Blu-Ray Technology

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• Sony Blu-ray Recorder Hit Shops in Japan

  Less than a month after the troubled launch of its PlayStation 3, Sony has rolled out its new high definition DVD recorder in Japan as it struggles to restore its tarnished reputation.
  
  Sony's BDZ-V9 Blu-ray machine went on sale here Friday in time for the crucial year-end holiday shopping season with a price tag of about 300,000 yen (2,600 dollars).
  
  "We heard from electronics appliance stores that customers showed great interest in our new products during our demonstration campaign," said Sony spokesman Daichi Yamafuji Friday.
  
  The device is equipped with a 500GB hard disk drive and support recording of digital broadcastings to the HDD and single-layer BD-R/RE and of course, play-back of BD video. It also offers reproduction of AVCHD discs, DVD±R/RW/RAM and audio CDs. In addition, they can write on DVD-R/RW and DVD+R DL media.
  
  According to Sony, the recorder can simultaneously record two programs aired through these digital broadcasts in the HDTV format. This function is likely to attract consumers.
  
  [source:'CDRInfo']
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  Monday, December 11, 2006

• Advanced Media Introduces Blu-Ray Discs

  Advanced Media, manufacturer and marketer of the RIDATA brand of recordable CD and DVD media introduces its new Blu-Ray media in the United States.
  
  The company is now shipping the blue laser format RIDATA HD DVD-R media with Blu-Ray disc availability scheduled for the first quarter of 2007.
  
  In addition to the 25GB, single-layer Blu-Ray product, Advanced Media will introduce RIDATA-brand 50GB dual-layer Blu-Ray and 15GB single-layer Blu-Ray-RE by 4th quarter 2007. A Rewriteable BD RE version of Blu Ray discs is also expected in 2007.
  
  source: 'CDRInfo'
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  Friday, December 08, 2006

• Roxio Releases DVDit Pro HD Blu-ray Disc Authoring Software

  Sonic Solutions today released DVDit Pro HD, the latest version of the company?s DVD authoring solution, which now makes it possible for video professionals and enthusiasts to create high-definition Blu-ray Disc (BD) movies on their PC.
  
  Based on the same technology used in the development of Hollywood titles, DVDit Pro HD enables users to produce Blu-ray Disc titles with HD menus and burn them to Blu-ray recordable discs for playback in Blu-ray players. Roxio DVDit Pro HD is available today at www.roxio.com for $599.99.
  
  Roxio DVDit Pro HD offers a straightforward workflow that makes it easy for event and corporate videographers to achieve professional results with minimum effort. These users will also appreciate the application's support for both DVD and Blu-ray Disc, giving them the flexibility to work seamlessly with both standard and high-definition content within a single application. For independent filmmakers and post-production facilities, DVDit Pro HD includes a number of features such as a 32-track subtitle editor, support for DLT and CMF and content copy protection traditionally found only in high-end authoring programs.
  
  Authors can provide DVD (DLT) and Blu-ray Disc (CMF) mastering services, and add CSS and AACS content protection for replication.
  
  DVDit Pro HD is available now at www.roxio.com for $599 (SRP). The product will be available in early December through distributors, as well as catalog and online resellers. Current registered owners of Roxio and Sonic-branded products may be eligible for special upgrade pricing.
  
  source: 'CDRInfo'
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• First HD DVD ROM Drive Announced in Japan

  Japanese Buffalo announced the release of the first HD DVD ROM drive for PCs, offering playback of double-layer 30GB HD DVD video movies.
  
  Dubbed "HDV-ROM2.4FB", the ATAPI drive will retail in the Japanese market late December at a suggested retail price of 37,000 Yen ($322).
  
  The drive is based on the Toshiba SD-H802A HD DVD ROM drive, and it is capable of reproducing both single layer (15GB) and double layer (30GB) HD DVD-ROM media at 2.4x (CLV, 10708.8 KB/s). Other specifications include reading of DVD-ROM and DVD±R (SL and DL) as well as DVD±RW media at 5x. As for the CD-ROM, CD-R and CD-RW formats, the Buffalo drive supports reading at a speed of 15x maximum.
  
  Buffalo HDV-ROM2.4FB is one of the first HD DVD ROM drives for the computer market that have been publicly introduced, in addition to NEC's HR-1100A, which was announced in September, 2005, but which never showed up on the market any widely. HP has also announced its first external HD DVD-ROM drive (hd100), which is expected to retail for around $770 later this year.
  
  source: 'CDRInfo'
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• Sony updates PS3 firmware

  Sony has updated the PlayStation 3's firmware, taking the next-generation games console's system software to version 1.3. But the patch doesn't appear to fix the problem some users have had getting the machine to work with older, 1080i-favouring HD TVs.
  
  So a variety of games publications claim. The 1.3 update adds the ability to select which HD resolutions you want the console to default to. It presents a list running from 480p up to 1080p - the PS3 will choose the highest resolution selected. Remove the tick next to the 1080p box and the PS3 will run at 1080i, and so on.
  
  Firmware 1.3 can be downloaded to a PC and transferred to the PS3 via a USB disk, or downloaded directly using the console's System Update software.
  
  source: 'The Register'
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• China unveils fleet of 'HD DVD killer' players

  Chinese consumer electronics companies yesterday kicked off a second attempt to establish the country's alternative to DVD, HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc as the nation's favourite format. Called Enhanced Versatile Disc (EVD), is essentially a DVD that uses a more efficient content compression system.
  
  China launched EVD back in November 2003 as a home-grown format that would leave its consumer electronics free of the hefty licensing fees they pay to foreign firms for the rights to produce DVD-branded kit. However, EVD failed to make much of an impact, and since October 2005, China has been claiming the format will not only make headway against rival technologies but become the market leader in China come 2008.
  
  The EVD Industry Alliance claimed these and other local hardware manufacturers will stop producing DVD players and shift to EVD. Exports of EVD players will begin next year, the organisation said.
  
  source: 'The Register'
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• Sony to ship major PS3 firmware update next March

  The Sony PlayStation 3 European debut - due to take place in March 2007 - will be accompanied by a major firmware update, a senior Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) Europe executive has revealed.
  
  Alas, SCE Europe VP of Technology Paul Holman, cited by Australian website Smarthouse, didn't say what the update will contain, though he alluded to "new features [and] new gaming capabilities".
  
  source: 'The Register'
  Relevant links: full story
  
  
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  Wednesday, December 06, 2006

• Sony game unit's Kutaragi to become chairman/CEO

  Sony Corp.'s (6758.T: Quote, NEWS , Research) game unit said on Thursday its president, Ken Kutaragi, known as the "father of the PlayStation", will become chairman on Dec. 1 while keeping his post as chief executive.
  
  Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE), which earlier this month launched its latest game console, PlayStation 3, said Kazuo Hirai, head of its U.S. operations, will become president and fill the vacant chief operating officer's (COO) position.
  
  "Kutaragi will set a long-term growth strategy while overseeing daily operations. But by putting someone in the COO's position we can allow them to share workloads and add depth to management," SCE spokeswoman Yoshiko Furusawa said.
  
  source: 'Reuters'
  Relevant links: full story
  
  
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  Friday, December 01, 2006

• Pinnacle HD DVD Authoring Pack Lets Consumers Showcase Their Home Movies in HD

  Avid Technology today announced that its Consumer division, Pinnacle Systems, has introduced the Pinnacle HD DVD Authoring Pack as the newest feature available within Pinnacle Studio Plus.
  
  The HD DVD Authoring Pack enables users to create High-Definition DVD movie discs ? complete with HD motion menus ? right within the Pinnacle Studio Plus software using current generation, non-HD DVD burners. Once consumers burn HD DVDs of their projects, they can show their home movies on available HD DVD players and HD TVs. The new HD DVD Authoring Pack is available as an add-on for existing Pinnacle Studio Plus customers.
  
  "With our HD DVD Authoring Pack, home video enthusiasts now have an easy and cost-effective authoring tool that allows them to output their beautiful-looking HD projects to a DVD ? with just a click of the mouse. It?s a great way for users to finish their video projects and then share them with friends in pristine-quality HD," said Jeff Hastings, Pinnacle Systems general manager.
  
  source: 'CDRInfo'
  Relevant links: full story
  
  
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• GeCube preps single-card CrossFire board

  Graphics card maker GeCube this week announced a single-card, dual-GPU product that packs in a pair of AMD's ATI Radeon X1650 XT 80nm chips connected in CrossFire mode.
  
  The Star Twin X1650XT is intended to drive a single display, but GeCube said the card's twin dual-link DVI ports can also be used to feed four screens courtesy of a pair of splitter cables.
  
  The board supports AMD's Avivo video processing system and is equipped with HDCP support to allow copy-protected HD content to be played from a Blu-ray Disc or HD DVD without a resolution reduction.
  
  source: 'The Register'
  Relevant links: full story
  
  
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