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Moser Baer shipping blank HD DVD media
Ever heard of Moser Baer? We hadn't till we found out they were shipping their blank HD DVD's to OEMs. Apparently this company is the world's second largest manufacturer of optical media discs and occupies a 18% market share. The company is recognizing that optical media is in a transition phase and is moving towards high-def. The company does plan on producing Blu-ray media as well. We just assume that the HD DVD got shipped first due to the fact that HD DVDs can be produced on the same production lines as normal DVDs.
DIRECTV's HD DVR coming out in August?
Despite earlier reports, it looks like DIRECTV might have their HD DVR ready to go within a few weeks. We don't have confirmation of this yet, but according to some quotes on TV Weeks website, DIRECTV is aiming for an August launch. The HD DVR is set to come out only in the Los Angeles market first and then slowly work its way into other major markets within the following weeks. We, and many angry investors, hope this is in fact right on the money even though we don't know how we feel about a limited roll out. Well, we guess it's better then nothing.
Samsung's CX223BW 22-inch LCD widescreen with HDCP
If you're in the market for a new desktop display and future-proofing is a must, look no further. With HDCP-compatible DVI input this 22-inch widescreen should play your digital-output only flagged discs of the future at its maximum resolution of 1680x1050 with a 5ms refresh time. No word on price, possibility of a US release or contrast ratio of the CX223BW but we figure why do things halfway? Grab a Westinghouse LVM-47w1 47-inch LCD, sit a couple feet back and really get down to business.[Via Engadget]
HDTV Listings for July 27, 2006
What we're watching: As usual, if it weren't for Windfall we'd have nothing new on this Thursday night. There are also repeats of Grey's, Earl, and The Office reheated and served by the networks. Discovery will try to lure you in with the entirely misleadingly titled Solar Eclipse Live, which is actually several years old but still worth watching. Finally the Cardinals face the Cubs on ESPN while the toolman Tim Allen is profiled on INHD2.Our traditional high definition listings continue below.
Samsung's new 22-inch widescreen LCD
So we're not sure if this is the same Vista-focused product that the company was supposedly working on with Microsoft, but Samsung has just revealed a new 22-inch widescreen LCD known as the CX223B/W that should go nicely with the upcoming OS. Available in black or silver, this monitor features a pretty decent 1,680 x 1,050 resolution, 5-millisecond response time, and most importantly for HD fans, an HDCP-enabled DVI port (though HDMI seems to be missing). The lack of info on other important specs such as contrast or brightness makes us think that the display is not scheduled for an impending release, a notion that's only further supported by the lack of any pricing details. If you can't wait for the CX223BW to start shipping in the US, there's always that LCM-22w2 from Westinghouse to keep you occupied for the time being, and both Dell and LG are expected to drop new 22-inch models in the near future as well.
HomeTheaterMag Reviews: Yamaha DPX-1300
Home theaters are all the rage these days and despite everything that Mark Cuban can do, they are keeping people out of normal movie theaters. Front projectors can easily surpass the picture quality that is found in many theaters and this new one by Yamaha is a great example. This is a single chip DLP setup that sells for $12,499 and is only 720p. (we will get to that) Home Theater sat this guy down on their bench and walked away very impressed. How impressed you say? "Well, to be sure, the DPX-1300 is the pinnacle of single-chip 720p DLP performance." That's a quote right from the horse mouth. Sure, this projector is only 720p but my goodness, Home Theater loved it. If you are in the market for a high-end projector, this is a must read for you.[Via HDBlog]
Overview of the top-5 LCD makers 2Q results
O.K. we have covered most of the top-tier LCD manufactures 2Q financial results so far, but here is a quick overview for all those that want to see them side-by-side. There is tons of more info found after the read link. Samsung - 14.11 trillion in revenues (KRW)- 1.51 trillion in profit LG - 5.796 trillion (KRW)- (10 billion loss) Philips - 7.601 billion (EUR) - 301 million in profit Sharp - 693 billion yen - 23.8 billion in profit Sony - 1.7442 trillion yen - 30.75 billion in profit KRW - Koren won - 1 South Korean won = 0.00105038707 U.S. dollarEUR - Euro - 1 Euro = 1.26300 U.S. dollar
EU investigating (unoffically) anti-trust issues on Blu-ray & HD DVD
The European Commission has started a probe into the licensing strategies of HD DVD and Blu-ray. They are concerned that the two arch-enemies rival formats are not breaking any European competition rules. Keep in mind that this is not an official investigation yet, just a probe. The EU is not indicating who they sent requests for more information too, nor how many companies are involved. We really don't have much more info right now as it seems like this probe was just launched a few hours ago but we will keep you up to date. This investigation is based in Europe so we still don't know how much this will effect us here in the US, but we are guessing that if somewhere down the road one of these formats need to pack up shop then we will feel it here.How much do you think this could effect the format war here in the States?
Comcast increased subscribers and profits followed
Comcast had a great last quarter. They increased their subscriber base and guess what? Their profits increased as well. The cable giant lost 66,000 basic video subscribers in the second quarter but, and here it is, they increased their digital cable customer by a whopping 350,000. (!) Keep in mind that this was only in the second quarter too. It doesn't stop there ether folks. Comcast also increased their high-speed customer subscription base but 305,000 and digital telephone (VoIP) by 306,000These are some impressive numbers. Some of you must be part of this increase, so we are wondering, why? Why did you switch from a different provider to Comcast? Was it their high-def offerings, cheap DVR service or high-speed. Let us know.
LG intros two DVR-equipped 1,080p LCD TVs
When it comes to improving their HDTV lineups, manufacturers generally go one of two routes: either they try to push out the biggest set possible, or they decide to pack more pixels into their smaller models. LG has chosen the latter path with its new 37-inch 37LB2DR and 42-inch 42LB2DR LCDs, which not only boast full 1,080p resolutions, but manage to sport a built-in 250GB DVR as well. Both models -- which will initially be released in Korea before gradually spreading out to the rest of the world sometime this quarter -- also rock some pretty impressive specs, as evidenced by their 6000:1 contrast ratios and 6-millisecond response times. Pricing on these sets is still somewhat of a mystery, but using LG's own formula of 1,080p models costing only 10% more than their 720p counterparts, we imagine that they'll go for between $4,000 and $5,000 -- still a pretty big window, but that's the best we can do for you right now.[Via HDBeat]
Samsung cutting back on their CRTs
What?!? Samsung is cutting back on their CRTs? Does this surprise anyone though, really? CRTs, while they are great technology, must see the writing on the walls. Their days are numbered. Samsung is expecting that by 2010, CRTs are only going to make up 13% of the companies annual sales instead of todays 39%. That 39% was reached after a steady decline from 78% in 2000. You may recall though, Samsung does have a niche CRT market cornered with their slim CRT line. These tube TVs take up 1/3 less room then normal sets by reducing the 'junk in the trunk.' Samsung doesn't foresee this part of their business from decline but these sets are just small part of their overall sales.[Via HDBlog]
Roxio Toast 7 with Blu-ray support for Macs ready
Is that Blu-ray drive-sporting Power Mac Mac Pro just around the corner? Maybe, maybe not, but for Apple users who like to stay ahead of the curve they can expect to see the new Toast 7 w/ BD support bundled with Blu-ray recorders shipping soon. The Toast Dynamic Writing feature makes the jump to next-gen, allowing Mac users to drag-and-drop to 50GB BD-R or BD-RE discs with ease. No mention of whether the automatic disc-spanning feature is intact, at $47.99 and 50GB each a dual layer disc (whenever they are available) should be more than enough. Still, with pricetags of at least $750 it may be some time before even deep-pocketed Apple aficionados jump in. The Logitec LBD-A2FU2 Blu-ray burner for Macs & PCs we previewed back in April has apparently slipped, Amazon Japan dates its release as July 31, for 132,762 yen ($1,136 US).This is as good a time as any to (re)start an Apple rumor about a Blu-ray burner in the next product refresh. All we need to do is check our calendar for Lord Steve's next public appearance and there is your totally unsubstantiated predicted release date. We'd express more concern about the lack of consumer edition HD DVD recording software if there were, you know, any burners available or even officially announced in the U.S.[Thanks for the tip Joe L.!]
Sony profits up in financial first quarter
After losing money in the same period a year ago, Sony outperformed analysts expectations in the April-June period and profited $276 million US. LCD sales of their BRAVIA line were up "five-fold" from last year, as their partnership with Samsung netted more than $29 million by itself. According to CFO Nobuyuki Oneda TVs were still in the red as a whole but were the largest contributing factor to their growth. Even including expected costs associated with launching the Playstation 3 this fall (Blu-ray format, the BDP-S1 and other non-Playstation products went notably unmentioned in the articles and internal documents we read ), they revised their operating profits forecast by 30% for the financial year ending next March.After a string of bad news, reviews and delays Sony may be ready to get back on a winning track and their big products for the holiday are still waiting in the wings.Read - Sony Returns to Profit in Fiscal 1Q - APRead - Sony Game Sales Down 30% - Next GenerationRead - Sony swings to Q1 profit, recovery on track - ReutersRead - Q1 FY2006 Sony Group Earnings Announcement - Sony
Toshiba RD-A1 HD DVD recorder launches in Japan
After a slight delay, the Toshiba RD-A1 HD DVD burner is finally available in Japan. This is the first recorder for the format, which besides being the approximate size of an aircraft carrier also has a 1TB hard drive to save broadcast TV via either of its tuners. Once you've got it on the 1000GB HDD, you can burn it in MPEG-2 format to 15GB or 30GB HD DVD-Rs, which your good friends at Mitsubishi and Hitachi/Maxell will be more than happy to provide. If that sounds like too much work you could always stream the content to DLNA compatible equipment like your Qosmio laptop. Finally, this is the first standalone HD DVD player that plays back at full 1080p resolution. At 398,000 yen ($3,407 US, down from $3,466 due to the exchange rate), we'll have to wait and see if this fares well in burner-crazy Japan against Blu-ray recorders that have been on shelves there for several years now but slow to take off so far.
Time Warner won't provide CableCARDs for Series 3 TiVos?
Remember how TiVo recently sent that letter to the FCC and cable operators telling them to be prepared for the Series 3 rollout, partly because of reports that some providers were refusing to hook up beta testers with the necessary CableCARDS? Well now it looks like the company's concerns may be completely legitimate, as a complaint on the website ConsumerFury contends that Time Warner Cable's Raleigh division responded to a recent customer inquiry on the matter by stating that "Time Warner Cable of Raleigh does not provide support for or allow TiVo devices on our cable network...CableCARDS will only be installed on cable-ready, CableCARD-slot-available television sets." Pretty harsh, especially considering the fact that Time Warner's policy may not even be legal: federal regulations concerning CableCARDS seem to indicate that providers must support them for any unidirectional TV, set-top-box, or recording device connected to a digital cable system. We certainly understand that cable companies see TiVo as a direct competitor to their own DVR offerings, but we're not sure that alienating customers with such a hard-line stance is the best move; after all, isn't a customer who brings his/her own DVR to the table better than no customer at all?[Via TiVoBlog]
iSee adds high-def video to the iPod
Those video iPods are cool and all but they just don't play all of our files without some type of conversion. iSee hopes to change that with their updated iPod video sleeve. Sleeve you ask? Well, yes, this device will probally be very similar to the original one (pictured above) and allows users to slip in a iPod. The original one had a 320x240 LCD screen that was included, but we are guessing (read: no clue really) that this one will have a larger one if they are going to call it high-def. The sleeve will not only add video to a non-video iPod but will now also play tons of file types including MPEG 4, DivX and HD.264. The little device partitions off some space on the iPod to bypass Apple's copyright protection. Tricky, tricky. The sleeve will be available at Walmart in about 5 months and will retail around the $199 to $249 mark.
Want HD DVD to gain more studio support? Sign these petitions
Petitions can be a very powerful tool. If enough of the target audience signs one, things can happen. That is exactly what some people are trying to do with these following petitions. They are designed to show studios that they want to view their libraries of titles on HD DVDs. If these reach enough people, they might just do the trick. We do have to note that HDBeat is not taking any specific side on this war though (I have however), but if this is your kind of thing, you might want to go sign your John Hancock - digitally that is.Studio Petitions Lions Gate Fox Disney MGM Pictures
Paramount releasing "The Ultimate Star Trek Movie Collection" on HD DVD
Captain Kirk is about to meet high definition. Paramount is currently working on remastering all of the original movies found in the Ultimate Star Trek Movie Collection into HD DVD. There is also a slight chance that they are going to do Blu-ray too. It just keeps getting better though. MovieWeb is reporting that the studio is also remastering all 79 original episodes into high-def as well. Are we going to stop there with the Star Trek news? Oh no. We've got more for you as it seems that they have ideas to release all four seasons of Star Trek: Enterprise on a high-def format too. We don't have any release deets for you yet, but you can expect to see it as soon as we do.What does this mean for the HD DVD format? Huge or nothin' special? We vote huge.
HDTV Listings for July 26, 2006
What we're watching: Let's see, tonight between ABC and NBC we've got The One: Making a Music Star, that is in high definition, and America's Got Talent, which isn't. Which one do you think we'll be watching? We'll give you three guesses and the first two don't count.Elsewhere, the Stephen King television event on TNT continues tonight, not to mention I, Robot on HBO if you can bear to watch it cropped & zoomed.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
Lumines creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi: HD is very important to gaming
Finally, someone who gets it. While some (Nintendo) seem to believe HD comes at the expense of gameplay, Tetsuya Mizuguchi believes that the increased resolution can give games even more emotional impact. He remarks on a feeling that many of us have had, when watching a movie we've seen over and over, watching it again in HD can give an entirely new feeling. Sure playing Mike Tyson's Punch-Out on NES was (and is) fun, but this is 2006. High definition allows you to appreciate lumping up opponents faces in Fight Night Round 3 in ways the SNES never could. Even simple games like Geometry Wars are even more inpressive on HDTVs, there's nothing like having millions of multicolored geometrical shapes chasing you on an enormous screen with no blurring whatsoever. In the interview with Games Industry Mizuguchi goes on to add that he thinks other elements like 5.1 surround sound and particularly online connectivity combine with high-def as a new frontier for gaming.This is the man who created such classics as Sega Rally, Lumines, Rez, Manx TT and others. He understands the importance of good gameplay, but instead of shrugging off HD as a niche product with little value, he's willing to acknowledge the possibilities and look for ways to enhance gamers experience, rather than limit it.
