Microsoft CES keynote (HDDVD content)

Zer0beaT

Zer0beaT

Junior Audioholic
http://www.microsoft.com/events/executives/billgates.mspx

You can watch the presentation here.

It was a fairly good presentation compared to usual (in my opinion).

They mostly went over Windows Vista (which looked pretty good) and MS Media Center (looks to greatly improve).

There was a presentation of HDDVD with The Bourne Supremacy (or maybe it was Identity can't remember now) using the Toshiba HDDVD player which is supposed to be available soon for $499.

BluRay seems to have won the next-gen DVD "war" in recent months, but I gotta say HDDVD seems pretty cool and if it's true the initial BluRay players will be $1000.00+ with HDDVD coming in at $499 a player, this might not be over yet.

Some of the cool features they showed were being able to bring up menu features/special features etc in-movie in a transparent menu bar at the bottom of the screen. An example shown during Bourne Supremacy/Identity/Whatever you can bring up a menu strip showing recent actors appearing in the movie and finding out their history etc. For when you're watching a movie and going "where do I know that actor from?!?!". Pretty nice feature actually.

Another demonstration with HDDVD was "Legal Copies" to your PC. I think this could be a big selling point for HDDVD if it's true BluRay is going to be super hardcore about copy protection. You can legally store your HDDVD's to your PC (Media Center PC only though? not sure) and you can make backups specific to how you want to reuse it. Like a portable device backup, full HD backup etc.

The last interesting thing in the MS keynote is they're going to be releasing an external HDDVD player for the Xbox 360. They didn't go into specifics but I'm personally imagining something akin to an external PC DVD-R ROM type thing connecting to the Xbox 360 via the USB plugs on the front of the console. No word on pricing and they didn't show any actual unit. I'm assuming the Xbox 360 would process the video/sound through the console.

Anyway, just a heads up for anyone who's interested in all this new tech.
 
S

Sinsemilla

Audioholic Intern
Even though the stand-alone Bluray disc players may be expensive when the format is first introduced, don't forget about PS3. I don't think PS3 will cost anywhere near $1000.00. With the video processing capabilities PS3 boasts, I'm sure it will satisfy even the most demanding videophiles, even if they don't play video games.
 
E

Emusica

Audioholic
Zer0beaT said:
The last interesting thing in the MS keynote is they're going to be releasing an external HDDVD player for the Xbox 360. They didn't go into specifics but I'm personally imagining something akin to an external PC DVD-R ROM type thing connecting to the Xbox 360 via the USB plugs on the front of the console. No word on pricing and they didn't show any actual unit. I'm assuming the Xbox 360 would process the video/sound through the console. Anyway, just a heads up for anyone who's interested in all this new tech.[/QUOTE] This is what I have been wondering. I wasn't even going to bother getting an Xbox360 unless I at least had the capability to watch HD-DVD. I'm sure they will come out with a version that will integrate the 360 and the HD-player, much like when the PS2 came out with the integrated ethernet adaptor on their slim PStwo. Good stuff, keep it coming!
 
mtrycrafts

mtrycrafts

Seriously, I have no life.
Zer0beaT said:
There was a presentation of HDDVD with The Bourne Supremacy (or maybe it was Identity can't remember now) using the Toshiba HDDVD player which is supposed to be available soon for $499.

BluRay seems to have won the next-gen DVD "war" in recent months, but I gotta say HDDVD seems pretty cool and if it's true the initial BluRay players will be $1000.00+ with HDDVD coming in at $499 a player, this might not be over yet. .

I think you are right. It is just starting and the race is on for a universal player now?
That $500 as a new product is very tempting indeed. What will it drop to when production runs get really going?
 
gellor

gellor

Full Audioholic
Zer0beaT said:
Another demonstration with HDDVD was "Legal Copies" to your PC. I think this could be a big selling point for HDDVD if it's true BluRay is going to be super hardcore about copy protection. You can legally store your HDDVD's to your PC (Media Center PC only though? not sure) and you can make backups specific to how you want to reuse it. Like a portable device backup, full HD backup etc.

From Blu-Ray.com:

Nov 16, 2005 - Blu-ray Disc to Support Mandatory Managed Copy

The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) today confirmed that Mandatory Managed Copy (MMC), which allows users to legally copy discs and transfer the digital files over a home network, will be supported by the Blu-ray Disc format. This was one of two features that HP recently requested be added to the Blu-ray Disc format, the other one was Microsoft's iHD layer for interactivity. "Mandatory managed copy will be part of Blu-ray format, but while HP's request (for interactivity) is being considered, at this point in time, the Blu-ray group is still proceeding down the path of Java," Blu-ray spokesman Andy Parsons told Reuters in an interview. "We are taking their request seriously, but are not willing to delay the launch. I'm not saying we would not implement what they've requested, but it's not going to stop the format at this time."​
 

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