With the Samsung BD-UP5000 coming later this year, LG has launched an updated version of its Super Blu Player. Like the BH100, the BH200 is capable of Blu-ray disc and HD DVD playback. However, it also includes new features like HDi interactivity, 1080p DVD upconversion and support for HDMI 1.3.
LG Electronics, the first company tointroduce a dual-format high-definition disc player, today unveiled itssecond-generation LG Super Blu(TM) Player (model BH200). Sporting bothformats' logos, LG's new high-def player is capable of Blu-ray disc and HDDVD playback with advanced BD-Java and HDi interactivity, enablingconsumers to choose from the widest variety of high-def content regardlessof disc format.

On display for the first time at the Custom Electronic Design andInstallation Association (CEDIA) EXPO 2007 (booth #720), LG's Super BluPlayer will be available to U.S. consumers and custom installers inmid-October at a suggested retail price of $999.
While priced less than the BH100 when it was introduced, the BH200 still isn't cheap. For $999 you can buy separate Blu-ray and HD DVD players and still have money left over for some movies. If you'd like to read more, LG's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment announced at IFA that they have sold more than 250,000 Blu-ray titles in Europe. More impressive though is that they've sold nearly one million titles in North America alone.
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment(SPHE) today announced that the company's Blu-ray Disc(TM) sales acrossEurope have reached 250,000 while sales in North America are nearing theone million mark approaching the fourth quarter with the Blu-ray launch ofthe highly anticipated blockbuster SPIDER-MAN 3 and Steven Spielberg'sCLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND.

These benchmarks follow last week's announcement that sales of thehigh-definition format in six emerging markets including Hong Kong,Singapore, Taiwan, Eastern Europe, South Africa and the Middle East nowaccount for 10 percent of SPHE's total business in the growing regions.
With Spider-man 3 and the Spider-man Trilogy on the way, SPHE shouldn't have any problems exceeding the one million mark. If you'd like to read more, SPHE's entire announcement can be found here. Add a comment
Sunplus has announced the launch of their new DVD player platform, the SPHE8203A. According to their press release, the SPHE8203A is the first system-on-a-chip (SoC) to support playback of DivX HD content.
Sunplus Technology Co., Ltd. (TSE:2401) (LSE:SUPD), the world’s leading consumer IC design company, today launched its new generation DVD player platform - SPHE8203A, which is the world’s first SoC solution to support DivX high definition content playback. Sunplus will demonstrate SPHE8203A and its reference design at IFA 2007 (Stand 116, Hall 26) during Aug. 31-Sep. 5.

Sunplus’ SPHE8203A DVD turnkey solution has plenty multimedia added-on features, such as DVD servo control, MPEG1/2/4 video decode, MP3/AAC/PCM audio decode, USB and card reader functions, DVB transport stream demultiplexing, and HDMI 1.2 compliant transmitter. The superior compression and performance of DivX HD enables consumers to enjoy true HD A/V entertainment with legacy DVD-9 discs on SPHE8203A-inside DVD players, at a price point which is much more cost-effective than next-generation blue-laser players.
If you'd like to read more, Sunplus' entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
NME announced today that they've released their latest HD VMD player and discs into the European market. According to their press release, the HD VMD player is expected to cost about euro 179 ($245US).
New Medium Enterprises (NME) releases its latest commercial HD VMD (Versatile Multilayer Disc) Player and discs into the European market, debuting at IFA 2007. HD VMD brings full high definition (HD) 1080i/p, high quality players to consumers for an attractive RRP of euro 179, at soon to be announced stores.

HD VMD is positioning itself as "The New Definition of High Definition" by giving consumers what they have been craving -- an affordable, full HD player and DVD upscaler with superior image playback. Combining the best industrial opto-electronics and disc technologies, HD VMD brings together established DVD red-laser production infrastructure with novel break-through multilayer disc technology to deliver its Full HD picture. Consumers can expect more exciting developments to come, as HD VMD's multilayer disc technology is industrially capable of storing over 30 GB on a single sided disc.
NME also announced that they will be launching into the worldwide market in October/November with a bundle containing a player and 5 HD VMD titles. If you'd like to read more, NME's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
Venturer Electronics has announced that they will start shipping their first HD DVD player, the SHD7000, in time for the holidays. This low-cost, Chinese manufactured player features 1080i video output, Dolby TrueHD audio, ethernet connectivity and the ability to upconvert standard DVD's.

Venturer Electronics today announced the launch of its first HD DVD player for the North American market. Responding to strong consumer demand for high definition video playback devices, Venturer will introduce the SHD7000 that offers the superior HD movie experience as defined by the DVD Forum.

Featuring 1080i video output and an HDMI connection, the SHD7000 is designed to be compatible with the vast majority of HDTVs already in North American consumers' homes. With Ethernet connectivity to the network , the SHD7000 also allows users to access bonus features from movie studio web servers and unlock special prerecorded content on some HD DVD discs. Dolby TrueHD rounds out the high definition experience by presenting the HD DVD disc soundtrack as it was meant to be heard, virtually equal to the studio master.
While Venturer has not announced a price for the SHD7000, they expect it be "one of the lowest among entry-level HD DVD players". If you'd like to read more, Venturer's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment