- Details
- Optical Storage
PioneerCorporation, a leading global manufacturer of consumer and business-useelectronics products, and Sonic Solutions(R), the leader in digital mediasoftware, have begun a worldwide joint licensing program of patents andother related IP for the encryption and burning of video content torecordable DVD media for playback on DVD players. To respond to consumerand industry interest in "electronic sell-through" of video content and tofacilitate the adoption of secure download and burn applications inaccordance with the approved industry specifications for recordingdownloads set by the DVD Forum and the DVD Copy Control Association,Pioneer and Sonic have established a royalty-bearing licensing program thatwill be administered by Sonic under the Qflix(TM) name. The program willbroadly license the companies' combined intellectual property that allowsDVD recording technologies to use CSS (Content Scramble System), which isthe same content protection found on commercially released DVD movies.If you'd like to read more, the entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
- Details
- Home Entertainment
While Panasonic has not announced how much their Blu-ray Disc recorders will be, AV Watch expects them to cost anywhere from 180,000 Yen ($1,554US) to 300,000 Yen ($2,590US), depending on the model. If you'd like to read more, Panasonic's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
The new recorders can store up to 18 hours of full HD video onto a 50 gigabyte (GB) double-layer Blu-ray Disc or up to 381 hours of full HD videos onto a 1 terabyte (TB) built-in hard disk drive (HDD). In terms of BS digital HD broadcasts, the new recorders can record four times more than previous MPEG-2 TS recorders (DR mode). In addition to video, the new DIGAs can record 5.1 channel surround sound broadcasts without deterioration in sound quality or surround effects.
Panasonic accomplished these achievements through innovative technologies including the new generation UniPhier system LSI based on the 45-nm process technology. A single chip supports real-time encoding of full HD videos. Additionally, MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 High Profile HD video compression technology contributed to the significant increase in HD video recording hours. Panasonic also drew from the advanced technology cultivated by its Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory (PHL) that offers BD-ROM authoring service to major Hollywood movie studios.
- Details
- Other
Add a comment
ASUS Blitz Extreme Motherboard @Phoronix
ATP ProMax 4 GB SD High Capacity (SDHC) Memory Card @Futurelooks
CoolIT Eliminator and Freezone CPU Coolers @Madshrimps
Logitech G9 Gaming Mouse @TweakTown
MSI P35 Diamond Motherboard @ChileHardware
SteelSeries 5Hv2 Headset @BCCHardware
Twintech OC'ed GeForce 8600GT With HDMI @TweakTown
ViewSonic VX2255wmb 22" Widescreen LCD Monitor @ThinkComputers.org
Zalman Reserator XT Hybrid Liquid Cooling System @Virtual-Hideout
- Details
- Software
- Details
- Optical Storage
CMC Magnetics and Ritek, the top two Taiwan-based producers of optical discs, as well as Prodisc Technology, a second-tier maker, are unwilling to invest in large-scale production of either Blu-ray Disc (BD) or HD DVD discs, according to industry sources in Taiwan.The article also points out that CMC and Ritek are producing HD DVD and Blu-ray media. However, in very limited amounts. If you'd like to read more, head on over to DigiTimes. Add a comment
The disc manufacturers are reluctant to invest in blue-laser disc production because royalty fees are high and there is the possibility that the cost of production equipment may drastically drop in the future, noted the sources, adding that it is still uncertain which standard will become mainstream.
- Details
- Home Entertainment
If you were looking forward to get the new Samsung BDP-2400, I have bad news for you; I just received word that Samsung has canceled all plans to release their upcoming high-end Blu-ray Disc player. All orders for the player have been canceled, and the model will not be brought to the market.Wesleytech.com also reports that Samsung has pushed back the BD-UP5000 until December which means that it will meet the BD 1.1 spec. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
- Details
- Other
According to industry sources in Taiwan, Gigastorage stopped paying royalty fees to Philips in April 2001 and then Philips filed a charge in the US. After a long process of litigation Philips finally won the suit as judged by the US International Trade Commission in February 2007, the sources pointed.If you'd like to read more, head on over to DigiTimes. Add a comment
For the settlement, Philips demands that the compensation be based on all of Gigastorage's shipments of CD-R and CR-RW discs and be paid in 10 years, but Gigastorage thinks only shipments to the US market are subject to the compensation and payment should be in installment over 10 years, the sources pointed out. In addition, it is not certain whether Gigastorage will accept Veeza, Philips' new CD-R licensing system, in the final settlement, the sources noted.
- Details
- Other
Add a comment
A-Data Nobility PD17 2GB Flash Drive @OCModShop
Diamond Viper HD 2900 XT 1GB CrossFire @HotHardware.com
Gigabyte iSolo 210 Case @BCCHardware
Microsoft SideWinder Mouse @I4U
New Standard Keyboards NSK 535 R Keyboard @HardwareLogic
NZXT Lexa Blackline Case @TweakPC
OCZ Vendetta Exposed HDT CPU Cooler @Benchmark Reviews
- Details
- Optical Storage
According to DataPlay's website, the MovieWriter burns CSS protected DVD's at only 2x. However, speeds will eventually increase to 8x. No word on pricing pricing or availability yet. As we find out more, we'll let you know. In the mean time, DataPlay's entire press release can be found here.
DPHI, Inc. / DataPlay, a leader in advanced optical storage solutions,announced today the world’s first DVD burner capable of writing Content Scramble System (CSS) encryptedcontent for playback on standard DVD players. This has been made possible by the recent amendment to theCSS specification, which now allows consumers and retailers to download digital video content and createprotected DVD discs. To incorporate CSS recording capabilities into their burners, DataPlay is participating in theQflix technology and lP licensing program administered by Sonic Solutions. For consumers, DataPlay hasreleased an External USB 2.0 DVD Burner called MovieWriter which will allow them to legally and securelydownload and burn movies to DVD at home. An I/T version of the MovieWriter will be available shortly for PCOEMsto integrate into PC systems and home multi-media centers. In addition, DataPlay is making available aspecialized CSS-MR/Qflix Pre-Key Writing System for media manufacturers and replicators.
Update: DataPlay informed us that the MovieWriter should be available in the December timeframe with a MSRP of around $99. Add a comment
- Details
- Other
Furthermore, new watermarking techniques are being implemented that may require enhancements to high-definition DVD hardware platforms. ABI Research sees a high likelihood for the incorporation of these changes, among others. “The watermarking process tags audio content in such a way that analog copies will be rejected by the player,” adds Wilson. “Content owners could unobtrusively tag their original source material and facilitate source detection of pirated material.” Watermarking is already in use in theatre content source.Unless the AACS LA is going to require that players support these technologies, I don't think too many consumers are going to care that their player won't prevent the playback of watermarked content. If you'd like to read more, the entire report can be found here. Add a comment
