales growth.”
Moffett notes that Comcast (CMCSA) has been experimenting in two markets - Pittsburgh and Denver - with five major studios offering movies on demand on the same day they are released on DVD. Time Warner Cable (TWX) is doing a similar experiment in Greensboro, N.C., where it is also trying out a new “virtual video store” with more than 2,000 titles available for rent, about the same number in the average Blockbuster store, according to Moffett.
Moffett notes that the economics are far more favorable to the studios for VOD than for physical rentals. He says that in a rental model, revenues are split 70/30 in favor of the retailer; in a VOD model, the revenue split is 60/40 in favor of the studio.
One issue that concerns the studios is the possibility that earlier availability of VOD release could reduce DVD sales, which are more profitable than either form of rental. But given how much more profitable the VOD model is for the studios than the DVD rental model, he says, the math still works: he calculates that in a world in which 50% of DVD rentals shifted to VOD, the studios would have to lose more than 10% of their DVD sales before they would offset the added profits from increased VOD rentals. Link
Toshiba Qosmio G30/97A Laptop with HD DVD-R burner
Published by Admin on at 1/23/2007 10:22:00 PM.
Toshiba offers the Qosmio G30/97A notebook PC. The Toshiba Qosmio G30/97A is probably the first laptop to have HD DVD-R burner and it is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 1GB RAM, dual 160GB Hard drives.
The Qosmio G30/97A has a nVidia GeForce Go 7600 graphics, a TV Tuner, a 17-inch Wide LCD screen, WiFi 802.11a/b/g and a card reader. For I/O, it has USB, Firewire, VGA, S/PDIF and also HDMI. Link
The Qosmio G30/97A has a nVidia GeForce Go 7600 graphics, a TV Tuner, a 17-inch Wide LCD screen, WiFi 802.11a/b/g and a card reader. For I/O, it has USB, Firewire, VGA, S/PDIF and also HDMI. Link
VidaBox roll Blu-ray, HD DVD, and CableCARD into one
Published by Admin on at 1/23/2007 10:21:00 PM.
For those of you with lots of cash and no time to wait to see who emerges from the Blu-ray vs HD DVD battle, VidaBox offers a complete home media system right out of the box.
The latest bundle in its range integrates Blu-ray and HD DVD drives with a CableCARD, which has dual internal digital cable receivers.
In addition, it stores more than 3TB of RAID-5 disks so you can keep your digital movies on file.
The CableCARD is obtained from a cable TV provider, and lets you record HD digital channels, two different ones at the same time while watching another. Link
The latest bundle in its range integrates Blu-ray and HD DVD drives with a CableCARD, which has dual internal digital cable receivers.
In addition, it stores more than 3TB of RAID-5 disks so you can keep your digital movies on file.
The CableCARD is obtained from a cable TV provider, and lets you record HD digital channels, two different ones at the same time while watching another. Link
How to: Xbox HD-DVD on your PC
Published by Admin on at 1/23/2007 10:21:00 PM.
Top 5 tips: Using the XBox HD DVD drive on a PC
1 Microsoft’s HD DVD drive for the Xbox 360 connects to the console’s USB 2 port. So does this mean it could also work on PCs? You betcha! Well, ahem, with the usual work-arounds anyway. Here’s what you need to enjoy the cheapest HD DVD option for PCs so far.
2 First things first: connect the HD DVD drive to a USB 2 port on your PC and it’ll detect new hardware. If you’re running Windows XP, it’ll then ask for drivers for a ‘memory controller’ – just select the option to look on Windows Update. If you’re running Windows Vista, it’ll just work fine.
3 You might now be able to read discs, but to watch HD DVD movies you’ll need special playback software. The latest version of PowerDVD ultra will do the trick, but it’ll cost you about £60 to download from www.cyberlink.com. Still cheaper than an HD DVD player though.
4 Ok, so you’ve got the drive working and the right movie software, but for smooth HD playback you’ll also need a decent graphics card which has ‘H.264’ acceleration. Most modern graphics cards will do the trick, but remember to also download and install the latest drivers for it.
5 The final link in the chain is support for HDCP protection in both your graphics card and monitor or TV – this is necessary for a digital DVI or HDMI connection, although you might be ok if you’re using an analogue VGA connection. If it all sounds like too much hard work though, just connect the drive to an XBox 360 console, sit back and enjoy the movie.
Q Can the Evesham iPlayer really tune into HD TV broadcasts? Josh Kane
A It sure can Josh, so long as you live in London or within range of one of the capital’s transmitters. The High Definition Freeview trial (which was still being broadcast in London at the time of writing) can be received, viewed and recorded using the iPlayer. Hopefully the trial will become a full nationwide service in the future, but this could be some time off yet. In the meantime, if you live outside of London, the iPlayer still works fine as a normal Freeview PVR – and if you’re ever visiting friends in London, just bring the iPlayer with you, tune it into their transmitter and leave it recording loads of lovely HD shows to take back home with you! Link
1 Microsoft’s HD DVD drive for the Xbox 360 connects to the console’s USB 2 port. So does this mean it could also work on PCs? You betcha! Well, ahem, with the usual work-arounds anyway. Here’s what you need to enjoy the cheapest HD DVD option for PCs so far.
2 First things first: connect the HD DVD drive to a USB 2 port on your PC and it’ll detect new hardware. If you’re running Windows XP, it’ll then ask for drivers for a ‘memory controller’ – just select the option to look on Windows Update. If you’re running Windows Vista, it’ll just work fine.
3 You might now be able to read discs, but to watch HD DVD movies you’ll need special playback software. The latest version of PowerDVD ultra will do the trick, but it’ll cost you about £60 to download from www.cyberlink.com. Still cheaper than an HD DVD player though.
4 Ok, so you’ve got the drive working and the right movie software, but for smooth HD playback you’ll also need a decent graphics card which has ‘H.264’ acceleration. Most modern graphics cards will do the trick, but remember to also download and install the latest drivers for it.
5 The final link in the chain is support for HDCP protection in both your graphics card and monitor or TV – this is necessary for a digital DVI or HDMI connection, although you might be ok if you’re using an analogue VGA connection. If it all sounds like too much hard work though, just connect the drive to an XBox 360 console, sit back and enjoy the movie.
Q Can the Evesham iPlayer really tune into HD TV broadcasts? Josh Kane
A It sure can Josh, so long as you live in London or within range of one of the capital’s transmitters. The High Definition Freeview trial (which was still being broadcast in London at the time of writing) can be received, viewed and recorded using the iPlayer. Hopefully the trial will become a full nationwide service in the future, but this could be some time off yet. In the meantime, if you live outside of London, the iPlayer still works fine as a normal Freeview PVR – and if you’re ever visiting friends in London, just bring the iPlayer with you, tune it into their transmitter and leave it recording loads of lovely HD shows to take back home with you! Link
Plextor Set to Exit CD and DVD Drive Consumer Market
Published by Admin on at 1/23/2007 10:20:00 PM.
Pressured with competition by Korean and Taiwanese makers of optical disk drives for over five years, Sninano Kenshi, which is best known for its electronic equipment division and printing equipment division’s Plextor brand-name, has reportedly decided to exit the market of consumer CD and DVD optical disk drives (ODDs) to concentrate on other product lines.
Shinano Kenshi, according to the article at Shinmai.co.jp Japanese web-site, is planning a serious reorganization of its domestic business, including layoffs. As a part of the reorganization, the production of optical disk drives (ODDs) will be reduced to “10% of the peak production levels” and the company will concentrate its business on industrial equipment and the Plextalk digital sound recording playback equipment for blind, the article says. Link
Shinano Kenshi, according to the article at Shinmai.co.jp Japanese web-site, is planning a serious reorganization of its domestic business, including layoffs. As a part of the reorganization, the production of optical disk drives (ODDs) will be reduced to “10% of the peak production levels” and the company will concentrate its business on industrial equipment and the Plextalk digital sound recording playback equipment for blind, the article says. Link
JVC launches 5 Everio HDD camcorders and PC-less DVD writer
Published by Admin on at 1/23/2007 10:19:00 PM.
We first caught wind of JVC's new line-up of Everios at CES. However, in the product onslaught to come, we somehow overlooked their new line-up of hard disk drive-based video cameras and accessories hitting Japan in February and destined for the US shores and beyond. So taking a step back, we bring you five new Everios: the GZ-MG575 (pictured) , GZ-MG555, GZ-MG275, GZ-MG255, and GZ-MG155.
All five models pack a single CCD as opposed to the trio of sensors found in their MG505 and GZ-HD7 hi-def cam. That cut in quality comes at a discounted price though. The 40GB MG575 (¥140,000 / $1,155) and 30GB MG555 (¥130,000 / $1,072) both feature a 5.37 megapixel CCD (for 4 megapixel videos or 5 megapixel stills), 10x optical zoom lens, 2.7-inch LCD, and built-in LED light.
The 40GB MG275 (¥120,000 / $990) and 30GB MG255 (¥110,000 / $907) take things down a notch with a 2.18 megapixel CCD (for 1.23 megapixel videos or 2 megapixel stills) and 10x optical zoom. Bringing up the rear is the 30GB MG155 which costs ¥90,000 (about $742) and touts a wee 1.07 megapixel CCD and monster 32x optical zoom. Link
All five models pack a single CCD as opposed to the trio of sensors found in their MG505 and GZ-HD7 hi-def cam. That cut in quality comes at a discounted price though. The 40GB MG575 (¥140,000 / $1,155) and 30GB MG555 (¥130,000 / $1,072) both feature a 5.37 megapixel CCD (for 4 megapixel videos or 5 megapixel stills), 10x optical zoom lens, 2.7-inch LCD, and built-in LED light.
The 40GB MG275 (¥120,000 / $990) and 30GB MG255 (¥110,000 / $907) take things down a notch with a 2.18 megapixel CCD (for 1.23 megapixel videos or 2 megapixel stills) and 10x optical zoom. Bringing up the rear is the 30GB MG155 which costs ¥90,000 (about $742) and touts a wee 1.07 megapixel CCD and monster 32x optical zoom. Link
HD DVD players to go below $500 in 2007?
Published by Admin on at 1/23/2007 10:18:00 PM.
HD DVD players may enter a much more affordable market towards the end of this year, with some manufacturers claiming that we could see sub-$500 units. Most of it is speculation, driven by lowered cost for components like chipsets as time goes on, and a reduction in units coming off the line dead. It isn't too far off, given that some players can now be had for $600, such as from Toshiba. Link
Sony says no to blue movies on Blu-ray, so will HD DVD win?
Published by Admin on at 1/23/2007 10:17:00 PM.
The legendary battle between Betamax and VHS tapes were said to be decided on two things – the first being the cheaper licensing costs for VHS technology from JVC, the second being that Sony didn’t want porn to be distributed on Betamax tapes.
We all know that VHS won in the consumer space, while Betamax was relegated to professional use only – where it is still in wide use today, especially in TV production circles, despite the consumer move towards hard disk drives and DVD discs to record video.
So while Betamax may well have lost in the battle for the hearts and minds of consumers, Sony has been making oodles of cash from the Betamax format. From this point of view, Betamax wasn’t such a loser after all – especially with the prices for professional equipment being so much more expensive that consumer equipment.
Now the same story seems to be playing out in the Blu-ray and HD DVD battle, with the final chapter still far off into the future. Sony is once again refusing to allow any of its factories to press Blu-ray discs that feature blue movies (adult content), but according to an article at PC Magazine, the vice chair of the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA), Marty Gordon, said that there is no specific anti-porn mandate regarding adult content on Blu-ray disc.
In a statement earlier this week, PC Mag quotes Gordon saying that: “There is not a prohibition against adult content. The BDA is an open organization that welcomes the participation of all companies interested in using and supporting the format, including those that represent the full spectrum of genres in the content industry.”
But beyond Sony’s opposition, the biggest reason for no adult content on Blu-ray disc is the massive cost of pressing a glass master, from which other Blu-ray discs are pressed. The cost is said to be US $25,000 – and if the glass master doesn’t burn properly, you’ve lost your money. Link
We all know that VHS won in the consumer space, while Betamax was relegated to professional use only – where it is still in wide use today, especially in TV production circles, despite the consumer move towards hard disk drives and DVD discs to record video.
So while Betamax may well have lost in the battle for the hearts and minds of consumers, Sony has been making oodles of cash from the Betamax format. From this point of view, Betamax wasn’t such a loser after all – especially with the prices for professional equipment being so much more expensive that consumer equipment.
Now the same story seems to be playing out in the Blu-ray and HD DVD battle, with the final chapter still far off into the future. Sony is once again refusing to allow any of its factories to press Blu-ray discs that feature blue movies (adult content), but according to an article at PC Magazine, the vice chair of the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA), Marty Gordon, said that there is no specific anti-porn mandate regarding adult content on Blu-ray disc.
In a statement earlier this week, PC Mag quotes Gordon saying that: “There is not a prohibition against adult content. The BDA is an open organization that welcomes the participation of all companies interested in using and supporting the format, including those that represent the full spectrum of genres in the content industry.”
But beyond Sony’s opposition, the biggest reason for no adult content on Blu-ray disc is the massive cost of pressing a glass master, from which other Blu-ray discs are pressed. The cost is said to be US $25,000 – and if the glass master doesn’t burn properly, you’ve lost your money. Link
First HD-DVD film appears on BitTorrent
Published by Admin on at 1/23/2007 10:16:00 PM.
A high-definition format movie has made its way onto BitTorrent. A pirated copy of the hit science fiction movie Serenity has been ripped from a HD DVD disc and made available to users of the popular P2P file sharing protocol.
The availability of the movie, which weighs in at a chunky 19.6GB and comes as a .EVO file compressed using the MPEG-4 VC-1, follows news a month ago that hackers had succeeded in defeating the AACS copy-protection technology used in HD DVD format discs. A Java-based software package called BackupHDDVD, developed by a programmer known only as Muslix64, is designed to allow users to backup next generation discs. Link
The availability of the movie, which weighs in at a chunky 19.6GB and comes as a .EVO file compressed using the MPEG-4 VC-1, follows news a month ago that hackers had succeeded in defeating the AACS copy-protection technology used in HD DVD format discs. A Java-based software package called BackupHDDVD, developed by a programmer known only as Muslix64, is designed to allow users to backup next generation discs. Link
NEC unveils latest high-def DVD chipsets
Published by Admin on at 1/23/2007 10:16:00 PM.
NEC Electronics has introduced its newest generation of high performance system Large Scale Integration chips for digital consumer applications such as DVD players and recorders that handle the processing of next-generation DVD content.
NEC's Enhanced MultiMedia Architecture (Emma) series incorporates all the functions in a single chip necessary to process images, sound and graphics in high-definition DVD players.
The platform can process compression formats such as MPEG2, H.264 and VC-1, and offers support for high-level applications by way of two built-in CPUs.
The Emma 3 model is already used in HD-DVD players sold by Toshiba such as the HD-XA2 and HD-A2 in North America, the HD-XA2 and HD-XF2 in Japan, as well as other players designed for Europe and Australia.
Over 20 types of Emma products have been delivered to 50 companies in 12 different countries to date, with shipments totalling 30 million units. Link
NEC's Enhanced MultiMedia Architecture (Emma) series incorporates all the functions in a single chip necessary to process images, sound and graphics in high-definition DVD players.
The platform can process compression formats such as MPEG2, H.264 and VC-1, and offers support for high-level applications by way of two built-in CPUs.
The Emma 3 model is already used in HD-DVD players sold by Toshiba such as the HD-XA2 and HD-A2 in North America, the HD-XA2 and HD-XF2 in Japan, as well as other players designed for Europe and Australia.
Over 20 types of Emma products have been delivered to 50 companies in 12 different countries to date, with shipments totalling 30 million units. Link
Computer hackers poke another hole in HD DVD's armor
Published by Admin on at 1/23/2007 10:15:00 PM.
The 2005 science fiction film "Serenity" portrayed a ragtag crew of space pirates fighting to unravel the mysteries of their galaxy.
Reality may have mimicked fiction last weekend as a loosely knit coalition of hackers around the world defeated the antipiracy software protecting several high-resolution movies in the HD DVD format. They then began distributing copies of films — starting with "Serenity" by Universal Pictures — using BitTorrent, a popular file-sharing tool.
The move could send the technology companies behind the new wave of advanced DVDs scrambling back to the drawing board to improve their copy protection, and prompt Hollywood studios to rethink their alliances in the war between the HD DVD and Blu- ray formats.
The HD DVD standard is backed by Toshiba, Microsoft and Intel and uses copy protection technology known as the Advanced Access Content System. The rival Blu-ray format, supported by Sony, Hewlett-Packard and Dell, uses the same system but adds a level of software that acts as a backup when the first level is compromised, so it is considered to be slightly more secure. Link
Reality may have mimicked fiction last weekend as a loosely knit coalition of hackers around the world defeated the antipiracy software protecting several high-resolution movies in the HD DVD format. They then began distributing copies of films — starting with "Serenity" by Universal Pictures — using BitTorrent, a popular file-sharing tool.
The move could send the technology companies behind the new wave of advanced DVDs scrambling back to the drawing board to improve their copy protection, and prompt Hollywood studios to rethink their alliances in the war between the HD DVD and Blu- ray formats.
The HD DVD standard is backed by Toshiba, Microsoft and Intel and uses copy protection technology known as the Advanced Access Content System. The rival Blu-ray format, supported by Sony, Hewlett-Packard and Dell, uses the same system but adds a level of software that acts as a backup when the first level is compromised, so it is considered to be slightly more secure. Link
LG BH100 HD DVD / Blu-ray hybrid player in the wild and on sale
Published by Admin on at 1/23/2007 10:13:00 PM.
Whoa, that was quick. The story of LG's BH100 has moved from myth to reality quicker than some companies can even craft a marketing campaign, and astoundingly enough, the hybrid HD DVD / Blu-ray player has not only been captured on camera, but it's available for sale.
You read right, LG's $1,199 harmony machine is apparently already leaking into a few CompUSA locations, and although we didn't know how its inability to play back HDi would effect the release status, we're now seeing that it beat the February 4th presumptions by a solid two weeks, and although it clearly lacks an "official" HD DVD logo, it seemed to handle The Hulk just fine. So if you just can't hold back your desire for a two-faced player any longer, and can track down a stocked CompUSA location, you can pick up your very own BH100 starting today. Click on through for a few more sneak peeks, and be sure to hit the read link for the full skinny. Link
You read right, LG's $1,199 harmony machine is apparently already leaking into a few CompUSA locations, and although we didn't know how its inability to play back HDi would effect the release status, we're now seeing that it beat the February 4th presumptions by a solid two weeks, and although it clearly lacks an "official" HD DVD logo, it seemed to handle The Hulk just fine. So if you just can't hold back your desire for a two-faced player any longer, and can track down a stocked CompUSA location, you can pick up your very own BH100 starting today. Click on through for a few more sneak peeks, and be sure to hit the read link for the full skinny. Link
Toshiba expects to ship 1.8M HD DVD players in 2007
Published by Admin on at 1/23/2007 10:13:00 PM.
New movie releases, more market entrants, improved technology and1.8 million HD DVD players from Toshiba Corp.are the weapons companies plan to use in the format battle against rival Blu-ray Disc this year, executives said Sunday.
Members of a trade group promoting the high-definition video format HD DVD said that at least 360 new movies will be released on HD DVD this year, including the "Harry Potter" movies, the "Matrix" series, the "Sopranos" television series and classics such as "Bladerunner" and digitally remastered episodes from the original "Star Trek" television series.
By the end of 2007, there will be 600 movies available for users with an HD DVD player or drive, said Craig Kornblau, president of Universal Studios Home Entertainment,at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
Several new companies will also release their first HD DVD players or drives this year, executives said, including Alco Holdings Ltd. of China, Lite-On IT Corp. of Taiwan and Japan's Alpine Electronics Inc., with an HD DVD player for cars
But many of the biggest announcements of the day came from Toshiba Corp., the developer of the HD DVD format. The Japanese electronics giant will release the next generation of its HD DVD players this year, including the HD A20 HD DVD player announced earlier on Sunday.
The vendor will also add a huge number of total players shipped in North America alone, 1.8 million, said Yoshihide Fujii, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Toshiba's digital media network company.
"This is a very conservative figure," he said.
In addition, the HD DVD trade group expects revenue for HD DVD players, drives and discs in North America this year to top US$600 million, said Kornblau.
Sales of HD DVD players during the recent winter holidays were stellar, with Microsoft Corp. selling out of the HD DVD drives it built for its Xbox 360 game consoles.
"Demand well outpaced the supply we could produce last year," said Amir Majidimehr, corporate vice president of the Consumer Media Technology Group at Microsoft.
Toshiba also announced new improvements to HD DVD technology that will greatly increase its storage capacity. The company said it developed a triple-layer HD DVD-ROM (read only memory) disc that can hold 51G bytes of data on a single-sided disc, a huge advance over current discs. Toshiba was able to increase the capacity by enabling each of three layers on a disc to store 17G bytes of data. The vendor aims to gain approval for the new disc by the DVD Forum this year. Link
Members of a trade group promoting the high-definition video format HD DVD said that at least 360 new movies will be released on HD DVD this year, including the "Harry Potter" movies, the "Matrix" series, the "Sopranos" television series and classics such as "Bladerunner" and digitally remastered episodes from the original "Star Trek" television series.
By the end of 2007, there will be 600 movies available for users with an HD DVD player or drive, said Craig Kornblau, president of Universal Studios Home Entertainment,at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
Several new companies will also release their first HD DVD players or drives this year, executives said, including Alco Holdings Ltd. of China, Lite-On IT Corp. of Taiwan and Japan's Alpine Electronics Inc., with an HD DVD player for cars
But many of the biggest announcements of the day came from Toshiba Corp., the developer of the HD DVD format. The Japanese electronics giant will release the next generation of its HD DVD players this year, including the HD A20 HD DVD player announced earlier on Sunday.
The vendor will also add a huge number of total players shipped in North America alone, 1.8 million, said Yoshihide Fujii, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Toshiba's digital media network company.
"This is a very conservative figure," he said.
In addition, the HD DVD trade group expects revenue for HD DVD players, drives and discs in North America this year to top US$600 million, said Kornblau.
Sales of HD DVD players during the recent winter holidays were stellar, with Microsoft Corp. selling out of the HD DVD drives it built for its Xbox 360 game consoles.
"Demand well outpaced the supply we could produce last year," said Amir Majidimehr, corporate vice president of the Consumer Media Technology Group at Microsoft.
Toshiba also announced new improvements to HD DVD technology that will greatly increase its storage capacity. The company said it developed a triple-layer HD DVD-ROM (read only memory) disc that can hold 51G bytes of data on a single-sided disc, a huge advance over current discs. Toshiba was able to increase the capacity by enabling each of three layers on a disc to store 17G bytes of data. The vendor aims to gain approval for the new disc by the DVD Forum this year. Link
Toshiba Unsure Whether 51 GB HD DVD Works in Existing Players
Published by Admin on at 1/23/2007 10:07:00 PM.
A spokesperson for Toshiba of America told BetaNews late yesterday that the company is still researching whether a new, three-layer HD DVD disc format it may propose -- the existence of which was carefully leaked at last week's CES -- will work in the first generation on HD DVD players, including its own.
"Since the disc is not standardized yet," the spokesperson told BetaNews, "we are researching whether it is applicable to the current HD DVD players."
Toshiba representatives apparently handed out press releases to a few journalists last week who probably noticed a "51 GB" label on some of its display discs, and asked what it meant. Independent journalist Henning Molbaek of DVDTown.com was one of them, publishing as soon as January 9 what many sources were only learning a whole week later.
The capability for HD DVD -- as well as Blu-ray -- to implement three layers on one side has been written into the specifications since the format's inception. But the fact that each layer is limited to 17 GB, rather than the 25 GB per layer that's possible with dual-layer blue-laser discs, may be an indication that a three-layer format such as the one Warner Bros. patented last year may not have been feasible with older or existing blue-laser players after all. Link
"Since the disc is not standardized yet," the spokesperson told BetaNews, "we are researching whether it is applicable to the current HD DVD players."
Toshiba representatives apparently handed out press releases to a few journalists last week who probably noticed a "51 GB" label on some of its display discs, and asked what it meant. Independent journalist Henning Molbaek of DVDTown.com was one of them, publishing as soon as January 9 what many sources were only learning a whole week later.
The capability for HD DVD -- as well as Blu-ray -- to implement three layers on one side has been written into the specifications since the format's inception. But the fact that each layer is limited to 17 GB, rather than the 25 GB per layer that's possible with dual-layer blue-laser discs, may be an indication that a three-layer format such as the one Warner Bros. patented last year may not have been feasible with older or existing blue-laser players after all. Link
Porn Industry Gives HD-DVD Preference Over Blu-ray
Published by Admin on 13.1.07 at 1/13/2007 09:02:00 PM.
With the AVN Adult Expo coinciding with CES (I guess because geeks particulary like porn) a general conscenous was apparent that the porn industry are putting thier weight behind HD-DVD. Unlike the regular film industry that has more levels of delivery (typically Cinema, then DVD/Video, then subscription movie channels, then main stream TV) the porn industry’s output is exclusively distributed on home video and to a certain extent pay per view TV.
This was cited as one of the main reasons, particulary in America where there is a massive market for porn for VHS triumphing over Betamax as the porn industry prefered VHS. In recent times DVD has become to format of choice for everything, porn included and as we move into the era of High Definition the porn industry have not been slow to embrace the new technology and HD-DVD is the clear winner in thier eyes. It mainly comes down to economics, Blu-ray is potentially superior (at least in terms of storage space) but it’s costs are prohibative whereas HD-DVD is cheaper to produce and can be replicated as well as already having a larger user base thanks to stronger sales of players and the popularity of the Xbox 360 HD-DVD drive. Link
This was cited as one of the main reasons, particulary in America where there is a massive market for porn for VHS triumphing over Betamax as the porn industry prefered VHS. In recent times DVD has become to format of choice for everything, porn included and as we move into the era of High Definition the porn industry have not been slow to embrace the new technology and HD-DVD is the clear winner in thier eyes. It mainly comes down to economics, Blu-ray is potentially superior (at least in terms of storage space) but it’s costs are prohibative whereas HD-DVD is cheaper to produce and can be replicated as well as already having a larger user base thanks to stronger sales of players and the popularity of the Xbox 360 HD-DVD drive. Link
Ritek boasting ten-layer HD DVD / Blu-ray discs?
Published by Admin on at 1/13/2007 09:01:00 PM.
Forget single-layer media, that dual-layer stuff that was all the rage last year, and even the triple-layered flavor that got announced just days ago. Heck, even an eight-layer disc would be forced to bow down to the sure-to-be-outdone-soon ten-layer rendition supposedly crafted by Ritek.
No sooner than we all celebrated the idea of a 51GB HD DVD, Ritek has reportedly "designed HD media with a full ten layers," not to mention the supposed three- and four-layer coasters it has laying around while working its way up. As if that weren't impressive enough, it also claims that this multi-layer process can be applied to both HD DVD and Blu-ray, a feat that Toshiba's recent creation can't quite compete with. Link
No sooner than we all celebrated the idea of a 51GB HD DVD, Ritek has reportedly "designed HD media with a full ten layers," not to mention the supposed three- and four-layer coasters it has laying around while working its way up. As if that weren't impressive enough, it also claims that this multi-layer process can be applied to both HD DVD and Blu-ray, a feat that Toshiba's recent creation can't quite compete with. Link
How the terabyte drive could end the DVD wars
Published by Admin on at 1/13/2007 09:00:00 PM.
Let joy be unconfined! Hitachi has announced that it will introduce, in the next three months, a one-terabyte drive for desktop computers. Just to expand, that's one thousand gigabytes of storage, which you'll be able to buy for about $400 in the US (and, if experience is any guide, £400 in the UK), or about 40c/GB. Seagate plans a similar 1TB delight by the summer.
In a roundabout way, their arrival will help determine which of the high-definition DVD formats wins out. Now, some might ask "what could one possibly do with 1,000GB of storage?" The answer: whatever you like. The blossoming of online video means more and more big files to store, and nowhere to keep them unless we burn them to CD or, increasingly, DVD. With a 1TB drive, we'll be able to store camcorder footage, or those clips of the cat on the toilet off YouTube, and watch them when we like. Link
In a roundabout way, their arrival will help determine which of the high-definition DVD formats wins out. Now, some might ask "what could one possibly do with 1,000GB of storage?" The answer: whatever you like. The blossoming of online video means more and more big files to store, and nowhere to keep them unless we burn them to CD or, increasingly, DVD. With a 1TB drive, we'll be able to store camcorder footage, or those clips of the cat on the toilet off YouTube, and watch them when we like. Link
LG's Blu-ray/HD DVD Player May Never See the Light of Day
Published by Admin on at 1/13/2007 08:59:00 PM.
LG's hybrid Blu-ray HD DVD will not receive certification without support for iHD
While it's commendable that LG took the time to develop a standalone player that can playback both Blu-ray and HD DVD content, it should be noted that the company will not be able to sell the player to the public in its current form according to BetaNews. LG's BH100 player has no trouble conforming to all of the specifications of the Blu-ray disc standard, but it does not, however, conform to the iHD feature used in HD DVD discs.
iHD or "interactive High Definition" provides interactive features for HD DVDs. In other words, the BH100 will be able to play HD DVD movies just fine, but all interactive menus and special features (PIP, bookmarks, downloads/updates) will be unavailable to the customer.
Because of this omission, the BH100 will not receive certification from the DVD Forum -- and without certification, that means that the player cannot be advertised and sold as an HD DVD player.
While it's commendable that LG took the time to develop a standalone player that can playback both Blu-ray and HD DVD content, it should be noted that the company will not be able to sell the player to the public in its current form according to BetaNews. LG's BH100 player has no trouble conforming to all of the specifications of the Blu-ray disc standard, but it does not, however, conform to the iHD feature used in HD DVD discs.
iHD or "interactive High Definition" provides interactive features for HD DVDs. In other words, the BH100 will be able to play HD DVD movies just fine, but all interactive menus and special features (PIP, bookmarks, downloads/updates) will be unavailable to the customer.
Because of this omission, the BH100 will not receive certification from the DVD Forum -- and without certification, that means that the player cannot be advertised and sold as an HD DVD player.
Vista will not play High Quality Blu-Ray/HD-DVD
Published by Admin on at 1/13/2007 08:58:00 PM.
Microsoft has been forced to acknowledge that a substantial number of PCs running the new version of its Windows operating system will not be able to play high-quality DVDs.
The Vista system will be available to consumers at the end of the month. However, in an interview with The Times, one of its chief architects said that because of anti-piracy protection granted to the Hollywood studios, Vista would not play HD-DVD and Blu-ray Discs on certain PCs.
Dave Marsh, the lead program manager for video at Microsoft, said that if the PC used a digital connection to link with the monitor or television, then it would require the highest level of content protection, known as HDCP, to play the discs. If it did not have such protection, Vista would shut down the signal, he said.
The admission will be a blow to Microsoft, which is hoping that more users will turn to their PCs for watching films and other content.
According to DSG International, which owns PC World, about 15 per cent of PCs sold at present in Britain use digital connections, but that number is expected to grow.
Virtually none of the PCs that use a digital connection have HDCP. “It’s up to the content providers to set the level of protection that Vista applies, but they’re likely to be pretty firm on the need to use high-definition content protection [HDCP] when using a digital connection,” Mr Marsh said. “At the moment HD DVD and Blu-ray Discs certainly require such protection.”
Mr Marsh added that computers with built-in HDCP protection — which could play such discs — were being phased in, but that, in the meantime, Microsoft was obliged to ensure that the studios’ content was being used securely.
Computers using an analog connection will not be affected and the requirement does not apply to regular DVDs. Link
The Vista system will be available to consumers at the end of the month. However, in an interview with The Times, one of its chief architects said that because of anti-piracy protection granted to the Hollywood studios, Vista would not play HD-DVD and Blu-ray Discs on certain PCs.
Dave Marsh, the lead program manager for video at Microsoft, said that if the PC used a digital connection to link with the monitor or television, then it would require the highest level of content protection, known as HDCP, to play the discs. If it did not have such protection, Vista would shut down the signal, he said.
The admission will be a blow to Microsoft, which is hoping that more users will turn to their PCs for watching films and other content.
According to DSG International, which owns PC World, about 15 per cent of PCs sold at present in Britain use digital connections, but that number is expected to grow.
Virtually none of the PCs that use a digital connection have HDCP. “It’s up to the content providers to set the level of protection that Vista applies, but they’re likely to be pretty firm on the need to use high-definition content protection [HDCP] when using a digital connection,” Mr Marsh said. “At the moment HD DVD and Blu-ray Discs certainly require such protection.”
Mr Marsh added that computers with built-in HDCP protection — which could play such discs — were being phased in, but that, in the meantime, Microsoft was obliged to ensure that the studios’ content was being used securely.
Computers using an analog connection will not be affected and the requirement does not apply to regular DVDs. Link
Verbatim Producing Dual Layer Blu-ray and HD DVD-R Media for the US Market
Published by Admin on at 1/13/2007 08:57:00 PM.
Verbatim has started producing 2X speed 50GB Dual Layer (DL) Blu-ray Recordable (BD-R) and Blu-ray Rewriteable (BD-RE) media, as well as dual-layer 30GB HD DVD-R media for shipment to the US market.
Blu-Ray Media
With the ability to store up to 50GB or about 4 hours of HD-quality video on a single disc without having to flip or change the disc, the new media offers distinct advantages for professional video production, business storage, backup, archiving, radio and television broadcast storage, education, banking, healthcare and government applications.
The innovative recording layers used for Verbatim/MKM BD-R and BD-RE DL media have exceptionally wide power margins. This makes Verbatim/MKM BD-R/RE DL media the best choice for critical applications because it ensures quality recording on the entire disc surface, regardless of drive power fluctuations or smudges on the disc surface. Developed with a high potential for writing at a higher speed, Verbatim/MKM is preparing to launch 4X BD-R both single and dual media in 2007. Link
Blu-Ray Media
With the ability to store up to 50GB or about 4 hours of HD-quality video on a single disc without having to flip or change the disc, the new media offers distinct advantages for professional video production, business storage, backup, archiving, radio and television broadcast storage, education, banking, healthcare and government applications.
The innovative recording layers used for Verbatim/MKM BD-R and BD-RE DL media have exceptionally wide power margins. This makes Verbatim/MKM BD-R/RE DL media the best choice for critical applications because it ensures quality recording on the entire disc surface, regardless of drive power fluctuations or smudges on the disc surface. Developed with a high potential for writing at a higher speed, Verbatim/MKM is preparing to launch 4X BD-R both single and dual media in 2007. Link
CES 2007: Sandisk's new lineup, including world's first flash DVD player
Published by Admin on at 1/13/2007 08:56:00 PM.
Sandisk have used CES as an excuse to launch a whole host of new memory devices. As well as new ultra-thin memory sticks for Sony Ericsson phones, a compact USB music player and sleek new 2gb+ flash drives (pictured), there are two products worth a special mention.
Sansa Connect is a 4gb MP3 player with Wi-Fi capability, allowing you to connect to music and photos from any internet hotspot. The device - set to hit the US market in March for $249.99 - will contain 'community features' via the internet for recommending new music and photos, and also comes with a micro SD slot. Link
Sansa Connect is a 4gb MP3 player with Wi-Fi capability, allowing you to connect to music and photos from any internet hotspot. The device - set to hit the US market in March for $249.99 - will contain 'community features' via the internet for recommending new music and photos, and also comes with a micro SD slot. Link
Toshiba expects to ship 1.8M HD DVD players in 2007
Published by Admin on at 1/13/2007 08:55:00 PM.
New movie releases, more market entrants, improved technology and 1.8 million HD DVD players from Toshiba Corp. are the weapons companies plan to use in the format battle against rival Blu-ray Disc this year, executives said Sunday.
Members of a trade group promoting the high-definition video format HD DVD said that at least 360 new movies will be released on HD DVD this year, including the "Harry Potter" movies, the "Matrix" series, the "Sopranos" television series and classics such as "Bladerunner" and digitally remastered episodes from the original "Star Trek" television series.
By the end of 2007, there will be 600 movies available for users with an HD DVD player or drive, said Craig Kornblau, president of Universal Studios Home Entertainment, at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
Several new companies will also release their first HD DVD players or drives this year, executives said, including Alco Holdings Ltd. of China, Lite-On IT Corp. of Taiwan and Japan's Alpine Electronics Inc., with an HD DVD player for cars
But many of the biggest announcements of the day came from Toshiba Corp., the developer of the HD DVD format. The Japanese electronics giant will release the next generation of its HD DVD players this year, including the HD A20 HD DVD player announced earlier on Sunday.
The vendor will also add a huge number of total players shipped in North America alone, 1.8 million, said Yoshihide Fujii, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Toshiba's digital media network company.
"This is a very conservative figure," he said.
In addition, the HD DVD trade group expects revenue for HD DVD players, drives and discs in North America this year to top US$600 million, said Kornblau.
Sales of HD DVD players during the recent winter holidays were stellar, with Microsoft Corp. selling out of the HD DVD drives it built for its
Xbox 360 game consoles.
"Demand well outpaced the supply we could produce last year," said Amir Majidimehr, corporate vice president of the Consumer Media Technology Group at Microsoft.
Toshiba also announced new improvements to HD DVD technology that will greatly increase its storage capacity. The company said it developed a triple-layer HD DVD-ROM (read only memory) disc that can hold 51G bytes of data on a single-sided disc, a huge advance over current discs. Toshiba was able to increase the capacity by enabling each of three layers on a disc to store 17G bytes of data. The vendor aims to gain approval for the new disc by the DVD Forum this year. Link
Members of a trade group promoting the high-definition video format HD DVD said that at least 360 new movies will be released on HD DVD this year, including the "Harry Potter" movies, the "Matrix" series, the "Sopranos" television series and classics such as "Bladerunner" and digitally remastered episodes from the original "Star Trek" television series.
By the end of 2007, there will be 600 movies available for users with an HD DVD player or drive, said Craig Kornblau, president of Universal Studios Home Entertainment, at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
Several new companies will also release their first HD DVD players or drives this year, executives said, including Alco Holdings Ltd. of China, Lite-On IT Corp. of Taiwan and Japan's Alpine Electronics Inc., with an HD DVD player for cars
But many of the biggest announcements of the day came from Toshiba Corp., the developer of the HD DVD format. The Japanese electronics giant will release the next generation of its HD DVD players this year, including the HD A20 HD DVD player announced earlier on Sunday.
The vendor will also add a huge number of total players shipped in North America alone, 1.8 million, said Yoshihide Fujii, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Toshiba's digital media network company.
"This is a very conservative figure," he said.
In addition, the HD DVD trade group expects revenue for HD DVD players, drives and discs in North America this year to top US$600 million, said Kornblau.
Sales of HD DVD players during the recent winter holidays were stellar, with Microsoft Corp. selling out of the HD DVD drives it built for its
Xbox 360 game consoles.
"Demand well outpaced the supply we could produce last year," said Amir Majidimehr, corporate vice president of the Consumer Media Technology Group at Microsoft.
Toshiba also announced new improvements to HD DVD technology that will greatly increase its storage capacity. The company said it developed a triple-layer HD DVD-ROM (read only memory) disc that can hold 51G bytes of data on a single-sided disc, a huge advance over current discs. Toshiba was able to increase the capacity by enabling each of three layers on a disc to store 17G bytes of data. The vendor aims to gain approval for the new disc by the DVD Forum this year. Link
Verbatim to Ship 30GB HD DVD-R DL
Published by Admin on at 1/13/2007 08:54:00 PM.
Storage capacities that is. Last week we heard about the first terabyte drive, today Verbatim and (its parent company) Mitsubishi Kagaku Media or MKM announced it will begin shipping a single-sided dual layer HD DVD-R that can store up to 30GB of data. Yes that's not typo its thirty gigabytes of data on a single disc.
Verbatim MKM promises that the new high-capacity discs will be available to customers in North America sometime in the first quarter of 2007. These discs were available in Japan since July of last year. Link
Verbatim MKM promises that the new high-capacity discs will be available to customers in North America sometime in the first quarter of 2007. These discs were available in Japan since July of last year. Link
To HD-DVD or not to HD-DVD?
Published by Admin on 7.1.07 at 1/07/2007 01:48:00 PM.
Many consumers have put off buying high-definition DVD players, wary of the battle between two competing formats. Now, some electronics hardware makers are hoping to make the question moot by rolling out machines that play movies in both.
The formats, known as HD-DVD and Blu-ray, have been duking it out to become the next-generation format of choice, each offering high-resolution video to match the HDTV sets that more families are buying.
But at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week, at least one hardware provider, LG Electronics Co., is expected to showcase DVD players that work with either technology. Hewlett-Packard Co. also will have products that support both formats in the marketplace this year. Others are expected to follow suit.
The news should come as a boon to consumers who are weighing which player to buy. While regular DVDs work on the new high-definition TV sets, DVD players specifically designed for HD offer exceptionally sharp pictures and more features.
But the burgeoning format war has caused many consumers to pause before taking the plunge into high-definition movie discs. Many studios aren't releasing movies in both HD-DVD and Blu-ray, so choosing one player or another could mean the high-def version of a favorite title isn't available. Universal Pictures, for example, releases movies only in HD-DVD, so its remake of "King Kong" isn't available in Blu-ray. Walt Disney Co., Twentieth Century Fox and Sony Corp. release films only in Blu-ray, meaning there is no HD-DVD version of Disney's "Pearl Harbor." Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. release movies in both formats.
The dual-format players will work by using optical drives and integrated circuits that can run with both HD-DVD and Blu-ray. Developing the drives proved tough because they needed to pull data from two places on the discs, close to the top edge for Blu-ray and closer to the middle for HD-DVDs.
For now, the dual-format players are likely to carry steep price tags, $1,200 or higher. That's actually lower than some of the Blu-ray players -- Pioneer Corp.'s Pioneer Elite BDP HD-1 costs $1,500, although Sony and Samsung Electronics offer less expensive players at $1,000 and $800, respectively -- but more than double the $500 for a Toshiba HD-DVD player.
Sales of stand-alone DVD players have been slow, but there is an alternative for consumers looking to try high-def discs: game devices. Sony's PlayStation 3, which costs around $500, comes equipped with Blu-ray. And for $200 consumers can pick up an attachment that plays HD-DVD movies for Microsoft's Xbox 360, which costs $300 to $400.
About 695,000 consumers own either a Blu-ray or an HD-DVD player, according to Tom Adams of Adams Media Research. But only about 25,000 have purchased stand-alone Blu-ray players. Another 400,000 consumers have Blu-ray because they bought a Sony PS3 game console. Meanwhile, about 120,000 or so have a stand-alone HD-DVD player while about 150,000 have an HD-DVD upgrade kit for their Xbox 360 game consoles, Adams says.
Some consumers have dodged high-definition players because they already own top-of-the-line DVD players that add higher resolution onto regular DVDs so they look crisper on HDTV sets. For those viewers, there might not be much advantage to the newer technologies. Link
The formats, known as HD-DVD and Blu-ray, have been duking it out to become the next-generation format of choice, each offering high-resolution video to match the HDTV sets that more families are buying.
But at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week, at least one hardware provider, LG Electronics Co., is expected to showcase DVD players that work with either technology. Hewlett-Packard Co. also will have products that support both formats in the marketplace this year. Others are expected to follow suit.
The news should come as a boon to consumers who are weighing which player to buy. While regular DVDs work on the new high-definition TV sets, DVD players specifically designed for HD offer exceptionally sharp pictures and more features.
But the burgeoning format war has caused many consumers to pause before taking the plunge into high-definition movie discs. Many studios aren't releasing movies in both HD-DVD and Blu-ray, so choosing one player or another could mean the high-def version of a favorite title isn't available. Universal Pictures, for example, releases movies only in HD-DVD, so its remake of "King Kong" isn't available in Blu-ray. Walt Disney Co., Twentieth Century Fox and Sony Corp. release films only in Blu-ray, meaning there is no HD-DVD version of Disney's "Pearl Harbor." Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. release movies in both formats.
The dual-format players will work by using optical drives and integrated circuits that can run with both HD-DVD and Blu-ray. Developing the drives proved tough because they needed to pull data from two places on the discs, close to the top edge for Blu-ray and closer to the middle for HD-DVDs.
For now, the dual-format players are likely to carry steep price tags, $1,200 or higher. That's actually lower than some of the Blu-ray players -- Pioneer Corp.'s Pioneer Elite BDP HD-1 costs $1,500, although Sony and Samsung Electronics offer less expensive players at $1,000 and $800, respectively -- but more than double the $500 for a Toshiba HD-DVD player.
Sales of stand-alone DVD players have been slow, but there is an alternative for consumers looking to try high-def discs: game devices. Sony's PlayStation 3, which costs around $500, comes equipped with Blu-ray. And for $200 consumers can pick up an attachment that plays HD-DVD movies for Microsoft's Xbox 360, which costs $300 to $400.
About 695,000 consumers own either a Blu-ray or an HD-DVD player, according to Tom Adams of Adams Media Research. But only about 25,000 have purchased stand-alone Blu-ray players. Another 400,000 consumers have Blu-ray because they bought a Sony PS3 game console. Meanwhile, about 120,000 or so have a stand-alone HD-DVD player while about 150,000 have an HD-DVD upgrade kit for their Xbox 360 game consoles, Adams says.
Some consumers have dodged high-definition players because they already own top-of-the-line DVD players that add higher resolution onto regular DVDs so they look crisper on HDTV sets. For those viewers, there might not be much advantage to the newer technologies. Link
Emerson's DVD/iPod Microphone Converter
Published by Admin on at 1/07/2007 01:47:00 PM.
You only have to look at the photos of the Shiny Media Christmas party held at Lucky Voice in London to see just how much we get into our karaoke, so with news today that Emerson have launched a new microphone converter to work with DVDs and iPods made us all a tad bit overexcited. Priced at just $29.95, you can connect the converter to any DVD player or video-capable MP3 player - for instance iPods, allowing your own crooning to blend with whatever tunes you have clogging up your iPod. Link
Consumers one step closer to copying digital movies to DVD with new studio-approved system
Published by Admin on at 1/07/2007 01:47:00 PM.
Hollywood studios have approved a new technology and licensing arrangement that should remove a major obstacle consumers now face with burning movies they buy digitally over the Internet onto a DVD that will play everywhere.
Sonic Solutions Inc. is introducing on Thursday the Qflix system for adding a standard digital lock to DVDs burned in a computer or a retail kiosk.
The lock, known as "content scrambling system," or CSS, is backed by the studios, TV networks and other content creators and comes standard on prerecorded DVDs today. All DVD players come equipped with a key that fits the lock and allows for playback.
But movie download services such as Movielink, CinemaNow and Amazon.com's Unbox haven't been able to use CSS because studios fear widespread DVD burning could lead to piracy.
Studios have experimented with an alternative to CSS used by movie downloading service CinemaNow, but only a small number of titles are available for such burning and some users have complained of problems with playback.
With Qflix -- and its studio-backed copy-protection system -- consumers should have more options. But they'll need new blank DVDs and compatible DVD burners to use it.
The system can also be used in retail kiosks, which could hold hundreds of thousands of older films and TV shows for which studios don't see a huge market. Customers could pick a film, TV episode or an entire season's worth of shows and have them transferred to DVD on the spot.
Burning a DVD will take anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes using Sonic's technology, the company said.
Consumers still would be subject to restrictions placed by the movie service and studios. For instance, using the copy-protection technology in Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Media system, a service could specify that a given title can be burned no more than two times.
Sonic has been working for three years to develop the technology and get studios to agree to amend the CSS license to allow a "download to burn" option. Link
Sonic Solutions Inc. is introducing on Thursday the Qflix system for adding a standard digital lock to DVDs burned in a computer or a retail kiosk.
The lock, known as "content scrambling system," or CSS, is backed by the studios, TV networks and other content creators and comes standard on prerecorded DVDs today. All DVD players come equipped with a key that fits the lock and allows for playback.
But movie download services such as Movielink, CinemaNow and Amazon.com's Unbox haven't been able to use CSS because studios fear widespread DVD burning could lead to piracy.
Studios have experimented with an alternative to CSS used by movie downloading service CinemaNow, but only a small number of titles are available for such burning and some users have complained of problems with playback.
With Qflix -- and its studio-backed copy-protection system -- consumers should have more options. But they'll need new blank DVDs and compatible DVD burners to use it.
The system can also be used in retail kiosks, which could hold hundreds of thousands of older films and TV shows for which studios don't see a huge market. Customers could pick a film, TV episode or an entire season's worth of shows and have them transferred to DVD on the spot.
Burning a DVD will take anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes using Sonic's technology, the company said.
Consumers still would be subject to restrictions placed by the movie service and studios. For instance, using the copy-protection technology in Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Media system, a service could specify that a given title can be burned no more than two times.
Sonic has been working for three years to develop the technology and get studios to agree to amend the CSS license to allow a "download to burn" option. Link
Toshiba’s Announces HD-DVD Burner
Published by Admin on at 1/07/2007 01:46:00 PM.
Toshiba Japan has announced the release of what they claim to be the “the world’s first dedicated PC-based HD-DVD burner.” Dubbed the SD-H903A, this DVD SATA burner supports not only dual layer HD-DVDs, but also DVD RAM and DL DVDs. The drive has a 8MG buffer and burns DVD RAM at 3x, DVDs at 8x, DL DVDs at 2.4x and HD-DVDs at 2.4x. Link
Rotel unveils pricey 1080p upcoverting RDV-1093 DVD player
Published by Admin on at 1/07/2007 01:45:00 PM.
For the person who just has to have everything, or is willing to spend more money to stick with DVD than cave in and buy two separate high definition players (or not), Rotel has announced the forthcoming RVD-1093 upscaling DVD player. The high-end boutique has cranked out yet another snazzy looking standalone flagship device, which touts 1080p upcoverting, a built-in scaler, HDMI, component / S-Video / composite outputs, and silkly smooth progressive scan playback.
Additionally, the device plays nice with recordable discs, SVCDs, JPEGs, MP3 / WMA CDs, and even the lost-but-not-forgotten DVD-Audio format. To somewhat justify the lofty pricetag, the company points to its "switching power supply" which reportedly touts "an advanced pulse circuit and individually regulated supply stages to generate optimal voltages," and also boasts about the wideband DA converters, "Adaptive Geometrical Chroma Mapping," optical / coaxial digital audio outs, NTSC / PAL-compatibility, RS-232 interface, and discrete IR commands.
We're still not entirely convinced this player is worth the $1,499 asking price, especially considering the forthcoming price drops in the Blu-ray arena, but those still interested can pick one up sometime this quarter. Link
Additionally, the device plays nice with recordable discs, SVCDs, JPEGs, MP3 / WMA CDs, and even the lost-but-not-forgotten DVD-Audio format. To somewhat justify the lofty pricetag, the company points to its "switching power supply" which reportedly touts "an advanced pulse circuit and individually regulated supply stages to generate optimal voltages," and also boasts about the wideband DA converters, "Adaptive Geometrical Chroma Mapping," optical / coaxial digital audio outs, NTSC / PAL-compatibility, RS-232 interface, and discrete IR commands.
We're still not entirely convinced this player is worth the $1,499 asking price, especially considering the forthcoming price drops in the Blu-ray arena, but those still interested can pick one up sometime this quarter. Link
Toshiba to debut HD DVD drive for PCs
Published by Admin on at 1/07/2007 01:44:00 PM.
Toshiba has been a little slow in getting out a HD DVD drive for desktop PCs - a notebook drive was announced a few months back. But in a month's time, that wait should be over with the launch of the SD-H903A internal HD DVD drive.
Toshiba claims the new drive will feature "outstanding resolution, dynamic contrast and vivid colours" - but only if you have a HD-friendly monitor obviously. The drive will support read and write functionality to HD DVD-R discs, along with high-speed read and write to all types of standard DVD and CD discs. This includes writing speeds of 3x for DVD-RAM and 16x for CD-R. In addition, the HD DVD format supports the latest compression technologies used by Windows Media. Full native support for HD DVD will be integrated into Microsoft's Vista operating system - which you'd expect, as it is one of HD DVD's key backers. Link
Toshiba claims the new drive will feature "outstanding resolution, dynamic contrast and vivid colours" - but only if you have a HD-friendly monitor obviously. The drive will support read and write functionality to HD DVD-R discs, along with high-speed read and write to all types of standard DVD and CD discs. This includes writing speeds of 3x for DVD-RAM and 16x for CD-R. In addition, the HD DVD format supports the latest compression technologies used by Windows Media. Full native support for HD DVD will be integrated into Microsoft's Vista operating system - which you'd expect, as it is one of HD DVD's key backers. Link
Canon's New Five Megapixel DC50 DVD Camcorder
Published by Admin on at 1/07/2007 01:42:00 PM.
Canon’s new DC50 DVD Camcorder is a dream come true for discerning video enthusiasts and photo buffs seeking an easy way to take, view and share vibrant video and spectacular photos. Canon’s flagship DVD Camcorder starts with the convenience that direct-to-DVD recording offers and then packs advanced video features and photo power, exclusive engineering excellence and intuitive imaging expertise into a compact camcorder that is the soul of simplicity to operate and the master collector of memories for years to come.
The DC50 DVD Camcorder incorporates a robust 5.39 Megapixel CCD Image Sensor with an RGB Primary Color Filter that provides vibrantly colored video and brilliant five megapixel photos. Combined with the range of optical advantages and technological advances beginning with its high quality, genuine Canon 10x optical / 200x digital zoom lens, the DC50 DVD Camcorder delivers the stellar image quality resulting from Canon’s experience and heritage as an optics company. The zoom lens on the DC50 DVD Camcorder goes beyond simply drawing the far off subject close in and bringing the distant vista near. With Canon’s smooth zoom control, the user can select one of three steady zoom speeds that maintain their constancy regardless of how hard the user presses on the zoom button.
“Canon continues our commitment to translate the best technology for imaging professionals whether their specialty is broadcast video or still photos into a user-friendly form that consumers can easily enjoy,” says Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager of the Consumer Imaging Group at Canon U.S.A., Inc. “The DC50 DVD Camcorder delivers on that promise many times over, with its potent mix of the latest technology and optical excellence.” Link
The DC50 DVD Camcorder incorporates a robust 5.39 Megapixel CCD Image Sensor with an RGB Primary Color Filter that provides vibrantly colored video and brilliant five megapixel photos. Combined with the range of optical advantages and technological advances beginning with its high quality, genuine Canon 10x optical / 200x digital zoom lens, the DC50 DVD Camcorder delivers the stellar image quality resulting from Canon’s experience and heritage as an optics company. The zoom lens on the DC50 DVD Camcorder goes beyond simply drawing the far off subject close in and bringing the distant vista near. With Canon’s smooth zoom control, the user can select one of three steady zoom speeds that maintain their constancy regardless of how hard the user presses on the zoom button.
“Canon continues our commitment to translate the best technology for imaging professionals whether their specialty is broadcast video or still photos into a user-friendly form that consumers can easily enjoy,” says Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager of the Consumer Imaging Group at Canon U.S.A., Inc. “The DC50 DVD Camcorder delivers on that promise many times over, with its potent mix of the latest technology and optical excellence.” Link
Samsung BD-P1000 Blu-ray Disc Player
Published by Admin on 2.1.07 at 1/02/2007 06:11:00 AM.
Sleek, stylish and unequivocally modern, the Samsung BD-P1000 is a beautifully engineered product with a glossy piano black finish accented by the soft blue glow of its lighted controls. True to most modern home entertainment devices, controls are kept to a minimum with only the customary Power, Eject and Input Select buttons along with the playback control wheel available in the front. A faux brushed metal flip panel below the Blu-ray drive hides the memory card reader slots.
At the back, A/V connections include S-Video and Composite (SD source only, eg. DVD), Component, HDMI, optical and coaxial S/PDIF and multi-channel analog audio. Sadly, the BD-P1000 lacks support for next generation audio like Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD, plus output is only limited to 5.1 channels (unless digitally channeled to your A/V amp supporting the better standards)....
Playback
The BD-P1000 uses the same HD decoder chip as the Toshiba HD-A1 HD DVD player, which is the Broadcom BCM7411. This means that the player isn't really capable of displaying native 1080p streams from source, as the output from the decoder is 1080i. Instead, Samsung has implemented a Genesis Faroudja FLI8638-LF video processor/scaler into the path to de-interlace the video back into 1080p.
Because video has been interlaced from 1080p/24 to 1080i/60 and then de-interlaced back to 1080p/60, there is a slight jerkiness in motion, especially pans and small artifacts. The aggressive noise reduction of the Genesis chip also takes the edge off certain scenes, but that is really a matter of preference. That being said, image quality on our Samsung LA46F71B 46-inch 1080p TV is great and we tested with the new VC-1 encoded Superman Returns and S.W.A.T., one of the better MPEG-2 BD Disc transfers out there...Link
At the back, A/V connections include S-Video and Composite (SD source only, eg. DVD), Component, HDMI, optical and coaxial S/PDIF and multi-channel analog audio. Sadly, the BD-P1000 lacks support for next generation audio like Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD, plus output is only limited to 5.1 channels (unless digitally channeled to your A/V amp supporting the better standards)....
Playback
The BD-P1000 uses the same HD decoder chip as the Toshiba HD-A1 HD DVD player, which is the Broadcom BCM7411. This means that the player isn't really capable of displaying native 1080p streams from source, as the output from the decoder is 1080i. Instead, Samsung has implemented a Genesis Faroudja FLI8638-LF video processor/scaler into the path to de-interlace the video back into 1080p.
Because video has been interlaced from 1080p/24 to 1080i/60 and then de-interlaced back to 1080p/60, there is a slight jerkiness in motion, especially pans and small artifacts. The aggressive noise reduction of the Genesis chip also takes the edge off certain scenes, but that is really a matter of preference. That being said, image quality on our Samsung LA46F71B 46-inch 1080p TV is great and we tested with the new VC-1 encoded Superman Returns and S.W.A.T., one of the better MPEG-2 BD Disc transfers out there...Link
HD / Blu Ray / DVD Related Videos - Happy New Year
Published by Admin on 1.1.07 at 1/01/2007 05:36:00 PM.
Well another year is starting and this year should decide which DVD format will win the latest battle. For this site we hope to post more often with more article/review based posts alongside the usual news links.
We may also expand slightly into the HD Tv world as this is a area where alot of people are leaning towards or upgrading to.
Happy New Year!!! Now for if you have some time why not enjoy the below videos!
Xbox 360 HD-DVD Drive Review
IFA-Interview Blu-ray Disc
Playstation 3 inserting and removing Disc
The Blu-ray Player (Price)
JVC 61" HD-ILA Bigscreen TV
Blu-ray vs DVD, HDDVD
We may also expand slightly into the HD Tv world as this is a area where alot of people are leaning towards or upgrading to.
Happy New Year!!! Now for if you have some time why not enjoy the below videos!
Xbox 360 HD-DVD Drive Review
IFA-Interview Blu-ray Disc
Playstation 3 inserting and removing Disc
The Blu-ray Player (Price)
JVC 61" HD-ILA Bigscreen TV
Blu-ray vs DVD, HDDVD
HD DVD Encryption Finally Hacked
Published by Admin on at 1/01/2007 05:34:00 PM.
A hacker by the name of muslix64 has announced on Doom9 forums that he has found a way to decrypt the AACS encryption technology used to protect HD DVD movies.
BackupHDDVD is a tool to decrypt a AACS protected movie that you own, so you can play it back later using an HDDVD player software.
This is the first version, and it's not very stable yet.
This software doesn’t provide any cryptographic keys, so you have to add your own keys.
The hacker has posted a video of his application on YouTube. In the video, muslix64 reads the entire content of an HD DVD movie on his PC and then copies the content to the hard drive. Then, using PowerDVD, he simply load the content as video files stored on the computer.
BackupHDDVD is a tool to decrypt a AACS protected movie that you own, so you can play it back later using an HDDVD player software.
This is the first version, and it's not very stable yet.
This software doesn’t provide any cryptographic keys, so you have to add your own keys.
The hacker has posted a video of his application on YouTube. In the video, muslix64 reads the entire content of an HD DVD movie on his PC and then copies the content to the hard drive. Then, using PowerDVD, he simply load the content as video files stored on the computer.
Toshiba planning HD DVD push at CES, hints at price drops?
Published by Admin on at 1/01/2007 05:32:00 PM.
Apparently Toshiba's focusing more on the increased retail space being given to HD DVDs and less on the grim predictions that disc sales are likely to drop over the next couple years, as the company purportedly has plans to focus a great deal of effort in showcasing its HD DVD offerings at next month's CES. The news isn't entirely surprising, considering Tosh's prominent backing of the format (not to mention the absence of its SED HDTV display), and even has some sort of "announcement" up its sleeve reserved for January 7th.
Reportedly, "a group of companies supporting the HD DVD format will hold a news conference" on the first Sunday of the new year, and Yoshihide Fujii -- president and CEO of Toshiba's digital media network company -- is slated to announce the firm's path forward for 2007. When asked if the conference would unveil lower-priced HD DVD players, Fujii remained quiet, but did mention that he thought the "next price threshold would be $399, with $299 to follow after that."
Of course, we've no proof that Toshiba will be disclosing such thrilling news, but the timing does indeed seem about right, and customers looking to take the leap into the HD DVD realm just might make their move if the can save a Benjamin or two in the process. Link
Reportedly, "a group of companies supporting the HD DVD format will hold a news conference" on the first Sunday of the new year, and Yoshihide Fujii -- president and CEO of Toshiba's digital media network company -- is slated to announce the firm's path forward for 2007. When asked if the conference would unveil lower-priced HD DVD players, Fujii remained quiet, but did mention that he thought the "next price threshold would be $399, with $299 to follow after that."
Of course, we've no proof that Toshiba will be disclosing such thrilling news, but the timing does indeed seem about right, and customers looking to take the leap into the HD DVD realm just might make their move if the can save a Benjamin or two in the process. Link