Tag: dvd
First simultaneous multiplatform film release – why did it take so long?
I’ve never fully understood the reasons that film studios always release movies to the cinemas first, then rental, then DVD, then finally video-on-demand services and TV. It baffles me why they’d want to make it harder for consumers to enjoy their products, especially now that digital distribution means that there’s no reason why film studios can’t just let people buy a film as soon as it’s ready.
Digital Copy arrives in the UK with hopes of ending piracy. Pah!
The “Digital Copy” concept was unveiled nearly a year ago at Macworld 2008, but given the time it takes for most ideas to crawl the Atlantic seabed to Blighty, the first DVD title featuring the technology has only just been released here.
Twentieth Century Fox’s “What Happens in Vegas” DVD now comes with the ability to legally rip a copy of the film to your iTunes library, where it can then be moved onto your iPod or iPhone, or just watched on the desktop without having to use the disc.
Jim Gianopulos, chairman and chief executive of Fox Filmed Entertainment, said he was “thrilled” with this “incredibly simple way for our customers to get even more out of their DVD purchase”, claiming that iTunes compatibility wa one of the most requested features of DVD buyers…
RealDVD: might be legal, but the movie industry suits don't like it
There’s a little buzz around Real Networks’ inspiringly-named RealDVD software, for while the company claims that it legally copies DVDs to a hard disc and adds an extra level of DRM into the mix, the movie industry may not be too happy about it.
Unlike the plethora of software that cracks standard and high definition discs so it can be played whenever and wherever (consumers are funny creatures when it comes to doing what they like with stuff they’ve bought), RealDVD keeps the disc image intact. Taking a leaf from Apple — and then charging lots of money for it — it even allows up to five computers to be registered so that ripped discs can be watched…
Optoma EW330 – Smallest widescreen projector in the world… EVER!
This is the Optoma EW330, which I had the pleasure of seeing in the flesh (or, I suppose, in the plastic) this morning. Although it’s tiny (the smallest widescreen projector in the world, for the moment), it’s remarkably powerful, throwing 2200 Lumens out, which should be more than enough to see clearly in a well-lit environment like an office or a meeting room.
Freecom releases ultra-thin DVD writer for notebook users
Freecom has announced its thin and light DVD writer, aimed squarely at notebook users who demand compact units to go with their snazzy portable PCs.
Measuring just 1.7cms thick with an almost square 14.4 x 14cms footprint, and weighing 600g, it could “slide right into your pocket” – as the company claims – but it might be better in a padded pocket in your laptop bag…
TwinBird DVD Zabady – underwater TV tuner and DVD player
I can think of a few places where watching a film isn’t really appropriate – and one of those is one metre underwater. But that’s the market that the TwinBird DVD Zabady is going for…
Pioneer getting in on the Blu-ray burner scene – launching home recorders this year
The TV specialist has been getting rather innovative recently, what with all its new LCD TVs, fancy discs and that pile of Blu-ray players it’s bringing our way – now Pioneer’s planning to launch home Blu-ray recorders as well.
Pioneer’s teaming up with Sharp to develop the devices, which already makes Blu-ray recorders of its own…
Sony DVDirect DVD Burner – for PC-free burning of your blurry home videos
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The Sony DVDirect DVD Burner is a tool for enthusiasts. It’s something your dad would buy out of a catalogue. It has the appearance of being a labour-saving device, without really making much of a difference.
It connects via USB to your camcorder – or you can pop the memory card into one of its holes. From there, you can dump everything onto a dual-layer DVD, complete with auto-generated DVD menu screens…
Kaleidescape's high-end DVD upscalers push out 1080p, following Toshiba's lead
It seems that Toshiba isn’t the only company without a vested interest in Blu-ray trying to push out new technology that, supposedly, makes DVDs look as good as high definition discs.
Kaleidescape has announced the latest version of its expensive movie jukebox, the 1080p Player, features algorithms that can upscale standard DVD video to 1080p quality…
Blu-meh: US HDTV owners aren't interested in new high definition disc players
A recently published NPD survey reveals that less than ten percent of US HDTV owners are planning on buying a Blu-ray disc player in the next six months.
