CES 2006 News & Announcements

[Rur0ni]

I just don't see consumers being ready for BD. I just don't.

I'm almost there.

Black Hawk Down, Return of the King.... in 1080p, It's an orgasmic thought. Put Saving Private Ryan in there as well.

edit: They better be encoded in 1080p, or it's time to drop some bombs.

 

[Titanio]

What's special about the Blu-ray spec that makes this "variance in quality" statement true?

Well, digital-out for starters..

Blu-ray is capable of 1080p. Are movies being encoded in 1080p?

Yes. I'm not sure if its a per title choice, but the press releases out this morning referred specifically to:

"Blu-ray Discs offer 1920x1080p HD master quality for high definition audio and video quality."

In the general "about Bluray" section, and a couple, like the Sony release, referred specifically to it in terms of their own content. So it seems that way. As to whether it's an enforced minimum or not...maybe a reporter will be kind enough to ask.

 

[Sis]

Well, digital-out for starters..

I don't know what this does for the decoder, though.

Yes. I'm not sure if its a per title choice, but the press releases out this morning referred specifically to:

"Blu-ray Discs offer 1920x1080p HD master quality for high definition audio and video quality."

In the general "about Bluray" section, and a couple, like the Sony release, referred specifically to it in terms of their own content. So it seems that way. As to whether it's an enforced minimum or not..

I read that, too. I wish I could get a definitive answer to it. The part that troubles me is the "HD master quality". Which, in my mind, is not the same as saying each disc is encoded at 1080p.

But I may just be splitting hairs. All in all a good line-up; just wish I knew when the PS3 was launching in NA because I certainly don't plan on buying a stand alone unit.

.Sis

 

[Titanio]

I don't know what this does for the decoder, though.

This might be more a software issue than hardware, though?

 

[London Geezer]

This might be more a software issue than hardware, though?

And the only area Sony could somewhat "cripple" in order to get people to buy standalone players. Unless these players aren't too overpriced that is.

The best would be having PS3 with very good playback, and cheaper standalone players with the same playback. That way both will sell well and won't be of competition to each other. If the standalone players are more expensive, they better offer a lot of features to justify the price, and i'm not sure if recording will be enough.

 

[Mariner]

Even more interesting would be knowing why they put Cell in there and what the advantages will be...

I'm wondering this myself. I suppose the sheer horsepower of CELL will mean that it can be used for all necessary processing but surely a smaller custom IC would be cheaper? Will CELL be a cheaper option overall because it is going to be mass-produced i.e. economies of scale?

 

[ihamoitc2005]

Defective

I'm wondering this myself. I suppose the sheer horsepower of CELL will mean that it can be used for all necessary processing but surely a smaller custom IC would be cheaper? Will CELL be a cheaper option overall because it is going to be mass-produced i.e. economies of scale?

Maybe good way to make money from many extra defective CELL chips. Expensive 7 SPE CELL chip is for $399 or $499 (guess) PS3, and many cheap very defective CELL left for HDTV of average price maybe $1000+ (guess).

 

[Carl B]

Maybe good way to make money from many extra defective CELL chips. Expensive 7 SPE CELL chip is for $399 or $499 (guess) PS3, and many cheap very defective CELL left for HDTV of average price maybe $1000+ (guess).

I definitely think the yield-issue will be complementary to IBM's 8-SPE push, and Sony's 7-SPE push, but there will have to be more than that to it if STI, or just Toshiba, want Cell to stick in the consumers mind. I'm hoping for some cool demos from Toshiba's Cell-based HDTV's. I mean they're going to have to hype *some* differentiating feature, yeah? It's just smart to do, even if Cell were not necessary to do it with.

 

[Titanio]

I wondered if Toshiba will be demonstrating any more Cell-related tech at CES? Or even these TVs?

 

[ihamoitc2005]

Assistant

I definitely think the yield-issue will be complementary to IBM's 8-SPE push, and Sony's 7-SPE push, but there will have to be more than that to it if STI, or just Toshiba, want Cell to stick in the consumers mind. I'm hoping for some cool demos from Toshiba's Cell-based HDTV's. I mean they're going to have to hype *some* differentiating feature, yeah? It's just smart to do, even if Cell were not necessary to do it with.

I hope they do not have very stupid "interactive" assistant like "Clippie"! Then everyone will see "CELL Inside" sticker and know not to buy. Maybe better is if they show custom audio and video processing effects no? When I got sound blaster audio card I liked how software had many interesting "custom" sound effects. I think Xbox360 OS is good design because it is not complicated so also nice CPU inside can have good OS. But I hope no horrible "Clippie" type monster.

 

[Carl B]

I wondered if Toshiba will be demonstrating any more Cell-related tech at CES? Or even these TVs?

Well, I don't know what the point would be of announcing these Cell sets right before CES if they weren't going to display any, but I guess that might still come to pass. Though I hope not.

 

[ihamoitc2005]

Clippie

Sorry I did not spell this correctly. Correct spelling is "Clippy".

 

[avaya]

Cell in all Toshiba TV's? I can't believe it will be in all Toshiba TV's.

Well that really blows the doors off now, speculation time!

3D animated whizz-bang! UI
3D animated whizz-bang! EPG
Fast and instant channel change (screen doesn’t go blank...yeah this is bottom of the barrel stuff)
Powerful audio filters
Powerful video filters
Multiple decode capability (relevant for 28"+ HDTV): 4 way PBP, PIP – also used as part of EPG
Voice recognition
3D screensavers
Ability to construct channel with video from one source and overlayed audio from another (Radio commentary with a TV programme….ITV-F1 viewers would be pleased!)
*Possible* Digital Kagami(Mirror) application…

 

[ihamoitc2005]

Voice Recognition

Voice recognition

I like this. Also mini-games like cell-phone but inside TV. OS can be very advanced.

 

[wco81]

Quote:
Originally Posted by london-boy
Exactly. In fact, PS3 will have more horsepower than any other Bluray player, although i'm sure Sony will make it so that most of that horsepower won't be available during playback, or everyone will just buy the "cheaper" PS3's instead of standalone players, if it turns out that PS3 gives you better image quality than those.

PS3 image quality could be scaled up as time goes by via software updates (put on games, online, BD-ROMS)

Exactly. In some cases, I've heard that software DVD players have better image quality than hardware players.

If Sony wants, they could refine the decode algorithms they run on the Cell to decode Blu-Ray movies. But would they want to, since expectations for playback image quality on a console aren't so high and they want people to buy standalone Blu-Ray players/recorders.

The Sigma Designs and Broadcom chips which will be used in the first players will also be refined over time and a couple of years from now, they will be better than the first generation chips used in the first players.

This is all expected by the market but people don't necessarily expect movie playback on consoles to be the best. If for convenience alone, people will want to migrate to players/recorders/DVRs which also have better remotes.

 

[scooby_dooby]

London, I'm not trying to be controversial or anything such like, but really the trailers in 720p from LIVE are not the jump I expected. I watch the 37inch screen from just over 2 metres away and I have shown them to friends to show off my new HD TV but not one of them has noticed a major difference. My son can see no difference whatsoever. I'm just hoping that when Blu Ray and HDDVD come along things will be different. And another thing that’s overrated is HDMI. The bloody cable does not lock into the socket either on the TV or DVD player and constantly breaks connection. It’s quite an oversight that. Anyway whinge mode off. Still can't wait to get my hands on HD material, even if it just means I can moan a bit more!

Did you download the Audioslave video? It looks almost 3d.

I can't wait to see what Toshiba actually implements using CELL, very interesting.

 

[mckmas8808]

Yeah i must say i hate that bright blue too...

Guys please it is called BLU-ray. What did you expect?

 

[ihamoitc2005]

dual display

Quote:
If Sony wants, they could refine the decode algorithms they run on the Cell to decode Blu-Ray movies. But would they want to, since expectations for playback image quality on a console aren't so high and they want people to buy standalone Blu-Ray players/recorders.

I think Sony will have maximum CELL capability for multimedia because that is what they want people to do like PSP. Many PSP disc sale is not game but movies. Sony wants PS3 to have same effect for Blu-Ray as PSP for UMD.

 

[Sis]

Guys please it is called BLU-ray. What did you expect?

You must be thinking of the other format, called Garish-blu-ray.

.Sis

EDIT: Forgot the smiley--

 

[ihamoitc2005]

3d

Did you download the Audioslave video? It looks almost 3d.

I can't wait to see what Toshiba actually implements using CELL, very interesting.

Blu-Ray has capacity for real stereo 3D movie no? Sharp has 3D LCD laptop. Maybe one day all TVs have 3D function. Only problem with Sharp 3D LCD is viewing angle is not so great. With 7 blue-tooth "shutter" glasses maybe 7 can watch 3D movie, game, or maybe digital 3D broadcast like World Cup or Superbowl.