codec
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Avid's DNxHD codec approved for VC-3 standard
Avid has been working with the SMPTE organization for two years, and can finally announce that its DNxHD codec, intended for use in HD postproduction, has been approved as compliant with the newly created VC-3 standard. The upshot of this is a standard that can be used to work with and transfer high quality HD media at lower bitrates and file sizes, without being locked into just one hardware manufacturer. We'll have to wait and see who else adopts this standard, and what cost/time savings are to be had, but things are looking up for our art house production of Format War: The Tale of Two Brothers, Blue and Red.
Addlogix's InternetVue 2020: the codec-free PC-toTV receiver
For those scouting a simple way to broadcast content from your PC onto a TV sans wires (and regardless of format), Addlogix is demanding your attention. The firm's InternetVue 2020 Wireless PC2TV Receiver enables users to "mirror what is on their computer screen on projectors or TVs," and it also features composite / component inputs and 802.11b/g compatibility. Reportedly, any content (read: pictures, movie clips, presentations, live streaming sporting events, etc.) can be passed on from your machine to your television without worrying over formats or codecs, and it's said to be shipping out as we speak for $249.[Via eHomeUpgrade]
DivX sez 100 million certified video devices have been shipped
Moving 100 million of anything is no easy feat, and DivX is using this very milestone to throw itself a party. Reportedly, over 100 million DivX Certified video devices have shipped out "since the launch of the DivX Certification program in 2003," and it notes alliances with LG, Philips, Samsung, Sony, and Thomson (what, no SanDisk?) as key steps along the way. More specifically, over 2,500 individual product models have been loosed that support DivX playback, and the company estimates that around "32-percent of all DVD players sold worldwide support DivX." Way to go, now how's about unleashing that Connected box of yours to the masses?[Via PhotographyBlog]
OINA bringing lossless audio to Bluetooth devices
Audiophiles hoping to get a bit more clarity out of those Bluetooth cans can officially get excited, as Open Interface North America (OINA) has just announced plans to introduce a new lossless codec for stereo audio known as SOUNDabout Lossless. Unsurprisingly, the firm is keeping its secrets on the DL for now, but recent demonstrations showed that it will have a latency as low as two-milliseconds and never exceed ten-milliseconds. Additionally, power consumption was intentionally kept low in order to preserve that precious battery life, and just in case you couldn't guess, it'll only stream properly with Bluetooth 2.0 gizmos. Sadly, there's no firm dates to mark on your calendar just yet, but the company is currently estimating that the codec will be ready to rock in detail never before heard over BT "as early as 2008."
FCS2 page hints at pending QuickTime 7.1.6 update
Many of Apple's media apps rely on QuickTime in one way or another, so it probably comes as no surprise that a Final Cut Studio 2 announcement means we'll see at least a slight QT update to bring everything up to speed. Sure enough, eagle-eyed TUAW readers have caught QuickTime 7.1.6 listed on the System Requirements page for FCS2. Though a minor upgrade that is probably filled with compatibility updates, it is also likely to include that fancy new Apple ProRes 422 codec (who names this stuff?) which supposedly offers uncompressed HD quality footage with SD file sizes. That's a pretty tall claim to fill, but we'll have to wait for the reports to roll in on whether Apple delivers on the promise.Regardless, it's a pretty obvious bet that QuickTime 7.1.6 will soon be coming to a Software Update near you.Thanks to everyone who sent this in.
Xbox 360 gets H.264, MPEG-4, PlaysForSure in Spring update
We're the first to admit that we're not experts when it comes to things like video codecs -- we leave that job up to our friends at Engadget. Don't get us wrong, we know a little something about codecs (see above!), but eych-dot-two-sixty-four? Em-peg-four? Dubbya-em-dee-are-em? Yeah, these are all codecs that the Xbox 360 will support when the Spring Dashboard update rolls around next month but what do they all mean?Lucky for us, the folks at Red Kawa -- makers of video conversion utilities like Videora Xbox 360, PSP Video 9, PS3 Video 9, and Wii Video 9 -- are experts in all things video conversion and they break the announcement down like this: "This puts Microsoft at the head of the pack in the Apple TV vs PS3 vs Xbox 360 video battle royale." Oh SNAP! They break down the details so we don't have to ... c'mon PS3, H.264 Main Profile only? All the kids want H.264 High Profile support nowadays!Actually, the kids really want Xvid and DivX support so they can watch their torrents of bits, which Red Kawa reminds us this isn't. First, it doens't support the AVI container (so there!) and the 360 only supports MPEG-4 Part 2 Simple Profile while Xvid videos are encoded as MPEG-4 Part 2 Advanced Simple Profile. Any questions?
Saturday PSP background explosion: fan edition [Update 1]
Every Saturday you can count on coming to PSP Fanboy to get new backgrounds for your PSP. Usually I create the backgrounds myself out of official game art, but this week one of our readers sent in his PSP backgrounds and wanted us to put them up. So with that in mind, I present PSP backgrounds by Brad Hodson. Backgrounds after the jump ...
On2 Technologies to demo TrueMotion VP6 / VP7 codecs at CES
Likely coinciding with XM's unveiling of its media-packed "infotainment" concept vehicle at CES, On2 Technologies will be showcasing its TrueMotion VP6 and VP7 compression codecs. While On2's codecs have been at work in XM's gadgetry (among other things), On2 is now aiming to take its compression software to the high definition realm as well as beefing up its stake in the portable arena. The VP6 codec will primarily be used in VOD, broadcast, digital video signage, and other bandwidth-constrained networks and mass-market devices for fixed and mobile video; the VP7, however, will demonstrate compression technology at "data rates as low as 2Mbps," which will supposedly allow "greater penetration of high definition video across low cost devices and existing networks for on-demand, broadcast and other streaming applications." The technology could eventually be used to broadcast HD content over 2.5G, 3G, and 4G mobile networks whenever we get displays large enough (and with enough pixels) to view them, but we'd be perfectly content with a little HD streaming on our navigation systems for now.
PlayStation 3 media formats
The (unofficial) PlaystationTeam posts this list of media formats that are compatible with PlayStation 3: Blu-Ray (ROM, -R, -RE) DVD (ROM, -R, -RW, R, RW) CD (ROM, -R, -RW, Super Audio) MPEG-1 MPEG-2 (PS, TS) MPEG-4 SP MPEG-4 AVC/H.264. ATRAC AAC MP3 WAV JPEG GIF PNG TIFF BMP Aside from obvious disc differences, PS3 and PSP accept a near-identical list of formats (PSP is compatible with WMA files). It is disappointing that PS3 won't support some of the popular video codecs (e.g., XviD, DivX) out of the box, but if this Linux proposal comes together, then presumably, the compatibility list would grow.
Check your PC for Blu-ray & HD DVD compatibility
We understand if you're just a bit confused about Blu-ray and HD DVD playback on your PC. Forgetting unreleased operating systems for the moment, if you want to check your current Windows XP PC for compatibility and get more information on what you can expect from next gen discs, Cyberlink has a FAQ up and also an automated tool for you to download and run, that will let you know if your computer is HD DVD and/or Blu-ray-ready. While the specs aren't guaranteed yet, it is obvious that on top of HDCP for any digital outputs, compatible disc player and plenty of memory, they think you'll need either a Intel Core Duo, Pentium EE/D or AMD Athlon 64 processor and plenty of memory to power those next-gen codecs without a problem. You'll also need a recent graphics card from ATI or NVIDA, PureVideo HD support should ensure the power necessary. As you can see from the picture above, this PC is going to need quite a bit of work, maybe revision two will include an automatic calculator to figure out the cost of the necessary upgrades.[Via CDRinfo]
Warner Blu-ray releases may switch to VC-1 codec soon
A lot of the criticism leveled at early Blu-ray releases cited their use of the MPEG-2 video codec for compression on 25GB single-layer discs. According to Home Theater Spot, a Warner rep confirmed to them that Lethal Weapon, Blazing Saddles and Firewall will all be encoded with the Microsoft codec. Full Metal Jacket however will still ship as MPEG-2. With fixed Samsung BD-P1000 players and properly next-gen encoded titles, perhaps Blu-ray can stand up to HD DVD and show why it is worth the investment. No word on any new extras to take advantage of all that extra space however, we guess we'll just take one order of increased video quality at lower bitrates to go, thank you.[Via HDBlog]
Blu-ray MPEG-4, BD-J tools on the way from Matsushita (Panasonic) [Update 1]
The early impressions of Sony's initial Blu-ray releases are in and as you may have heard, they aren't so good. Many have pointed the blame at Sony's insistence on using MPEG-2 instead of the newer and more easily compressed MPEG-4. One of the reasons they cited for sticking with the older format was their insistence that the MPEG-4 authoring tools available were not of sufficient quality.Whether that is true or not, Matsushita (Panasonic) has announced their own set of MPEG-4 Blu-ray encoder and authoring tools, which support Java (BD-J) for the interactive features Blu-ray is also capable of. According to what we can interpret of the press release, this will be available July 1st in United States yet Panasonic's (US) web site has no mention of it yet. Also no mention of cost or license fees, although this probably won't be on the shelf at CompUSA anytime soon.Regardless, considering the apparent state of Blu-ray releases, we can't say for sure how much of the problem is the codec but one has to wonder how many discs will be released using the older technology if they continue to get poor reviews. Rumors have indicated the authoring tools made available by Sony support only MPEG-2 and for that reason all the studios have been using them. It will be interesting to see if there is any release date reshuffling of content in the same way some players have slipped, or if the other studios are able to get better results using Sony's own tools.[Via AV Watch][Update] HDTV UK has more information on the MPEG-4 equipment available soon at the Panasonic Hollywood Library in California.
VersionTracker offers DivX Pro license with subscription purchase
VersionTracker has announced a new bundle offer included with purchases of VersionTracker Pro subscriptions. For the first 350 who purchase, renew or extend a VersionTracker Pro subscription, they will receive a free license to the new DivX Pro (a $19.99 value), which we blogged last month. DivX, as you might remember, is a fairly popular video codec used on the internet and compatible with other devices such as DVD players and PDAs. VersionTracker Pro, if you need a refresher, is "an automated, simple and cost-effective way to inventory and keep all your software current and secure". It is a service and software package (also a widget, of course) that allows you to view new versions of just the software you use, manage the downloading and install of new packages, and more. VersionTracker Pro costs $49.99/year for up to three Macs.If you're interested, we recommend you run (don't walk!) as they only have 350 DivX licenses to hand out on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Bungie secret code or bungled codec?
Look everybody! It's a super-secret message from Bungie...disguised as a Dashboard update bug. I don't speak German, so I'll let reader Papa Moll explain: After the spring dashboard update the halo 3 trailer shows an strange artifact. a lot of users out there think it is a new message from bungie but they are all wrong! the same artifact happens on winxp running the bungie video in windows media player. it looks like Microsoft has implemented the actual winxp wmp codecs into the spring update. The guys over at xbox-lan.com asked their contact a microsoft a few days ago if thats correct and got the information that "The WMP Team is on it...." but nothing more. So this is not a Bungie message, its a codec message. And I was sure they were trying to tell me something. This reminds me of the people who see the Virgin Mary on a piece of burnt toast.
Flip4Mac begins beta testing Universal Binary WMV QuickTime components
For Intel Mac users who either love or hate WMV but have to deal with it one way or another, Flip4Mac has just begun beta testing the long-awaited Universal Binary version of their WMV QuickTime components. Announced in their forums today, it is more or less an invite-yourself program, as I had to contact them weeks ago to get on their email announcement list.After briefly testing on my MacBook Pro, it seems like everything is working just fine. I'm able to play embedded WMV files with no problem, but I unfortunately don't have any locally saved WMV's to try at the moment. So far, the beta seems like a success, and while I hate the WMV format just as much as the next Mac user, it's nice to no longer receive that 'plug-in not found' error.
DivX 6.5 offers Universal Binary player, encoder
DivX has released what Macworld is calling their first official player for Mac OS X (though I could have sworn I've used DivX software in the past in a pinch). In case you aren't familiar: DivX is an independent video codec that has quite a strong following, and it isn't just for computers; many portable devices and even some DVD players support the DivX codec, offering a useful alternative to the sometimes difficult and clunky DVD burning standard.The company didn't short us on options either - this 6.5 Universal Binary release includes a stand-alone Converter application, as well as DivX 6 codec software for QuickTime so users can convert their video from within any QuickTime-compatible video software. A 15-day free trial of DivX 6.5 is available, at which point you must register for $19.99 to continue using the conversion software; the player, as always, remains free.
No, AAC isn't 'Apple's format', but
John Gruber pointed to a post at the Ars Technica journals by Ken Fisher (their editor-in-chief) in which he reminds everyone that AAC isn't 'Apple's format'. This is in response to all the recent buzz and speculation of Sony's announcement of AAC support; it appears that many took this as some sort of a bow to Apple's dominance.Ken was refuting this speculation because he doesn't see it as enabling Sony to get a one-up on Apple - after all, their devices still can't play DRM'ed music from the iTMS. I think he's only partially right though. To be clear: I don't think supporting AAC will help Sony to dethrone Apple's dominance in the digital music player market anytime this millenia, but it certainly could boost their sales to all sorts of individuals who who might prefer the iTunes experience, or want to own more than one device, share libraries - you get the idea.iTunes, the iTMS and the iPod are such a huge hit because they're all incredibly well designed and so darn easy to use. Apple's controversial philosophy of controlling both the hardware and the software has hit one out of the park - and then some. However, plenty of statistics on the number of iTMS songs per iPod can be found everywhere, and the numbers aren't amazing. I've seen everything from 5 on the low end up to 25 on the high, and I'd bet that, on average, even the newest of new iPod owners easily has far more music stuffed into their iPod by day two. Granted, a lot of people are illegally downloading a lot of their music, but they're also making that music themselves by ripping CDs from their own collection and their friends'. And what format do you suppose is the default for ripping music in iTunes? Hint: it isn't MP3. Sure, AAC isn't 'Apple's format', but the company sure is AAC's biggest pimp.This is the music that Sony is going after. They're betting that by (finally) supporting MP3 and now AAC, their devices can play what is arguably *most* of the music that users have cataloged in iTunes. While I love the iTMS as much as the next customer (I've purchased over 520 songs from it), Sony simply doesn't need to care about not being able to play FairPlay tracks because, by comparison, there just aren't that many of them. Apple doesn't want to open their system to other manufacturers, and they don't have to - other manufacturers are (legally) coming to play in Apple's sandbox, which is mostly made up of music that is not from the iTMS.With moves like this from major companies like Sony, I'm wondering how soon we can start declaring this market a win for Apple, but also a win for companies who can become big niche players. My Sony Ericsson Walkman phone, for example, can play AAC music and hold more than a 1 GB nano (yes - oddly, other Sony-related devices, like some of their phones, have supported AAC for a while now). And it can make phone calls. And take 2 megapixel pictures. Sure, its interface makes me want to cry, but that's why I mainly use its music abilities when I work out so I don't have to risk bouncing around the hard drive in my iPod like a pinball machine when I run. Sony's support of AAC sure won't replace a lot of iPods, but it can offer many consumers a choice in devices for some of the other uses in their life.
High definition DVD audio breakdown
Erik mentioned this during the podcast earlier, and I thought some of you might find it interesting. TWICE has an article up listing the various audio options that will be available on both HD-DVD and Blu-ray discs and players. All HD-DVD players must include support for two-channel Dolby True HD, 5.1 DTS HD, and 5.1/6.1 Dolby Digital Plus. Blu-ray players are required to support Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1 and 5.1 PCM.More information on the HD-DVD audio codecs is available from the DVD Forum, and info on Blu-ray codecs at Blu-ray.com. They also mention what sort of feature upgrades we can expect, at least in respect to audio second-generation HD-DVD players will add features like 7.1 analog connectors and HDMI 1.3 outputs. As much as we talk about MPEG-2 and h.264, are you taking audio options into account with your next purchase?
"Only in HD, Please"
It's official. I'm boycotting all things not high def. E3 was the start, and last weekend's Tokyo Game Show sealed it. The high definition gaming era is upon us, and I'm not squinting at low resolution photos and postage-stamp sized movie trailers anymore. I'm going to play it in high definition, why would I try to judge a preview of it in anything less? Microsoft and Sony have taken the right steps in person, displaying their wares on glistening high definition displays at each tradeshow, but finding proper quality trailers and screens is still much like panning for gold, a few shiny nuggets every now and then, but mostly just mud.Bus passes for the revolution after the jump, along with links to the best sources for HD resolution trailers and pictures I've found.
