While it seems that most of the industry is going Blu-ray exclusive or simply staying put, indie distributor Surround Records has decided to go format agnostic. Previously, the firm was dishing out multichannel audio releases on DVD-Audio discs and HD DVD, but now HighDefDigest is reporting that it will soon start supporting Blu-ray. Unfortunately, there's no details on how when exactly the outfit will start churning out releases on BD nor any word on what titles will be available on both formats, but this choice certainly throws an unexpected (though likely insignificant) splash of purple into the mix, now doesn't it?

[Thanks, Kiwi616]

We love HD movies, but we also love HTPCs, and bringing the two together would make us very happy. But the problem is we demand the ultimate experience -- or at least the best we out there. While it seems the best solution is yet to come, we wonder how close it is to being a reality on a HTPC, so the question this week is.

What's the ultimate HD movie HTPC setup and what are the advantages and drawbacks over stand-alone players. Obviously a fast processor and video card are necessary, but which ones? What is the best video card and does it provide HDMI (1.2 or 1.3?). What is the best playback software, WinDVD or PowerDVD? And do they work with Windows Media Center? Which is the best HD media drive, does it support both formats? Can we enjoy any, or all of the next-gen audio codecs, if so how? Do OEMs offer the best solutions, or is the DIY route the only way to go? We want to know it all and we want to know why. So stop holding back and let us know.

Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.

While Samsung's BD-UP5000 still shows as unavailable until next month over at Amazon, it appears that the combo player is nevertheless leaking into select big box retail locations. Currently, the unit is out of stock online at both Circuit City and Best Buy, but a quick zip code check revealed that it was actually in stock and begging for an owner in select New York, Texas and New Mexico locations (just to name a few). Of course, it looks as though CC is charging a whopping two bills less than its scorned rival, so we'd probably head that way if at all possible. We're calling on you, dear readers -- let us know where the BD-UP5000 is (and isn't). After you snag your own, of course.

[Thanks, Bill M.]
Read - BD-UP5000 at Best Buy
Read - BD-UP5000 at Circuit City

Although we were able to get the BH200 to pose for a few glamour shots back at CEDIA, the recently released player has just now got around to checking in for a review. According to Home Theater Mag, the BH200 exhibited "stunning" image quality from both Blu-ray and HD DVD titles, and moreover, the video processing (DVD upconversion included) was "as good as any it had seen in a disc player." Unfortunately, the (high) praise essentially ended there. First and foremost, it made little sense to the reviewer to pay such a high premium ($999) for a dual-format unit unless you place a great deal of value on size and convenience. Beyond that, the player really dropped the ball on high-resolution audio playback, as HTM couldn't even get it to output Dolby TrueHD in multichannel form from "any output, at any resolution." Overall, the BH200 turned out to be a mixed bag, and while strict videophiles may find nothing to kvetch about, its inability to handle certain audio codecs was viewed as a "serious shortcoming." Nevertheless, there's much, much more where this came from if you're in the market, so head on over to the read link to catch the full spill.

[Via AVSForum]

If you're of the mind that a dual format HD DVD/Blu-ray player is the best way to hedge your bets in the format war, your choices are pretty few and far between. With any luck, Horizon Semiconductor's Hz7220 decoding system-on-a-chip will help bring more dual format players to the market. Sure, there's a lot more to engineering a dual-format HD player than just the decoding functions, but making all the decoding available in a single package makes the prospect a lot more attractive to potential ODMs and OEMs. The Hz7220 has a feature list that hits all the right marks, including: H.264; VC-1; MPEG-2; Thomson Film Grain Technology; DTS-HD; Dolby TrueHD; HDi; BD-J; DVI/HDMI+HDCP; and 1394+DTCP. To jump start the flood of dual format players we're hoping for, Horizon is also making a reference design kit available. No word on pricing, but we don't care -- just show us some dual format players!

Bad news from Samsung today: the high-end BDP-2400 Blu-ray deck has been cancelled, and the dual format BD-UP5000 has been delayed. The linked article speculates that the BDP-2400 has fallen victim to the transition to BD 1.1 spec, which occurs on October 31. Worst of all, mum's the word on when/whether Samsung plans on making a 1.1 spec player available. For those who didn't have their heart set on Blu-ray, the bad news is that Samsung has delayed their dual format BD-UP5000 player until December. The silver lining to this December delay could be twofold: the unit will be at least up to BD 1.1 spec conformance; and now this unit's arrival might coincide with your holiday wishlist.

Regrettably, there's not a lot to go on just yet, but DigiTimes has it that HP will soon be launching "next-generation PCs with a Blu-ray / HD DVD dual-format burner." The announcement was reportedly issued at a product presentation held in Singapore, and while no model numbers were doled out, we can purportedly expect the two-faced machines to land in Europe and America sometime next month. Notably, HP has hemmed and hawed between formats in the past, but we're all for a rig that burns (and reads) both.

[Via TG Daily]

Well, would you look at this. No sooner than LG gets official with its second HD DVD / Blu-ray hybrid player, along comes Samsung with more details on its forthcoming competitor. The device will indeed support HDi and BD-Java, tout HQV video processing, and play back imagery at 1080p24. Additionally, users can look forward to "selectable DVD upconversion (720p / 1080i / 1080p)," coaxial / optical digital audio connections, Dolby Digital / Digital Plus / TrueHD / DTS-HD support, HDMI 1.3, component / composite / S-Video outputs, MPEG2, VC-1, H.264 and HD JPEG decoding, and an Ethernet port for good measure. Unfortunately, the release date is still a bit vague, but we do know it'll run you $999 when it lands sometime during Q4. [Warning: PDF read link]

Samsung has released more details about the company's third-generation Blu-ray player lineup, including a home theater-in-a-box system, and the Duo HD dual-format HD DVD / Blu-ray player. We learned about the two Blu-ray players earlier this month, and we can add to that info support on both players for 24 or 60fps playback at 1080p. The BD-P2400 also adds 7.1-channel output, with the BD-P1400 sporting 5.1 outs. The dual-format BD-UP5000 was also announced back in April, and now we know that it will play back both of the high-definition formats at 1080p and includes the HQV upconversion processor chip found in the BD-P2400. It includes the same feature set as the BD-P2400, with Blu-ray playback at 24 or 60fps, 7.1-channel out, and Dolby Digital Plus and DTS HD support. It also has HD DVD-specific features like local storage and picture-in-picture support, while staying fully compatible with both the HDi and BD-J interactive specs. The HT-BD2 home theater system includes an 1,100-watt receiver and the same media playback features as the BD-P1400. It also includes five tower speakers, two rear satellites, and a powered sub. The BD-UP5000 will retail for $1,049, and the HT-BD2 will ship for $1,499, both in the fourth quarter of this year.