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The new high end Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD player is designed to output 1920 x 1080p, the highest HD signal currently available, via High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) 1.3. HDMI version 1.3 is the most current, major enhancement of the HDMI specification, which adds support for Deep Color technology. The HD-XA2 also incorporates a 297MHz / 12 bit Video DAC with high-quality, 4x oversampling for increased bandwidth for true playback of an HD picture to a video source. The HD-XA2 comes with a picture setting function allowing customers to optimize picture quality with user adjustable settings for color, contrast, brightness, edge enhancement and block noise, among others. The new HD-XA2 HD DVD player's 1080p output capability complements Toshiba's new Cinema Series Pro LCD TVs which provide true HD 1080p input capability via HDMI.The HD-A2 will ship in October for $499.99. The HD-XA2 will follow up in December for a whopping $999.99. More information on both players is available on Toshiba's website. Add a comment
The HD-XA2 will be one of the first next generation players to support the video portion of HDMI version 1.3. HDMI 1.3 supports the demands of future high definition display devices, such as Deep Color enabling 36-bit (RGB or YCbCr) color depths, up from the 24-bit depths in previous versions of the HDMI specification. This allows Deep Color compatible display devices to deliver outstanding video quality.
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Our opinion about this device is that we strongly believe that this product is not in the first line aimed for the private and normal everyday user, but rather for Companies, Organizations, Financial institutions, Hospitals/Medical institutions, Government departments, Military and Research establishments, which wants to destroys sensitive data stored on CD/DVD in an environmentally and friendly way.If you'd like to read more, CD Freaks' entire review can be found here. Add a comment
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Some of the proposals are interesting. In particular the ability to record HD DVD video content onto standard DVD media. If you'd like to read more, the Steering Committee's entire list of resolutions can be found here. Add a comment
- Approval of "DVD Specifications for Recordable Disc for Dual Layer (DVD-R for DL) File System Specifications, Version 3.0"
- Approval of "Inclusion of 44.1kHz audio family into HD DVD-Video as mandatory"
- Approval of "DVD Specifications for Re-recordable Disc for Dual Layer (DVD-RW for DL) Physical Specifications, Version 2.0"
- Approval of "Version-up Information for the following Specifications:
-DVD Specifications for High Density Rewritable Disc (HD DVD-RAM) Physical Specifications (Version 1.0 to 1.1)
-DVD Specifications for High Density Recordable Disc (HD DVD-R) Physical Specifications (Version 1.0 to 1.1)
-DVD Specifications for High Density Recordable Disc for Dual Layer (HD DVD-R for DL) Physical Specifications (Version 2.0 to 2.1)
-DVD Specifications for High Density Re-recordable Disc (HD DVD-RW) Physical Specifications (Version 1.0 to 1.1)
-DVD Specifications for High Density Re-recordable Disc for Dual Layer (HD DVD-RW for DL) Physical Specifications (Version 2.0 to 2.1) "- Approval of "The following conceptual proposals:
-HD DVD application format (HD DVD-Video/Video Recording) recording on red laser DVD recordable media
-Red laser recording function: Type 1 & 2 (provisional approval and details including physical specifications will be decided for Type 2 later)
-Creation of format specifications by related WGs (WG-1, 3, 5, 6 and 9)"
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Microsoft has started designing a new-generation of Xbox 360's equipped with an internal HD-DVD drive and is selecting manufacturers in Taiwan to build the drive, according to sources in Taiwan's optical disc drive (ODD) industry.The article also mentions that if things go smoothly, we could see the new version of the Xbox 360 in the first half of 2007. If you'd like to read more, head on over to DigiTimes. Add a comment
Microsoft will offer an external HD-DVD drive for its Xbox 360 at around the end of this year, in an attempt to compete with the Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3), which will have a built-in Blu-ray Disc (BD) drive, the sources indicated. The external HD-DVD drive, however, can only play back movies, the sources noted.
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We have not heard when these drives will ship or if they will be available in the US. Considering BenQ has already pulled out of the European market, I wouldn't hold my breath. If you'd like to talk about BenQ's new drives, feel free to join the discussion in our forum.
Update: For some reason BenQ has removed both drives from their website. Add a comment
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Contrary to CNET's claims, the BWU-100A will be able to play back commercial Blu-ray movies. Of course, you'll still need HDCP compliant hardware if you plan to view your movies at higher resolutions. If you'd like to read more, Sony's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
Sony Europe's IT Peripherals division today announced the launch of its first Blu-ray Disc (BD) drive retail kit for PCs. The Sony BWU-100A drive reads and records single and dual layer Blu-ray Disc Recordable (BD-R) and Rewritable (BD-RE) media, providing up to 50GB capacity per disc for recording personal High Definition media content as well as for general data storage, back-up and archiving. With a free software upgrade and a suitably-specified playback environment, the BWU-100A is also capable of playing back commercial Blu-ray movies. Backward read and write compatibility with all major DVD and CD formats make the BWU-100A a true multi-format burner and the ideal upgrade option for any computer - including single-bay barebone or media centre PCs. The stylish Sony BWU-100A drive comes bundled with the CyberLink BD Solution software suite making it a complete out-of-the-box solution.
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TDK, a world leader in digital recording solutions, today announced that it has begun shipping 50GB dual layer recordable Blu-ray Disc media. Retail pricing is set at $47.99 for a 50GB BD-R (recordable). TDK 50GB BD-RE (rewritable) media will be available in the first quarter of 2007 with retail pricing set at $59.99...If you'd like to read more, TDK's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
..."The launch of 50GB dual layer Blu-ray Disc media is a significant achievement for this revolutionary new format and for TDK," noted Bruce Youmans, TDK Vice President of Product Research & Development. "By doubling the format's capacity, the 50GB discs provide users with the opportunity to store an unprecedented amount of data on convenient and cost-effective removable media. From hard drive backups to HD video authoring, these discs offer new possibilities." He continued, "TDK innovations such as the company's CuSi inorganic dye formulation and our exclusive DURABIS 2 hard coating technology have played a key role in enabling the achievement of remarkable capacities, fast transfer rates and revolutionary durability for TDK Blu-ray Discs."
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Verbatim Corporation, the market leader in premium-quality printable media, has announced the immediate availability of a new family of glossy white inkjet printable 52X CDR and 16X DVD+/-R media. The new discs combine a shiny white printable surface with ultra-reliable, high-speed recording technology and broad read compatibility. With Verbatim's unique glossy media, users can make their recordings look distinctive with vibrant, full-colour images and crystal-clear text.More information, including prices, is available on Verbatim's website. Add a comment
The new glossy discs feature an exceptional inkjet-printable surface that provides superior ink absorption and excellent drying properties. When combined with any colour inkjet printer, users can print photo-quality images directly to the disc surface to customise their CDs and DVDs. Both DVD-R and DVD+R discs feature full surface, edge to edge printing capabilities.
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Mitsubishi Kagaku Media (MKM)/Verbatim, Memory Tech Corporation (MTC), and Plasmon today announced a technology and business alliance to manufacture and promote a new optical storage format called UDO-DMD (Ultra Density Optical - Digital Master Disk). UDO-DMD has been designed specifically for the secure distribution and long-term storage of high value HD DVD content between authoring studios and disc mastering facilities.According to the press release, DMD will initially be released with a 30GB capacity, growing to 60GB in the second quarter of 2007. More information on DMD can be found here. Add a comment
Based on professional blue laser UDO technology, DMD drives and media have been optimized to meet the stringent security and reliability requirements of the HD DVD content industry. Many studios today depend on magnetic tape and RAID systems to transport and archive valuable content. Video content is often lost on tapes because they are fragile for transport and unreliable for long-term storage, and managing rapidly growing data on RAID is insecure and cost prohibitive for archives that must be maintained for many years. By contrast, UDO-DMD provides an extremely stable media housed in a robust cartridge that has a data life far greater than tape or RAID storage. To minimize the risk of content piracy, the new DMD media cannot be written and read in standard UDO drives. DMD also provides physical WORM (Write Once Read Many) recording for content authenticity and an additional cartridge locking security feature to minimise the risk of valuable content loss.
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At this time we have not heard if or when the DRW-1612BL will be available in the US. As soon as we find out, we'll let you know. In the mean time, ASUS's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
ASUSTeK Computer Inc. (ASUS), a leading provider of high-performance optical drives, today introduced the DRW-1612BL internal DVD rewriter, which incorporated LightScribe direct disc labeling technology. The innovative feature enables images to be burnt onto disc surfaces as labels using the same drive that wrote in the data. The DRW-1612BL provides high-speed 16X DVD +/-write and 8X DVD+/-R (DL), and supports 12X DVD-RAM read and write as well.
Three unique elements are needed to make LightScribeto possible: the DRW-1612BL Drive, LightScribe-compatible discs and LightScribe enabled burning software. When data writing is completed, just turn over the disc to burn graphics and text onto the disc surface as label.
