Copyright (c) 2007 Hollywood In Hi-Def. All rights reserved. http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com Hi-Def News en-usThu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=249 Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. according to Web chatter has begun stocking shelves in select stores with a Magnavox-branded, Chinese made Blu-ray player with a retail price of $298 — $100 less than Sony’s PlayStation 3 game system with a BD drive. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=246 Wed, 14 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Disney wants to awaken sales of the Blu-ray Disc format, and the studio knows it'll take more than a kiss to get the job done. In October, Disney will release its first animated classic on the high-definition video format, Sleeping Beauty, with high-tech viewing options not possible with DVD.
]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=247 Wed, 14 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700
The adoption of Sony Corp.'s Blu-ray will accelerate in 2009, but DVD burners will continue to be "the leading volume product until 2012," according to a new report from IDC, a market intelligence firm with headquarters in Framingham.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=248 Wed, 14 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700
A lot has happened since the last time I weighed in on the splendors of high-definition media and HD-DVD.

For starters, HD-DVD no longer exists. Well, you can still find them on sale here and there, most likely tucked away in some ignominious bargain bin, but for all intents and purposes the format is now effectively dead. In the few months since I publicly gushed about the joys of HD-DVD, the format suffered a series of humiliating setbacks as Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Netflix each in turn lined up behind Blu-ray, the competing hi-def format (a mass exodus rumored to be secretly bankrolled by Blu-ray's principal backer, Sony). The tumbling dominoes culminated in a death blow when major HD-DVD supporter Warner Brothers jumped ship to exclusively back Blu-ray.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=244 Thu, 8 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700
The Criterion Collection's long-awaited HD debut -- delayed by that annoying format war -- finally has a date, as well as a list of the first movies getting a definitive release in 1080p. If that wasn't enough, try this bit on for size: They won't charge viewers extra for the privilege. That's right, according to the e-mail that went out to subscribers today, all Blu-ray releases will feature HD picture and sound (no word on what codecs, although we expect nothing but the best considering the company has been mastering and restoring all releases in HD for years now), all the supplemental content and a matching (unspecified) price to their standard DVD editions.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=245 Thu, 8 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Sun Microsystems and Related Content Database Inc. have launched BDLive.com, which provides software and network services for the development of BD Live features for Blu-ray Discs. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=243 Wed, 7 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Only days after Paramount announced it would be re-issuing a select number of discontinued Blu-ray catalog titles this Spring, the studio has confirmed it is returning its entire Blu-ray back catalog to store shelves by the end of May.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=242 Tue, 6 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment have announced the Will Smith / Tommy Lee Jones sci-fi team-up Men in Black as the first BD-Live enabled release for the international market.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=237 Fri, 2 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Despite repeated bashing and smashings, the Xbox 360 Blu-ray rumor is eternal like the sun god. Taiwanese rag Economic Times is reporting that Pegatron Technology—an Asus subsidiary, not a Decepticon as McWhertor points out—has received an order from Microsoft for a Blu-ray-equipped Xbox 360, due to be manufactured soon and shipped in time for the holidays.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=236 Thu, 1 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700
The first wave of Universal Blu-ray Disc titles on July 22 are all from the Mummy franchise and were all previously released on HD DVD: The Mummy, The Mummy Returns and The Scorpion King. All of these titles were published with Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 audio tracks, but not Dolby TrueHD tracks.

Per Universal, all three Mummy films will include DTS-HD Master Lossless Audio. That's right, folks. Instead of lazily porting over what was already completed for HD DVD, Universal has heard your cries for lossless audio and is taking action.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=241 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Paramount Home Entertainment is getting ready to re-enter the Blu-ray Disc business it abandoned last year just before "Transformers," with an initial slate of catalog titles it will begin rolling out May 20.
]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=238 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Following a marketing lull at the conclusion of the format war, retailers Best Buy Co. Inc. and Circuit City Stores Inc. this week ramped up promotional efforts for Blu-ray players and movies.

Richmond, Va.-based Circuit City is offering a free Blu-ray title with the in-store purchase of two $29.99 BD titles. It also sells Sony’s 1080p BD player for $400. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=240 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Panasonic will help Blu-ray Disc go for the gold in an Olympic Games 2008 marketing blitz.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=239 Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Blockbuster said today that it will sell a $499 bundle consisting of a 40GB Play Station 3 console and various Blu-ray disc services.

The bundle, which will be available at all Blockbuster corporate stories, will include the PS3, a PS3/DVD remote, an HDMI cable and a Spider-man 3 Blu-ray disc and a Transformers PS3 game.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=235 Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Warner leads the home media market, and like any leader it is always looking for the next big movie to improve it's sales. It makes sense to us that a good way to promote Blu-ray -- and thus the future of the home media market -- is to make new releases available in HD before their SD counterparts, but we wonder what the rest of the SD world will think of this.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=234 Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700
The Q1 results for Blu-ray are in, and look very encouraging for the format: a 351-percent increase over Q1 2007. Obviously, the end of the format war is the biggest contributor, for studios and consumers alike. The real question is whether there's enough Blu momentum and mindshare for Q1 2008 to mark the magical "inflection point" we heard about at the CES BDA press conference. Sony certainly hopes so, and we hope HD media takes off among the general public, too.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=233 Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700
New Blu-ray Disc development software, dubbed BD Live Platform, promises to save studios time and money in crafting advanced bonus features. The result could be more BD Live titles coming to market with beefed up interactivity this year.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=231 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700
The home video industry received a rosy report card for the first quarter, with a surprising lift in consumer spending after two down years.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=232 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Inviting his audience to snooze or use their BlackBerrys if they weren't engaged by his speech, Matt Brown, executive vp international at Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, called on retailers and DVD distributors to put the excitement back into selling movies if they are not to lose the consumer to other entertainment platforms.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=230 Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Beginning in the summer with "Doomsday," Universal Studios Home Entertainment will bow all its new releases the same day on DVD and Blu-ray Disc, division president Craig Kornblau is set to announce Thursday.

The studio that once was Hollywood's top backer of the HD DVD format got behind Blu-ray the day format developer Toshiba officially threw in the towel two months ago, though without any details.

Now, Kornblau said, he's ready to go public with Universal's Blu-ray strategy, which includes plans to release about 40 titles in the second half of the year.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=227 Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Well, it's good to know where Blockbuster's priorities lie. Back in March, a month or so after Toshiba declared its next-generation HD DVD format completely, absolutely, and unequivocally dead as Betamaxed doornail, the retail video megachain announced that it would be rolling out the Blu-ray format in all of its U.S. and Canadian stores.
]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=228 Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Sony Creative Software has upgraded its DVD Architect and Blu-print software applications, smoothing the process of producing and authoring Blu-ray Discs and DVDs.

DVD Architect 5, shipping in mid-June, will be available as a free downloadable upgrade for registered users of Vegas Pro 8, an authoring software program, and Blu-print 4.3, available in May, will work with Ensequence on-Q Create for Blu-ray Java....]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=229 Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Blockbuster Inc. said it would begin installing nearly 5,000 kiosks in corporate stores selling and renting Blu-ray movies.

The Dallas-based No. 1 rental company last year committed itself to the format early when it made Blu-ray rentals exclusively available at 1,700 of its company-owned locations.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=225 Fri, 4 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700
About six in 10 U.S. households now know what a Blu-ray high-def disc is, according to a new study from research firm Interpret.

The number is up from around zero two years ago when the format first launched, according to the study, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

The study also found that 10.3 million U.S. homes now own a high-def disc player, including HD DVD players and Sony's Play Station 3, which has a Blu-ray player inside.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=226 Wed, 2 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Eager to make a statement in the burgeoning Blu-ray movie market, Trans World Entertainment Corp.’s subsidiary F.Y.E. is offering select new BD titles at prices more than 30% below competing retailers.

Discounts depend on consumers being members of F.Y.E.’s Backstage Pass frequent buyer program and sending in for rebates.

Notable titles include Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment’s Enchanted, which listed below $17 at its March 18 street date, compared to $23 to $24 at Best Buy, Amazon and Wal-Mart. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=224 Tue, 1 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700
First, HD-DVD died. Then, Steve "Monkey Boy" Ballmer confirmed that Microsoft would support Blu-ray in "ways that make sense." One day later, Stan Glasgow, Sony Electronics' U.S. president, said his company was already in talks with both Microsoft and Apple about adding Blu-ray drives to their hardware. This was apparently news to Aaron Greenberg, group product manager for Xbox 360, who corrected that statement in an interview with Reuters, saying that "Xbox is not currently in talks with Sony or the Blu-ray Association to integrate Blu-ray into the Xbox experience."

Now, a new report from Digitimes claims that Lite-On, which is currently one of the suppliers of Xbox 360's internal DVD-ROM drives, is developing built-in Blu-ray drives for the Microsoft's console. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=222 Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700
You sat patiently on the sidelines, waiting for the Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD format war to play out — wise move.

Now that Blu-ray has won, you’re ready to take the plunge and buy a player. It should be a simple matter; just compare some prices and features.

After all, a Blu-ray player is a Blu-ray player, right? Well, not exactly. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=223 Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700
As much as technophiles and home theatre addicts preach the wonders of high-definition movies on the latest LCD and plasma displays, nearly the entire mass market is still squarely focused on standard DVD movies. That, however, could begin changing this year.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=221 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700
The next update of Sony Corp.'s PlayStation 3 console, slated late this month, will include features that let users download games, video and ring tones.

Sony said Thursday the system update will add Blu-ray Disc Profile 2.0, or BD-Live capability, to the PS3. It will also let users copy photos and music playlists on to their handheld PlayStation Portable, use the PSP as a remote control for playing music on the PS3 and stream linked video files from the Web.

This will make the PS3 the first Blu-ray player with access to Internet content and downloads. Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., which owns the Panasonic brand, also plans to ship a BD-Live player this spring.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=218 Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Consumer interest in next-generation packaged media format Blu-ray rose slightly last month following the end of the format war with rival HD DVD, according to a study by The NPD Group. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=219 Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700
The format that some say isn't done, just got one step closer for those with media PCs, as the latest version of WinDVD 9 Plus Blu-ray -- despite the new name, HD DVD is still supported -- finally includes support for the latest audio codecs Blu-ray has to offer. But improved audio support isn't all it has to offer, as BonusView is now supported, as well as support for the latest HD video camera codec, AVCHD.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=220 Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Playing "catch up" with a number of its top HD DVD music releases, Image Entertainment has announced it is bringing a quintet of concert classics to Blu-ray beginning this Summer.

There are no street dates yet, but Image says that starting in mid-2008, it will release on Blu-ray five music titles previously available only on HD DVD -- 'Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire: Live at the Greek,' 'Heart: Alive in Seattle,' 'Moody Blues: Lovely to See You Live,' 'Roy Orbison: Black and White Night' and 'Barry Manilow Live!']]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=216 Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700
I GOT the lecture as a 10-year-old, from the father of one of my friends. “This is the future,” he said, waving his arms enthusiastically toward the squat box resting on a shelf in his living room. He had never before spoken to me with such fervor about anything, even his children. “Mark my words, kid,” he grinned. “This was the best $1,000 I ever spent.”

It was 1980. The man’s source of pride was a brand-new Betamax video cassette recorder.

Looking back, I realize that I learned something that day, and not just about unleashing one’s inner blowhard in the presence of children. It was an easily analogized lesson about the benefit of patience: of choosing the best horse in the race, not necessarily the first; of waiting for the dust to settle before staking one’s claim.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=217 Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700
With the HD-DVD high-definition video format dead, Microsoft (MSFT) is moving to make amends with Sony (SNE) and make its operating system and Xbox 360 console compatible with the victorious Blu-ray format. According to a piece in last week’s Financial Times, Sony Electronics US president Stan Glasgow said his company was holding discussions with both Microsoft and Apple (AAPL) about adopting the format.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=213 Mon, 10 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer says his company will support Blu-ray "in ways that make sense."

Ballmer made his comments at the Mix '08 conference, according to GamesIndustry.biz.

The Financial Times reported last week that Microsoft and Sony were discussing ways to develop a Blu-ray player for Microsoft's XBox 360 game console. Microsoft refused to comment for the article, but Ballmer on Friday made it clear that Blu-ray was in his company's future.
]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=214 Mon, 10 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Hot on the heels of news that Circuit City may in fact be offering up a hush-hush trade-in program for HD DVD purchasers comes official word that said retailer is tripling its standard return window in order to appease early adopters.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=215 Mon, 10 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700
It’s something that would have been unthinkable just a month ago.

There on the La Quinta Resort & Club stage on March 7 were four studio vice presidents, discussing their Blu-ray Disc plans and the future of high definition home entertainment. A month ago, you’d have expected representatives from Sony, Disney and Fox. The idea that someone from former HD DVD-backer Universal would be talking Blu-ray would have been laughable.

“We can’t be complacent,” said Bill Mandel, VP of broadband technology for Universal Studios, at the 38th annual Content Delivery and Storage Forum. “We really have to reinforce how Blu-ray is going to work (better) from what we had with DVD. We need to think about how we’re going to keep packaged media relevant.” ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=212 Wed, 5 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0800
In a recent post on the News.com blog, David Carnoy opined on the future of Toshiba and its ill-fated decision to back a losing format for so long. Pointing to a Wall Street Journal interview with Toshiba's CEO, Carnoy extrapolated information from the discussion and concluded that because the company's chief executive said his company would "improve this [upconverting feature] even more, so that consumers won't be able to tell the difference from HD DVD images", Toshiba has no designs on a move into the Blu-ray player market. Carnoy asserts that 2008 will not bring a Blu-ray player from Toshiba, but it may "change its tune" in 2009. And while Carnoy makes a good point in saying Toshiba Blu-ray players will be available next year, I think he's off by one year.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=210 Tue, 4 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Everyone loves a fight, and no sooner was the HD movie format war over, many analyst and pundits were setting up Blu-ray's next battles. We love to watch a fight as much as the next person -- more like watching a train wreck really -- but some of the craziness just has to stop. Many give consumers too much credit, and even worse are ignoring the facts. Blu-ray has the best chance to replace DVD, and we're going to tell you why. There is no arguing that DVD currently rules the roost, but it won't forever and the battle to overtake DVD is being fought on two main fronts.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=211 Tue, 4 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Unlike short-form videos and user-generated content, the nascent market for downloading feature-length movies via Apple TV, Amazon’s Unbox, Movielink and Vudu, among others, appears to be nearly non-existent, according to a new report.

A survey of 1,975 broadband users found that fewer than 9.5% regularly downloaded movies from the Internet onto their personal computers, according to The Diffusion Group. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=209 Thu, 21 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800
The last domino of the format war has fallen: Paramount has officially announced it will align with Blu-ray and begin releasing titles on the format.

"We are pleased that the industry is moving to a single high-definition format, as we believe it is in the best interest of the consumer," the studio said via a statement issued Wednesday to The Hollywood Reporter. "

As we look to (begin) releasing our titles on Blu-ray, we will monitor consumer adoption and determine our release plans accordingly."

The studio did not issue any further details regarding a timeframe for the transition, nor any specific title announcements.

Also absent in Paramount's statement was any mention of subsidiary DreamWorks, although it is widely expected that the company (including DreamWorks Animation) will follow its corporate parent and begin releasing titles on Blu-ray. Paramount's statement follows two days of silence by the studio, after primary HD DVD-backer Toshiba's announcement early Tuesday that it would drop its support of the format. Only hours later, Universal Studios confirmed a move to Blu-ray, leaving Paramount as the sole HD DVD-exclusive studio yet to declare its future plans.

]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=208 Wed, 20 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800
On Wednesday, online retailer Amazon.com became the latest to declare its support for the victorious high-definition technology, announcing that it "will more prominently promote Blu-ray hardware and software products on its Web site." The company will not, however, discontinue its sales of HD DVD products.

"The high-definition landscape is rapidly changing, and consumers are looking for guidance on how to make the best high-definition buying decisions," Peter Faricy, Amazon's vice president of movies and music, said in a statement from the company. "Our customers have clearly voiced their support for the Blu-ray format."

But in a sense, Amazon is also an indicator that Blu-ray's struggles aren't quite over. With its Unbox movie download service, Amazon is among a number of major Web retailers that offer digital downloads of movies and TV shows. Some have said that with all the bickering over HD DVD and Blu-ray for so many months, digital downloads from companies like Amazon, Netflix, and Apple's iTunes were able to find a steadier footing.

Luckily for Blu-ray overlord Sony, your average digital movie download isn't nearly up to par in the quality department.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=207 Tue, 19 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Universal Studios Home Entertainment, one of Toshiba’s strongest partners in the launch of the HD DVD format, wasted little time in announcing plans to begin producing movies in the rival Blu-ray Disc format.

Hours after Toshiba’s official statement saying it has dropped further plans for HD DVD, the studio’s home entertainment unit president said Universal will now begin Blu-ray Disc production.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=206 Fri, 15 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Wal-Mart is going Blu-ray exclusive by June—they won't even stock older HD DVD stuff at that point. While Netflix and Best Buy pulling Blu were hard blows to HD DVD, when the world's largest public corporation won't stock your products, you're basically doomed. Wal-Mart is the avenue to the unwashed masses, and, as an emerging format, if you're not rolling on it, you've effectively fallen off the radar of millions of people. It's probable Toshiba already knew this, hence the rumors of it finally pulling the plug. If they weren't considering it before, it's gotta weigh heavy on them now. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=203 Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800
If you've been considering upgrading your standard-def DVD editions of select Disney titles to Blu-ray, here's a deal to be on the look out for.

Here's how it works: included in some Blu-ray editions of several titles (including most recently, 'The Rock,' 'Crimson Tide' and 'Con Air') is an insert offering a $10 rebate for consumers who've purchased both the standard-def DVD edition *and* the Blu-ray edition of the same title.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=204 Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Two months after the million milestone was hit, total Blu-ray disc movie sales across Europe have reached over two million units, it has been announced in a press release issued by the Blu-ray Disc Association European Promotions Committee.

The most recent Gfk figures show Blu-ray disc movie sales totalled 2.37 million, which, the group says, means that 79% of the high definition movie discs bought by consumers year-to-date across Europe were Blu-ray compared with 21% in the HD DVD format. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=205 Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800
As support continues to just fall in the lap of the Blu-ray camp, Lionsgate president and co-COO has been quoted as saying that his company "expects the industry to unite behind Blu-ray by the summer." This was uttered yesterday during a spirited investor call, and was followed up by his suggestion that this so-called unification could "drive the current HD market to triple in size from $300 million in 2007 to more than $1 billion this year."]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=201 Wed, 13 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Never one to hold his tongue, Michael Bay is speaking out again on the high-def format war, reminding that he backed Blu-ray long before the format's most recent wave of victories.

The outspoken 'Transformers' director's latest comments came earlier this week at an award ceremony held by the Visual Effects Society, where he presented the award for animated character in a motion picture.

"Blu-ray’s better, and I told everyone," said Bay. "I was very vocal about it. I knew HD [DVD] was not going to make it."]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=202 Wed, 13 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Prospects for a resolution to the high-definition DVD format war seemed to come into sharper focus on Monday as Best Buy (BBY) and Netflix (NFLX) separately announced plans to promote Sony's (SNE) Blu-ray format over Toshiba's HD DVD.
Best Buy, the No. 1 consumer electronics chain, said that beginning in early March it will provide more shelf space and marketing for Blu-ray players and software than it will for similar HD DVD products.

"We're trying to be a customer advocate," says Mike Vitelli, Best Buy's senior vice president for home solutions. "Consumers want some clear direction. We're stepping out and giving them that recommendation."


]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=199 Mon, 11 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800
The by-mail DVD rental service says the industry has picked a winner.

NetFlix today drove another nail in HD DVD's coffin by announcing it will support Blu-ray exclusively in the high-def disc format war.

The by-mail DVD rental service, which has more than six million subscribers, has offered movies in both HD DVD and Blu-ray. However, the company today said the industry has "picked a winner" in Blu-ray.
]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=200 Mon, 11 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Minneapolis — Best Buy stopped short of announcing exclusive support for Blu-ray Disc, but starting in March the chain will begin “prominently showcasing” Blu-ray Disc hardware and software in its retail stores and online.

The giant CE retail chain said the decision was made to give consumers direction and clear up confusion that remains in the ongoing HD disc format war. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=198 Fri, 8 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Consumer interest in Blu-ray players is growing while interest in HD DVD is flattening.

That's according to a new study from the NPD Group, as reported by Video Business.

NPD notes that consumers' desire to buy Blu-ray players has risen since Warner Bros. announced last month that it would endorse the high-def disc format. The decision has given Blu-ray a 5-2 advantage over HD DVD among major studios.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=197 Fri, 1 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Warner's move to Blu-ray exclusivity has swayed yet another distribution partner to follow suit, with National Geographic confirming that it too will drop HD DVD support in favor of Blu-ray.

Distributed under the Warner umbrella along with New Line Home Entertainment, HBO Home Video and BBC Home Video, National Geographic had been format-neutral, releasing only one title thus far, 'Relentless Enemies,' on both Blu-ray and HD DVD.

Please note that this move to Blu-ray exclusivity covers films released under the "National Geographic Presents" shingle only.
]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=193 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
New Product Releases to Streamline BD-Live and DVD-on-Demand Content Production

Sonic Solutions(R) , the leader in digital media software, today announced that its Professional Products Group will focus its research and development resources on the creation of new applications for cutting-edge authoring of Blu-ray Disc titles that encompass the interactive and connected-content capabilities of BD-Live. The group will also increase resource allocation on developing its encoding and title creation applications that streamline the process of preparing video entertainment for digital distribution. In order to address these emerging market opportunities and optimize investment return, the Professional Products Group will conclude sales of its Scenarist(R) HD DVD authoring product line.

]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=194 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
The HD DVD camp does not have it easy these days. Saturn, one of the largest consumer electronics chains in Germany now offers a 150 Euro rebate (~$221) when you bring your old HD DVD player and buy a new Sony Blu-ray player.

Read More at I4U News ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=195 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
The promotional exhibit will be on display at shopping malls.

Disney is bringing its Blu-ray promotional tour to seven more cities over the next seven months.

Called "Disney's Magical Blu-ray Tour," the exhibit will allow people to review and use Blu-ray players and movies at area shopping malls.

The tour, which was launched in 2007, is co-sponsored by Panasonic.

Read More at TV Predictions ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=196 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Blu-ray disc title Lost: The Complete Third Season was the No. 1-selling DVD product at Amazon.com Wed. following a 56 percent price cut that skyrocketed sales.
Other top-sellers include Planet Earth – The Complete BBC Series, Blade Runner, The Fifth Element, and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.

Amazon this week price cut Lost: The Complete Third Season to $39.99 from a list price of $96.99 in the latest round of high-definition discounts.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=192 Tue, 29 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Blu-ray Group Deutschland says the trend in Germany is the same as it is in the US. Surveys taken by GfK in the second week of January 2008 reveal that two times more Blu-ray players were sold than HD-DVD players -- and that is not even including sales of PlayStation 3. Since Warner announced its withdrawal from the HD-DVD format, the Group says that sales of players have been continually rising. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=189 Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
PS3 "success" causes Woolworths to back Blu-ray. Millets could be next.

Woolworths (yes, it still exists) has become the first UK retailer to drop HD-DVD from its shelves, leaving Blu-ray as the sole hi-def format on sale in its shops.

The decision was made by Woolworths bosses after Blu-Ray outsold HD-DVD by ten-to-one at its shops over Christmas, which it says is mainly down to the success of the PlayStation 3.
]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=190 Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Hiroyuki Shimizu, Principal Research Analyst in Japan, says in Gartner's Semiconductor DQ Monday Report that, "Gartner believes that Toshiba's price-cutting may prolong HD DVD's life a little, but the limited line-up of film titles will inflict fatal damage on the format." He goes on to call the recent price cuts "useless resistance" in avoiding the inevitable. What's that, you coyly ask? According to Shimizu, "Gartner expects that, by the end of 2008, Blu-ray will be the winning format in the consumer market, and the war will be over." ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=191 Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Toshiba and Co. may huff and puff about not being dead now, but the first sales numbers in the post-Warner world don’t look good for HD DVD. The week of Jan. 12 saw Blu-ray capture 90 percent of the market. Hence the massive price cuts by Toshiba on HD DVD hardware on Jan. 13.

And to make sure we’ve crossed all the Ts here, the relevant NPD guy said not to make too much out of one week’s sales numbers—that’s a data point, not a trend, he says.

OK, that may not be a trend, but when I have relatives calling me, bothering me, asking me about “that Blu-ray thing,” maybe then we’re getting closer to the average Joe paying attention to high-def discs.

]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=188 Fri, 25 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Best Buy this week began offering a 'Buy 2 Get 1 Free Promo' for Blu-ray disc format titles to online customers.

In the promotion, customers who purchase two eligible Blu-ray disc titles will receive a third of equal or lesser value for free.

]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=185 Thu, 24 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Market research firm The NPD Group today confirmed numbers sent to members last week showing Blu-ray Disc player sales accounted for 90 percent of dedicated HD disc player unit sales and dollar volume during the week ending Jan. 12, but the firm wasn’t ready to declare a trend resulting from Warner Bros.’ HD DVD defection.

]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=186 Thu, 24 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Amazon.com has become the "go to" place to shop for Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD buy one, get one free or price cut sales, with new promotions popping up seemingly ever week or two. The only downside is these promotions typically go as fast as they come, so not everyone has a chance to grab some hot titles for cheap.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=187 Thu, 24 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
NetFlix CEO Reed Hastings says it appears that Blu-ray has the advantage in the high-def disc format war against HD DVD.

In an investors call yesterday following release of NetFlix's fourth quarter report, Hastings added that consumer adoption of Blu-ray will "accelerate" if the format can maintain that advantage.

]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=183 Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
According to the latest NPD group report, during the month of December Blu-ray players held 60 percent of the HD media player market -- despite the fact that HD DVD players were considerably cheaper. While that might've helped Warner in its decision to go Blu, the move has definitely had a dramatic effect on player sales since. According to the same study the week after the announcement, Blu-ray players were able to grab 93 percent of the market, which puts the year to date (short, we know) share for Blu-ray players at 70 percent. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=184 Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
While U.S. consumer electronics retailers remain on the fence about whether to declare a winner in the format war, Japanese consumers appear to have voted Blu-ray champion, according to a new report.

A study of 2,300 CE stores conducted by Business Computer News, a Japanese think tank, found that percentage sales of standalone high-definition DVD players increased 20% in November and December, up from 6.1% in October.
]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=182 Tue, 22 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Stores are reducing HD DVD titles.

Some key retailers are now expanding their Blu-ray inventories while reducing their HD DVD titles, according to Video Business.

The publication reports that Warner Bros.' endorsement this month of Blu-ray has prompted retailers to reexamine the high-def disc format war. (Five major studios now support Blu-ray exclusively compared to just two for HD DVD.)

Thanks to Warner, some executives are now predicting that consumers will demand fewer HD DVD films. Additionally, some retailers believe that a shift to Blu-ray could help end the format war.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=181 Fri, 18 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Site's technical director says the picture quality is below an DVD upconverter player.

From Microsoft to Apple, companies are launching new services that purport to offer High-Definition movies and TV shows via high-speed Internet downloads.

However, ZDNet technical director George Ou says the picture quality on the HD downloads is not as good as the PQ on a DVD 1080p upconverter player.

]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=180 Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
The Sony-backed format pulls 85 percent of weekly sales.

If this were a boxing match, HD DVD was just knocked down.

Again.

Home Media Magazine reports that Blu-ray last week captured 85 percent of high-def disc sales compared to HD DVD's 15 percent.
]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=176 Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Read More at Sony BMG]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=177 Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
When we heard about Blu-ray-to-PSP movie transfers getting all official we got pretty excited, even though the announcement was a little skimpy on the details: How big are the files? How long will it take to download a movie? How odious is the DRM? Most importantly, when? Well, we've got 'em all right here. The deets: The movies are around 1GB (standard def and PSP-optimized) and take about 3-5 minutes to download via USB to the Memory Stick Duo in your PSP. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=178 Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
When you buy a CD you can generally rip it to your hard drive with minimal effort. Every now and then Sony tries to thwart you by either claiming you're a thief or rootkitting your PC. Even with copy-protected CDs it's possible to rip the music without much additional drama. The same has never been true of DVD. Although it's reasonably trivial to copy a DVD, it's not really possible to do it legally -- you need to break the CSS, and that's where the trouble starts.
]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=179 Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
It’s time to knock it off. Ever since the two rival next-generation formats launched in 2006, I have been calling for an end to the format war, but without specifically telling one side or the other to get out.

I’m doing so now. With Warner Home Video dumping HD DVD, the format has the support of just two of the six major studios. It cannot win. At best, it can be a spoiler, but I’m hoping Toshiba, Universal and Paramount will take the high road and, for the good of the entire industry, bow out. Universal and Paramount, in particular, need to jump on the Blu-ray Disc bandwagon so we can go into the new year with a unified front and a unified mission: To educate consumers about the advantages of high-definition media and convince them the time to transition from standard DVD to Blu-ray is the day they bring that HDTV into their home.

]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=175 Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Nothing has been announced, but Variety is reporting that the last two major studios backing HD DVD — NBC Universal and Paramount — are opening the door for a switch to Blu-ray. These studios have commitments to release some discs this year in HD DVD, but both have ended their exclusive commitment to that format, which is backed by a group led by Toshiba. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=173 Wed, 9 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
The high-definition DVD format war has not been won, at least not in the minds of the retailers. Last week, Time Warner Inc's Warner Bros studio said it would exclusively release high-definition DVDs in Blu-ray format instead of Toshiba Corp's competing HD DVD technology. While the announcement was seen as tipping the balance of power in favor of the Blu-ray format, retailers at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week did not see the announcement as a definitive sign of a clear winner. "I don't think we're in a position to go out and declare a winner," said Steve Eastman, Target Corp's vice president of consumer electronics, in an interview. As long as there are two standards competing in public, consumers will stay away, he added.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=174 Wed, 9 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
"We held off releasing them on Blu-ray because we wanted to be able to have the full interactivity," said Tsujishara. "At this point in time, we're still working out all the kinks [with the technology], but they will be released soon." Two titles specifically cited by Tsujishara as being prepped for Blu-ray release were 'Batman Begins,' and the blockbuster 'Matrix' trilogy, although he stopped short of naming actual street dates.

As previously reported, Warner's switch to Blu-ray allegiance will see the studio releasing titles on both Blu-ray and HD DVD through the end of May 2008, after which they will back Blu-ray exclusively. At press time, Warner had not announced any upcoming releases (on either format) to feature picture-in-picture interactivity.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=160 Tue, 8 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
With Warner Bros.' announcement of exclusive support for Blu-ray still fresh in people's minds, crowds converged on the Blu-ray Disc Association booth at the Consumer Electronics show as soon as the 2008 edition of the massive trade show opened here Monday morning and Blu-ray was one of the hotly discussed topics among the media, showgoers and others. The Simpsons characters in the background are among a number of props at the booth from movies featured on Blu-ray.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=161 Tue, 8 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
A Blu-ray Disc spokesperson opens a 15-minute Blu-ray demonstration that played to standing room only crowds throughout the day Monday at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. The demonstration plays on a 103-inch plasma TV with 7.1 surround sound that shows off Blu-ray's unmatched picture and sound capabilities. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=162 Tue, 8 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Movie props like this replica of the Black Pearl from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and warriors from 300 are featured throughout the Blu-ray Disc Association booth at CES. With the recent announcement of Warner Bros.' exclusive support for Blu-ray, the booth was over-run with throngs of reporters and CES showgoers throughout the day Monday. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=163 Tue, 8 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Randy Waynick (left), Senior Vice President, Marketing, Home Products Division Sony Electronics gives writer/producer Dean Devlin (right) the XEL-1, Sony’s first high-def OLED TV for the U.S. market at CES 2008 ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=164 Tue, 8 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Critic and film historian Leonard Maltin (left) hosts a demonstration of the advanced bonus features and interactive capabilities of Blu-ray Disc™ with writer/producer Dean Devlin (right) at the Sony Theater at CES 2008

]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=165 Tue, 8 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Critic and film historian Leonard Maltin (left) hosts a demonstration of the advanced bonus features and interactive capabilities of Blu-ray Disc™ with writer/producer Dean Devlin (middle) and Don Eklund (right), Executive Vice President of Advanced Technologies, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment at the Sony Theater at CES 2008]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=166 Tue, 8 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
(back, left to right):
Don Eklund, Executive Vice President of Advanced Technologies, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment;
Lexine Wong, Senior Executive Vice President, Worldwide Marketing, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment;
Dean Devlin, writer/producer/director;
David Bishop, Worldwide President, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment;

(front, left to right):
Leonard Maltin, critic and film historian;
Amy Pascal, Co-Chairman, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Chairman, Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group;
Michael Lynton, Chairman & CEO, Sony Pictures Entertainment
]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=167 Tue, 8 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
LAS VEGAS -- Blu-ray Disc software sales could hit $1 billion this year, according to proprietary research from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.
]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=168 Tue, 8 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Kevin Tsujihara, president of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, acknowledged in an interview that the HD DVD format had some advantages. "The interactivity is more advanced on the HD DVD side, but I'm confident that we're going to get there" with Blu-ray, he said. HD DVD discs were almost cheaper to produce, being more similar to traditional DVDs than Blu-ray discs. "There were cost advantages on the HD DVD side," Tsujihara said. However, "even with that price advantage, you weren't seeing the consumer move toward that format." ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=169 Tue, 8 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
"The marketing message now will be more about how the consumer moved from VHS to DVD and that it is now time to move to Blu-ray," he said. "We can do that with a lot more confidence and the consumer can have a lot more confidence than they had a week ago." Later that night, a Blu-ray Disc party that had been hastily assembled and slotted for the same time as the HD DVD gala drew a standing room-only crowd. Ardent Blu-ray supporter Bob Chapek, president of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, said the home entertainment industry now has a real chance of turning around its fortunes and resuming the growth trajectory that had stalled with the maturing of the DVD business.

]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=170 Tue, 8 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Sony Corp. this week said that 87 percent of Playstation 3 owners watch Blu-ray disc format movies on their PS3. In the advertisement supplement Blu-ray Today distributed at the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show this week in Las Vegas, NV, Sony Computer Entertainment America senior VP of marketing said that 87 percent of PS3 owners watch Blu-ray movies on their PS3 and 84 percent intend to always purchase or rent Blu-ray movies. The figures are based on an internal survey conducted by Sony. The survey counters Blu-ray disc opponents who claim that PS3 owners are not purchasing Blu-ray format movies, making the ownership of the product a non-issue in the high-definition format war.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=171 Tue, 8 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
The atmosphere in the room felt like the locker room of a team that had just won the conference championship. The Blu-ray association's press conference offered no significant new insights, nor were there substantial new announcements after the blockbuster news last Friday that Time Warner had decided to go all Blu-ray for future high definition disc releases. Instead, the series of presentations focused on the successes of Blu-ray. Disc sales outpaced HD DVD sales by a 2:1 margin in 2007. Blu-ray discs outsold the competing media every single week of the year. The predictions of the future were even rosier. Even during the Q&A session after the prepared presentations, the answers were almost gleeful in their enthusiasm. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=172 Tue, 8 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Confirming earlier reports that it would follow Warner to Blu-ray exclusivity, New Line says its first HD DVD title ('Pan's Labyrinth') will also be its last. Though it was widely assumed that New Line (whose parent company is Time-Warner) would follow Warner Home Video's lead and continue to release on HD DVD through May 2008, a company rep tells us that New Line's move will go into immediate effect, with all of the studio's planned HD DVD releases now cancelled (including the HD DVD versions of current Blu-ray releases 'Hairspray' and 'Rush Hour 3,' which had previously been planned for HD DVD release sometime in early 2008).]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=154 Mon, 7 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Sony Corp. chairman and CEO Howard Stringer could barely contain his glee at Sony Electronics' pre-Consumer Electronics Show presentation Sunday. "As you can probably guess, all of us at Sony are feeling Blu today," Stringer said to laughter. "And that's a good feeling." Stringer thanked Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes and chairman Barry Meyer for making the best decision in the long-term for the consumer. He also gave kudos to longtime Blu-ray supporters Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Co., Rupert Murdoch and Peter Chernin, chairman/CEO and president/COO, respectively, at News Corp., parent of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, in addition to Lionsgate and MGM. "I don't know if that's the reason for the full house and I'm sure you want me to say more," Stringer said. "But I won't." ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=155 Mon, 7 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Ozaka said "We have been declared dead before." He also said of the Warner Bros. decision, "We were very disappointed with Warner Brothers' announcement. Sales of HD DVD were very good last year, especially in October to December." However, he didn't have any comments about what the company's next move would be. Although apparently on the side with the upper hand right now, Sony CEO Howard Stringer wasn't much more talkative. At a press conference yesterday he said “All of us at Sony are feeling Blu. But that is a good feeling. We thank Warner to release only in Blu-ray." He declined to make any other specific comments regarding Warner Bros., but thanked all the companies currently backing Blu-ray for being "true blue all the way through." ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=156 Mon, 7 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
"As you can guess, all of us at Sony are feeling blue today," Sony of America chief executive Sir Howard Stringer quipped during the press conference. "But, that's a good thing. We thank Warner for their decision." Sony introduced a line of Vaio laptop computers with built in Blu-Ray players. Blu-Ray movie DVDs outsold HD DVD disks two to one in 2007, according to Sony senior vice president of home products Randy Waynick. "Blu-Ray has made incredible strides this past year," Waynick said at a press conference in the Las Vegas Convention Center. "The Warner announcement is in response to consumer demand. We believe this decision will further strengthen and accelerate the adoption of the Blu-Ray format." ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=157 Mon, 7 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
On Friday Warner Bros. said it would stop issuing its movies on HD DVD later this year and go solely with Blu-ray Disc. Warner had been the only major Hollywood studio to back both formats, and with its shift exclusively to the Blu-ray Disc camp, leaves just Paramount and Universal as backers of HD DVD. "I'd like to thank Warner for making the decision to release in Blu-ray their home video and to [Time Warner CEO] Jeff Bewkes and [Warner Bros. Entertainment CEO] Barry Meyer for making the decision, as they said in their press release, in the long-term interests of consumer and customer," he said. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=158 Mon, 7 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Sony Corp. chief Howard Stringer reversed his previous description of the high-definition format war as "at a stalemate" in light of Warner Bros.’ abandonment of the HD DVD format and cheered what he now sees as a Blu-ray victory. Stringer closed Sony's Sunday press conference on the eve of the Consumer Electronics Show here by saying, “All of us at Sony are feeling Blu. But that is a good feeling. We thank Warner to release only in Blu-ray. "The HD DVD format has shown pluck, with its set-tops—particularly Toshiba players—topping sales during the holiday season’s Black Friday week. But Blu-ray set-tops surged during December, overtaking HD DVD players, Sony VP Chris Fawcett told VB after the press conference.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=159 Mon, 7 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Here we are back at the Sony booth for more coverage, but this time it's Blu-ray's latest interactive features on display. Known by a few names, BD Live hopes to match HD DVD HDi feature for feature, and then some. At this point we're still waiting to get in, but it shouldn't be long now.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=153 Fri, 4 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800
Warner Bros studio on Friday said it would exclusively release high-definition DVDs in Sony Corp's (6758.T: Quote, Profile, Research) Blu-ray format, dealing a big blow to Toshiba Corp's (6502.T: Quote, Profile, Research) rival HD DVD technology.

Warner Bros, Hollywood's biggest seller of DVDs, representing about 18 to 20 percent of sales in the United States, was one of the few studios that backed both formats.

All sides of the format war had agreed it was confusing to consumers and a stumbling block for a potential multibillion-dollar industry.

]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=148 Thu, 27 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800
Panasonic has announced their development of the world's thinnest internal Blu-ray drive. At just 9.5 mm tall, it's thin enough for laptops but still packs a performance punch. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=150 Thu, 20 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800
A major porn movie studio today announced that it will be releasing its first Blu-ray title on January 4. “Pirates”, says director by company founder Joone, will be the largest epic in the history of adult films.

The 129-minute long “Pirates” will be the first adult movie to be released on Blu-ray in early January and the reasons for that move may not be surprising, if you have been following the market development surrounding HD. Director Joone told CEPro that consumers asking for adult films that can be played on their Playstation 3 have had a major impact on the studio’s decision. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=149 Tue, 18 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800
Sony’s PlayStation 3 is touting itself as one of the best Blu-ray Disc players on the market, after the console rolled out a picture-in-picture firmware upgrade on Tuesday.

As the most popular Blu-ray player, representing nearly 74% of the format’s U.S. installation base with 2 million sold, the enhanced PS3 also is a boon to studios launching their first titles with this advanced interactivity, according to PS3 representatives.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=146 Mon, 17 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800
FastMac has announced a 4x dual layer Blu-Ray Disc drive for Mac Pro and Power Mac G5 systems. It costs $579.95.

Blu-Ray Disc is a new 5.25-inch optical disc format that's gaining traction as a way of storing massive amounts of data. It's used by Sony and other companies to deliver high-definition movies, but it can also be used as a data storage format. Each dual-layer disc can store up to 50GB of content.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=147 Mon, 17 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800
What sets this sale apart from previous BOGO promotions are the studios and titles involved. The 44 available titles are all from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and Lionsgate Home Entertainment, neither of which have participated in a Blu-ray Disc BOGO sale to-date. In addition, a number of just-released titles are included like Die Hard, Robocop, Rescue Dawn, The Day After Tomorrow, Mr. Brooks, The Fly, and others. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=145 Sun, 16 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800
Despite the introduction of low-cost HD DVD players, Blu-ray disc sales again walloped HD DVD for the week ending December 9.

According to Nielsen VideoScan, Blu-ray accounted for 76 percent of all high-def discs sold during the week, compared to just 24 percent for HD DVD.

During the week of Thanksgiving, Blu-ray captured 72.6 percent, compared to 27.4 for HD DVD. And for the year, Blu-ray disc sales are outpacing HD DVD by roughly 65-35.
]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=143 Thu, 13 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800
Studios see hope for strong December business

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End has sold about 8 million copies in North America during its first week on sale, according to multiple industry sources, helping to raise hopes for a strong December at retail.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=144 Thu, 13 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800
Setting a record for most consecutive price drops in the space of a week, several retailers have cut their prices on Samsung's BD-P1400 player well below this weekend's already record breaking price drops.

As we first reported Sunday, several retailers snipped as much as $100 off their price tags for the player, offering it a then-record low of $299.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=141 Mon, 10 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=140 Sat, 8 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800
Sony-led backers of Blu-ray seem to have pulled ahead of rivals in the race for a single high-def DVD standard

It's a fight with more plot twists and intrigue than a Hollywood thriller. For two years now, rival camps have been battling over which new DVD format will prevail: Blu-ray, which is backed by Sony (SNE) and a consortium of 170 other companies, or HD DVD, which is being championed by Toshiba (TOSBF), Microsoft (MSFT), and others. Both technologies promise crisper video that looks better on the new generation of flat-panel, high-definition TVs. And the winner stands to control a lucrative new market worth billions. Each side has been competing to win the backing of the major movie studios. Only Warner Bros. (TWX), which currently uses both formats, is still playing hard to get. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=142 Thu, 6 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800
War and Saw IV, streeting from Lionsgate on Blu-ray and standard-definition DVD on Jan. 1 and Jan. 22, respectively, will carry networking features, confirmed the studio’s senior VP of DVD production, Miguel Casillas, during a panel discussion at Tuesday’s High-Def 2.0 conference here.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=139 Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800
New York (NY) - The first official weekend of the holiday shopping season gave a comfortable head start to Blu-ray in the high definition format war.

Nielsen Videoscan released a report this week summarizing sales data of high definition video discs between November 23, Black Friday, and one week later.

Though Nielsen did not give absolute numbers, it reported that around 72% of all HD disc movie sales were attributed to Blu-ray, leaving about 28% for HD DVD. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=138 Tue, 27 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800
LONDON - High definition movie DVDs in the Blu-ray format have outsold the rival HD DVD standard in Europe this year, breaking the 1 million barrier and constituting 73 percent of all HD movie discs sold.

Citing industry sales data, the Blu-ray disc association said in a statement on Tuesday Blu-ray movie disc sales had topped 1 million units and when counting Blu-ray gaming discs the total number produced for sale in Europe exceeded 21 million units.

Sony's PlayStation 3 game console includes a Blu-ray Disc drive.
]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=137 Mon, 26 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800
Sony CEO Howard Stringer affirmed the company's support for and belief in Blu-ray Disc, saying in an exclusive e-mail interview Monday that the Sony-developed next-generation disc format has "the momentum and the scale" to ultimately triumph over rival HD DVD.
]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=136 Sat, 17 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800
]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=135 Fri, 9 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800
David Gilmour's Remember That Night – Live At The Royal Albert Hall Blu-ray Disc release is now just over a week away, but you can get a sneak preview thanks to the fine folks over at Sony BMG. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=133 Thu, 8 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800
Brad Bird, the director of Walt Disney/Pixar’s Ratatouille, heaped praise on the Blu-ray format and what it brings to computer-generated movies during the Blu-ray Disc Festival.

“[Executive producer and Pixar executive] John Lasseter is bursting at the seams over all of the capabilities of Blu-ray Disc,” said Bird during a Q&A with technology journalists from around the world. “We call it film school in a box. If you’re really interested in film like we both were as kids, this format might allow you to bypass film school.”
]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=134 Thu, 8 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s Spider-Man 3 swung to the top of the studio’s Blu-ray roster, selling 130,000 high-def units in its first six days on shelves, according to the studio.

Sales span U.S. and Canada, and include a relatively small amount of titles sold into the rental channel, added the studio.

]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=132 Fri, 2 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0700
How in the world does Toshiba think it's ever going to make any money from the HD-DVD format? I mean, seriously.

You may have heard by now that Toshiba has made pre-Black Friday arrangements with Wal-Mart to effectively dump its HD-A2 HD-DVD player starting this Friday (this weekend only) for just $98.87. You may also have heard that Best Buy has followed suit. Supplies are limited, of course, and the offer is apparently not valid in some parts of the country that have state anti-dumping laws.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=130 Wed, 31 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment worldwide president and Blu-ray Disc proponent Bob Chapek on Tuesday blasted the rival HD DVD camp for prolonging the format war when it is clear that Blu-ray is the odds-on favorite.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=131 Wed, 31 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
In a significant development for the surging Blu-ray Disc campaign, Panasonic Oct. 30 unveiled a next-generation Blu-ray Disc player with enhanced interactivity, including picture-in-picture and audio mixing. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=128 Tue, 30 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Ratatouille is among the upcoming Blu-ray titles being previewed by studios this week.

The gloves are off. Backers of the high-definition Blu-ray Disc format are staging a two-day offensive in Hollywood this week, touting their triumphs and offering previews of upcoming releases such as Cars, Ratatouille,, the “Die Hard” movies, Dirty Dancing and Spider-Man 3 to a crowd of more than 50 influential print and online journalists.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=129 Tue, 30 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Warner Bros., the last major studio supporting both Blu-ray and HD DVD formats, may be ditching HD DVD to bet on Blu-ray. (Take that, Paramount.) Even in the wake of a sub-$199 HD DVD player, Warner Home Video VP Dan Silverberg had this to say about the company's outlook on the format wars:

One thing that may be changing is our strategy...When both formats launched and hardware prices were high, we made a decision to support both formats and let the consumer decide.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=126 Fri, 26 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Here's yet another gory round in that HD-TV vs Blu-ray extreme cagefighting match between heavyweight Hollywood studios to see which DVD format is left standing at the end:]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=127 Thu, 25 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Blu-ray Disc maintains its edge in the format war with rival next-gen contender HD DVD, with Blu-ray titles outselling HD DVD titles by a margin of almost two to one in the first nine months of this year. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=125 Wed, 24 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Blu-ray DVD titles outsold rival HD-DVD titles by almost 2-to-1 in the first nine months of the year, but analysts expect additional HD-DVD support and new hit releases to "transform" the high-definition DVD battle score in the fourth quarter.

Home Media Research, a division of Home Media Magazine, said on Tuesday total U.S. sales of Blu-ray discs, using a Sony Corp (6758.T)-backed technology, totaled 2.6 million units from January 1 through Sept 30, versus 1.4 million HD-DVD discs sold.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=123 Tue, 23 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
The BD-P1400
Samsung Electronics, the first CE manufacturer to market a Blu-ray Disc player, has cut $50 from the $549 price of the BD-P1400, which features 1080p resolution.

The company also is offering eight free mail-in Blu-ray titles with the now $499 BD-P1400 when purchased at Best Buy, Circuit City and other retailers. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=122 Mon, 22 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Transformers director Michael Bay says the newly released DVD isn't as good as it could've been.

Most directors diplomatically go to bat for DVDs of their films. Filmmaker Michael Bay (Armageddon, Bad Boys, The Rock) is just as likely to drop verbal bombs while talking about his DVDs as when he is directing.
]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=124 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Warner Home Video is calling it a “titlewave” and it spells nothing but good news for Blu-ray Disc fans. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=116 Wed, 17 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
A Sony executive has left PS3 fans all a-quiver after promising to release a firmware update "soon" that will improve the console’s support for Blu-ray Disc interactivity features. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=117 Wed, 17 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
If you're looking to grow your Blu-ray library, there's a "buy one, get one free" deal on many Disney titles going on this week that you should check out.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=118 Wed, 17 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
When you buy eligible Disney DVDs and select Disney Blu-ray discs, Disney is offering you the chance to earn reward points which are redeemable for various items on their web site at DisneyMovieRewards.com.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=119 Wed, 17 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Amazon.com is now selling a Samsung Blu-ray player for $399, the lowest price for a Blu-ray player on the market. The player, model, BD-P1000, can playback Blu-ray high-def discs as well as upconvert standard-definition DVDs so they will offer a better picture.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=120 Wed, 17 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Burners are getting faster and faster and 4x is not really a speed to get all worked up over, but it is a substantial improvement on 1x and 2x. Panasonic’s new LF-PB271 is on the pricey side, but it is packing some heat.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=121 Wed, 17 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Meijer has announced that they will no longer be selling HD DVD titles via their online store. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=112 Fri, 12 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Update: If you look here, it seems the next firmware update - 2.0 - is scheduled to arrive on October 30. So it looks like we'll have to learn more about the enhanced Blu-Ray interactivity before then.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=113 Fri, 12 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Retail sales of Blu-ray Disc media will rise to 30 billion in the US by 2010 according to a report released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and the Blu-ray Disc Association containing sales and trends forecasts for the media over the next three years.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=114 Fri, 12 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Our pals over at Samsung just alerted us to the fact that their BD-P1000 and BD-P1200 Blu-ray disc players will be receiving the firmware upgrade treatment tomorrow. This is good news, because some of the latest Blu-ray titles have had issues playing on the Samsung players due to the lack of BD+ support. This update fixes that. Here are all the details, straight from them: ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=115 Fri, 12 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
On Friday Samsung is expected to have an important Firmware update available for their Blu-ray players. Both the BD-P1000 and BD-P1200 had problems playing Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer because of it's new BD+ DRM. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=111 Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Research group says sales of 1080p sets will soar.

The 1080p High-Definition TV will outsell older models over the next year and could help boost related sales of 1080p products.

That's according to a new report from DisplaySearch, as reported by TWICE Magazine.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=109 Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Sony offered details on their updated PC Blu-ray burner today, with 4x speeds that can write 50 GB in 45 minutes. The BWU-200S connects to the motherboard via SATA and will burn HD formats to standard DVD as well. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=110 Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Starting this Friday, Samsung owners will be able to upgrade players to increase functionality, including enhanced playability of advanced copyright protection technology BD+.

The firmware will be offered for Samsung’s first- and second-generation models, the BD-P1000 and BD-P1200, respectively. For both models, BD+ will be fully playable.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=108 Mon, 8 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Yes, please. FastMac, a company apparently known for bringing third-party upgrades to Apple products, has now brought you a Blu-Ray drive that you can drop into your Macs.
]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=107 Thu, 4 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
The Blu-ray Disc Association has renewed its "Five Free Discs" offer through the holidays, refreshing the list of available Blu-ray titles.

The terms of the renewed program mirror those of the one that expired on September 30. Consumers who purchase any qualifying Blu-ray player (including the PlayStation 3) will automatically qualify to receive five free Blu-ray movies via a mail-in offer.

]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=104 Tue, 2 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Terre Haute, IN – October 2, 2007 – Sony DADC today announced the production of its 10 millionth 50 Gigabyte Blu-ray Disc (BD50). Sony DADC manufactures BD50s in its three plants, located in Terre Haute, Indiana; Salzburg, Austria; and Shizuoka, Japan. The ten millionth BD50 was manufactured at Sony DADC’s Terre Haute facility, and was “Spider-Man™ 3” from Columbia Pictures.
]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=105 Tue, 2 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
CHIBA, Japan--The decisive battle between Blu-ray and HD DVD is at hand, says a prominent Panasonic exec.

Blu-ray manufacturers are going to start cutting prices and go out on a promotional binge this holiday season, Matsushita Electric Industrial's Kazuhiro Tsuga said during a briefing with reporters at Ceatec, a large tech trade show that started here Tuesday. At Matsushita, which is best known for its Panasonic brand name, Tsuga is an executive officer who oversees networking efforts, some home electronics technologies and overseas labs, and other areas. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=106 Tue, 2 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Panasonic maker Matsushita Electric Industrial said it would launch new Blu-ray optical disc recorders in November that allow more hours of full high-definition recording on a single disc than any others available.

Matsushita, along with Sony, promotes the Blu-ray technology, which competes with the HD DVD format backed by Toshiba and Microsoft.

Osaka-based Matsushita, the world's largest consumer electronics maker, also said it plans to offer the world's first DVD recorders that can store full high-definition programs on conventional DVD discs next month.

]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=102 Mon, 1 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Blu-ray regains a little ground this week with nine titles compared to HD DVD's four -- Warner did also re-issue a number of formerly combo only titles for the plain variety. HD DVD has one of the great catalog titles this week with Top Gun, but we can't help but wonder where Weinstein is with 1408. Speaking of MIA, Fox is back this week with a couple of titles including the day-and-date release of Fantasic Four: The Rise of the Silver Surfer. Looking ahead, Blu-ray is really kicking off the fourth quarter right and has a great October planned, getting geared up for that critical holiday push.
]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=103 Sun, 30 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Hastings Entertainment has significantly expanded Blu-ray Disc rental in all 150 of its stores following a revenue-sharing deal with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

The Amarillo, Texas-based chain, which also sells DVDs, music, books and other merchandise, now offers Blu-ray titles for rent in all stores as well as improved copy depth at each location. Currently, Hastings’ offers HD DVD titles for rent in about one-third of its stores, which are found primarily in secondary U.S. markets.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=101 Mon, 24 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Home Theater Specialists of America is endorsing Blu-ray over HD DVD in the high-def disc format war.

That's according to an article by TWICE Magazine.

The HTSA, which represents Home Theater installers and high-end CE stores, says a survey of its members found that 92 percent of their high-def player sales have been Blu-ray players.
]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=100 Fri, 21 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Recently Video Business noticed that Blu-ray now has more shelf space than HD DVD in the few Target stores they checked. They indicated that HD DVD retained it's space, while Blu-ray was allotted additional space. We're not so sure we agree, we went back and checked the pictures we took at the format war's anniversary and noticed that at the stores we checked in Florida, California, and Washington State; Target actually removed one row from HD DVD and shifted it to Blu-ray. While this is not a huge deal, it does show a trend in at least one major video retailer. More pictures after the break.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=99 Wed, 19 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700
He didn't mention them by name, but movie companies that aren't embracing the Blu-ray Disc DVD format are being greedy and shortsighted, Disney CEO Robert Iger suggested Tuesday.

Iger said Blu-ray's eventual victory over rival platform HD DVD is a "no-brainer," given that the former is outselling the latter by 2-to-1.
]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=98 Tue, 18 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700
In what Sony is billing as the home entertainment industry’s most integrated hardware-software campaign to date, the Blu-ray release of 'Spider-Man 3' will see unprecedented promotion this holiday season.

The top grossing film of the year, Sony plans to out the red carpet for the debut of 'Spider-Man 3' on both standard-def DVD and Blu-ray.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=96 Fri, 14 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700
About twice as many BD titles than HD DVD in stores

Target is shifting the balance of its high-definition software merchandising toward Blu-ray Disc, now devoting twice the amount of display space to that format than it does to HD DVD in some or all of its stores.

]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=95 Wed, 12 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Specs are in for Starz Home Entertainment's first wave of Blu-ray titles, and they're sure to put a smile on the faces of eager horror fans.

As first announced earlier this summer, Starz will launch its Blu-ray support on October 2 with a quartet of horror classics, including the original 'Halloween,' 'Dawn of the Dead,' 'Day of the Dead' and 'Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn.' ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=97 Wed, 12 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Sony Corp said it will launch four models of new Blu-ray high-definition optical disc recorders in November in Japan, as its format battle with the HD DVD camp heats up.

Sony, along with Panasonic maker Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd, promotes the Blu-ray technology, which competes with the HD DVD format, backed by Toshiba Corp and Microsoft Corp.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=94 Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700
By High-Def Digest

Although the studio has taken some heat from high-def early adopters in the past for releasing largely feature-starved discs, they appear to be reversing that trend with a vengeance on both 'Tomorrow' and 'The Fly.'

]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=92 Thu, 6 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700
We've already seen more than a few Blu-ray and HD DVD players make their debut at CEDIA this week, and Pioneer's now tossed an entry of its own into the pack, unveiling its new high-end BDP-95FD Blu-ray player. As Pioneer is quick to boast, this is apparently the first such player to offer bitstream output of "all advanced audio formats" including Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital+, DTS-HD High Resolution, and DTS-HD Master Audio. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=93 Wed, 5 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Just FYI, the BDP-S500 Blu-ray Player and VPL-VW60 projector, both nice but not quite flagship gear from Sony we saw at IFA, are official. $700 and $5k respectively. Info after jump, but more photos in the backlinks.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=86 Thu, 30 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Fueled by a hefty marketing campaign, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer will jumpstart the all-important fourth quarter on Oct. 2 on standard-definition and Blu-ray Disc.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=87 Thu, 30 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Acer, the Taiwan-based computer maker, today endorsed Blu-ray in the high-def disc format war.

Acer, which is in the process of purchasing U.S. computer maker Gateway, says it will install Blu-ray drives in future notebooks.
]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=88 Thu, 30 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700
The news came in a press release from Berlin's IFA show, where the studio announced that it has sold over 250,000 Blu-ray discs in Europe alone.

Sony says expects to pass the one million mark here in the US as it heads into a jam-packed fourth quarter slate, which includes such highly anticipated titles as 'Spider-Man 3' and 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind.'

"These sales milestones across the world illuminate the positive reception from retailers and consumers alike for Blu-ray," said David Bishop, President, Worldwide, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. "Our strong fourth quarter line-up will underscore the confidence in this format."]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=89 Thu, 30 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700
In addition to announcing its "low-end" BDP-S300 will be pond-skipping to Europe, at IFA today Sony also announced its latest Blu-ray player, the BDP-S500.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=90 Thu, 30 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Europe's IFA consumer electronics fair began with a bang Thursday, with a series of announcements from Blu-ray supporting companies new and old.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=85 Wed, 22 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700
The decision by Paramount and DreamWorks Animation to exclusively back HD DVD may have garnered the studios financial incentives valued at a reported $150 million, but it seems to have irked at least one high-profile filmmaker in the process.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=84 Tue, 21 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 20 — Hollywood’s squabble over which of two technologies will replace standard DVDs reignited Monday with two studios throwing their weight behind one format and several rivals ramping up support for the other.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=82 Wed, 15 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Blu-ray high-definition movie discs outsold films on the rival HD-DVD format by 2-to-1 in the United States in the first half of 2007, Home Media Research said on Tuesday.

The division of Home Media Magazine said total sales of Blu-ray discs, using a

Sony Corp (6758.T: Quote, Profile, Research)-backed technology, totaled 1.6 million units from January 1 through July 1, compared with 795,000 HD-DVD discs sold in that period.

]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=81 Tue, 14 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is touting Blu-ray Disc strength in developing markets, noting that format title sales in Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Eastern Europe, South Africa and the Middle East now account for 10% of the company’s overall business.

Individually, South Africa represents the largest share of these markets’ Blu-ray sales, with more than 15,000 units shipped to the country to date.

During the month of June, Sony enjoyed a 21% rise in Blu-ray title orders across these regions.
]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=80 Fri, 10 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Some consumer electronics retailers see the sales gap closing between set-top HD DVD players and Blu-ray Disc players as the two formats have come closer in price.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=77 Mon, 6 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=78 Sat, 4 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=79 Fri, 3 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=76 Wed, 25 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Consumers may be having trouble choosing a winner in the High-Definition DVD war between Blu-ray and HD DVD. But a group of thieves in Seattle have no problem at all.

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports that a band of thieves Sunday morning stole 200 Blu-ray discs with a retail value of $7,000 from a Silver Platters store in the Northgate section of Seattle.

"They basically took our whole Blu-ray section," Mike Batt, a vice president for Silver Platters, a Seattle-based retailer which carries movies and music. "Genre didn't matter to them."]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=75 Tue, 24 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=72 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Though Paramount's releases on both high-def formats have won praise for their generally high-quality transfers and for including most bonus features in full HD video, inexplicably they've not included high-res audio formats (such as Dolby TrueHD, DTS Master Lossless Audio and uncompressed PCM).
]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=73 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700
The limited time web-only deal first surfaced on the Circuit City.com web site earlier this week, and runs only until this Sunday, July 21.
]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=70 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700
The focus of it all isn't a hot new movie or Disney Channel show. It's the Blu-ray Disc.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=69 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has recently announced its August Blu-ray releases: Immortal Beloved, Are We Done Yet?, Arlington Road, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, Vacancy, Perfect Stranger and The Lives of Others, to be available throughout the month of August. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=71 Mon, 16 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Beginning in September, Sony will make all of its new releases and select catalog titles on Blu-ray available under the agreement, which expands the studio's DVD revenue-sharing deal with Rentrak. Neither Sony nor Rentrak would disclose terms of the deal.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=68 Thu, 12 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Wal-Mart is selling Sony's new Blu-ray High-Definition player (BDP-S300) for $488, a slight discount on its suggested retail of $499.

However, the discount retailer is also bundling two free Blu-ray movies in the box -- Gridiron Gang, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and the animated Open Season.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=66 Tue, 10 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700
The company will display the model, the BD-P1400, during the 2007 IFA consumer electronics conference in Berlin on Aug. 31, confirmed a company representative.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=64 Mon, 9 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700
The price of the current console with a 60G-byte hard-disk drive will fall to US$499 or C$549 from Monday and a new version with 80G-byte hard-disk drive will be launched in August at US$599 or C$659, which is the same price that the 60G-byte model has been selling at until now.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=56 Thu, 5 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=58 Thu, 5 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=62 Thu, 28 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0700
BD+ Technologies, the licensor of the technology, said information on how to access BD+ for use on Blu-ray discs is now available at its Web site, www.bdplusllc.com. The program includes the BD+ Specifications and Agreement for BD+ manufacturer adopters, content participants and authorized code developers.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=59 Wed, 27 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0700
The Blu-ray Disc promotion kicks off July 1 and will run through Sept. 30. ]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=61 Wed, 27 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0700
The section lists more than 250 Blu-ray titles available for rent and features a guide to Blu-ray and a search function to find out which local stores carry the format.]]> http://www.hollywoodinhidef.com/news_detail.php?id=60 Tue, 26 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0700
Late last week, primary Blu-ray backer Sony announced that it had signed Dale Earnhardt, Jr., considered today's most popular and recognizable NASCAR driver (and, of course, son of racing legend Dale Earnhardt, Sr.) to serve as the company's spokesperson in a new marketing campaign touting