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Following an announcement by NEC of chips supporting both the HD DVD and Blu-ray formats, Taiwan-based optical disc drive (ODD) makers said they are not considering launching dual-standard drive models for the two disc standards..If you'd like to read more, head on over to DigiTimes. Add a comment
..Although NEC claims the new dual-standard chips can help reduce costs by 20-30%, Taiwan-based ODD firms said the overall production cost of ODDs using the chip may not be less than that of disc drives using chips that support a single DVD standard since overall costs are determined by other factors, such as the cost of the optical pick-up head (PUH) and yields.
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New Medium Enterprises said this week that it has begun taking orders for its HD VMD (Versatile Multilayer Disc) player, a format that the company says will support high-definition video. The $175 player will begin shipping in November, according to a company spokesman.The article also mentions that NME plans to begin marketing file formats, encryption technology, authoring tools and compression technologies. While all this is great, it won't really matter if movie studios don't get on board. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
In addition, the player will be shown off at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January, where an improved model will be released, the NME representative said.
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Among makers of optical discs in Taiwan, only CMC Magnetics, Ritek, Prodisc Technology, Daxon Technology and Lead Data are currently capable of producing 16x DVD+R/-R discs, while second-tier and smaller makers produce 4x and/or 8x discs, the sources indicated.If you'd like to read more, head on over to DigiTimes. Add a comment
As demand for 16x DVD+R/-R discs grows with the increasing use of 16x and 18x DVD burners, some makers have mislabeled their discs with higher speeds in order to grab profits, the sources pointed out, noting that there have been reported cases of counterfeited TDK 8x and 16x DVD+R/-R discs made by small makers in Taiwan.
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In 2006, the bulk of the $16.9 bil. revenue will come from standard-definition DVD ($16.8 bil.)," said Wade Holden, Kagan analyst. "By 2009, VHS will be virtually extinct and high-definition DVD revenue should grow to more than $2.6 bil. as the format war works itself out, either via one winning format or a combination HD DVD/Blu-ray player being introduced to the market. By 2015, VHS will be history and high-definition DVD will be the major-market shareholder with $18.3 bil. in revenue.I have to agree with this study. Contrary to what Blu-ray and HD DVD promoters want you to think, the DVD is not going away any time soon. More information on Kagan's report can be found here. Add a comment
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Japanese chip maker NEC Electronics Corp. said on Tuesday it began shipping a chip compatible with both Blu-ray and HD DVD formats in next-generation DVDs, bridging a format war splitting the electronics industry in two.While this is a step in the right direction, we still need an optical pick-up capable of reading both Blu-ray and HD DVD formats. Right now, NEC plans to begin production in the fourth quarter of 2006 with monthly shipments reaching 300,000 units in April. More information can be found here. Add a comment
If other hybrid technology is developed, the new chip could lower costs to build dual-format players, helping consumers and the movie industry sidestep the rivalry between the two opposing camps.
The chips go on sale for 10,000 yen ($84), roughly the same price as NEC Electronics' chips which read only Blu-ray or only HD DVD formats, the world's No. 8 chip maker said.
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Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) today announced the imminent arrival of its first three 50GB dual-layer Blu-ray Discs (BD). The heart-warming comedy Click, starring Golden Globe-Nominee Adam Sandler, Oscar-Winner Christopher Walken and Kate Beckinsale, will be available on store shelves October 10. Black Hawk Down, the Oscar-winning, action-packed drama from director Ridley Scott, starring Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Tom Sizemore and Eric Bana, features new Blu-Wizard(TM) technology and will be available to film fans on November 14. The hilarious box office hit, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, starring writer and producer Will Ferrell and Oscar-nominee John C. Reilly, hits shelves December 12. All three titles were authored by the Sony Pictures Digital Authoring Center (DAC) and manufactured by Sony DADC.At this time, SPHE has not announced pricing for these 50GB BD titles. Personally, I would not be surprised if they were a few bucks more than those on single layer discs. If you'd like to read more, SPHE's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
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Sonic Solutions (NASDAQ: SNIC), the leader in digital media software, and Macrovision Corporation (NASDAQ: MVSN), the leader in digital media protection, today announced a licensing agreement to provide the industry's first comprehensive content protection solution to enable the custom manufacturing of secure DVDs by retailers, e-tailers and DVD production facilities. The new solution will make it possible for movie studios and other content owners to expand the number of titles in their catalog that are available for purchase by consumers in a variety of channels.DVD On Demand with RipGuard and ACP is expected to be available later this quarter. More information can be found on Sonic's website. Add a comment
The solution will integrate Macrovision's RipGuard and ACP technologies into Sonic's DVD On Demand technology solution, which will allow content encrypted with the industry-standard Content Scramble System (CSS) found on mass-replicated DVDs to be recorded directly to optical DVD media. Sonic will license the new combined solution to video publishers and distributors.
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"AD-022" is a group that examines region (region) control in HD DVD. The region reproduction limitation etc. of classification by countries of HD DVD video disk on the market like DVD have not been installed now. However, the voice to request the region control comes out of the contents holder etc. , and it is said that the examination will be advanced aiming at the introduction.The DVD Forum also announced that they would be finalizing the specifications for 12x DVD-R DL media and the three layer TWIN disc in late 2006 and early 2007 respectively. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
The reproduction control not only is introduced into classification by countries as simply as past DVD but also an interactive function of HD DVD is used, and it is said, "The control of new as the region is controlled from the sale only for a certain period that is is examined". However, it has not become a conclusion at present.
The examination of the region control is advanced, and "WG-1" that examines a technological specification of HD DVD receives the activity etc. of TCG, and examines how to build it in. It is said the schedule to which the project book is updated in the first ten days, 2007.
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In this review we'll take a look at some of the features found on the SH-S182D and see how it compares to some of the 16x and 18x DVD±RW drives from the competition. Does Samsung's new "Super-Multi" drive have what it takes? Is it the fastest DVD writer around? You'll have to read the review to find out.
As usual, if you have any comments or questions about this review or the Samsung SH-S182D, please post them in the forum by clicking the link below.
Samsung SH-S182D 18x DVD±RW/RAM
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Judging by the picture, the D20 is based on the Bravo SE from Primera. The D20 is available now for a suggested retail price of $1495. More information is available on Imation's website. Add a comment
Imation Corp (NYSE: IMN), a worldwide leader in removable data storage, today brings a complete solution for optical disc publishing to workgroups and the small- and medium-business (SMB) market. The Imation D20 Disc Publisher is an all-in-one CD and DVD publishing system that automates the copying of up to 20 discs at once, and is optimized for full-color, direct-to-disc printing using Imation Inkjet Printable Media with AquaGuard(TM) surface. An expert in delivering optical media technologies engineered for the demands of business, Imation delivers its D20 Disc Publisher to users seeking an affordable way to professionally finish CD and DVD media. The Imation D20 Disc Publisher is ideal for duplication of marketing and sales materials, music, video, catalogs and more.
