Archives
August - September 2006
HD DVD vs Blu-Ray, Microsoft vs Sony
Microsoft
will launch an HD DVD player for its Xbox 360 game console on November
22 in Japan for 20,790 yen ($177). Sony's PS3, due to go on sale in Japan
and North America in November, will be equipped with a competing Blu-ray
player.
September 20th, 2006
Dismal
Sales of high-definition DVD players are "dismal" according to
TVPredictions.com. It's leading to some big discounts, despite a
relative scarcity of the players.
September 13th, 2006
Round Two
Peter M. Bracke of High-Def Digest writes:
Blu-ray vs. HD DVD: Round Two -- The Next Dimension?
Though it is far too early to declare Blu-ray or HD DVD the winner -- or
even try to predict which format will come out ahead by the end of the year
- what I'm most excited about with the coming fourth quarter is that the
competition should result in more great leaps forward. In video and audio
quality, interactivity, supplemental features and overall value for dollar.
If either Blu-ray or HD DVD is successful in moving the kind of hardware and
software units the industry is predicting for this holiday season, then the
high-def format will be farther along than DVD was in a comparable timeframe
after its launch.
...So the fourth quarter is going to be fantastic for us early adopters.
More software, more hardware, better quality, and tons of technological
whiz-bang for our buck. I can't wait for Blu-ray versus HD DVD, Round Three.
See ya then!
September 12th, 2006
High-Def - Going Global
Toshiba
will launch its HD DVD player in Europe on November 15th, at a price of 599
euro. That's $770. In the US it's $450.
Samsung's BD-P1000 arrives in Europe in October. And Samsung even plans
to release its players in -
Korea.
September 5th, 2006
350,000?
Is this right? Toshiba says it will have shipped 350,000 high-def DVD
players and recorders by the end of the year.
September 4th, 2006
Shortage
A shortage of
blue laser diodes could lead to a slowdown in high-def DVD player
production.
August 31st, 2006
Soft and Hard
Sony will release its high-def player in October, says a Bloomberg
report. Also coming - 75 new titles.
August 30th, 2006
Not Doing Very Well
High-definition DVD has
not made much of
an impact, says a newspaper report. And the market will
remain
small for at least another year, according to a senior Panasonic
executive.
August 23rd, 2006
Win Some, Lose Some
In its first six weeks on the market, the Toshiba HD DVD high-def DVD player
outsold the Samsung Blu-ray player, in its first six weeks, by 33%,
according to a research survey. But the Blu-ray players - which cost more -
generated 42% more revenue.
August 18th, 2006
"Blu-Ray Can and Will Deliver the Ultimate HD
Picture"
"Why
Blu-Ray Will Win." - Headline at HD Beat.
Go over to Amazon and write a bad review of the BD-P1000 or join the rest
of 'em bashing Blu-ray at the AVSForum and convince yourself that you can
make a difference. I believe Blu-ray can and will deliver the ultimate HD
picture and sound quality and don't care if HD DVD is a little better right
now.
But does anyone
care?
August 17th, 2006
Blu-Ray Heads Down Under
It's here! Well, soon. High-definition DVD is at last set to launch down
here in Australia, with Blu-ray leading the way.
Samsung has announced that it will release its player in October, at an
undisclosed price.
Michael Apte, AV Marketing Manager for Samsung Electronics Australia,
said: "Australia is one of the first countries in the world to launch Blu-ray.
Samsung appreciates just how quickly Australians adopt new technology."
August 15th, 2006
EC Probes DVD
This is interesting. The European Commission is investigating whether
high-def DVD hardware manufacturers have been pressuring movie studios to
favor one format over another. According to the
NY Times:
The Hollywood studios have been asked to reveal any dealings about
high-definition DVD’s with technology companies contained in e-mail
messages, faxes, PowerPoint presentations, meeting notes, internal reports
and even conversations.
Some analysts said that the inquiry could end up focusing more on Sony
because it potentially has more leverage to persuade studios and
manufacturers to back Blu-ray. Sony runs a movie studio, makes PlayStation
video game hardware, and sells and makes DVD’s.
August 10th, 2006
Still Leaning Towards HD HDV
Excellent (and
lengthy) post from John Carroll at ZDNet following a chat about
high-definition DVD with the senior vice president of Pioneer Electronics
(USA). Conclusion:
The battle between the two formats is far from over. I don't expect folks
in the Blu-Ray camp just to sit still in response to early setbacks. Even
so, I still lean towards the practical advantages of the HD-DVD format.
Whether the market agrees with me is another question entirely.
August 3rd, 2006
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