A comparison of PS3 and 360 as media players

[patsu]

The Courier's dual screens can be performed by just one regular (Retina Display) tablet with software split screen.

 

[Gradthrawn]

The Courier's dual screens can be performed by just one regular (Retina Display) tablet with software split screen.

Let me see you fold that nice single screen in half.

And I dont want to hear anything about flexible OLED, either.

The screen layout was only part of its appeal to me. Generally speaking, I just liked the approach they were taking with tablets with the Courier proof of concept far more than what current tablets do.

 

[patsu]

[Let me try on my friend's iPad]

Yeah I was interested in clamshell too. Was more interested in Tablet P than S.

Don't have a strong preference now. If it's a clam shell, I'd want the app to be able to use the entire surface sometimes (instead of presenting it as 2 halves).

EDIT: Is powering 2 screens more consuming than 1 equally big, combined screen ?

 

[Gradthrawn]

[Let me try on my friend's iPad]

Yeah I was interested in clamshell too. Was more interested in Tablet P than S.

Don't have a strong preference now. If it's a clam shell, I'd want the app to be able to use the entire surface sometimes (instead of presenting it as 2 halves).

EDIT: Is powering 2 screens more consuming than 1 equally big, combined screen ?

Interesting, the P had my interest way more than the S initially as well (that has since changed). Now the hardware in both looks dated compared to the soon to be released Transformer Prime, so, I'm going to continue to wait. Especially after being able to play around with a co-workers original TF101. I walked away quite impressed (wouldn't have even considered an Asus for anything other than a MOBO before that).

I would think driving 2 screens individually (even if the display is "extended") would consume more GPU power, if nothing else. Just my guess, though.

 

[patsu]

Just read a review about Transformer Prime. That does look really good. They also promised Android 4 update. I'll keep a lookout for it next time I visit an electronics store.

 

[patsu]

Blu-ray Disc Sales Increase 35% in 2011
http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=7859

Home Media Magazine reports that strong sales of Blu-ray discs for the third quarter of 2011 have driven the expected sales percentage increase over 2010 to 35%. After a sluggish start to 2011, popular Blu-ray titles such as: The Lion King, Cars 2, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 have enticed disc buyers to choose the superior HD version of the movie over the comparative standard definition.

The new Home Media Magazine article indicates that, "BD disc sales in the United States will reach about 115 million units in 2011, compared with 85 million units in 2010 — spearheaded by the Star Wars: The Complete Saga boxed set release, Jim Bottoms, analyst with Futuresource in London, told Home Media Magazine.

In Europe, BD disc sales will balloon 42% to 63 million units, compared with 44 million units last year — driven by strong adoption in Germany. Global BD disc sales will increase to 234 million units, up 45% from 161 million units in 2010.

Bottoms said that in addition to growing appeal for catalog titles in Blu-ray, consumers are less resistant to purchasing content in HD, despite the higher price compared with DVD."

...

Well, there are also a lot of great BR deals during the holiday season. I bought the Star Wars collection (ep 4 - 6) at a good discount. Some old but good movies are selling for $10 during promo too. Too bad some are still in DVD only (ET ! Come to papa now...).

 

[patsu]

Forgot to post this a couple of weeks ago...

Intel HDCP Cracked Using $350 Hardware Kit
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Blu-ray-HDMI-HDCP-Digilent-FPGA,14105.html

An FPGA development board was used in a man-in-the-middle attack in obtaining and transmitting an encrypted signal from an HDMI port.

...

"In 2010, an HDCP master key, which is intended to form the secret core element of the encryption system, appeared briefly on a website," reads the official press release. "In response, the manufacturer Intel announced that HDCP still represented an effective protection component for digital entertainment, as the production of an HDCP-compatible chip using this master key would be highly complex and expensive."

Seemingly taking that as a challenge, the team accomplished the "inexpensive" man-in-the-middle attack by using Digilent's Atlys Spartan-6 FPGA development board. It features a Xilinx Spartan-6 LX45 FPGA (field programmable gate array) in a 324-pin BGA package, two HDMI video input ports, two HDMI video output ports, a 10/100/1000 Ethernet jack, a RS232 serial port and more.

...

 

[patsu]

UltraViolet update:
http://www.boston.com/business/tech...lywood_flubs_movie_system_launch_miffs_users/

Warner Bros. is learning a hard lesson about launching an ill-conceived product in the age of social media.

When the studio introduced its first movies on the new "UltraViolet" format in October, consumers were led to believe they could buy a DVD or Blu-ray, register their ownership of the movie on the UltraViolet website and then receive-- at no extra cost -- a digital version that could play on their computer, tablet or mobile phone.

The studio's aim was to encourage people to purchase movies rather than rent them or subscribe to a streaming service. But UltraViolet didn't work as advertised.

Some users were confused because the process required them to register on the UltraViolet website as well as on another website called Flixster, a movie site owned by Warner Bros. Users had to install special software before they could view movies on their computers. To make matters worse, it didn't work as advertised for owners of Apple's iPhones and iPads.

Within days, befuddled consumers took to Twitter and the Internet to complain. Jarren Wood, an art student from Atlanta, tweeted that he felt "conned" and called UltraViolet "a horrible hoax." Blogger Bryan Darrow tweeted, "Flixster sucks. I want my digital copy."

...

http://www.appleinsider.com/article...ption_codes_to_unhappy_ultraviolet_users.html

UltraViolet, an initiative by Hollywood studios to distribute digital movies independently of Apple's iTunes, has suffered such a backlash from users that Warner Bros. has started placating users with redemption codes for iTunes instead.

End users trying to access digital versions of BluRay or DVD movies via UltraViolet have been overwhelmingly dissatisfied with the system, which doesn't work natively on Apple's iOS devices. Amazon reviews of recent disc releases have been scathing, with more than half of the hundreds of responses complaining about UltraViolet.

Warner Bros. Flixster app for iOS, used to present UltraViolet movies, has been hit with so many complaints that the company has set up a support website to direct users on how to use the system, frequently resorting to giving away iTunes redemption codes to appease angry users unable to play the content they purchased.

...

 

[patsu]

UltraViolet Titles Keep Coming, With More Details Due at CES
http://www.homemediamagazine.com/di...s-keep-coming-with-more-details-due-ces-25835

In the face of mounting customer criticism about the service, Warner Home Video, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Universal Studios Home Entertainment were hesitant to discuss their experiences so far with the buy once, play anywhere cloud content system.

One studio representative did say the number of users who’ve taken advantage of UltraViolet would be discussed at a Consumer Electronics Show event in January.

Sony (The Smurfs and Friends With Benefits; Dec. 2) and Universal (Cowboys & Aliens; Dec. 6) released their first UltraViolet titles, but just like the first four UltraViolet releases from Warner (Horrible Bosses; Green Lantern; Crazy, Stupid, Love; and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2), accessing the UltraViolet version requires signing up to not only UVVU.com, but also Sony’s and Universal’s own websites.

...

Sony and Universal UltraViolet copies do play on the Warner-owned Flixter.com, but that application must be downloaded to devices in order to view UltraViolet copies.

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, Paramount Home Entertainment and Lionsgate all are part DECE, but haven’t announced any UltraViolet titles yet.

DECE did announce that more details regarding UltraViolet would be released at next month’s CES show in Las Vegas.

“DECE … will provide a progress report on this open, interoperable cloud-based service, as well as insight into what you can expect from UltraViolet in the months ahead,” an invite for the Jan. 10 CES event promises.

...

Many complaints center around the requirement of an Internet connection to currently access UltraViolet.

...

“‘Digital copy’ means I own the video and can do whatever I want with it,” he wrote. “It does not mean I have to create an account with an upstart website and only watch it through their software.”

A Dec. 8 Associated Press article called the UltraViolet launch a “fiasco” and showed “the stark differences between Hollywood and Silicon Valley when it comes to innovation.”

...

Russ Crupnick, entertainment industry analyst with The NPD Group, said UltraViolet needs to come out of CES with several compatible devices, and the studios and hardware companies “unified.”

“UltraViolet is starting from zero,” he said. “I think the issue with it at this point is there’s no consumer awareness or understanding of what the benefits are.”

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Ouch. It's imperative that UV launches successfullly if we're to have platform independent content, and yet the companies manage to screw it up. Bunch of idiots.

 

[patsu]

Vudu is Now Available on Xbox 360 and WD TV Live
http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/s...Now_Available_on_Xbox_360_and_WD_TV_Live/8361

The latest to add the service are WD TV Live set-top boxes and the Xbox 360. On both systems you'll find 1080p video quality, 7.1 channel audio and HDX streaming. To get you to try out the service, Vudu is giving a $4.99 credit to every new customer so they can try out the service.

Additionally, Vudu is running a large amount of Christmas specials, including a few 99 cent rentals, discounts on holiday themed movies, and the early availability of 'Moneyball' and 'Abduction.'

 

[jonabbey]

Is Vudu worth anything? They've had the app on PS3 for awhile, obviously, but I've never seen any point to it over the PSN video store.

Right now, I just use Netflix.. I did the Hulu Plus thing for awhile, but the forced non-skippable commercials inserted into the non-commercial TED and science lectures I actually cared about drove me away from the service.

 

[patsu]

I use Vudu more than PSN Video. New movies usually show up faster on Vudu (Day-n-date with DVD). It has a nicer UI compared to the old PSN video store. You can scan through Rotten Tomatoes, and other critics' comments quickly. You can also watch the first 2 minutes of the movies for free.

I think it's one of the earliest to offer $0.99 movies, but the rest have followed.

Hulu Plus and NetFlix are better for TV shows.

Vudu and Hulu Plus should have more HD shows than NetFlix.

Compared to the old PSN Video Store, Sony's new Video Unlimited app is superb for browsing. Unfortunately, PSN video activation sucks. I can only activate one PS3 for watching PSN video at any one time. It's a nuisance when I want to watch a show at home, and found out that I had to deactivate the PS3 in the office. Vudu, Hulu Plus, CinemaNow, NetFlix, etc. on the PS3 are not limited by the PSN video activation.

I *think* PSN Video Store is the only service on PS3 that has HBO shows though. Not sure anymore.

EDIT:
Checked Vudu tonight. They have HBO shows now too.

 

[jonabbey]

My big problem with the PSN video store is that you only get one download of an item. No re-downloading allowed if you delete the copy you bought off of your hard drive.

 

[patsu]

Call their helpdesk if you need to redownload your purchased movies/episodes. That's what I did.

 

[jonabbey]

Call their helpdesk if you need to redownload your purchased movies/episodes. That's what I did.

Ugh, really?

Honestly, I don't need to, but I've got a couple of movies that I would happily delete if I could re-download them on demand.

 

[patsu]

Yes really ^_^

I swapped my PS3 HDD a couple of times. The restore didn't work one time. I called helpdesk and asked to speak to the manager.

Now those lost purchased movies/episodes are in my PSN Store download list. Since I did not want to rewatch them just yet, I left them on Sony's servers.

 

[patsu]

PS3 DVR Kit "Torne" Ships One Million Units
http://andriasang.com/comzgt/torne_million/

Sony announced today that PlayStation 3's "Torne" DVR device has shipped one million units. the device was first released on March 18, 2010. Torne upgrades your PlayStation 3 with a digital tuner and DVR capabilities.

...

The latest update, version 3.5, was released on December 15 and made the device compatible with PlayStation Vita remote play while also cutting down video transfer speeds to PSP and Vita.

 

[JB9861]

Is Vudu worth anything? They've had the app on PS3 for awhile, obviously, but I've never seen any point to it over the PSN video store.

Right now, I just use Netflix.. I did the Hulu Plus thing for awhile, but the forced non-skippable commercials inserted into the non-commercial TED and science lectures I actually cared about drove me away from the service.

Only movie streaming service I've used with Blu-ray like PQ. But since there's no subscription I hardly use it. Netflix streaming and 1 DVD is good enough for me.

 

[patsu]

Ouch. It's imperative that UV launches successfullly if we're to have platform independent content, and yet the companies manage to screw it up. Bunch of idiots.

My big problem with the PSN video store is that you only get one download of an item. No re-downloading allowed if you delete the copy you bought off of your hard drive.

With respect to video purchases (as opposed to rental), the studios seem keen to offer a better experience.

With Home Entertainment Sales Spiraling Downward, Movie Studios Turn to UltraViolet
http://www.forbes.com/sites/johngau...studios-turn-to-ultraviolet/?partner=yahootix

Instead, consumers are increasingly turning to the already popular disc-rental option, while consuming more and more on-demand video through both their pay-TV subscriptions and Internet-based subscription services like Netflix, Adams noted. The problem for film and TV producers is that the purchase models—both physical and electronic—produce far more revenue per view than do rentals or subscription services.

...

UltraViolet is a common file format and digital rights authentication system designed to allow a digital copy of a film or television show bought from any vendor—physical or electronic—to be played on any one of 12 devices owned by up to six members of a household, either via download or streaming from the cloud.

...

“We think it’s important that UltraViolet is being launched not so much as a feature of EST files, but as a value-added feature of the digital disc, on which consumers have spent $113 billion since they were introduced in 1997,” Adams added. “Even if our projections are correct that annual disc sales in the United States will have declined to some $9.3 billion in 2011, that’s still about 14 times the size of the EST business. So, there are two advantages to a disc-focused strategy. First, tens of millions of the studios’ best customers will be quickly exposed to the UltraViolet pitch in the box. Second, if UltraViolet it sparks just a 7 percent increase in consumer disc buying in the years ahead, it would pay off for studios as much as a doubling of the EST business.”

Better try harder in 2012, Hollywood.