hdgamedb.com has expanded its charting options to give Amazon stats back to 60 and 90 days.

http://www.hdgamedb.com/amazon/history.aspx

The drop down menu now includes options for

Time Span:
Selected Day
Past 7 Days
Past 14 Days
Past 30 Days
Past 45 Days
Past 60 Days
Past 90 Days


eproductwars (the dvd wars) is the other HD format war Amazon sales tracking site:

http://www.eproductwars.com/dvd/

Universal Studio's Craig Kornblau comments on the Samsung neutrality announcement.

The Samsung news was hailed by Craig Kornblau, president of Universal Studios Home Entertainment and a key Hollywood supporter of the HD DVD format. The fact that Samsung, which for so long has been an exclusive Blu-ray supporter, is going the dual-format route "is an acknowledgment of the tremendous value that HD DVD brings to the early adopter of high-definition-packaged media," he said.

Kornblau and other HD DVD supporters believe the imminent entry into the open-platform HD DVD market of low-priced players from Chinese consumer electronics manufacturers will ultimately tip the scale in favor of that format.

"Look what affordable players did for DVD," Kornblau said. "DVD didn't really go mass market until the Chinese came in."

Sonic Teams Up With Microsoft on Professional VC-1 Encoding (http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/070416/20070416005444.html?.v=1)

Sonic Solutions® , the leader in digital media software, today announced that it has entered into a commercial agreement to broadly deploy Microsoft's advanced VC-1 encoding technology, known as the PEP Encoder, in the professional high-definition title creation industry. Already used by studios to prepare video assets for a significant number of HD DVD titles, the all new version of the PEP Encoder, re-branded as Sonic CineVision(TM) PSE (Parallel Stream Encoder), is being released worldwide and supported by Sonic. Ideal for enterprise-level authoring facilities with large processing infrastructures, CineVision PSE is a best-of-breed VC-1 encoding platform that provides an unprecedented level of fine-parameter and pre-processing controls to tackle the intricate high-level image quality requirements of Hollywood. Sonic is demonstrating CineVision PSE at NAB (Stand SL4314), taking place through April 19th in Las Vegas, Nevada.

"The image quality offered by the VC-1 codec provides an unparalleled high-definition movie watching experience for consumers," said Tim Harader, senior business development manager at Microsoft Corp. "By working with a leading supplier such as Sonic, we're making the industry's most popular VC-1 encoder available to professional compressionists everywhere. Sonic is well-known in the industry for providing the right solutions and technical support required to be successful in the business of Hollywood title creation."

http://texyt.com/Sony%20PS3%20price%20cut%20expected%20unsold%20058

Skeptical analysts are still predicting a price cut for the PlayStation 3 this year, even though Sony may be about to reveal encouraging profit forecasts, according to reports from Japan today. Japan's Nikkei newspaper today claimed that Sony is expecting to improve operating profits to $3.35 billion this financial year – the paper did not identify the source of its information.

“We think Sony will find it hard to get through the financial year (which began this month) without cutting the price of the console, and expect further game segment losses of over $1 billion during that period”, commented researchers from leading Japanese investment firm, Nomura, in a private briefing to clients this morning.

Despite the $1 billion in losses expected this year, and the $2.5 billion reported last year, Nomura's researchers do expect PS3 losses to end in later years, but are uncertain when.

Sony has sold only half of the six million PS3s it has manufactured to date, Nomura estimates. Other sources estimate the number of units shipped out of Sony's factories somewhat lower, at five million, but concur on the sales data.

With all the talk of Blu-ray and HD DVD, its hard to believe that a third HD storage format would have much of a chance, however, NME says it has now signed distribution and content deals for HD VMD format in 12 regions worldwide, including Brazil, Central Europe, China, France, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Scandinavia, Middle East, Russia and the United States.

http://www.digitalhome.ca/content/view/1803/1/

AACS gets update to counter hacks..
Next week, new HD DVD movies will hit the shelves that won't play on some players, the first countermeasure by the content and software industries to combat intensive efforts by hackers to break copy-protection technology.
.......

Alex Halderman, a doctorate candidate in computer science at Princeton, said the latest Xbox attack showed a sophisticated level of reverse hardware engineering.

"This may be the test in whether AACS is going to provide any value to the movie studios in the long run," Halderman said. "If the new version is broken very shortly... then it looks like the long-term prospects of AACS are very bleak. We'll probably see this game repeated forever."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/pcworld/20070416/tc_pcworld/130760

b2b

AACS gets update to counter hacks..


http://news.yahoo.com/s/pcworld/20070416/tc_pcworld/130760

b2b


Let's see who wins...

New AACS Cracks Can Not Be Revoked (http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070415-aacs-cracks-cannot-be-revoked-says-hacker.html)

I don't think this applies to BR, just standard DVD's.
pulled it

Cirrus Logic Delivers First Available Single-Chip Audio Processor for Complex Decode Demands of Blu-ray Disc, HD DVD Formats (http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/070417/20070417005618.html?.v=1)

The CS49700 supports Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS, DTS Master and DTS High Resolution and is designed for home theater products such as mid- and low-tier. It also provides support for the HDMI 1.3 interface.

The CS49700 is currently in volume production and is available in a 144-pin LQFP priced at $7.50 in 100,000 quantities.

Digital Video Essentials HD DVD - Now Shipping!
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070416005466&newsLang=en

Sales figures posts and posts that were more about gaming than hi-def disc technology have been removed.

Doc

Genius Products And The Weinstein Company Announce June HD DVD Titles

http://www.widescreenreview.com/news_detail.php?id=13184

Pioneer unveils Blu-ray Disc Combo drive in Beijing ($299)
http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20070418PD202.html

The BDC-S02 can playback high-definition movies on BD-ROM, BD-R (recordable), BD-R DL (single-sided double-layer), BD-RE (rewritable) and BD-RE DL discs as well as common DVD and CD discs, according to Pioneer's Optical Disc Drive Sales general manager Shannon Yu for the Asia-Pacific region.

Imiation to buy TDK brand (http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8OJRJ880.htm)

The deal will give Imation use of the TDK brand name for current and future products including magnetic tape, optical media, flash media and accessories. Imation already owns the Memorex brand.

However, Japan-based TDK Corp. will retain its research and development and manufacturing operations for various recording media products including Blu-ray optical discs.

When the deal closes, TDK will get about $280 million in stock in Oakdale, Minn.-based Imation and $20 million in cash.

Shares in Imation fell fell $4.88, or 12 percent, to $36.41 in afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange. TDK shares fell $1.89, or 2.1 percent, to $86.48 on the NYSE.

Terre Haute plant expands Blu-ray line (http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070419/BUSINESS/704190572)

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Sony Corp. intends to invest $75.8 million to ramp up production of high-definition Blu-ray discs used in the Sony Playstation 3.

The expansion's projected costs were part of a report Sony presented recently to the city council, which is considering two tax abatements for the upgrades.
Sony's proposal does not indicate whether the expansion will create new jobs at its Terre Haute plant, which has 1,220 workers, the city's fourth-largest employer.
The company estimates that expansion would start May 15 and end Oct. 1 to support expanded production of Blu-ray discs, which are meant for high definition video and data storage.I guess Sony is very not very dependent on third party replicators.

Some HD VMD news:
Frenchies plug in to High Definition Versatile Multilayer Disc (http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=39096)

Alternative HD format secures backing

A NEW DEAL has been signed by two film distribution bigwigs in France to put out movies on a third kind of high-definition disc, called HD VMD - High Definition Versatile Multilayer Disc.

The companies, Seven 7 and Metropolitan FilmExport, signed the deals with New Medium Enterprises who are the fellas behind the HD VMD technology in France. Twenty titles from each partner will be available on the HD VMD format come this September, with five to follow every coming month afterwards.

The deal is not to be sniffed at: Metropolitan FilmExport has distribution rights for top titles like Lord of the Rings, and is the current French distributor for New Line Cinema films.

HD VMD allows for multi-layering of capacities up to 48GB, is a true HD 1080p format, and supports all HD-compatible screens as well as current disc formats such as CD and DVD.

An HD VMD player will be available to French consumers and will come packing five free HD VMD titles for a price of €299 - a bargain when sat next to Blu-Ray.
The whole NME Inc. press release: http://www.nmeinc.com/press_main.aspx in the menu to the left.

Samsung confirms U.S Q4 release for Duo player but keeps quiet on pricing and features..

http://www.twice.com/article/CA6435582.html

Thanks, the Blob. I always wanted to say "thanks, the Blob" but never had the opportunity. So, thanks, the Blob.


subscription required.
Sony ramps monthly GaN laser volumes to 1.7m (http://compoundsemiconductor.net/articles/news/11/4/17/1)

Already reckoned to be the world's biggest volume manufacturer of semiconductor lasers, Sony readies for mass production of high-power devices used in high-definition DVD recorders.

Sony says that it has increased its monthly capacity of GaN-based blue semiconductor lasers to 1.7 million.

The Japanese electronics giant, whose subsidiary Sony Shiroishi Semiconductor actually manufactures the chips, has just released two versions of a high-power GaN laser that emits 170 mW at 405 nm.

Those MOCVD-produced lasers will cost up to ¥5000 ($42), while Sony will follow up their release in June with a couple of much cheaper low-power lasers for playback-only applications costing around $8 each.

Then, in November this year, Sony will release a pair of 240 mW lasers also priced at up to ¥5000.

Rivals Sharp and Nichia both revealed details of their own high-power GaN laser developments in recent weeks (see related stories).

"There has been a rapid increase in blue-violet laser diode demand," Sony said. "To meet this demand, Sony had already installed front-end wafer process equipment capable of producing 5 million [playback-only] blue-violet laser diodes."

Sony will now increase its back-end assembly capacity at the Shiroishi fab when there is sufficient demand to justify such a move.

Laser diode chip fabrication at the Shiroishi subsidiary has now surpassed 2 billion units since the first such device, a 780 nm emitter for early CD players, rolled off of its production line back in 1986.

It took until 2001 before the facility passed the 1 billion laser mark, but the widespread popularity of DVD players and recorders since then has driven chip fabrication to the 2 billion milestone in rapid time.

GaN-based blue laser diodes only represent a tiny fraction of that total so far, but Sony is expecting a rapid acceleration in market demand over the coming five years.

The Japanese company's internal survey of the sector suggests that the entire laser diode market consumed 1.1 billion chips in 2006, and that production will reach 1.4 billion chips in 2010.

Demand for Blu-ray Disc and high-definition DVD recorders, as well as high-end games consoles, will ensure that GaN lasers are a major component of that market growth, believes Sony.

Its internal figures suggest that unit shipments of blue laser diodes will grow from just 6 million in 2006 to about 26 million this year, and on to 110 million in 2010.

Sony reckons that it has a global market share, counted in terms of laser diodes shipped, of just over 25 percent. 650 nm emitters, which are used in DVD recorders, represent the biggest single application, although Sony also makes large quantities of dual-beam laser chips for CD/DVD applications.

Its engineering team has also developed a triple-wavelength laser diode structure, in which a 650/780 nm chip is mounted on top of a blue-violet laser diode
http://compoundsemiconductor.net/objects/news/11/4/17/sony3.jpgSony's internal figures suggest that, from a standing start in 2006, annual unit shipments of GaN-based laser diodes will surpass 100 million in 2010 - approximately 8 percent of the total laser diode market. Source: Sony.Sony, no baloney. :)

A single chip solution for building BD/HD DVD/DVD/CD read-write drives.

Luen Fat BD/HD compatible chipsets
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=zh-CN&u=http://www.beareyes.com.cn/2/lib/200704/18/20070418424.htm&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dmt1926%2Bbd%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26channel%3Ds%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26hs%3DK8B%26sa%3DG

April 17, 2007 —18 days, Intel information technology summit, the technical transformation of China's Taiwan Province of the technology brings together the latest storage Single Chip SOC products. For the average consumer may Luen Fat this company is not familiar with, But if your house is a player or a CD-ROM drives, then you may use the Luen Fat products.

At the scene, the author is interested in the new generation against Luen Fat BD/HD RE discs launch of the new generation single-chip solution MT1926/MTI1928. Both chips support the disc specifications quite broad, from the era of CD-R latest technology blue disc gluttonous, What is even more shocking is the fact they also compatible BD/HD-RE two camps products. The maximum support 6X BD/HD/6X BD-R/HD-R/4X BD-RE/HD-RE.

Another link to the same news
http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=zh_en&trurl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.stor-age.com%2fdongtai%2fxinpin%2fhtm2007%2f07042410UKZN.asp

Sony enters blue-violet laser market (http://www.eetimes.com/news/semi/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=OECWTFC0N0254QSNDLPSKHSCJUNN2JV N?articleID=199200905)

Sony said it is capable of fabricating 5 million blue-violet lasers a month if devices are low-power playback diodes. Current assembly capacity is limited to 1.7 million units a month but it can be expanded to meet market demand, a Sony spokesman said.

Nichia is currently ramping up its monthly capacity to 2 million by this fall. Sharp will double monthly capacity to 500,000 units by year's end.
Sampling of recording diodes began this month. Diodes with a 170-mW output power for 4x recording are available now. The SLD 3234VF comes in a 5.6-mm diameter CAN package at a sample price of ¥4,500 (about $38). The SLD3234VFI with the same output power in 3.8-mm package is priced at ¥5,000 ($42).

Sony expects to add a higher power version with 240-mW output power for 8x speed writing applications. Samples will be offered at the same price as the 170-mW version.

Glickman calls for DRM interoperability (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117963639.html?categoryid=1009&cs=1)

He said managed copying should launch in the HD-DVD format by the end of the year, and said the industry would also like to see it enabled for standard-def DVDs. Glickman admitted the latter development would take "a bit longer." It would require an industrywide commitment to a new DRM standard for DVDs, which don't enable copying.

Dieter Daum, president of Sony Disc and Digital Solutions and chairman and CEO of Sony DADC Global, talks to George Cole about the future of physical media (http://www.oto-online.com/pdf/oto_download/2007/04/OTO_Apr07_P58_LastWord.pdf)

How long do you think it will be before we see second-tier replicators having a significant volume of Blu-ray Disc work?

It really depends what your definition of ‘significant’is, but I would see the first second-tier replicators moving to BD by the end of this calendar year,and of course,
others will follow in 2008.

Your agreement talks about ‘wet embossing’ technology. Can you explain what this is and what the benefits are over alternative systems?

We are creating the second information layer by embossing a stamper into a liquid resin and curing that resin while the stamper is still embossed within it.The benefits of this process are that it provides a very fine pit geometry and therefore generates a flawless electrical signal.The alternative would be to do the embossing into an almost cured surface,which is a mechanical process.This creates
distortions and the quality of the signal suffers.

Are there any challenges in using this process?

Definitely. The challenges of wet embossing are to have a process where the machines,stampers and materials used work together. I think this is one of the key areas of progress that have been made and resulted in us having produced more than two million BD-50s – it’s absolutely proven technology.We’re not talking about something that is conceptual,but something that is available in three Sony facilities throughout the world – Japan, the United States and Europe.

http://www.e-gear.com/story/story.bsp?sid=53599&var=story

Onkyo also announced a new single-disc DVD player, DV-SP405 with 1080p upscaling capability, but it had no further information on when it might enter the high-definition DVD player arena. At CES 2007, it had announced its intent to introduce an HD DVD model, but Haas said that the company is “looking at both [the HD DVD and Blu-ray] formats” currently, and deciding whether to field either a standalone player or a multiple-format model. He added that a market entry could surface “probably closer to the fourth quarter.”

SCEI and Sony announce Executive Management Transition (http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/release/pdf/070426e.pdf)

TOKYO, JAPAN, April 26, 2007 – Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) and Sony Corporation (Sony) have jointly announced today that Ken Kutaragi, Representative Director, Chairman and Group CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., will retire from his executive position at SCEI effective June 19, 2007, when SCEI’s annual shareholders’ meeting will take place. Mr. Kutaragi will pass on the torch to the next generation, stepping back from his executive management responsibility of the company to serve as Honorary Chairman of SCEI.

Straight from the Fuy Yuan website. This is the Chinese company that announced they had an order from Wal-Mart for 2 million players:

http://www.fuhyuan.com/ev/action/main.asp?news_id1=34123&Action=Show
We are sorry to correct the statement that we have two million HD-DVD players order from Wal-Mart and manufactured by China Great Wall Group. The actuality is that we had not received yet. We are asked to provide the schedule to Wal-Mart and cost to determine the quantity even more than two million, if the cost is good enough and timing is correct. So the capacity is under consideration. Any qualified manufactured base group will be welcome.

DoStudio Combines efficiency of industry standard Graphic Design Package with HD DVD and Blu-Ray Disc creation (http://news.yahoo.com/s/prweb/20070425/bs_prweb/prweb521135_1)

NetBlender today introduced DoStudio Release 6 which automates the importation of Adobe Photoshop graphics into menu layouts and graphic elements for HD DVD and BD advanced content. Offering full support of Photoshop layer sets, DoStudio empowers graphics professionals to focus on visual design while working efficiently in the industry standard Adobe Photoshop application. DoStudio can import entire screen layouts at HD resolution, or individual graphic elements for placement using DoStudio's layout editor.

"The next generation formats are maturing and creative developers are demanding the ability to use industry standard tools in the design process," said John Harrington, NetBlender CEO. "Photoshop integration was the number one request from our users."

About DoStudio:
DoStudio (previously known as DVD One) is the first visual tool for creating Advanced Content (HDi & BD-J) for next generation DVDs. Features of DoStudio include: adding picture-in-picture of streaming video over the primary DVD video stream for live commentary, creating translucent pop-up menus that can be navigated without interruption of video playback, adding network connectivity to DVD, HD DVD, and Blu-ray titles, and more. And DVD One can apply the same interactive features to standard DVDs through NetBlender's Blended DVD solution.

Hollywood backs managed copying of movie discs 2:33PM, Thursday 26th April 2007 (http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/111570/hollywood-backs-managed-copying-of-movie-discs.html)

Dan Glickman, who heads the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), told an industry conference that managed copying should be available for HD DVD discs by the end of the year, adding that he would like to see it enabled for standard DVDs as well, though this would require a new DRM system. He made no mention of Blu-ray, the rival high-definition format to HD DVD.

MediaTek announces dual-format drive (http://www.stor-age.com/dongtai/xinpin/htm2007/07042410UKZN.asp)

MT1926/MT1928

48x CD Read / 48x CD-R / 32x CD-RW
16x DVD Read / 16x DVD+R / 8x DVD+RW
6x BD read / 6x BD-R / 4x BD-RE
6x HD read / 6x HD-R / 4x HD-RE Chipset
- MT1928: Servo, DSP, Endec, uC Integrated
- MT1926: Analog Signal Processor
AACS, ROM Mark, LightScribe, Serial flash

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/5767/mtkblujc2.jpg

MediaTek announces dual-format drive (http://www.stor-age.com/dongtai/xinpin/htm2007/07042410UKZN.asp)

Small correction: It's just chipsets, not complete drives.

Small correction: It's just chipsets, not complete drives.

Sorry, I was going on this thread: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=839923

Tensilica Offers Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 Decoder for HD DVDPlayers & Blu-Ray Disc Players (http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/070501/20070501005559.html?.v=1)

Tensilica®, Inc. today announced that it will deliver a Dolby® Digital Plus 7.1-channel decoder designed for HD DVD players, Blu-ray Disc(TM) players, and set-top boxes. Tensilica will also offer a Dolby Digital Plus 5.1-channel decoder/converter to ensure compatibility with most existing home theater systems equipped with coaxial or optical digital audio inputs. These two optimized decoders have been approved by Dolby for use with Tensilica's popular HiFi 2 Audio Engine for Xtensa® processors and the Diamond Standard 330HiFi audio processor core.

Tensilica's customers are forecasting they will ship 100 million processor cores with the Xtensa HiFi Audio Engine this year in a variety of consumer devices, making it the most popular commercial audio processor core for system-on-chip (SOC) designs. Hundreds of specialized audio instructions optimize the 24-bit high precision HiFi 2 Audio Engine DSP to reduce code density (reducing memory requirements) and lower power (reducing MHz requirements), making it a very efficient processor core solution for a wide range of audio-enabled consumer products.

Tensilica's MHz efficient Dolby Digital Plus 7.1-channel implementation enables support for the simultaneous decode of primary and secondary audio channels as well as simultaneous streams of 7.1-channel content on a single HiFi 2 Audio Engine.

More info here Tensilica (http://www.tensilica.com/products/dolby7.htm)

Toshiba Ramps Up HD DVD Marketing Campaign (http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/070502/new072.html?.v=4)

Toshiba America Consumer Products, L.L.C. ("Toshiba") announced today the launch of new marketing initiatives to support the company's rapidly growing HD DVD and REGZA brands. The combination of an HD DVD player and a REGZA 1080p LCD TV results in an incredible high definition home movie experience. Highlighting each product's attributes, technology and style, the two new ad campaigns emphasize the quality and entertainment experience that REGZA and HD DVD provide.

Serving as an ambassador for HD DVD and REGZA, Michael Imperioli will be featured in HD DVD print ads as well as REGZA and HD DVD TV commercials. In these ads, Mr. Imperioli will speak to the one-of-a-kind product attributes that make REGZA LCD TVs and HD DVD players a great choice for consumers.

"We are very excited to be launching a fully integrated communications effort for our REGZA and HD DVD brands. Our new advertising campaign is designed to showcase our leadership in the home entertainment arena and clearly communicates the benefits of the HD DVD format and REGZA LCD picture quality," said Maria Repole, Director of Corporate Communications at Toshiba. "Mr. Imperioli's support - through his own commitment to creating high quality entertainment - reinforces the amazing experience that REGZA and HD DVD offer to consumers, industry leaders and movie lovers."

HD DVD: "The Ultimate Movie Machine - From Toshiba"

Launching this month and emphasizing versatility and picture quality, Toshiba's new HD DVD campaign highlights key player attributes for the superb experience of DVD now in High Definition. Toshiba will use the new ads to showcase advanced functionalities and highlight Toshiba's dedication to providing consumers with the ultimate movie experience.

"After a successful first year that saw momentum for HD DVD grow, Toshiba's new advertising campaign takes HD DVD to a broader audience to increase awareness and focus on the industry evolution to high definition," said Jodi Sally, Vice President of Marketing, Toshiba America Consumer Products Digital A/V Group. "With our new pricing and new model introductions, HD DVD's popularity continues to grow as consumer demand for HD content increases and high resolution audio and interactivity provide a more exciting home theater experience. For the ultimate movie experience, Toshiba's HD DVD players are a great complement to Toshiba's 1080p REGZA LCD TV sets."

-- TV Commercial: Spot featuring Mr. Imperioli discussing his passion for
film and detailing why Toshiba's HD DVD player is the right choice for
the ultimate movie experience and the Ultimate Movie Machine.

-- Print Ads: Two separate HD DVD ads will be released: one an extension
of the TV spot featuring Mr. Imperioli and another highlighting the HD
DVD format's backward compatibility with DVD. Mr. Imperioli's ad
details his experience as a writer, actor and director along with his
experience with HD DVD, and why it provides the ultimate movie
experience.

-- Radio Commercials: Radio spots will run throughout the year in support
of ongoing HD DVD retail promotions.

-- Where To See Them: Broadcast spots will appear in top radio markets and
on national cable outlets, including "The Sopranos®" on the A&E
Network. The TV commercial will also run on dedicated HD channels. HD
DVD ads will be placed in top-tier print and online publications
nationwide including TWICE, Sound & Vision, USA Today, Entertainment
Weekly, Rolling Stone, Wired and Men's Journal.

-- Software Promotion: To support growing player sales and express
consumer appreciation, Toshiba recently announced a new software
promotion running from March 1, 2007 through July 31, 2007. Consumers
who purchase any Toshiba HD DVD player can now get five HD DVD titles
for free via a mail-in offer. Consumers are able to choose from an
ample selection of 15 HD DVD titles. For information regarding this
offer and to get additional HD DVD information visit
www.toshibahddvd.com.

Can This Man Whack Blu-ray?
Toshiba hires Sopranos star Michael Imperioli for its HD DVD ad campaign.
By Phillip Swann

Washington, D.C. (May 2, 2007) -- Will Blu-ray defeat HD DVD in the high-def DVD format war?

Fuhgettaboutit. Or so says Toshiba.

The biggest booster of the high-def format has hired The Sopranos' Michael Imperioli to star in an ad campaign for Toshiba's HD DVD player and REGZA 1080p LCD TVs.

Imperioli, who plays Christopher Moltisanti in the HBO crime drama, will be featured in HD DVD print ads and REGZA and HD DVD TV commercials.

"Mr. Imperioli's support -- through his own commitment to creating high quality entertainment -- reinforces the amazing experience that REGZA and HD DVD offer to consumers, industry leaders and movie lovers," said Maria Repole, director of corporate communications for Toshiba.

Can This Man Whack Blu-ray? (http://www.tvpredictions.com/whack050207.htm)

Launch of 1394-Equipped Blu-Ray Optical Products Demonstrates FireWire's Major Role in New High-Definition Revolution (http://www.broadcastnewsroom.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=135703)

HD VMD Format to Feature Stronger Anti-counterfeit Technology (http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=20353)

New Medium Enterprises, the company behind the HD VMD (Versatile Multilayer Disc) format said that it will integrate an "unforgeable" analogue content protection technology to address the piracy problem in the entertainment industry.

The technology is called Optikey and has been already applied in high security U.S. government applications. It is claimed to meet the anticipated shortfalls found in purely digital anti-counterfeiting methods, due to its analogue authentication nature.

Optikey analog optical system integrates a unique three dimensional submicron analog structure on the optical disc , often referred as optical fingerprint. The specific physical structure cannot be successfully duplicated, according to NME. During the reproduction of a Optikey-protected disc, the player instantly verifies the authentication of a disc by using an optical reader through optical correlation (Fourier transformation). The precise threshold measurements of the analog Optikey structures (DVDs) are matched with either a reference structure or discrete optical signatures. The result determines the authenticity of the disc. The authentication procedure does not require a connection to a central data-base.

Copies made from stolen or compromised Optikey protected items and readers (DVDs or players) will not correlate and thus, they will be unusable, according to NME. In addition, data stored using the optical signature cannot be tampered or overwritten.

So the idea is to integrate Optikey into both players and media. Commercial pressed media and blank home use media would have their own unique Optikey signatures. The protected content (movies) would contain embedded watermark instructions telling the player that this is a protected content. Media will only play in DVD players with Optikey integration based on watermarked instructions.

Optikey doesn't rely on digital encryption, however, when added to encryption systems as a pass/fail portal, it provides an unbreakable layer of protection for the digital domain. This means that the system can be used in conjunction with the AACS digital encryption schemes used in HD DVD and Blu-Ray optical discs.

The Optikey/HD-VMD system will be compatible with existing legacy formats, NME said. More Here (http://www.optikeysecurity.com/) And Here (http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/070503/lath111.html?.v=57)

Ok an article stating something about a possibile PS4 is coming soon. After seeing this article I put the keyword PS4 into the Google News and it has returned 56 links to news articles for this month posted, some of which already dispute the PS4 claim but news articles for and against this have been popping up.

Google News Link = PS4 (http://news.google.com/news?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&tab=wn&scoring=n&q=PS4&as_drrb=q&as_qdr=m&as_mind=4&as_minm=4&as_maxd=4&as_maxm=5)

Citing reports from the Australian “Lifestyle Technology Guide” Smarthouse and their unidentified “inside source”, Sony is apparently working on a new iteration of the PS3 so early in the game. While this rumored new iteration won’t be sold to just gamers only, it will feature some stark differences compared to the black behemoth that you see sitting on store shelves. The drive bay and attachment area will see some definite changes, and word has it this revamped console will be known as the PS4 - how original.

PS4 is Coming Your Way (http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/20070504/move-over-ps3-ps4-is-coming-your-way/)

DTS Debuts Latest Version of the DTS-HD Master Audio Suite at AES Vienna (http://www.dts.com/company/press/press-article.php?ID=93698043&cID=9&yID=2007)
PR for: DTS Pro Audio

Agoura Hills, CA – DTS, Inc. (NASDAQ: DTSI) announces that it will introduce the next generation of the DTS-HD Master Audio Suite (MAS), V. 1.5, at the 2007 AES convention in Vienna. The DTS-HD MAS V. 1.5 will officially ship worldwide this month, and DTS will demonstrate the new version of the audio encoding toolset throughout the show, May 5-8, at the Austria Center Vienna, Booth # 1938 Hall Y.

Key features of the DTS-HD MAS V.1.5 include support for Blu-ray Disc interactive Secondary Audio streams, Mac / Intel compatibility, and a stand-alone version of the DTS-HD StreamPlayer for pre-authoring quality control.

Introduced at the 121st AES convention last year, the DTS-HD MAS is a complete software solution designed for the preparation of audio streams for the next generation optical disc formats, Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD. It encodes bit streams in the following formats: DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS-HD High Resolution, DTS 96/24, DTS-ES 6.1, DTS Digital Surround and DTS Express. The DTS-HD MAS is also applicable to DVD-V and Surround Music CDs.

“The industry’s response to the introduction of the DTS-HD Master Audio Suite last year, was very positive and attests to the superiority of our technology with regards to high definition audio,” said Brian Towne, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Consumer Division, at DTS. “We expect that the community will be even more supportive of the new features that the DTS-HD MAS V.1.5 offers.”

Throughout the show, DTS will also be conducting presentations on speaker re-mapping for high definition 7.1-channel audio.

About DTS-HD Master Audio™
DTS-HD Master Audio delivers sound that is bit-for-bit identical to the studio master. It can deliver audio at variable bit rates which are significantly higher than standard DVDs. DTS-HD Master Audio can provide up to 7.1 audio channels at a 96k sampling frequency / 24-bit depth or 5.1 audio channels at 192 kHz that are identical to the original master. The DTS-HD Master Audio bit stream also contains the DTS 1.5 Mbps core for backwards compatibility with existing DTS-enabled home theater systems, and delivery of 5.1 channels of sound at twice the resolution found on most standard DVDs.

Ok an article stating something about a possibile PS4 is coming soon. After seeing this article I put the keyword PS4 into the Google News and it has returned 56 links to news articles for this month posted, some of which already dispute the PS4 claim but news articles for and against this have been popping up.

Google News Link = PS4 (http://news.google.com/news?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&tab=wn&scoring=n&q=PS4&as_drrb=q&as_qdr=m&as_mind=4&as_minm=4&as_maxd=4&as_maxm=5)



PS4 is Coming Your Way (http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/20070504/move-over-ps3-ps4-is-coming-your-way/)
The 2nd link contains the most important information:
Despite the change in number signifying quantum leaps in terms of technology, everything inside including the chip set will remain the same as the PS3, but users will get new media manager software.

Sony widens PlayStation 3 marketing (http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6439199.html)

MAY 4 | Sony is reaching out to Mom, Dad and the kids in a bid to widen the appeal of its PlayStation 3.

Facing stiff competition from Nintendo’s family-friendly Wii, Sony will be heavily campaigning around the upcoming release of several all-ages games, most notably karaoke title SingStar and community building title LittleBigPlanet, streeting this fall and early 2008, respectively. Both are exclusive to the PlayStation platform, with earlier SingStar titles already available for the PS2.

Also, Sony is preparing to hype the PS3 as the most comprehensive Blu-ray Disc player available on the market. Currently, PS3 is the only device that features a Web-enabled Blu-ray player, although no studio has released a Blu-ray title boasting Web-based content.

“Our goal is to definitely widen our target base and not be so niche,” said Kim Nguyen, PS3 manager. “We are not all about shoot ’em up bloody games. There are friendly games.”

She added, “This is high-def entertainment messaging, where we have our exclusive software titles, and we are delivering a very powerful machine. On the movie side, you have beautiful movies that you can watch on the PS3. We are going for that larger audience.”
...I thought they were doing this already??? :confused:

Copy-protection at a cost
http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6439461.html


Here's what I think is the relevant question for the industry in the wake of the recent kerfuffle over the posting and hosting of AACS processing keys: What if you were simply allowed to rip your lawfully acquired Blu-ray or HD DVD disc to your computer hard drive?

Yes, I know that’s not how the law reads. Consumers have no statutory right to make back-up copies or transfer video content from one format to another, nor has any court ever held it to be a fair use.

And yes, I know that if unrestricted copying is allowed, it becomes very difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish between copying for personal use and copying for purposes of illegal distribution.

But think of the cost to the industry of trying to stop that first copy, particularly in the case of AACS?

In addition to the sophisticated encryption system itself, the industry had to develop an elaborate set of procedures, with dominion over hundreds of global licensees, to identify and analyze any breaches that occur in the system and to devise and implement patches and updates.

Another set of controls and procedures had to be set up to deliver randomized numeric encryption keys securely to disc replicators on a title-by-title basis.

In the case of Blu-ray Disc, of course, a second, parallel system of controls, investigative procedures and response mechanisms had to be created as well, to support BD+.


A revolutionary idea.

From Monday's CED Industry newsletter:

- Freedom Vol. 1 from Bandai will be the first HD DVD with network connectivity, not Blood Diamond. Warner also commented on why they are releasing the Blu-ray release first:

The studio needed the extra 4 weeks for network servers, as well as compatibility tests the new HD DVD features, but decided to issue the Blu-ray version earlier to capitalize on the run-up to Father's Day, said WHV Vp Steve Nickerson.

- also, BD-Live stuff will be up for testing soon, but 1st-gen players lack the ethernet connection for compatibility:

As for rival Blu-ray's BD-Live networked interactivity, that won't arrive this year, sources told us. Compatibility tests for it begin in June, with another round in Oct., pushing the introduction into 2008.

Source: TWICE Magazine (http://www.twice.com/article/CA6439353.html)

BD Player Passes Simplay Test

By Greg Tarr -- TWICE, 5/7/2007
Sunnyvale, Calif. — Simplay Labs, the HDMI testing and standards unit of Silicon Image, said Samsung’s BD-P1200 Blu-ray disc player is the first high-definition DVD player to pass the Simplay HD Testing Program.

The Simplay HD Testing Program helps consumers identify HD components, such as HDTVs and next-generation DVD players, that will work together to provide a consistent “plug-and-play” user experience and maximize users’ access to premium HD content.

Samsung’s second-generation BD-P1200 Blu-ray Disc player features an HDMI v1.3 connection. Simplay said the unit underwent “stringent testing for performance, robustness, and interoperability.”

Source: AME Info (Middle East Business) (http://www.ameinfo.com/118961.html)
The latest Blu-ray technology, high definition DVD and media server home entertainment systems will be on display at the International CES pavillion at Hometech Middle East - the largest event of its kind in the Middle East for consumer technology, home automation and domestic electrical appliances. The exhibition runs from 13-15 May at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre and will host over 250 companies exhibiting from 23 countries. It is anticipated that 5,000 visitors will attend over the three days.

Maybe we'll hear about some of the chinese players next week?

Source: Digitimes (http://www.digitimes.com/systems/a20070502PD215.html)

On the heels of the Fuh Yuan Electronic Development admitting that it has not received orders from Wal-Mart for two million HD DVD players at a target retail price of US$299, industry sources commented that it is unlikely that HD DVD players will fall to such a low price this year.

The sources explained that global supply of HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc (BD) pick-up heads (PUHs) is still tight because yield rates on blue-laser laser diodes are quite low and the world's major suppliers of such PUHs, including Sony and Matsushita (Panasonic), have assigned their production capacities for own use first. Since PUHs and chipsets together account for 60-70% of the production costs of HD DVD and BD players, the shortage of PUHs renders it almost impossible to minimize the production costs to below US$299 this year, the sources noted.

Other industry sources summed it up by saying any HD DVD player selling for US$299 this you would be priced below production costs.

Fuh Yuan Electronic Development found itself in a bit of hot water last month when its president, Hung-chi Teng, was cited in a Chinese-language Eastern Multimedia report as saying that the company had received orders from Wal-Mart for two million HD DVD players. In response, Wal-Mart denied the claims and Fuh Yuan had to issue a press release on April 26 saying that Wal-Mart had only inquired about possible schedules and costs of producing such HD DVD players.

HP announces Blu-Ray/HD-DVD player/writer plans
http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/31931/118/

PC's with universal HD playback.

Latest AACS crack 'beyond revocation'
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/05/04/aacs_crack/

Production cost of PS3 could be cut by US$100
http://www.digitimes.com/systems/a20070507PD200.html

As blue-laser pick-up heads (PUHs) for use in the PlayStation 3 (PS3) are expected to increase in supply and decrease in price, the production cost of the game console could be reduced by as much as US$100, according to Taiwan-based makers of game consoles and components.

Disney June Blu-ray Slate in Flux; 'Cars,' Other Hits Likely to See New Street Dates
http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Disney/Street_Date_Delays/Disney_June_Blu-ray_Slate_in_Flux_Cars,_Other_Hits_Likely_to_See_New_Street_ Dates_/613

An inquiry to the studio by High-Def Digest to confirm the June 5 street date has revealed that Disney's summer Blu-ray reelase plans have not yet been finalized, and most if not all of those original CES announcements will likely see delays.

However, the studio still expects the four titles to receive a Blu-ray release this summer, with confirmed dates and specs due in the coming weeks.

Nichia Discloses Plans for Blue-Violet, Blue Laser Products, White Light Source Using Blue Laser (http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20070507/132034/)

180 mW for recorder/players in June 2007
250 mW in January 2008
Nichia is currently mass-producing a 130 mW model for recorder/players.
The company plans to mass-produce a 320 mW model for 10x speed recording onto dual-layer discs in the first half of 2008.
Nichia has also been mass-producing a model capable of continuous 20 mW output focusing on low-cost manufacturing for replay only equipment since April 2007.

LG GGW-H10N Combo drive preview (http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,2126924,00.asp?kc=ETRSS02129TX1K0000532)

No Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD for PS3 owners (sort of) (http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/08/no-dolby-truehd-or-dts-hd-for-ps3-owners/)

When the PS3 hit the street it was recognized as one of the most full featured Blu-ray players to date, but it seem now that PS3 owners aren't getting everything they though they were. It has recently been uncovered that although the PS3 does have an HDMI 1.3 port, it does not support bit stream audio. What this means for Blu-ray fans is that when they finally pick up one of those new Onkyo receivers with HDMI 1.3, that they still can't enjoy Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD because there is no way to get the bits out of the PS3. Of course the DTS track can still be down mixed and PCM audio is supported, but so much for being the most capable Blu-ray player available.


** Dolby TrueHD can still be decoded inside the PS3 and sent as uncompressed audio to the AV receiver, but if the AV receiver has an integrated decoder it can't be used instead of the PS3's decoder. **

Pioneer announces its first Blu-ray player for the European market (http://www.areadvd.de/hardware/2007/Pioneer_BDP-LX70_Special.shtml)
Model name BDP-LX70.
CD playback (unlike the American BDP-HD1).
1080p24 output.
HDMI 1.2a.
Dolby TrueHD supported; no DTS Master Audio (DTS core only).
Network player, supports DLNA.
No Internet connection - no BD-Live support.

Available in June. Price €1,399.

**********

American model: BDP-94HD (http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/070509/20070509005620.html?.v=1). SRP $1000.

Toshiba Qosmio G40/97C with HD DVD-R Drive to be released in Japan on May 25th (http://www.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.watch.impress.co.jp%2Fav%2Fdocs %2F20070509%2Ftoshiba.htm&langpair=ja%7Cen&hl=en&ie=UTF8)

“G40/97C” of the most significant model loading HD DVD drive. In addition to the playback of the HD DVD videodisc, the terrestrial digital broadcast program which was videotaped it has become [mubu] possible in the HD DVD-R media. [mubu] as for the HD DVD disk which is done, HD DVD-R (HDVR mode) with the HD DVD player/the recorder which corresponds to TS video recording reproducible. At present time the Toshiba HD DVD recorder “RD-A1” only becomes the object type.

http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20070509/toshiba1.jpg

http://www.smarthousenews.com.au/Computing/Storage?Article=/Computing/Storage/A3X2P7W8


Hitachi has revealed a 1 Terrabyte Blu-ray recorder at the Harvey Norman retail conference being held at the Melbourne Convention Centre.

Hitachi is set to launch a 1000GB Blu-ray recorder. The product that was shown at the Harvey Norman Conference being held at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre. According to Hitachi Australia the device will go on sale in 2008 for around $2,000.

http://www.smarthousenews.com.au/Home_Cinema/HDTV?Article=/Home%20Cinema/HDTV/C9R3P7L4

Pioneer is set to launch its first Blu-ray player in Australia next month, joining the likes of Sony, Samsung and Panasonic in offering a standalone player in the next-generation format.

The new Pioneer player (BDP-LX70) has a claimed 1080p/24 film frames per second (fps) output, and Dolby TrueHD capability. Pioneer says since most movies are originally captured on film at 24fps and transferred to Blu-ray at the same rate means the player is outputting the film without any artificial manipulation.

"Teamed up with Pioneer's PDP-5000EX Full High Definition (1080p) plasma screen, Pioneer can not only offer consumers an experience on par with going to the movies, it can now better it,"...

Pioneer Announces Second-Gen Blu-ray Player (Elite BDP-94HD)
http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Pioneer/Hardware/Pioneer_Announces_Second-Gen_Blu-ray_Player/619

Among the additions are a retooled user interface, enhanced networking capabilities and support for internal decoding of Dolby TrueHD. (The player apparently does not offer internal decoding for DTS-HD Master Lossless Audio, nor is it yet known if the deck will also offer such anticipated features as HDM V1.3 outputs or an upgradeable ethernet port. We'll keep you posted.)

Dual-format high-def player in more stores
LG Electronics' Blu-ray/HD DVD set-top to expand presence in June
http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6440880.html

LG Electronics is rolling its combo Blu-ray Disc/HD DVD player into Best Buy and Circuit City stores nationwide, following a more limited offering in those chains.

Starting in June, LG will ship the market’s first dual-format high-definition player across Best Buy’s 800-plus network of U.S. stores. At the same time, the Super Multi Blu HD player will spread to significantly more Circuit City outlets.

In January, "we started at Circuit City and Best Buy, and then we branched out to selected regional dealers in March,” said John Taylor, VP of public affairs and communication at LG Electronics USA. “We’re building up production now. The consumer reaction is terrific and sell-through is strong. Things will be really widespread in June.”

Sony Sued over Blu-ray Technology (http://www.iplaw360.com/Members/ViewArticlePortion.aspx?Id=24105&ReturnUrl=..%2fsecure%2fViewArticle.aspx%3fId%3d24105)

Portfolio Media, New York (May 4, 2007)--A maker of optical disc coatings has filed a lawsuit against three Sony Corp. subsidiaries over its next-generation media storage Blu-ray Discs.

Blu-Ray/HD DVD demand to rely on game/consumer applications (http://www.digitimes.com/systems/a20070510PD200.html)

In response to Japan-based market research firm BOC saying that global demand for Blu-ray Disc (BD) and/or HD DVD, optical disc drives (ODDs)/players will quickly grow to 47 million units in 2008 and further to 100 million in 2010, leading Taiwan-based makers of ODDs indicated that the promotion of Blu-ray Disc (BD) and HD DVD will rely more on game consoles, including the PlayStation 3 (PS3) and Xbox 360, and consumer applications such as recorders/players than on PC-use devices.

According to statistics from BOC, only three million blue-laser ODDs and recorders/players were sold worldwide in 2006, two million units of which were installed in PS3 game consoles.

Price will key to boosting adoption of BD and HD DVD products, and in this respect blue-laser pick-up heads will play an important role, Taiwan-based makers of ODDs pointed out.

Barcelona MEDIA-TECH panel: equipment manufacturers address the high-def issues (http://www.oto-online.com/pdf/oto_download/2007/05/OTO_May07_P34-36_Barcelona.pdf)

Back from Media-tech in March, but some interesting insight from manufacturers that I don't believe has been posted yet...



One to One’s readers tell us what they expect for their businesses in 2007 (http://www.oto-online.com/pdf/oto_download/2007/05/OTO_May07_P39-45_Survey.pdf)

Survey of replicators and suppliers...

Overall, plans for HD DVD were more advanced than those for Blu-ray (Fig 10): for HD DVD, 56% believed either they might have some sales,would definitely start selling or had already started, while for Blu-ray this figure was 36%. Incidentally, the respondents were split roughly one-third in western Europe, one-third in USA or Canada and the remaining third in other parts of the world.)

If one separates out the suppliers’ responses from those of replicators and duplicators, a more marked difference is seen between the two formats: for HD DVD, responses are roughly evenly split between the four categories from ‘we will definitely start selling’ to ‘no interest’; for Blu-ray, however, more than half of replicators and duplicators say they will be investigating rather than selling this format during 2007, and the next most popular category is ‘no interest’.

MICROSOFT FINANCING some Meridian HD DVD transport development work, Meridian says.

FORMATS: Blu-ray, HD DVD comprised 5% of DTS revenue Q1, could account for 20% this year.


http://www.warren-news.com/

Wal-mart Boosts Electronics Offerings (http://www.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUSWEN806220070514)


Makes no mention of players, but one has to speculate...........

yupe - its out, ATI/AMD has officially lauched their latest range of Computer Graphic cards. Named the HD (hidef) range of cards, most of the models will be 60nm. The cards will also have built in HDMI and a dvi to HDMI dongle is also included in the box.



http://home.nestor.minsk.by/game/news/2007/05/1409.html

http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/32014/135/

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/4732/atirr3.jpg

AMD says a unified video decoder (UVD) will playback high definition video so efficiently that laptops will now be able to play an HD DVD or Blu-Ray movie on a single battery charge. All the desktop models will also have UVD which natively decompress H.264 and MPEG2 video. AMD claims the hardware acceleration can reduce CPU load for HD DVD playback to around 12% and system power draw on laptops should be less than 40 watts.

AMD is touting performance per watt as one of the main attractions of the HD 2000 series. At a press event in Tunisia, company representatives claimed the 2900 XT will use peak at over 200 watts, but normal usage would be highly variable in the 140 to 160 watt range. The 2600 Pro and XT cards will use from 45 to 75 watts. The mobile chips will, in some instances, use less than ten watts.


For gamers wanting even more horsepower, The ATI Radeon HD 2000 series also features native ATI CrossFire technology, opening the door for a wide variety of multi-GPU configurations and eliminating the need for any master cards.

sorta encouraging; from IMDB news,

Most People Won't Download Movies, Says Study
American consumers are not likely to go to the Internet en masse for movies to watch at home, according to a study by Forrester Research. A new study indicates that the relatively small numbers of people who currently download movies will continue to do so -- and may increase the number of films they buy online -- but they are not likely to attract many others. Forrester predicts that the number of people purchasing movies or TV shows online will grow from 7 million to 11 million, then level off at that number.

http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prModelDetail?storeId=11301&catalogId=13251&itemId=117050&modelNo=Content05112007092938532&surfModel=Content05112007092938532


Adding dts-HD High Resolution and Dolby True HD and Bundling of Hit Movies Highlight DMP-BD10As Features

SECAUCUS, NJ (May 15, 2007)  Panasonic, one of the industry leaders behind the development of Blu-ray Disc technology and the market leader in Plasma televison, today announced the availability of the DMP-BD10A, Panasonics next generation Blu-ray Disc player, at a SRP of $599.95. The DMP-BD10A features an audio upgrade package that brings high end surround audio to the viewing experience via the inclusion of 7.1 channel surround, Dolby® True HD and dts-HD  High Resolution Audio decoding technology. The DMP-BD10A also incorporates Panasonics proprietary EZ-SyncTM system for integrated one-touch operation of Panasonic home-theater components. Panasonics DMP-BD10A further distinguishes itself with the bundling of five mega hit Blu-ray discs. Included with each DMP-BD10A are -from Disney Pirates of the Caribbean, Curse of the Black Pearl and Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Mans Chest, Transporter and Fantastic 4 from Fox and Crash from Lionsgate.

Panasonic is deeply committed to the success of Blu-ray, commented Gene Kelsey, Vice President, Entertainment Group, Panasonic. High definition entertainment is a truly unique experience and nothing powers the HD experience like Blu-ray. With that in mind, we feel strongly about providing the ultimate high definition entertainment to the consumer and are thrilled to offer five Blu-ray mega hits with the purchase of the BD10A.

From our format development activities and advanced Blu-ray authoring at Panasonic Hollywood Lab to our Blu-ray player, Panasonic has been instrumental in the development of Blu-ray from the start and I feel we are in the forefront of one of the most significant technological advances in home entertainment since the arrival of the DVD a decade ago. For the ultimate 1080p high definition experience, the consumer can pair the DMP-BD10A with one of Panasonics 2007 line of award-winning plasmas.

In addition to playing pre-recorded Blu-ray movie discs, the DMP-BD10A plays conventional standard-definition DVDs (with automatic 1080p up-conversion via HDMI) and conventional CDs. Other key features of the DMP-BD10A include proprietary P4HD technology for performing IP conversion at the pixel level for ultra-fine details, a 297MHz 14bit Video D/A Converter with 4X oversampling, video noise shaping that improves signal-to-noise ratios by shifting noise to an unused band, and theoretical support for nearly 4400 billion colors. The DMP-BD10A also incorporates Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital and dts decoding, and BD-J (Java application) interactive capability. The compatibility between the DMP-BD10A and the High Definition camcorder (HDC-DX1), via the AVCHD (H.264) codec, is a prime example of Panasonics dedication to the high definition digital lifestyle.

With the continuing flow of hit movie titles on Blu-ray, combined with aggressive pricing and the increasing awareness of consumers about the unique entertainment experience provided by high definition, the future looks very bright for Blu-ray, added Kelsey.

Hustler publisher to release first Blu-ray adult title (http://www.dvd-intelligence.com/main_sections/news_archive/2003_free/5_bluray_porn.htm)

LFP Video Group (Larry Flint's Hustlerworld) has teamed up with New Media Adult Entertainment (CDGirls.com) to distribute what they claim to be the first Blu-ray adult title, Jenna Haze Oil Orgy, a title previously only available online and through catalogue.

X-Box HDDVD update.....I have not seen this posted here

A software update released early today by Microsoft solves several disc-specific playback issues and provides a series of new audio playback options to the console's HD DVD add-on.

Owners of the Xbox 360 HD DVD player got a big present this morning from Bill Gates. The software update (which follows last week's release of the Xbox Spring Dashboard) addresses a series of frequently-requested feature upgrades -- perhaps most notably fixing incompatibility issues with 'Digital Video Essentials' and other select HD DVD releases, as well as resolving reported lip sync problems on titles like 'Batman Begins.'

http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Firmware_Upgrades/Xbox_360/Xbox_360_Software_Update_Solves_HD_DVD_Playback_Issues,_Impr oves_Audio_Output/628

http://www.kpmginsiders.com/display_reuters.asp?cs_id=188175

Sony's PlayStation 3 has made a weaker-than-expected showing against Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii console since its launch last year.

Also due to a part shortage, PS3 made a delayed debut in Europe, where Sony may also cut jobs to shave costs.

"It was not an ideal launch," said Sony Senior Vice President Takao Yuhara at a press conference in Tokyo. "Our focus is to strengthen our software lineup this year."

Although packed with high-end features such as a high-definition DVD player and cutting edge graphics, the PS3's $600 price tags have left many would-be buyers on the sidelines.

Sony said it shipped about 5.5 million PS3 consoles by March 31, of which about 3.6 million were sold.

The company aims to nearly double PS3 shipments to 11 million units in 2007/08, but it warned that it would be difficult to bring its game division into the black following an operating loss of 232 billion yen in the past year.

Another price break for Toshiba HD DVD players...

The HD DVD Promotions Group today announced that Toshiba will be offering a month-long $100 rebate on new HD DVD players, bringing the entry-level list price for a stand-alone HD DVD player to a record-low $299.

Beginning this Sunday (May 20th) and continuing until June 16th, consumers buying Toshiba's HD-A2 model player will receive an an instant, in-store rebate of $100. During the final week of the promotion (from June 10th through June 16th), Toshiba will extend the $100 rebate to any Toshiba HD DVD player, and will offer an additional $100 rebate to consumers purchasing both an HD DVD player and a 42 inch (or larger) Toshiba HDTV.

http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/High-Def_Retailing/Hardware/Toshiba_Offers_$100_Rebate_on_New_HD_DVD_Players/637

More on the Toshiba price drop from Video Business...HD DVD rebate drops player price to $299 (http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6442859.html)

HD DVD Promotional Group Launches National Marketing and Retail Campaigns For Spring Promotion of HD DVD Format

In-cinema trailers expected reach of 30 million consumers on 12,000 screens nationwide; $100 rebate on select Toshiba players


LOS ANGELES, May 16 /PRNewswire/ -- The companies supporting HD DVD began spring marketing and retail campaigns in May, running in-cinema trailers to promote the HD DVD format. Playing to record-breaking crowds of consumers in front of some of the summer's biggest blockbusters, including Spiderman 3, the trailers are designed to educate consumers about the quality and value of HD DVD, and will play for four weeks. The trailers showcase the amazing audio and video quality, the stunning interactive features available only on HD DVD, and the incredible line-up of films already on the market.

According to National CineMedia, the number of impressions is expected to reach approximately 30 million viewers. The trailer will run across a network of 932 theaters and on 12,000 screens nationwide, including the top three movie theater chains Regal, AMC and Cinemark.

To augment the trailer campaign, Toshiba is offering a one month promotion for an instant, in-store rebate on select HD DVD players, bringing the price of some models down to an industry-first $299.99*. Beginning May 20th, 2007, consumers buying a Toshiba HD-A2 model player will receive an immediate $100 instant rebate in store, for an attractive price of $299.99*.

During the final week of the rebate period, from June 10th through June 16th, 2007, Toshiba will increase the incentive for consumers to enjoy high definition. Consumers can apply the $100 rebate to any Toshiba HD DVD player, resulting in prices of $299.99* for the HD-A2 or $399.99* for the HD-A20 models. Or consumers can buy any Toshiba HDTV 42" and over (measured diagonally) along with any Toshiba HD DVD player and receive an instant $200 rebate in store on the collective purchase.

Consumers who purchase any Toshiba HD DVD player can also get five HD DVD titles for free, choosing from a selection of 15 movies. This offer is available through July 31, 2007 and in conjunction with the previously listed promotion and rebate -- full offer details are available at http://www.toshibahddvd.com/.

"HD DVD is an evolution of the DVD format into high definition, but the format offers much more, so educating consumers on the quality and new features is an important step as more households purchase high definition televisions," said Jodi Sally, vice president of marketing at Toshiba America Consumer Products. "We know that price is a powerful driver for consumers to adopt new technology, which is why our rebate promotion is a great incentive to bring cinema-quality, high definition movies into your home today."

The rebate will be available across a wide range of retailers, including Best Buy, Circuit City, HHGregg, Amazon.com and many others. The marketing and retail campaigns will also coincide with the Warner Home Video release of The Complete Matrix Trilogy and Letters from Iwo Jima, and the Paramount Home Entertainment release of Flags of Our Fathers on May 22nd, and will be supported by a multi-million dollar advertising campaign incorporating TV, online, newspaper, and radio.

*MSRP on Toshiba HD DVD Player models: (HD-A2) $399.99, (HD-A20) $499.99 and (HD-XA2) $799.99.

Instant rebate offer available only at participating retailers. About HD DVD

HD DVD is the next generation, post-DVD standard for high capacity, high definition optical discs, approved by the DVD Forum, which develops and defines DVD formats. Its more than 220 strong membership brings together leaders in movies and entertainment, computing, consumer electronics and software. HD DVD is fast becoming the primary visual medium for the age of high-definition TV. The North American HD DVD Promotional Group, Inc. is an organization established to promote the HD DVD format and educate consumers in North America. For more information and a complete listing of HD DVD launch titles please visit http://www.thelookandsoundofperfect.com/.

Stranglehold: Collector's Edition will mark the first time a game and Blu-ray movie have been released in a single package.

Like many collector's editions, Stranglehold: CE will have special packaging and a slightly higher price point of $69.99, $10 more than the regular version. However, the boxed set will have one major extra--a full-length copy of Hard Boiled, a 1992 Hong Kong action film. Both the game and the movie will be on the same Blu-ray disc.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6170876.html

Microsoft: We have "absolutely no plans" for Blu-Ray (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=25092)

Company reiterates support for HD-DVD

Following the re-emergence of rumours suggesting Microsoft may support Blu-ray in the future, the company has confirmed it has "absolutely no plans" to support any other optical formats.

Rumours began back in January when Peter Moore suggested in an interview that Microsoft would be willing to adapt to consumers needs. The same rumours appear to have been refuelled recently on a number of websites, some of which have been citing an alleged Associated Press story which does not appear to exist.

"We're fully committed to HD-DVD and have absolutely no plans to support other optical formats," confirmed Microsoft on its Gamerscore marketing blog.

"We firmly stand behind the HD-DVD format as the best choice for consumers. Current reports indicating that Microsoft has a back-up plan which includes Blu-ray support are incorrect," detailed the company.

Format war benefited high-def rollout
MEDIA TECH: Panelists say competition helped drive technology

http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6442871.html

“I am amazed at how fast we have rolled out certain feature sets with HD DVD,” added Bill Mandel, VP of broadband technology at Universal Pictures.

At the most, early DVD extras consisted of theatrical film trailers. In contrast, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl contains the first application where users can create their own documentaries.

At a separate Microsoft presentation, director of consumer media technology Richard Doherty demonstrated the first-ever inclusion of Google Earth images on a media disc with Universal Studios Home Entertainment’s April 17 HD DVD release Smokin’ Aces.

Doherty also noted that a handful of discs bundled with Web-enabled features are arriving on HD DVD, including Warner Home Video’s July 3 release of Blood Diamond and Bandai Visual’s June 26 release of Freedom, Vol. 1.

Sony DADC ramps up Blu-ray replication

Company has shipped 2.5 million 50GB discs since it launched production last fall

By Susanne Ault 5/16/2007

Replication company Sony DADC U.S. has shipped 2.5 million 50GB Blu-ray discs since it began production last fall, the company said Wednesday.

Because of increasing strength in the format, Sony DADC is ramping up its Blu-ray production capabilities and expects to achieve an annual capacity of more than 30 million discs by this fall.

http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6442854.html

Software vendor Slysoft released an update to its popular AnyDVD HD program that copies the latest HD DVD and Blu-ray titles - bypassing the newest AACS copy protection.

The second and third discs in the newly released Matrix Trilogy on HD DVD are protected by the new AACS MKB - version 3. But less than 24 hours after their release, AnyDVD HD 6.1.5.1 Beta was made available with support for the discs.

New AACS Protection Cracked Already (http://www.betanews.com/article/New_AACS_Protection_Cracked_Already/1179416163)

The Fifth Element on Blu-ray to be remastered
http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/17/the-fifth-element-on-blu-ray-to-be-remastered/

**There have been reports from a Sony insider that there will be an "informal exchange program", more details will follow when available.

The Fifth Element on Blu-ray to be remastered
http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/17/the-fifth-element-on-blu-ray-to-be-remastered/

**There have been reports from a Sony insider that there will be an "informal exchange program", more details will follow when available.

Those "informal reports" come from here, and the insider is paidgeek. :D

Those "informal reports" come from here, and the insider is paidgeek. :D

Yes, I'm aware. I knew it would be old news to some, but not everyone follows the insider thread religiously.

NPD April numbers:
DS: 471K
Wii: 360K
PS2: 194K
PSP: 183K
360: 174K
GBA: 84K
PS3: 82K
GC: 13K

http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=16199

Source: Home Media Magazine (http://www.homemediaretailing.com/news/html/buzz_article.cfm?sec_id=buzz)

Buena Vista Home Entertainment’s big shindig at The Highlands to celebrate the Blu-ray Disc launch of the first two “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies wasn’t just another glitzy Hollywood party. It was a massive show of studio support for the high-definition format, vying with rival format HD DVD to become DVD’s successor.
End of article:
So in essence, the much-ballyhooed high-definition format war is being boiled down to a software battle between a pair of pirates and a trilogy of science-fiction films. The ultimate winner is irrelevant. What matters is that both high-def disc formats finally are getting the push from Hollywood they need for the high-def disc concept to succeed.

HD DVD Effort Earns SABRE Award (http://www.twice.com/article/CA6443794.html?nid=2402)

Toshiba and its public relations agency Brodeur received a Silver SABRE Award in technology for “the successful launch of HD DVD in the United States,” the companies said.

The SABRE award was presented by The Holmes Group, which publishes trade reports on the public relations industry, for “superior achievement in branding and reputation. Silver SABREs recognize the best programs in specific industries,” according to a Brodeur spokesman.

“We are honored to be recognized by the industry for our strategic communications campaign and creative execution surrounding the launch of High Definition DVD,” said Maria Repole, Toshiba corporate communications director. “The introduction of this new format reinforces Toshiba's commitment to next generation home theater entertainment, and we will continue to communicate the benefits to make HD DVD the format of choice for consumers.”

Brodeur worked with Toshiba on “a series of strategic and tactical moves around the launch of HD DVD in 2006 to increase the momentum of HD DVD,” the companies said. These joint efforts included initiatives to educate consumers, media and retailers on HD DVD.

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/hom052007/index.php page 32

"By comparison, HD DVD backers plan to ship nearly 800 titles this year, including 20 releases this month, 29 in June, 73 in July, 57 in August, 77 in September, 115 in October, 185 in November and 240 in December, according to the HD DVD Promotion Group."

DVD Forum Asia Conference 2007 Held in Taiwan (http://www.digitimes.com/systems/a20070521PR201.html)

The DVD Forum held its 2007 Asia Conference in Taiwan on May 18, with specifications concerning HD DVD at the core of discussion, according to the organization's website. This is the twelfth time Taiwan has hosted the conference.

The DVD Forum commissioned Taiwan's government-sponsored Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) to hold the conference, with Jon S. Hsu, deputy general director for the Electronics & Optoelectronics Research Lab of ITRI, presiding over the event, according to a Chinese-language Economic Daily News (EDN) report.

At the meeting, the specification for 8cm diameter HD DVD discs was set, while those for HD DVD-RW (rewritable) DL (single-sided double-layer), 2x HD DVD-R/RW, and single-sided triple-layer HD DVD (DVD format on the first layer and HD DVD format on the second and third layers, with total storage capacity of 17GB) were discussed, EDN cited Hsu as saying.

In addition to the conference, the DVD Forum will also hold the Taiwan Verification Seminar for DVD and HD DVD at ITRI on May 25 of this year, according to the organization's website.

Ritek obtains HD DVD certification (http://www.digitimes.com/systems/a20070521PD212.html)

Ritek on May 21 announced it has received the certification for both HD DVD-R (recordable, write once) and HD DVD-RW (rewritable) formats, becoming the only Taiwan-based producer of optical discs to receive certification.

The technological barrier for HD DVD-R is quite high and that for HD DVD-RW is higher, Ritek indicated. Ritek's manufacturing capability for DVD+R/-R DL (single-sided double-layer) discs was helpful in obtaining the certification, the company pointed out.

Volume production for the two formats will kick off in the second half of this year at the earliest, Ritek noted.

Instead of quoting the magazine article, I thought it might be useful to have the actual info from the presentation at Media-Tech, Long Beach.
http://www.media-tech.net/fileadmin/templates/expo07/pdf/expo07_highdef_02_doherty.pdf

US Studios
Tier 1 and Tier 2
175+ shipping today in US
300+ announced for 2007
Studios include: Paramount., WB, Universal, HBOVideo,
HDNet, CustomFlix, Hi Def Entertainment, TFLM Elsevier,
Magnolia, DVD International, Weinstein Co., Image
Entertainment, Rhino, Eagle Rock Ent., Discovery

Japan
50+ Titles available in Japan
100+ announced for 2007
Studios include: NHK, Bandai Visual, BSi, Digital Site,
GDH, Happinet Pictures, Pony Canyon, Shochiku,
Shogakukan, Toshiba Entertainment, Video Arts Music,
+ {Warner, Paramount, Universal}

Europe
75+ titles available in EU
140+ announced for 2007
Studios include: Studio Canal, Eagle Vision, DVD
International, ILC, LCG, FTD, EMS, Imagion, Nixbu,
Cameo, Pathe, Dea Planeta, Filmax + {Warner,
Paramount, Universal}

More Media-Tech Expo presentations available at

http://www.media-tech.net/164.0.html

Warners singles out titles for restoration (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3idbe743c6b1307f6d70673e2db71ebf60)

Plans are in the works for 4k restorations of a number of films from the Warner Bros. vault, including "Blade Runner," "Bonnie and Clyde," "Cool Hand Luke" and the Dirty Harry films "Magnum Force" and "Sudden Impact."

While launch dates have not been announced, the studio has an eye toward offering the restored titles on the two high-definition DVD formats, Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD, as well as standard-definition DVD. The "Blade Runner" release is being planned for this year, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the film's release.
...

Moser Baer develops high speed 8X Blu-Ray disc (http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage_c_online.php?leftnm=11&bKeyFlag=IN&autono=23591)

Moser Baer India today claimed to have developed the world's first high speed 8x Blu-ray disc (BDR), which is a major breakthrough in next generation optical media formats.

According to an official release issued by the company to the BSE today, the technology has been jointly developed along with recently acquired OM&T, the former R&D subsidiary of Philips.

According to Ratul Puri, executive director, Moser Baer India, "This is a major achievement and it gives us a significant advantage in the fast growing next generation optical format market. Moreover, it vindicates our strategy of acquiring OM&T and adding their capabilities to the strong in-house R&D team to lead the technology development curve in the optical and photovoltaic space. The pioneering work in the Blu-ray format will further enhance our global leadership position."

The development would enable end users to have a faster media that can record a 2-hour transmission equivalent of HD (High Definition) quality data in less than 15 minutes. The next generation formats have a capacity ranging from 15 GB to 50 GB and offer more than five to ten times the data storage capacity of standard DVD media. These next generation formats offer an ideal solution for reliable business backup, including medical and government imaging, photography, videography, as well as high definition video recording, the company release claims.

The breakthrough in the technology development of high speed Blu ray disc format was recently presented at the 4th Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) meeting held in Fukuoka in Japan."

Link (http://www.gaming-age.com/news/2007/5/23-52)

Latest PLAYSTATION 3 Firmware Update Provides PlayStation, PlayStation 2 and DVD Upscaling Remote Play on PSP (PlayStation Portable) via the Internet and DLNA transfer of media content also enabled London, 24 May 2007 – Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) announced today availability of the latest version of the PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) firmware. Version 1.80 features upscaling of PlayStation® and PlayStation 2 games, and DVD movies up to full 1080p HD resolution when viewed on a compatible HD TV set.

The capability to upscale DVDs to HD quality is a feature normally only associated with top range DVD players, and its inclusion in the latest firmware upgrade now allows PS3 owners with an existing DVD collection to dramatically enhance the viewing pleasure of their DVD collection when viewed through a compatible HD TV set1. Not only can DVD movies be enhanced to full 1080p HD quality but so too will PlayStation 2 and PlayStation games be upscaled to provide much improved gaming pleasure.

In a comprehensive update to PS3’s already impressive capabilities, Version 1.80 also allows users to enjoy Remote Play on their PSP across the internet, allowing them to access their PS3 anywhere in the world where a broadband internet connection is available2.

Version 1.80 also allows users on a home network to seamlessly view and play rich media content such as images, music and video on their PS3, that is stored on their DLNA3 enabled devices such as PCs and laptops elsewhere in the house, reinforcing PS3’s credentials as a home entertainment hub that truly deserves pride of place in the Living Room.

A host of other enhancements include the ability to print photo images stored on PS3’s hard disk or inserted storage media to a selection of Epson printers.

PS3 owners will be able to upgrade their PS3 with the latest Version 1.80 firmware from 24th May 2007.

‘WE DIDN’T LEARN’ FROM VHS-BETA how damaging Blu-ray vs. HD DVD can be, ex-Universal Pictures executive says in SID keynote.


http://www.warren-news.com/

Sony to possibly develop 500 GB Blu-ray discs?

The company intends to solve these problems in the future to achieve 500 GB recording density per a capacity of one optical disc by recording on a medium with twenty layers each having 25 GB density.

http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20070523/132991/

Warner Preps More Classic Catalog for Blu-ray, HD DVD

Among the classics cited by Warner for pending re-issue include 'Bonnie & Clyde,' 'Cool Hand Luke' and the Dirty Harry films 'Sudden Impact' and 'Magnum Force.'

http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Warner/Industry_Trends/Disc_Announcements/Warner_Preps_More_Classic_Catalog_for_Blu-ray,_HD_DVD/648

Warner Home Video First to break the 100K Sold Mark in High Definition Titles with "The Departed" (http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/070524/20070523006337.html?.v=1)

Today Warner Home Video (WHV) announced that it is the first studio to surpass sales of 100,000 copies of a high definition title with Martin Scorsese's 2006 Academy Award® Best Picture winner, "The Departed".

With the number one and two highest selling titles on high definition formats - "The Departed" and "Superman Returns" - as well as three other titles in the top ten, ("Batman Begins", "Happy Feet" and "Goodfellas") Warner Home Video continues to be the market share leader in high definition disc sales.

"It's no accident that Warner is the first studio to reach this benchmark. We owe this success to a combination of great content and our decision to support both high definition formats," said Ron Sanders, President of Warner Home Video. "By releasing titles on HD DVD and Blu-ray, Warner Home Video not only increases our potential audience reach, but also offers consumers assurance that regardless of the format they choose they can enjoy our movies."

With more than 30-percent market share of DVD sales in the high definition market, Warner Home Video has sold more high definition product and released more titles than any other studio. WHV's support of HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc allows consumers to watch the Studio's award-winning entertainment on any high definition home viewing device or player they choose.

"High definition media represents an incredible opportunity for the industry, and we, as content providers, can help push mainstream adoption by producing in both formats and giving the consumer a simple choice," continued Sanders. "At a time when the home video business is flat and high definition media presents our best hope for near term growth, it is unfortunate that we as an industry continue to perpetuate consumer confusion."

Major update for PS3 with firmware 1.80:
DVD upscaling to 1080p (mentioned in press release)
1080p24 output mode for Blu-ray discs (not even mentioned but confirmed by multiple users)
Fix/setting for the BTB/WTW issue (not even mentioned but confirmed by multiple users)

Way to go Sony!

http://www.us.playstation.com/News/PressReleases/400

FOSTER CITY, Calif., May 23, 2007 – Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) today announced that the next regular system software update for the PLAYSTATION3 (PS3) computer entertainment system (version 1.80) will be available on Thursday, May 24, and will add upscaling of PlayStation/PlayStation2 games and DVD movies up to 1080p resolution. Now, in addition to displaying native high-definition (HD) content in the highest possible quality (1080p), PS3 system can turn standard definition content into a vibrant HD-quality experience.
The latest firmware update also gives PS3 owners more flexibility to enjoy their digital entertainment content where they want to. The Remote Play feature for using a PSP(PlayStationPortable) system to access photos, videos, and music on a PS3 systems hard drive will be available from outside of a users own home via any Wi-Fi Internet connection, upon the next PSP firmware update. Additionally, PS3 can now play back media content stored on a personal computer or digital video recorder with Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) capability over a home network.
As adoption of HDTVs continues to surge, we know that consumers are hungry for content, and this latest firmware update leverages the PS3s technology to deliver an HD-quality experience using the entertainment media already in your collection, said Peter Dille, senior vice president of marketing, SCEA. In addition, we continue to enhance the PS3s capabilities as an entertainment hub, giving consumers the option to bring their content with them on-the-go, or to stream photos, videos, and music stored on their PC to the PS3 in their living room. Thats often where the largest TV monitor and sound system is located, giving consumers the best possible entertainment experience.
Upscaling Games and Movies
SCEA is enhancing the PS3 user experience by enabling PlayStation and PlayStation 2 games to be upscaled to HD resolution, up to 1080p. Classic games as well as recently released titles can now be enjoyed like never before. And PS3 system now has the capability to upscale DVD videos to HD quality (up to 1080p), a feature typically limited to top-of-the-line DVD players. Upscaling games requires an HDMI or component AV cable, while upscaling DVD-ROM (including DVD Video content) requires an HDMI cable and HDMI compatible TV set.
Media Content on the Move
Since November, PS3 owners have been able to stream photos, videos, and music stored on their PS3s hard drive to a nearby PSP system. Consumers will soon have the freedom to access this media content wherever and whenever their PSP is connected to a wireless Internet access point. To take advantage of this feature, users will have to update their PSP systems firmware to the next version, 3.50, slated for release next week. Once both systems are updated, consumers can enjoy their entertainment content wherever and whenever wireless Internet access is available, including the 7,000 T-Mobile HotSpot locations across the United States.
Version 1.80 also allows PS3 users on a home network to stream media content (photos, videos, and music) stored on a DLNA-enabled device onto their PS3 system. DLNA is a system that enables digital devices such as personal computers, DVRs, and TVs to be connected to a network and share data with other connected devices, in this case a PS3 system. This new functionality reinforces the value of PS3 system as a home entertainment hub.
Other Feature Upgrades
Copying Saved Data to a Memory Card Users can now copy saved data from PlayStation or PlayStation 2 format software stored on their PS3 system to a Memory Card or Memory Card (8MB) (for PlayStation2), using their PS3 system and a Memory Card Adaptor.
Photo Printing, Viewing, and Editing The photo capabilities of PS3 system have been enhanced, allowing users to print digital photos stored on a PS3s hard drive or inserted storage media. Currently, select Epson printers connected via USB are compatible. In addition, users will find a new type of slideshow for displaying photos, zoom functionality and the option to crop images.
To install the latest system software on your PS3 system, you can select the System Update feature when your system is hooked up to the Internet; use a PC to download the update data and transfer it to the PS3 system through storage media or a USB mass storage device; or install it using update data included on an upcoming game disc.
About Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.
Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation and PS one game console, the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system, the PSP (PlayStationPortable) system, the ground-breaking PLAYSTATION3 (PS3) computer entertainment system and its online and network services the PLAYSTATIONNetwork and PLAYSTATIONStore.
Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. markets the PlayStation family of products and develops, publishes, markets and distributes software for the PS one game console, the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and the PSP system for the North American market. Based in Foster City, Calif. Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. serves as headquarters for all North American operations and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

1080p24 output mode for Blu-ray discs (not even mentioned but confirmed by multiple users)

1080p24 option confirmed:

http://www2.bellapix.com/user/global/ACCOUNTS/USER4193ebf97eafd/images/dsc00333.jpg

10 Pushy Questions for Kevin Tsujihara (http://www.contentagenda.com/info/CA6442866.html)

(Kevin Tsujihara is President, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group)

Q 10: Why was the industry unable to resolve the format war between Blu-ray and HD DVD before it reached the market? What went wrong this time?

Part of it, of course, was the ongoing battle for the living room between Microsoft and Sony but also at some point in this process the common wisdom in the industry was that HD-DVD was a short term proposition. The real issue at this point is this: When it is clear that both formats will be in the marketplace for the foreseeable future, why has the industry not made the appropriate adjustment to eliminate consumer confusion and do everything we can to bring about main stream adoption of HD media?

Most people don’t understand the difference between the LCD versus plasma HD monitors, and yet both are flying off the shelves simply because consumers can get the programming they want on either. There is a very simple solution here and that is for all the content providers to produce in both formats and give the consumer a simple choice.

High definition media represents an incredible opportunity for the industry. Having both formats in the market has created a competitive environment that is leading to innovation and competitive pricing. In order for us to see mass adoption of high definition and the concomitant growth in home video revenues we should all be working to lower the price of the hardware. We saw a significant jump in the sales of Toshiba HD-DVD players when they dropped the price of their lowest price player to $399 on April 1st. If we only had one format we would never have seen this kind of competitive pricing this early in the format’s lifecycle.

At a time when the home video business is flat and HD media presents our best hope for near term growth our focus as an industry should be on the consumer and creating the most attractive scenario for them. We have a window of opportunity here and if we continue to perpetuate consumer confusion HD media may become the next laser disk.

AACS LA Calls For Managed Copy Implementation (http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=20529)

The AACS LA is reportedly pushing Hollywood Studios to support the Managed Copy function in the HD DVD and Blu-Ray releases, in an effort to fight movie piracy.

Managed copy would enable movement of high-definition video content onto home network and portable devices. This means that users could legally copy DVDs, at least for their home media server and backup purposes.

But the implementation of Managed Copy has not yet been accepted by the majority of the Hollywood studios, obviously believing that copying a movie could technically qualify as low-volume piracy.

However, Michael Ayers, a representative of AACS LA group that licenses the AACS copy-prevention system, believes that movie studios will see higher sales with the managed copy option, even with the chance it could be abused. "Studios will have to take that into account when they select pricing," Ayers said in a statement with IGN News.
...

Corel announces InterVideo WinDVD BD/HD-DVD playback/navigation support for NVIDIA GeForce 8 Series GPUs (http://www.broadcastnewsroom.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=144361)

Time to copy
http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6446750.html

There are indications in the latest reports that a compromise may have been reached on the question, opening the way to a final deal. Managed copy would be mandatory for HD DVD, but optional for Blu-ray studios, which include Fox, the studio that has set the bar highest for approving a managed copy regime.

Another thorny issue has been studios’ insistence on charging consumers for their managed copy.

As envisioned by the studios, consumers would have to contact an online “clearing house” that would authorize a managed copy and keep track of how many are made.

In most cases, that authorization would come at a price.

The latest reports indicate some studios may seek to simplify that process by baking the cost of the managed copy into the retail price of the disc.

For all the hard work that has gone into the negotiations, however, the industry may simply have been digging itself a deeper hole.

That’s because the real enemy is time. The longer it takes to offer consumers what they want, the more time consumers spend figuring out how to get it themselves, as we’ve already seen with the early AACS hacks.

The longer it takes the industry to reach a deal on managed copy, and the more complex it makes the process for consumers, the less value managed copy will have in the marketplace, making any scheme to try charging for it moot.

Let’s hope the reports are right and a deal really is imminent. Because as it stands, the industry is in danger of talking managed copy to death.

"Next generation HD DVD based music distribution and marketing platform launched"

http://www.side-line.com/side-line_blog_comments.php?id=22997_0_45_0_C

"nixbu Entertainment will announce the immediate start of the MuNa initiative, a next generation HD DVD based music distribution and marketing platform..."

Sharp readies world's smallest blue laser for Blu-Ray and HD DVD (http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/28/sharp-readies-worlds-smallest-blue-laser-for-bd-and-hd-dvd/)

Sharp -- the company behind the world's largest LCD panel -- just introduced the world's smallest blue laser for next current generation optical players. Right, as in Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD formats -- your choice OEMs. Measuring just 3.3-mm in diameter, the GH04020A4G semiconductor will be available in ¥12,000 ($99) sample quantities starting June 13th before ramping up for mass production later in July. The device will suck 10mW from your laptop's battery while offering at least 10,000 hours of operation before giving up the ghost.

http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20070528/sharp2.jpg

From Video Business:

Price drops lift HD DVD player sales (http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6447181.html)

Toshiba’s recent price drop on its HD DVD players and aggressive retailer pricing over the holiday weekend have driven up sales as much as tenfold at some retailers.
...Tenfold??? Yes, I believe that is what was said...

Interview with Ken Graffeo, Universal Home Video executive vice president of HD strategic marketing about the format war...

Universal's gamble: Will consumer win? (http://www.philly.com/dailynews/features/20070530_Jonathan_Takiff___Universals_gamble__Will_consumer_ win_.html)

THE GIZMO: Universal Home Entertainment holds the HD-DVD fort . . . and maybe the keys.

In what's shaping up as an electronics industry trial of the century - between two incompatible, high-definition video-disc formats - the holdout juror is Ken Graffeo, Universal Home Video executive vice president of HD strategic marketing. And he may very well upset the whole case.

Every other Hollywood studio (that would be Sony, Fox and Disney) is either backing the Blu-Ray high-def disc format exclusively or maintaining a Swiss-like neutrality.

In the latter camp are the likes of Warner Bros. and Paramount, issuing titles on both Blu-Ray and its close but incompatible rival, HD-DVD, and calling on other studios to do the same.

But then there's Graffeo's company. Universal Home Entertainment is the one and only "major" exclusively backing the other combatant in this trial, putting out content only on HD-DVD.

That means that if you crave a high-definition disc version of, say, "The 40 Year Old Virgin" or the futuristic thriller "Children of Men," the first season of "Heroes" (out Aug. 28), or any of the other 100-plus HD titles that Universal will deliver this year, then you've gotta accept his vision and buy an HD-DVD player.

What is this man thinking? We had to ask.
Q: How about the manufacturing costs?

A: Also very important - and lower for HD-DVD discs and players.

When you can get below $300 for hardware, you open up the mass market. Now people are willing to jump in and buy a player.

Even if the other format were to eventually win, there's no risk. Because that HD-DVD player you buy will still play your regular DVDs and, by upconverting, will actually make the discs look better.

I can't imagine Blu-Ray getting even close to a $300 player this year. I expect their lead dog, PlayStation 3 [now $599], to drop $100, but that's it.

http://www.smarthousenews.com.au/Home_Cinema/DVD_Players?Article=/Home%20Cinema/DVD%20Players/G6N9H3B7

Pioneer is banking on a high gloss black, Blu-ray player that delivers content at 24 frames per second along with high quality sound to snare a slice of the top end Blu-ray market.

At a briefing in Sydney this week Pioneer laid on an impressive display of how high end Blu-ray content should be delivered. Key to their offering is 1080p/24fps which in layman's terms delivers content from the Blu-ray player at 24 frames per second which is is the same speed that a film movie is shot at prior to being mastererd.

The BDP-LX70 which retails for $1,999 is no mid range player. It is pure top end...

Lite-On LH-2B1S Blu-ray burner review over at Extremetech (http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,2139001,00.asp?kc=ETRSS02129TX1K0000532).

http://blogs.zdnet.com/Ou/?p=511

There’s a lot of buzz lately about the delivery of HD TV and Movie content over the Internet with shows like Lost being delivered by ABC.com and other video download services with XBox360 or iTunes. I even have friends and colleagues telling me that BlueRay or HD-DVD won’t make it because HD will simply be delivered over the Internet. But there’s one dirty little secret that people are forgetting or that they don’t understand, IT’S NOT HD they’re getting over the Internet. Heck it’s not even NTSC 480i (720×480 60 fields interlaced) DVD quality when you really look at the amount of video data you’re getting!

Oh sure they might call it HD because it happens to be 1280×720 resolution which sounds awfully high, but you’re talking about an audio/video stream that’s 1.3 mbps (megabits per second) at best. You can call it whatever you like and you can even claim it meets the minimum definition of HD because it’s 720p (1280×720) resolution but it ISN’T HD for the simple reason that the bit rate isn’t enough. A regular 480i DVD is either 2, 5, or 8 mbps and most modern dual-layer 8 GB DVD releases are at least 5 mbps but more likely 8 mbps. A typical DVD movie is approximately 6 GBs of data while a typical “HD” movie you download is only about 1.5 GBs of data. Do you honestly believe you’re getting more image information in that 1.5 GB so-called HD movie you downloaded versus that 6 GB DVD movie?

[Update 3:35PM - I was a bit shocked to hear some people argue that a 1.3 mbps H.264 MPEG-4 based 720p 30-fps video stream can be better than an 8 mbps MPEG-2 480i 60-field DVD stream. I’m going to explain something; it’s impossible. MPEG-4 can compress data in a more efficient manner such that it can have a 1.4x advantage over MPEG-2 in compression ratios while maintaining the same perceived quality. However, there’s absolutely no way that newer compression formats can overcome a 4 or 6 fold disadvantage in bitrate. Compression - especially in the lossy world of video - is more of a subjective thing. MPEG-2 video is already compressed fairly efficiently and you’re really not going to squeeze out any more than a 2 fold improvement at best no matter how fancy the encoder is. There can be marginal improvements in the field of compression but there are never free lunches.]

The fact that a DVD is only encoded in 480i video is unfortunate but it still has more video information and raw potential than a so-called HD movie download for the simple fact that it has 4 times more data. A 480i video stream can be “up-scaled” to a 1080i or 1080p 1920×1080 display with glorious results and I guarantee you that it looks better than that so-called HD 720p movie you spent at least 3 hours downloading over the Internet while your family complains the Internet connection is really slow.

But truthfully speaking, the whole Blu-ray versus HD-DVD format war is silly because a regular dual-layer DVD can easily store 93 minutes of 12 mbps 1080i or 1080p H.264 or VC-1 encoded video with bare minimum HD quality that looks much better than normal MPEG-2 480i DVDs. This format would have been extremely easy to produce and the players could have cost less than $100. The only thing that HD-DVD gets you is that you can either store 3 hours of that same quality video or 100 hours of good quality 20 mbps H.264 or VC-1 video. Blu-ray players for some reason decided to forego the more advanced video codecs like H.264 or VC-1 and they’re using the old MPEG-2 encoding scheme which neutralized the capacity advantage of Blu-ray media. But instead, we have a format war where no one is really winning since Sony decided to cede their market in the next generation console wars with the PS3 to salvage the BlueRay format.

Another huge misconception is that people tend to confuse HD movie downloads over the Internet with HD IPTV. While the acronym “IP” stands for “Internet Protocol”, people have the meanings reversed because Internet always involves IP but IP doesn’t always involve the Internet. What I mean by that is that IP could strictly be a closed-network thing on a LAN (Local Area Network).

Note: It’s also a huge misconception that VoIP (Voice over IP) means Voice over the Internet because the vast majority of VoIP traffic happens on the LAN and gets switched over the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network).

IPTV requires 16 mbps per HD Channel and it would be IMPOSSIBLE for it to traverse the Internet in unicast traffic in the near tear or long term. IPTV works on a very localized level within a carrier’s own network where everything travels on local fiber-optic multi-gigabit networks on a multicast (or cached) level out to the DSLAM and only from there does it unicast to the user over a mile of a pair of copper cables. [Update 5:50 PM - Think of multicasting as a massive carpool where data is only transmitted once for everyone whereas unicast means the video bandwidth is multiplied by the number of users. Even a 2 mbps unicast stream turns in to a 20,000 mbps stream with 10,000 users where as a multicast or locally cached 16 mbps stream for 100,000 users is still means 16 mbps of traffic over the backbone.] That’s precisely why AT&T U-Verse wants to install miniature DSLAMs within a mile of their customers so they can support a 20 mbps DSL connection that can support a 16 mbps unicast HD IPTV stream over the last mile in addition to data access to the Internet. Other than U-Verse, Verizon’s FiOS (Fiber to the premises or home) is the only other way that IPTV can be delivered to the home. The Cable Internet companies don’t really care about IPTV because they deliver their digital television over a different frequency over the same coax cable and it’s a broadcast technology that sends out the same analog/digital signal to everyone’s house.

This is precisely why HD Movie downloads are a big fat lie being pitched to consumers because even the delivery of 1.3 mbps unicast traffic will bring most parts of the Internet down to its knees if enough people use the service. The carriers are in a strategic position to be close enough to the customer that they can actually deliver true HD-quality IPTV with some level of video on demand and that scares the Googles of the world to death because there’s no way an Internet based 1.3 mbps make-believe HD video service can compete with true HD IPTV. That’s precisely why Google lobbied so hard to defeat the Telecom bill last year which would have deregulated the Telcos so they could implement IPTV and Net Neutrality was merely a political “poison pill” to kill the Telecom bill. More on this later …

Disney Says No to 'Lost,' 'Badder Santa' on Blu-ray (http://www.mickeynews.com/News/DisplayPressRelease.asp_Q_id_E_617Blu)

In a late-breaking update, Disney Home Entertainment says that contrary to recent reports, the studio is not planning to release either 'Lost: The Complete Third Season' or 'Badder Santa' on Blu-ray this fall. In the first of two major announcements for Blu-ray this week, a retail announcement for an Unrated Version of 'Badder Santa' on November 20 was reported by various retailers, and picked up by several DVD news sites (including High-Def Digest).

This was followed today by a major news story that originated at The Hollywood Reporter, outlining the studio's plans for TV-on-DVD releases for the coming year, which indicated a Blu-ray release of 'Lost: The Complete Third Season' would arrive December 11.

However, Disney today informed us that both reports are erroneous, and that neither 'Lost' nor 'Badder Santa' are currently planned for high-def release. They also reiterated that they are Blu-ray exclusive, and have no plans to support HD DVD at this time (a recent IMDB report suggested otherwise).

Given the news, we've removed both 'Badder Santa' and 'Lost' from our Blu-ray Release Schedule. We'll certainly keep you posted if/when either title ends up being confirmed by the studio in the future. Sounds like someone leaked before Disney was ready. A premature announcement?

Some interesting figures for VOD (which includes pay-per-view):

We cannot over-emphasize how important our growing library is to maximizing our performance in the digital marketplace, a market that has emerged in a financially meaningful way for Lionsgate this past year and is beginning to deliver accretive results that are a reality, not a promise.

As Jon mentioned a few minutes ago, both conventional and broadband VOD are an important part of the future and are beginning to contribute significantly. We are now achieving VOD revenues equaling 10% or more of box office results on our better performing theatrical titles, such as Employee of the Month and Crank. Conventional VOD revenue grew almost 50% to $24 million in fiscal ’07. We believe that these results will continue to be accretive going forward rather than cannibalizing our packaged media business, because we are entering an environment where any consumer with broadband can have instantaneous access to our content.

We can foreseea day when every consumer with broadband will have instant access to virtually every film ever made. No matter how much space is available at major retailers, virtual shelf space in the digital environment is unlimited.

As an example of the incremental revenue potential from these new consumers, during the most recent week of results from iTunes, six of our top 10 revenue-generating films are not currently on Wal-mart shelves, demonstrating that virtual shelf space allows for very accretive revenue generation.

More titles from our library generating more revenue -- that is the promise of digital delivery. The digital delivery is showing extremely rapid growth. We have already generated approximately 1.4 million downloads with our digital partners, and this nascent technology is just establishing itself. Our momentum is going to grow. We got off to a fast start with Weeds on iTunes, which generated over 1 million downloads itself, and in just the last three months that we’ve been selling library titles, we have seen their surprising power.

To give just one illustrative example of the strength of our digital delivery of library films, a few weeks ago we uploaded Van Wilder. In the first week it was offered on iTunes, it was the number one downloaded movie out of their entire selection and it only dropped 10% in its second week. That’s not bad for a five-year old film that generated less than $20 million at the box office -- more validation for the long tail theory.

Since our electronic delivery deal with X-Box Live became active in February, we have had 150,000 VOD downloads from just 15 films. This is an extremely promising sign for our entire library and the power of the virtual shelf space of digital delivery.

As we mentioned during our last call, our day-and-date VOD test with Comcast has shown promising results with little evidence of cannibalization of traditional rental and sell-through markets. We are expanding this test to include an addition market in the fall and will continue to monitor the results, but it does initially appear that this will prove to be a substantial accretive source of revenue.
Brief talk about Blu-Ray:
One of the catalysts of our home entertainment growth is our leadership as one of the premier content innovators in the business. We’ll have released approximately 50 titles on Blu-ray DVD by the end of this year at much higher gross margins than our traditional DVD titles. With 11% Blu-ray market share year-to-date significantly over-indexing our broader home video market share, we are currently well-positioned to capitalize on the acceleration of the high-definition market when a single format is established. Blu-ray currently has almost a two-to-one software advantage and we still believe that it will ultimately emerge as the dominant format.

Until then, however, Blu-ray will be a relatively small but growing source of higher margin revenue.
http://media.seekingalpha.com/article/37000

Centricom Files Suit Against Sony For AACS Patent Infringement (http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=20592)

Cryptography software provider Certicom has initiated litigation in the Eastern District of Texas against Sony, for patent infringement related to the AACS content protection used in Blu-Ray.

In its filing, Certicom alleged infringement concerning two United States patents used in the content protection technologies found in Sony products.

The patents-in-suit are two of Certicom's fundamental patents used in consumer electronics, in particular its version of Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) public-key scheme. In its complaint, Certicom alleges Sony has, and continues to, infringe, contribute to and induce the infringement of Certicom's patents by making, using, importing, offering for sale and selling their products in the U.S. without being licensed by Certicom to do so. These patents are related to content protection technologies, including Advanced Access Control System (AACS) used in Blu-ray and Digital Transmission Content Protection (DTCP) used in wired and wireless distribution of compression audio and video. Products affected include Playstation 3, DVD players, VAIO personal computers and certain high definition TV models and audio equipment.

"We have invested heavily in ECC research and development over many years and feel strongly that our shareholders deserve fair value from companies using our patented technology," said Bernard Crotty, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We prefer to resolve these issues through commercial discussions and without litigation. However, at this point we are left with no alternative but to file suit."

Sony has not made any official statement on the suit.

Certicom has filed the related ECC patent at the US Patent and Trademark Office in 2000.

Dailytech: AACS Remains Confident in Protecting HD DVD, Blu-ray Disc (http://www.dailytech.com/AACS+Remains+Confident+in+Protecting+HD+DVD+Bluray+Disc/article7400.htm)

New AACS processing key leaks onto the net
http://www.boingboing.net/2007/05/30/new_aacs_processing_.html

AACS has the capacity to "revoke" a processing key. When they do this, all HD-DVD players are unable to play new discs unless they get an update (woe betide you if your DVD player is on your boat, in your cottage, or at your grandparents' place where there is no Internet access). The big question is whether the AACS can revoke keys faster than hackers can extract them.

It's a race. AACS is losing.

Six days before the revocation of the original processing key, a company in the Caribbean updated its DVD-ripping software with a new key. Apparently, they had broken this key long in advance and held it close to their chest, awaiting a revocation event. The revocation was nullified before it even took effect.

Panasonic: Company currently working on PiP, BD Live (http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6448241.html)

Panasonic lab grows with Blu-ray format

Panasonic’s Hollywood Lab is expanding its research and development facility here and its staff to grow with the Blu-ray Disc format.

Since its inception in 2001, PHL has grown to four times its original building area size and moved into a large space near the NBC Universal executive offices two years ago.

PHL also has increased its staff from about a dozen to approximately 50 employees since shifting near NBC Universal (which ironically happens to exclusively support Blu-ray rival HD DVD).

PHL expects to become 80 employees strong by the end of the year.

The lab is now asking studios and filmmakers for help infusing titles with picture-in-picture and Web-enabled BD Live features.

“We are opening our doors to directors, producers, the big household names, through our relations with the studios—they want to learn about Blu-ray,” said Eisuke Tsuyuzaki, VP of corporate development and general manager, Blu-ray Group for Panasonic R&D Company of America. “Getting the endorsement and backing of the creative community is paramount.”

Picture-in-picture, where a separate video stream plays on top of the running feature film, will debut on a BD title this year, says Tsuyuzaki. This coincides with the BD Group’s Oct. 31 deadline mandating that all new hardware models launching after this date must handle picture-in-picture playback.

PHL also is testing a BD Live prototype title, which will likely street by early 2008.

“Studios are protective, and they have proprietary product, [and] I would anticipate a number of different BD Live services but maybe hosted by one company,” said Tsuyuzaki. “The studios are going to be extremely protective in how they distribute their value-added content.”

“It’s no good to just be able to connect the consumers to the Internet. There needs to be something compelling there,” said Tsuyuzaki. “There will probably be a phased approach. We will start with the simple downloading of subtitles and audio tracks, and then the downloading of trailers. [Next], comes an e-commerce application, [followed] by some kind of an event. This might be where everyone comes in and can talk online with a director at a certain time.”

Six days before the revocation of the original processing key, a company in the Caribbean updated its DVD-ripping software with a new key. Apparently, they had broken this key long in advance and held it close to their chest, awaiting a revocation event. The revocation was nullified before it even took effect. [/I]

... a whole new meaning to Pirates of the Caribbean. :D

One high-end electronics store gets an alert that Sony's new player will cost just $499.


http://www.tvpredictions.com/sonysurprise060107.htm

One high-end electronics store gets an alert that Sony's new player will cost just $499.


http://www.tvpredictions.com/sonysurprise060107.htm

yes. Associate press confirms the report of the $100 price reduction.

Sony Corp. said Monday it is including a small surprise with the new Blu-ray disc player it is shipping this week: a price tag $100 lower than previously announced.

When Sony announced the BDP-S300 player in February, it put the price at $599, but it has now set a list price at $499.

Potential BD player buyers all now rejoice !! :D

http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/business/17320467.htm

http://www.itnewsonline.com/showstory.php?storyid=9866&scatid=3&contid=3

Toshiba Storage Device Division (SDD) has announced the first slim HD DVD-RW drive for mobile PCs, further extending high-definition recording capabilities to the IT arena.

The new drive can read, write and rewrite to HD DVD-RW discs, as well as read and write to HD DVD-R discs and standard DVD and CD discs.

http://www.itnewsonline.com/images/news/Toshiba-SD-L912A.jpg

Toshiba Announces First Slim HD DVD Rewritable Drive for Mobile PCs

Some more info:

Player model is SD-L912A
Writes HD DVD-R SL at 2x
Writes HD DVD-R DL, HD DVD-RW SL and HD DVD-RW DL at 1x

Sony cuts price on new Blu-ray player (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070604/ap_on_hi_te/sony_blu_ray_player_1)
When Sony announced the BDP-S300 player in February, it put the price at $599, but it has now set a list price at $499.

Broadcom Introduces Complete Media PC Solutions, Enabling Flawless Playback of High Definition Video on the Widest Range of PCs (http://www.broadcom.com/press/release.php?id=1010620&source=home)

New Broadcom® Media PC Solutions Enable Blu-ray Disc™ and HD DVD Playback, HD Downloads and HD Broadcasts for Mid-range PCs with Integrated Graphics Chipsets, Driving HD-enabled PC Laptop Prices Down to the $1,000 Level

mod

several bashing posts deleted: stop the bashing please

Also several off-topic posts deleted. Articles about the format war and articles about sales figures or projections do not constitute news about the technology. We're allowing some posts about hardware pricing if it's really newsworthy. And that's admittedly subjective. Just ask mikemorel <G>. Still, the post may be removed after a day or so just to keep the thread a one-stop source for the latest news about the technology.

Doc

Sony cuts price on new Blu-ray player (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070604/ap_on_hi_te/sony_blu_ray_player_1)Confirmation from Video Business along with a priceless Sony quote...


Sony cuts second-generation Blu-ray player price to $499 (http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6448839.html)

“We don’t react to other people’s products,” the spokesman said. “This was done because of a decline in the cost of manufacturing costs.”

RIDATA HD DVD-R and RW Reach North American Market (http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=20609)

Advanced Media, Inc.,the manufacturer and marketer of the RIDATA brand of recordable DVD media announced that parent company RITEK is offering certified HD-DVD-R and HD DVD-RW media.

Advanced Media will provide marketing, sales and distribution of the discs to the United States. The certified RIDATA brand HDDVD-R or RW discs are available for purchase now.

Volume production will begin in the second half of this year as more HDDVD drives enter the market and increase the demand for media.

Primera Announces Bravo XRP-Blu Disc Publisher (http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=20608)

Along with built-in robotics and full-color direct-to-disc inkjet printing, the Bravo XRP-Blu incorporates two Panasonic SW-5582 drives to record onto CD-R, DVD-R/DVD+R (single and dual layer) and BD-R (single and dual layer). Dual-layer BD-R media has a capacity of up to 50GB per disc.

A sixth-generation robotic mechanism is used to transport discs into the built-in Panasonic recorder. After recording, each disc is individually printed in full-color at up to 4800 dpi resolution. Up to 100 discs can be burned and printed per job from a Mac or Windows computer.

The Bravo XRP-Blu Disc Publisher is priced at US$8995 (MSRP) and is available immediately.

Toshiba to enlist laptops to push HD-DVD format (http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=technologyNews&storyID=2007-06-05T113856Z_01_T136867_RTRIDST_0_TECH-TOSHIBA-HDDVD-LAPTOPS-COL.XML&archived=False)

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Toshiba Corp. aims to put disk drives for high-definition DVDs on all its laptops next year as it strives to gain an edge in the high-stakes next-generation DVD format battle, a Toshiba executive said on Tuesday.
Toshiba, which research firm IDC said shipped 9.2 million notebook PCs in calendar 2006, is seeking to land a knock-out blow against the Sony-led Blu-ray camp, but adding high-definition drives to PCs would mean higher prices and could hurt sales.

"ALL" it's laptops? Wow.

From the "in case things are not screwed up enough, we should screw with it some more" file:

HD VMD format scores Icon movies Apocalypto, others, in Australia (http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6449280.html)

JUNE 6 | Apocalypto, The Descent, The Queen, among other high-profile films, will be distributed by Icon Film Distribution on the fledgling high-definition format HD VMD in the territories of Australia and New Zealand.


Apocalypto is available on Blu-ray in the U.S.

The content is part of an agreement signed by HD VMD backer New Medium Enterprises and Icon, which also will release in these markets on the format Black Sheep, Butterfly Effect and its sequel, Gosford Park, Miss Potter, The Hitcher and We Were Soldiers.

NME expects the first of these titles to be released by the third quarter. The company has not specified pricing or which retailers in Australia and New Zealand will carry the product.

It is also anticipated that NME will begin rolling out its first HD VMD players, including its cheapest Media Player Duo model, in the third quarter. The Media Player will be priced at U.S. $150 to U.S. $199 and will playback high-definition video and audio with red-laser technology.

In the U.S., players will be available at PCRush.com. Planned European hardware retailers include Tesco.

Onkyo DV-HD805 HD DVD Player (http://formatwarcentral.com/index.php/2007/06/06/onkyo-dv-hd805-hd-dvd-player/)
http://whathifi.co.uk/home-cinema/archive/2007/05/28/behind-the-scenes-at-onkyo.aspx

http://sgd35.haymarketmagazines.com/blogs/home-cinema/onkyo%20DV-HD805.jpg

The company will launch an HD DVD player in the Autumn. While the DV-HD805 (above) is based on Toshiba's HD-XA2, it will have some tweaking on the audio and SD video side, making it what the company calls 'a very good DVD player with HD DVD support.' The official word is that the company supports both formats, and is hoping for a viable universal solution somewhere down the line.

Corel's InterVideo WinDVD 8 HD/BD Player Approved for Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus Playback (http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/070606/20070606006274.html?.v=1)

This is a good article covering HD-DVD and Blu-Ray playback on PC's. Page 10 includes a discount code for the Silicon Optix HD-DVD and Blu-Ray benchamrk discs!

AVIVO vs. Purevideo HD: What You Need to Know about High-Definition Video
http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/06/08/avivo_vs_purevideo_hd/index.html

HD DVD PRG press release: Consumers Drive Record Sales of HD DVD Players to Capture 60% of HD Set-Top Market (http://www.broadcastnewsroom.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=149591)

Sales-related, but there's very interesting information inside.

Discussion here: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=10758369&&#post10758369

Sony NEC Optiarc release BD-M100A PC Blu-ray drive (http://www.hdtvuk.tv/2007/05/sony_nec_optiar.html)
Sony NEC Optiarc has unveiled its first PC Blu-ray burner. The BD-M100A drive can burn single and dual-layer Blu-ray discs at double speed, and can handle both write-once (BD-R) and rewritable (BD-RE) Blu-ray discs. It's also fully backwards compatible with existing DVD and CD formats.

Data sheet (http://www.sonynec-optiarc.de/upload/pdfs/products/Data_sheet_BD-M100A.pdf)

Quanta Storage builds slim-type BD burner, Sizable sales revenues expected in 2nd half of 2008 (http://www.digitimes.com/systems/a20070611PD213.html)

Quanta Storage, the largest maker of slim-type optical disc drives (ODDs) in Taiwan, is in the final stages of developing slim-type Blu-ray Disc (BD) burners and is poised to begin volume production sometime in the second half of 2007, but the product will not bring in sizable sales revenues until the second half of 2008 based on market development trends, according to company spokesman Wei-lin Wang at the company's 2007 shareholder meeting on June 11.

Of Quanta Storage's shipment volumes, slim-type DVD burners have accounted for over 60% while slim-type Combo drives accounted for 30-40%, Wang indicated. However, orders received since the beginning of May have shown unusual increases in the volume of slim-type Combo drives, Wang indicated.

Toshiba, announcing new HD DVD recorder "RD-A300/A600" (http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20070612/toshiba2.htm)

"CorporationToshiba on the 12th, announced HD DVD/HDD recorder "RD-A600/A300". RD-A600 600GB HDD, loading RD-A300 300GB HDD. To sell from 6 ends of the month, price together open price. As for shop front expectation price A600 20 ten thousand Yen or less, A300 approximately 15 ten thousand Yen. As for development code name "ODIN (Odin)".

Playback and 1 layer /2 layer HD DVD-R record of the HD DVD video software are possible, the "HD DVD on-board HDD recorder". Other than digital broadcast video recording to of HD DVD-R/ムーブ, it corresponds to DVD-RAM/R/RW. Furthermore, we do not correspond to HD DVD-RW, do not support either DVD-RAM of cartridge type.

Terrestrial degree of /BS/110 CS digital tuner each 2 systems and terrestrial analog tuner 1 systematic equipment. It corresponds to "the hi-vision W record" of digital 2 program simultaneous video recordings. Also main chip set/the software corresponded to HD DVD to load the "VARDIA engine", besides the fact that playback of the digital W record time/compilation operation was made possible, acceleration of GUI operation was actualized.

In addition, i.LINK (TS) it equips, ムーブ does the video recording image of i.LINK loading VARIDIA in RD-A600/300, can output to HD DVD-R. In addition, the server function "net de server HD which" corresponds to DTCP-IP is had, image inside VARDIA the streaming can be viewed from the corresponding client.

Concerning the pattern of concert chasing, it reports."

http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20070612/tos0_02.jpg

Sony may increase U.S. Shipments of Blu-Ray by Sixfold in 2007 (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aXdV46K714xI)

Sony Corp., the world's second- largest consumer electronics maker, said shipments of Blu-ray DVD players in the U.S. may jump sixfold this year as it expects movies exclusively available to the device will lure buyers.

Sony may ship as many as 600,000 Blu-ray players in the U.S. this year, from less than 100,000 units in 2006, said Randy Waynick, senior vice president of the U.S. home products division, at a meeting in San Francisco yesterday.

Sony, based in Tokyo, forecast last month that net income in the year ending March 31 will more than double, helped by its movie unit, increased sales of Bravia televisions and narrower losses at the PlayStation game unit. Sony's Blu-ray fights with Toshiba Corp.'s HD DVD in high-definition television.

``You'll see growth in multiples of five or six times'' for Blu-ray player shipments in the U.S. in 2007 from a year earlier, Waynick told reporters at a meeting. ``A lot of that will depend how competitive'' it becomes, he said.

The company manufactures its Blu-ray players at a factory in Kisarazu, Chiba prefecture, east of Tokyo.

``The movies are very compelling,'' Waynick said, without disclosing any titles. Out of the top 20 blockbusters, ``there were 14 or 15 that were exclusive Blu-ray.''

Shares of Sony fell 0.8 percent to 6,590 yen as of the 11 a.m. break on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average fell 0.4 percent.

Hitachi goes dual format:

http://i15.tinypic.com/52fs3rm.jpg

Hitachi GGW-H20N
Read: HD DVD, Blu-Ray BD-R and BD-RW (6X reading speed), + all cd/dvd formats
Write: Blu-Ray BD-R and BD-RW (4x writing speed) + all cd/dvd formats
Interface: SATA

http://uk.theinquirer.net/?article=40273

The Japanese electronics group now expects to sell 1 million next-generation optical disc players and recorders in North America by the end of calendar 2007, down 44 percent from its previous estimate of 1.8 million unit sales, a Toshiba executive said Tuesday.

http://news.com.com/Toshiba+drops+sales+target+for+HD+DVD+players/2100-1041_3-6190361.html

ASUS announce two read only drive
5X Bluray ROM $270 BC-1205PT
2.4X HD DVD ROM $180 HR-0205T
http://www.stor-age.com/stor-age/2007/0612/409196.shtml

Toshiba release two HD DVD recorders in Japan
VARDIA RD-A600 and VARDIA RD-A300(around $1500).
Anchor bay scaler.SL/DL HD DVD-R, no HD DVD-RW support,
http://stor-age.zdnet.com.cn/stor-age/2007/0612/409331.shtml
Toshiba put emphasis on HDD (Hard Disk Recorder with HD DVD).
In the press conference, Toshiba VP said all Qosmio laptop will be equipped with HD DVD drive next year and Toshiba has shipped more than 1 million hd dvd drive. He also confirmed dual format player from Samsung and cheap Chinese player by the end of this year. He also commented on the lower expectation from 1.8 million to 1 million. He said 1.8 million prediction was based on 5% of 40 million >32" HDTV owner in NA. Price is the bottleneck now.

Non-news posts, as well as some sales figures posts have been removed. Sales figures stuff goes in one of the existing sales threads.

ASUS announce two read only drive
5X Bluray ROM $250 BC-1205PT
2.4X HD DVD ROM $180 HR-0205T
http://www.stor-age.com/stor-age/2007/0612/409196.shtmlHope you don't mind if I put some English to that post... :)

ASUS Exhibits $270 Blu-ray Drive, Etc. (http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20070608/133879/)

At COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2007 being held in Taipei, Taiwan, Asustec computer Inc. (ASUS) of Taiwan is exhibiting the BC-1205PT Blu-ray Disc (BD) drive and HR-0205T HD DVD drive, both for a desktop PC.

These models are available at very low prices of about $270 and $180 (USD), respectively, because they do not have data writing functionality for BD and HD DVD. Reportedly, the company is also planning to launch the products in Japan, targeting the release as early as summer 2007.

From TWICE

Philips' Muller Readies For Holiday Battle (http://www.twice.com/article/CA6451763.html)

TWICE: What’s your plan for Blu-ray Disc this year?

Muller: We are staying committed to the Blu-ray camp. We are a founder. As far as hardware, we are waiting for our next generation player to start pushing it. The reality right now, with the cost of the components, where going from analog TV to HDTV is an order of magnitude in difference, going from regular DVD to Blu-ray is not in equality with the difference in price you are going to pay. As this gets down into the price points that are more in line with the incremental benefits, we will be going after it aggressively. We remain firmly committed to Blu-ray Disc.

I think we should take this Blog with a big grain of salt.

Source: UltimateAV (http://www.guidetohometheater.com/news/61407hddvd/)

Mixed Messages From HD DVD Camp
By Shane C. Buettner

June 14, 2007 — Talk about news stories of ironic proportions. On Monday the HD DVD Promotional Group trumpeted record sales of standalone HD DVD players three weeks into an agressive marketing campaign that featured major advertising support and $100 in-store rebates on players. According to the press release, 150,000 standalone HD DVD players have been purchased by consumers, representing 60% of the dedicated player market.

Before one could even pause to consider the relevance of standalone player sales vs. game consoles, Reuters on Tuesday reported that Toshiba had slashed its sales targets for HD DVD players and recorders by a whopping 44% citing that "sales in the US have been slower than expected."

High-def catalog releases reflect broader appeal (http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6452283.html)

Paramount Home Entertainment will bow Flashdance on HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc on Sept. 18 (prebook Aug. 7).

By early 2008, Warner Home Video will bow some of the first made-for-DVD titles, horror movies The Rest Stop and Sublime from its Raw Feed label.

On top of more variety going forward, studios also are planning to rally around summer theatrical blockbusters when releasing high-def catalog. From Warner, look for the first two installments of the Ocean’s franchise to street in high-def, when the latest sequel, Ocean’s 13, heads to disc this fourth quarter. Also, many of Warner’s Harry Potter films will be released on high-def timed to the home entertainment bow of July theatrical Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6452283.html

"On top of more variety going forward, studios also are planning to rally around summer theatrical blockbusters when releasing high-def catalog. From Warner, look for the first two installments of the Ocean’s franchise to street in high-def, when the latest sequel, Ocean’s 13, heads to disc this fourth quarter. Also, many of Warner’s Harry Potter films will be released on high-def timed to the home entertainment bow of July theatrical Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix."

Blockbuster Inc. will rent high-definition DVDs only in the Blu-ray format in 1,450 stores when it expands its high-def offerings next month, dealing a major blow to the rival HD DVD format.

The move, being announced Monday, could be the first step in resolving a format war that has kept confused consumers from rushing to buy new DVD players until they can determine which format will dominate the market.

Blockbuster has been renting both Blu-ray and HD DVD titles in 250 stores since late last year and found that consumers were choosing Blu-ray titles more than 70 percent of the time. "The consumers are sending us a message. I can't ignore what I'm seeing," Matthew Smith, senior vice president of merchandising at Blockbuster, told The Associated Press.

"When you walk into a store and see all this product available in Blu-ray and there is less available on HD DVD, I think the consumer gets that," Smith said.

Blockbuster will continue to rent HD DVD titles in the original 250 locations and online, the Dallas-based company said.

...

http://www.newsday.com/business/investing/wire/sns-ap-blockbuster-blu-ray,0,3030147.story?coll=sns-ap-investing-headlines
http://blockbuster.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=press_releases&item=727

- Talk

Interview with the Blockbuster COO (Video) regarding the recent Blu-ray/HD DVD Decision:

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=383736735&play=1

LG GGW-H10N Blu-Ray, HD DVD Combo Drive Review (http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=20704)

Toshiba to roll out mainstream notebook computers with HD DVD Playback (http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/070619/20070619005625.html?.v=1)

Company Also Plans to Release First U.S. Notebook with Writable HD DVD Drive in Third Quarter

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Toshiba's Digital Product Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced that the Satellite® P205, Satellite X205 and Qosmio® F45 will be the company's first mainstream mobile solutions to incorporate HD DVD drives, while the Qosmio G45 will be the first U.S. notebook computer with a writeable HD DVD optical drive, and will be available to consumers in time for the back-to-school season.

"In the realm of high definition nothing compares to the capability and quality that is available through HD DVD," said Mark Simons, vice president and general manager, Digital Products Division, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. "Due to manufacturing efficiencies being achieved for HD DVD, we're able to add this revolutionary technology into our mainstream consumer notebook lineup at affordable prices."

The new HD DVD enabled Toshiba Satellite and Qosmio notebook computers will have estimated single unit prices (ESUP) that will range from $1,449 to $3,199(1), depending on model and configuration. In terms of screen size, the Satellite P205, Satellite X205 and Qosmio G45 will be equipped with high-resolution 17-inch diagonal widescreen displays, while the Qosmio F45 will take advantage of a healthy 15.4-inch diagonal widescreen display.

Additionally the Toshiba Satellite X205, Qosmio F45 and Qosmio G45 notebook computers are equipped with an HDMI port and can be connected to any high definition display or television at home, on the road or in a dorm room to deliver pure HD DVD content without fear of image degradation. The Qosmio G45 is capable of output resolutions up to 1080p, while the Satellite X205 will offer an output of up to 1080i output.

In addition to the HD DVD playback, which has resolution six times sharper than the DVD format, the Qosmio G45 notebook computer provides users with a state-of-the-art HD DVD-R optical drive that can burn up to 30 GB of data(2), including video or entire photo and music libraries, onto a single HD DVD recordable disc.

Pricing, availability, specific model numbers and configurations for the Satellite P205, Satellite X205, Qosmio G45 with HD DVD and the Qosmio F45 with integrated HD DVD-R will be announced during the third quarter of 2007. Each notebook was designed to meet the needs of growing families, gamers and home entertainment enthusiasts respectively.

Q&A with Masayuki Kozuka of Matsushita (http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20070620PD201.html)

Q. What is Matsushita's business outlook for blue-laser ODDs or players?

A. This year, DVD standards will account for 95% of the global sales volume of all kinds of ODDs (including players and recorders), leaving 5% for BD and HD DVD. But the proportion for BD and HD DVD will rise to 20-30% in 2010. In addition, the shipment volume of desktop and notebook PCs equipped with BD and/or HD DVD burners/drives will reach an estimated 35 million units in 2010, accounting for 17.5% of the projected 200 million units for all PCs.

Starz to go Blu
http://www.homemediaretailing.com/news/html/breaking_article.cfm?sec_id=2&&article_ID=10786
Starz to go Blu
Author: CHRIS TRIBBEY
ctribbey@questex.com
Posted: June 19, 2007

A new player in the high-definition market emerged at the Sixth Annual Home Entertainment Summit: DVD & Beyond in Century City, Calif.

Starz Home Entertainment President Bill Clark announced during an executive session with MGM VP of Marketing Julia Simmons that his company will release the first season of the company’s “Masters of Horror” collection on Blu-ray in the fourth quarter of this year. Other Starz catalogue titles also are in line for a Blu-ray release.

UPDATE: (06/19/07 7:27PM ET)
We've received word directly from MGM late this afternoon that despite earlier reports to the contrary, the studio has not announced any new Blu-ray titles for this later year. The studio says that the Home Media Magazine article that broke the story earlier today was erroneous, and HMM has since removed the text pertaining to MGM's fourth quarter Blu-ray plans from their online story.

http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/MGM/Disc_Announcements/UPDATE:_MGM_Denies_Reports_of_Fourth_Quarter_Blu-ray_Revival/710

DVD Forum Announces Latest Progress HD DVD Format (http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=20742)

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

The DVD Forum, the industry body responsible for the specifications and certification matters related to the the HD DVD format, announced the results of its latest meeting.

The DVD Forum frequently holds meetings in order to discuss the latest proposals and developments of the DVD and HD DVD industry, set new specification standards and provide certification guidelines for the corresponding formats.

The 38th Steering Committee Meeting was held on Monday in Japan.

Starting with the decisions related to the DVD format, the DVD Forum's members approved the DVD Specifications for Re-recordable Disc for Dual Layer (DVD-RW for DL) Part 2 File System Specifications, Version 2.0.

Regarding HD DVD, a new logo has been approved for the devices complying to the 1x/2x HD DVD-R/RW specifications.

http://www.cdrinfo.com/images/uploaded/HDDVD-R_RW_logos.gif

In addition, the DVD Forum said that it will continue its discussions with the Chinese government-sponsored Optical Memory National Engineering Research Center (OMNERC), in order to develop the special version of the HD DVD standard for the China market. Both sides are preparing a MOU which is yet to be signed.

Last, the DVD Forum selected VeriSign, Comodo and Cybertrust information security companies, in order offer a secure environment for the online certification procedure of the HD DVD-Video Version 1.1 players.

Can I quote an interview of myself?

Interviews by Jan Ozer about what's up with VC-1. Quoted below is the portion relevant to HD DVD and Blu-ray.

http://www.streamingmedia.com/article.asp?id=9625

What’s new with your codecs?
We delivered an updated version of the VC-1 encoder coinciding with the latest Windows Media Player release last fall that brought some improved efficiencies. But the latest and most significant development is our new commercial Microsoft VC-1 Encoder SDK (software developer kit), which we announced at NAB.

As many of your readers involved in the broader compression world likely know, we’ve made significant investments in VC-1 and its use in HD DVD and Blu-ray, and have been providing advanced VC-1 encoder technology to the major studios for disc authoring for some time. It has been a huge success, with industry leading quality results, not to mention the technology's popularity - with more than 90% of all HD DVD discs authored in the U.S. using our solution.

Now we're making these same core techniques used by Hollywood studios broadly available through the Microsoft VC-1 Encoder SDK. The capabilities in this latest SDK will offer substantial quality and performance improvements for picture quality, faster encode times, new optimization for various distribution channels, and an easy process for integrating future updates.

Special features have also been customized for market segments such as optical discs to enable parallel encoding for significant speed improvement, as well as segment-based re-encoding, which allows users to re-encode only a portion of content that would benefit from another encode.

Some solution examples from early adopters were shown at NAB, including Rhozet, which showcased faster than real-time HD VC-1 encoding using a grid setup with their Carbon product. Inlet also showcased real-time streaming of VC-1 at full D1 resolution with very high quality using their Spinnaker product. We anticipate a number of additional partner solutions will be announced over the next few months.

For the Microsoft VC-1 Encoder SDK there are four different versions, targeting different markets:
- Pro SDK—offers performance and quality improvements for existing professional compression products focusing on offline encoding of video on demand and physical format scenarios.
- Enterprise SDK—extends our Pro SDK with support for grid encoding and segment re-encoding.
- Live SDK—enhances features aimed at real time linear encoding. It adds key improvements such as a better constant bit rate (CBR) control, and a mechanism to adjust the right set of codec features on the fly. It also offers the best quality with changing content, support for ad Insertion, closed captioning, etc.
- Hardware SDK—supports hardware acceleration for any of the Pro, Enterprise, or Live SDKs. Our long-time partner Tarari will be launching the Hardware SDK with us.

Hitachi LG GGW-H20N will write Blu-Ray at 6x speed (http://www.hdnumerique.com/actualite/articles/1967-le-nouveau-ggw-h20n-gravera-les-blu-ray-en-6x.html)

The upcoming HD DVD/Blu-ray combo drive recently announced by Hitachi LG Data Storage will support writing blank Blu-ray discs at a 6x speed. However, the drive will not record HD DVD.

Another drive with no writing capabilities (model number GGC-H20L) is also in the pipeline.

Xbox 360 Elite test (http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=78001)

HD DVD performance is tested in page 6.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070620-blu-ray-content-protection-agency-certifies-bd.html

"More worrying than a resolution of the high-definition format wars, however, is what studios might want to do with the additional powers that BD+ provides them. The ability to run any sort of code in the name of "advanced countermeasures" also brings the power to limit content by other means: timed-release and expiring discs are just some of the possibilities. Somewhere, the ghost of the original DiVX may be laughing. "

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070620-blu-ray-content-protection-agency-certifies-bd.html

"More worrying than a resolution of the high-definition format wars, however, is what studios might want to do with the additional powers that BD+ provides them. The ability to run any sort of code in the name of "advanced countermeasures" also brings the power to limit content by other means: timed-release and expiring discs are just some of the possibilities. Somewhere, the ghost of the original DiVX may be laughing. "This news article is actually mistaken since both HD formats are technically capable of time-based content using AACS if they have a secure clock. This can be seen in the AACS specs (http://www.aacsla.com/specifications/specs091/AACS_Spec_Common_0.91.pdf) on pages 57 and 58. Here are two of the relevant paragraphs:


If a Permission obtained for this Title may be cached, the Title Record will have the “cacheable” attribute. Titles whose Permissions are cacheable may be further optionally modified by the “period”, “after”, or “before” attributes. These attributes have the following precise meanings:

• The “period” attribute indicates the amount of time that the Permission may stay in the cache until it must be deleted. A player may always delete it earlier.
• The “after” attribute indicates that a player may not begin playing the title until the date and time specified.
• The “before” attribute indicates that a player may not begin playing the title after the date and time specified.

http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=269
Exoptron Limited Announces Blu-ray Exclusivity

Posted June 19, 2007 by Josh

Blu-ray Disc Exoptron Limited has announced that they will begin releasing titles exclusively for Blu-ray. The company has available three HD Documentary titles ready to be released during the last quarter of 2007. The titles are 'The Valley of Roses', 'Bacchanals in Modern Times' and 'Spirulina the Astronauts Nutrition'. An Additional title - 'Olive Oil & Med Diet' a 3 hour HD documentary will be released by the end of February 2008.

Link: http://www.exoptron.com

Earnhardt Jr., Sony team up to tout high-tech toys (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/nascar/2007-06-20-earnhardt-sony_N.htm)
Sony was an easy choice for Earnhardt, an avid online racing gamer who likes high-tech gadgets and computers. He primarily will hawk high-definition products (such as TVs, camcorders, cameras and Blu-ray disc players) for Sony, joining Peyton Manning and Michelle Wie as its high-profile endorsers.

A very lengthy article on blue laser disc mastering from One to One:

The master plan: making the necessary adjustments for blue-laser media (http://www.oto-online.com/pdf/oto_download/2007/06/OTO_June07_P37-40_MasterPlan.pdf)

BD IS GENERALLY THE MORE CHALLENGING of the two new formats to manufacture, and the mastering stage is no exception. That is not to say that HD DVD is not without its own challenges – as Rilum says, “BD is for sure is the bigger challenge due to the 25% smaller (minimum) pit lengths and a factor-of-two tighter track pitch specification. That, however, doesn’t make the HD DVD format trivial to do. There are some HD DVD parameters (HF asymmetries) which need to be controlled very precisely in order to achieve good quality replicas.”

M2 Engineering has developed a system for HD DVD mastering, and the company believes that photoresist is perfectly suitable for the process. Martin Brown,VP sales and marketing at M2 Engineering, explains: “We concede that photoresist is probably not the correct process for BD but the consistent mastering of HD DVD using a high-contrast resist is perfectly feasible.The technique is not unique and we are using similar optics and process to those used by Memory-Tech in Japan.” (In 2005,Memory-Tech developed the world’s first 375-nm semiconductor laser-based LBR for HD DVD.)

“What we see is that most customers do not actually need HD DVD or BD mastering right now, but they want to know that their mastering purchase today will give them the chance to upgrade their system later. Another advantage of staying with photoresist for HD DVD is that it fits into an existing mastering infrastructure where users are familiar with the procedures for mastering based on photoresist technology. The use of other media is much more expensive than photoresist and the machines are also significantly more expensive. This means that investing in this type of machine at this time is basically a bet on the BD format as this level of investment is not required for HD DVD.”

Brown is equally bullish about market reaction to the M2 system,launched earlier this year at MEDIA-TECH in Barcelona,while the Singulus system was properly introduced to the industry in Long Beach.Response has been very positive,he says,particularly to the fact that the system uses a proven traditional process.“The investment required to get HD DVD capability is reasonable and can be timed depending on the market conditions.In addition to the beta site we also have orders for two further systems for delivery in the first half of 2007.

“We expect that where there are customers that only see a possibility to invest in HD DVD, they will choose the SQM solution due to its simplicity and reasonable investment level. It seems that there is a clear global split with BD only really being a hot item at the major players in Japan and the US. Most other replicators see no possibility to invest in BD replication equipment in the near future.HD DVD on the other hand can be produced on an existing DVD line and so the entry barriers are much less than BD. If I had to put a figure on it, I would say that we will get a 70% market share of the customers who only want HD DVD capability – this is due to the difference in pricing of our technology and that from our competitors.”

Also from One to One, June edition...

How long will HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc be able to sustain premium price levels? (http://www.oto-online.com/pdf/oto_download/2007/06/OTO_June07_P27-29_IndustryTrends.pdf)

Foster thinks independents will find it easier to invest in HD DVD production than Blu-ray Disc.“Most DVD lines that have been purchased in the past two or three years can be upgraded to HD DVD and in many cases, they are HD DVD compatible out of the box.HD DVD is essentially DVD with tighter specifications. So a lot of lines have HD DVD capacity, making it possible to press discs in-house for a modest price premium. One or two companies are doing third-party mastering for these small HD DVD manufacturers because of the heavy cost of buying a new LBR.”

Blu-ray offers an additional challenge.“If Blu-ray was to fail, you’re left with an expensive piece of metal,”notes Foster.“At least with an HD DVD line you can go back to DVD. And there’s the manufacturing process. Anyone with some experience in making discs and with decent engineering skills can make HD DVD discs, but Blu-ray is still a process engineering task and you need to have someone babysitting the machines.”But as Boreham points out:“The market will be decided in the US by the major Hollywood studios and not by some small independent replicator in France.”
What is more, other potential sources of revenue could also be cut off.“There’s a lot of talk about adult titles, but many replicators can’t touch the adult entertainment market, because if you’re doing a mainstream title, you are sometimes contractually bound only to do non-adult work,”says Freedman. He adds that:“Blu-ray has a life of its own, because part of the Blu-ray market is closed to replicators because all the PS3 titles are being made by Sony – and that’s quite a sizeable part of the market. Blu-ray has a higher cost of entry.When we made SACDs, there was a desire for the cost of the discs to be the same as CD, but the machines cost three times more. So you were using a more expensive machine and getting lower yields, and it’s the same issue with Blu-ray. SACD used a different type of plastic that was four times as much as polycarbonate and you have to recover those costs.The laws of physics and economics take over. No one is willing to subsidise the manufacturing of these discs – there’s no one saying ‘we’ll give you 10 cents per disc.’”Little wonder then, that Freedman thinks many independents will sit back and wait when it comes to bluelaser disc production.

“Many independents who go into blue-laser will find that, one, it’s very difficult to produce good discs,and two, there are not enough customers to fill the capacity of a line,”warns Mittrich,“It’s very easy to find 10 million new DVDs which you need to manufacture on your new line,but with Blu-ray and HD DVD,you’re talking about a total of seven million discs a year.This would lead to a totally unacceptable use of capacity for replicators who don’t supply the major studios.Independents who don’t have the customers will find it uneconomical.There are already replicators going bust every week.”

AND IF ALL THIS WASN’T CHALLENGING enough, no one even knows the true cost of manufacturing Blu-ray or HD DVD discs, because the royalties have yet to be settled. “This is still something of a mystery for anyone making HD DVD discs.Toshiba says it will take many months before royalties will be set, and that’s ridiculous when you’re trying to encourage replicators to manufacture a new format.We’re telling our customers that we reserve the right to charge additional royalties when the rate has been set and so customers don’t know how much to pay.That’s not very professional,”says Mittrich.

Freedman adds:“Nobody really knows what the royalties are for both formats. With HD DVD, you’ve got Toshiba administering the process, but you’re still talking about making royalties for AACS, Java and MPEG-4. And what if you use VC-1? With HD DVD, there’s HD-I as well and what about Philips and Sony and the rest of the Blu-ray guys? There’s likely to be some overlapping in patents between the two formats.The whole patent issue is a mess.”

Freedman says that anyone thinking of moving into blue-laser production needs to “Sit down and think about things very carefully to ensure that you get some return. Remember, you’ve got to buy equipment and find space for it and you’ve got to use it. A company might think it’s worth investing in say, Blu-ray, even if you know it will be three years before you see a profit. If that make sense, then do it.”

JB Hi-Fi also goes Blu-Ray only

http://blogs.pcworld.co.nz/pcworld/ck-live/2007/06/jb_hifi_also_goes_bluray_only.html

More evidence the rest of the world is following BlockBuster and going Blue.

Starz Backs Blu-ray

http://www.tvpredictions.com/starzblu062107.htm

"Washington, D.C. (June 21, 2007) -- Starz Home Entertainment has announced that it will support the Blu-ray high-def DVD format

..."

Japan's Funai to Launch BD player in N. America This Fall (Says Paper) (http://www.digitimes.com/displays/a20070621PB205.html)

Japan-based Funai Electric plans to launch a 42-inch full high-definition (HD) LCD TV and next-generation Blu-ray Disc (BD) player in North America in fall, according to the Japanese-language Nihon Keizai Shimbun.

The 42-inch LCD TV will adopt panels from Taiwan-based players while the TV will be assembled in China, the paper cited sources in saying, adding that the first batch of the shipments of the 42-inch TVs will be 100,000-200,000 units.

Also:
It will supply the players to other companies under an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) agreement, the newspaper said.

Babelfish translated from www.cinemotion.biz (http://www.cinemotion.biz/informacion.php?iinfo=184)

"We spoke to you yesterday about the choice of the Blockbuster chain with respect to the hiring of films in high definition. The spokesman of the company, Randy Hargrove, declared today that to in no case, Blockbuster had chosen Blu-Ray. It is to answer at the request of the customers which they will offer more choice on the support of Sony, but the tendency can be modified in the months which come according to the market and from the request.

In the close country, in Canada, Richard Anderson of the Zip ensigns, specialists in hirings, explained that it was still too early to give a winner in the war of the formats high definition, and that the latter will be finished when the two parts find an agreement, or when the consumers make a choice massively.
While waiting, in fact the HD-DVD is at the head of the hirings with 56% against 44% for Blu-Ray.

Lastly, in our small France, CinéSnap proposes as of today the possibility of renting in line of films high definition. About thirty films is available in each format"

Taiwan market: Sony to launch BDP-S1E Blu-ray Disc player in July
http://www.digitimes.com/systems/a20070623PD202.html

Sony on June 22 unveiled its BDP-S1E Blu-ray Disc (BD) for sale in Taiwan in July at a recommended retail price of NT$39,900 (US$1,209), with pre-sale orders to begin next week, according to Sony Taiwan.

The price of the BDP-S1E is only half that of the Pioneer BDP-LX70 BD player, which will launch in Taiwan during the third quarter.

Chips are here, bot wireless HDMI still out of sight (http://news.yahoo.com/s/infoworld/20070625/tc_infoworld/89609_1)

A chipset promising to allow users to send high definition (HD) video wirelessly throughout the home faces hurdles in the market due to competing technology standards, market researcher Gartner Inc. said Monday.

Tzero Technologies, Inc. announced a new chipset earlier this month called ZeroWire, which can carry HD video wirelessly between devices, therefore eliminating the need for HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) cables. The chips can also stream HD signals through coaxial cable, the wires that carry cable TV to many U.S. homes. Any device outside the range of the wireless signal can use the coaxial cable connection instead. The technology was designed to make sure people didn't have to tear open walls to run new cables capable of carrying HD signals, instead making use of existing wires.

The chipsets will likely be used to develop a number of wireless entertainment devices aimed at the home, including digital set-top boxes and HD TVs; DVD, HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc players; game consoles, and media center PCs. The chipsets are designed to transmit HD video wirelessly in a 10-to-20 meter range, according to Tzero. Devices out of range could receive HD content over coaxial cables instead. Several device makers are currently developing products with them, including Audiovox Corp., Gefen Inc. and Asustek Computer Inc.

But competing standards could hold the technology back for while, according to Gartner. ZeroWire competes against technology developed by the Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA), which has gained favor as the right way to go for whole home HD video delivery, the market researcher says. ZeroWire uses ultrawideband (UWB) technology developed by the WiMedia Alliance and already accepted as the ECMA International standard. ECMA, which used to stand for European Computer Manufacturers Association before it changed its name, is a membership-based group established to promote device compatibility in Europe.

The Pan's Labyrinth DVD ultimate European box set is going to include an HD-DVD in addition to the DVD. It's not going to be a combo. I believe Bandai Visual is doing the same thing in late July and August with a few of their anime releases.

Link: (http://hddvdformat.blogspot.com/2007/03/more-anime-on-hd-dvd-in-japan.html)

July 27, 2007

Royal Space Force—The Wings of Honneamise (HD DVD)

HD-30 / VC-1 / 1080p High Definition 16x9 / 120 minutes
Japanese audio track: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 & L-PCM (Dolby Surround)
English audio track: Dolby Digital-Plus 5.1
Optional Japanese subtitles
Dolby TrueHD logographic sticker & Dolby TrueHD inner sleeve included.
Packaged with a seperate DVD release of the same title.

Patlabor The Movie (HD DVD)

HD-30 / VC-1 / 1080p High Definition 16x9 / 99 minutes
Japanese audio track: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 & L-PCM (Dolby Surround)
English audio track: Dolby Digital-Plus 5.1
Optional English subtitles
Dolby TrueHD logographic sticker & Dolby TrueHD inner sleeve included.
Packaged with a seperate DVD release of the same title.
August 24, 2007

Patlabor 2 The Movie (HD DVD)

HD-30 / VC-1 / 1080p High Definition 16x9 / 113 minutes
Japanese audio track: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 & L-PCM (Dolby Surround)
English audio track: Dolby Digital-Plus 5.1
Optional English subtitles
Dolby TrueHD logographic sticker & inner sleeve featuring Dolby TrueHD logo included.
Packaged with a seperate DVD release of the same title.

Blu-ray European promotion drive hopes to cement competitive advantage

http://www.hdtvuk.tv/2007/06/bluray_european.html


Blu-ray looks to be gaining an increasing competitive advantage in the European HD format war. It's achieved critical mass with three main Blu-ray manufacturers (Sony, Panasonic and Samsung) while one million PS3 consoles have been sold across Europe. And, software titles now outsell HD-DVD by a clear and consistent two to one ratio...

Converting DVD into High Definition DVD (http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=18970)

Researchers at Intel have developed an algorithm that, by leveraging the power of multiple microprocessors, can boost the resolution of a video as it plays in real time. The technology, called super resolution, can run on machines with as few as two cores and as many as hundreds, potentially letting people enhance video captured with a cheap webcam, improve old home movies, or turn a DVD-quality video into a high-resolution flick.

Intel's super-resolution research is part of the company's push to find the best applications to run on its multicore machines, says Jerry Bautista, codirector of Intel's tera-scale computing research program. While multicore computers--machines with more than one processing core--are currently available to consumers in dual- and quad-core varieties, Intel has a research-grade microprocessor with 80 cores. And as researchers get closer to their goal of achieving tera-scale computing on desktop computers--in which trillions of calculations per second are enabled by massively multicore systems--the company is ramping up its software research; improving video quality using multicore machines is one of the top priorities on Intel's to-do list, says Bautista.

Super-resolution algorithms upgrade video in two main steps, explains Oscar Nestares, senior research scientist at Intel. First, the algorithm examines pixels in the video frames to see how fast each pixel is moving and in which direction. For instance, if a car is moving down a street, the pixels that compose it will all be moving in a predictable way.

The data collected in the first step is then used to estimate the movement of new pixels that are added to increase the video resolution. The result is a cleaner video that appears to be captured at the same time as the original. "We're trying to get information that's not there between frames," says Intel's Bautista. "The only way we can do this is if we collect lots of data and make better educated guesses at what those intermediate pixels should be."

Pioneer BD-ROM BDC-202 Review (http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=20776)

Microsoft and Memory-Tech to Accelerate HD DVD Interactivity Features




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Memory-Tech and Microsoft formed alliances for HD DVD commercial server technology development and services deployment, related to the HDi interactivity feature.

Memory-Tech and Microsoft have been collaborating for improvement and enhancement of HD DVD VC-1 CODEC and HDi interactivity.

The interactive functions of the HD DVD movie titles are included in the HDi technology. These functions require a network (internet) connecivity between the HD DVD player and specific internet servers, in order to allow viewers to watch extra features and receive information related to the HD DVD movie they watch on their TVs.

Microsoft and Memory-Tech said that they would cooperate in the development of a secure HDi server environment, while they will work with the movie providers (studios), in an effort to and accelerate the deployment of HDi.

"Web connectivity is one of the most important features for wide penetration of HD DVD products in the market. So far Microsoft has been working with Memory-Tech, who is leading HD DVD authoring and replication in the market, to improve and refine VC-1 CODEC. Collaboration for HD DVD server development between the two companies will contribute to acceleration and business growth of the HD DVD format in the world market" says Kazuo Sakai, Vice President, Digital Entertainment Partner Group of Microsoft.

"It is great honor for Memory-Tech to jointly develop HD DVD commercial server and make it available for studio partners with Microsoft. As HD DVD total service company, we would like to continue to support studio partners to develop very attractive HD DVD software for consumer benefits"says Shiroharu Kawasaki, President and CEO of Memory-Tech.

Bandai Visual USA will release this month the first high-definition anime titles in North America ? Freedom Volume 1 ? in the HD DVD format, which includes HDi network function.

Link (http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=20778)

Sony BWU 100A Blu-ray burner review (http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/CDFreaks-presents-the-Sony-BWU-100A-Blu-ray-Burner-Review.html)

Corel and NetBlender Partner to Deliver Complete HD DVD and Blu-Ray Disc Solution for Professional Developers (http://news.yahoo.com/s/prweb/20070627/bs_prweb/prweb535741_1)

The combined offering, called DoStudio MX, creates a complete HD authoring solution with Advanced Content capabilities for creative developers at every level of the DVD industry

Ottawa, Canada; Manhattan Beach, CA (PRWEB) June 27, 2007 -- Corel Corporation , a leading developer of graphics, productivity and digital media software, and NetBlender today announced a new partnership to deliver tools for next generation DVD authoring to the professional market. NetBlender will integrate Corel's PureHD™ Authoring Multiplexer into the upcoming release of NetBlender's DoStudio™, which creates the Advanced Content Layer for HD DVD and Blu-ray Discs. The combined offering, called DoStudio MX, will create a complete solution for HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc creation at an affordable price.

Corel's PureHD Multiplex Technology delivers a complete end-to-end high definition video content solution for optimum quality with minimum post production interruption. The technology streamlines the process of capturing high definition content and maintains crisp content quality at every stage -- editing, authoring and final production. Working in conjunction with NetBlender's DoStudio advanced layer technology, videographers and production teams can easily add a new level of interactive features that consumers are coming to expect in their HD DVD and BD movies.

DoStudio is the first graphical tool for the creation of HDi and BD-J, the advanced interactive layers for HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc. DoStudio's interface includes a visual layout editor that allows developers to arrange graphic elements with drag and drop ease, a keyframe animation editor, automatic remote control button assignment, an image list manager and code assist, so developers don't need to memorize an entire API.. This increased efficiency helps to reduce development costs. In addition, DoStudio is built on a proven architecture that prevents memory leaks, unhandled exceptions and other software challenges while maximizing code compatibility across multiple generations of players.

With the integration of Corel's PureHD Authoring Multiplexer, DoStudio will now have the ability to multiplex elementary video and audio streams with HDi code to create a Type 2 HD DVD. Blu-ray multiplexing with BD-J will be available later in 2007.

Warner's Total HD delayed until 2008 (http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6456115.html)

ESCA: Studio will release 10-20 titles at launch

JUNE 27 | LOS ANGELES—Warner Home Video looks to be pushing the launch of its dual-format high-definition disc, Total HD, into 2008, from the second half of this year, as was originally planned.

Studio VP of sales and planning and operations Dan Miron said at a session during the Entertainment Supply Chain Academy conference here today that Warner will release its first titles in Total HD in early 2008.

Separately, Warner senior VP of marketing management Steve Nickerson said the studio hasn't yet set a launch date but acknowledged it's unlikely it will be in the fourth quarter.

Nickerson said the studio wants to launch the discs with 10 to 20 titles so retailers can merchandise them together in one section and they don't get lost at retail.

"There is no expiration date on the viability of this concept, so we’re not in a rush to do it," Nickerson said. "We’ll do it when it makes sense and when it's right."

Earlier, Warner had said the dual-format discs could be available by late third quarter or early fourth quarter this year.

Total HD holds one Blu-ray Disc and one HD DVD on opposite sides of the same disc.

Miron acknowledged that the additional SKU might further crowd already bulging retail shelves. But the studio is committed to satisfying consumers.

In releasing standard-definition, HD DVD and Blu-ray versions of films, “our research shows that there is demand for each of those products,” said Miron. “We are trying to evaluate [how to best treat] each one of these releases.”

To scale down its standard-definition SKUs, Miron said Warner is increasingly putting fullscreen and widescreen versions of films on opposite sides of one disc.

“That is one less SKU to sell,” he said. “With high-def, we’re trying to put Blu-ray and HD DVD on the same disc. Total HD is not coming until first-quarter 2008. We will find shelf space.”

Blu-ray Disc Association Offers "Five Free Discs" Player Promotion
http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/High-Def_Disc_Marketing/Blu-ray_Disc_Association_Offers_Five_Free_Discs_Player_Promotion/725

Between July 1 and September 30, consumers who purchase any new Blu-ray player (including the PlayStation 3) will automatically qualify to receive five free Blu-ray movies (out of a total selection of twenty-two titles).

Lite-On expected to land orders for Xbox 360 external HD DVD drives by end of 2007, says paper (http://www.digitimes.com/systems/a20070628PB205.html)

Lite-On IT is expected to obtain OEM orders from Microsoft for external HD DVD drives for use with Xbox 360 consoles by the end of 2007, according to the Chinese-language Economic Daily News (EDN) newspaper.

In response to the news, Lite-On IT indicated that, while the external HD DVD drives are currently produced by Toshiba-Samsung Storage Technology, it will make efforts to compete for OEM orders, EDN pointed out.

Toshiba Primes Q4 HD DVD, LCD Market (http://www.twice.com/article/CA6456373.html)

"By Greg Tarr -- TWICE, 6/28/2007 3:01:00 PM

New York — Toshiba is making available a firmware update for its HD DVD players, adding network connectivity to download Web-enabled bonus content among other things, the company said at a press reception here Thursday.


In LCD TV, the company said it is now shipping large-screen Regza models just as its LCD TV market share has spiked in key screen sizes.


In other HD DVD news, the company said that promotional pricing levels on its HD DVD players in May and June will become standard suggested retails July 1. The HD-A2 is now $299, while the HD-A20 is $399. The top-of-the-line HD-XA2 continues at $799.


“With HD DVD, studios have the ability to develop new and unique content for movie fans, enabling consumers to have an entirely new way to access entertainment and customize their home movie experience that is currently not available with any other format,” said Jodi Sally, Toshiba’s digital A/V group marketing VP.


Using supplied Ethernet ports on all Toshiba HD DVD players, users will able to download bonus features to internal storage from a movie studio’s server. The functionality will also enable “unlocking” bonus content hidden on some HD DVD discs using a downloadable key.


Users will also be able to upload content and interact with content providers through such means as interactive polls, Toshiba said.


Toshiba also said that it will add 24p frame-rate output to its HD-AX2 and HD-A20 through an update planned in September.


At the same time, Toshiba’s TV marketing VP Scott Ramirez, who did not attend the event, said in a statement that the company is ready to ship new premium 46-inch, 47-inch and 52-inch Regza LCD TVs and will add its 57-inch Cinema Series LCD TV model in July.


Ramirez said that Toshiba’s flat-panel market share has jumped significantly, according to The NPD Group’s retail tracking service TV data. Market research on TV sales, including combos, showed Toshiba nearly doubled its share in the 32- to 42-inch LCD category in April and May 2007.


“Consumers are responding to the quality and design of Regza, but more importantly, they are proving that Toshiba is a market leader in flat panel TV,” Ramirez said.


According to NPD, Toshiba’s share in the 32- to 42-inch screen size grew 90 percent, to 10.8 percent market share, making Toshiba No. 3 in the LCD screen size range, including combos.


Toshiba’s 40- to 42-inch LCD market share grew to 12.7 percent in the period, while its 37-inch share grew 13.2 percent.


The new LCD models coming to market add Toshiba’s advanced ClearFrame 120 Hz Anti-Blur System for smooth fast action image reproduction,


New models include the Regza 47-inch 47HL167 ($2,499) and 52-inch 52HL167 ($3,499), and Regza Cinema Series 42LX177 ($2,299), 46LX177 ($2,999) and 52LX177 ($3,999). The 57-inch model will ship in July at a price to be determined."

Asustek to offer BD Combo model in 3Q07 (http://www.digitimes.com/systems/a20070628PD220.html)

Asustek Computer on June 28 announced in China that it will launch a Blu-ray Disc (BD) Combo drive, BC-1205PT, in the third quarter of 2007, according to industry sources in Taiwan. This is Asustek's first BD optical disc drive, the sources indicated.

Amazon.com and Microsoft Team Up to Help Indie Filmmakers Jump Into HD DVD (http://www.sys-con.com/read/397209.htm)

Up to 1,000 new indie titles to be made available in HD DVD through the CustomFlix DVD on Demand Program; Sundance Channel origi

By: PR Newswire
Jul. 2, 2007 07:01 AM

SEATTLE and REDMOND, Wash., July 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Amazon.com Inc. , and Microsoft Corp. today announced the 1,000 HD DVD Indies Project, designed to lower the barriers to entry for filmmakers to produce and distribute movies in the HD DVD format through the innovative manufacturing-on-demand technology of CustomFlix, a part of an Amazon group of companies. Jointly sponsored by Amazon and Microsoft, the project will provide free authoring and setup services for up to 1,000 selected indie titles.

"This collaboration with Microsoft is a great opportunity for independent filmmakers to reach Amazon customers with their films via the HD DVD format," said Peter Faricy, vice president of music and movies at Amazon.com. "By working together with Microsoft and leveraging the proven CustomFlix DVD on Demand model, we can lower the barriers to entry for independent filmmakers and dramatically increase the selection we offer our customers."

The project will be spearheaded by CustomFlix, which will bring as many as 1,000 feature-length independent films to Amazon customers using the CustomFlix DVD on Demand technology, which produces and ships DVDs only as they are ordered. This model greatly improves the cost structure for independent filmmakers by eliminating the need for costly inventory.

"From a technical standpoint, we found that the HD DVD format fits our business model perfectly," said Dana LoPiccolo-Giles, co-founder and managing director of CustomFlix. "With retail shelf space at a premium, our model eliminates the risk of carrying inventory and immediately expands the number of great HD DVD titles available to consumers."

"Programs like this one from Amazon lower barriers to entry for independent artists and provide audiences with increased access to high-quality, high-definition content," said Christian Vesper, senior vice president of programming, acquisitions and scheduling for Sundance Channel.

Sundance Channel will be reviewing the high-definition features for potential broadcast on the network as well as making its own HD original eco-series, "Big Ideas for a Small Planet," available for purchase through Amazon's HD DVD program.

"Amazon's participation in this project will be a major benefit to independent filmmakers wanting to break into the high-definition market segment," said Amir Majidimehr, corporate vice president for the Consumer Media Technology Group at Microsoft. "The use of Microsoft(R) technology and authoring expertise will ensure that all the HD DVD titles offered by Amazon have impeccable quality, thanks to the VC-1 codec and innovative interactive scenarios with HDi(TM)."

Amazon.com offers a broad and growing selection of HD televisions, players and DVDs through its HD DVD store at http://www.amazon.com/hddvd. Filmmakers interested in submitting their HD DVD work for consideration as part of the 1,000 HD DVD Indies Project can go to http://www.customflix.com/hddvdindies.

Verance Announces Availability of Audio Watermark Tech for High-Definition Entertainment Formats (http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/070702/20070702005705.html?.v=1)

Licensing Program Provides Content Protection Technology Adopted by AACS and Major Motion Picture Studios to Blu-Ray and HD DVD Manufacturers

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Verance Corporation today announced the immediate availability of its audio watermark technology for licensing by manufacturers of Blu-ray and HD DVD players and components. The licenses provide access to technical specifications, implementations, and intellectual property rights necessary for the inclusion of the Verance audio watermark detection within their products on a reasonable and non-discriminatory basis.

"The new high-definition home entertainment formats enable consumers to experience home video in ways never before possible and create both opportunities and risks for entertainment companies and consumer product manufacturers," said Nil Shah, chief executive officer of Verance. "The Verance watermark technology provides value to all participants in the marketplace by encouraging availability of a broad selection of compelling titles for consumers to experience in new ways while discouraging the use of the emerging formats as a growth platform for piracy."

AACS LA, LLC (http://www.aacsla.com), the cross-industry consortium that is providing the content protection architecture for use in next-generation optical media formats (including HD DVD and Blu-ray), identified the Verance audio watermark technology as an element of its content protection solution and approved the use of Verance watermark on AACS-protected pre-recorded HD DVD and Blu-ray discs in February 2006. AACS is expected to release final license agreements requiring the inclusion of VCMS/AV detector technology in HD DVD and Blu-ray players in the coming months.

"Warner Bros. believes in providing consumers a wide array of choices as to how they access and consume our content, and Digital Rights Management is a tool that allows us to offer these different business propositions," said President, Warner Bros. Technical Operations and Chief Technology Officer, Warner Bros. Entertainment Chris Cookson. "Verance's watermark technology is an important component of the robust content protection necessary for next generation optical media and we support its use on our HD DVD and Blu-Ray discs."

According to Verance, the licensing program will enable high-definition entertainment player and component manufacturers to develop products that reach the full potential of the new formats. The Verance watermark technology provides HD DVD and Blu-ray players with the capability to identify and restrict the use of watermarked content taken from theatrical release print and prerecorded home video sources and redistributed without authorization.

Mitch Singer, chief technology officer of Sony Pictures Entertainment, said, "The unauthorized and illegal trafficking of movies that have been camcorded in a movie theater is a serious problem that increases the cost of entertainment for honest people everywhere. Verance's VCMS/AV technology provides a new tool in combating the illegal distribution of our movies and is the most effective and direct technical means available to curb this problem."

Adopters of the Verance technology include Universal Studios, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Microsoft Corporation, who have all licensed the technology since it was first announced in 2003.

"Until now, available content protection technologies have been 'point solutions', addressing a problem in a particular format, device or distribution avenue," said President of Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Universal Pictures Digital Platforms Group Craig Kornblau. "For Universal Studios, the compelling feature of Verance's watermark technology is that its capabilities extend throughout the lifecycle of content, including promotional, theatrical, home video, broadcast and online distribution. In our trials to date, we have successfully employed the technologies on dozens of projects, placing tens of millions of units of content carrying the Verance watermark into theatrical, home video and promotional distribution. We look forward to working closely with our distribution partners in furthering the adoption of this valuable technology."

More information on the Verance audio watermark technology and a form to submit licensing requests are available at http://www.verance.com/vcms.

More HD DVD Titles Released in Q2 Than Blu-ray (http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Industry_Trends/More_HD_DVD_Titles_Released_in_Q2_Than_Blu-ray/735):
According to industry tipsheet The DVD Release Report, 70 HD DVD titles hit store shelves during the period from April 1 through June 30, compared to 63 Blu-ray titles in the same timeframe.

That's quite a jump for HD DVD, which got trounced in the same metric by Blu-ray over the first three months of the year, releasing only 29 titles (compared to Blu-ray's 69). HD DVD backers have pointed to the format's dearth of new releases in the early part of the year as a primary reason for what quickly became a widening sales lead for Blu-ray.

But while Blu-ray continues to lead in overall disc sales (VideoScan numbers for the week ending June 24 indicate a continued 2:1 sales lead for the format), the good news for HD DVD fans is that Blu-ray's once-growing sales lead appears to have at least stabilized.

Primary HD DVD backer Universal Studios led the Q2 HD DVD push, releasing a total of 33 HD DVD titles on its own. Although the studio has been accused of rushing some of its more recent HD DVD catalogue titles to market at the cost of picture quality, it shows no signs of slowing down with another 23 HD DVD titles already announced for release from now through September.

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB118341745768555943-kNVDQFP6HttfagW30Wtx2t2PHwY_20070802.html?mod=tff_main_tff_t op

Europe Steps Up Probe of New DVD Formats
Competition of Blu-ray, HD
To Secure Studios' Support
Arouses Antitrust Concerns
By MERISSA MARR and SARAH MCBRIDE
July 3, 2007; Page A7

In a move that could be key to determining the future of home cinema, European antitrust regulators are stepping up their probe into possible anticompetitive practices in the format war over high-definition DVDs.

Hollywood's studios are racing to dig up files, emails and records of telephone conversations related to the competing Blu-ray and HD DVD formats after the European Commission sent out letters last month demanding evidence of their communications and agreements on the new generation of DVD formats.

The European Commission, the European Union's executive body, appears to be particularly interested in the activities of the Blu-ray group because of its dominance in Hollywood, according to people familiar with the situation. The commission is investigating whether improper tactics were used to suppress competition and persuade the studios to back their format.


Jonathan Todd, a spokesman for the commission, confirmed that it had sent letters to the studios in mid-June trying to establish whether they have restrictive agreements to use one or the other of the standards.

Blu-ray, which is supported by Sony Corp. and partners, is in a fierce combat with the Toshiba Corp.-led HD DVD group to set the standard for the next generation of DVD. High-definition DVDs promise sharper picture quality and better sound than traditional DVDs, but they require new players. (Neither of the new formats is compatible with traditional DVD players, but traditional DVDs can be viewed on both Blu-ray and HD DVD players.)

While the HD camp has had some success in its partnership with Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360 videogame consoles and by offering lower-priced machines, the Blu-ray camp has gained the upper hand in Hollywood, with more studios backing its format. Blockbuster Inc. also recently said it would exclusively stock DVDs using the Blu-ray format.

The HD DVD camp has been lobbying the commission to draw attention to Blu-ray's tactics in the movie capital in a bid to force more studios to put their product on HD DVD, according to people familiar with the situation. One issue the Commission has raised with some studios is statements made at the Consumer Electronics Show in January in Las Vegas about the exclusivity of studios to Blu-ray, according to people familiar with the situation.

Blu-ray is supported by every major studio except NBC Universal's Universal Pictures, which is backing HD DVD exclusively. Five studios are exclusive to Blu-ray: Sony Pictures Entertainment, Walt Disney Co., News Corp.'s Twentieth Century Fox, Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. and MGM, which is owned by a consortium including Sony. Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Pictures and Time Warner Inc.'s Warner Bros. are backing both. In its formal request to at least one studio, the commission has asked for documents related to any decision to release movies on Blu-ray exclusively and not HD DVD, as well as communications on both formats with certain individuals associated with Blu-ray.


Both new formats offer old and recent titles.
The European Commission launched a broad inquiry into the competing formats a year ago. The commission said at the time that it had sent a letter to Blu-ray and HD to request information about their licensing practices. However, the commission's recent letter to the studios signals a shift in focus to the studios and possibly Blu-ray specifically.

The battle between Blu-ray and HD DVD is expected to reach a fever pitch in the fourth quarter of this year. The run-up to the Christmas period is traditionally the most important period for DVD sales. There is a lot at stake: Whichever camp wins the battle stands to make huge profits from selling both players and DVDs.

Both camps have significantly stepped up their efforts in recent weeks. Blu-ray announced a summer promotion that gives consumers five free Blu-ray movies if they purchase a new Blu-ray player by Sept. 30. Toshiba recently announced HD DVD players would sell for as little as $299, far less than comparable Blu-ray players.

The market for next-generation DVDs of either stripe is tiny so far, though. Through June, Blu-ray had sold about 1.8 million discs, compared with 1.3 million for HD DVD, according to consultancy Adams Media Research. A top title such as Warner Bros.' "The Departed," which was out in both formats, shipped 85,000 copies in Blu-ray and 60,000 in HD DVD, compared with 7.7 million for regular DVDs.

These days, Blu-ray discs are outselling HD DVDs at a rate of about two to one, says Tom Adams, president at Adams Media. But that doesn't mean HD DVDs can't reclaim the advantage if more studios start releasing movies in both formats.

Once either format hits about two million homes, it will create a large enough incentive for any studio not releasing titles in that format to reconsider, Mr. Adams says. Currently, about 105,000 homes have Blu-ray players, and about 150,000 have HD DVD players. An additional 1.5 million homes have PlayStation 3 devices, which also play Blu-ray movies, although fewer gamers are using the machines to play movies than had been hoped for. About 160,000 consumers have bought add-on devices for Xbox machines that allow them to play HD DVDs.

The studios want a new revenue stream to compensate for slowing DVD sales. When consumers switched from the VHS tape format to DVD, it created a sales bonanza as consumers replaced their old tapes with crisper DVDs. Studios are hoping for the same sort of upgrade for new format DVDs.

But many consumers say the difference in quality between the new DVDs and the old ones isn't as impressive as the difference between VHS tapes and DVDs, prompting them to drag their feet on replacing their equipment. In addition to buying new players, consumers need expensive high-definition televisions to play the new discs.

Consumer groups have slammed the studios and the electronics companies for creating another product in which two incompatible technologies battle for supremacy in the marketplace. The situation harks back to the battle between VHS and Betamax in the 1980s. VHS tapes eventually won, but not until millions of consumers bought Betamax machines, which became obsolete.

For DVDs, the studios and electronics companies worked together to avoid a similar mess. As two competing formats for next-generation DVDs emerged, the companies involved talked about merging the formats or picking one over the other, but this time compromise proved elusive.

merwin, losseres, theone2:

No need to copy and paste the whole news story if you are already giving a link to it. Just give a short summary or selected quote.

For example:

Samsung will show the BD-P1400 at the IFA fair in Germany (http://www.areadvd.de/news/2007/200707/01072007003_Samsung_BDP-1400.shtml)

The BD-P1400 is planned for the second half of the year. It will feature HDMI 1.3 output and support DD+, DTS-HD and True-HD. It will have an Ethernet port to install firmware updates.

IFA is held in Berlin from August 31 to September 5.

Panasonic presents first 4x-speed writable Blu-ray media (http://www.panasonic.de/presse/detail/ct_detail.aspx?newsID=98b447d4-5b23-471b-ab40-5b289443893f&refer=recent)

Single-layer version available July; dual-layer version available September.

Panasonic develops 4x Blu-Ray burner (http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=20861)

First 30GB HD DVD-R Media Announced (http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=20866)

Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Mitsubishi Chemical Media Ltd. will release the first dual-layer HD DVD-R media for data by the end of the month.

he new media offer a capacity of 30GB using two layers. It can be recorded at 1x, conforming to the HD DVD Recordable (HD DVD-R) Ver.2.1 standard.

http://www.cdrinfo.com/images/uploaded/MCC_HDDVD_DL.jpg

The discs will be available on the Japanese merket first this month, priced at approximately 4,000 Yen ($33).

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/03/AR2007070301304.html

With Hollywood studios still split over competing formats for high-definition DVDs, Warner Bros. will delay the launch of a dual-format disc until next year.

Buffalo HD DVD drive HDV-ROM2.4FB gets an impressive price cut of 43%. The price in Japan is now 21,000.00 JPY (171.267 USD).

akihabaranews.com (http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/news-14263-Impressive+-43%25+price+cuts+on+the+Buffalo+HD+DVD+players.html)

An external HD-DVD Rom by Buffalo (http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/news-14287-An+external+HD-DVD+player+by+Buffalo.html)

Buffalo HDV-ROM2.4U2 is available before the end of the month in Japan for 159€.

Sharp Blu-ray player BD-HP20S in Q4 (http://www.areadvd.de/news/2007/200707/04072007001_Sharp_BD-HP20S.shtml)

Features: 1080p24 output, HDMI 1.3, True HD. Component out, optical/coaxial digital audio and multichannel analog outs.

French studio MK2 announces Truffaut's 'The 400 Blows' as its first title in HD DVD and Blu-ray for October (http://www.dvdrama.com/news.php?21004)

Unlike the studio's SD DVD, the hidef versions won't include English subtitles. dvdrama speculates this could be connected to a future hidef release by Criterion.

good article in today's Wall Street Journal

Consumers May Get Caught in Piracy War
Strategy to Thwart Movie Copying
Could Frustrate Innocent Users
By KEITH WINSTEIN
July 5, 2007; Page B3

snippet:

The anticopying protection for high-resolution DVDs relies on secret, 128-digit passwords embedded in the hardware or software used to play DVDs. Under its new " key-revocation strategy, Hollywood and its allies in the high-technology industry start with the assumption that enterprising hackers will eventually decipher the passwords, which can then be used to make copies.

But once a password is compromised and posted on the Web, the industry answers by changing the way in which its new DVD titles are made. Anyone who pops one of the new discs into their personal computer without installing a software upgrade will find that it destroys the computer's ability to play any high-definition DVD at all. To restore the computer's ability to play them again, the owner is forced to download new software from the Web -- software with a new password that hackers haven't yet discovered. The old password, or key, has been revoked.

Early CircuitCity weekend circular implies that PS3 will drop by $100 July 15 (after E3):

http://kotaku.com/gaming/rumor/playstation-3-100-price-cut-hits-july-15-275391.php

http://forum.dvdtalk.com/showthread.php?t=505548&page=1&pp=25

Samsung's dual format BD-UP5000 much cheaper than expected
http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/news.phtml/8543/9567/Samsung-BD-UP5000-cheap-price-announced.phtml

Samsung's dual HD player will play both HD DVD and Blu-ray disks formats and their repestive interactive technologies, HDi and BD-Java.

Samsung's new device is expected to go on sale in Europe in October 2008, for only €550, which is about £375.

Samsung's dual format BD-UP5000 much cheaper than expected
http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/news.phtml/8543/9567/Samsung-BD-UP5000-cheap-price-announced.phtml

Samsung's dual HD player will play both HD DVD and Blu-ray disks formats and their repestive interactive technologies, HDi and BD-Java.

Samsung's new device is expected to go on sale in Europe in October 2008, for only €550, which is about £375.

Wrong year, wrong price

October 2007, €400 premium over single-format player.

http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/92194

Early CircuitCity weekend circular implies that PS3 will drop by $100 July 15 (after E3):

http://kotaku.com/gaming/rumor/playstation-3-100-price-cut-hits-july-15-275391.php

http://forum.dvdtalk.com/showthread.php?t=505548&page=1&pp=25

According to Sony No!

No Plans To Cut PS3 Price: Sony (http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=20898)

Sony said it has no current plans to lower the price of the PlayStation 3 after gaming Web sites reported some U.S. retailers will offer discounts from next week.

"We have no immediate plans as of now" for price cuts, President Ryoji Chubachi said today in an interview in Tokyo. Any change in the console's price "is a matter" for Sony's game unit, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., he said.

University boffins squeeze 500GB onto a DVD (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/07/06/one_terabyte_on_a_rugular_dvd/)

The University of Berlin, with partners Budapest University of Technology and Economics and Universita Politecnica delle Marche in Italy, has managed to work out how to store 500GB of data on a regular HD DVD or Blu-ray disc.

The Microholas project developed a microholographic recording technique, using nanostructures inside the disk rather than on the surface as in conventional optical storage systems.

This allowed for an increase of the storage capacity far beyond the limits of today's red-laser DVDs and next-generation blue-laser discs.

By applying wavelength multiplexing techniques to multi-layer disc structures, very high storage densities can be achieved, Professor Susanna Orlic told German site Pressetext. The 500GB prototype has 50 data-storage layers.

Orl said the technology has the potential to store one terabyte (1TB) of data.

The idea is not to stash away a thousand movies on a single disc, but to use the technology for secure long-term storage, the Prof said.

Sony confirms PS3 price cut and new model. (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6173806.html?action=convert&om_clk=latestnews&tag=l)

Today, Sony confirmed to the Associated Press what a fusillade of reports from US retailers had augured last week. As of July 10, the PlayStation 3's North American price point is going south. The next-generation console will cost $499 in the US and $549 in Canada, the same price as the discontinued 20GB model.

The price drop announcement was accompanied by more unexpected news: The 80GB PS3, previously only available in South Korea, is also headed stateside. The larger-capacity system will go on sale in August for $599, and will have all the functionality of the 60GB model.

DVD Forum to Showcase HDi Applications At IFA (http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=20906)

"The annual European conference of the DVD Forum will be in Berlin next September, and it is expected to focus on the HDi interactive features of the HD DVD format.

The event will take place on 3 September. At the same period, IFA consumer electronics fair will be held in Berlin, Germany.

The highlight of the event is expected to be the demonstrations of the interactive features of the HD DVD format. Frontline authoring houses will showcase the use of HD DVD/HDi interactive features on large screen 1080p projection, followed by Q&A and discussion with technical experts.

In addition, practical technologies of the HD DVD format including AACS, HD DVD Video/VR (interactive function specs) , Codecs (MPEG2HD, MPEG4 AVC, VC-1), HD DVD authoring systems, replication and testing HD DVD Discs, Triple-layer HD DVD, recording HD data onto red DVD disc and CSS Downloading are expected to be under discussion in a variety of sessions during the day.

Last but not least, the Forum will announce the latest activities of the Forum's key steering committees and working groups related to the specifications related to the DVD and HD DVD formats.

The conference will be held at the Novotel Berlin Am Tiergarten hotel."

Atmel Unveils Industry's Smallest Laser Diode Driver Solution Supporting HD-DVD/Blu-ray, DVD and CD Format (http://www.finanznachrichten.de/nachrichten-2007-07/artikel-8577333.asp)

Atmel Corporation announced today the availability of the ATR0881 laser diode driver IC for use in combined HD-DVD/Blu-ray, DVD, and CD drives.

Although the ATR0881 has 3 outputs for connecting 3 laser diodes -- a blue (HD-DVD/Blu-ray), a red (DVD), and an infrared (CD) -- it still fits into the same small 24-pin package used by Atmel's well-known laser diode drivers for two-output combined DVD and CD drives.

Samples of the ATR0881 in 4 mm x 4 mm QFN24 paddle-up packages are now available. Pricing starts at US $5.00 in quantities of 10k.

Samsung develops third generation Blu-Ray Player (BD-P 1400) (http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6458913.html)

Just months after streeting its second-generation Blu-ray Disc player, Samsung already has a third generation version in the works.

The company will display the model, the BD-P1400, during the 2007 IFA consumer electronics conference in Berlin on Aug. 31, confirmed a company representative.

Neither pricing nor launch date has yet been specified.

The player is expected to support Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD and DTS-HD audio formats. The BD-P1400 also should boast a built-in Ethernet port, which had been the most notable upgrade for the second-generation Samsung BD-P1200 over the company’s first-generation BD-P1000.

Disney movies in HD on Xbox Live right....now
http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/07/11/disney-movies-in-hd-on-xbox-live-right-now/

As if that wasn't enough, for everyone who thought Blu-ray would be their only option for Disney films in HD, Microsoft announced that it is bringing both catalog and new releases to Xbox Live, in high definition, starting tonight.

Samsung's dual format BD-UP5000 much cheaper than expected
http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/news.phtml/8543/9567/Samsung-BD-UP5000-cheap-price-announced.phtml

Samsung's dual HD player will play both HD DVD and Blu-ray disks formats and their repestive interactive technologies, HDi and BD-Java.

Samsung's new device is expected to go on sale in Europe in October 2008, for only €550, which is about £375.


digitimes on July 11 2007

Samsung to launch second dual-format blue-laser disc player in 4Q07


Samsung Electronics, at an IFA (Internationale Funhausstellung in German) conference held in Hamburg, Germany last week, announced it will launch the Duo HD (high-definition) BD-UP5000, the world's second dual-format disc player model supporting both HD DVD and BD (Blu-ray Disc) next to the LG Electronics BH100. The device will be initially introduced in the European market at a tentative price of 400 euro (US$545) in the fourth quarter of 2007, according to industry sources in Taiwan.

LG debuted its BH100 at the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2007 in January and launched initially in the US market at US$1,199 in the first quarter, the sources indicated.

In contrast to brands from South Korea, Japanese competitors including Pioneer, Sony and Panasonic are likely to stick to offering single-format BD players, the sources pointed out. This is because dual-format players involve both HD DVD and BD royalties as well as more complicated hardware mechanics, the sources cited Pioneer High Fidelity Taiwan as saying.

As a dual-format player will cost about US$600, consumers are more likely to choose either a HD DVD player or a BD player than a dual-format model, the sources analyzed.

http://www.digitimes.com/systems/a20070710PD216.html

The device will be initially introduced in the European market at a tentative price of 400 euro (US$545) in the fourth quarter of 2007

No. It will cost 400 EURO MORE than a "comparable" Blu-ray player. Here is the original (german) article on heise which was incorrectly translated:

http://www.heise.de/newsticker/result.xhtml?url=/newsticker/meldung/92194

No. It will cost 400 EURO MORE than a "comparable" Blu-ray player. Here is the original (german) article on heise which was incorrectly translated:

http://www.heise.de/newsticker/result.xhtml?url=/newsticker/meldung/92194


there is no point in making a universal player that is more expensive than the two standalone players of both format combined :p

and reg hardware said that the player will be launched as soon as next month quoting Samsung sources:

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/07/11/samsung_400euro_blu-ray/

Samsung will launch its promised dual-format HD DVD/Blu-ray Disc player in Europe next month, the company has said, and industry insiders are already claiming the machine could be priced at just €400 ($548/£271).

Toshiba Adds HD DVD Drive And Intel Centrino Duo Processor Technology To Satellite P205 (http://www.digitalbroadcasting.com/content/news/article.asp?docid=e2d984ad-081d-410d-8fa7-ed1beddfb1d2&atc~c=771+s=773+r=001+l=a&VNETCOOKIE=NO)

Toshiba’s Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., recently announced the latest Satellite P205 desktop replacement notebooks, featuring an HD DVD-ROM optical drive and the latest Intel Centrino Duo processor technology for greater computing capabilities.

No. It will cost 400 EURO MORE than a "comparable" Blu-ray player. Here is the original (german) article on heise which was incorrectly translated:

http://www.heise.de/newsticker/result.xhtml?url=/newsticker/meldung/92194
Correct. The anticipated price will be 400 Euro above a "standard" Bluray player.

China market: Toshiba to launch HD DVD recorders in 2008 ahead of Olympics

Toshiba, in expectation of surging demand for high-definition (HD) video due to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, will launch HD DVD recorders in China in 2008 in a bid to promote the HD DVD standard over the Blu-ray Disc (BD) standard, according to industry sources in Taiwan.

TV broadcasters in China project eight million LCD TVs will be sold in China in 2007 and the demand will rise to 10 million units in 2008, the sources indicated. The growth in demand for LCD TVs reflects increasing demand for HD video, which is conducive to the sale of HD DVD and/or BD players/recorders, the sources said.

In 2006, Toshiba started developing low-cost HD DVD recorders specifically for the China market, the sources pointed out. In order to minimize production costs, Toshiba plans to use Chinese makers of optical disc drives for OEM production, the sources noted.

http://www.digitimes.com/systems/a20070713PD200.html

According to CED...

Samsung will be releasing 3 HD players...
-- $550 entry level Blu-Ray model with HDMI 1.3, Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Lossless decoding, 1080p24
-- $650 step-up Blu-Ray model that adds HQV processing
-- A dual-format player, details not released yet (to CED)

Integra offers AVR with HDMI 1.3a; capable of internally decoding DTS-HD MA, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital+, etc. ...

http://www.electronichouse.com/article/integra_adds_hdmi_13a_to_receiver_with_new_dtr_58/C157

60GB PS3 disappearing soon, no price cut for Europe
http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/13/60gb-ps3-disappearing-soon-no-price-cut-for-europe/

It looks like those wanting to get in on that $100 price cut for the 60GB PS3 had better act fast, as it seems that it's going to be a case of once they're gone they're gone. That's according to SCEE President David Reeves, who told GamesIndustry.biz that Sony would no longer be offering the 60GB PS3 in the US once the existing stock runs out -- something he expects to happen "by the end of July." What's more, Sony also revealed that the 60GB PS3 would not be getting a price cut in Europe, but would be getting a new bundle with two games and two controllers for no added cost -- still no word on an 80GB PS3 for Europe though.

This effectively puts the price of the PS3 back to $599 once the 60GB units are sold out. This also means you will be unable to buy a PS3 with the EE chip in North America.

60GB PS3 disappearing soon, no price cut for Europe
http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/13/60gb-ps3-disappearing-soon-no-price-cut-for-europe/

It looks like those wanting to get in on that $100 price cut for the 60GB PS3 had better act fast, as it seems that it's going to be a case of once they're gone they're gone. That's according to SCEE President David Reeves, who told GamesIndustry.biz that Sony would no longer be offering the 60GB PS3 in the US once the existing stock runs out -- something he expects to happen "by the end of July." What's more, Sony also revealed that the 60GB PS3 would not be getting a price cut in Europe, but would be getting a new bundle with two games and two controllers for no added cost -- still no word on an 80GB PS3 for Europe though.

This effectively puts the price of the PS3 back to $599 once the 60GB units are sold out. This also means you will be unable to buy a PS3 with the EE chip in North America.

The link provided has now been updated and states that they will continue to make the 60GB unit.

The link provided has now been updated and states that they will continue to make the 60GB unit.

this is the update on the update that said the first article was a misunderstanding. There is no misunderstanding whatever when Kent Hirai said that Sony has stop the production of the 60GB. He said that crystal clear!


Update: This has been semi-contradicted once again, with Sony now saying that they have enough stock to sell 60GB consoles for the next few months, but it doesn't sound like they'll be making any more after that. According to Karraker, "We won't be making any further announcements regarding our PS3 model hardware strategy in North America until the 60GB model is exhausted and market conditions are evaluated."

Sony: Enough 60GBs for "several months" in U.S. [Update 4]
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/13/sony-says-60gb-is-not-over-in-us/

Update 4: We got this clarified statement from Karraker, who said "The 60GB PS3 will be available in North America for $499 until supplies of that unit are depleted. We have ample inventory to meet the immediate needs of consumers in this territory for several months to come. We won't be making any further announcements regarding our PS3 model hardware strategy in North America until the 60GB model is exhausted and market conditions are evaluated."

They are making no more 60GB PS3s for the North American market. This should help boost sales of the PS3 as the $499 is temporary (unless they lower the price of the 80GB model when these units sell out). In addition these are the last units in NA with the EE chip and they are currently offering 5 free BD movies (even more from certain outlets). We should see a spike in PS3 sales as a result.

Citing both the PS3 and Blockbuster, FUNimation (subsidiary of Navarre) talks about their plans (http://dvd.ign.com/articles/804/804901p1.html) for product on Blu-ray by years end:

"At this point, we are in the Blu-ray camp. We started researching this about a year-and-a-half ago, actually," explains Ward Thomas, Senior VP of Sales and Operations at FUNimation. "We feel that the fanbase and our customers are very much trailblazers on the technology side, so it's something we wanted to get involved in right away. We really felt that the introduction of the PlayStation 3 last year was kind of a foray for our customers and fans to at least get into the next-gen platforms."

"Some of the demonstrations that we've seen, and just in talking to the different people [developing the format], the long-term interactive scope of Blu-ray just seems to be so much more endearing to at least the fans of the FUNimation content," he says. "I just think long term what we're going to be able to do on a Blu-ray disc from the interactive programming perspective is really intriguing and it opens up a lot of new windows for us. So it was really the direction we wanted to head."

Please note; the article makes the misattribution for Bandai Visual USA's plans to Bandai Entertainment. The two companies are separate and the article talks about BVUSA only.

The end of this interview went to the topic of an HD download service for the PS3.

Engadget & Joystiq interview: Kaz Hirai and Jack Tretton, Presidents, Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc., and America
http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/13/engadget-and-joystiq-interview-kaz-hirai-and-jack-tretton-presid/

Engadget: Well I think there's still a general demand for digitally distributed things like TV shows or movies regardless of how unique the experience is. I think people like the experience of being able to rent a movie at home directly. Right now you have the Xbox 360 maybe at some point in the future Apple will enable it in the Apple TV, but Sony seems peculiarly able to do this, not only because you guys own movies, but also in terms of the hardware you have available...

Kaz: Not only that, we also have the infrastructure in place as well. So the technology [road]blocks if you will, and the client side -- its all there, but you know again, we may ultimately decide a straight solo store is the best way to go, because, you know, we may have a lot of internal discussions on this between your recording -- maybe there is still a lot of demand for just a straightforward download service and we may end up doing that ultimately. So again, it's not something that we decide we're just not gonna do, it's something we want to do, but we want to do it right, and if the right answer means we just do a straightforward download [service] that may be the solution, so that's kind of where we're at. Are we planning something? Absolutely. When I say, "I'm planning something" and you say, "When's that gonna launch?", well it's up for discussion.

Engadget: It seems pretty obvious that this should have happened a very long time ago. Now thinking a few steps ahead it just seems like there's just too much of a reliance on physical media -- what's the point of having downloadable 1080p movies for PS3 if you have Blu-ray discs, what's the point of having downloadable movies for PSP if there's UMD? So it seems like you keep on saying, "It's happening, it's happening," but to me it just seems like, "No, get it on one of our physical medias."

Kaz: As I said before, exactly your point, that's exactly the kind of discussions we're having internally, we may ultimately decide that that's the right answer and in which case the ingredients are in place, but you need to come to the determination that we're embarking on the right strategy, so that as I said before jokingly, that Jack is not asked next year, "What is so unique [about your service]? Everybody can download to 1080p."

Image looking at supporting HD+BD after January

From the latest issue of Home Media Magazine, which contains an interview ([URL=http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/hom071507/index.php?startpage=10) with David Borshell, Image COO:

HM: Image has released three music titles in HD DVD(a) and four films on Blu-ray Disc with Discovery Channel(b). Is the distributor remaining on the fence or taking a stand, entering the fall quarter?
Borshell: By Christmas we are contemplating bringing out live concerts of R. Kelly, The Moody Blues and Roy Orbison: Black and White Night on HD DVD. With GalleryPlayer (a distributor of visual imagery and photography in high-def), we will distribute four additional Blu-ray titles.

HM. Why haven't you released your own content on Blu-ray Disc?
Borshell: Probably due to [business] relationships [with HD DVD]. It's not that we are against Blu-ray, it's just that so far we have supported HD DVD as a company. We are looking at supporting both formats after January.

HM: How have the results been thus far?
Borshell: We would honestly expect the results to be better. I think that independent programming in the early part of 2007 has had a difficult time getting nationwide support at retail because everybody is so focused on the major films. We have not found our way onto the shelves of the retailers we would like.

HM: So the format war is not so much of an issue as shelf space?
Borshell: The independents an Image have to continue to work hard to bring out the best quality possible and work with the retailers and get them to bring independent, special interest programming in rather than just the major studio stuff.


(a) Barry Manilow Live; Chicago and Earth, Wind and Fire: Live at the Greet Theater; and Heart: Alive in Seattle.

(b) Actually, they have released four Discovery Channel titles on Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD: Australia Revealed; Brazil Revealed; China Revealed; and Italy Revealed.

LG to launch 6x BD burner with HD DVD read support, the GGW-H20N, in Q3 for about €400 (http://de.lge.com/products/mobile/mobil/newsarchive.do?action=read&group_code=06&list_code=PRO_NEWS&seq=6586&page=1&target=read) (press release from LG Germany).

News article in English at cdrinfo (http://www.cdr-info.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=20943).

Note: Currently the cheapest BD burner cost about €475 in Germany (Lite-On's LH-2B1S) and LG's first gen BD/HD DVD combo drive, the GGW-H10N, cost about €700-800 so €400 is not a bad price for the GGW-H20N.

GalleryPlayer Inks Exclusive Distribution Deal with Image Entertainment to Bring the World's Finest HD Art and Photography to Blu-Ray Discs (http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/070716/20070716005224.html?.v=1)

50 Paintings from the Museum of Modern Art, 1,000 Places to See Before You Die, The Amazing World of National Geographic and Art Wolfe: Vanishing Act to Be Available for the First Time on Blu-ray Disc

GalleryPlayer, best known for having one of the largest libraries of rights-protected high definition image programming in the world, has inked an exclusive distribution deal with leading independent home entertainment distributor Image Entertainment, Inc. , to release four new titles exclusively on Blu-ray disc this fall. The deal marks the debut of high definition lifestyle imagery on Blu-ray disc, a new category of high definition program content pioneered by GalleryPlayer in which the world's finest art and photography transform any screen into a stunning, personalized showcase. The one-hour-plus programs slated to be released this fall include 1000 Places to See Before You Die: 50 Favorite Destinations, The Amazing World of National Geographic, Art Wolfe: Vanishing Act and 50 Paintings from the Museum of Modern Art.

Source: Home Media Magazine
Rentrak Adds Blu-ray to Sony Revenue-sharing Deal
Blu-ray Disc is going to the masses. Rentrak Corp. July 16 announced it has broadened its revenue-sharing deal with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment to include the high-definition discs, beginning in September.

The deal marks Rentrak’s first Blu-ray Disc distribution arrangement and includes more than 80 catalog and new-release titles. It makes it easier for video rental dealers to bring in Blu-ray Disc titles because Rentrak’s pay-per-transaction (PPT) program allows retailers to bring in more copies of new releases with less of an up-front investment. PPT retailers then share a percentage of rental revenue with Rentrak, and the studio, as it is earned.

“This move illustrates Rentrak’s market knowledge and foresight to get in on the ground floor of this fast-moving industry trend that will help accelerate consumer adoption of high-definition technology,” said Marty Graham, president of Rentrak’s PPT division. “Our revenue-sharing model is an effective way to represent a broad range of titles and sets the stage for Rentrak to distribute additional high-definition content from our large roster of studio partners."

http://www.homemediamagazine.com/news/html/breaking_article.cfm?sec_id=2&&article_ID=10899

Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Blu-ray Disc broadens horizons

Blu-ray Disc is making further inroads into the video rental market. Rentrak Corp. said Monday that it has broadened its revenue-sharing deal with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment to include the high-definition discs, beginning in September.

The deal marks Rentrak's first Blu-ray Disc distribution arrangement and includes more than 80 catalog and new-release titles. It makes it easier for video rental dealers to bring in Blu-ray Disc titles because Rentrak's pay-per-transaction program allows retailers to bring in more copies of new releases with less of an upfront investment. PPT retailers then share a percentage of rental revenue with Rentrak, and the studio, as it comes in.

"This move illustrates Rentrak's market knowledge and foresight to get in on the ground floor of this fast-moving industry trend that will help accelerate consumer adoption of high-definition technology," said Marty Graham, president of Rentrak's PPT division. "Our revenue-sharing model is an effective way to represent a broad range of titles and sets the stage for Rentrak to distribute additional high-definition content from our large roster of studio partners."

SPHE president David Bishop said the deal "is important for the expansion of the Blu-ray Disc format because it provides access to more rental channels for retailers."

The Rentrak deal marks the second big advance for Blu-ray Disc in the rental sector in as many months. Blockbuster Inc. said in June that after testing both Blu-ray Disc and rival next-gen format HD DVD, it would go exclusively with Blu-ray Disc in 1,700 company-owned stores. The 250 stores that were part of the initial test, which began in November, will continue to carry both formats, at least for the time being.

While the studios supporting the two next-generation formats initially focused on consumer electronics stores that also carry hardware, they now are aggressively courting the rental market in the hopes of giving consumers a chance to sample the new technology without having to shell out $25 or more to buy a disc.

"By broadening Blu-ray Discs in the rental market, consumers are given more opportunities to experience this revolutionary technology," Bishop said. "And once they see it, they are going to be hooked."

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/home_entertainment/video/e3i89e4f40c1678880c1c7541f3ee12c61c

Ruters : Analyst says 80 GB PS3 Price Will Drop To $399 (http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN1628055520070716?pageNumber=2)

Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter said in a research note that Sony had an estimated 2 million to 3 million 60-gigabyte models in inventory and that once they were sold out, it would lower the price on the 80-gigabyte version.

"Although we think that Sony's public relations gaffe was unfortunate, we do not believe that the company has ill intent, and we expect the $499 price point to be maintained until early next year, when the 80GB model will likely by cut again to $399," Pachter said.

http://www.tvpredictions.com/microsofthd071607.htm

Microsoft: We Will Decide HDTV DVD Format War
The software titan brags on its new interactive software.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (July 16, 2007) -- Microsoft will be the difference in the high-def format war between HD DVD and rival Blu-ray.

That's according to...Microsoft.

Kevin Collins, Microsoft's "HD DVD evangelism director," tells TWICE magazine that the company's HDi interactive technology built into new HD DVD players will entice high-def owners to embrace the format.

HDi enables viewers to re-edit movies, download trailers and participate in online polls among other activities. The interactive features will be found in new HD DVD discs that will take advantage of the player's Internet connection.
"When the first titles with Web-enabled extras come to market, you will start to see the distinct disparity between the formats when it comes to interactivity," Collins told TWICE.

Blood Diamond, which stars Leonard DiCaprio and was recently released on HD DVD, allows viewers to participate in an online poll after watching it.

The HD DVD of the ancient war drama 300, which will be released on July 31, will allow viewers to re-edit the film by rearranging the order of scenes.

Collins told TWICE that one future HD DVD will even allow viewers to purchase clothing featured in the movie.

HD DVD backers hope that the format's interactive features will give it an edge over Blu-ray which recently has enjoyed a 2-1 lead in title sales.

"With the network people can download just what they are interested in and they can get rid of what they are not interested in. You have unlimited capacity," Collins said.

http://www.tvpredictions.com/microsofthd071607.htm

Microsoft: We Will Decide HDTV DVD Format War
The software titan brags on its new interactive software.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (July 16, 2007) -- Microsoft will be the difference in the high-def format war between HD DVD and rival Blu-ray.

That's according to...Microsoft.

Kevin Collins, Microsoft's "HD DVD evangelism director," tells TWICE magazine...
The original news article by Gregg Tarr without Phillip Swann's headline:
http://www.twice.com/article/CA6460745.html?industryid=23099

This came in an email from a marketing company that the HD DVD group pays to send these out and I'm not sure if the press release is officially posted anywhere. But here is the main text:

HD DVD Outpacing All Next-Gen Formats in Sales Growth
Promotional Group announces record HD DVD hardware and software sales increases from Q1-Q2 2007

LAS VEGAS (July 17, 2007) – At the Entertainment Merchants Association (EMA) Home Media Expo 2007, the North American HD DVD Promotional Group today announced that overall HD DVD hardware sales were up 37 percent from Q1 to Q2 2007, while software sales experienced a 20 percent increase in growth. The data is based on NPD reports, Nielsen Netratings reports and point of sale data from the studios. During the same time-frame, overall Blu-ray hardware sales saw a 27 percent decline from Q1 to Q2, and Blu-ray software sales were down 5 percent.

Driven by major spring marketing efforts which brought standalone HD DVD players down to an industry first $299, dedicated HD DVD CE players experienced an astounding 183 percent quarterly increase. There are currently more than 180,000 dedicated HD DVD CE players in the market.

“The numbers are clear – HD DVD is steadily gaining momentum and market share,” said Ken Graffeo, executive vice president of HD strategic marketing for Universal Studios Home Entertainment, and co-president of the HD DVD Promotional Group. “With HD DVD CE players now at MSRP prices starting at $299 and with strong marketing campaigns around new HD DVD titles with web-enabled interactive features, we’re continuing to raise the bar for the consumer experience.”

Recent studies[1] have shown most consumers are basing their purchasing decisions on pricing. Benefiting from more than a decade of DVD technology advancements and improvements, HD DVD hardware pricing has already dropped from $499 to $299 since the first players were introduced last year as a result of manufacturing efficiencies, while still maintaining a consistent consumer experience.

“With the total number of titles available for each format differing by only 20-30 titles at this time, the real-world gap in content between the two formats is in actuality not as large as many would perceive," said Paul Erickson, market analyst with IMS Research. “Consumers in the US and Europe continue to show the greatest sensitivity to price, rather than content or branding, in their purchase decision for standalone high-definition players."

With titles like "300" coming later this month from Warner Home Video and "Heroes: Season 1" to be released in August from Universal Studios Home Entertainment, HD DVD owners will have close to 1,000 titles worldwide to choose from by the holidays.--Darin

VeriSilicon and DTS Announce Strategic Collaboration to Proliferate DTS Audio Technologies (http://au.biz.yahoo.com/070718/43/1bhse.html)

VeriSilicon Holdings Co., Ltd. (VeriSilicon), a leading world class ASIC design foundry and silicon solutions provider, and DTS, Inc. today announced that the two companies have entered an agreement where VeriSilicon will offer leading-edge DTS technologies for both Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD applications.

Under the agreement, VeriSilicon is the first company to be able to offer its licensable processor platform solution coupled with DTS audio technologies to customers seeking to develop Blu-ray / HD DVD silicon solutions. As these next-generation formats set new standards in terms of video and audio quality, development complexity is significantly increased compared to previous generation DVD players. The VeriSilicon ZSP G2 family of licensable processors features an eight-stage, four-way issue superscalar, dual/quad architecture to provide a high-performance, efficient solution that is capable of supporting a wide-range of demanding use-cases. The processors have already been adopted by multiple market leaders across a wide range of applications, including Blu-ray / HD DVD devices.

Facilitating faster proliferation of DTS technologies into the marketplace, the agreement encompasses the complete range of DTS audio technologies for the consumer electronics market. These range from DTS Digital Surround all the way up to DTS-HD Master Audio, which provides up to 7.1 discrete channels of sound that are bit-for-bit identical to a master soundtrack.

Toshiba extends innovative value added program through September 30th (http://www.broadcastnewsroom.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=163328)

Consumers Can Get 'The Perfect Offer' All Summer Long With Toshiba's 5 Free HD DVD Disc Promotion

BCI gets into high-definition (http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/hom-daily071807/index.php?startpage=4)

BCI Home Entertainment will street its first high-def title on both HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc Nov 13, with releases of Ultimate Force, an action film starring Ultimate Fighting Championship and Pride champion Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic.

edit:

HMM (http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/hom-daily071907/index.php?startpage=44) has corrected this information: BCI will not release Ultimate Force on Blu-ray Disc and it will come out in the fourth quarter.

High definition in Italy (http://www.oto-online.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=514&Itemid=44)

Duplas Avelca has become the first replicator in Italy to produce HD DVD media, following its installment of a replication line from Singulus Technologies and quality control equipment from AudioDev.

The installation of the HD DVD replication line for HD DVD was confirmed in May and production began in June.

LG's 2nd gen Super Multi Blue Blu-ray / HD DVD hybrid drives and plans
http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/07/19/lgs-2nd-gen-super-multi-blue-blu-ray-hd-dvd-hybrid-drives-and/

The $500 GGW-H20LI reads both HD disc formats, and writes at 6x dual-layer BD-R/RE discs (as well as DVD±RW), while the completely differently named $400 GGC-H20LI can read back both formats, but only write DVD±RW and CD-R/RW.


Also of note, LG says we should "stay tuned" for a followup to said BH100, but it isn't prepared to announce further details.

New Moon Landing Footage Digitally Remastered (http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_13059.aspx) ...thanks to new technology, the original footage taken by astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin in 1969 has been turned into a high definition video, complete with sound. With help from NASA, Canadian astronaut aficionado Robert Godwin used digital technology to transfer the 16mm film clips to high definition DVD and Blu-Ray Disc.Hopefully, that hasn't already been posted. Don't hurt me, rboster.

New Moon Landing Footage Digitally Remastered (http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_13059.aspx) Hopefully, that hasn't already been posted. Don't hurt me, rboster.

Thank you! Wonderful stuff - I'm a keen space enthusiast, and I'd love to see this footage in good quality.

EDIT: Oops - just realised where I was - feel free to delete this. Sorry.

LG to launch HD DVD plus BD hybrid drive in 3Q, say Taiwan makers

http://www.digitimes.com/systems/a20070723PD201.html


LG Electronics will launch GGC-H20LI, its latest Super Multi Blue hybrid drive supporting read of both Blu-ray Disc (BD) and HD DVD formats, for sale at a recommended price of US$400 later this quarter, according to industry sources in Taiwan.

Although LG is a member of the BD Association, the company has also adopted the HD DVD format for its blue-laser optical disc drives as business strategy, similar to its developing Super Multi triple-format DVD burners in the past, the sources pointed out.

Verbatim at IFA (http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=20987)

Verbatim will showcase the first HD-DVDs in Dual Layer format. The new HD-DVD DL boasts over 30 GB of storage capacity and a write speed of 4.5 MB/s. The HD-DVD DL 30 GB is compatible with version 2.1 of the HD DVD standard and will be available from outlets in Europe from September 2007 onwards.

Something from the latest DVD Forum Meeting

1.CSS Managed Recording and CPRM Managed Recording are ready. CPRM is popular in Japan. In USA, CSS is the only option.
DVD Forum will begin to license DVD download this Sep.

http://img.zdnet.com.cn/storage/20070723/dvd22ss.jpg

CSS-MR-DVD-R could target at MOD（Manufacture on Demand）and Electric Sell Through.

http://img.zdnet.com.cn/storage/20070723/dvd24ss.jpg


2. DVD Forum hope to finalize AACS this year adding the following:


a:Watermark from Verance VCMS/AV which include Theatrical No Home Use Mark and Consumer Mark(no audio output without AACS authorization).

b:MC. Content provider could decide the PQ/length/times/fee. Bottom line for MC is at least one full length full PQ copy. Every title needs to have ISAN and PMSN(which decide how many times you could copy)

c:Prepared video: Author AACS protected stuff from ROM to HD DVD R/RW/RAM

d: Encryption between HD DVD ROM and PC bus.

PS3 firmware v1.90 adds (forced) 1080p24, expands AVCHD support
http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/07/23/ps3-firmware-v1-90-adds-1080p24-expands-avchd-support/

The official PlayStation Blog says the update is "coming soon" to the U.S. so keep that 24fps-compatible HDTV ready for judder-free movie playback.

Razor Digital will street four Blu-ray Imax titles Nov. 13 (prebook Oct. 19) at $19.99 each: Africa: The Serengeti, Alaska: Spirit of the Wild, Australia: Land Beyond Time and Antarctica: An Adventure of a Different Nature. More will come if they do well, Perliss said.

When asked why Razor Digital was going with Blu-ray only, Perliss said, “we wanted to go worldwide (with the product) and we couldn’t afford to do both.” But if HD DVD player household penetration catches up with the PlayStation 3 and Blu-ray, Perliss said his company might consider doing both.

http://www.homemediamagazine.com/news/html/breaking_article.cfm?sec_id=2&&article_ID=10931

Atmel intros 'industry's smallest' laser diode driver for HD DVD / Blu-ray
http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/07/24/atmel-intros-industrys-smallest-laser-diode-driver-for-hd-dvd/

Atmel, the same firm known for cranking out uber-small GPS chips, has now created the "industry's smallest laser diode driver solution" for HD DVD, Blu-ray, DVD, and CD formats. The ATR0881 laser diode driver IC is available now and is designed for use in combination drives that play nice with all of the aforementioned discs. Notably, the ATR0881 itself is housed in a minuscule four- x four-millimeter QFN24 package, and should prove extremely useful in half-height combo drives as well as slim drives found in laptops. Smaller optical drives that handle every format harmoniously? Count us in.

Denon announces DVD-3800BDCI and DVD-2500BTCI Blu-ray Players

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/denon-line-show-2007/denon-introduces-2000-dvd+3800bdci-blu+ray-player-281915.php

In addition to being in the forefront of BD-ROM Profile 1 version 1.1 Blu-ray Disc Player technology, Denon's DVD-3800BDCI is also the world's first to feature the acclaimed 10-bit Silicon Optix Realta chipset, providing enhanced video performance with upconversion and IP scaling to 1080p. The pixel-by-pixel and Digital Noise Reduction feature afforded by this technology allows the player to remove image-degrading artifacts, resulting in astoundingly clear, high-resolution image quality.

The Ultimate in Audio Performance...
Denon's new DVD-3800BDCI also utilizes a variety of the world's most advanced audio technologies, including Advanced AL24 processing, to deliver the ultimate in audio performance. The player offers HD Audio and DDSC-HD, with decoding of Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio and is capable of outputting both 7.1-channel analog signals and PCM audio via HDMI output.

DVD-2500BTCI Blu-ray Transport: High-Performance Connection to A/V Receivers
The DVD-2500BTCI is a leading edge Blu-ray Disc Transport that allows owners of advanced A/V receivers to add Blu-ray capability to their system and enjoy high definition video. The DVD-2500BTCI will natively output an HD audio bit-stream to a connected receiver via HDMI. Once this signal is accepted in the receiver, it can then be decoded into its native format including Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio.

SONY ELEVATES STANDARD OF HOME THEATER WITH NEW ES RECEIVERS

http://news.sel.sony.com/en/press_room/consumer/home_audio_video/es_products/release/30881.html

Samsung has officially announced that the Samsung BD-UP5000 will have an MSRP of $1050 which can be seen in this Gizmodo article (http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/officially-official/samsung-finally-announces-its-bd+up5000-blu+ray-hd-dvd-hybrid-player-282313.php) and this EE Times article (http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=201201056):

Here's what you need to know about the BD-UP5000:
• It ships in Q4 with a list price of $1,049
• HD DVD and Blu-ray playback at 1080p
• HDMI 1.3, plus VC-1, H.264, HD JPEG decoding
• Local storage and Ethernet for HD DVD features

Features include:
Video


Blu-ray playback at content native HD resolution of 1080p/1080i/720p and 1080p 24Fs / 60Fs
HD-DVD playback at 1080p/1080i/720p HQV video selectable up-conversion processing 720p/1080i/1080p

Audio

Stereo and 7.1-channel audio outputs
Coaxial and optical digital audio outputs
Dolby Digital Plus, dts HD, MP3 audio decoding, Dolby TrueHD

Playable Media

HD-DVD/BD-ROM/ DVD-ROM, DVD-+/R, DVD-+/RW, CD, CD-R and CD-RW

Other Features

HDMI 1.3 digital interface (1080p/1080i/720p)
MPEG2, VC-1, H.264, HD JPEG decoding
12-bit/216 MhZ video D/A converter; 24-bit/192KHz audio D/A converter
HDMI, Component Video, S-Video and Composite video outputs
HDMI CEC
Ethernet port
Local Storage
Picture-in-picture
MSRP: $1,049 Availability: 4Q 2007

More from Engadget on the BD-UP5000

Samsung announces more details on 3rd-gen and dual-format players
http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/25/samsung-announces-more-details-on-3rd-gen-and-dual-format-player/

The dual-format BD-UP5000 was also announced back in April, and now we know that it will play back both of the high-definition formats at 1080p and includes the HQV upconversion processor chip found in the BD-P2400. It includes the same feature set as the BD-P2400, with Blu-ray playback at 24 or 60fps, 7.1-channel out, and Dolby Digital Plus and DTS HD support. It also has HD DVD-specific features like local storage and picture-in-picture support, while staying fully compatible with both the HDi and BD-J interactive specs.

Here's even more info about the BD-UP5000

Press Release (http://video.mww.com/Samsung_BD-UP5000_Duo_HD,_HT-BD2,_BD-P2400,_BD-P1400_release.doc)

Picture of front (http://video.mww.com/BD-UP5000_front.jpg )

Another picture (http://video.mww.com/BD-UP5000_overhead.jpg)

I noticed it has both the BD and HD DVD logos.

"Thieves choose Blu-ray over HD DVD in mass disc heist"

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/25/thieves-choose-blu-ray-over-hd-dvd-in-mass-disc-heist/

too funny!

Target to feature Blu-ray this christmas:

http://www.timesdaily.com/article/2...5/APF/707250873

Target Corp., the nation's second-largest retailer, will start selling a Sony Blu-ray high-definition DVD player during the critical holiday shopping period and feature the player along with DVDs in the format in store displays, dealing a potential blow to the rival HD DVD format.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2007-07-25-sci-fi-dvd_N.htm

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

Nov. 13

Details: Close Encounters of the Third Kind: 30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition (DVD, $40; Blu-ray Disc, $50). Includes three versions of the film: the 1977 original theatrical cut, the re-edited 1980 theatrical special edition, and Steven Spielberg's director's cut, released in 1998.

Why it's important: It's the first time a Spielberg movie has been issued on high-definition disc, and it's the first home video release of all three versions

What's new: An interview with Spielberg created especially for this release and a retrospective documentary.

Plus: Only on the 50 GB Blu-ray edition are new "storyboard-to-scene" comparisons and the original 1977 "Watch the Skies" featurette. Blu-ray, says David Bishop, president of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, "will add yet another new and thrilling dimension to this timeless film."

— Thomas K. Arnold, USA TODAY

Xbox 360 HD DVD Player Moves to $179, Adds Five Free HD DVDs (http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/070726/aqth069.html?.v=15)

SAN DIEGO, July 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Today at Comic-Con International 2007, Microsoft Corp. announced it will lower the price of the popular Xbox 360(tm) HD DVD Player from $199 to $179 ERP (United States only) starting Aug. 1, 2007, and will add five free HD DVD movies for anyone purchasing an Xbox 360 HD DVD Player between Aug. 1 and Sept. 30. In addition, Microsoft further solidified the Xbox 360 as the ultimate high-definition (HD) entertainment platform, with key announcements around the HD DVD launches of "300" from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group and "Heroes: Season 1" from Universal Studios.

To promote the HD DVD versions of "300" and "Heroes: Season 1," Microsoft unveiled exclusive content for Xbox LIVE® Marketplace. Xbox LIVE will offer "300" on demand in HD starting Aug. 14, and is working with Warner Bros. at Comic-Con on a Bringing It Home campaign featuring "300" and other Warner Bros. properties. In advance of the street date for the "Heroes: Season 1" HD DVD boxed set, Xbox LIVE members will be able to download for free the show's pilot episode in high definition for a limited time. Members will also be able to download trailers, teaser scenes and other promotional materials highlighting the "Heroes: Season 1" boxed set on HD DVD.

Already the most affordable high-definition player available, the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player is the best solution for movie lovers seeking HD content in the highest possible resolution. The player's price reduction to $179 (U.S. ERP) continues to set the bar for value, making the Xbox 360 platform the most affordable solution for consumers seeking the broadest, most compelling selection of next-generation gaming and HD video experiences.

"With the price reduction to $179, the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player continues to be the most affordable way to enjoy high definition," said Jeff Bell, corporate vice president of Global Marketing, Interactive Entertainment Business, Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft. "From the beginning, we set out to offer Xbox 360 owners an unrivaled high-definition experience, with a choice of optical discs on the HD DVD format and digital downloads through Xbox LIVE Marketplace -- both of which have a selection of the best content Hollywood has to offer. Today's announcements around '300' and 'Heroes: Season 1' are great examples of how we believe HD content can be offered to consumers."

In addition to the price drop, Microsoft is extending Toshiba's highly successful "Perfect Offer" of five free HD DVD discs to Xbox 360 consumers. Previously exclusive to Toshiba HD DVD Players, with the purchase of an Xbox 360 HD DVD Player at the new low price of $179 ERP, consumers can choose five HD DVD titles for free from a selection of 15 popular titles through a mail-in offer. With a retail value of over $140 (U.S.), this promotion makes the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player one of the most compelling offerings for consumers looking to make the leap into HD this holiday season.

Here's much more detail on Close Encounters, including a discussion of the seamless branching which will be used to allow Blu-ray Disc viewers to select whether to watch the original version, the special edition, or the Director's Cut.

http://www.twice.com/article/CA6463483.html

JULY 26 | East Coast chain BJ’s Wholesale Club will drop HD DVD from its shelves and carry the Blu-ray Disc format exclusively by the fourth quarter, according to sources at the retailer and several Hollywood studios.

Sources said the chain will carry Blu-ray exclusively at all its 170 stores, although it continues to carry both formats on its Web site.

A spokesperson for the chain didn’t immediately return calls for comment.

BJ’s' move follows Target and Blockbuster, both of which have announced they will increase the presence and support of Blu-ray in stores. Both chains, however, will continue to carry HD DVD movies to some extent.

http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6463556.html

In a recent press update Optimum Home Entertainment have confirmed to us they plan to release Wolf Creek, Pan’s Labyrinth and The Host on both HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc on 12th November 2007.

Yes, you read that right, Optimum (previously HD DVD only) will begin releasing on both HD formats later this year.

Right now that’s all we know, but we expect to learn more details next month.

http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=65420

http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=358

Optimum Announces Blu-ray Support