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Yo Slysoft Guys...read THIS

Interesting. If I get a chance I'll make sure to check it out. I wish Netflix rented other regions...that'd be a really sweet option.
 
James said:
I believe the "players" in the game (studios, CE manufacturers, software developers, authoring studios, replicators, ... ) are uncomfortable with Sony's power.
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Are they comfortable with Microsoft's?

In fact, Sony is not a monopoly in any major area of their business. They are big, yes. But they do not dominate. Microsoft certainly does.

Yesterday I came across interesting article (someone posted a link on blu-ray.com forum):

http://www.roughlydrafted.com/RD/Te.../29_Origins_of_the_Blu-ray_vs_HD-DVD_War.html

The article basically says that the whole HD-DVD thing is all about Microsoft trying to expand its dominance into consumer electronics market. That in order to run HDi enabled content every HD-DVD player becomes a small computer running a small Windows.

While I'm quite loyal to Microsoft when it comes to computers (using Windows, Office and other software from them), I do not like the idea of Windows running in every single electronic device in the world.
 
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Yea? How do you feel about not being able to play BD-R movie content? I'm sorry, but, that is COMPLETE AND TOTAL *BS*!!! "Special AACS" discs? Yea, um, how about NO. You can bet HD DVD doesn't have this limitation. Oh, right, AACS is optional on HD DVD. What a joke. Yes, I'm p!$$ed about this. This is ridiculous.
 
I think this is just a rumour.

Official blu-ray site still says that AACS is not requred for BDMV on BD-RE:

http://www.blu-raydisc.info/content_protection/re2_re3.shtml#re3

If Sony S-300 does not support BD-RE, it is the problem of just one player, not the spec.

There are semi-professional BDMV authoring tools such as DVDit HD and Encore CS3. They would not make any sense if you could not buy a player to play your disc.

Everything is possible though. We will see how it goes.
 
SuperGoof said:
Are they comfortable with Microsoft's?
Click to expand...

Probably. Microsoft is no content provider, so it doesn't compete with Paramount / Warner. Microsoft isn't a CE manufacturer either (yet). And it isn't an authoring studio or a disc replicator.
 
SuperGoof said:
It's because there are no HD-DVD (re)writable discs :).
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At least you can write HD DVD content on standard DVDs, every player will play it. I am not sure if this would work with BDMV structures.
 
Charlie said:
That's a -R not a re-writable. :D
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So? They claim BD-R won't work anymore either, and that's not a re-writable. The point is, I'm not going to have Sony tell me what I can and can't playback. Talk about having FAR too much control! And I'm not spending extra money for a "licensed" (i.e. AACS enabled) disc, either. Not gonna happen.
 
James said:
At least you can write HD DVD content on standard DVDs, every player will play it. I am not sure if this would work with BDMV structures.
Click to expand...

WinDVD BD player, which, as you know, does not play unencrypted BDMV structures from BD-ROM, plays them from BD-RE if UDF2.5 is used.

I don't have a standalone player, but according to others' reports, many players do as well. Depends on the player and firmware though.

Just today I saw a report about new Daewoo Blu-ray player, which apparently supports BD-R and BD-RE discs, and even DivX:

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/08/30/ifa_daewoo_bluray/

The real test will be several next PS3 firmware updates. If after one of them it really stops playing BDMV on BD-RE, it would be really bad. But I think it won't happen.
 
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SamuriHL said:
So? They claim BD-R won't work anymore either, and that's not a re-writable. The point is, I'm not going to have Sony tell me what I can and can't playback. Talk about having FAR too much control! And I'm not spending extra money for a "licensed" (i.e. AACS enabled) disc, either. Not gonna happen.
Click to expand...

I see and missed that somewhere. :D
 
colinhunt said:
Say bye-bye to BD-R/RE playback:

http://forum.beyond3d.com/showthread.php?t=43403
Click to expand...

From Google's translation of Sony's new Blu-ray player specs

http://translate.google.com/transla...roduct/spec.html&langpair=ja|en&hl=en&ie=UTF8

I understand that it is able to play BDMV content on BD-R/RE, but only from one sided one layer BD-R/RE discs.

Probably they decided that 25GB is enough for home movies.

It is not very good, but OK.

Anyway, all BDMV authoring software I encountered so far (DVDit Pro HD, Encore CS3 and Sony's Click to DVD BD Ver.3.0) still only supports 25GB discs.

Also, 50GB BD-R/RE from Sony, TDK and others were widely anounced at some time, but now completely disappeared. Only Panasonic's disc is available on Amazon, and it can only be shipped to the US. At the same time most new Blu-ray movies are on 50GB discs.
 
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Actually, after re-reading that article, I'm not sure anymore. Maybe it mentions that it CANNOT play BD-R/RE discs created with "Click to DVD BD Ver.3.0" in BDMV mode.
 
LG Announces Second-Gen Dual-Format HD DVD/Blu-ray Player

LG Announces Second-Gen Dual-Format HD DVD/Blu-ray Player

Still a grand to get in the US but thought this is worth sharing.

LG's second crack at the hybrid HD player will support interactive PiP features

At the Consumer Electronics Show 2007, LG launched the industry’s first dual-format high-definition player that was capable of playing both Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD media. While LG’s $1,200 player – model designation BH100 – did play both formats, its support for special interactive features such as picture-in-picture were completely lacking.

LG is now looking to right the wrongs of its first attempt at a dual-format player with the announcement of a second-generation player dubbed the BH200. The new model is due in mid-October and will sell for around $1,000.

Like the earlier model, the BH200 will play both HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc movies – but added in the new model is support for interactive features on both formats. LG says that BH200 will support both HDi for HD DVD and BD-Java – adhering to the new features mandated by the Blu-ray Disc Association earlier this year.

Although LG was the first arrival to the dual-format game, it isn’t the only one playing for both sides. In July, Samsung Electronics announced the BD-UP5000 Duo, which claims to also support HDi and BD-Java. Samsung’s player is set to launch this holiday season for $1,049.

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=8737&red=y
 
Does anyone believe that the dual format players being released this year will still be a grand this time next year? :) It seems likely to me that those players will be in the 300 range by next year. That's when i see people adopting HD technology.
 
Possible. I just thought since I saw this I would update the thread as this was part of the conversation even though they are still high in price right now.
 
Yup. I saw the press announcement yesterday on it. Looks like a nice player. When you put something like that out for 300 or less, then average joe consumer is going to buy one so he can play all the HD discs out there and not have to worry about whether the disc is compatible or not. He doesn't care. He just wants to play the movie. The studios need to realize that this format "war" is hurting EVERYONE, including themselves. Nonetheless, I think the dual format players will help the situation until the studios figure out what format they want.
 
LG is talking about a new hybrid HD/BD player priced at $999. To read the entire article read it on the BetaNews website.

LG Promises New, True Hybrid High-Def Disc Player
By Scott M. Fulton, III, BetaNews
September 5, 2007, 6:37 PM

We've been down this road before: Covering CES last January, BetaNews was the first to report that LG Electronics' long-promised hybrid Blu-ray/HD DVD disc player wouldn't actually be able to play the full content of HD DVDs, due to its lack of support for its iHD interactivity layer - the part that gives you menus and on-screen features.

LG originally promised a hybrid player as far back as March 2006. Now, at the CEDIA custom electronics show in Denver, the company is showing off a new prototype that it claims will play both iHD and BD-J interactive content, and will sell for $999.

The promised release timeframe for this round is October, and today's LG announcement made extra efforts to appear forthcoming and sincere. Still, the CEDIA show is targeted primarily at homebuilders, which include those who might buy home entertainment equipment to install in the new homes of premium clients.

So it is not a "launch" quite yet - which might not be bad news, especially for a company that redefined the concept of "launch" in 2006 to mean something that doesn't necessarily require forward motion.

LG's previous BH100 had already won major CES awards in January before those handing out the awards got a chance to read the spec sheet or try actually playing an HD DVD in one.
Click to expand...

So, if that's $999 before this Christmas... just imagine what the price will be 12 months from the date of its release...
 
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