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Netflix Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLX), the world's largestonline movie rental service, and LG Electronics, a global consumerelectronics leader, today announced they are joining forces to develop aset-top box for consumers to stream movies and other programming from theInternet to HDTVs -- bypassing the need to use a personal computer.While Netflix and LG have not revealed any details regarding price, Home Media Magazine is reporting that the set-top box will cost about $799. If you'd like to read more, the entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
The collaboration is expected to deliver a compelling new online homeentertainment service via technology embedded in an LG networked playerplanned for the second half of 2008. Today's announcement sets the stagefor next week's 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES(R)),which will emphasize digital content as well as hardware solutions.
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I've speculated on my blog that Microsoft may be preparing to license the Xbox gaming platform to consumer-electronics companies.While Brier Dudley is usually a pretty reliable source for Microsoft related news, this nothing more than a rumor at this point. We won't know for sure until Bill Gates steps on the stage at CES next week. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
In particular, Microsoft could work with Toshiba to develop a digital video recorder with a hard-drive, high-definition HD-DVD drive and Xbox gaming capabilities. They're already allied against Sony and other backers of the Blu-ray DVD format, and Toshiba could help Xbox finally penetrate the Japanese market.
Microsoft could also make a splash by announcing plans to give the Xbox 360 an internal HD-DVD drive, putting it on par with Sony's PlayStation 3 that has a built-in Blu-ray drive.
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Digital Playground founder Joone says the decision hinged on cost. “The advantage of HD DVD over Blu-ray is the cost factor, both in manufacturing and the players,” he says, adding that the rest of the porn industry is “basically behind HD DVD because of manufacturing costs. It costs a lot more to put out a title on Blu-ray.”While the image quality is the same, Digital Playground is taking full advantage of Blu-ray's extra capacity. The extras on the Blu-ray version Pirates will be in 1080p instead of the standard def content found on the HD DVD release of the movie. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
HD DVD has done well for Digital Playground, and the company claims to have an 80-percent share of the market for HD porn. Joone says that about one-third of the publisher’s video shipments are now HD.
So why go with Blu-ray? Joone explains, “A lot of people were emailing that bought a PlayStation and they were basically saying, ‘When are you guys going to release Blu-ray?’ They really have no preference in format yet because it’s so now. When it comes down to image quality, there is no difference between the two.”
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The battle between high-definition formats HD DVD and Blu-ray is also set for a resolution next year, although which side will deliver the knockout blow is still unclear.Screen Digest isn't naming any names. However, they're probably expecting Warner to choose a side in the battle between Blu-ray and HD DVD. While the company has been releasing titles on both formats, its been rumored that they may support Blu-ray exclusively. If that was the case, the format battle could very likely be decided by the end of next year. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
"It would only take one major player to shift allegiances to push the tipping point one way or another," said analyst Richard Cooper.
Sony's Blu-ray has enjoyed a good year, boosted by sales of the PlayStation 3 hardware and software. With both sides engaged in price-cutting of their hardware delivery systems, 2008 will see the battle shift to the content arena.
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Firmware Update v2.10 is now live. This new system update enhances media playback on the PLAYSTATION 3 in a number of ways that the PS3 community has indicated are important.While the first Profile 1.1 compatible titles won't hit stores for another month or so, its good to see that the Playstation 3 is ready for their release. If you'd like to read more, the entire blog post can be found here. Add a comment
We are introducing a much-requested video playback format with this update: DivX and VC-1 (WMV) videos become playable in the Video section of the XMB. This update also brings the PS3’s Blu-ray drive up to Profile 1.1. “Picture in Picture” and other enhancements become available on Profile 1.1 compatible Blu-ray discs.
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For the week ended Nov. 24, Sony captured 60% of all BD unit sales; and Samsung was its only significant competitor with 32%, according to DisplaySearch. Panasonic was far behind, corralling a 5% share.If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
Collectively, BD-exclusive players far outpaced demand for dual-format players, which primarily encompassed LG’s first-generation model on shelves. BD-only players represented 37% of all high-def units sold. HD DVD-only was at 62%, and dual-format, less than 1%.
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Not only will the new SHD7001 be supplied with a fantastic add on package worth around £50.00 (two fantastic HD DVDs; Hulk and Troy, and a free HDMI cable) it will also now include a voucher that enables customers to redeem 5 more free HD DVDs courtesy of the European HD DVD Promotional Group.If you'd like to read more, Venturer's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
Until 31st January 2008 customers can use their redemption voucher to select 5 of their favourite titles for free from a list of HD DVDs, giving them complete freedom of choice. No additional charges will be made as postage and packaging will also be completely free.
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Microsoft Corp. today announced the release of the Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator, enabling film studios and disc authoring companies to model the behavior of HD DVD disc content, including encoded video and HDi interactivity, in a virtual environment before committing to burning a single HD DVD disc. This comprehensive tool is among the first commercially available, software-based solutions of its kind, eliminating the need for expensive hardware or time-consuming and costly trial-and-error processes for testing HD DVD titles, helping to ensure that titles ship error-free.The emulator is available now via Xbox LIVE for a one-time licensing fee is $2,999. Full details can be found here. Add a comment
The enhanced content and rich interactive capabilities of HD DVD increase the need for an efficient way to troubleshoot coding to maintain the highest-quality consumer experiences. The emulator uses a combination of available hardware (the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player) and specialized emulation software to ultimately enable playback of near-final assets from a network storage share, portable hard drive or optical disc. This allows focused testing of the layout, the menus, and the behavior of the interactivity functionality of a title. Detailed log reports from the Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator deliver valuable tracing information to help quickly and easily pinpoint problems with advanced interactivity code that otherwise could take hours of manual debugging.
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“Our position hasn’t changed and certainly any comments that were published in the US were not intended to suggest that we had changed our stance. We support both formats and we have not made any decision towards that policy and nor are any such announcements planned or in the pipeline,” he said.While there is probably some truth to these rumors, we probably won't hear any official announcements until the Consumer Electronics Show in January. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
“In terms of the short-term scenarios around the Q4 sales results, Warner Brothers are always reviewing our strategies and we can’t say what might happen in five or ten years, but for now, there’s been no decision made to change course.”
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LG Electronics'second-generation LG Super Blu(TM) Player (model BH200) is now availablenationally at leading consumer electronics dealers. This advancedmulti-format disc player (suggested retail price $999) lets consumerschoose from the widest variety of high-def video content as it is the onlyplayer capable of playing both Blu-ray and HD DVD discs.If you'd like to read more, LG's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
"LG introduced the BH200 to focus on consumer needs by ending theconfusion caused by the current format war," said Allan Jason, vicepresident of consumer electronics marketing at LG Electronics USA, Inc."This second generation, dual-format player allows consumers to enjoy theirfavorite movies, features and extras, regardless of format, on thebest-in-class high-definition media player."
