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BDA launches new Blu-ray Disc promo site
Guess who has a swanky new website? The Blu-ray Disc Association just launched a revamped site promoting a its high-def format and it sure looks nice. Sure, not everyone will be as excited about this as others but for those looking for an extensive list of hardware and titles, this is the place to go. Just like every other promotional site in the vast space we call the Internet, there is a newsletter, trailers and clips, latest news and of course, a tech support site - really just a link to the manufacturers support sites. HD DVD peeps need not apply but for those that bleed Blu, this is for you.
CE-Oh no he didn't! Part XLII: BDA hints that 51GB HD DVD is a publicity stunt
Not long after we got wind of Sony and Toshiba's latest cat-fight, along comes Frank Simonis, chairman of the Blu-ray Disc Association, to stir the ever-whirling pot even more. In a recent interview with Tech.co.uk, Mr. Simonis was said to have insinuated that "the HD DVD Group's BD-trumping 51GB disc announcement is purely a publicity stunt," and he actually noted that he was "not surprised at all." Additionally, he claimed that the HD DVD camp was "very much in a reactive mood," and added that he had "not heard anything about a production line for the odd format." Oh, and on the topic of whether existing HD DVD players would actually be able to read the newfangled discs should they actually appear, he frankly proclaimed that we "better ask them," as he "questions it very much."[Thanks, Dave J.]
Following the money in the format war
Everyone knows that the outcome of the Blu-ray / HD DVD format war has huge financial stakes. Reporters, then, take the "Follow the money" approach. At Europe's IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin this week, attempts to do so turned up no solid evidence to clarify things. Onstage execs from Warner Bros., Fox, MGM and Sony all denied that they received payola from the BDA. The response from Stephen Foulser, Disney's European Marketing VP, was only slightly more illuminating -- "no comment." This comes on the heels of reports that Paramount and DreamWorks picked up a $150 million check for their 18-month HD DVD exclusivity. The mystery and intrigue in this format war are fitting for a movie, but which format would it be released on?
The BDA's damage control
No matter what the BDA tells you, there is no se the Paramount/Dreamworks news is a big deal. We're not only talking about 10% of all the Blu-ray titles, we're also talking about some of the biggest titles -- like MI3 and Transformers. Of course we expect the BDA to have a bunch of articles all over the Internet explaining that this is a non-announcement, or that they were paid off -- as if it matters why -- which we find interesting to read, but it doesn't change the fact that this might be the watershed moment that could give HD DVD the advantage. Of course this thing is a long way from over and anything could happen, but the prediction that the format war will be over this holiday season seems really silly now. Especially when combined with the news that both Samsung and Onkyo will be in the HD DVD hardware game sooner rather than later. Read - Blue Ray Technologies RespondsRead - Market Conditions & Logic Don't CoincideRead - Forecast Says Industry Still Behind Blu-ray
Target isn't Blu-ray exclusive at all, but BJ's Wholesale might be
Apparently Target's claim that they were "not proclaiming one format vs. the other as the preferred consumer technology" didn't resonate quickly enough to slow the "Target is going Blu-ray exclusive ZOMG" shockwave around the world yesterday. The HD DVD PR team sent us a statement from Universal Studios VP Ken Graffeo stating the deal amounted only to an "end cap" purchased by Sony putting its BDP-S300 in stores. Meanwhile Toshiba's HD DVD player will remain in Target's website, just as the Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on and HD DVD movies will stay in Target stores, they appear to have been rather unceremoniously dropped by smaller regional chain BJ's Wholesale Club, according to VideoBusiness. No official word from the chain itself, but the usual "sources" from the retailer and several Hollywood studios indicated all 170 stores would be Blu-ray only by the fourth quarter. Just like the BDA's CES victory proclamation, this likely isn't the end... just yet.
Blu-ray backers launch promotional website
A website that should likely be dubbed "Hollywood in Blu-ray" rather than "Hollywood in Hi-Def" has recently emerged, and while it claims to be a more reputable site than those "other promotional portals," we aren't buying it. The site -- which is purportedly backed by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, and 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment -- includes the latest happenings in the BD universe as well as plenty of fluff to get you drooling over its silky smooth image quality. Notably, the site tends to address the desires of both early adopters and those just now taking interest in the format, and the running list of upcoming Blu-ray titles is indeed a nice extra. So go on, tag the read link to see what it's all about, but don't say we didn't warn you when you're overcome with Blu.[Via VideoBusiness]
European HD DVD lobbyists claim '74-percent' market share
Nearly 11 months ago to the day, Europe witnessed its very first HD DVD release, and while the battle over format supremacy has been heated and rarely slanted to one corner here in the US, apparently things are vastly different across the pond. According to the (biased?) information spat out by the European HD DVD Promotional Group, "HD DVD players have outsold Blu-ray players by a three-to-one margin in Europe's main markets so far this year," and moreover, it claimed to hold a staggering "74-percent" of the market share in Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland for standalone players. So, for those residing in the aforementioned lands, are things really this skewed, or does a certain lobbyist group have their numbers all fuzzed up?
Analyst claims BD+ is impenetrable for ten years, hackers chuckle
We must say, it feels awfully good to not be Richard Doherty of the Envisioneering Group right about now, as he's probably taking an incredible amount of flack for his nonchalant comments made in the latest issue of HMM. As seen in the scan, Mr. Doherty claims that "BD+, unlike AACS, which suffered a partial hack last year, won't likely be breached for ten years." As if that weren't comical enough, he also added that "if it were, the damage would affect one film and one player," essentially nullifying his prior claim of invincibility. Of course, he did mention that BD+ offered up "four times the safeguards on top of AACS against piracy," so we'll give the oh-so-inundated hackers about four times longer than usual to prove this guy wrong.[Via Slashdot]
Blu-ray won't be obsolete in 2007
There is something about the latest technology that makes people love to use the word obsolete. The new iPhone makes the iPod obsolete, the latest Core 2 Dou makes the old one obsolete, but most of the time these devices are just as useful as they were when they were released -- and certainly still "in use." In October, when the BD Profile 1.1 is mandated by the BDA, all the current players will be every bit as useful as they are today. Sure it would've been great if Blu-ray was actually ready (no it's still not ready now) when HD DVD was, but who wants them to stop adding features now? Sure it sucks when you pay $1000 for something only to have it replaced with a faster, better model less than a year later for half the price, but come on, obsolete? Knowing all this, we'd still rather buy now and enjoy HD movies than wait till all the bugs are worked out, 'cause we all know that'll probably never happen.
BD+ DRM is now available for Blu-ray
Some people still haven't figured out that DRM doesn't work, and in yet another attempt to "enable content" the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) is proud to announce that BD+ is available. The recent exploits in AACS have been rumored to slow down the release schedule for Blu-ray titles from FOX and Disney and many believe this is because they've been waiting for BD+, -- an additional optional layer of DRM available to Blu-ray. This new code will run in a virtual machine while the disc is in use and can do just about whatever it deems necessary to validate that your player is secure before allowing the movie to be played. What BD+ cannot do is modify your player, so once the disc is ejected, the process is gone. [Via Blu-ray.com]
Blu-ray Disc: One million served
The Blu-ray vs HD DVD format war reaches another milestone, with sales of Blu-ray Discs reaching more than one million sold since the format launched less than a year ago. According to Home Media Research, Blu-ray locked up 70% of high-definition movies sales in the first quarter of 2007 (832,530 to 359,300), and account for seven of the top ten best-selling high-def movies. Even on those few titles available in both formats, like The Departed, consumers are buying more Blu-ray than HD DVD versions. HD DVD owners and fans can still point to sales of their format of choice reaching number one at Amazon recently -- as well as early release dates like The Matrix and exclusives like Smokin' Aces -- but with Blu-ray-only Disney releasing big titles like Cars and both Pirates movies in the coming months, the Blu-ray Disc Association won't be stopping the press releases anytime soon.Read - ReutersRead - Business Wire
Blu-ray backers plan to pass DVD in 3 years
After asserting themselves as victor over rival format HD DVD, there was only one suitable target for the Blu-ray Disc Association left: DVD. The European chairman of the BDA proclaimed at CEBIT that it will supplant DVD as the format of choice within three years. The group is still flying after continuing to outsell HD DVD weekly, despite trailing in Europe. With the PlayStation 3 launch next week and Sony promising to put 1 million units on shelves the group expects a boost similar to the one experienced after the console's launch in the U.S. and Japan. We're not sure if the format war is over, but if people believe it is and buy into Blu-ray then there will be little doubt left very soon. As far as surpassing DVD, we'll be happy to see cheaper players and consistent releases before putting the old format out to pasture.
Sony sez: The format war is over, really
We already heard the Blu-ray Disc Association's opinion on the status of the format war and now we can look forward to Sony's marketing campaign pounding a single point home: The format war is over, Blu-ray has won, it's safe to get behind one high definition format. Forgetting for a moment that Universal Studios has not switched to supporting Blu-ray and the current availability of a dual-format player, the company is buoyed by the growing installed base of its PlayStation 3 console and a rising tide of Blu-ray disc sales. VideoBusiness reports HD DVD sales remain steady, and among standalone players still holds a slight lead in numbers. Still, there are a lot of buyers unwilling to buy into either camp and risk ending up with the equivalent of a Beta tape player. Is the format war over yet? Not really, but if Sony manages to convince consumers that it is then it becomes -- they hope -- a self fulfilling prophecy.
Live Coverage from the Warner press conference
5:44pm PST - Wow are they making a big deal out of checking in for this press conference, everyone is waiting to get in. The Bellagio has a very nice convention center.5:58pm PST - Only 2 mins to 6pm and they haven't let us in yet, there had better be something special in then there.
Blu-ray Disc Association declares victory over HD DVD
The Blu-ray Disc Association has wasted no time, issuing a statement that it is victorious as the premiere high definition format of choice. With 25 different companies having released Blu-ray related products, over 170 movie and music titles announced so far and of course, more than one million PlayStation 3s shipped to the U.S. Andy Parsons, chair of the U.S. Promotions committee is comfortable citing Blu-ray's industry support as a reason customers have voted with their wallets and will continue to do so. In 2007 the BDA looks forward to second generation PC and and standalone Blu-ray drives, like the BD-P1200, the Sony Vaio XL3 and a strong lineup of movie releases as why its market share will continue to increase this year, all but eliminating any competition by 2010. Check out our live coverage of the BDA press conference going on right now for more propaganda/truth (depending on your viewpoint).
Live coverage from BDA press conference
Andy Parsons take the podium and kicks off the show.He introduces a panel of BDA members, including representatives from Warner, Disney and many others.BDA has a content advantage, he goes on to explain how much more content Blu-ray will have than HD DVD.
51GB triple-layer HD DVDs in the pipeline?
Just after Verbatim announces that it's shipping 30GB dual-layer HD DVD-Rs our way, here comes some more news to slightly deflate that bubble. At an HD DVD presentation held at CES, at interesting PowerPoint slide caught our eye, as it (very briefly) described plans to "expand HD DVD disc capacity from 15GB to 17GB per layer, and moreover, to add a third layer as well, eventually resulting in a 51GB HD DVD disc. Aside from upping the ante on Blu-ray's capacity by a measly 1GB (currently, at least), it's also noted that "technical feasibility" has yet to be confirmed, and that standardization wouldn't occur until Q4 of this year at the earliest, but it's a novel idea to say the least. So if you're looking to pick up an HD DVD player right this moment, and can't wait to embrace all the potential compatibility issues with a drive never made to play these newfangled, triple-layered discs, have at it -- of course, all those conflicts rely on this pipedream ever being realized. It should be interesting to see how (if at all) the BDA addresses this potential new disc in their press conference later today, and if they'll pay any attention to possibly being leapfrogged in an area they currently lead. Pfft, and you thought the HD DVD / Blu-ray war was settled.
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?
