Topic: DVD-busters: HD-DVD, Blu-ray discs and EVD

[classicman]

sir nicomd, i am more inclined to share your view on this matter

[Mouldingo]

Additional news regarding HD-DVD and Blu-ray DVD, and how it may lose out to the consumers.

http://www.marketnews.ca/news_detail.asp?nid=342


  :'( :'(

[bayonic]

Pioneer and Panasonic displayed prototype Blu Ray DVD players at this year's Consumer Electronics Show. Panasonic's model is reportedly already available in Japan ... priced around 2.7K USD.

Toshiba also displayed its HD-DVD prototype player .

[cherubrock]

Here's a short but interesting article on the topic from BBC:

Data storage wars

Apparently Blu-rays have more capacity at 50GB (as compared to 30GB for HD-DVD) but might cost more as they will require completely new manufacturing facilities. In contrast, HD-DVD is much more similar to the current format, which means the impact on price will probably be less. Blu-ray however, will have the edge with the release of the PS3, while HD-DVD has yet to be backed up by the major gaming companies. Both sides predict that their format won't become mainstream until around three years from now, at least. Nevertheless, both formats are already out in the market in Japan, with the US following sometime in the last quarter of 2005 and the E.U. in early 2006.

 

[animated]

I'm 99.99% sure M$ will go for HD DVD as one of their technologies (WMV9) is part of the standard. It would look silly for them to have BD-ROM based video console.

actually, even blu-ray will use the new Microsoft VC-1 video codec. so whichever format wins, MS also wins. since EA and Vivendi showed support for blu-ray, it's quite possible that the next XBox will use blu-ray. But then again they can choose hd-dvd just to keep things interesting. 

on another note, there was an article i read earlier in january about how the Adult entertainment industry usually has the greatest influence on new technologies. bittorrent was first tested by releasing a few "adult" videos, and look at where bittorrent is now. so this notion isn't all that crazy. if you guys haven't read the article here's the link: http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1040_22-5518574.html?tag=zdfd.newsfeed

now, i'm just curious when one of the formats does succeed DVD, will pinoyDVD's name change as well?

hmm... pinoyHD? pinoyBD? doesn't have quite the same ring to it.... but heck... we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. 

[cherubrock]

Another article on HD-DVD from the Samsung website:

Beyond Standard: High Definition DVD

So do we really need an upgrade? 

[daigoro]

just read this article in dvdfile - Protecting Content on High Definition Discs
http://dvdfile.com/news/viewpoints/editors_desk/2005/04_01.html
if this is true, i don't think upgrading will be worth it. Aside from the loss of privacy, the information that they will be collecting from each buyer is potentially dangerous as the recent data thefts in the US have shown. Also, the standard they are using is not going to be compatible with the current standards. the MPAA has gone too far. I stick to my Standard definition dvds if this is going to happen.
Also, after the problems i had with re-activating a crashed Windows XP installation in a notebook, DRM is going to be a pain.

[cherubrock]

After reading the article, I actually hope it's true so that it discourages the newer format from gaining a foothold in the market! 

[jeckjeck]

Saw a very nice feature on this on BBC... Blu-Ray versus HD-DVD... They rated the 2 formats using 5 criteria -- Price, Capacity, Availability, Games Applications, and Movie Applications...

Blu-Ray by Sony / Philips won on Capacity at close to 50GB and boasting a possible 100+GB by next year (HD-DVD has 23GB) and Games Applications since it will leverage Sony's stranglehold on the market with the PS3 scheduled for next year... the new XBox will still use the DVD format

HD-DVD by Toshiba / NEC won on Price and Availability as the 2 major players will leverage the PC market late this year for their HD-DVD format... Blu-Ray may not come out till next year.. On Price, HD-DVD will be using the same factories and production lines they have now to manufacture the discs as well as the hardware needed to play them but Blu-Ray requires the creation of new equipment thus the higher price...

On movies -- this is the good news for us --- no format has come out as dominant with studios divided between the 2. Also, studios are not willing to come out full blast on any new format until dominance is determined...

[slowhand]

Blu-Ray, HD-DVD to unite?

[nate]

This 2 new format will be as good for archiving purposes...HD movies are eye candy but the best thing about this 2 new format is the ability to bring your dvd collections anywhere on a single disc (probably more if you have a large collection). I won't be throwing out my dvd collection, with more data storage capacity and cheaper prices coming out. It's a good thing to copy everything in your hard drive or your own personal server at home...in that way you could have the ability to stream your movies in your room, the bathroom, or in your own garden.

Wired has put out a nice article about this 2 new format and brought out the argument of movie web distribution. This is a must read article before proceeding further on which format will win the dvd battle.

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.04/start.html?pg=2

An online filmfest called Cinequest is showcasing their film thru video streaming. Imagine the future being able to buy only a license or a right to a movie and be able to watch it anywhere by streaming the movie through it's server.

Wouldn't that be easier than bringing a shiny little disc?

Another problem that I encounter is that when I planned to migrate to another country, one question arise is that: which of this dvd's would I bring along wtih me?

I only have a small collection of dvd's, with only 60 dvd's and almost a hundred of vcd's but I already dread the idea of only bringing a small portion of my collection with me.

But with the ability of archiving it along on a firewired hard disk I'd be able to bring not just my dvd collection but my entire music (uncompressed) and files along..and as web servers and broadband connection is getting cheaper and better. DVD's in the future is just another display on our shelf but that doesn't mean I'd stop buying dvds now.

[slowhand]

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Japan's
Sony Corp (SNE.N). (6758.T) and Toshiba Corp. (6502.T) are close to finalizing a plan to develop a common standard for next-generation DVDs to resolve a three-year-long battle over formats that threatened the industry's growth, a Japanese newspaper reported on Monday.

A detailed plan could be unveiled ahead of a key meeting of manufacturers involved in the manufacture of next-generation DVDs scheduled for May 16, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun said.

Sony, along with Matsucrapa Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. (6752.T), maker of Panasonic brand products, had been pushing for the standard it calls Blu-ray, while Toshiba, with NEC Corp. (6701.T) and Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd. (6764.T), has been promoting a technology called HD DVD.

Both sides have indicated that a new, unified format will use Sony's technology for recording information onto an optical disk while Toshiba will supply software that will handle efficient data transfer and copyright protection.

[av_phile1]

Good for us consumers that they're finally coming to a deal of sorts. 

Data storage capacities are tripling and getting cheaper per MB.  Likewise, telecomms bandwidth is getting cheaper.  So I don't know which would eventually be more efficient and cost-effective - putting all my video collection content on the hard drive of a server or subscribing to Video on Demand via a broadband internet connection.   Or both.

[viper]

I am now confused.

excerpts from an article i got this morning

HD DVD fuels format war
Toshiba fans the high-def disc discord

As the next generation of DVD technology inches closer, it seems the players are moving farther apart.
Toshiba announced Tuesday that its HD DVD format has erased the primary advantage of rival Sony's Blu-ray, the other potential format for the next generation of high-def DVDs.
The "tweak": Toshiba has devised a way to add 50% more storage capacity to its proposed format.
It also has developed an option to glue a standard DVD movie disc on the back of every HD DVD movie disc to overcome consumers' concerns about buying a movie that won't play on all the non-HD machines they own.
Announcement, which significantly advances the cause of the HD DVD camp in its war with the Blu-ray group, came just hours after reports from Japan early Tuesday indicated a unified format agreement was imminent between the two sides. A unified format agreement anytime soon now seems much less likely.
Toshiba, supported by Warner, Universal, Paramount and others, leads a camp that has developed HD DVD, which had offered 30 gigabytes of storage capacity (six to eight hours of high-def video) on a disc that's a variation on existing DVD technology.
First machines and movies have been announced for release in time for the holidays this year, though many are skeptical that timeline can be met. With the announcement Tuesday, Toshiba says a triple-layer HD DVD disc will increase capacity to 45 GB on a single-sided disc, or as much as 12 hours of high-def content. The double-disc hybrid option would offer a dual-layer 30 GB high-def disc on one side and a standard-definition 8.5 GB disc on the other.
Sony and Matsucrapa, supported by Disney and others, have created Blu-ray, a similar-looking digital disc using a proprietary technology that offers 50 GB of capacity. Launch is expected in early 2006.
The two formats are incompatible.
Fox and DreamWorks have yet to weigh in with their respective preferences and are not likely to do so anytime soon since a commitment at this stage would give none of the parties much of a strategic advantage. Fox is believed to be concerned about copy protection issues.
Both sides acknowledge that introducing two incompatible formats could be disastrous, causing consumer and retail confusion and possibly killing chances altogether for the adoption of a new high-def disc format, especially as electronic and wireless delivery of movies is gaining popularity.
Game for integration
At stake is a financial cut and control of the disc on which consumers spend tens of billions of dollars each year to see movies and TV shows and play videogames. Sony is already planning to integrate Blu-ray into the PlayStation 3, while Microsoft is expected to announce this week that HD DVD will be a non-exclusive component of the upcoming Xbox 360. Both next-generation gaming consoles will be used for DVD playback and home media networking.
Last month the two sides began quiet negotiations on a potential compromise. They are scheduled to hold meetings in Tokyo starting Monday.
Just prior to Toshiba's announcement Tuesday, the company issued a statement debunking reports from the Japanese media that an agreement was at hand. A short while later the company made its announcement about the two revisions to its proposed HD DVD format.
The HD DVD camp said Tuesday's announcement was aimed at swaying Disney over to the HD DVD side. Disney has no stake in underlying technology patent fees and has said its support of Blu-ray was non-exclusive in hopes that a single standard could emerge. But Disney has been vocal in its preference for the increased capacity of Blu-ray for the purposes of including more content and more interactivity.
Just pre-confab spin?
Officials at Disney and Sony had no official comment Tuesday, but sources within the Blu-ray camp dismissed the Toshiba announcement as rhetoric and strategic positioning on the eve of a Media Tech Expo in Las Vegas and just ahead of the meetings in Japan next week. None of the new technologies announced by Toshiba has been seen or approved by any of the necessary parties.
"We're pleased they're finally acknowledging more capacity is very important, but what they're talking about is theoretical and down-the-road," said Andy Parsons, senior VP of advanced products at Blu-ray backer Pioneer. "This doesn't help the chances for unification."
A spokesman for Toshiba acknowledged that the timing of the announcement was geared to Media Tech and that the technologies announced Tuesday would have to be approved by the DVD Forum, which could mean these optional components of the HD DVD may not be ready in time for the planned fourth-quarter launch.

[av_phile1]

Also saw this Toshiba development at CNN just last night.  That made think how it squares with the earlier pronoucements of a possible compromise agreement between the two formats.  Still hoping.

[pchin]

Toshiba denies rumours of HD DVD unification agreement

Yesterday word started to spread about the possibility of the two next-gen HD formats having reached an agreement to unify their efforts into one format. But before we could even get round to revealing this, we received the following, depressingly firm rebuttal from Toshiba. The only good news, in fact, is the hint of a higher capacity HD disc slipped in at the end…

”TOKYO - A press report was released today regarding the potential unification of the next generation HD formats. The following is Toshiba’s comment on the report:

Toshiba believes a single format for next generation DVD is most beneficial for consumers, and we are actively participating in talks towards format unification. At this point however, nothing has been decided and absolutely no decision has been made for unification on any basis. The indication that a unification agreement on the basis of a 0.1mm disc system is imminent is unfounded and erroneous. Given this, Toshiba does not intend to make any proposal on unification to the members of the HD DVD Promotion Group.

We recognize that the key factors for a unified format are large capacity, reasonable cost and backward compatibility with DVD that maximizes consumer benefit.

Toshiba will present a new higher capacity HD DVD-ROM disc at Media-Tech Expo 2005 in Las Vegas, USA, the optical disc manufacturing industry’s leading annual trade show.

Toshiba will continue to be engaged in the dialogue on format unification."

From Home Cinema News

[DViant]

The specs of the Xbox 360 was announced earlier today and sad to say no HD DVD drive on this November's new console. It does support HD conent via DVD-ROM disc. I was really hoping for an inexpensive all HD DVD player and next generation console in one.

Those who have been itching to buy a HDTV display or already have one but arent able to maximize their sets now have a very good reason to get one. All Xbox 360 games will do 1080i and 720p.

For an easy to read write up click to http://www7.tomshardware.com/game/200505121/index.html

My analysis is HD DVD will probably not have as much impact as BD.

I am definatly getting the Xbox 360 though I would wait until the PS3 will come out. By then I am sure all the great games will be available and all the bugs trushed out.

[DViant]

Welcome to the Colony. Video preview of the Xbox 360

Light - http://msxb.vo.llnwd.net/o2/ourcolony/TheColony_v2_300k.zip

Heavy - http://msxb.vo.llnwd.net/o2/ourcolony/TheColony_v2_750k.zip

[bachwitz]

PlayStation 3 announced for 2006

............Sony also confirmed the PlayStation 3 will use Blu-ray discs as its media format. The discs can hold up to six times as much data as current-generation DVDs. It will also support CR-ROM, CD-RW, DVD, DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD+R formats. Sony also confirmed the machine would be backward compatible all the way to the original PlayStation. It will also have slots for Memory Stick Duo, an SD slot, and a compact flash memory slot. It will also sport a slot for a detachable 2.5-inch HDD, somewhat similar the Xbox 360's. Sony did not mention if the drive would be standard.




patay na ata. habang nagtatagal nawawalan nang linaw na magkaroon nang isang standard.

complete link --> http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/05/16/news_6124681.html?q=1

[av_phile1]

Is high definition gaming the primary compulsion to get those plasma displays?

[DViant]

In the Philippines the answer has to be a big, loud "YES!" Until now none of the local TV stations, cable operators, satellite providers have provide HD broadcasts but the announcement of these next generation consoles gives a very compeling reason to upgrade. Another reason to get a HD displays is the introduction of the Blu-ray and HD DVD formats that deliver HD content on easily produced optical media.

I took the time out to compare and contrast between the Xbox 360 & PS3 and I came to to this conclusion.

Xbox 360 has a CPU FPS of 45 GFlops*
PS3 has a CPU FPS of 218 GFlops

Xbox 360 has a GPU FPS of around 955 GFlops**
PS3 has a GPU FPS of 1.8TFlops

Xbox 360 has a combined FPS of 1TFlops
PS3 has a combined FPS of 2TFlops

Xbox 360 has a DVD-ROM
PS3 has a BD-ROM

Xbox 360 is WiFi ready
PS3 is WiFi built-in

Xbox 360 has 3 x USB 2.0 ports
PS3 has 6 x USB 2.0 ports

Xbox 360 has support for 4 wireless controllers
PS3 has support for 7 wireless (Bluetooth) controllers

Xbox 360 uses Memory Units
PS3 uses MS Standard/Duo/Pro, SD standard/mini & Compact Flash Type I/II

Xbox 360 has support for select Xbox1 games
PS3 has support for PS1 & PS2 games

Xbox 360 has support for 1 720p & 1080i display
PS3 has support for 2 480p, 720p, 1080i & 1080p displays

Note:
* Derived from CPU Game Math Performance of 9 billion dot product operations per second
** Derived from subtracting published Overall System Floating-Point Performance of 1TFlops with derived from CPU Game Math Performance of 9 billion dot product operations per second

Source:
IGN's PS3 Tech Specs
Official Xbox 360 Fact Sheet
Formula for Dot Product Operations Per Second to GFlops

If I were to pick between the two I'd go with the PS3 because it has a BD-ROM drive that could play BD video.

[pchin]

PlayStation3™ Console

Features:   
    •    CPU: Cell Processor   
    •    GPU: RSX @550MHz   
    •    Sound: Dolby 5.1ch, DTS, LPCM, etc. (Cell-base processing)   
    •    Memory: 256MB XDR Main RAM @3.2GHz, 256MB GDDR3 VRAM @700MHz   
    •    Storage: HDD Detachable 2.5" HDD slot x 1   
    •    USB ports: Front x 4, Rear x 2 (USB2.0)   
    •    Memory Stick standard/Duo, PRO   
    •    SD standard/mini   
    •    CompactFlash (Type I,II)   
    •    Ethernet (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T)   
    •    Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 b/g Bluetooth    
    •    Bluetooth 2.0 (EDR)   
    •    Controller: Bluetooth (up to 7), USB 2.0 (wired), Wi-Fi (PSP™), Network (over IP)   
    •    Screen size: 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p   
    •    HDMI out x 2   
    •    Analog AV MULTI OUT   
    •    Digital audio DIGITAL OUT (OPTICAL)   
    •    Supports PlayStation™, PlayStation2™ and PlayStation3&trae; discs.   
    •    Supports DVD Video and BD (Blu Ray Disc) Video

Description:
PS3™ combines state-of-the-art technologies featuring Cell, a processor jointly developed by IBM, Sony Group and Toshiba Corporation, graphics processor (RSX) codeveloped by NVIDIA Corporation and SCEI, and XDR memory developed by Rambus Inc. It also adopts BD-ROM (Blu-ray Disc ROM) with maximum storage capacity of 54 GB (dual layer) , enabling delivery of entertainment content in full high-definition (HD) quality, under a secure environment made possible through the most advanced copyright protection technology. To match the accelerating convergence of digital consumer electronics and computer technology, PS3™ supports high quality display in resolution of 1080p as standard, which is far superior to 720p/1080i.

With an overwhelming computing power of 2 teraflops, entirely new graphical expressions that have never been seen before will become possible. In games, not only will movement of characters and objects be far more refined and realistic, but landscapes and virtual worlds can also be rendered in real-time, thereby elevating the freedom of graphics expression to levels not experienced in the past. Gamers will literally be able to dive into the realistic world seen in large screen movies and experience the excitement in real-time.

PS3™ offers backward compatibility enabling gamers to enjoy these enormous assets from PS™ and PS2™ platforms.

*From Play Asia

[pchin]

It's a real set back for those Xbox fans in the Philippines as the world largest software maker Microsoft Corp. is delaying the introduction of its much hyped game console Xbox 360 locally due to the country's poor broadband penetration and high software piracy rate.

Xbox 360 will go on sale in North America, Europe & Japan this Christmas. Hopefully, Philippines will follow soon  :'(

[DViant]

If MS has the Xbox locally expect piracy to be severely curbed. Games wil be delayed weeks after their Japanese/US debut. Where did you get your news that a all major market debut will come out by Christmas? All available info indicate a November release for the US.

[barrister]

End of an era for DVDs?? Naah, I doubt it. Maybe in the U.S. it may come sooner, but remember that ours is  third world country. Just look at how those VCDs are still selling like pancakes at P75 to P150 each here in the Philippines, even if they are obsolete in the U.S.

In my opinion, the DVD craze is just beginning here in the Philippines,  with all those unbranded DVD players being sold. The market is just shifting from VCD to DVD.  Even the latest releases still come out in VCDs way before the DVD format comes. (Yung ibang titles, wala pa nga sa DVD). In the next few years, we may see the slow phasing out of VCDs, so that most major releases will be out on DVDs. The good thing is that prices of DVDs will soon go down. (Remember when VCDs used to retail for P450 each?)

Good observation. 

Sabi nila 2 years ago, malapit na raw ang phase-out ng VCD.  But just look at the Astro branches now.  Di ba nabawasan ang mga DVD titles, at lalo pa ngang dumami ang VCD titles?

Saw a very nice feature on this on BBC...

Blu-Ray by Sony / Philips won on Capacity at close to 50GB and boasting a possible 100+GB by next year (HD-DVD has 23GB) and Games Applications since it will leverage Sony's stranglehold on the market with the PS3 scheduled for next year...

100+ GB?  Ang liit naman pala ng capacity ng lolo mo.  Wala 'yan sa lolo ko.

Ano ba ang capacity ng lolo mo?

800 GB lang naman.  ...



Iomega Patents 800GB
DVD Technology
May 25th 2005

Iomega have filed a patent for technology that could see the advent of the 800GB DVD.

The Articulated Optical DVD, or AO-DVD, using nano-technology to encode the data and therefore can pack much more onto the surface of a standard disc. The 800GB capacity that Iomega is talking about is 8 times greater than the 100GB Blu-Ray disc recently announced by TDK.

Full text:  http://www.dvdrecorderworld.com/news/223

See also: http://www.geek.com/news/geeknews/2005May/gee20050526030631.htm

[Quitacet]

From DVDFile.com

Fox Declares for Blu-ray Disc

by Dan Ramer
FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 2005

On April 6th, I reported that Peter Chernin, president the Fox Entertainment unit was quoted as saying, "We are trying to play both of [the formats] . . . against each other." And, that standard definition DVD has "one of the leakiest copyright protections known to man." There had been reports that Fox was more likely to declare for Blu-ray Disc, but was waiting to see which format is more secure. Well, on July 29th, 20th Century Fox finally declared its preference for Blu-ray Disc, citing a higher level of security.

If we revisit the concept that the most popular films have the power to drive a format forward, this is how the top one hundred films based on domestic gross are now distributed between the two formats.



Based on this metric, for all intent and purposes, the race is now a dead heat.

The HD-DVD camp quickly reacted, issuing a statement the next day:

"Today's announcement by 20th Century Fox regarding its support of the Blu-ray Disc format is surprising and misleading in terms of which format provides for more robust copy protection. The content protection system of HD DVD provides an equivalent level of security as the system advocated by Fox for Blu-ray. We also believe the Blu-ray disc format and proposed copy protection system may result in playability and reliability issues for the consumer. HD DVD provides robust, renewable and standardized content protection coupled with proven reliability, cost effectiveness and flexibility which is why many major film studios have announced support for the HD DVD format."

This implies to me that HD-DVD will apply AACS and Blu-ray Disc will quite possibly layer SPDC on top of AACS (see my article of May 18th about draconian copy protection measures). And I'm a little alarmed by two hints in the HD-DVD Group's statement that the threats and risks that I described in that column are not only quite real, but may be worse.

Note that the term “renewable” is mentioned. This likely refers to the ability of the content protection systems to revoke the keys of a title (rendering that title unplayable on your player) and revoke the keys of a player (rendering your new, expensive player inoperative). For those who read my May 18th column and posted opinions that I was being paranoid, HD-DVD's statement for the record clearly indicates that the film industry has every intention of exercising revocation options if they feel it's appropriate.

The other casual comment that caused me some concern refers to “playability and reliability issues.” What does the HD-DVD Group know about SPDC that we don't? Can it possibly be worse than we already know from published materials? I don't know about you, but the more I learn, the more uncomfortable I become.

And we still haven't been able to obtain an official, on-the-record confirmation or denial that early adapters will be left behind. So, at the risk of repeating myself, have you written the studios yet to express your concerns and displeasure? And to explain that you cannot support the new formats unless critical issues are addressed?

The issues are:

The abandonment of early adapters with displays having only analog component video inputs by denying them access to full resolution analog component video outputs.

The absence of a statement indicating the availability of a no-cost-to-the-consumer disc replacement program for revoked discs.

The absence of a statement indicating the availability of a no-cost-to-the-consumer firmware replacement program for revoked players.

See my column of April 6th for the names and addresses you'll need.

Previously published related articles:
High Definition DVD Dilemmas, January 2, 2005
Blu-ray Disc vs. HD-DVD, February 14, 2005
Mixed Signals, February 21, 2005
Another Leaf On The HDCP-HDMI-DVI Artichoke, March 7, 2005
Orson Welles Strike Again, April 6, 2005
Movement on the HD Disc Front, April 18, 2005
What the Studios Really Seem to Have in Store for Us, May 18, 2005
The Supreme Court Speaks, July 8, 2005
It Hits The Fan , July 22, 2005

 

[maverickph]

Hmmm. It sound that this technology will be greatly used for corporate or business databases.  Sa pics palang medyo matatagalan pa tayong makakuha nyan.  Due to big capacity of disk it would be better for backups of data specially sa mga banks.  I could imagine how much is the new unit for this which is far more expensive to own.  Wag kayong mag alala darating din sa inyo yan pag marami ng made in china. he he hehe.  This technology will be too expensive to replace the current dvd on the market.  Dapat ma kontento na rin tayo kung ano man meron ngayon kung entertainment din lang hanap nyo dvd player and disk wont cost us big bucks at least lahat masaya.

[bachwitz]

Lions Gate to use Blu-Ray DVD format

Thursday, August 18, 2005; Posted: 10:49 a.m. EDT (14:49 GMT)

   

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. said Wednesday it will release movies and other content on the high definition Blu-Ray disc format when that technology launches next year.

The studio joins Sony Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox and The Walt Disney Co. as supporters of one of two next generation DVD formats vying to replace standard DVDs.

Both formats promise increased storage capacity and movie resolution superior enough to get top performance from high-definition television sets. And both would contain stronger anti-piracy protection, a key factor in the studios' haste to adopt a new format.

Supporters of the rival format, HD-DVD, include Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures and Universal Studios.

Blu-Ray was developed by Sony Corp., Matsus**ta Electric Industrial Co., which makes the Panasonic brand, and Philips Electronics NV. HD-DVD was developed by electronics makers Toshiba Corp. and NEC Corp.

HD-DVD players and films are expected to be available by the end of the year. Blu-Ray players and films are expected to be available in North America sometime next year.

Studios and consumer electronics makers are hoping to avoid a format war that would leave consumers confused and unwilling to upgrade to the new equipment needed to play high definition discs. Such a war ensued when the competing Betamax and VHS videocassette formats were introduced, and it was blamed for slowing consumer acceptance of videocassette recorders.

Industry officials are pushing this time for both sides to reach a compromise.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/08/18/nextgeneration.dvd.ap/index.html

[JT]

Samsung Blu-Ray machine



http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/home-entertainment/samsung-bluray-media-monster-125717.php

[jackryan]

Samsung Blu-Ray machine



http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/home-entertainment/samsung-bluray-media-monster-125717.php

Pre, does the model comes bundled with the sampler ?

Cheers,
-jackryan