Not HDTV related

ok so this is not in any way related to the theme of this Blog but pretty damn funny.

Chris Berman going nuts on Monday Night Football during commercial:

Sonic Solutions drops HD-DVD

Professional digital media production solutions provider backs Blu-ray

Sonic Solutions has announced that it will be dropping its support for HD DVD and refocusing its research and development on Blu-ray.

The professional digital media production solutions provider has said that it will be refocusing its budget on Blu-ray to take advantage of the opportunity the format affords.

HDTV: The Super Bowl's guaranteed MVP - Los Angeles Times

A social and technological revolution is afoot, changing far more than the way we watch sporting events.

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Blu-ray Review: Pirates of the Carribean - Dead Man's Chest

The problem with transfers like Dead Man’s Chest is that it spoils Blu-ray fans. This is as top of the line as the format can get. ...

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Toshiba responds to Woolworths HD-DVD cull

Technology giant remains defiant but admits it is 'disappointed' by retailer's decision

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Last HD-DVD release from National Geographic

On the other hand, it will be the last HD-DVD title from National Geography. National Geography has informed highdefdigest that they are done with HD-DVD, ...

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3 Good Reasons To Stick With HD DVD

By most accounts, Blu-ray has surged ahead in the high-def format war. But here are three reasons why HD DVD is still a solid investment.

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Pros and Cons of a Plasma Flat Panel HDTV

This article discusses the pros and cons of a plasma HDTV set.

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New JVC cams promise 1080p output, more

Saving one of its key announcements for the aftermath of the CES expo, JVC this morning revealed two high-end camcorders in its Everio lineup for its home territory of Japan. Both the GZ-HD5 and its premium cousin the HD6 are about 40 percent smaller than the HD7 they replace but output at higher quality than before.

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Blu-ray Disc--The New VHS?

In which our columnist declares his loyalty to the Blu-ray camp, and readers tell us what they think.

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Woolworths officially drops HD DVD

Woolworths has announced that beginning in March it will no longer sell HD DVD movies in its stores and will instead be Blu-ray exclusive.The company cited Christmas sales as a main reason for the drop, stating that Blu-ray outsold HD-DVD by 10 to 1 over the period.

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It's official! DVD plus/minus war ends in a draw

The battle of the recordable DVD formats - DVD+R/RW versus DVD-R/RW - is finally and officially over more than five-odd years after it began, and several years after the fight became largely symbolic.

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Aquavision waterproof HDTV is world's largest

Aquavision already impressed us with its combination LCD TV and heated towel rack, but now the company goes a step further, creating the world's largest waterproof TV for your bathroom. Measuring a generous 57 inches diagonally, it doubles as a mirror when it's turned off, adding at least one good property to its questionable usefulness.

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HDMI, Displayport quickly replacing DVI

The DVI interface will is headed for retirement, as HDMI and Displayport are establishing themselves as successors for the interface. Market researchers from In-Stat believe that DVI shipments will “begin a steep decline” in 2008.

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HD DVD buys Super Bowl ad

During next week's Super Bowl, viewers will be treated to an HD DVD commercial, but won't see any mention of the competing Blu-ray format.The ad will feature Toshiba's three lowest-priced players, the HD-A3, A30, and A35, and is the biggest advertising move for any high-def disc medium to date, reports Home Media Magazine.

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BBC anchor sues over facial surgery for HDTV makeover

Katie Silverton is suing a health clinic for botching a recent operation, which she says she scheduled because of increased concerns over HDTV images.Silverton, an anchor on BBC News, said that after the operation she ended up with facial "disfigurements" including spots all over her face. She went in to have her acne removed.

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Gartner: Blu-ray to win in 2008, HD DVD resistance "useless"

Gartner, the fat lady of research firms, is singing HD DVD's swan song this morning. 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...

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MS has been talking to Blu-ray all along

Xbox marketing bigwig Jeff Bell says Microsoft has been talking to Blu-ray about the possibility of a partnership all along.

He was speaking about Warner Bros.'s recent decision to exclusively pick the Sony-championed disc format, and did not rule out the possibility MS will adopt it at some point in the future.

"We've been talking to Blu-ray all along because we have the best piece of software in the business, called HDi. It is the backbone that powers interactivity in HD-DVD and we have that available to potentially partner with others," Jeff Bell told 1UP.

"You never say never. I think we'd like to see how things evolve. Our commitment, however, to HD-DVD is profound and consistent, and we have done very, very well in term of our accessory sales."

High-Def Successor to DVD to Be Showcased in 7 new cities

Following overwhelming consumer and media response of Blu-ray technology being the leading format of choice for home entertainment - Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment and Panasonic Electronics today announce the official extension of Disney’s Magical Blu-ray Tour to visit seven additional North American cities in 2008. The announcement was made by Bob Chapek, president of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.Disney’s Magical Blu-ray Tour, sponsored by Panasonic, will continue to educate consumers across the country about the leading, state-of-the-art high-definition home entertainment technology through hands-on interactive kiosks, product demonstrations, and a special presentation theater where consumers can experience first-hand the amazing capabilities of Blu-ray Hi-Def. The tour extension will commence in Toronto, Canada beginning January 24 and continue on to six additional locations across the nation.“Last year, thousands of consumers in each market stopped by our Blu-ray Tour exhibit to better educate themselves on the Blu-ray format and its numerous technological advancements,” stated Bob Chapek, president of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. “The success of this interactive and educational vehicle helped clear up many misperceptions about high-definition in general. With that said, we are thrilled to be able to extend the tour into 2008.”

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Blu-ray is smokin' hot; HD formats outpacing DVD

Although HD DVD appears to be in dire straits, the format battle between it and Blu-ray has had at least one positive ramification: pricing on players has fallen at a rapid rate, and sales are eclipsing those seen in the early years of DVD.

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Sharp Blu-ray disc player price cut to $319

Amazon Link here

Sharp BD Player

Gefen launches HDTV line, HDMI switch box

Gefen today announced a new line of electronics products geared towards home theatre enthusiasts, which it is dubbing Gefen TV, leading off the line with the Gefen TV Switcher. The Switcher is capable of sharing one HDMI v1.3 port to four separate devices.

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CEA: 2.4 Million HDTV Sets to be sold for Super Bowl

According to the third annual “Sports and Technology” survey conducted by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®, Super Bowl XLII will generate 2.4 Million High-Definition Television (HDTV) sales.

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NPD: Recent Blu-ray sales explosion "doesn't really mean a lot

However, "One week doesn't really mean a lot," said Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis for NPD.

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'No Country For Old Men' Blu-ray Specs, Cover Art

No Country For Old Men on Blu-ray will be presented in widescreen 2.35:1 1080p video and 5.1 48 kHz, 16-bit uncompressed audio.

• Working with the Coens: Reflections of Cast and Crew - Learn more about Joel and Ethan Coen from the perspective of their collaborators, cast and crew.
• The Making of No Country For Old Men - Take a journey through the Coen Brothers’ process and back to their roots as storytellers with a unique voice and vision.
• Diary of a Country Sheriff - Explore the relationship between the compassion of Sheriff Bell and the brutality of Anton Chigurh.

No Country For Old Men on Blu-ray Disc will carry an SRP of $34.99.

Confessions of a Format War Casualty

I must confess, when I entered this war, I did so with the youthful energy reserved for a 16 year-old boy who has just gotten his first car. I had picked my side, grabbed my gun and went straight into battle. When it comes to war, you tend not to think in terms of the future.

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Review: PC Magazine reviews the Slingbox SOLO

PC Magazine likes the new cute little Slingbox SOLO. Neat little device that enables you to easily watch your cable/tivo/etc. while on your LAN, on the go (via wireless hotspot), etc.

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The 700mhz Gorilla - Why Google Wants It & Why It Matters

Each 700-MHz cellular antenna can service a larger footprint, which means fewer cells will be required overall. That should, theoretically, make it cheaper to build a national wireless network. However..."the dirty little secret of cellular data is that two customers with Slingboxes can take down an entire EVDO cell”. Yikes!

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Japan looks to step beyond HD

In a research laboratory in Japan, the country's public broadcaster is working on a successor to the familiar high-definition broadcast system. NHK doesn't expect its Super Hi-Vision video format to make it to actual broadcast until 2025.

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Sony Reduces Blu-ray Lasers' Size and Cost

With Blu-ray destroying the competition, the availability of cheaper units is going to be a big part in the future success of the format. he answer’sa tiny blue-laser data reader module that paves the way for slimmer, cheaper and portable Blu-ray drives.

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Wireless auction opens with $2.4 billion bid total

High bids so far include $1.04 billion for spectrum block that is required to be open to all devices and software applications.

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NPD: Sky Isn't Falling for HD-DVD, Blu-ray Isn't Champ Yet

Sales data for HD-DVD and Blu-ray players and movies has been misconstrued lately by various outlets, with reports implying that HD-DVD sales have fallen at ...

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10 stunning *ULTRA-GEEKY* home cinemas

as time goes by there seems to be a growing trend amongst those people lucky enough to afford it / mental enough to spend all available cash on it: home cinemas. huge screens, incredible sound systems and luxurious seats are popping up in seemingly spare rooms and basements larger than my entire flat.

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80GB PS3 system being discontinued

Best Buy internal memo reveals the end of premium PS3. "This means that there currently isn't a version that is PS2 compatible," the memo highlights. Sony's making some serious changes to its hardware line-up soon.

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Low end ATI cards add HD DVD, Blu-ray playback

Earlier this morning, at an event in Beijing, the video card maker ATI announced that they will be incorporating Blu-ray and HD DVD playback support into their upcoming low end video cards.ATI confirmed that they had added DirectX 10.1 support to two new Radeon division cards at the lower end of the price spectrum.

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Interview with Universal's Ken Graffeo on HD DVD

BetaNews.com just interviewed Universal EVP Ken Graffeo which says HD DVD is here to stay. In the interview he makes it clear that ...

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First Paramount Blu-ray Titles Spotted in Amazon

Amazon UK is listing three Paramount Blu-ray titles with that definitive release date: Trading Places, Coming to America and Anchorman.

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Hitachi DZ-BD9H hybrid Blu-Ray and 60GB HD camcorder

Hitachi Japan has announced the DZ-BD9H hybrid camcorder which records in full HD 1920 x 1024 MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 video on a 8cm wide BD/DVD or the onboard 60GB hard drive.

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Thousands of fans sign a save HD DVD petition

So far, over six thousand HD DVD fans have signed an online petition that is urging, maybe pleading, for Warner Home Entertainment to reconsider its decision to drop the next gen format in favor of Blu-ray.

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HD DVD Losing Its Arsenal in Japan

he HD-DVD troopers are surely fighting the losing battle, as new research from Japan details a surge in Blu-Ray player ownership. The study surveyed buying trends from 2,300 electronic stores across Japan, and the statistics showed that next-generation DVD-unit sales rocketed from 6.1% in October to 20% in November and December.

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Dan Read Cosmetics Introduces First Make-Up for HDTV

thought this was kind of funny:

Dan Read Cosmetics Introduces First Make-Up for HDTV

No room for the next big thing

The news from the Consumer Electronics Show and Macworld that Internet TV is the next big thing for consumers brings me both relief and dread: Relief that such a device might end the tug-o-war between the computer screen and the TV screen.

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HDMI switcher roundup

Most people are stuck with two or three inputs on their HDTV or receiver. Instead of buying new equipment, consider HDMI switchers.

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Blu-ray outpaces HD DVD by more than 6-to-1 last week

This is the first week that HD DVD had NO titles in the top ten.

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Blu-ray vs. HD DVD: Who Cares?

Dane Cook: Just as annoying in Blu-ray. The Fantastic Four: Still terrible in Blu-ray, if not worse.

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Steve Jobs calls Zune and Blu-ray failures

Apple CEO Steve Jobs was recently interviewed by CNBC's Jim Goldman and he had a few bold statements to make. For one he called rival Microsoft's Zune media player a "failure" as well as proclaiming that although Blu-ray may have won the format war over HD DVD it had most likely lost the HD content distribution battle.

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Tune in, TubeStick out

Ahh, the Tube—that’s actually the polite word for TV in my parents’ circle. But however you feel about it deep down, you’ll be able to watch and even share your viewing experience with others with Equinux’s TubeStick hybrid, a TV receiver that will be available in the U.S. next month for $129.Plug this tiny USB device into your Mac and receive free digital HDTV as well as digital cable and analog TV signals. You get the receiver, mini antenna, adapter and cable, and The Tube software right in the box.The Tube lets you watch, timeshift, and record live TV, but also makes watching more social, especially if, for example, your political debate buddies aren’t sitting on the couch next to you splitting a bottle of chardonnay. The Tube’s new TubeTalk feature—a chat room available for all running TV programs—lets you and your companions across the country trash the politicians before they even stop talking. BuddySurfing, another feature, lets you keep track of your friends when they get bored with the political spin and start to channel surf.But what if you’re on the go? That’s where an optional Web-based service called TubeToGo comes in handy. It lets you remotely schedule, manage, and watch your programs while you’re en route. With TubeToGo you can publish your library on .Mac or to an FTP server and watch the programs via WiFi on your iPod Touch or iPhone.

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Panasonic 103-inch HDTV sales reach 15 in 2007

Over the last 12 months, a whopping 15 of the world's largest commercially available TV were sold, five of which went to one customer in the Middle East.Panasonic's ground breaking 103-inch plasma hit the market in 2006 for around $80,000.

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New Blu-ray 2.0 spec makes PS3 the most future-proof player

With the sudden and unexpected announcement from Warner that the studio would be abandoning HD DVD titles in favor of Blu-ray, it seemed to many observers that the high-def format war was all over, bar the shouting.

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Samsung reveals new LCD TVs for 2008

Samsung is introducing HDTV’s to suit all pockets in 2008, with the launch of its series 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9 LCD sets. The 4 series comes in a range of sizes from 19in to 40in, and is an entry-level TV with 3 HDMI inputs. ...

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Don't believe the low bit-rate 'HD' lie

Last week at CES, Comcast announced their “HD” video on demand download service over its future DOCSIS 3.0 that allows 4 minute downloads of entire HD movies.� Attendees at MacWorld this week were told that disk-based HD formats like HD DVD and Blu-ray are essentially obsolete because you can simply...

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Broadcast Internationl Delivers HDTV at 3 Mbps

Broadcast International says that video encoders built on its CodecSys Video Compression Software and multi-core processors with change the video world. BI says that it can deliver HDTV broadcasts on 90% of PCs and 300 million mobile devices at 3 Mbps or less.

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Signal generator helps troubleshoot HDTV

For testing HDMI video displays and projectors, the 1080p TV signal generator lets users select a variety of video test patterns -- including HDCP verification, three audio testing signals, a sine-wave formation, and 35 timing settings -- using its menus and LCD. DVI testing is supported with an adapter.

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HD DVD fires back, slashes hardware & software prices.

HD DVD's response to being unceremoniously jilted by Warner going into CES was ... nothing. A canceled press conference, downtrodden Toshiba press conference and rumors of further losses left great doubt that red had anything left in 2008, but now HD DVD is firing back.

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Xbox Live Marketplace vs Apple TV: The breakdown

Up until yesterday, the living room set-top box was simply a "hobby" for Apple; their fumbled Apple TV product did little to unseat the HD video rental download champ, the largely uncontested Xbox Live Video Marketplace. Check out the head to head breakdown.

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Hitachi 1.5 inch thick HDTV

You have guessed right: this is a 1.5 inches thick Plasma HDTV and yes, that’s the new trend. With no room to go up in resolution (1080p is the “ultimate” resolution – for a while) HDTV makers are seeking...

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BBC will not drop HD DVD.

A BBC spokesperson recently talked with TVShowsOnDVD.com and said that they would continue to support both HD DVD and Blu-ray and continued "we will ...

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Could Apple TV HD downloads skew the HD DVD vs Blu-ray war?

Just as it seems that the HD DVD vs Blu-ray war is winding down, the reality of high definition downloads looms even larger than ever over ...

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The Real Reason Warner Went Blu-ray

Warner actually wanted to go HD DVD. They gave Toshiba the chance to bring a studio into the HD DVD camp before they departed for Blu. Fox had told the HD DVD camp it was going to switch, which would've turned Warner exclusively HD DVD. At the last possible minute, Fox nixed the deal.

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Apple unveils the Apple TV Take 2!

Apple just admitted that the first Apple TV didn't quite work out -- so it's back with a new model that can access iTunes directly -- and streams movies in both DVD quality and HD with 5.1 surround.

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iTunes/iPod-Ready Digital Copies on Fox DVDs Official, Free

Twentieth Century Fox and Apple(R) today announced Digital Copy for iTunes(R), which provides customers who purchase a DVD with an additional Digital Copy of the movie. Just like movies purchased from the iTunes Store, an iTunes Digital Copy can effortlessly be transferred to iTunes and then viewed on a PC.

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Tom Cruise Crazy Babbling about Scientology

"we are the authorities on the mind"..."I won't hesitate to put ethics in on someone else"..."we're here to help".."you're either on board or you're not on board"...

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Retail Remains Unchanged Post Format War

Less than 10 days after Warner Bros. said it would exclusively distribute high-definition packaged media in Blu-ray starting in May, many national retailers continue to sell hardware and software in both formats.

More here:

33 megapixel Super Hi-Vision (Ultra HDTV) for 2015

1080p and QuadHD / 4K can take a step back, the Japanese government has announced plans to bring Super Hi-Vision (a.k.a. Ultra High Definition) to life as a broadcast standard by 2015. Damn those Japanese!

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Hitler Not Too Pleased Over HD-DVD Downfall

Last summer, he was banned from Xbox Live for using a modified console, and it seems now he is extremely pissed over the downfall of the HD-DVD format after ...

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HD-DVD Disaster Recovery Guide

Warner Bros. dropped a huge bomb on Toshiba before the CES last week. They made the move to Blu-Ray exclusivity. Warner stated that they were pro-actively trying to end the format war. Yes, it is bad for consumers, but when the market split is this deep, how bad is it? The only consumers in this war are early adopters and gadget heads. The result o

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First look: Slingbox PRO-HD

Now the company is creating a new product, the Slingbox PRO-HD, to stream HDTV video from one part of the home to another. You can now watch your TV shows ...

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Toshiba Deploys New HD DVD Marketing Initiatives Based on Strong Fourth Quarter Unit Sales

Really?

Toshiba Deploys New HD DVD Marketing Initiatives Based on Strong Fourth Quarter Unit Sales

Toshiba Launches HD DVD Player Fire Sale

DailyTech brought you steady coverage over the past week concerning the latest news in the HD DVD vs. Blu-ray wars. Unless you've been living under a rock, you by now already know that Warner Bros. made the decision to back Blu-ray exclusively.

The move by Warner Bros. was followed by similar actions from New Line Home Entertainment and HBO Home Video. Recent stories have even suggested that Paramount is also tossing around the idea of supporting the Blu-ray disc standard.

Toshiba apparently doesn't want to go down without a fight and is instead slashing the prices on its HD DVD players. Toshiba's second generation HD-A2 players previously dipped down to the sub-$100 mark during November -- but that was during the traditional holiday buying season and not truly indicative of regular retail pricing.

More after the jump:

Get a Toshiba HD DVD player and 7 movies for $129.99

Welcome to the HD DVD Deathwatch, Day One. TigerDirect has the Toshiba HD-A3 player with 2 movies in the box (300 and The Bourne Identity) and 5 more by mail, all for just $129.99. That's practically a Black Friday price, which begs the question: Could this

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New Panasonic recorders bring HDTV to DVD, HDD, VHS

Turning its attention from its CES releases, Panasonic on Friday released two entries in its DIGA high-defnition video recorder lines. The XP12 and XP22V are both capable of transcoding HDTV from their digital over-the-air tuners into the more efficient AVCHD (H.264) video format, allowing more video to fit on either DVR's 250GB hard drives without losing perceived quality. Each can also record this video at its full HD size to single- and dual-layer DVD-R discs to preserve them for later viewing on the recorder or any other device that can play AVCHD from normal discs. The XP22V adds VHS recording, Panasonic says, though whether these videos will remain at HD sizes is unknown.

PS3 + Paris Hilton = Blu Ray sex video ???

now with Paris Hilton's vagina we also have the content that is going to drive Sony's PS3 Blu-Ray into every household worldwide.yes i know this is a fake story but a great laugh

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Blu-ray and HD DVD live in harmony on one disc

So whilst we're all worrying about which bit of kit to buy for HD playback and which format we�ll support, RiDATA have taken the unusual step producing not a dual format player but a dual format disc!

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Universal: We're staying with HD DVD

5:00 pm ET January 10, 2008 -- Universal Studios has officially dispelled the rumors from Variety that it will drop HD DVD and switch to Blu-ray.

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Universal HD DVD exclusivity contract has expired, sits non-renewed

More news from the format war today, and it isn't good for the red camp. Daily Variety has confirmed that Universal's agreement to stick with HD DVD has ended and has not been renewed. Additionally, Paramount has an escape clause in its contract that can be exercised following Warner's departure from the (now dwindling) HD DVD ranks. The article highlights various ongoing commitments both companies have to the format, but we've heard these kind of promises before from studios. It's feeling like a party where everyone leaves at once; nobody wants to be the first out the door, but everyone's looking in that direction.

HD DVD Exclusive Transformers Running on PS3

Haven't tried this, but apparently a Japanese gamer was able to rip HD DVD exclusive, burn it on Blu-ray and get it running on a PS3.

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NO Blu-Ray for Xbox 360

Microsoft has "no plans" to build anything Blu-ray. So just when is HD DVD dead in Microsoft's eyes? It's "over when Toshiba says they're not doing HD DVD ...

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HBO goes Blu-ray only in HD DVD vs Blu-ray war

Back and forth, up and down, the rumors of Paramount leaving HD DVD just won’t die! First up, it has officially been announced that HBO is ...

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Sources say Universal and Paramount are both going Blu

Rumors just won't stop about the future of HD DVD, and while we try not to post all of them, some seem too believable to pass up. Our friend Bill Hunt, at the Digital Bits, -- still waiting on those permalinks, Bill -- is reporting that his "second to none" sources informed him that both Universal and Paramount are in the process of going blu.

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Alienware's Curved Display is "Best of CES"

With its unique curved design and 0.02ms response time, this widescreen Alienware dislay strives to be on every gamers' most wanted listed.

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Have a Side of Blu-ray with Your Xbox 360?

Why not? Peripherals are easy. Strategy is hard. Figure out the latter and assuming Blu-ray wins the gold, plugging a Blu-ray add-on into your Xbox 360 sounds like a no-brainer.

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Seagate CEO: Blu-ray won the battle but lost the war

The winner in the Blu-ray and HD DVD war is the hard drive, according to Bill Watkins, CEO of Seagate Technology. "People are saying Blu-ray won the war but who cares? The war is over physical distribution versus electrical distribution, and Blu-ray and HD lost that," he said during

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Are you true Blu or rabidly red?

Every enthusiast knows about the "war," has picked a side and is passionate about it. Being an audio-video fan who likes to relax in my leather theater chairs and watch movies on my plasma television, I monitor the goings-on in the electronics world closely.

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Samsung Says There's Life After Hollywood for HD DVD

We scored a sitdown with DongSoo Jun, Executive VP and General Manager of Samsung's Digital AV Division. Translation: He's Samsung's main man on Blu-ray and HD DVD. We asked him the big question: "Is HD DVD dead ?" His answer might surprise you.

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Is the End nearer than we thought?

CES: Download Blu-Ray Movies To PSP

Future Blu-Ray movie releases will include versions of the films optimized for the portable PSP, Sony announced at CES today.By inserting the disc into a PlayStation 3 and connecting the PSP, disc owners will be able to copy the special lower-resolution version of the movie onto the Memory Stick in the PSP and watch it on the go.

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Paramount ready to switch sides again?

According to the Financial Times:

Paramount is poised to drop its support of HD DVD after Warner Brothers’ recent backing of Sony’s Blu-ray technology, in a move that will sound the death knell of HD DVD and bring the home entertainment format war to a definitive end.

Paramount and DreamWorks Animation, which makes the Shrek films, came out in support of HD DVD last summer, joining General Electric’s Universal Studios as the main backers of the Toshiba format.

Video:Hands-On With the 150-Inch Panasonic Lifescreen Plasma

Panasonic finally dropped the curtain on their 150-inch Lifescreen Plasma, and its a beauty. Check out the video of the 4000x2000 resolution display and prepare to drool like we did at first glance.

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Buffalo Announces First External Blu-ray HD DVD Player of Its Kind

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 7, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- 2008 CES (Booth #: Renaissance 26 ) -- Buffalo Technology, a global leader in the design, development and manufacturing of wired and wireless networking, storage and memory solutions today announced the...

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Sony Demos Copying From Blu-ray Disc

Sony today demonstrated the next level of disc copying. At the company's booth at CES, Sony demonstrated how you could put a Blu-ray Disc movie into a Playstation 3 and copy the film to a Playstation Portable or a Memory Stick. "This way, you can have a portable copy you can take with you," explains David Bishop, president of Sony Pictures Home Ent

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Samsung presents two new OLED TVs at CES 2008 in Las Vegas

Two next-generation OLED models (14.1" and 31") is presented by Samsung at CES 2008 in Las Vegas

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Bill Gates' Hilarious Celeb-Filled CES 2008 Keynote Video

Video of Gates trying to get a new job for when he leaves Microsoft. Includes Jay-Z, Bono, Jon Stewart, Barack Obama, Al Gore, Steven Spielberg and a whole load of other cameos.

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Panasonic touts portable DVR, two-way CableCARD support

Devices with two-way CableCARD access could finally become a reality this year, as Comcast and Panasonic announce products at CES.

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HD-DVD - Runs and hides from CES

"....HD DVD group is canceling its CES press conference; tail severely between legs over today's explosive news that Warner -- the last "undecided" studio -- was going to the other side and doing Blu-ray discs exclusively."

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Pioneer's concept Kuro kicks currents Kuro's ass!

Yes, Pioneer's current Kuro—the "best flat-panel ever"—was shedding light like a sumbitch next to Pioneer's concept Kuro, whose black literally emits no light.

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Sony Thanks Blu-ray Fans

Sony CEO Howard Stringer acknowledged the power punch of Warner Bros. choosing Blu-ray Disc over HD DVD.

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ABC and MGM join Xbox Live Marketplace video service

Yes, you can download HD episodes of "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives" to your Xbox. Then, watch "Rocky" and "The Usual Suspects" in HD too. More details from CES.

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Funai BR player for under $300

Press Release:
On January 3rd, 2008, Funai Corporation, Inc., the North American sales and marketing subsidiary of Funai Electric Co., Ltd., today announced the introduction of its first Blu-ray Disc player (NB500 series) for the North American market.

The Company will begin production in the first quarter of 2008, and plans to begin selling the player at retail stores in North America during the second quarter. The retail price is projected to be under $300.

CES 2008: Toshiba Faces Music on HD-DVD: "We're Not Dead."

At a crowded Toshiba Press conference on Sunday, Toshiba top brass said that it was surprised by Warner Brothers abandonment of HD-DVD, but said it was too early to assume the format was dead.

"As you can imagine this is a hard day for me," said Toshiba vice president of marketing Jodi Sally. "... The events of the last few days have shifted the focus on my comments."

Those comments amounted to an exhortation not to write them off.

"We firmly believe HD-DVD is the best format for the consumer," she added. People had written it off before as dead, Sally said, and shouldn't be quick to do so now.

Toshiba of America president Akio Ozaka took the stage and asserted that HD-DVD's sales in the fourth quarter of 2007 were their strongest yet.

"We were suprised by WB's announcment to abandon HD-DVD," Ozaka said. "We were particularly disappointed that the decision was made in spite of the significant momentum HD-DVD has made ... in 2007."

Warner Brothers announced late last week that it would publish movies on the rival Blu-Ray disk format, bringing a clear majority of studios behind the Sony-backed group.

"We remain firm in our belief that HD-DVD is the format that fulfills the wants and needs of the consumer," Ozaka said.

Target going Blu-Ray Exclusive

According to the Phillips CES press show, they are.....we'll see.

Philips debuts $349 Blu-ray video player

Royal Philips Electronics NV on Sunday said it would introduce a Blu-ray high-definition video disc player for $349 in April.

The BDP7200, introduced ahead of this week's International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, plays back video at a resolution of 1,080p, the highest resolution available today. The device also features BD-Java technology, which supports more sophisticated interactive features.

BDP7200 also comes with a picture-in-picture feature.

Blu-ray -- the high-definition video format that competes with HD DVD -- got a win last week when Warner Bros. Entertainment said it would stop releasing its movies on HD DVD, opting instead to stick with Blu-ray.

Only two major U.S. studios now support HD DVD, while five support Blu-ray.

Sharp rolls out SE94U Aquos series w/ Aquos Net

Sharp's taking its Aquos HDTV line to the next level with its latest LCDs featuring Aquos Net. It's menus can be popped up at any time and seamlessly display additional info, or allow Sharp tech support to directly access the panel and help Grandma program her favorite channels.

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Sling Media Unveils Top-of-Line Slingbox PRO-HD

Sling Media, Inc., a leading digital lifestyle products company, today announced its next generation Slingbox™ PRO-HD, a revolutionary new product that is capable of streaming HD content from a home television source, including over the air HD digital signals, HDTV cable or satellite receivers, or HD DVR’s

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Toshiba lanches 20 new LCD TV models at CES

"The CES show is underway so we can’t be surprised to see many big-name companies using it as a vehicle for announcing new products. That goes for Toshiba which chose today to preview its Spring 2008 LCD TV offerings including 20 new LCD TV models…"

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Vizio announces 30 HDTV models

VIZIO, America’s Fastest Growing HDTV Company, announced today a new line of 1080p, flat panel displays with 120Hz processing with MEMC (Motion Estimation, Motion Compensation). The new “Black Tie” VIZIO SV42LF-42″ LCD and SV47LF-47″ ...

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HDTV Buyer's Guide 2008

A roundup of the most popular high-definition televisions from Sharp, Samsung, Sony, Hitachi, and more, along with a guide to HDTV technology basics.

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Michael Bay comments on Warner switch

Well another studio down. Maybe I was right? Blu ray is just better. HD will die a slow death. It's what I predicted a year ago. Now with Warner's down for the count with Blu Ray. That makes it easier for Wal-Mart to push Blu Ray. And whatever Wal-Mart pushes - wins. Hd better start giving out those $120 million dollars checks to stay alive. Maybe they can give me some so I can give it to my Make-A-Wish charity, just to shut me up. Have faith people Transformers will come out in Blu-ray one day!

Bay

Warner: New Line, HBO Not Covered By Blu-ray Announcement

Though it's widely expected that Warner Bros. subsidiaries New Line and HBO will follow Warner Home Entertainment to Blu-ray exclusivity, for the moment they remain format-agnostic.

That's according to Warner Home Entertainment President Kevin Tsujihara, who said that the studio's announcement that it would drop HD DVD support does not extend to titles released by New Line, HBO or the BBC (which Warner distributes here in the US)

"They'll be making whatever decision they're going to make," said Tsujihara. "I assume they'll let people know very quickly, but they are not covered by this initial announcement."

Toshiba Responds to Warner Blu-ray Announcement

TOKYO, Jan. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Toshiba is quite surprised by Warner Bros.' decision to abandon HD DVD in favor of Blu-ray, despite the fact that there are various contracts in place between our companies concerning the support of HD DVD. As central members of the DVD Forum, we have long maintained a close partnership with Warner Bros. We worked closely together to help standardize the first-generation DVD format as well as to define and shape HD DVD as its next-generation successor.

We were particularly disappointed that this decision was made in spite of the significant momentum HD DVD has gained in the US market as well as other regions in 2007. HD DVD players and PCs have outsold Blu-ray in the US market in 2007.

We will assess the potential impact of this announcement with the other HD DVD partner companies and evaluate potential next steps. We remain firm in our belief that HD DVD is the format best suited to the wants and needs of the consumer.

The End is Near

I can't say I didn't see this coming...I guess I need to change the site name to SirBlu-ray.com

Warner Bros. will back only Blu-ray

Time Warner's Warner Bros. studio Friday said it would exclusively release high-definition DVDs in Sony Corp's Blu-ray format, dealing a big blow to Toshiba Corp's rival HD DVD technology.

Warner Bros, Hollywood's biggest seller of DVDs, representing about 18 to 20% 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.

Total DVD unit sales fell 4.5% in 2007, the first major year-over-year decline since the disc format debuted in 1997, according to Adams Media Research. Sales fell 4.8% to $15.7 billion.

"The window of opportunity for high-definition DVD could be missed if format confusion continues to linger. We believe that exclusively distributing in Blu-ray will further the potential for mass market success and ultimately benefit retailers, producers, and most importantly, consumers," Warner Bros Chairman and Chief Executive Barry Meyer said in a statement.

News Corp's 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney, and Lionsgate are among studios backing the Blu-ray format. Viacom's Paramount studios and General Electric's NBC Universal release movies in HD DVD format.

Warner said it would continue releasing in the HD DVD format until the end of May, although those releases would follow the standard DVD and Blu-ray releases.

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Gefens HDMI-Over-Coax Means No New Wires for HDTV Everywhere

Gefen says it's figured out exactly how to move HDMI signals over the coaxial cable that already exists in many homes all over the world. The company plans to show the technology at CES next week that it says will ship in April.

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First Blu-ray BD Profile 1.1 Review

Every new phase of technology has its first few tentative steps. Not only is Blu-ray in its earliest stage, but that stage seems to be subdivided into a few mini-stages. This week, we decided to take a pre-CES look at Blu-ray 1.1.

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Marantz to Debut New BD8002 Blu-ray Player at CES

Marantz America will demonstrate its ultimate-quality BD8002 Blu-ray Disc Player (SRP: $2,099.99) at CES 2008. The Marantz® BD8002 Blu-ray DVD player features the acclaimed 10-bit Silicon Optix Realta chipset for the ultimate high-definition video resolution possible via HDMI 1.3 connection, as well as the finest possible audio performance, including Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio. The BD8002 will be showcased at the company's CES 2008 Open House at Mandalay Bay, and is scheduled for release in in the second quarter of 2008.

New HP Desktop Has Dual HD DVD

Other new desktop models geared towards digital content, photo storage and editing.

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Westinghouse Unveils World's First Wireless LCD HDTV

Westinghouse today unveiled the world's first fully integrated wireless HDTV. The high-definition LCD TV features integrated CWave UWB Wireless HDMI technology from and Pulse~LINK, a UWB semiconductor company. The new wireless LCD HDTV will be on display for the first time at the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

The Westinghouse Digital Wireless HDMI HDTV is planned for initial commercial release to the B2B digital signage market in Q2 2008 -- but consumers will get their hands on it shortly thereafter. CWave HDMI products offer real-time visually lossless wireless streaming of high quality audio and video content between entertainment source devices and HDTV displays. With the integration of CWave Wireless HDMI, digital display products can be mounted anywhere in the room without needing to run data cabling from the TV to the content source, such as a DVR, Blu-ray or HD DVD player, or a live cable or satellite feed. Video data is encoded using the JPEG2000 video codec, the same codec used by movie theaters for "Digital Cinema," providing a secure high quality HD experience. Pulse-LINK's Wireless HDMI solution is engineered to be equivalent in both content protection and visual experience to a wired HDMI connection.

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Leaked Pioneer Dropping World's Thinnest Plasma HDTV at CES

I just found out that Pioneer is making a 9mm thick HD Plasma TV which it planned to reveal at CES 2008, but was inadvertently leaked by the BBC earlier this week (story now down.) Those dimensions mean the TV is thinner than a deck of cards and they're claiming "world's thinnest"...

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Apple set to ship Macs with Blu-ray support

Apple Inc. at this month's Macworld Expo will will outline a high-definition video strategy that will see its weight thrown further behind Sony Corp's Blu-ray DVD format as opposed to Toshiba's HD-DVD, according to one Wall Street analyst.

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Ten Tips for Hassle-Free Tech Merchandise Returns

An HDTV is not a sweater--a fact that retailers will make very clear if you try to return your new flat screen. If the digital cameras (or other tech gear) you got from your mom, your cousin, or your best friend this holiday season must head back to the store, you need to be prepared before...

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Will CES showcase a solution to the Blu-ray/HD DVD war?

With days to go until the annual CES tech show in Las Vegas, the Blu-ray and HD DVD format war shows little sign of abating – with cheap upscaling DVD players their true short-term opponent.

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Sony BDP-S300 Blu-Ray Player Review

A great review of the first sub $200 Blu-Ray Player. Lots of pictures and great information about the player. It is starting to seem like Blu-Ray is going to be the winner of the format war!

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Microsoft Releasing New Xbox 360 W/ Internal HD-DVD Drive

The new Xbox 360 Sku will replace the current Microsoft Xbox 360 Elite console which has been rumored for a little while now to be discontinued shortly.

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Warner Bros. Not Dumping HD DVD

According to Home Media Magazine, Warner Bros. will not be dropping the HD DVD format, despite recent reports to the contrary. Rumor had it that WB was to announce the move at International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which starts on January 7 in Las Vegas. However, according to an unnamed Warner executive, the rumors aren't true.

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$40 HDTV Set Top Converter Coupon Sign Ups Now Open

Though the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will begin accepting applications for TV converter box coupons on Jan. 1, 2008, the actual coupons will not be mailed until Feb. 17 ... maybe. Starting TODAY, consumers may call 1-888-DTV-2009 to request up to two FREE $40 converter box coupons

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