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NEWS
Green Technology Investor
A new website -
Green Technology Investor. One interesting report:
Wind Power in the United States - 10 Companies to Watch.
January 31st, 2008
"HD DVD Will Win"
The
about-electronics.eu website reports on a survey of 425 British consumer
electronics store staff, asking them which high-definition DVD format will
win:
A massive 60% voted HD-DVD, leaving 38% backing Blu-ray. 2% were
undecided. HD-DVD pricing (21%) and availability (16%) were seen as key
factors for potential buyers.
The news will doubtless come as a surprise to Walt Disney Company president
and CEO Bob Iger who recently told US reporters that outside of the US,
there isn’t even a HD format war happening.
“If you look across the globe, the only place there is really a format war
is in the United States,” he proclaimed. “In other markets where next-gen
DVD is starting to penetrate, Blu-ray is winning, and substantially - so
much so there isn’t even a perceived format war.”
May 17th, 2007
The $199 High-Def DVD?
It could be coming later this year, to
a WalMart near
you.
April 21st, 2007
Is Hybrid the Wave of the Future?
Tech Digest
asks: "Will all players be dual HD DVD/Blu-ray by next year?"
Despite the best efforts of the DVD Forum and the Blu-ray Disc
Association to extol the virtues of their respective platform, there's still
no consensus on which format will emerge the victor.
With the launch of the PlayStation 3, it was claimed that Blu-ray had the
upper hand. Earlier in the week it was announced that over 100,000 HD DVD
players had shipped in the US - not including Xbox 360 add-on drives
(presumably so they didn't have to count PS3s). A slight increase here,
another tiny advance there.
...LG is pushing ahead with its BH100 player that will playback both
formats, albeit without all the interactive features. What's more it's also
putting out a PC drive - the GGW-H10N - that will write Blu-ray and read HD
DVD.
LG isn't alone in this dual format approach - Samsung's getting in on the
act as well with the BD-UP5000 which will happily read both types of disc.
Surely it's only a matter of time before even the most committed format
supporters buckle and bring out a player that bridges the gap - after all
it's not like you couldn't get Sony branded VHS video recorders.
Read more about the new
Samsung
BD-UP5000
Dual-Format
High-Definition DVD Player.
April 20th, 2007
A Third Format?
Can't decide between HD DVD and Blu-ray? Get ready for more confusion.
Daily Tech
reports:
The home entertainment market is still wrestling with having two HD
optical formats, HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc, but soon it will have to deal with
another. UK-based New Medium Enterprises has developed the Versatile
Multilayer Disc, a new optical-based format capable of storing 20GB of data.
March 13th, 2007
Time to Choose
The
Associated Press writes:
There's now a second generation of players out, and in our test of three
of them, it's clear that they left the problems of their predecessors
behind. Sorry, consumers, but it's time to choose sides: Blu-ray or HD DVD.
But does the conclusion match this buoyant introduction?
Blu-ray appears to have the edge, but it's still up in the air. What if
the format you buy into turns out to be the Betamax of the matchup?
For one thing, you can minimize your risk by renting, not buying, discs....
Secondly, consider this: In two years' time, when you realize you've bet on
the wrong horse, a player for the dominant format is going to cost maybe
$200. Buy one, and keep your first player to play the "wrong" format discs
you've bought.
See? There's no reason to fear the format fight.
February 24th, 2007
Blu-Ray Booming in Oz
One of Australia's leading consumer electronics retail chains, JB Hi Fi,
says it will
stock only Blu-ray. Read a colorful account of the Blu-ray launch
here. Meanwhile, Sony is already claiming that Blu-ray is a
clear winner over HD DVD.
February 15th, 2007
A Marvellous Machine
HD Guru reviews the Toshiba HD-XA2:
The HD-XA2 is marvellous machine. The high definition images it produces,
coupled with its 1080p output ability place it on the same performance level
as the best Blu-ray machines. The HD-XA2’s standard definition DVD
upconversion quality, place its standard definition disc performance ahead
of all other high definition players tested to date.
...The HD Guru awards the Toshiba HD-XA2 its top ♥♥♥♥ rating.
February 8th, 2007
CES Highlights
Lots of CES news. Some highlights:
*
Sony is stepping up software support for the Blu-ray format, but
"competition and complaints from consumers make its fate far from certain".
*
Toshiba will bring a new mid-priced HD DVD deck (around $600) to the
market in Spring 2007. It
expects to ship some 1.8 million HD DVD players in 2007.
*
Onkyo will release an HD DVD player in 2007.
*
Samsung has launched its second Blu-ray player, the BD-P1200
January 9th, 2007
Dual-Format Player
In advance of the Consumer Electronics Show, expect the high-definition DVD
news to pour out. The highlight so far is that LG is expected to announce a
dual-format Blu-ray/HD DVD player.
January 5th, 2007
HD DVD on the Move
Toshiba has placed on sale its
second-generation HD-A2 high-def DVD player, but has reportedly delayed
until January the launch of its HD-XA2. The company also is said to be
planning a
major promotion at the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show. Meanwhile,
Amazon.com has slashed the price of the
Samsung BD-P1000 player from $900 to
$570.
December 30th, 2006
Top Ten
Amazon.com lists the
best-selling HD DVDs for 2006. Here are the top 10:
1. Superman Returns
2. Batman Begins
3. Serenity
4. Apollo 13
5. V for Vendetta
6. The Last Samurai
7. Mission Impossible
8. The Bourne Supremacy
9. Miami Vice
10. The Phantom of the Opera
December 18th, 2006
Blu-Ray Blues
Blu-ray is
losing the
format opinion war, according to a report from market researcher
Cymfony.
The most common complaint (26%) about Blu-ray was a "general dislike" for
the format, based (so says Cymfony) on two things: a long history of failed
Sony formats (think MiniDisc, Beta, ATRAC) and a perceived arrogance on the
part of the company.
Second on the list was Sony's decision to bundle a Blu-ray player with the
PlayStation 3 (21%). Many gamers resent being forced to pay a higher cost
for a product they might not want. "Format wars" was third, with only 16% of
the complaints.
And
Gizmodo, citing
thedvdwars.com, says that Amazon.com is shipping more HD DVD discs than
Blu-ray discs.
December 8th, 2006
Oops - Is It a Software or Hardware Problem?
High-Def Digest reports that Fox's new "Speed" Blu-ray disc
won't play on the Samsung BD-P1000 Blu-ray player.
We threw 'Speed' into our Samsung as well and, despite having the latest
firmware upgrade, we couldn't get it to play, either. However, we did have
success getting the disc to play on Sony's PlayStation 3.
We've contacted Fox about the issue, and have been told that word should be
forthcoming on whether it is a hardware problem, a software problem, or
both. We'll keep you posted as soon as official word comes in, so stay
tuned...
December 1st, 2006
Another Delay
Toshiba is to delay for a month the British launch of its high-def DVD
players.
However, here in Australia,
Samsung is vigorously promoting its Blu-ray product.
November 15th, 2006
Newsbriefs
- Sony has
reportedly
admitted that it "over-reached" in its decision to include a Blu-ray
drive in the PlayStation 3.
- Consumer Electronics Net has
reviewed the Toshiba HD-A1 HD DVD Player. The headline says it all:
"First-to-market player is a disgrace".
Gizmodo reports that Amazon is selling the player for $400, reduced from
$500.
- CNET says that next year will see the
advent of components
allowing hardware manufacturers to bring to market high-def DVD players
capable of playing both HD DVD and Blu-ray.
November 7th, 2006
Wait A Few Years
No need to rush out and buy a high-definition DVD player, according to a
report in my local Herald Sun (not online). According to writer Peter
Familari:
Right now, prices are steep, but we are confident that the cost of the
players will fall to A$299-A$399 [US$230-US$310] within three years.
That's the message a senior executive of a leading Japanese AV brand
whispered to me in Tokyo last month.
November 3rd, 2006
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