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HD DVD player sales in the US during a week from Jan 6 to 12, 2008, declined 88% to 1,758 units compared with the previous week, Tech-On! is reporting citing research company NPD Group.

Tech-On! further reports, “The period measured was immediately after US movie studio Warner Bros Entertainment had announced that it had shifted its support from HD DVD to Blu-ray Disc Jan 4, 2008.

Meanwhile, BD player sales grew 42% compared with the preceding week to 21,770 units, NPD said. An NPD analyst said Warner’s announcement might have impacted HD DVD player sales.

HD DVD supporter Toshiba Corp announced price reductions for its HD DVD players targeting the North American market following Warner’s announcement.” More at Tech-On!

Related:

HD DVD is ‘Missing the Boat’ in Australia

In the Battle of Formats Blu-ray Outsells HD-DVD in Europe

SUNNYVALE, Calif. — AMD on Monday, Jan 28, announced the immediate availability of the ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 graphics processor, expanding the visual boundaries of PC entertainment well beyond the 1080P High Definition (HD) threshold.

The industry’s first graphics processor to break the Teraflop (one trillion floating point operations per second) barrier, the ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 nearly doubles the performance of the award-winning ATI Radeon HD 3870 introduced in November 2007.

Through an elegant yet aggressive design, the 55 nanometer process-based ATI Radeon 3870 X2 combines two ATI Radeon HD 3870s on a single graphics board, connected through integrated CrossFire technology.

ATI Radeon 3870 X2 is also the first performance-leadership graphics product in the world to support Microsoft’s upcoming DirectX 10.1 technology. The ATI Radeon 3870 X2 delivers a new class of price and performance leadership with unbelievable enthusiast value at a suggested retail price of US $449.

This launch follows on the success of the recently released ATI Radeon HD 3400 and ATI Radeon HD 3600 series graphics products, completing a comprehensive portfolio of next-generation 55nm GPUs that deliver unparalleled price, performance and energy efficiency from entry-level to performance-leadership class products. More at AMD.

LAKE SUCCESS, NY — Jan 07, `08 — Canon today announced the VIXIA family – a new lineup of consumer High-Definition camcorders embracing Canon optical and imaging technologies for superior image quality and flexibility – at the CES 2008 in Las Vegas.

VIXIA Core TechnologiesAll VIXIA camcorders feature Canon core technologies to create HD video that possesses the highest level of image quality – a Genuine Canon HD Video Lens; a Canon designed and manufactured HD CMOS Image Sensor for Full HD (1920 x 1080) image capture; the Canon-developed DIGIC DV II Image Processor; Instant AutoFocus, crucial for HD; and SuperRange Optical Image Stabilization.

VIXIA HF10 Dual Flash Memory and VIXIA HF100 Flash Memory Camcorders:
The VIXIA HF10 Dual Flash Memory camcorder offers the flexibility of recording up to 6 hours of High-Definition video to a 16GB internal Flash drive, as well as the option of recording to an SDHC memory card. The HF100 Flash Memory camcorder features an SDHC memory card slot only. The SDHC slot provides future storage expandability with both models. These camcorders also offer other sophisticated new features, including a newly designed Genuine Canon 12x HD Video Lens, a robust Canon 3.3 Megapixel Full HD CMOS Image Sensor, and Full HD Lens-to-Screen (1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution to capture, record and output).

In addition to 24p Cinema Mode, which allows users to mimic the look of Hollywood-style movies, the VIXIA HF10 Dual Flash Memory and HF100 Flash Memory camcorders offer a new feature called 30p Progressive Mode. Canon’s 30p Progressive Mode, once exclusive to pro-level camcorders, delivers clarity for fast action events, such as sports or news, and is the perfect frame rate for clips intended to be posted on the Web. A 2.7″ Widescreen Multi-Angle Vivid LCD offers a wide viewing angle, making it visible from any direction.

VIXIA HV30 HD Camcorder:
As the successor to the Canon HV20 HD Camcorder, the VIXIA HV30 HD camcorder provides consumers with the ability to record HD quality video to MiniDV cassettes. Wrapped in a sophisticated black exterior, the VIXIA HV30 camcorder features a Genuine Canon 10X HD Video Lens, Canon 2.96 Megapixel Full HD CMOS Image Sensor, DIGIC DV II Image Processor, a 30p Progressive Mode (and 24p Cinema Mode), and a 2.7″ Widescreen Multi-Angle Vivid LCD. In addition, the VIXIA HV30 camcorder is compatible with Canon’s high capacity BP-2L24H Lithium-ion battery.

DW-100 DVD Burner:
The Canon DW-100 DVD Burner allows to burn all, part or previously recorded video from a compatible Canon camcorder to a DVD. In addition to burning Standard Definition DVDs, the DW-100 can also burn AVCHD DVDs which can be played in compatible Blu-Ray players. The DW-100 DVD Burner has only three buttons: power, record and eject, making operation fast and easy. Unlike other similar yet daunting devices, the DW-100 DVD Burner is designed for one-touch operation: connect via USB, set and burn.

Available in late April, the VIXIA HF10 Dual Flash Memory and VIXIA HF100 Flash Memory camcorders will have an estimated retail price of $1,099 and $899, respectively. The Canon VIXIA HV30 is scheduled to be available in late February for the estimated retail price of $999. The Canon DW-100 DVD Burner is scheduled to be available in late April for the estimated retail price of $269.More at Canon.

MILPITAS, Calif –BUSINESS WIRE– Sigma Designs, a leading provider of highly integrated  solutions, today announced that its highly integrated SMP8634 media processor was selected by Sharp Corporation to power its new line of AQUOS Blu-ray disc players and recorders.

Sharp’s new products include the BD-AV1 and AV10 Series for the Japanese market and the recently introduced slim-profile AQUOS BD player, model BD-HP20U, the company’s first offering in the US market.

Sharp’s new series of AQUOS Blu-ray disc recorders BD-AV1 and AV10 enable recording and playback of digital broadcasts of HDTV programs that capture the same high-resolution image quality of broadcast TV that VCR users are accustomed to experiencing.

AQUOS also offers full compatibility with 24 movie frames per second playback, matching the native filming format for most movies as well as HDMI output support of 1080/24p video and Dolby TrueHD, and an i.LINK (IEEE1394) input for connecting to a Sharp AQUOS High-Vision recorder. More here.

Dec 05, ‘07 — Video Ezy and Blockbuster have thrown their support behind Blu-ray, saying HD DVD was “missing the boat” and not taking the Australian market seriously enough, Sydney Morning Herald reports.

SMH further writes, “Paul Uniacke, managing director of the Franchise Entertainment Group, which owns Video Ezy and Blockbuster in Australia, said the local roll-out of HD DVD had been too slow as its supporters did not see Australia as an important market compared with the US and Europe.

According to market-watcher GfK, 2241 stand-alone Blu-ray players have been sold in Australia to date, compared with 609 HD DVD players.

But Sony has moved more than 100,000 units of the PS3, which has a built-in Blu-ray player. Only 2461 add-on HD DVD players for the Xbox 360, which cost $249.95, have been sold so far.

The trend in player sales is consistent with sales of HD movies. More than 102,000 Blu-ray movies have been sold to date, as against just under 18,000 HD DVD movies.

Blockbuster in the US has supported Blu-ray exclusively for months and, locally, its head of product, John McKay, said Blockbuster would buy only Blu-ray titles “for the foreseeable future”.” More at SMH.

Taipei, Taiwan — Nov 30, ‘07 — DigiTimes is reporting on AMD’s plan to drop the price of its Radeon HD 3850 and 3870 GPUs by around $20, citing sources at graphics card makers.

DigiTimes further writes,”In response to AMD’s plans, Nvidia also notified its partners that it will consider following up with price reductions of its own, causing several makers to delay mass orders to prevent themselves from absorbing the price damage, according to the sources.”

The original official Radeon HD 3850 and 3870 prices were US$179 and US$219. More at DigiTimes.

Round Rock, Texas — November 27, ‘07 — Dell today announced the XPS M1530, a sleek and stylish 15.4-inch notebook featuring the same award-winning design and features introduced by the highly acclaimed XPS M1330 earlier this year.

With starting price of $999, the XPS M1530 is loaded with premium features, like built in webcam and fingerprint reader, and design accents like touch-sensitive multi-media buttons, brushed aluminum accents and a choice of sophisticated colors. More information on the XPS M1530 is available at www.dell.com/XPS.

With a starting weight of just under six pounds and featuring a trim 1-inch profile, the elegant XPS M1530 delivers a rich mobile experience. Standard features include a high definition widescreen 15.4-inch display, slot-load optical drive, DirectX 10 capable graphics, sophisticated touch sensitive media buttons, and HDMI support. Customers can also personalize their systems with a choice of three colors: standard Tuxedo Black, and optional Crimson Red and Alpine White

Multi-media enthusiasts will appreciate the optional Blu-ray disc drive and included noise cancelation earbuds and travel remote that stores away in the ExpressCard card slot. Dell’s MediaDirect and Instant Office technology offers fast one-button access to music, movies, and pictures, as well as calendar items and contacts, without booting the system up.

For those who need to stay connected and in touch no matter where they may be, the XPS M1530 includes standard Wi-Fi wireless networking, and optional Bluetooth wireless and mobile broadband with a choice of wireless carriers. More at Dell.

:Very Poor Resolution: Ok, even after configuring XPS M1530 with all the best options, including Blu-ray drive, bringing the pre-tax total to $3652, what resolution you get to watch your Blu-ray movies? 1280×800. Click the thumbnail picture to see there’s no other option than 1280×800. Very poor, Dell

LONDON — Nov 27, ‘07 — In the battle of formats, 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, says Reuters.

“Citing industry sales data by Media Control Gfk International, 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.

Hollywood and electronics manufacturers are hoping that new high-definition DVDs, with better picture quality and more capacity, will revive the slowing home DVD market. But the launch of the next-generation DVD players has been complicated by the fact that there are two competing technologies available, Blu-ray and HD DVD.

HD DVD was developed by Toshiba while Sony backs the Blu-ray standard”. More at Reuters.

Secaucus, NJ — Nov 20, ‘07 – Panasonic announced that its next generation Blu-ray Disc player, the DMP-BD30, is now shipping and is available prior to Black Friday in channel partner stores in many regions of the country. 

The BD30 is the first Blu-ray player to incorporate Final Standard Profile 1.1 — a supplementary interactive function added to the Blu-ray Disc standard which opens the door to a variety of new and unique functions such as Picture-in-Picture and audio mixing.

Panasonic worked closely with Hollywood film makers to develop High Definition technologies now available in the DMP-BD30 including “PHL Chroma Processing” for optimized Blu-ray and DVD playback and an SD Memory Card slot. The SD Card slot allows BD30 owners to network between their High Definition products including playback of digital still images and High Definition video recorded in the AVCHD High Definition Camcorder format.

With an SRP of $499.95, the DMP-BD30 also features a slimmer profile while offering a myriad of technological advances, including Deep Color Compatibility, and HDMI 1.3B, that enhances step gradation from 8-bit 256 all the way up to 12-bit, 4,096 step gradation. To further enhance the viewing experience, the DMP-BD30 also provides 1080/24p playback, so the consumer can enjoy the same 24-fps (frames per second) reproduction as the original movie. This eliminates the need to utilize 3.2 pull down, a process which converts 24-fps images to 60-fps, resulting in a smoother picture.

Panasonic also inroduced Sleek New KX-TG8231 DECT 6.0 Cordless Phone:

The KX-TG8231 features DECT 6.0 technology packaged in a glossy piano black finish echoing the sophistication of a grand piano. The phone’s sleek and compact design pairs a stylishly modern handset and base with DECT 6.0 technology that allows for minimized electrical interference with other home electronics. A display on the handset shows phone information in bright and clear full color, including caller ID so a user can see who’s calling even when away from the phone’s base. The caller ID also can be customized with individual ringtones.

Other handset features that enhance portability include speakerphone capability and battery life of up to 12 hours of talk time. The KX-TG8231 is also expandable up to 6 handsets, has a built-in clock with alarm and includes a 50-station phonebook and dialer that is transferable to all KX-TG8231/32 phones in a home.

The KX-TG8231 is available at Amazon for $46.73, while the two-handset KX-TG8232 is available for $99.76.

Nov 20, ‘07 — Speaking exclusively with High-Def Digest, Jim Noonan, SVP of Strategic Promotion and Communication for Warner Home Entertainment Group says its previously announced Blu-ray / HD DVD hybrid disc won’t be hitting stores anytime soon.

High-Def Digest further explains, “roughly six months after unveiling “Total HD” plans, Warner announced it was delaying its plans for Total HD until early 2008, but said it remained committed to the concept, promising ten to twenty launch titles upon the format’s eventual release.

Though the studio had since remained mum on the status of its plans for the hybrid format, a Warner exec has now confirmed to High-Def Digest that all current plans for Total HD have been shelved in response to a perceived shift in retailer needs following Paramount’s move to HD DVD exclusivity. “The short answer is, for the moment, it [Total HD] is on hold,” said Noonan citing reason that, they were the only studio producing content in both formats.

More at High-Def Digest.

BURBANK, Calif – Nov 19, ‘07 /PRNewswire/ — Disney/Pixar’s “Ratatouille,” the best reviewed movie of 2007, raced past the $600 million mark at the worldwide box office over the weekend, and now stands as the second biggest international release of all-time for a Disney/Pixar production, it was announced today by Mark Zoradi, president, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Group.

The film’s worldwide cume climbed to $602.6 million over the latest three-day period (11/16-18/07). With its international gross-to-date of
$396.5 million, “Ratatouille” now stands as the fifth most popular film released this year and the top grossing non-sequel.

The film ranks as the #1 animated release in 17 international territories and is the #1 film of the year (including all categories) in France. The film is expected to pass the $400 million international plateau sometime during the week, making it the sixth release from Disney (live-action or animated) to achieve this milestone.

Amongst all animated titles ever released in industry history, “Ratatouille” is only the third non-sequel to cross this threshold. “Ratatouille” also becomes the ninth release from Disney to pass the $600 million global mark, an achievement unmatched by any other Studio. Domestically, “Ratatouille” has posted an impressive gross-to-date of $206.1 million.

SANTA CLARA, CA—November 19, 2007—This holiday season a new era of PC games, featuring advanced new graphics effects, will immerse gamers in cinematic realism like never before. Games like Crysis, Unreal Tournament 3, and Call of Duty 4 are sure bets to be at the top of the holiday gift list for the significant gamer in your life.

And to supply the best visual experience when playing these new games, a new generation of notebook PCs equipped with ultra-modern GPUs (graphics processing units), such as the just-released GeForce 8800M notebook GPUs from NVIDIA, will soon be available for order from notebook makers.

Delivering the best performance for both DirectX 10 and DirectX 9, the GeForce 8800M GTX and GeForce 8800M GTS GPUs fill the top enthusiast GPU product positions in the popular NVIDIA GeForce 8M Series product line, continuing the company’s five generations of performance leadership in notebook GPUs. The new GPUs feature NVIDIA’s new, extremely efficient, unified architecture that delivers astounding levels of performance compared to previous generation GPUs.

In addition to serving as the core of a great, notebook gaming platform, the NVIDIA GeForce 8M Series GPUs feature the NVIDIA PureVideo HD engine for superior quality playback of HD DVD, Blu-ray, and HD movie downloads. The GeForce 8M Series also contain NVIDIA’s PowerMizer technology that intelligently balances battery life and performance.

“Alienware’s philosophy when designing the industry’s most powerful 17 and 15-inch notebooks was the commitment to using only the best components designed around the most current technologies,” said Frank Azor, Executive Vice-President for Alienware’s Product Group and Marketing. “Alienware proudly announces that our next generation notebooks, the Area-51 m17x and Area-51 m15x, launching early next year, will feature the raw power and vivid detail of NVIDIA’s GeForce 8800M GTX.”

Notebooks with the new GPUs will soon be available for order from notebook makers worldwide including Alienware, Eurocom, Gateway, and Sager in North America; AIRIS, Chiligreen, Cizmo, Cybersystem, Ergo, Nexoc, Novatech, Plaisio, Rock, and XXODD in Europe; MouseComputer in Japan; and Pioneer Computers in Australia. More at nVIDIA.

Nov 16, ‘07 — Shortly after Michael Dell’s keynote address at Oracle OpenWorld on Nov 14, Dell has finally start selling brand new addition to its desktop lineup, 20-inch Widescreen Display All-In-One PC XPS One.

Dell is offering XPS One in four flavors, configurable with Intel Core 2 Duo E6550 processor, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, Bluetooth 2.0, 8-in-1 multicard reader, 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, 256MB ATI Radeon HD 2400 PRO Graphics Card, and a 500GB 7,200 RPM SATA hard drive. Additionally, you can add on a built-in Blu-ray DVD-Burner and a hybrid Analog / Digital TV tuner, starting from $1499, all the way up to $2399. More at Dell.

SUNNYVALE, Calif. — November 15, 2007 –AMD today announced the introduction and immediate availability of the ATI Radeon HD 3800 Series of graphics processing units (GPU).

As the world’s first series of graphics processors to deliver Microsoft’s DirectX 10.1 support, 55nm process technology and tri and quad multi-GPU support with ATI CrossFireX, the ATI Radeon HD 3800 series ushers in a new era of enthusiast gaming performance at mainstream price points.

The ATI Radeon HD 3800 series will be introduced in two variants at launch, from US $179 MSRP, the ATI Radeon HD 3850 with 256MB of GDDR3 memory and from US $219 MSRP, the ATI Radeon HD 3870 with 512MB GDDR4 memory. The launch of the ATI Radeon HD 3800 series redefines the enthusiast segment and puts high performance gaming in reach of more users than ever before. This innovative new series of graphics products also represent the first step in the launch of AMD’s upcoming enthusiast platform codenamed “Spider.”

The ATI Radeon HD 3800 series also introduces the world to ATI CrossFireX, AMD’s innovative next-generation multi-GPU technology designed to deliver unprecedented performance scaling with support for two, three and four graphics processors in CrossFire configurations. At launch, the ATI Radeon HD 3800 series will support dual-GPU CrossFire with tri and quad-GPU support scheduled for January 2008.

Graphics bandwidth is also greatly enhanced with the introduction of PCI Express 2.0. Delivering over 16 gigabytes per second of bi-directional bandwidth, PCIe 2.0 doubles the bus data rate over the previous generation. The combination of PCIe 2.0 and HyperTransport3 on next-generation AMD platforms provides a dramatic increase in the amount of system bandwidth for high definition, multi-GPU PC gaming.

With the launch of the ATI Radeon HD 3850 and ATI Radeon HD 3870, AMD has answered the call of HD video enthusiasts with top-to-bottom support for the Unified Video Decoder (UVD). The addition of UVD ensures exceptional platform efficiency and image quality in HD-DVD and Blu-rayTM decoding for both H.264 and VC-1 specifications. Enhanced HDMI functionality also continues on this series of products with integrated HDCP and audio for HDMI video. More at AMD.

Weybridge, 12 November, 2007 - Sony Europe’s IT Peripherals division today announced a new range of high performance AV cables designed to complete the high quality sound and viewing experience of Sony’s home theatre products.

Available for a number of Sony AV products, including BRAVIA flat screen TVs, VAIO PC and laptops, PLAY STATION 3 consoles or Blu-Ray Disc video players - Sony’s AV cable range has been specifically designed using the highest quality components to produce clearer, cleaner sounds and pictures. Following the same design principles as Sony’s home theatre products the range includes Digital HDMI, Component Video, SCART, Optical Digital Audio, Coaxial Digital and Stereo Audio cables.

The cables complement the midrange HDMI cables already introduced by Sony in April 2007 and provide a setup for more discerning users. Ready for HD viewing Sony’s Digital HDMI cables support full 1080P HD signals and the x.v. Colour standard for better looking HDTV. The cables also support Sony’s BRAVIA Theatre Sync one touch control, are PS3 compatible. Sony’s AV cable range is available immediately and comes in 1, 3 and 5 metre lengths.

Sony’s AV cable components have been carefully selected to mirror the audio and image quality of Sony home theatre products. The connectors are 24k gold plated, giving excellent signal transmission and protecting from corrosion within the home environment. More at Sony.

New York, NY — Nov 08, ‘07 — The head of Sony Corp., Howard Stringer, said Thursday that the Blu-ray disc format the company has developed as the successor to the DVD is in a “stalemate” with the competing HD DVD format, chiefly backed by Toshiba and Microsoft.

“It’s a difficult fight,” said Stringer, speaking at the 92nd Street Y cultural center in Manhattan.

Toshiba has been selling its players for as low as $99 at Wal-Mart and Best Buy, heading into the holiday season, while Blu-ray players cost around $450. The HD DVD camp also scored a significant win in August, when it induced Paramount Pictures to drop most of its support for Blu-ray and put out high-definition movies exclusively on HD DVD.

“We were trying to win on the merits, which we were doing for a while, until Paramount changed sides,” Stringer said. At the same time, he played down the importance of the battle, saying it was mostly a matter of prestige whose format wins out in the end.

“It doesn’t mean as much as all that,” Stringer said. He added that he believed there was an opportunity of uniting the two camps under one format before he became CEO, and he wishes he could travel back in time to make that happen.

Nov 07, ‘07 — SlySoft is claiming to have that “impenetrable” copy protection technology BD+ cracked. 

SlySoft team member, Tom, at SlySoft forum proudly declares victory against BD+ with  their latest version of AnyDVD HD 6.1.9.6 beta. He also takes time to write a “loving” note to Twentieth Century Fox.

In his words:

“6.1.9.6 2007 11 07

• New (Blu-ray): AnyDVD ripper copies BD+ titles
• New (Blu-ray): Removed “BD+ not supported” warning, as all available BD+ titles can be copied with AnyDVD ripper, or can be watched on HTPC without HDCP using PowerDVD 3104 and AnyDVD. Reports indicate, that burned BD+ titles work on PS3 and standalone players as well.
• Note to Twentieth Century Fox: As you can see, BD+ didn’t offer you any advanced security, it just annoyed some of your customers with older players. So could you please cut this crap and start publishing your titles on HD DVD? There are thousands of people willing to give you money.
• Note to people considering to invest in HD media: Please buy HD DVD instead of Blu-ray. HD DVD is much more consumer friendly (e.g., no region coding, AACS not mandatory). Don’t give your money to people, who throw your fair-use rights out of the window.
• New (HD DVD & Blu-ray): Support for more MKBv4 titles
• Some minor fixes and improvements
• Updated languages”

More at Slysoft.Forum.

Statement from Jonathan Magasanik, Vice President and General Merchandise Manager, Home Electronics, Sears Holdings.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Nov. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — There have been numerous statements in the media today, attributed to Toshiba, indicating exclusive support for the HD-DVD format in Kmart stores.

These statements are false. Kmart intends to support both the HD-DVD and Blu-ray platforms, and has no plans to support either platform exclusively. More at PRNewsWire.

Nov 02, ‘07 — Dell has started selling the latest addition to its fleet of flat panels, 24-inch E248WFP widescreen LCD monitor, with amazing HD resolution and blazing fast response time, for just $469.

At a Glance

- 1920 x 1200 native resolution – Stunning detail and more viewable real estate without compromising desk space
- 5 millisecond response time (typical) – Helps reduce ghosting and motion blur when gaming or watching movies
- 1000:1 contrast ratio – Produces darker blacks for sharper images, crisp text, better color saturation and greater detail for HD entertainment
- High Definition (HD) – Supports higher definition than HD Television and comes with an integrated DVI-D with HDCP connection
- Dell TrueColor Technology – Richer, life-like imagery that has accurate color representation better tones and hues. Reds, greens and blues are deeper and more vibrant. The Dell E248WFP features a 92% color gamut.

More at Dell.

Los Angeles, CA–October 30, 2007–Panasonic announced today the introduction of the DMP-BD30, the next generation High Definition 1080p Blu-ray Disc player. The DMP-BD30 is the first Blu-ray player to be introduced with Final Standard Profile, which adds a variety of new and enhanced features to the Blu-ray arena and one that separates the Panasonic Blu-ray player from the rest of the field. Also unique to the DMP-BD30 is the inclusion of an SD Memory Card slot for playback of High Definition content recorded in the AVCHD format. The SD slot also allows for viewing of digital still images recorded to an SD Memory Card.

With an SRP of  $499.95, the DMP-BD30 also features a myriad of technology advances, including Deep Color Compatibility, and HDMI 1.3B, that bumps the step gradation from 8-bit 256 all the way up to 12-bit, 4,096 step gradation. To further enhance the viewing experience, the DMP-BD30 also provides 1080/24p playback, so the consumer can enjoy the same 24-fps (frames per second) reproduction as the original movie. This eliminates the need to utilize 3.2 pull down, a process to convert 24-fps images to 60-fps, resulting in a smoother picture. More at Panasonic

Even though the new Dell all-in-one desktop XPS One is out there for everyone to see, thanks to FCC, Dell is still trying to tease with this “All Beautiful, The End of The PC As You Know It” ad. Enter you addy in there to receive email when Dell releases “The One”.

Enjoy a Full HD 1080p Visual Feast. 

Taipei, Taiwan; Oct 26th, 2007 – In order to cater to user requirements for a motherboard that supports full high definition multimedia, ASUS, world leader in production and design of motherboards, has announced the release of the new Intel G35 chipset series of motherboards, the ASUS P5E-V HDMI and ASUS P5E-VM HDMI. With HDMI connector onboard, this series of motherboards will provide users with the ability to showcase high definition multimedia. 

Integrating the Best Display Outputs into One:  

The ASUS P5E-V HDMI and P5E-VM HDMI motherboards are outfitted with advanced multi-display output modes and onboard HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface). By delivering multi-channel audio and uncompressed digital videos with HDCP copy protection found on HD DVD and Blu-ray Discs via a single cable, HDMI simplifies cabling and allows users to transform their PCs into outstanding home entertainment solutions with full HD 1080p visuals. This will allow users to enjoy popular HD video content on large-screen TVs/monitors, as only HDMI can display the highest video quality perfectly without distortions. Additionally, the bundled HDMI to DVI conversion adaptor allows users to support DVI outputs. 

Quad PC Desktop Space for Effective Multi-tasking: 

The Quad-Display output allows users to utilize 4 monitors for increased multi-tasking work efficiency by not wasting time alt-tabbing between programs. With just an add-on graphics card, they will be able to easily work on up to 4 different applications in full screen mode and instantly quad their PC desktop space. For example, users can browse their picture library thumbnails on one monitor, use the second to view them in full screen, edit them on a third, and browse the Internet / read emails on the fourth. 

More at ASUS

On the heels of Wal-Mart, Circuit City has started selling Toshiba A2 HD DVD player for $197.99. Add it in to the cart to see yourself. This year’s “Day After Thanks Giving Sales” going to be too good with deals like this popping up way early in the game. Circuit City

Los Angeles - Reuters - October 24, ‘07 - 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-backed technology, totaled 2.6 million units from January 1 through Sept 30, versus 1.4 million HD-DVD discs sold.

One big factor giving Blu-ray an edge has been the popularity of Sony’s PlayStation 3 game consoles, which also include a Blu-ray disc drive. It’s going to be 2008 before the dust will really starts to settle. For now, its like watching a yacht race.

More at Reuters

Reg Hardware is reporting on a new release of Blu-ray drive for Laptops. “Optiarc, the optical drive joint venture between Sony and NEC, has taken the wraps off its first Blu-ray Disc playback drive for laptops, claiming the machine will allow notebook makers to equip mid-range models with the next-gen disc format.

Optiarc’s BC-5500A doubles up as a standard CD and DVD burner, writing single-layer DVD±R/RW, dual-layer DVD±R, DVD-RAM and CD-R/RW media at up to 8x, 4x, 5x and 16x speeds, respectively. Optiarc said the drive is available to buy now and that it will retail for around £165 ($335).

Separately, Sony also introduced a new desktop BD drive, the BWU-200S. This one can burn BD-R and BD-RE media too, with BD-R recording speed running at 4x - though only 2x for BD-RE.”

More at RegHardware…