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My theory on why Apple isn't including Blu-ray drives in Macs
Engadget HD linked a theory from Robert X. Cringely as to why Apple hasn't included Blu-ray drives in any of their Macs yet (it isn't even an option in the Mac Pro), despite being on the board of the Blu-ray Disc Association. Mr. Cringely more or less links the lack of Blu-ray in Macs to movies and Apple's strategy with downloadable iTS content and the upcoming iTV. The thinking goes: if Apple can sell you a downloadable movie through the iTS and an iTV on which to watch it - why undercut that model with a Blu-ray drive built right into the machine?I disagree. There's plenty of other uses and potential (heck, they can hold up to 50GB) in these warring next generation optical formats (Blu-ray and their mortal enemy, HD-DVD), and that's exactly the point: these formats are in the middle of an industry polarizing war, and I think Apple hasn't committed to including either in their machines because they don't want risk leaving their customers high and dry once the dust settles and (dear lord, finally) one format wins out. The iTS/movie downloads/iTV theory doesn't hold water in my book also because that would mean they should eliminate CD and DVD drives from their machines - after all, those drives can undercut their iTunes Store music and movie purchases, right? These discs can hold a lot more than simple movies.This ridiculous Blu-ray/HD-DVD situation is Betamax vs. VHS all over again, and while Apple is known for pushing the envelope on which technologies they adopt, I believe they're simply waiting for an actual standard to emerge. The only question is when these camps are going to get over themselves and stop forcing consumers to stock up on Advil for every trip to the electronics store.
Universal Studios jefe disses Blu-Ray, re-endorses HD-DVD
Everyone's atwitter with the news that Craig Kornblau, head of Universal Studios Home Entertainment just praised HD-DVD as the "hands down" winner of the HD format war, noting, "HD DVD has maintained its first-to-market advantage and delivered on the promises of providing the best high definition image and sound quality at the best value for consumers today." But what's curiously missing is a little context. This is the same guy that publicly endorsed HD-DVD in a Microsoft press release five months ago, using many of the same words. Careless journalists and bloggers are quoting him like this is some kind of new development in the format war. Sure, it's interesting that he's continuing his support, but it's not particularly noteworthy. [Via PS3 Fanboy]
Sony shipping 50GB dual-layer Blu-ray BD-R discs
While we continue to wait for the first movie release on dual-layer 50GB Blu-ray discs, Sony has announced they are now shipping 50GB BD-R recordable media for use with Blu-ray burners. The 2x media uses their AccuCORE technology to protect it from scratches or warping, and carries a suggested retail price of $48 per disc. This is a win for Blu-ray and its supporters as they're finally delivering on the extra capacity they've promised and it is doubtful HD DVD will ever be able to match -- Microsoft's Amir M. has stated he doesn't expect triple layer HD DVD to be widely adopted -- but due to manufacturing differences between the BD-Rs and commercial Blu-ray discs, we're still left wondering when our MPEG-2 Blu-ray movies will have some room to breathe. One thing is for sure, at $750 for the drive, $50,000 for the software and nearly fifty bucks per single disc this is not for the thrifty.[Thanks, plaque monster]
Major Nelson rips Blu-Ray a new one
...in the politest way possible. OK, the source might be a tiny bit biased, but Larry's podcast interview with the guys from Microsoft Digital Media provides several argument-ready reasons why HD-DVD is better than Blu-Ray. If this doesn't get you excited about watching movies with the external drive, you're probably either a PS3 fanboy or the owner of a crappy TV. Don't listen if you suffer from home theater envy.
Too little too late? Toshiba "still seeking" Blu-ray and HD DVD unity
We're not sure how to take this. Just as Blu-ray launches, with its own HD DVD players having already been on store shelves for some time, now Toshiba wants to hold out the olive branch again. Even as Blu-ray struggles with underwhelming launch titles and delays, they still hold the trump card of higher capacity, possibly higher burning speed, and more movie studio support. Maybe Toshiba sees this as the best time to cut a deal, maybe not. We already have reports that they are spending a lot of money to make sure HD DVD gains acceptance, but what is the long term strategy?
VisualHub - The universal video converter
VisualHub is a feature-packed and 'universal' video converter for Mac OS X from the maker of iSquint. From its website: "VisualHub bridges the gap between numerous complicated video formatting standards, and people that just want to get the job done - just what you would expect from the Mac." It boasts fast conversion from nearly every video format to iPod, PSP, DV, DVD, AVI, MP4, WMV, MPEG and Flash (what: no animated GIF?), and brags about ts three-step conversion process: click, drag, click.Fortunately, VisualHub also offers advanced features like bitrate control, frame cropping and audio quality. Xgrid is supported for those with multiple Macs on a network and CPU cycles to spare, while QuickTime Pro and other plugins need not apply.VisualHub's long list of features don't stop there, however, so check out Techspansion's product page for the full feature list and samples of its work. A demo is available, while a full license will cost you a mere $23.32 USD.[thanks Khaled!]
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.
HD DVD Forum working on region codes and China-only format
Well, the 34th DVD Forum Steering Committee meeting occurred two days ago in Seattle, but it wasn't just the usual hum drum logo approvals and plans for world living room domination. This time they approved two working programs which could be very interesting in the coming months and years: the first calls for development of a spec and region map, and the enforcement of region codes for HD DVD video discs -- where there currently is none (much to the benefit of most consumers, and to their advantage over Blu-ray). It's yet to be finalized and pushed through for future revisions of the HD DVD spec, but don't be surprised if your net-connected HD DVD player all of a sudden obtains the region code "feature." Oh, and the Steering Committee notes also make mention of developing "physical Specifications for China only HD DVD-ROM format." Ok, guess they weren't just gonna lie down on the EVD and VMD issue after all -- but what, no plans to tackle VCDHD in the Ukraine? Eh, anyway, we'll keep you posted on developments.[Via The Reg]
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.
Cheaper PS3 loses HDMI, slots, Wi-Fi, 40GB
As you can see above, there are a few things different between the two PS3 SKUs planned. (Hint: the obvious alterations concern high-def output and wireless connectivity -- though Bluetooth controllers should work just fine with both, with or without any chrome case highlighting.)So what's HDMI, built-in multimedia card-reader slots, wireless internet connectivity, and an extra 40 gigabytes' hard disk space worth to you? $100? Now that Sony's gone with the 2-SKU approach with its next-gen hardware (a la the Xbox 360's premium and "Core" systems), we can expect some tough consumer choices after six months -- with console shortages possibly for another six months after that -- as $100 separates the base $499 and premium $599 versions of Sony's "Clear Black" hope.HDMI is important to those who want to take full advantage of Blu-ray high def and have the new screens to use it; MemoryStick, SD, and CompactFlash slots would be nice for the PS3 memory-card users and those will run multimedia on the system; Wi-Fi's the only way to avoid stringing ethernet cables for online access; and 360 owners might appreciate the full 60GB available to potential buyers of the premium PS3 model. Neither model comes with a second HDMI port; thankfully, one should hopefully be all most users need. The details are laid out in a feature-comparison table at the end of Sony's official PS3 hardware press release, available in both Adobe Reader and Microsoft Word formats. Determine what's most important to your PS3 ambitions there.[Image pieced together from the PlayStation.com forums; thanks, Guru]
Sony's Blu-ray blanks on the way; 50GB in June
Not to be forgotten in the BD-R and -RE party is Sony themselves, who have announced they are shipping single-layer recordable Blu-ray discs, with dual layer versions to follow in June, The pricing follows the model set by TDK, $20/$48 for BD-R single/dual and $25/$60 for BD-RE single/dual layer respectively. With the burners going for about $850, we'll take a raincheck, unless someone really needs to back up all their episodes of mariposaHD.[Via Engadget]
HD-DVD reviews: They like, not like, LOVE it
That's what Reuters is saying and if the poll Ken pointed out in AVS Forums is any indication, they are correct. Toshiba's HD-XA1 has, despite limited content, poor demos, massive size and little public awareness, found acceptance with initial buyers and reviewers. I know many of our readers will be shocked to hear this, but apparently there is a considerable audience waiting for high definition content free from nasty compression artifacts and limited television broadcast schedules. More interesting to note is that some buyers are expressing hesitance towards Blu-ray, with its players starting at $1000 and going up from there. Did they just interview some HD-DVD fanboys (Odds are high they did, with only 10,000 units in stores.), or is there a possibility even the early adopting home theater community won't spend that much on movies? Whatever the case may be, we know two things for sure. HD-DVD is currently the absolute best format with <7 titles available on the planet; and Blu-ray, the clock is ticking, better get in the game.[Updated (working) link]
HD-DVD Day is (finally) here
It's like Christmas except ... Christmas was on time. After what seemed like delay after delay, you can now walk into your local electronics retailer and purchase a high definition DVD player. No upconversion tricks necessary here, you'll finally be able to buy discs with more resolution than current players can output. With what would favorably be described as a handful of titles and a launch shipment of only 10,000 players, HD-DVD is coming in with more of a whimper than a bang, but at least its finally here, ICT and all.There are already a couple reviews of the first HD-DVDs, and more impressions of the launch players and discs will be on their way in the coming days and weeks. Will HD-DVD's early launch help much as Blu-ray still looms this summer? It's too early to say really, but I do know that of the four of us at HD Beat, only Ben has said he is buying one of the first players available and even then may return it if more content doesn't become available soon. If our reaction is so muted, how long will it take for either format to catch on with the general public? I still haven't seen any of the HD-DVD "So real you can feel it" ads.Have any of you gotten a hold of one yet or seen them in action, or if you haven't, why not? Let us know in the comments.
Samsung Blu-ray delay official
Unfortunately the bad rumors we hipped you to earlier are all too true. Samsung's BD-P1000 will not launch on May 23, but June 25. The good news, if there really is any, is that they have added a couple features to the checklist: 1080p upconversion of DVDs (apparently only via HDMI out) Support for 11 (up from 9) memory card formats, adding Mini-SD and Memory Stick Pro Duo The official reason is to undergo further compatibility testing with Blu-ray test discs, and the price is still $999. HD-DVDs are still (probably) hitting shelves later this month, but we're not holding our breath (anymore, because the hospital said they are not resuscitating Kevin again). Hopefully this will be the last time we have to tell you when next generation DVDs aren't coming out.
Toshiba delays HD-DVD rollout
The biggest surprise here, is that the "no sh** Sherlock" reaction to the delay of Sony's Playstation 3 has already been trumped twice in two days. We can't decide if this is more obvious than Microsoft's so-predictable Windows Vista delay (yep, they're still Microsoft), but Toshiba has decided to wait to ship their HD-DVD player until there are actually HD-DVD movies to play on them. Now this is where you show how surprised you are, don't worry, we'll wait.Ready? Ok, although Toshiba has not announced a new date, Warner expects to have titles on store shelves April 18th, so through the power of the cosmos, telekinesis and Google, we predict we'll see players.....April 18th. Sometimes we surprise ourselves with our abilities.
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?
More competing formats? EVD/VMD High definition players coming to CeBit 2006
Who needs blue lasers? Not New Medium Enterprises or Beijing e-world, as they have announced they will be showing off a combo EVD/VMD player at next year's CeBit in germany. Amazingly, while Blu-ray and HD-DVD continue to fight in the streets over who has the birthright to the high definition throne, a little collaboration could be a big boost to two other formats.EVD (Enhanced versatile disc) is a Chinese backed format that has produced very little since being originally announced in 2003, but promised high definition DVD's with standard red laser technology.VMD (Versatile Multilayer disc) is a new format pushed by NME, where they say they can increase the storage of a standard red-laser DVD, by adding additional layers, all the way up to 100GB storage (theoretically).Could all this Blu-ray/HD-DVD posturing be for naught? If these companies can get any studio support and cheap but high quality (MPEG-2 apparently) high definition DVD's on store shelves before the big guys get traction.......2006 will be an interesting year. Read on for the full press release.
HVD to offer mega-storage in 2006
Instead of asking "HD-DVD or Blu-Ray?" next year, we might be asking "Holographic Video Disc or other inferior products?" We're not even done with the current format war and the troops are already gearing up for the next one. Actually, from the sounds of the new HVD, I may bypass the high-def DVD silliness completely.We mentioned 200GB HVDs last month, but already Maxell has come forth with plans for 300 GB of digital capacity. It's still not enough for a whole season of "24" in high-def, but we're getting closer!
