With Paramount's recent payoff to go HD-DVD, we will not be seeing anything from their vaults on Blu-Ray, however, we will get this gem on HD-DVD. Its pricetag, over $200!
STAR TREK: The Original Series is a 10-disc collection presented in the original aspect ratio (1.33:1) screen. The standard definition presentation includes Dolby Digital English 5.1 Surround, LAS Mono and French Mono as well as English, LAS and French subtitles. The HD DVD presentation features English Dolby True HD and LAS Mono with English and LAS subtitles. The DVD is not rated in the U.S. and rated G in Canada.
Toshiba has releeased update 2.5 for the second generation of HD-DVD players, and on the higher models, 1080p/24hz is supported. The PS3 has had the ability for 24hz for a while, but now users in the HD-DVD camp can enjoy it. Other minor bugfixes were included.
Toshiba has released a statement which indicates that it is surprised by WB's decision to abandon the HD DVD format and go exclusively Blu-ray.
There seems to be 'sour grapes' involved as Toshiba draw on the fact there are various contracts in place regarding the support of HD DVD And the two companies worked closely to standardize the DVD format and shape HD DVD as its successor.
TOSHIBA'S STATEMENT:
Toshiba is quite surprised by Warner Bros.' decision to abandon HD DVD in favor of Blu-ray, despite the fact that there are various contracts in place between our companies concerning the support of HD DVD. As central members of the DVD Forum, we have long maintained a close partnership with Warner Bros. We worked closely together to help standardize the first-generation DVD format as well as to define and shape HD DVD as its next-generation successor.
We were particularly disappointed that this decision was Made in spite of the signif... More »
Buffalo Technology announced today the market's first external Blu-ray and HD DVD player, that allows users to both read and write Blu-ray content. The USB device can also read HD DVD discs.
It is expected to be hitting the US during Q1 2008 with an estimated street price of $649. To quote:
Press Release
-- Buffalo Technology, a global leader in the design, development and manufacturing of wired and wireless networking, storage and memory solutions today announced the MediaStation Blu-ray HD DVD (BRHC-6316U2), the market's first external Blu-ray and HD DVD player. It is the first device of its kind on the market that allows users to both read and write Blu-ray content.
It provides the ability to save high-definition content, giving users an all-in-one solution to meet their entertainment needs. Users can also connect the player to a notebook or other mobile device via USB and view their favorite video content while on-the-go. In ad... More »
This should be the final year for the high-def format war.. So, what's next?
After Warner Bros.' endorsement of Blu-ray shortly before the Consumer Electronics Show, many analysts have said Blu-ray will be the ultimate winner in its high-def disc format war against HD DVD.
But how much longer will the war go on? And, what will happen before it comes to an end -- assuming that it does?
Here's my prediction for what's likely to transpire in the high-def format war in 2008:
1.The HD DVD Surge
Toshiba said today that it will slash prices on HD DVD players and expand its marketing campaign. Clearly, the format's leading supporter is trying to show the studios and other industry players that it's still a competitive battle.
However, in part because of the negative press from CES (thanks to Warner Bros), relatively few consumers will bite on the lower prices due to fears that they will purchase a soon-to-be obsolete forma... More »
Toshiba has reacted strongly to last week's news that Warner Bros had defected to Sony's Blu-ray camp by cutting prices on its HD DVD players in the US by up to half.
According to a report on CNN Money the suggested retail price of its three standalone players will fall by as much as USD 200 - the HD-A3 falls from around USD 300 to USD 150, the HD-A30 drops from USD 400 to USD 200 while the HD-A35 goes from USD 500 to just USD 300.
The company already marketed one of HD DVD's key advantages as being cheaper than Blu-ray, and Toshiba is taking drastic action to keep its format in the next-generation DVD race.
Following Warner's decision Blu-ray now boasts five key players on its side of the divide, while Paramount and Universal support HD DVD.
Toshiba America's group vice president of digital audio and video explained: "While price is one of the consideration elements for the early adopter, it is a deal-breaker for the mainstream consu... More »
The Blu-ray camp took a decisive lead in disc sales for the week ending January 13th, the first full week following Warner's announcement that it would abandon its HD DVD support.
Though Blu-ray has outsold HD DVD in overall disc sales by a factor of nearly 2:1 since the start of 2007, last week saw the largest gulf between the two rival formats yet, with Blu-ray commanding an 85% share of all high-def discs sold.
Home Media Magazine is reporting that of the top ten high-def discs sold on either format, not a single HD DVD disc made the list, with the top-selling HD DVD disc ('The Kingdom') moving only one tenth as many units as the best selling Blu-ray title, '3:10 to Yuma.'
While it's too soon to tell whether Warner's announcement had a direct effect on Blu-ray's stronger-than-ever disc sales lead, HD DVD had been holding steady with a relatively strong 39% share of high-def disc sales in the last weeks of the 2007 holiday shopping season.
Down but not out, the beleaguered HD DVD format suddenly has some product in the pipeline, after studio announcements that had been slotted for the Consumer Electronics Show were yanked at the last minute due to the pre-show defection of Warner Home Video to the Blu-ray Disc camp.
One of the most high-profile HD DVD releases, ironically, will be from Warner, which won’t officially abandon the Toshiba-developed format until the end of May. The studio Wednesday announced it will release a two-disc special edition of the action hit Twister on all three home entertainment software formats, with the DVD and Blu-Ray Disc coming May 6 and the HD DVD edition following May 27.
Orders are due April 1 for the standard DVD and Blu-ray Disc and April 22 for the HD DVD. Special features include a commentary, an HBO First Look Special on the making of the film, and a 2003 History Channel special on tornadoes.
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