Recent Comments:
Warner scheduled to appear at HD DVD press conference at CES {Engadget HD}
Dec 21st 2007 4:21PM Warner scheduled to be at this event means nothing at all except that they have not made a decision as of Thursday night when I spoke to top exec there.
They are doing what all studios and companies do at this point when they are unsure -- they agree to show up everywhere and book press conference rooms just in case a decision is made and an announcement will be made, but they can easily back out of any and all reservations and scheduled appearances should circumstances warrant.
At this point there is no decision and no press conference scheduled.
Scott Hettrick
Fox's new Blu-ray titles with BD+ won't play in all players {Engadget HD}
Oct 5th 2007 4:31PM This Video Business article by Susanne Ault clarifies a lot about the limited problem:
OCT. 4 | 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment is aware of consumers experiencing playback problems on Oct. 2 Blu-ray Disc release The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, but the studio believes the issues are confined to a limited number of players.
According to postings on home theater enthusiast sites such as www.avsforum.com, complaints are arising from people running the disc on Samsungs second-generation BD-P1200 model and LGs first-generation dual-format BH100 player.
Its unclear what specifically is tripping up the players, Fantastic Four does boast some of Foxs most advanced technology yet, including BD-Java-powered extras and BD+ copy protection.
Steve Feldstein, Fox senior VP of marketing communications, points out that overall reviews have been favorable for Fantastic Four. He advises consumers having difficulties to contact manufacturer support lines directly.
We are releasing more and more advanced interactive titles, and consumers should lobby their hardware manufacturers to release firmware upgrades post haste, said Feldstein. The title was well-reviewed and playing well on updated players.
Samsung should have something up soon, according to a support line staffer, who said he had received some complaints from those viewing Fantastic Four on the P1200.
The LG dual-format player is already considered weakened by the fact that it cant fully playback HDi, the interactivity technology for the HD DVD format.
Where are the official HD DVD vs Blu-ray sales numbers? {Engadget HD}
Jan 20th 2007 7:55PM The actual numbers are so small for both formats at this point that it's not likely that any studio is going to announce unit sales for any specific title until you start seeing title sales in the hundreds of thousands of units and especially the first title to hit the 1 million unit mark, as was the case with DVD.
Boasting about sales of a few thousand units versus a thousand or so less of the other format doesn't really serve anyone.
The only valid measure right now is the aggregate numbers of titles sold (not shipped), which, as you noted, is what Fox reported at CES in the following statement in a release that also included a chart:
"... Blu-ray sales performance surpassed HD-DVD for the first time the week of December 24 and did so by an impressive 20 per cent. Whats more, by the end of the first quarter our research shows the sales gap widening to Blu-ray outselling HD DVD by a 3.5-to-1 ratio, noted Mike Dunn, President Worldwide, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.
Scott Hettrick
Universal HD DVD / Blu-ray players really on the way in 2007? {Engadget HD}
Nov 8th 2006 11:47AM For an extra $200 for the external HD and an extra $300 for the hard drive? That's $500 extra on top of the original cost of the 360. Can't imagine there is much of a market at those prices.
Blockbuster trialing HD DVD and Blu-ray rentals at brick & mortar locations {Engadget HD}
Nov 7th 2006 6:01PM They need to also rent the players so customers can compare to see which format is better.
Blockbuster trialing HD DVD and Blu-ray rentals at brick & mortar locations {Engadget HD}
Nov 7th 2006 5:59PM They need to also rent the players, so consumers can try both formats and compare.
