Cyberlink's $99 PowerDVD Ultra enables HD DVD and Blu-ray on your PC
By Richard Lawler 
posted Dec 22nd 2006 1:59PM
posted Dec 22nd 2006 1:59PM
Cyberlink has finally released a standalone version of its HD DVD and Blu-ray movie playback software, PowerDVD Ultra. The total package carries a $99/€99 price tag and is available for download now, while Intervideo's WinDVD 8 continues to wait for its HD upgrade. Dual core processor, 512MB of RAM, 256MB of video RAM, HDCP for any digital connections and of course an HD DVD or Blu-ray drive (the Xbox 360 HD DVD drive is officially supported) are just the mininum requirements. NVIDIA PureVideo, ATI Avivo and Intel Clear Video hardware acceleration support should keep those h.264 and VC-1 encoded movies playing smoothly while Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD soundtracks play in 6.1 surround sound. Blu-ray Java and HDi interactive features are supported, as well as UPnP streaming to compatible devices. With features that outpace many of the standalone players on the market, building your own dual format player doesn't sound so crazy after all.
Can your sentence about "mininum" requirements be any more awkward?
Well, Joe, I suppose it could have. This following sentence is far more awkward than the original:
The requirements, which are minimum, include, but are most certainly not limited to, a dual core processor, 512MB of RAM, 256MB of video RAM, HDCP for any digital connections, and, of course, but not excluding, an HD DVD or Blu-ray drive (the Xbox 360 HD DVD drive is officially supported, but not officially required).
Folks at AOL weblogs get around $10 for submission (more for a feature). Go easy on them, they have to get all submissions within a short paragraph.
Nice. Or perhaps:
Hear ye, hear ye! Mininum necessary requirements needed is core processor multiplied times two, random access memory (or RAM) module which contains 512 mega bytes of power, video random access memory (or VRAM) module sporting 256 mega bytes of juice, plus in addition to including HDCP for all known or possible eventual connections of a digital nature and without saying a high-definition (or HD) DVD (or digital video disc or digital versatile disc or as you wish) or a ray-drive of blu color (xbox 360 degree console game station HD DVD drive supported by officials).
OK, here's what I want to know: since the ICT has not been implemented (yet), why is HDCP a requirement? I want straight up DVI out to a 17" LCD, which supports native 720p. The 360 DVD drive + this software would be ideal, but I suspect the DRM 'features' have disabled people like myself who would otherwise adopt the technology.
I've said it before and I will say it again: I will not buy a new monitor for a DRM 'feature' when mine can display the exact same pixels. I'll wait until something like this is cracked to allow digital out.
Forced upgrades to better hardware because the old stuff won't cut it: ok, fine. Forced upgrades because the old stuff isn't locked down to Hollywood's liking: no F***ing way.
ICT is for analogue connections only, if you want digital it has to be HDCP. Hollywood seems to be worried that an digital capture would be terrible for business yet an analogue capture is okay. I suspect cracking HDCP would be difficult as it is hardware based, but once AACS is cracked then output via unencrypted DVI will work.
Not bad.
MS and Apple should build HD-DVD and Blu-Ray drives into their hardware and OS and squash this damn format war.
Just wait until next year, when the Super Mega Mogambo Ultra Edition with Flair comes out!
100 bucks to play DRM-infested Hollywood content on your box?