Third HD format VMD launching for $175 at CES

NME, the same company that recently claimed to solve the Blu-ray / HD DVD debate by creating a disc that holds both, has now specifics of, and hardware for, its alternative HD format. VMD is targeted as a low cost high definition DVD, using red lasers -- just like DVD and CD -- instead of the blue lasers in Blu-ray and HD DVD. Much delayed, the standalone player is now expected to launch at CES in January, with a price of just $175, compared to the $500+ price of competing formats. With all the major studios backing Blu-ray and/or HD DVD, we hope you like Bollywood's greatest hits and old Broadway performances, as NME is targeting Eastern markets first. Unlike the US, Video CDs and other delivery options have flourished alongside DVD internationally and VMD hopes take the same route for HD. No word on if it has achieved the multilayer 100GB+ discs promised, but at this price, we'll keep an eye out for NME in Las Vegas.

[Henry @ Oct 10th 2006 1:33PM]

NME sounds a lot like the word enemy... I wonder if they thought of that?

[Mike @ Oct 10th 2006 1:52PM]

Isn't it spelled Baliwood? Maybe I'm just an idiot, but I'm pretty sure, anyone know for sure?

[varun @ Oct 10th 2006 1:56PM]

Mike, it's Bombay + Hollywood = Bollywood.

Bali is in Indonesia :)

[Henry @ Oct 10th 2006 1:56PM]

No, it's a pun on hollywood, so it's spelled that way but sounds like bali.

[Shaun @ Oct 10th 2006 3:02PM]

And unlike all the BluRay/HDDVD players the hardware actually looks like it was designed this year too, not in the 1970s!

[DIII @ Oct 10th 2006 3:14PM]

Wouldn't that be just damn hilarious if this format pans out and kicks the ship out of Blu-ray and HD DVD.

LMAO!!

[AKBlade13 @ Oct 10th 2006 3:18PM]

Why couldn't we go with this DVD format in the first place?

[Naveed @ Oct 10th 2006 3:21PM]

"bali" sounds like "bolly"

[Colin @ Oct 10th 2006 3:33PM]

Hitech from Britain?

[Amish @ Oct 10th 2006 5:00PM]

Its Bollywood.

[rfruit @ Oct 10th 2006 5:16PM]

Does anyone else notice a resemblance between that thing and Infinium Labs' "Phantom"? It the sandwiched, rounded corner plastic look -

http://www.audioholics.com/images/news/phantom_console_lg.jpg

[Saif @ Oct 10th 2006 8:52PM]

Is it just me, or does that enclosure look suspiciously like the vaporware Phantom game console? Maybe just a passing similarity, but I get the feeling that they're both equally likely to succeed...or exist...

[Ebzy @ Oct 11th 2006 8:31AM]

with this released in the eastern markets do people really think there will be no latest haliwood ...sorry hollywood releases on this format. All it takes would be one geezer to copy into this format and you will have these available as soon as their bluray/hddvd counterparts arrive

[Franssu @ Oct 11th 2006 12:44PM]

Ze NME is using VMDs to blow up repectable Blu-Rayz und HD-DVDz... Zey must be terra-ists !

[chuck @ Oct 13th 2006 8:37AM]

i just love it! 'eastern markets' means 'piracy'. so in russia we're gonna have loads of HD-content dirt-cheap. hehehe.

[engdgt.9.nikster @ Oct 15th 2006 7:49PM]

no it doesn't look like the phantom "console"... open you eyes. it just looks difference and, might I say it, quite nice.

is that a licensing-free format, as required by the chinese market? if so, I sure hope this will blow away both bluray and HDDVD which seem to be designed chiefly to generate massive licensing revenues for the backing companies "consortiums".

why hollywood plays along, I really don't know - why would't hollywood want to support as many formats as possible? well given that there is some copy protection scheme in place...