Posts filed under 'DVD'
Netflix has added support to rent HD DVDs to their system today. You can access the setup from under Your Account. From there you can enable HD DVD movies
, which will add a new column to your Queue entitled Format. Under format, you’ll find DVD and HD-DVD now. Blu-ray will be added later this year.
However, according to hackingnetflix.com, not one of his 330 movies was offered in HD DVD. I would blame this of course on the new format as opposed to Netflix.
The coolest part? Enabling HD DVD movies on your account does not cost a penny more!
Netflix Adds HD DVD Rentals [Hacking Netflix.com]
March 13th, 2006
Looking to build a home theater room with a nice projector? Not in the mood to run cables all over the place? Then the Toshiba et20 may be the projector for you. This all-in-one projector features a DVD player and built in 5.1 surround sound system.
The projector is supposedly pretty good quality to. It will project a 39-inch image from 27-inches away, or 78-inch image from a mere 39-inches away. It’s got a HQV image processor that promises HD quality output out of standard definition DVDs.
I wouldn’t expect that much out of it. But for $1,900 you do get a movie theater in a box.
Toshiba’s et20 all-in-one 5.1 surround DVD projector [Engadget]
March 10th, 2006
Looks like Blu-Ray will be a reality sooner than we thought. Sony will be shipping blank, rewritable Blu-Ray discs this month in Europe. The initial BD-R discs will provide 25GB of storage capacity and run at x2 speeds (72 MBps). Dual layer discs will be released later this year. Sony said the BD-R discs should debut for less than $30 / disc.
[Sony to ship blank Blu-ray Discs this month] Reg Hardware
March 7th, 2006
So if the Blu Ray/HD DVD debacle isn’t frustrating enough enter VMD (Versatile Multilayer Disc). Right now you are probably scratching your head thinking “great, another acronym and another formatâ€?. Apparently, VMD is based off today’s DVD red laser format and a company called New Medium Enterprises claims to have increased capacity (5GB per layer) to 20 layers per disk. Apparently, this format is expected to support Hi Def. discs and players will only cost $150. Capacities are expected to reach 200GB, but the use of a blue laser is required.
Another HD DVD Format:Â VMD [HDBeat]
March 6th, 2006
Yup, someone already has the answer on how to RIP your favorite DVDs and get them on your iPod. Looking briefly at the instructions, it doesn’t look much different then standard DVD RIPping.
October 17th, 2005
Toshiba announced on Wednesday that it is delaying the launch of its next-generation HD DVD players from a year end start date to February or March.
Toshiba and supporters decided they would rather launch a large scale invasion of HD DVD rather than a gradual launch. Toshiba and content providers say it will take months after starting mass production in December to create the line up they desire.
HD DVD might have a fighting chance when it launches in March thanks to the recent support of Microsoft and Intel. Of course they better not risk any more delays of HD DVD with Sony including Blu-ray in the PlayStation 3 set to ship next year.
September 28th, 2005
In the waging battle between HD-DVD and Blu-ray, it looks like heavyweights Microsoft and Intel are joining the underdog — HD-DVD.
The two formats have been competing in the vein of VHS and Betamax, but are still in the vendor and content provider level. Neither has reached the consumer luckily.
Quick summary of the two formats:
- HD-DVD is more of an evolution from DVD. It uses existing discs and manufacturing equipment and just records with more compression. Obviously supported by vendors and providers for its cheaper production / migration costs.
- Blu-ray is a whole new type of disc. It will be higher density and therefore store more information than current DVDs. It’s supported for its better quality.
Who’s on which side right now?
- HD-DVD has creator Toshiba, Microsoft, Intel, along with several movie studios: Warner Brothers, New Line Cinema, Viacom, NBC Universal, and Paramount.
- Blu-ray has creator Sony, Apple, Hewlett-Packard, and Dell, along with several movie studios: MGM, Sony Pictures, Walt Disney, and 20th Century Fox.
It looks like the sides are leveling again with this new addition. I know I’m still crossing my fingers for the superior Blu-ray to win. But then again, the inferior VHS won the last round.
September 27th, 2005
Although Samsung officially backs the new Blu-Ray DVD format, they are producing a player that will support both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray. Production of the dual format player will only occur if the industry can’t decided on one format.
Blu-Ray is backed by: Sony, Panasonic, Philips, and others. While HD-DVD is backed by Toshiba, NEC, and Sanyo Electronics.
September 8th, 2005
Toshiba recently announced that they may delay the launch of its HD-DVD players. The format was originally due to be released for Christmas 2005, but may not appear until some time in 2006.
HD-DVD is in competition with Sony’s Blu-Ray, which is apparently more technically advanced and has a greater capacity. Of course this delay may give Sony exactly what they need for market share, a head’s start. At one point the two corporations talked about creating one format until talks broke down (image of war room like discussions pop into my head, anyone else?). I am sure this will be another DIVX VS. DVD situation all over again, with the consumer market ultimately deciding which one will succeed. It has been argued by Toshiba that Sony’s Blu-Ray is too expensive to produce and will ultimately seal their own fate.
September 4th, 2005
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