HD DVD & Blu-ray News

* New Technology Could Nip DVD Format War In The Bud - The format war around next generation DVDs may be over before it has begun, thanks to a breakthrough from a British media technology company. - Sep 27, 2006

* Both HDTV DVD Formats Will Survive - NetFlix CEO Reed Hastings says both Toshiba's HD-DVD and Sony's Blu-ray will survive the high-def DVD war. - Sep 26, 2006

* Experts Urge Restraint on Blu-ray and HD-DVD - Blu-ray and HD-DVD are currently something for people who have money to burn, says Peter Knaak from the German consumer testing organization Stiftung Warentest in Berlin. - Sep 23, 2006

* No go on combo of Blu-ray, HD DVD - The dream of many gadget kooks these days--a box that can play both Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD movies--may come some day, but it doesn't appear likely in the near future. - Sep 22, 2006

* Warner Bros. Seeks Patent for Hybrid High-Def DVD - Warner Bros. has filed a patent application for a single disc that can store regular DVD, HD DVD and Blu-ray content. - Sep 21, 2006

* Microsoft to add HD DVD to Xbox 360 - Microsoft Corp. will launch an HD DVD drive add-on for its Xbox 360 console in November, a company executive said Wednesday. - Sep 20, 2006

* HD DVD player is clunky, but offers a clear image - Consumers looking to upgrade their home theaters can now choose between two types of high-definition DVD players -- the confusing result of a long-running format war involving Hollywood studios and technology companies. - Sep 19, 2006

* Toshiba, Memory-Tech develop new DVD-HD-DVD compatible discs - Japanese electronics giant Toshiba Corp. and optical disc maker Memory-Tech Corp. have jointly developed a single-sided three-layer ROM disc that supports high capacity storage and playback of content in both DVD and HD DVD formats. - Sep 17, 2006

* Rorke Data Collaborates With Fujitsu and Myricom to Set New Standard in Video Storage Cost-Performance - For the first time, video/broadcast storage specialist Rorke Data, a subsidiary of San Jose-based Bell Microproducts, Inc., XG 10-Gigabit Ethernet switch manufacturer Fujitsu Computer Products of America, Inc. and high-performance computing pioneer Myricom, Inc. have collaborated to deliver a cost-effective 10Gbit Ethernet NAS solution. - Sep 16, 2006

* High-Definition Audio-Video Network Alliance Showcases Improved Consumer HD Experience at CEDIA EXPO - The High-Definition Audio-Video Network Alliance (HANA) will demonstrate the next-generation of connected home entertainment in Booth #2205 at CEDIA EXPO, September 13-17, at the Denver Colorado Convention Center. - Sep 15, 2006

* HD-DVD backers to add three-layer disk - Toshiba Corp. and Memory-Tech Corp. have developed a three-layered hybrid DVD/HD-DVD ROM disk that would enable the reading of two data formats on a single-sided disk. - Sep 14, 2006

* Retailers cut high-def hardware prices - Some retailers have begun slashing prices on HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc players last week, despite a tight supply of high-definition players that has many retailers placing the machines on back-order. - Sep 12, 2006

* PlayStation 3, the killer iceberg. Sony, the sinking Titanic - The dreadful confirmation that Sony is a sinking Titanic just came through: and what is surprising is that it’s not a surprise. - Sep 11, 2006

* Rotel's RDV-1092 Brings New Life To Old DVD's - Who'd have thought that, with the onset of high definition DVD's, you could find a way to ensure your existing DVD library doesn't become obsolete. - Sep 11, 2006

* HDTV Rumor Watch - Gossip is flying about new channel and show launches. - Sep 10, 2006

* Sonic Readies European Facilities for HD Launch - Sonic Solutions, the leader in digital media software, today announced new partnerships with authoring facilities across Europe that have standardized on Sonics professional systems to power the production of HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc titles. - Sep 9, 2006

* Sony Hardware In Decline - In an extraordinary public statement of regret and despair over having to postpone his company's PlayStation 3 debut in Europe and Australia until March, and to limit availability elsewhere to only 500,000 units come November. - Sep 9, 2006

* Dell Chairman Touts Video Games - A month after being hit by a massive battery recall, Dell Inc. founder and Chairman Michael Dell emphasized the company's and his own forays into video games. - Sep 8, 2006

* Gefen ships DVI, HDTV Switches - Gefen today unveiled two new high definition video switches, which include the 8x1 DVI Switcher and its enhanced 4x1 HDTV Switcher designed for multiple source integration. - Sep 7, 2006

* Top 5 Home Video Mistakes - Home theater done right improves the quality of life. Home theater done wrong makes you wish you’d never been born. - Sep 6, 2006

* Studios to release some high-def DVDs in Europe - Several movie studios announced plans Thursday to release a handful of films on high-definition DVD in Europe, continuing the slow rollout of the new format worldwide. - Sep 5, 2006

* Pioneer: No Plans for Dual HDTV DVD Player - Pioneer says it has no plans to launch a combination Blu-ray and HD-DVD player. - Sep 4, 2006

* Studios announce Blu-ray movies in Japan - More than a dozen Hollywood studios announced the Blu-ray offerings Tuesday, giving the format another boost as it competes with HD DVD to become the choice for delivering high-definition video with more vivid colors and sharper images than today's DVDs. - Sep 2, 2006

* Digital Storage Servers Could End Blu-ray and HD-DVD Battle - The battle between HD-DVD and Blu-ray formats for the high-definition movie and HDTV could be over before it really even gets started. - Sep 1, 2006

* Software Makers to Release Blu-ray DVD Titles - A group of movie studios threw support Monday behind Toshiba Corp.'s high-definition HD-DVD format and, thereby, drew a line in the sand against Sony Corp.'s competing next- generation Blu-ray DVD technology. - Sep 1, 2006