Panasonic's 1st Blu-Ray info

[mjmaskrey]

Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company today announced the upcoming availability of the company's first Blu-ray Disc player, the DMP-BD10, available this September.

Blu-ray Disc is the next generation optical disc format that features capacity as large as 50 gigabytes on a dual-layer disc and will be capable of holding high-definition movies, tens of thousands of songs, and extensive capacity for extraordinary video games and PC storage. Blu-ray Disc has the support of more than 170 leading companies including the top studios and consumer electronics manufacturers.

"With the DMP-BD10, Panasonic proves its commitment to providing the best high definition entertainment experience for the home," said Reid Sullivan, vice president, merchandising, Panasonic's entertainment group.


"Our goal is to focus on the total solution for an uncompromised high definition experience. In addition we want to ensure that the consumer experience is as easy as possible, so we've added EZ-Sync HDAVI control function to make it simple to connect and control multiple products, such as a Panasonic Plasma TV, Blu-ray Disc player and receiver. Plus, with the BD10 we respect the legacy content that consumers have in their entertainment libraries, including virtually all DVD and CD formats, as well as video and image formats."

The introduction of the DMP-BD10 is timed to coincide with Panasonic's release of its first 1080p Plasma TVs this fall, which can make full use of Blu-ray's high definition entertainment capabilities.

Pricing in the United States on the DMP-BD10 has not been finalized, but will be less than $1,500. Panasonic will also release a high-definition receiver that when matched with the Blu-ray Disc player will provide an unparalleled entertainment experience.

:)

[Outlaw]

the tv, the blue ray player, and the high def reciever altogether will cost a bomb

[Mez]

Already got the HDtv, don't think i'll get the player though, get the PS3 so if Blu-ray loses the battle with HD-DVD (unlikely) then it's not a redundant machine.

[backin-strachan]

I like your thinking but I think they will both do as well as each other.

[Mez]

One format will fail. It's the same with the betamax/vhs scenario. It's absolutely ridiculous that there isn't just one format being made available. Two companies should have got together and decided on one or the other. I personally think the blu-ray will succeed simply because it's got the bigger capacity and in the computing world, bigger is better.

[Blaze Lord]

Mmmm. Not necessarily, Mez. This could be a Super Audio CD/DVD-Audio scenario.

(And, if you want someone to blame for a situation that's 'absolutely ridiculous,' you have only to look to Sony for this one. The same could arguably be said for Betamax too.)

[Mez]

Mmmm. Not necessarily, Mez. This could be a Super Audio CD/DVD-Audio scenario.

(And, if you want someone to blame for a situation that's 'absolutely ridiculous,' you have only to look to Sony for this one. The same could arguably be said for Betamax too.)

I don't see how Sony can be to blame when they're bringing out the bigger capacity medium? Surly Toshiba should be looking at Blue-ray and looking to join partners with Sony in someway.

I appreciate that at first, nothing will use anywhere near the capacity of a blu-ray disk, but if you think of games 10 years ago using CD-ROM's, they're using about 8 times the space they did back then. So say in another 10 years, you'll need 40 GB for games and considering HD-DVD's biggest size is 30GB duel layered, it's not practical.

I don't think Sony can be blamed for this one for the sake of being Sony.

[Blaze Lord]

I don't see how Sony can be to blame when they're bringing out the bigger capacity medium? Surly Toshiba should be looking at Blue-ray and looking to join partners with Sony in someway.

I appreciate that at first, nothing will use anywhere near the capacity of a blu-ray disk, but if you think of games 10 years ago using CD-ROM's, they're using about 8 times the space they did back then. So say in another 10 years, you'll need 40 GB for games and considering HD-DVD's biggest size is 30GB duel layered, it's not practical.

I don't think Sony can be blamed for this one for the sake of being Sony.

I'm about to seem like I'm pouncing on you, Mez, when I really am not. But all of your arguments are flawed. Having 10 GB more per layer does not necessarily mean you can do what you want, and you cannot be to blame. And, it does not make you clearly technologically superior. Off the top of my head, for one thing, the HD DVD laser's size makes it play nicer with the established CD and DVD formats, though Blu-Ray has achieved a decent amount of backwards compatibility. It also has a larger interactive section for its movie discs that the BD. What's more, there are still more flaws with your thinking as it relates specifically to games. First, games are much better at on-the-fly synthesis than they were ten years ago. That is, creating larger and more detailed worlds with less actual data on the disc, decreasing the importance of the size issue. Second, Sony uses a lot disc retail space on anti-piracy measures. But even if you are right about games needed 40 gigabyte (and physical discs still being relevant by then), a three-layer HD DVD would still not be out of the question, hitting the 45 marker. (Of course, Blu-Ray would be 75).

But as for why exactly Sony should be to blame for this war, and looking at this issue beyond just gaming, it's because Blu-Ray was born out of scorned ego. When the DVD standard was achieved, Toshiba's Super Density Disc had more industry support than Sony's MultiMedia Compact Disc. So the deal negotiated by IBM to resolve the DVD standard left Sony with less influence and less royalties than they would have liked, when it decided on Toshiba's.

So, Sony went off on their own to develop the Blu-Ray Disc while Toshiba developed their Advanced Optical Disc. In order to make sure history would not repeat itself, Sony never bothered to submit the Blu-Ray to the DVD Forum, when the Forum was considering the standards for the high def era. Toshiba did. If this really were about Blu-Ray being clearly superior, why not submit it to the forum, and have it have a great chance at being the unified standard?

In essence, Mez, Sony set out to create another Betamax-VHS war, that was their specific intention. This way, they couldn't be 'muscled out' before they had a chance to flex their muscle- in spite of what actually benefits the consumer: one standard.

(And back to back compat, Sony's Blu-Ray Disc Association does not mandate that BD players -are- back compat, they just suggest it. The DVD Forum does mandate that HD DVD players be back compat.)

[mjmaskrey]

Toshiba have released their HD-DVD player:

Toshiba has finally released its HD DVD player "HD-XA1" on today, March 31. There are up to 20 stores that started selling this new product around Tokyo. The first shipment is around 1,000 units. The price is open to the store, but is assumed to be around 110,000 JPY ($932.2 USD).


However, since there is no HD DVD software released separately yet, the player will come with 2 HD DVD discs bundled, "Resident Evil" and "Moonlight Jellyfish".

This product is the first HD DVD player, which supports HD DVD/DVD/CD playback. It is equipped with an HDMI interface, which makes it possible to output 720p/1080i video. The player is also capable of up-converting normal DVD discs to 720p/1080i. The audio DAC of the player supports up to 192 KHz/24bit sound.

The built-in 11bit/216MHz video DAC enables the player with even better analog graphic quality when using component output. The equipped output interfaces are: HDMI, D4, component, S-Video, composite, analog sound, 5.1 channel output, digital coaxial cable and optical digital. An HDMI cable is bundled with the package.


The size of the unit is L437*W354*H115mm. Weight around 8.9kg. Remote controller is bundled. There are also some HD DVD titles announced on the press meeting by other movie companies. The new titles will start to ship in April.

:)

[Mez]

I'm about to seem like I'm pouncing on you, Mez, when I really am not. But all of your arguments are flawed. Having 10 GB more per layer does not necessarily mean you can do what you want, and you cannot be to blame. And, it does not make you clearly technologically superior. Off the top of my head, for one thing, the HD DVD laser's size makes it play nicer with the established CD and DVD formats, though Blu-Ray has achieved a decent amount of backwards compatibility. It also has a larger interactive section for its movie discs that the BD. What's more, there are still more flaws with your thinking as it relates specifically to games. First, games are much better at on-the-fly synthesis than they were ten years ago. That is, creating larger and more detailed worlds with less actual data on the disc, decreasing the importance of the size issue. Second, Sony uses a lot disc retail space on anti-piracy measures. But even if you are right about games needed 40 gigabyte (and physical discs still being relevant by then), a three-layer HD DVD would still not be out of the question, hitting the 45 marker. (Of course, Blu-Ray would be 75).

But as for why exactly Sony should be to blame for this war, and looking at this issue beyond just gaming, it's because Blu-Ray was born out of scorned ego. When the DVD standard was achieved, Toshiba's Super Density Disc had more industry support than Sony's MultiMedia Compact Disc. So the deal negotiated by IBM to resolve the DVD standard left Sony with less influence and less royalties than they would have liked, when it decided on Toshiba's.

So, Sony went off on their own to develop the Blu-Ray Disc while Toshiba developed their Advanced Optical Disc. In order to make sure history would not repeat itself, Sony never bothered to submit the Blu-Ray to the DVD Forum, when the Forum was considering the standards for the high def era. Toshiba did. If this really were about Blu-Ray being clearly superior, why not submit it to the forum, and have it have a great chance at being the unified standard?

In essence, Mez, Sony set out to create another Betamax-VHS war, that was their specific intention. This way, they couldn't be 'muscled out' before they had a chance to flex their muscle- in spite of what actually benefits the consumer: one standard.

(And back to back compat, Sony's Blu-Ray Disc Association does not mandate that BD players -are- back compat, they just suggest it. The DVD Forum does mandate that HD DVD players be back compat.)

I'm not suggesting you're making it up, but I havn't heard anything of what you've said, could you point me in the right direction as to where to find out more. I don't want to sound ignorant on the matter but I also don't want to sucumb to anti-sony propoganda.

I find it very hard to believe that Sony wanted to intentionally start a new
betamax/vhs war. If that's such common knowledge, they could potentially cut out such a massive support due to boycotts. If it was widely known this was their intentions, a lot of people wouldn't buy blu-ray in spite. That's why I find it hard to believe, i'm not suggesting you're making it up, but I would just like to see the source first.

[mjmaskrey]

I'm not up on all the details but I certainly can see Sony launching a format war (for better profits) when the launch platform for the format carries the Playstation brand...as they know it going to sell by the shed load and so do the studio's...they'd be stupid not to get in bed with them when sony are certain to have a multi-million userbase.

:)

[Mez]

But what if the Blu Ray loses out to HD-DVD, then the PS3 becomes obsolete with regards to movies, losing a massive potential market. I don't believe Sony or Toshiba intentionally planned this, that would be the most ridiculous idea on both companies parts.

Apologies to you Blaze Lord if this is infact the face, but I find it so hard to believe, it just seems so ridiculous.

[RiLu@]

If the PS3 comes with blu-ray then it hits the market, like in one year people buy 1,2,3 millions consoles and that's the same number of blue-ray players, then SONY comes out with all the media possible, music video blue-rays and so on!

There's place in the market for both formats!

[Blaze Lord]

http://www.projectorcentral.com/hddvd_bluray.htm

http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20020222S0020

http://www.didyouknow.cd/dvd/dvd.htm

http://www.tgdaily.com/2005/06/16/what/index.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVD#History

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/04/15/fvd_vs_dvd/

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/02/27/dvd_forum_approves_rewriteable_hddvd/

http://smh.com.au/news/breaking/verbatim-backs-both-dvd-camps/2005/07/28/1122143952928.html

Toshiba didn't plan it. They did the right thing and submitted their format to the established community, the DVD Forum. Sony did not, but went ahead with their technology anyways. Reading between the lines, it's obvious that Sony -knew- the DVD Forum would come up with something other than Blu-Ray, since they never submitted it. And therefore they -knew- they were creating a format war.

This isn't anti-Sony propoganda, Mez. I have a feeling you and Steve would like to consider me a M$fanboy, grabbing at straws to see where I can take Sony down, since we seem to always split that way on console war disputes, but that simply isn't the case. I've just done the research, and, on the whole, an objective opinion shows Sony to be wrong or misleading or both in many, many situations.

[Mez]

I wasn't meaning you being the instigator of the propaganda, I was meaning a website from which you read about it. I wouldn't consider you a fanboy at all, you at least put evidence towards the cases you fight for compared to some who just say 'Sony sucks because it's Sony'.

Some may consider me a Sony fan boy because I don't slate them, but i'm a gamer with my own taste for certain genres etc. The PS3 does appeal to me and I will get one, but not cos i'm a Sony fanboy. If I was a Sony Fanboy, I wouldn't be on this forum.

Having a quick read at those links, if Sony are to blame as are Philips and Matsu****a as they're part of the blu ray development and surly had a say in matters?

[II AWESOME II]

Xbox 360 has robbed me of all my money and this is gona do the same :D:D

[Blaze Lord]

Having a quick read at those links, if Sony are to blame as are Philips and Matsu****a as they're part of the blu ray development and surly had a say in matters?

Hard to say. There's no real way of knowing (at the moment) what kind of deal those companies have, and who would be the deciding vote in taking a design to the DVD Forum. I can say that I sincerely doubt Sony wanted to submit the format, and Philips was the prohibitive company. On the other hand, it would only be slightly surprise me to find out it was the other way around. But you're right, a mutual decision seems the most likely.

[Mez]

Blaze Lord, i've been doing some research and just thought I would say I owe you an apology. Seems like Sony are intent on making this a bloody war.

[Blaze Lord]

Don't worry about it. Glad to see you've been readin' up.

[backin-strachan]

But now its a war to watch. MS have launched their attack and (to me) its looking pretty good. Now its the PS3s turn. But this is only better for the gaming community as a whole.