Tag: blu ray

Paramount and Dreamworks go exclusively HD DVD: Disney, Fox, MGM try hitting back for Blu-ray

Two Hollywood studios who had previously been supporting both Blu-ray and HD DVD high definition disc formats yesterday announced that they’ll support HD DVD exclusively from now on.

The decision was made based on “extensive evaluation” of the current market offerings, plumping for HD DVD because of its “market-ready technology” and lower manufacturing costs.

CEO of Paramount Pictures, Brad Grey, said that this decision by the two studios would bring a critical mass of current box office hits to consumers, with a line-up perfect for HD DVD.

Though no other studio has swapped format, Disney, Twentieth Century Fox, and MGM, all reaffirmed their commitment to Blu-ray, promising many more titles with greater interactivity — something that the format still lags behind HD DVD on thanks to technical limitations of the original Blu-ray specification.

Andy Merrett Blu-ray, HD DVD

LG finally cuts price of Super Blu dual format high definition disc player

lg_bh100_super_multi_blu_hd_disc_player.jpg

There’s been something of a price war between rival HD DVD and Blu-ray player manufacturers of late, but until now, dual format players haven’t followed suit.

LG has just announced that it’s to cut the US price of its “Super Blu” BH100 dual format (HD DVD/Blu-ray) player by $200, from $1,199 down to $999.

This may be in response to Samsung’s recent announcement of their BDP-UP5000 player, expected to retail for around $1,049.

Andy Merrett Blu-ray, HD DVD

High definition discs outsell VHS tapes: is it really a milestone?

dvd.jpgAccording to research from Video Business, the combined sales of Blu-ray and HD DVD high definition discs was greater than that of VHS cassettes sold in the first half of 2007.

Although standard definition DVD sales also slumped by around 5% in the same period, due mainly to a weak bunch of new releases, the dominant disc format is hardly challenged by these findings.

Sales of pre-recorded video tapes are all but non-existent now, with most consumers preferring the greater convenience, features, quality, and smaller form factor of DVDs.

Andy Merrett Blu-ray, HD DVD

Lite-On announce lower 'strategic' price for internal Blu-ray drive in Europe

bluray.jpgLite-On has announced that, since Blu-ray lasers are no longer in short supply and the company has accumulated enough stock of the product, they are lowering the price of their internal Blu-ray PC drive – titled as the particularly uninspiring LH-2B1S.

The drive launched back in November last year, when there was a distinct shortage of components. Now, says Katrin Ackermann, European Sales Manager for Philips & Lite-On Digital Solutions, “we can see already a growing demand of Blu-ray. It looks like the format is getting more popular now that there are more playback devices and movie titles available in the market. Now we have the possibility to lower our prices, to make our product available for a bigger group of customers and increase our sales quantity.”

Andy Merrett Blu-ray

Blu-ray film studios launch "Hollywood in Hi-Def" web site

bluray.jpgHigh definition disc formats may not be the most exciting news around, but that’s not stopped companies who support either HD DVD or Blu-ray doing what they can to push their format as the best choice for consumers.

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, and 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (I think it’s all about home entertainment) have backed a new web site that aims to push Blu-ray as the best choice for watching movies.

It’s called Hollywood in Hi-Def.

Andy Merrett Blu-ray