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First HD DVD/DVD Twin disc hits U.S. in June, along with new HDi features
Add one more dual format disc type to the pile, as Bandai Visual will bring the HD DVD/DVD Twin disc to the U.S. June 26, with the release of its bestselling OVA Freedom, and will also be one of the first releases to include HDi network capabilities. As opposed to the combo releases so far that have HD DVD on one side, and DVD on the other, the Twin disc allows up to three layers of either HD DVD or DVD content on the same side of the disc, no flipping necessary. Your old-school DVD player might have trouble with the disc, so its been limited to Japan-only releases so far. Bandai's been working with Microsoft and Memory-Tech to tweak the VC-1 codec for Japanese anime, and the company says after this they will start releasing other HD DVD and Blu-ray titles in Japan and overseas. The SRP for Freedom Vol.1 (of 6) is $39.99 and while we don't know much about the series beyond its mix of CGI and 2D animation, it does heavily represent that most holiest of foods, ramen.
CBS plans first HD DVD release: Star Trek TOS
CBS has created a new division within itself, CBS Home Entertainment, specifically to focus on DVD releases. First up are plans to dive headfirst into the Blu-ray / HD DVD marketplace by releasing the newly-remastered-in-HD Star Trek series in the fourth quarter of this year on a DVD/HD DVD combo disc. No word on a Blu-ray release date, however like Paramount Pictures we can expect them to be nuetral in the format war. CBS Home Entertainment plans to roll out 85-90 releases this year, including content from Showtime. It's certainly interesting to see HD DVD releases planned already for the fourth quarter, especially since Blu-ray already won, but that notwithstanding, we'll see if Trekkies take to the combo disc trojan horse, opting for HD DVD players later to check out each episode in resolutions fit for their HDTVs. [Via High Def Digest]
LG BH100 HD DVD / Blu-ray hybrid player in the wild and on sale
Whoa, that was quick. The story of LG's BH100 has moved from myth to reality quicker than some companies can even craft a marketing campaign, and astoundingly enough, the hybrid HD DVD / Blu-ray player has not only been captured on camera, but it's available for sale. You read right, LG's $1,199 harmony machine is apparently already leaking into a few CompUSA locations, and although we didn't know how its inability to play back HDi would effect the release status, we're now seeing that it beat the February 4th presumptions by a solid two weeks, and although it clearly lacks an "official" HD DVD logo, it seemed to handle The Hulk just fine. So if you just can't hold back your desire for a two-faced player any longer, and can track down a stocked CompUSA location, you can pick up your very own BH100 starting today. Click on through for a few more sneak peeks, and be sure to hit the read link for the full skinny.[Via CNET]
Sonic announces new authoring package for Total Hi Def discs
Anyone producing high-def content who can't decide which format to support can now put their content on one of Warner's Total Hi Def hybrid discs via Sonic's Scenarist Workgroup authoring system. With its new product, THDAssign, creating a disc that plays in both HD DVD and Blu-ray players is streamlined and easy. With availability expected in February, we'll soon find out how eager other studios and smaller content providers are to support the combo discs... and if consumers are willing to pay for them.
Britain's CSR developing uber-sensitive Bluetooth / GPS hybrid chip
Considering how governments are suddenly feeling that tracking your every move, or at least providing the means for someone else to, is such a brilliant idea, it's no surprise to see the Bluetooth masters at Cambridge-based CSR buy up NordNav and Cambridge Positioning Systems. The new mishmash of companies now has consolidation on the brain, as it's developing an all-in-one microchip that will sport both Bluetooth and GPS functionality on a single module. Additionally, the chip would reportedly "drain less power and be cheaper for handset makers than having two separate chips in their devices," as both technologies would have one processor doing the work, resulting in a more efficient process. The company's CEO claimed that its combo chips would cost manufacturers "an extra dollar per chip as opposed to around $5 to $10 for putting in a current standalone GPS chip," and moreover, these devices are designed to be ultra-sensitive, giving it connection abilities indoors and in "deep urban areas" where current units fall short. Already being hit up by a few anonymous mobile producers, CSR plans to get these things shipping "during the first half of this year," and hopes to start turning a profit on them by 2008.
Warner officially announces Total Hi Def hybrid disc
Warner Home Video's press conference concerning the Total Hi Def disc that has HD DVD and Blu-ray all on one disc is currently ongoing, and it has stated that the discs are able to contain dual layers of both HD DVD and Blu-ray on one disc. The first Total Hi Def releases will hit in the second half of this year, but no specific titles have yet been announced. At the conference, Warner used a copy of Superman to show off how it worked in an HD DVD player, Blu-ray player, and the recently announced LG Super Multi player that plays either. Finally, Warner claims it will not cost "materially" more than a regular disc. At the conference, already an exec from Best Buy has come out in support of the format, but whether or not other studios would ever pick up on Total Hi Def releases is still unknown, although Warner claims they would not have to pay any licensing fees to Warner for using it. For more information, check out our live coverage of the Warner Home Video press event.
LG's hybrid Blu-ray/HD DVD standalone drive coming soon
Not to be outdone with just a combination set-top Blu-ray/HD DVD player, LG has also announced the GGW-H10N combo standalone drive for computers. The drive -- which presumably incorporates the same Broadcom integrated chipset as the BH100 -- can read both blue-laser formats, but only writes to Blu-ray or standard DVDs and CDs. According to the LG press event from Sunday, the PC drive will support all iHD functionality for HD DVD titles, whereas the set-top box will not due to hardware limitations. The SATA drive is set to be released before the end of January for $1200.[Thanks, Khattab]
Pioneer's BDC-202 "combo" 5x Blu-ray drive
At Pioneer's CES press conference it announced both its new plasma display technology and a new half height Blu-ray drive for PCs. Titled the BDC-202 combination Blu-ray disc drive it unfortunately isn't quite the "combo" drive we might have expected. No HD DVD compatibility is in store from Pioneer but this drive is still special, able to read BD-ROM, BD-R and BD-RE discs at 5x, dual layer recordable Blu-ray discs at 2x while also service as a DVD/CD read/write drive. As long as Blu-ray is your format of choice this is the type of drive that is most likely to end up in the PC of someone who wants to watch Blu-ray movies on their PC, but doesn't need to be able to author them or back up large files. Also, by forgoing Blu-ray burning capability it should (hopefully) be significantly cheaper than current Blu-ray burners (pictured) on the market. No price yet, but the drive should be available in the second quarter of this year.
LG's BH100 hybrid Blu-ray & HD DVD player: $1,199
LG has set the price for its BH100 combination Blu-ray and HD DVD player at $1,199. Available in the first quarter of this year, the company thinks it can resolve buyer confusion and push both high-def formats using Broadcom's chipset. 1080p and DTS-HD audio support are present and accounted for, but no word yet on other features, like 1080p24 or HDMI 1.3, but for more information check our live coverage of LG's press event and demonstration.Update: Home Theater Blog found official pics of the unit already on Best Buy's website. Continue on for shots of the back and remote.
Samsung to debut first second-gen Blu-ray player at CES
Toshiba and LG have already indicated their plans to wow us at CES, and now the first company to release a Blu-ray player -- Samsung -- has announced it will display the first second generation player next week at CES. The new player is expected to cost 20 percent less than its predecessor (the BD-P1000, pictured above), but contain more interactive functions. We hope that means this will be the first non-PlayStation 3 device to support BD Live features, although we'll have to wait and see. As far as joining LG with a hybrid player like the one it had announced and then denied last year, the company currently has "no plans" to do so, but could if the market remains divided. Other products we can expect to see next week include even larger versions of Samsung's Slim DLP HDTVs, and an all new line of plasmas going all the way up to 80 inches.
Surprise! LG to debut dual format Blu-ray & HD DVD player at CES
LG's on again / off again combo HD DVD + Blu-ray player is -- at least for this week -- on again. To recap: After showing the BD199 Blu-ray player at last year's CES, the company abruptly shelved it and promised a combo player to end the high definition format war. Then this fall the company backed off those plans, reaffirmed its status in the Blu-ray camp and even showed off the BD100 Blu-ray player in London as recently as November. Now LG promises that not only is the dual format player coming, we'll be able to see it next week at CES. No word on if it contains any of the hybrid hardware we've heard so much about in recent months, but the company has promised details on pricing and availability in Las Vegas. With neither format projected to make a large dent in declining DVD sales this year, perhaps an end to the format war is just what they need to get things rolling... or cause more confusion and hesitation amongst potential customers.[Via CE Pro]
Blu-ray / HD DVD stalemate boosting interest in combo player?
Nothing like a little false hope to brighten your Saturday, right? Of course, we hope the current stalemate in the Blu-ray / HD DVD war actually yields a combo player, but after the on-again / off-again (and again) love affair with the idea, we're not holding our collective breath. Nevertheless, it seems that the current state actually doesn't have one format trouncing the other as many believed would happen after a few months unfolded. Essentially, consumers are "generally indifferent" to the two, and considering there's just seven more HD DVD titles currently available than BD titles, it doesn't look like one or the other will win on sheer studio popularity. While we've seen the Blu-ray-equipped PS3 outsell Microsoft's HD DVD drive 5 to 1, there isn't much substance in such a statistic, but apparently Taiwan-based manufacturers are rethinking their previous denials of unleashing a player that handles both discs. DigiTimes has it that Samsung is "planning to offer dual-format recorders that can record and play back BD and HD DVD movies," while Hitachi (a devout member of the BDA), is also "considering production of dual-format devices." They also went so far as to point out the obvious when noting that a "dual-format device would be more expensive than a single-format unit" -- but hey, it's likely cheaper than buying one of each, eh?
Universal HD DVD / Blu-ray players really on the way in 2007?
EETimes has quoted several manufacturers of key components in next generation DVD players who say they are designing hardware specifically for such devices. We've already seen NEC's hardware and its (lack of) response among CE manufacturers, but someone must be ready to build such a device as they will soon be joined by fellow chipmakers STMicroelectronics and Broadcom. They expect to have customers rolling out universal players next year, and that they will "represent a significant volume" in 2008 but couldn't name any or expected prices, citing NDAs. Making hardware capable of living up to the minimum specs required of both HD DVD and Blu-ray's capabilities won't be cheap or easy but their sources don't expect the price premium to be be very large, and mostly on account of royalties. We've been disappointed again and again so far on the possibility of combo players, we'll see if 2007 is the year.[Via CNET]
The first combination HD DVD / Blu-ray media PC
So you've pondered the benefits of the two high-definition formats, HD DVD and Blu-ray, and you just can't make up your mind. AACS or AACS? 1080p or 1080p? Well forget building your own homebrew "combination" player or waiting for some manufacturer to build a combo laser or all-in-one disc, and head on over to your local specialty shop to pick up a VidaBox LUX or MAX, as the company has just announced a pair of upgraded combination HD DVD / Blu-ray systems with both formats inside! Having your cake and eating it too will cost you, though: $1629 over the regular $3499 price of the LUX and a grand total of $4399 for the MAX. Of course each version comes with the usual 1080p HDCP-capable outputs, dual analog and dual digital tuners, and up to 3TB of storage, but no word on whether they require two separate media player applications or not. So go hedge your bets, pick one of these bad boy media PCs up, and let us know how the two formats compare on the same hardware, will ya?
Taiwan drive makers response to NEC Blu-ray / HD DVD combo: Thanks but no thanks
This is getting really tired.It seems like every time we're progressing towards a cheap and easy compromise to the Blu-ray / HD DVD format war hope is quickly snatched away and replaced with a stinging dose of harsh reality. This time the bad news comes courtesy of Digitimes, speaking to various Taiwanese optical disc-drive manufacturers, who reports they are not particularly enthused by NEC's just-announced dual format chipset. Despite its low cost, the prospect of manufacturing drives with optical heads for both formats and other costs is still too expensive to be worthwhile. The only good news seems to be that they did not rule out the future possibility of multi-drives -- perhaps once Ricoh's all-in-one laser is finished -- just not yet.
Accepted hitting HD DVD November 14th with HD extras
Those of us waiting for the next fully featured HD DVD release after Fast and the Furious 3: Tokyo Drift now have Accepted to look forward to, on November 14th. Universal is pulling out all the stops on this summer comedy about a guy who opens his own university with a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack, U-control interactive features and 1080p bonus footage on the HD DVD side of the combo disc. The typical $39.98 MSRP for a combo disc applies, HD DVD owners have been waiting for more extras and it certainly appears that Universal is equipped to deliver them on every new release now. Accepted vs. Black Hawk Down...decisions, decisions.
HD DVD, Blu-ray and DVD all-in-one disc draws closer
The end of the HD DVD / Blu-ray format war has been declared again, but from a most unlikely source. Recently Warner patented an all-in-one disc to contain a movie in both competing formats plus DVD, and now New Medium Enterprises has followed that up by claiming it's patented a technology capable of actually manufacturing it. Making its claim even more incredible is the fact that NME is the architect of a third competing format, Versatile Multilayer Disc (VMD), that already consists of multiple DVD layers. It claims the discs will cost 9 cents apiece to make, compared to 6 cents for standard DVDs -- of course that doesn't include the potential licensing cost for three versions of a movie and three different disc formats, along with the new players NME indicates you may also need to read these multilayer discs. The company still hasn't gotten its 100GB VMD to market after many exhibitions, but with prototypes slated for availability in the first quarter of 2007, we should find out soon enough if this is just hype or if we can finally buy high-def DVDs without picking the next Beta.
Superman Returns to DVD, HD DVD and Blu-ray Nov. 28th
Summer blockbuster Superman Returns has a date from Warner Home Video, and VideoBusiness says you'll be able to see it no matter what side of the format war you're on. While The Lake House will still be the first triple-release later this month, you can pick up Superman Returns on DVD, HD DVD & Blu-ray November 28th. The standard DVD will be available either as a single disc (MSRP $28.98), 2-disc special edition (MSRP $34.99), HD DVD Combo disc (MSRP $39.99), or Blu-ray (MSRP $34.99). The special edition DVD will come with several hours worth of extras, but no word on the high definition IME extras we've already heard so much about. Still, considering such a high profile release and that they've already got HD extras ready, it seems likely that Superman follows Fast and the Furious 3: Tokyo Drift in being a 30GB/9GB combo disc. We're still not sure how many people are willing to pay a few extra bucks for a combo disc, but Warner is putting a lot of weight behind them. Information on whether or not the disc would allow buyers to fly merely by putting on a cape and yelling "I'm Superman" is also unavailable at this time.
Fast and the Furious 3: Tokyo Drift to introduce HD DVD 30/9 quad combo disc
Sure we said we wouldn't post about Fast and the Furious anymore until it came out but we just can't help ourselves. One minor detail released about this movie amongst all the hoopla at CEDIA 2006 was that not only will it include advanced iHD HDi features, it will be the first movie to ship as a quad-layer combo disc. With a dual-layer HD DVD on one side and a dual-layer DVD on the other, this should enable HD DVD viewers to view extras without having to flip to the DVD side, as they did with previous 15/9 combo discs. In a good or bad sign, it still has a $39 MSRP in line with previous combo releases, so no price increase but it will still cost more than a standard HD DVD or Blu-ray disc. Univeral Studios Home Entertainment prez Craig Kornblau sounded positive about its prospects in reaching people outside the current 25,000 HD DVD-equipped households, but we're still not sure many people will bite given the price premium.[Thanks, Tyler]
Toshiba & Memory-Tech unveil new triple-layer DVD TWIN disc
Toshiba has unveiled a new flavor of HD DVD that they plan to present to the DVD forum, a single-sided triple layer HD DVD/DVD disc, capable of either a dual-layer 30GB HD DVD and single-layer 4.7GB configuration or single-layer 15GB HD DVD and dual-layer 8.5 GB DVD. This is a change from the original DVD TWIN standard that only allowed for two layers, one HD DVD and on DVD, on the same side of the disc. This is also different from the combo discs released by Warner and Universal here in the US, as those discs are dual-sided. DVD TWIN format movies have only been released in Japan by publisher Pony Canyon, at least partially due to concerns that not all DVD players will be able to read them without problems. As such, we probably will continue to not see these released over here, either way, if they want dual-format discs to to speed HD DVD growth having discs that don't require flipping to view DVD extras is a welcome advance but how about lowering the price?
