Just a reminder that CDRLabs is offering an ad-free subscription-based service. For a low monthly or yearly fee, CDRLabs.com can be viewed without any ads. This subscription service also gives members access to a special "members only" section of the forum and benefits like a larger attachment quota. This is great for all of you that like to upload writing quality scans.

As part of your subscription, you will also get a vanity CDRLabs email address. Powered by Google, this email account comes with a whopping 2GB quota.

As our introductory price, we will be offering the following subscription options:
  • $1/month subscriptions, with the option of auto-renewing

  • $10/year subscriptions, with the option of auto-renewing
  • For instructions on how to subscribe, please see this forum thread. Add a comment
    The guys at CD Freaks have taken a look at ASUS's new 16x DVD±RW, the DRW-1608P3. Here's what they had to say about this Pioneer DVR-111 based drive:
    Following our extensive tests we found that this drive is a very good Multi DVD burner. The ASUS DRW-1608P3S is called "Multi DVD Burner" since it supports recording on all available media formats including CD-R/RW, DVD±R/±RW, DVD±R Double/Dual Layer, and DVD-RAM. It is able to read and write DVD-RAM using a fast 5x CLV method.
    We too have a review of the DRW-1608P3 in the works. In the mean time, head on over to CD Freaks and check out their review. Add a comment
    Nero has announced a new summer promotion. Those that buy Nero 7 Premium will get the "MP3 Power Pack" for free.
    Nero, leaders in digital media technology, announces that its powerful Nero 7 Premium software suite will be sold with the "MP3 Power Pack" during a summer special.

    In addition to quickly ripping music tracks into the standard MP3 format without any difficulty, this module also allows users to convert music files in the high fidelity and compressed mp3PRO format. The summer promotion version of Nero 7 Premium will be available at retail stores and online under www.nero.com by the end of June 2006.
    With the "MP3 Power Pack", Nero owners will be able to do unlimited MP3 and mp3PRO encoding/decoding. More information can be found on Nero's website. Add a comment
    According to an article at IGN, Sony's Playstation 3 console will support HDMI 1.3. Recently finalized, the new 1.3 spec features 48-Bit color and "lip sync support" which will automatically synchronizes audio and video tracks.
    The new 1.3 spec HDMI standard will be incorporated in the PlayStation 3. Ken Kutaragi, president and group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, applauded the 1.3 spec finalization, saying "PlayStation3 will be the most advanced computer platform for enjoying a wide range of entertainment content, including the latest games and HD movies, in the home. By introducing the next-generation HDMI 1.3 technology, with its high speed and deep color capabilities, PS3 will push the boundaries of audiovisual quality to the next level of more natural and smoother expression on the latest large flat panel displays."

    Assuming game developers choose to take advantage of 36- and 48-Bit color, the ability to output such a broader color spectrum could give the PS3 a solid technologic advantage over the Xbox 360, which will not be able to transmit such signals over component cables. If the promised, but still not officially announced, Xbox 360 DVI wire comes out, it too will not have the bandwidth to carry the high-Bit color that HDMI 1.3 supports.
    If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
    According to an article at IGN, Sony's Playstation 3 console will support HDMI 1.3. Recently finalized, the new 1.3 spec features 48-Bit color and "lip sync support" which will automatically synchronizes audio and video tracks.
    The new 1.3 spec HDMI standard will be incorporated in the PlayStation 3. Ken Kutaragi, president and group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, applauded the 1.3 spec finalization, saying "PlayStation3 will be the most advanced computer platform for enjoying a wide range of entertainment content, including the latest games and HD movies, in the home. By introducing the next-generation HDMI 1.3 technology, with its high speed and deep color capabilities, PS3 will push the boundaries of audiovisual quality to the next level of more natural and smoother expression on the latest large flat panel displays."

    Assuming game developers choose to take advantage of 36- and 48-Bit color, the ability to output such a broader color spectrum could give the PS3 a solid technologic advantage over the Xbox 360, which will not be able to transmit such signals over component cables. If the promised, but still not officially announced, Xbox 360 DVI wire comes out, it too will not have the bandwidth to carry the high-Bit color that HDMI 1.3 supports.
    If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
    The Japanese website, AV Watch, has posted some pictures from the 8th annual Data Storage EXPO. On display were prototypes of TDK's 6x BD-R and 100GB BD-R media. Here's part of their report, translated from Japanese:

    With the TDK booth of data storage EXPO, besides the fact that last year the exhibition of the BD-R disk of similar 4 layers /100GB was done as a technical exhibition of the BD-R disk, the sample of the BD-R disk which corresponds to 6 time fast record was displayed.

    But with Blu-ray Disc Association, the stage which standardization has not ended concerning BD-R of 4 time fast record "standard deciding, if the device appears and only does, when it can put out the product even directly. But timewise circumstance of decision, we would like to sell 4 time fast BD-R disk within 2006", that we have done, the possibility standard of 4 time fast disk deciding within year was suggested.
    If you'd like to read more, AV Watch's entire report can be found here. Add a comment
    Here's an interesting bit of news. At a recent shareholders' meeting, Toshiba President Atsutoshi Nishida announced that the company is still interested in developing a unified DVD format.
    Toshiba Corp. (6502.T) said on Tuesday it would still like to develop a unified format for advanced optical DVD discs, but two competing -- and incompatible -- products are likely to hit the market at first.

    Toshiba is a leading proponent of next-generation HD DVD optical disc technology, which competes with the Blu-ray standard promoted by Sony Corp (NYSE:SNE - news). (6758.T) and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. (6752.T), a maker of Panasonic brand electronics.

    "We have not given up on a unified format. We would like to seek ways for unifying the standards if opportunities arise," Toshiba President Atsutoshi Nishida told an annual shareholders' meeting.
    This late in the game, we're not going to see a unified format. Both sides have already invested a lot of time and money developing and promoting Blu-ray and HD DVD. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
    Here's an interesting bit of news. At a recent shareholders' meeting, Toshiba President Atsutoshi Nishida announced that the company is still interested in developing a unified DVD format.
    Toshiba Corp. (6502.T) said on Tuesday it would still like to develop a unified format for advanced optical DVD discs, but two competing -- and incompatible -- products are likely to hit the market at first.

    Toshiba is a leading proponent of next-generation HD DVD optical disc technology, which competes with the Blu-ray standard promoted by Sony Corp (NYSE:SNE - news). (6758.T) and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. (6752.T), a maker of Panasonic brand electronics.

    "We have not given up on a unified format. We would like to seek ways for unifying the standards if opportunities arise," Toshiba President Atsutoshi Nishida told an annual shareholders' meeting.
    This late in the game, we're not going to see a unified format. Both sides have already invested a lot of time and money developing and promoting Blu-ray and HD DVD. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
    According to an article at DigiTimes, Behavior Tech Computer has decided to stop marketing optical disc drives under the BTC brand.
    Behavior Tech Computer (BTC), a leading Taiwan-based maker of PC keyboards and mice, on June 26 announced it will discontinue marketing optical disc drives (ODDs) under the BTC brand name at a press conference following the company's 2006 shareholder meeting.

    BTC cited intense market competition as the reason for its move. BTC originally made own-brand ODDs itself but shifted production on an OEM basis to Foxconn Electronics (the registered trade name of Hon Hai Precision Industry) last year.
    If you'd like to read more, head on over to DigiTimes. Add a comment
    At a recent press conference, Sony's Chief Executive Officer, Howard Stringer, expressed confidence in the Blu-ray Disc format, stating that its greater capacity is winning over hollywood movie studios.
    Sony Corp. Chief Executive Officer Howard Stringer said movie studios are starting to favor the company's Blu-ray DVD, which can store high-definition films and other media, because its capacity is higher than rival formats...

    ..``This capacity, which seemed too luxurious a year ago, suddenly seems absolutely necessary,'' said Stringer, 64. ``Studios that went with HD DVD assumed they would have enough bandwidth,'' he said. ``Now more studios realize they will need two-language versions and multichannel audio,'' on movie discs, favoring Blu-ray's bigger capacity, Stringer said today in Tokyo at a meeting with reporters.
    Greater capacity or not, the price of Blu-ray players isn't winning over consumers. Of course, this will probably change with the introduction of the PS3. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment