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Vincent Bautista, Sony's product manager for data storage, told CNET.com.au that due to copy protection issues and lagging software development, the drive will only play user-recorded high-definition content from a digital camcorder, and not commercial movies released under the BD format.Personally, I think that CNET is misinterpretting Vincent Bautista's comments. It's not that the BWU-100A cannot play back commercial Blu-ray movies but rather it requires a graphics card and playback software that support HDCP. As we've found in our own testing, both are in short supply right now. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
Bautista says that one of two reasons for this is the fact that commercial content is encrypted with High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP), which can only be decrypted using a HDCP-compliant graphics card that offers DVI or HDMI connections. Since there are currently no PCs for sale offering graphics chips that support HDCP, this isn't yet possible.
The second reason, according to Bautista, is that BD playback software that can decrypt HDCP isn't "released as a saleable item yet". Today, the only HDCP-supporting BD playback application is the OEM version of Intervideo WinDVD BD that's bundled with Sony's VAIO VGN-AR18GP notebook. The AR18GP also offers an HDCP-compliant HDMI connector, which makes it capable of playing commercial movies without issue.
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The battle between two hyped formats for high-definition DVD will confuse shoppers and turn many of them off the whole technology, a London-based research firm predicted on Friday.Screen Digest also predicts that the two formats will co-exist until a combined solution becomes cost-effective. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
Market research analyst Screen Digest also forecast that only $11 billion of the total $39 billion expected to be spent on video discs by 2010 in the United States, Europe and Japan will be generated by the competing high-definition formats, Sony Corp.-backed (6758.T: Quote, NEWS, Research) Blu-ray and Toshiba-supported (6502.T: Quote, NEWS, Research) HD-DVD.
"The net result of the format war and the publicity it has generated will be to dampen consumer appetite for the whole high definition disc category," Screen Digest analyst Ben Keen said.
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In this review we take a look at some of the features found on the BDR-101A and then see how it performs. Is Pioneer's new Blu-ray Disc writer in your future? You'll have to read the review to find out.
As usual, if you have any comments or questions about this review or the Pioneer BDR-101A, please post them in the forum by clicking the link below. Add a comment
Pioneer BDR-101A Blu-ray Disc Writer
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Once again I have to give the nod to Blu-ray Disc. There are basic technology aspects as stated above, but from an authoring standpoint, there are advantages to working with BD over HD DVD. Granted there are not currently a lot of authoring tools available. With the exception of Sonic Solutions, there are not any HD DVD/BD authoring applications on the market as of July 2006. That's bound to change in the next 6-12 months, but for now, most HD DVD and BD titles are being hand jammed, a process more akin to software development than DVD authoring. When fully implemented authoring programs do become available, it will soon become clear why BD is better.This is definitely an interesting read. If you'd like to check it out, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
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CMC has extended its business operations from OEM production to own-brand sales, to seek better profitability, and China is the market with the largest potential for the time being, the sources pointed out. Mr. Data was created specifically for the China market, the sources indicated. CMC is offering 52x CD-R, 8x and 16x DVD+R/-R discs for sale there, with an 8x DVD+R/-R disc priced at 2.5 yuan (US$0.31), the sources noted.If you'd like to read more, head on over to DigiTimes. Add a comment
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CyberLink Corp. (5203.TW), a world leader in digital home solutions, announced today that CyberLink BD Solution is being shipped with HLDS' latest BD-RE burners, the GBW-H10N drive series.If you'd like to read more, CyberLink's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
CyberLink's BD Solution includes applications for file archiving and media burning directly to disc. The suite features data burning software Power2Go, archiving software PowerBackup, and packet-writing software InstantBurn. Users can also enjoy DVD playback via PowerDVD, and create stylish DVD menus with authoring software PowerProducer.
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Managed copy is optional for hardware companies and if you have a player and you are prepared to have a device that can undertake a transaction function, meaning you are going to pay someone some money to make that copy. I think a lot of people may think managed copy means free copy. That is not the case at all, but if you are going to say I would like to make a coy of this to my portable viewing device and there is a dollar amount associated with that, then you have to have a hardware device that can make that a simple transaction. If you are in your living room and you say I would like to watch this on my portable media player, how do I do that. I would have a user interface that I go into and I would I say I would like to go onto a studios site for the particular disc and give them my credit card number and pay a fee to do that.This interview is a must read as it has a lot of insightful information on managed copy, BD+ and dual-format players. If you'd like to check it out, head on over to HDBeat. Add a comment
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Sonic Solutions (NASDAQ: SNIC), the leader in digital media software, today announced Roxio Venue, a comprehensive media application that lets consumers select, manage, view, and securely burn entertainment purchased online onto recordable DVDs that play on standard DVD players as well as PCs. Roxio Venue is built on Sonic's AuthorScript DVD on Demand engine, the first technology to support the managed recording of entertainment using the Content Scramble System (CSS) — the copy protection found on commercially released DVDs. Roxio Venue is available now to online entertainment service providers for evaluation and will be released later this year through Sonic's direct, retail, and OEM channels. The CSS feature of Roxio Venue will be activated after final approval of recordable CSS.If you'd like to read more about Roxio Venue, Sonic's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
"With almost 40 million broadband-connected U.S. households, many consumers are using online entertainment services to obtain movies and programming," said Mark Ely, executive vice president of corporate strategy, Sonic Solutions. "By incorporating studio-approved copy protection, including key technology for the recently announced recordable CSS format, Roxio Venue will pave the way for more high-quality entertainment to be distributed electronically and for consumers to have the ability to enjoy that content in the comfort of their living room."
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Kevin Collins, senior program manager at Microsoft, demonstrated the HD DVD drive, which he said is scheduled to hit store shelves for the upcoming holiday shopping season, to attendees of the DVD Forum here.If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
The device--about the size of a hardback book--played "The Phantom of the Opera" as Collins pulled up a menu bar to display a few of its navigation and interactive features that can be called up on screen while a movie is playing. Collins said Microsoft's HD DVD drive will be among the least expensive of the HD DVD players, but he declined to disclose the drive's retail price.
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On the plus side, this drive is ready for SATA only motherboards. Did I mention this drive is quiet? Even with silent mode turned off this drive is significantly quieter than the PX-716AL. The asthetics of the drive are pleasing and the tray functions graceful. This drive did everything I threw at it and proved it's a decent reader, especially at reading damaged audio discs. As with most other Plextor drives, this one is picky about media and for good reason. Professional drives require professional quality discs. You do get what you pay for and with Plextor you get a lot of extra fine tuning features that other drives don't.If you'd like to read more, head on over to BCCHardware and check out their review. Add a comment
