blu-ray
Latest
Breaking News: Blu-Ray now available for purchase - only $299
In a move that has stunned Toshiba and excited HD lovers everywhere, Sony has just released their coveted Blu-Ray player. Best of all, they have undercut Toshiba's price by releasing their player at whopping $299! This is simply astounding! We all knew that Sony had the support of most of the movie studios, but no one excepted those studies to release so many titles. As I am writing this, studios keep sending lists and lists of their release titles over the news feeds. We will get you a complete list as soon as we can. This day simply could not get any better then I ran across what many of you called out for: Penthouse's Blu-Ray edition collection! It appears that they took all the "classic" stuff, combined with new material, and utilized all of Blu-Ray's capacity. What could make today any better? Blu-Ray is here, it's cheap, and there are tons of titles (and porn). What a way to start the day! [April Fools]
New PH-DVD technology triples the space of blue and red laser DVD's?
Just when you thought there weren't enough disc formats (HD-DVD, Blu-ray, VMD, EVD, HVD, and you might have missed VCDHD yesterday), here comes one more, PH-DVD. Apparently, by "exploiting the polarization element contained in all current DVD formats", Dr. Oron Zachar, founder of Polarizonics Corp believes he can triple the capacity of DVDs, HD-DVDs and Blu-ray discs, without changing the disc structure, replacing mass reproduction equipment and providing a new layer of protection against piracy.We have no idea what any of that means, but apparently it adds up to disc capacities of over 100GB, which we do understand because it adds up to a-whole-freaking-lot of high definition content. Of course the real question is whether this technology exists, is feasible and will ever be relevant to HDTV owning consumers, but it seems way too early to tell. Information on Mr Zachar and Polarizonics Corp is pretty limited, although he apparently is or was a professor at UCLA and they are hiring. Still, this sounds a lot like polaronics (yes, that is a /. article from 1999 and no, no such product exists).Any HD Beat tipsters willing to take a job as an optical engineer and get us the inside information?
Hollywood's UMD support dwindling -- Blu-ray next?
According to an article released by the Hollywood Reporter, Sony is losing support for its UMD format as a viable option for movie distribution. Dramatic cutbacks in production of UMD formatted films have been made by many of the major Hollywood film studios. In addition, it's been rumored that Wal-Mart is on the verge of dropping UMD movies from its inventory entirely. Some of the more telling statements fired off by studio execs and representatives — and published by the Hollywood Reporter [via Gamasutra] — include: "[The PSP] is a game player, period" [anonymous] "Our focus right now is much more aimed at HD at the moment..." [Paramount] "[UMD is] awful. Sales are near zilch. It's another Sony bomb — like Blu-ray" [Universal] Comparing the current state of the UMD format to a hypothetical forecast of Blu-ray's success is dangerous. For one, UMD is only supported by the PSP (for now), while a range of compatible players will back the PS3's Blu-ray format. However, the statement from Universal could be indicative of Hollywood's general paranoia about the "HD era," which has already forced the delay of the launch of Blu-ray products. Still, Sony would do well to learn from the UMD-Hollywood debacle and focus on what the PS3's core audience is interested in, indeed, "a game player."[Thanks, Sense]
Blu-Ray Demo impressions
A few weeks ago I had a chance to check out a demo of the HD-DVD player at Sound Advice and tonight I had a chance to see a Blu-Ray player in action. Warren called me last week to ask me if I was going to go to the demo and I didn't even know about it because I threw away the invitation with the rest of the junk mail. Warren was sick and he didn't make it, so you are stuck with only my impressions.
Panasonic announces release date for Blu-Ray player
Panasonic announced today that their DMP-BD10 Blu-Ray player will be release in September to coincide with the release of their first 1080p Plasma. The price has not been set yet, but I would guess it will be the magic number of $999, Panasonic will only state that it will cost under $1500. Things are really starting to get interesting as HD-DVD's reasoning for not supporting 1080p seem more silly with the timed releases of 1080p displays and Blu-Ray players. I really don't see why any would buy HD-DVD over Blu-Ray, well other than because it is cheap that is.
Universal will not use ICT; only two studios left
BusinessWEEK is reporting that Universal has decided not to take advantage of the image constraint token. While some are still skeptical of the studios and their long term goals, all but Warner and Lions Gate have announced that they will not down-rez analog outputs. This is great news for those of us who either have no choice but to use analog inputs or those of us who choose to use them. The bad news is that it appears Warner is going to down-rez according to the article; "Execs at Warner Brothers declined to comment, but sources with knowledge of the studio's plans say "at least some" of the 20 HD-DVD releases planned through April will use the software." I knew at least one studio would do it, but I wish it wasn't them, I will have a hard time boycotting "The Matrix" because I don't plan to buy any movies that down-rez. We will see how long that lasts. Now we just wait and see what Lions Gate does, but I have a bad feeling that no news is bad news.via [engadget.com]
HDBeat Poll: Planning a next-gen DVD player purchase?
Aside from the setbacks, DRM challenges and lack of titles, we should see a successful launch of HD-DVD and Blu-Ray in the very near future. Ok, maybe "successful" is overly optimistic. "Very near future" leaves some wiggle room too, doesn't it? Maybe we should start over. We should eventually see two new next-generation DVD launches. (That better?) We've seen comments on which format will "win" and we've openly picked sides on the HDBeat Podcast. Now we want to see what you think, since you're the target market for high-definition DVDs. Planning to buy a next-gen DVD player? Planning to buy HD-DVD or Blu-Ray? Blu-Ray for me HD-DVD will be mine Neither, I'm boycotting Undecided on format I need both for my addiction view results
Region-free PS3, free online multiplayer confirmed
During a Q&A session with media over lunch after yesterday's GDC keynote, Sony's Phil Harrison confirmed that PS3 software will be region free and that multiplayer gaming will also be free.While we'd heard rumblings of the region-free set-up for games back in early November, we hadn't heard any official confirmation outside of Australia until just the other day. Importers (as well as online gamers) should be quite pleased with the development, though this move likely won't follow for Blu-ray movie discs. It's good to see the region-free status of PSP games spread to the PS3's.If online multiplayer is included as part of Sony's free basic service (known internally as the "PlayStation Network Platform"), then what would constitute Sony's premium service besides the typical content downloads for games? Subscriptions for movie and/or music services, perhaps? And going back to the region-encoding news, it's heartening for our friends on the Continent to hear Phil's following statement: "It's possible for developers to put all the TV formats - PAL, NTSC, HDTV, and so on - on the disc." Can Sony bring the world together with games?[Thanks, DarkFlash; image taken from Final Fantasy Odyssey]See also: Free basic service on "PlayStation Network Platform" GDC: The PS3 keynote blow by blow ["P(S)NP" just an internal name] PS3 region encoding unlikely? [from Sony Computer Ent. Australia] PS3 to share region encoding on Blu-ray [for the U.S. and Japan?]
Windows Vista will support HD-DVD after all
Our good friend and Microsoft MVP Chris Lanier moved to clear up some controversy over whether or not Vista would include native support for any next generation format, confirming that yes, it will ship all right and ready for your HD-DVD's. Blu-ray support will need to come from a third party, so look for an extra disc of software when you pick up that shiny new Blu-ray drive for your PC.No word however on whether or not Vista will include the vaunted "write your blog posts while you lay on the couch and play Xbox 360" feature. We'll keep you updated.
Porn in HD: The IPTV killer app?
Now, it's not that our ears perk up every time someone mentions adult entertainment in high definition, oh wait, yeah they do. That said, Wired recently had an interesting piece on a company that is delivering streaming HD over your high speed internet link (it'll still take about two hours to download a movie at high def resolutions).The most interesting part of the article (yeah right) focuses on how such systems bypass the whole Blu-ray/HD-DVD squabble in getting content directly to your HDTV with no middleman. The imediasee platform they are using is intended for use with PC's and compatible set top boxes, and their content is already formatted for viewing on televisions. If digital delivery takes off, it may not matter what DVD format content providers choose, only how much hard drive space do you have.
LG sheds more light on their combo Blu-ray/HD-DVD player
No mention of "Ultra-Multi", but LG has confirmed their plans to build a combination HD-DVD/Blu-ray player, and make it available this fall. What this will do for the next generation DVD market however, is unclear. The analyst quoted in the article sounds thrilled, but how many early adopters will get burned if the format battle drags on endlessly? Theres also the question of how much such a player will cost, after including both technologies plus licensing fees. The more I think about it, the more pessimistic I get; a "holy grail" device that comes to market late, heavy on price and short on features is the usual outcome. Maybe we're just reading into the possibility of high profile technology busts too much, anyone care to provide a glass half full perspective?
Sony Blu-Ray available for pre-order
We knew it wouldn't take long for Samsung's Blu-Ray player to have some competition and here it is. The new Sony BDP-S1 is available for pre-order on SonyStyle.com and Amazon and will set you back 1 large. Unfortunately the box isn't set to ship until July, which seems like a long time to wait on a pre-order. The odd thing is that the Samsung player will be out in May, but doesn't seem to be available to pre-order yet.Have any of you pre-ordered a Blu-Ray player yet and if so from where?via [Engadget]
Playstation 3: Coming to North America (and the world) in 2006
Check out Joystiq's continuing updates of Sony's Playstation Conference for more information, but lets get down the key facts: Worldwide (Asia, Europe, North America) launch in early November 1 million units shipped every month, total of 6 million shipped by the end of 2006 100% backwards compatible with existing PS1 & PS2 titles, will upconvert to HD resolutions Latest HDMI connectors (1.3?) 60GB HDD "required", supports Linux, acts as a media server All PS3 games will ship on Blu-ray discs to prevent piracy PS3 online service will feature matchmaking, downloads; free "basic" service Developers will get final kits in June PS3 is "4D" The conference is over, no games, no price announced Well there we have it, more hardware details, and still so many questions. But at least it is launching in 2006, I don't know if we could survive another Christmas without "true" high definition. One thing is for sure, just when it looked like Sony might be slipping, they have come back with a big plan for continued worldwide dominance. Anyone want to place odds on if they can pull it off?
Playstation 3 delay is official
In the "who didn't see this coming?" news of the day Sony has announced that the Playstation 3 won't be shipping this Spring. A Japanese newspaper is reporting the launch has been pushed back to November in Japan, potentially leaving US high definition gamers PS3-less until 2007. The stated reason for the delay? Copy protection related to the Blu-ray drive. Apparently that preliminary AACS agreement wasn't enough, or maybe Sony is just planning on slipping a combo (or at least 4x drive) in the unit.It's been pretty obvious that the PS3 would slip, with it being March and developers still not having final hardware to work on, but November seems pretty late, it will be interesting to see how they keep the hype machine rolling all year long.Hopefully we will learn more about Sony's next generation plans tomorrow. [Via Evil Avatar]
Ultra-Multi to end the HD-DVD and Blu-Ray war
Ah, there's nothing like CeBit rumors, unless you don't speak German, that is. Thankfully, some folks are ever-so-helpful by sharing the juicy (yet ambiguous) news bits with us. This vague rumor may actually have some merit, however. It wasn't too long ago that LG allegedly scrapped plans for their BD199 Blu-Ray player in favor of a combo player for both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray by the fall. Now we're hearing reports of "Ultra-Multi", which could use a name change, but may render the entire HD-DVD vs. Blu-Ray battle moot. The premise behind the "I go both ways" player is similar to what several of the Hollywood studios have done: play both sides of the fence until details on a victor start to emerge. At this point, Ultra-Multi could be a trade name, a manufacturers actual device (perhaps LG's?) or just something to stir up the rumor mill. I predicted that the long term winner will be HD-DVD in show number three of our weekly podcast, while Ben is betting on Blu-Ray. We're both all-in on this bet, so if hybrid players outsell single format units should we just call this one a tie?
As if we needed another type of disc: VMD
It seems that everyone wants a piece of the next home movie industry. There are far more formats than any normal person could keep track of, but that's why we are here. Last week we talked about EVD, a red laser based technology that is more like DVD than Blu-Ray or HD-DVD. This week at CeBit a company named NME has announced yet another optical disc named VMD (Versatile Multilayer Disc) which is simply a multi-layer DVD with 10 layers instead of 2, which means it can hold about 47GB of data. The biggest benefit is that the players only cost $150 rather than $500 or $1000 like the other standards. I don't think we need another standard considering one is enough and at this point we have three. Does anyone else wonder what the point of this is?
Sony Pictures isn't the only one that won't down-rez
Last week I discovered that Sony Pictures won't down-rez over component on the upcoming High Definition DVD standards. I had hoped that other studios would follow their lead and it appears that they have. According to some well respected members of the AVSForum, Fox, Paramount, Disney, and Sony won't down-rez. The other studios have not made an announcement yet include Universal, Warner and Lions Gate. Insiders indicate a 50/50 chance that each will decided to cripple their movies over component. I for one wonder if most people will even notice the down-rezzing. If you connect a 540p to most TV's it is detected as 1080i and the TV will indicate that the current resolution is 1080i. The player may indicate to them what it is outputting, but most won't notice if the player doesn't tell them. Of course this doesn't go for any HDBeat readers but as you all know you guys are not "most people".
Sony Pictures Blu-Ray titles won't down-res
By now everyone knows that if they don't have HDCP they might not enjoy High Definition DVD's in all their glory. What I don't think is as well known is the fact that it is still up to the studios. The studios will decide which movies to down-res over component and even then it will be better than DVD quality at 540p. They will also have to mark the DVD packaging so that you know before you buy. That is the bad news, the good news is that Sony Pictures has announced that none of the movies that they own will exercise this right, which they refer to as a "Image Constraint Token". This of course doesn't mean that they won't ever use it, but instead will wait till analog piracy becomes a problem. I hope that the other studios follow this lead and if they don't, I hope that consumers will choose not to purchase discs that limit their experience by down converting their HD signal over component.
Samsung's BD-P1000 Blu-Ray ship date
Confirming a May 23rd date for Blu-Ray, Samsung indicates that their Blu-Ray entry, the BD-P1000 pictured above will hit the United States in a few short months on that very day. We thought it was just our poor Korean translation skills, but a double-check of the press release translation indicates nothin' new on price or detailed specs. We will give Samsung credit for on thing: at least the controls of the Blu-Ray player look blue. Read (Korean) [via Akihabara News]
HD-DVD vs. Beta-Ray
The MS fans at GamerScore are so confident in the success of HD-DVD they're calling Blu-ray "Beta-Ray": "Price. One company out there has a $1,800 Beta-ray player (no release date) – one that doesn’t even play CDs! For 1,800, you could get a $500 Toshiba player, and about 40 HD movies. Industry support: Looks like the pendulum is swinging back in HD-DVD’s favor. As an analyst quoted in the article says: “It's only a matter of time before people start backing out of the Blu-ray camp." If that’s the case, it might be because of. . . Beta-ray’s own difficulties: Microsoft had serious doubts around the technical feasibility and pricing of Beta-ray for some time and our fears now seem well founded. Sony is hinting PS3 will be delayed because of Beta-ray, and that’s with Sony driving the Beta-ray standards. If even Sony can’t get it to work right, it raises lots of questions. A little reported fact (and one that the New York Times was confused about) is that the first Beta-ray discs will actually hold less: only 25GB compared to HD DVD’s 30GB. That means less room for high definition extras and interactive features, which HD DVD says they fully intend to support." Readers are picking apart this piece, so I wouldn't start busting out the Beta-rays to your Sony fanboy friends just yet, although it does have a nice ring. Of course, last week we learned that Microsoft secretly wants HD-DVD to tank just so they can drag down both formats.
