"What people don't realize is that Hollywood studios are going to release new titles not just for Blu-ray but for standard DVDs as well, and there are a far greater number of current-generation DVD players out there. If you watch standard DVDs on our players, the images are of very high quality because they include an "upconverting" feature. And we're going to improve this even more, so that consumers won't be able to tell the difference from HD DVD images. The players would be much cheaper than Blu-ray players too. Next-generation DVD players are in a much weaker position than when standard DVD players were first introduced."Toshiba's HD DVD players were very good at upconverting standard DVD's. It will be interesting to see if they can improve the image quality to deliver near HD DVD quality on their DVD players. If you'd like to read more, the entire interview can be found here. Add a comment
Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM), a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, today announced that it has acquired Sunext Design, Inc. ("Sunext Design"), a wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary of Sunext Technology Company Limited ("Sunext Technology"), and has licensed certain optical disk reader and writer technology from Sunext Technology. Sunext Technology is a privately-held fabless semiconductor company that specializes in optical storage technologies.If you'd like to read more, Broadcom's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
High definition optical disc players are emerging as a popular platform for in-home entertainment worldwide by combining the benefits of a high definition viewing experience with the convenience and familiarity of DVD media. Sunext single-chip front-end technology is a strong complement to the industry-leading Broadcom system-on-a-chip (SoC) back-end Blu-ray Disc platform, and key to an integration roadmap that will drive the cost of these devices down to levels that enable widespread consumer adoption of high definition optical disc players and recorders.
Best Buy Co. Inc. this week sold out of two HD DVD player SKUs following Toshiba Corp.'s announcement that it will exit the HD DVD business.While Best Buy may be sold out, my local Walmart still has plenty of players in stock. I keep checking, in the hope that they'll clearance them out for $50. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
The HD-A3 HD DVD Player and the HD-A35 HD DVD Player held a sold out status at Bestbuy.com after the retailer price cut the hardware to as low as $99.99.
DivX, Inc., a digital media company, (NASDAQ:DIVX) today announced the DivX Certification of Panasonic's Blu-ray Disc (BD) Player (PN: DMP-BD30EG/EE).if you'd like to read more, DivX's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
The Panasonic Blu-ray Disc player, which joins a number of existing DivX Certified products from Panasonic, is scheduled to be released beginning in March and is expected to be the first DivX Certified Blu-ray Disc Player available in Europe and Russia. Like Panasonic’s existing DivX Certified DVD players, the latest DivX Certified Panasonic Blu-ray disc player enables users to enjoy high-quality DivX video playback.
“In order to give our users access to the extremely popular, high-quality DivX format, we have introduced the first DivX-Certified Blu-ray Disc Player for Europe and Russia,” said Yuki Kusumi, Group Manager of Product Technology, Video Business Unit, Network Business Group, Panasonic AVC Networks Company, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. “The timely launch of this strategic product is a direct response to the strong demand for DivX playback among consumers. We are very confident this product will be very popular in the European and Russian markets.”
DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc said on Tuesday it was locked in an exclusive deal to distribute DVDs on Toshiba Corp's HD DVD format even though the Japanese electronics maker plans to quit the technology.Hopefully, Toshiba lets DreamWorks break their agreement. If not, we won't see any of their titles on Blu-ray for another year. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
"We have a partnership with Toshiba and have an obligation to see this through," DreamWorks Chief Executive Jeffrey Katzenberg said on Tuesday.
"As you know, we have been well-compensated for our support. It really is in their court at this point to really declare what the next step will be. We're poised either way to jump into the marketplace when the conditions are right to do so," he said.