CES 2006 News & Announcements

[BTOA]

Here's an example of a 1080p DVD player:

NeoDigits NeuNeo HVD2085 DVD Player Review
1080p Region-Free DVD Player with HDMI and Component Video Outputs

NeuNeo HVD2085 DVD Player
Manufacturer: NeoDigits
Overall Rating: 3/5
Value Rating: 3/5
Review Date: December 10, 2005
MSRP: $245

Pros:
True 720p/1080i/1080p upconversion via component video outputs
HVD support for true HD DVDs

Cons:
Poor deinterlacing capability
No flag-less 2:3 error detection
Fisher Price remote control
Cheap aesthetics
Soft Picture
User manual missing key graphics in diagrams

http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/avhardware/NeuNeo1080pDVD1.php

 

[MasaC]

Scooby_Dooby: That article doesn't suggest that samsung player only uses MPEG-2 video streams. They are talking about audio formats.

Regarding 1080i vs 1080p it should be clear to everyone that 1080p is superior as there is twice the horisontal resolution on screen at any given refresh point.

According to the BD technical white papers the supported video streams are SMPTE VC-1, MPEG-4 AVC and MPEG-2. Supported video formats are:

HD
1920x1080x59.94-i, 50-i (16:9)
1920x1080x24-p, 23.976-p (16.9)

1440x1080x59.94-i, 50-i (16:9) MPEG-4 AVC / SMPTE VC-1 only
1440x1080x24-p, 23.976-p (16:9) MPEG-4 AVC / SMPTE VC-1 only

1280x720x59.94p, 50-p (16:9)
1280x720x24-p, 23.976-p (16:9)

SD
720x480x59.94-i (4:3/16:9)
720x576x50-i (4:3/16:9)

CODECS
MPEG-2: MP@HL and MP@ML
MPEG-4 AVC: HP@4.1/4.0 and MP@4.1/4.0/3.2/3.1/3.0
SMPTE VC-1: AP@L3 and AP@L2

http://www.blu-raydisc.com/assets/downloadablefile/2b_bdrom_audiovisualapplication_0305-12955.pdf

 

[avaya]

Anand mentions that the player crashed when they saw it. Obviously not out of beta yet!

Thanks for the link

I read that in a blurb, either at the Cnet coverage or at Engadget. Or maybe a link posted here or at AVS. But the reporters noted that they just used the HD-DVD drive in a Toshiba Qosimo laptop instead.

Toshiba has already said their first players will be replaced later this year so I don't know why anyone would buy them unless they want to burn a few hundred dollars. It seems all the HD-DVD players announced only do 1080i? So maybe the later players will do 1080p.

I take it replacements are in time for Christmas? Maybe 1080p with aggressive price cuts as well?

 

[Shifty Geezer]

that's what I'm saying. If they plan on actually doing this, wouldn't this be the right time to unveil it? Otherwise it was just a load of crap, like the AOL/instant messenger on PS2, pie in the sky fantasy talk.

Here's some word on content delivery plans. http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=13925

The company also announced its intention to re-launch its Connect music download service in March, offering music, games, videos and movies, which can be downloaded directly to the PSP.

Nothing for PS3 particularly, but it'd be very daft if Sony don't share content on the same service between PSP and PS3.

 

[mckmas8808]

..and PS3

I updated the original post with news of 4 & 8GB memory sticks (http://www.k-videogames.de/web/news/525/s,,c)

I can't understand that stuff Titanio. Do you know what it says? I thought Pro Duo was stuck at 4 Gigs?

 

[avaya]

I can't understand that stuff Titanio. Do you know what it says? I thought Pro Duo was stuck at 4 Gigs?

Theoretical limit of 32GB.

 

[mckmas8808]

Theoretical limit of 32GB.

Oh cool. So are we going to see any 32 GB Pro Duos in 2007 for the PS3? If so why do I need a HDD?

 

[avaya]

Oh cool. So are we going to see any 32 GB Pro Duos in 2007 for the PS3? If so why do I need a HDD?

Theoretical being the operative word.

 

[Hardknock]

Here's an example of a 1080p DVD player:

NeoDigits NeuNeo HVD2085 DVD Player Review
1080p Region-Free DVD Player with HDMI and Component Video Outputs

NeuNeo HVD2085 DVD Player
Manufacturer: NeoDigits
Overall Rating: 3/5
Value Rating: 3/5
Review Date: December 10, 2005
MSRP: $245

Pros:
True 720p/1080i/1080p upconversion via component video outputs
HVD support for true HD DVDs

Cons:
Poor deinterlacing capability
No flag-less 2:3 error detection
Fisher Price remote control
Cheap aesthetics
Soft Picture
User manual missing key graphics in diagrams

That can't be right... They're allowing upscaled DVDs over component now?? And this one supports HVD??

 

[Carl B]

No I agree, that can't be right. They must mean those high-def DVDs out right now using Microsoft's compression codecs, like that Terminator 2 DVD. They can't possibly mean holographic discs because, well, that's impossible.

 

[Titanio]

I can't understand that stuff Titanio. Do you know what it says? I thought Pro Duo was stuck at 4 Gigs?

Sorry, I've posted an english link, the memorystick official website.

 

[ihamoitc2005]

No HVD

That can't be right... They're allowing upscaled DVDs over component now?? And this one supports HVD??

No HVD support, only silly product code. This unit is simple DVD upscale device.

http://www.neodigits.com/body/product/HVD2085/specs.asp

Fully compatible with: DVD/SVCD/VCD/CD/HDCD/MP3/WMA/Photo-CD/CD-R/CD-RW/DVD+R/DVD-R/DVD+RW/DVD-RW.

 

[Carl B]

FINALLY, some Toshiba SED TV news.

Article

(Thanks to Goki back at PSI for making me aware of this)

Seismologist where are you with your CES update man! And be sure to ask them about the Toshiba TV = Cell useage thing.

 

[ihamoitc2005]

FINALLY, some Toshiba SED TV news.

Article

(Thanks to Goki back at PSI for making me aware of this)

Seismologist where are you with your CES update man! And be sure to ask them about the Toshiba TV = Cell useage thing.

SED is great. It is like 1 CRT/pixel so is amazing quality. Also, it is not hard to make many different size screen and is not so complicated electronics as LCD so maybe cheap super-definition 1080P TV is not so difficult to have.

 

[Carl B]

Ok, here's some more in terms of PC drives, derived from The Inq:

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=28760

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=28753

Good to see Durabis making it's presence known - but it's this quote that catches my eye:

There has been very little out of the HD-DVD camp and some manufacturers like LiteOn have not decided whether they will be manufacturing optical drives based on Blu-Ray or HD-DVD.

Besides Toshiba, what other manufacturers do we know to have announced HD-DVD drive plans thus far?

 

[AlphaWolf]

Besides Toshiba, what other manufacturers do we know to have announced HD-DVD drive plans thus far?

NEC, Sanyo among others, or do you mean specifically announced at CES?

 

[one]

NEC, Sanyo among others, or do you mean specifically announced at CES?

NEC basically sold its optical storage division to Sony and formed a joint company of which Sony has the larger share. After they manufacture some HD-DVD drives already ordered to NEC they'll terminate it for good.
http://www.nec.co.jp/press/en/0511/1703.html

Sony will hold a 55% stake in the new company while NEC's stake will be 45%. Sony and NEC will make preparations to transfer their respective optical disc drive operations to the Joint Venture, targeting a business start on April 1, 2006. The Joint Venture will focus on the planning, design, manufacturing and marketing to manufacturers of optical disc drives (DVD and CD drives) for integration into products such as PCs. The company will operate on a global basis.

 

[AlphaWolf]

NEC basically sold its optical storage division to Sony and formed a joint company of which Sony has the larger share. After they manufacture some HD-DVD drives already ordered to NEC they'll terminate it for good.
http://www.nec.co.jp/press/en/0511/1703.html

So you agree that they are going to be producing HD DVD drives.

 

[Carl B]

NEC, Sanyo among others, or do you mean specifically announced at CES?

Well, have their models been announced yet? That's what I'm asking here. Like prototype drives on display.

 

[ROG27]

NEC basically sold its optical storage division to Sony and formed a joint company of which Sony has the larger share. After they manufacture some HD-DVD drives already ordered to NEC they'll terminate it for good.
http://www.nec.co.jp/press/en/0511/1703.html

Wow that seems like a kick in the balls to NEC, who are backers of the HD-DVD standard, correct?