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High-Def / DVD Gallery [Inactive]
CD and DVD, Blu-ray and HD DVD
by Douglas Dixon
These galleries provide notes on some interesting technology and trends in digital home media.
They include some sample products illustrating these trends.
Information and pricing are summarized from public sources as of when they were added,
and may be incorrect or out of date. Corrections and updates are welcome.
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High-Def Disc Formats
Blu-ray Disc, HD DVD -- Web features, digital
download
High-Def Disc Products
Set-top CE Players
Game System Players: PS3,
Xbox 360
CD / DVD Accessories
HD / Disc Media
Printable Media
Disc Printers
See also:
Consumer
HDTV Gallery
Home Networked
Media Gallery
See DVD Authoring
References
Blu-ray Disc (BD)
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- Championed by
Sony and Panasonic
- Strong support from the consumer electronics and
computer industries
- More aggressive
step forward
- More storage: 25 GB per layer and 50 GB for a DL disc
- www.blu-raydisc.com
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Profiles - Interactivity
- Profile 1.0 (Grace Period Profile)
Base available on all Blu-ray models before 11/1/2007
no secondary video decoder or Internet connection.
- Profile 1.1 (Final Standard Profile or "Bonus View")
-- Dual video playback
Adds secondary picture-in-picture (PiP) video and audio
("Bonus View")
256 MB local storage (mandatory after 11/1/07)
Discs should play normally on 1.0 players for movie
playback and traditional bonus features
- Profile 2.0 (or "BD-Live") - Networked
Adds 1 GB of local storage capability
Internet
connection
Links
Copy Protection -- AACS
- Movies locked down with extensive
layers of copy protection technology
- Set-top high-def DVD players will display HD picture
only on displays that support HDMI interface
- Titles may permit display at lower resolution on older analog
displays
- www.aacsla.com
Digital Copy
|
See article: Digital
Copy: Movie "Downloads" |
- Movie release on Blu-ray (or DVD), also includes
computer-readable versions of the movie in "digital
copy" files
- Fox Digital Copy - Digital movie files - www.foxdigitalcopy.com
for playback on PCs, Mac, portable devices
- iTunes-compatible format - play on PCs, Macs, iPods (iPhone)
- Windows Media format - playback under Windows
Plays For Sure portable devices
(SanDisk, Creative,
Samsung, Sony)
- Play movie on PC (one copy), also sync portable device (one copy)
- Sample BD Releases: Fox Juno, Alien vs. Predator: Requiem
- Disc 1 is movie on Blu-ray with special features
- Disc 2 is DVD with digital copy files, with three copies of the movie:
Windows Media "PC" - 720 x 390
(AVP 720 x 300), 1 GB
"Portable" Windows Media - 320
x 174 , 500 KB
Apple iTunes - 853 x 461 (AVP is 853
x 356)
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Next: Game System Players: PS3,
Xbox 360
The Format War: Next-Generation DVD
- High-definition video, higher capacity with blue laser
technology
- But two competing formats
- 2/19/08 - Toshiba Announces Discontinuation of HD
DVD Business
HD
DVD -- Discontinued
Warner Total Hi Def (THD) -- Cancelled
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- Two-sided disc: One HD DVD and the other Blu-ray
- Each side single layer or dual layers
- HD DVD 15 GB or 30 GB, Blu-ray 25 GB or 50 GB
- 2nd half 2007 -- cancelled
- www.warnerbros.com
|
Resolved Jan. 2008
Blu-ray - as of CES 1/2008
- 1/08 - Warner Bros. goes exclusive Blu-ray in 5/08
- Blu-ray studios: Disney, Fox, Lionsgate, MGM, Sony,
Warner
- HD DVD studios: Paramount, Universal, DreamWorks
- Blu-ray sales: Blu-ray titles outsold HD DVD 2-to-1
in U.S., 3-to-1 in Europe in 2007
- Blu-ray has 85% of global hardware sales
(including PS3)
- Blu-ray players: 500,000 playback devices, 3 million
PS3 end 2007; increase to 6 million in 2008
- PS3 first year (to 11/07) - 200 software titles
released
more than 60 million pieces of content downloaded from
PLAYSTATION Network worldwide
- Blu-ray: ~ 1M consoles '06, mostly Sony PS3
HD DVD - as of CES 1/2008 - Discontinued 2/08
- HD DVD sales: nearly 1 million dedicated HD DVD
players sold in North America in 2007
more than 400 titles available in U.S., more than
1,000 titles worldwide
- 1/13/07 - Toshiba cut entry-level HD-A3 to $149.99,
from $299
- All players support picture-in-picture (PiP),
Internet connectivity - "second look" for fans
- "300" (Warner) - first PiP director's commentary,
also "Heroes" (Universal) and "Transformers" (Paramount)
- "The Bourne Ultimatum," "Heroes: Season 1,"
"Transformers" - downloadable content, continually updated
- 2006 / 2007 - HD DVD: ~ 175K players, 100K Xbox HD DVD add-on
Top
- First-generation set-top players for both formats released in the
first half of 2006
- First products are playback-only: no set-top recorders
in U.S.
LG Electronics - "Super Multi Blue" (07)
LG "Super Multi Blue"
- LG BH100 "Super Multi Blue" Player -
$1,199 (U.S. Q1 07)
Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD
Full HD 1080p
Blu-ray: BD-Java advanced interactive functions, advanced
menus
HD DVD: Not advanced menu interactivity
MPEG-2, VC-1, H.264 video, MPEG1/2 audio
Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital+, DTS and DTS-HD audio
HDMI out, component/composite video out,
optical/coaxial/discrete 5.1 channel audio out
- www.lge.com
Top
- Least expensive option for HD movie playback
11/09 - Gaming System Hardware - November 2009 US Sales (NPD Group)
- Nintendo DS 1.7 M, Nintendo Wii 1.26 M, Microsoft Xbox 360 819.5 K
- Sony PlayStation 3 710.4 K, Sony PSP 293.9 K, Sony PlayStation 2 203.1 K
- Nintendo was more than half of all video game systems sold in the U.S. through Nov. in 2009 (Nintendo)
Sony PlayStation 3 -- Blu-ray (06 - 9/09)
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PS3 original
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PS3 - Games, Media Hub, Blu-ray
- Games, movies, networked media, Web browser
- Plays Blu-ray movies
BD-Live interactivity, HDMI output,
1080p
- Video out: HDMI, Analog A/V, Digital audio (optical)
- Full HD playback, 1080p
- PS3 Slim - Introduced 9/09 - 120 GB $299
- PS3 Original
- Reduced 8/09 - 80 GB $299, 160 GB $399
- www.us.playstation.com/PS3
 Find the Sony
PS3 slim 120 GB on Amazon
Find the Sony
PS3 80 GB on Amazon.com
Find the Sony
PS3 160 GB on Amazon.com |
PS3 Product History
- 9/09 -Introduce PS3 slim - 120 GB hard drive, $299, charcoal black
- 8/09 - PS3 80 GB reduced to $299, PS3 160 GB reduced to $399 ($349 street)
- PS3 system software update version 3.00
- "What's New" screen: Browse PlayStation Store, recently played games on the XMB (XrossMediaBar)
- PS3 brand renamed "PlayStation 3" from "PLAYSTATION 3," new PS3 logo
- PS3 slim remove "Install Other OS" feature
- PR 8/09 - www.us.playstation.com/News/PressReleases/525
- 9/08 - PS3 80 GB, $399
- 11/07 - PS3 - new 40 GB $399 (does not play PS2
titles), 80 GB reduced $499 (was $599) (2.5" SATA)
- 1/07 - PS3 original -20 GB HDD $499, 60 GB HDD with WiFi $599
- 11/06 - Introduced
- Compare versions - www.us.playstation.com/PS3/Systems/Compare
Playstation Chronology
- PlayStation (PS) 1994, PlayStation 2 (PS2) 2000,
PlayStation Portable (PSP) 2004, PlayStation 3 (PS3) 2006
- PS3 Introduced Nov. 17, 2006, sold 1 million by end of
year
- First year - more than 200 software titles
released
- PlayStation Network - more than 60 million pieces of
content downloaded worldwide
- 12/07 - PS3 system software update 2.10 - DivX videos, Blu-ray Disc (BD) Profile 1.1 with picture-in-picture, interactive audio commentary
- 10/07 - PlayStation 2 seventh anniversary, more than
120 million consoles sold worldwide
- 1/08 - North America hardware units retail sales for
holiday 2007 (Nov. 23 to Dec. 31)
- 3/08 - System software update v.2.20 - Blu-ray Disc (BD) Profile 2.0 / BD-LIVE, copy PS3 photo and music playlists to PSP
- 2/09 - PlayStation Network over 20 million registered accounts worldwide
- 5 million in 1 year 2 months, 10 million in 1 year 8 months, 20 million in 2 years 3 months from launch Nov. 11, 2006
- Free access network service for PS3 and PSP (and PC)
- On-line gaming, video chat and text messaging with PS3 users online, PlayStation Store game and video content download
- Services to over 55 countries and regions worldwide
- PlayStation Store - 14,500+ digital content, on-line games, downloadable versions of UMD titles, game demos,
- Game Archive - legendary titles from the original PlayStation on PS3 and PSP, 5,
- Video Delivery Service in U.S. since 7/08 - over 1,400 movies, 4,400 TV episodes
- 380+ million pieces of content downloaded, total sales $180+ million
- PlayStation Home -launched 12/08 - 4+ million users - 3D environment, online community
- Life with PlayStation - 2.6+ million users - Internet content
- PS3 - 21.3 million units as of December 2008, PSP - 50 million units as of January 2009
- PR 2/08 - www.us.playstation.com/News/PressReleases/502
- 4/09 - PlayStation 2 reduced to $99.99 from $129.99
- More than 136 million sell-in units worldwide since launch in 2000
- First system to reach 50 million sell-in unit sales in North America
- Most popular system in gaming industry history, First system with integrated DVD
- Games library will grow to nearly 1,900 titles in 2009, More than 250 “Greatest Hits” titles
- PR 3/09 - www.us.playstation.com/News/PressReleases/510
- 8/09 - PlayStation Network - 27 million registered accounts around world, more than 15,000 pieces of digital content,
- PlayStation Store: Game titles, trailers, demos, 15,000+ movies and TV shows
- PlayStation Home free download, 3D social gaming community
- Blu-ray 1,000+ titles, PS3 downloadable games 1,400+ titles worldwide
- PR 8/09 - www.us.playstation.com/News/PressReleases/525
Specifications
- Cell Broadband Engine - processor jointly developed by IBM, Sony, and
Toshiba
PowerPC-base Core @ 3.2GHz, 1 VMX vector unit per core,
512KB L2 cache
- Graphics processor (RSX) co-developed by NVIDIA
Corporation
- SCEI, and XDR memory developed by Rambus
256MB XDR Main RAM, 256MB GDDR3 VRAM
- 2.5" serial ATA hard driive, Blu-ray / DVD / CD drive (read only)
- Ethernet (10, 100 1000BASE-T), Wi-Fi (802.11
b/g), Bluetooth 2.0
- DUALSHOCK 3 wireless controller - Bluetooth, up to 7
- Video: 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p
- A/V: HDMI out, Analog AV MULTI OUT, Digital out
(OPTICAL)
- 2 USB 2.0
- 60 & 80 GB: Memory Stick/SD/CompactFlash
Slots
- Product includes Free PlayStation Network membership, AV & USB cables
- Not backwards compatible with PlayStation 2 titles, compatibility for some original PlayStation titles
Microsoft Xbox 360 -- HD DVD (11/05, 11/06)
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HD Video
- All games support 16:9, 720p, or 1080i
- Xbox 360 HD DVD Player peripheral
With Xbox 360 Universal Media Remote
Up to1080p
Introduced 11/06, $199 - summer 07 $179 - 2/08 $129
- Component
video, not HDMI
- For HDTV, need Xbox 360 Component HD AV Cable, $39.99
(w/ full system)
Composite cable for standard TV output
Component (Y, Pr, Pb) high-definition video output
Progressive-scan DVD playback 480p
HD output 720p, 1080i or 1080p
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound output
- For digital, need Xbox 360 VGA HD AV Cable,
$39.99
Standard VGA Connector
HD at 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p resolution
640 x 480 to 1280 x 720 (720p), 1280 x 768, 1280 x 1024,
1360 x 768
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound output
Find the Microsoft
Xbox 360 on Amazon.com |
Specifications
- Custom IBM PowerPC-based CPU, 3 symmetrical cores each 3.2 GHz
1 MB L2 cache
- Custom ATI Graphics Processor 10 MB of embedded DRAM
- 512 MB of 700 MHz GDDR3 RAM
- Detachable and upgradeable 20-GB hard drive
- 12x dual-layer DVD-ROM
- Built-in Ethernet port
- Wi-Fi ready: 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g
- Video camera-ready
- Introduced Nov. 22, 2005, 6 million consoles sold by
end of Sept. 2006
- Microsoft TV IPTV Edition, IPTV on Xbox 360
- 3.3 x 12.2 x 10.2 inches, 7.7 lbs
- Xbox 360 Arcade - 256 MB (no hard drive) - $279
(was $299)
Not compatible with original Xbox games (300 games), not
HD
- Xbox 360 - 20 GB detachable hard drive - $349
(was $399)
- Xbox 360 Elite - (black) 120 GB, HDMI - $449
- www.microsoft.com/xbox
- www.xbox.com/xbox360
Next:
Audio
Accessories Gallery [ HD / Disc Media
]
Top
See Hard Coat
Protection for Recordable Discs (6/05)
See "DVD
Rot" / DVD Longevity and Reliability (9/03)
- Originally for data
backup
- Can't play back HD discs on any old PC
- Full HD playback requires significant upgrades
or a new system
Need good performance, updated drivers for HD decoding
Need secure digital
connection (HDMI)
with hardware support in both video card and display
Dual-Layer DVD Media
- Verbatim 8X DVD+RW
burn an entire 4.7GB disc in about 7 minutes
- Small Verbatim Mini DVD+R DL coaster-size DVDs (around 3 inches or 8 cm)
- Double-layer capacity (2.6 GB)
- DVD camcorders can record 1 hour
of video at reasonable quality.
Blu-ray -- Disc Media
See Multi-Layer
High-Def DVD Technology -- Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD (10/05)
- Media: Verbatim, TDK,
Sony, Ritek, Panasonic, LG, HP, Maxell, Memorex, Rioch
- BD-R single layer 25 GB ~ $20, BD-RE 25GB $25
- dual layer 50GB ~ $40-$50
Verbatim UltraLife Gold Archival Grade DVD-R and CD-R Media
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- Proprietary dual reflective layer technology
- Gold layer protects data from corrosion, maximizes disc lifetime
- Silver layer delivers broad read/write compatibility with high
reflectivity
- Hard coating protects recording surface against scratches and rough
handling
- Patented Verbatim azo dye technology
- 5 pack jewel case or 50-pack spindle.
- 1/09 - DVD-R 4.7 GB / 8X 5-pack - $15 list, $9 street.
- 1/09 - CD-R 700 MB / 52X 5-pack - $16 list, $8 street
- www.verbatim.com
Find the
Verbatim
Archival DVD-R and
Verbatim Archival CD-R on Amazon.com |
Memorex SimpleSave Photo and Video Back-Up DVDs (6/08)
|
SimpleSave software |
- Automatic, all-in-one back-up for photos from PC to DVD disc
- Optical disc with recording media plus pre-recorded software
Each disc has 4.5GB of capacity, to back up some 2,200
photos
- Insert SimpleSave disc into PC's DVD drive
Back-up software launches automatically from the disc, no
install
Automatically find, organize and back up photos or music
Saves selected file types from PC to the same SimpleSave
disc
When disc is full, software prompts to insert another
disc
- No additional software or recording media required, no configuring
Use advanced options to select file types to be
located and saved
- Future: music - 1,000 songs per disc?
- 9/08 - 5-pack $14.99
- Product - www.memorex.com/products/product_list.php?SID=49
- PR 1/08 (old) - www.memorex.com/html/newsroom
Find the Memorex
SimpleSave on Amazon.com |
Verbatim PhotoSave DVD (10/08)
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- Backup and archive up photos stored on your PC or digital camera/flash
media
- "Self-Recordable Media" -- Recordable DVD-R disc with integrated
software
- No software to install -- launches automatically direct from DVD disc
- Searches and stores over 80 different types of photo and video files
- Automatic photo search, or customized
- Burn multiple times to add additional photos until disc is full
- Multi-disc spanning for large collections of files
- 4.5 GB per disc - Up to 2,000 photos (at 2 MB JPEG)
- 10/08 - 3 pack $9.99, 5-pack $14.99
- Product - www.verbatim.com/products
- PR - 9/08 - http://www.verbatim.com/news
|
Water Resistant, Hard Coat
Water Resistant Surfaces
- Inkjet printable CDs and DVDs, water- and smear-resistant
- Great print quality with instantaneous drying
- Handle directly from the printer
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Imation
AquaGuard printable discs
- Nanoparticle technologysurface to grip and hold ink, lock printed images in
place
- Very white surface for better color reproduction and more
brilliant images
- Also is offered by Primera
inkjet-based disc duplication and printing equipment, www.primera.com
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Hard Coat Surfaces
- Hard coat surfaces resist
scratching and are easier to clean by just wiping with a cloth
- Originally
developed for the new high-def DVD formats
- Now available for
DVD and CD
- Memorex
DuraLayer
Imation - ForceField Scratch Resistant Coating
Maxell - MAXPRO Hardcoat
- 40 times more scratch resistant and 20 times more dust resistant than
standard DVD media
- ultra-reliable, high-quality, propriety dye further ensures data integrity
and longevity
- up to two times longer archival and storage life
- www.maxell-data.com
TDK - DURABIS Coating
Verbatim - VideoGard
LightScribe Media
- Flip over the disc in the drive tray
- Uses laser to write
the label.
- Not printing in color, result is a sepia
effect.
- Verbatim LightScribe CDs
and DVDs
gold-background coating that enables up to 30 percent
faster label printing
vibrant jewel-toned
background colors, yellow, green, orange
Top
DYMO - DiscPainter CD/DVD Printer (10/07)
- Full-color, high quality printing directly on inkjet printable discs in
minutes
- RadialPrint Technology prints as disc spins, from edge to hub
- Prints on all inkjet-printable CDs, DVDs (full sized,
120 mm), and mini discs (80 mm)
- Prints on full-coverage / hub-printable discs (to inner edge of
center hole)
and non hub-printable discs (larger unprintable inner
plastic ring)
- Print speed from 30 seconds (simple text/design, Fast mode)
to 3 minutes (more complex design, Best quality)
- Recommend glossy inkjet-printable or water-resistant
inkjet-printable discs
Glossy discs have a lustrous, shiny surface, often
water-resistant
Matte discs have a dull, flat surface, with softened
appearance
- DiscPainter printer software for Mac or PC - Select as print driver
Print from any application, such as Adobe
Illustrator or Photoshop
Set paper size to match size of disc, margins 0
Standard (120 mm, 4.7")
disc, paper size 120 mm wide x 120 mm high
Mini (80 mm, 3.15") disc,
paper size 80 mm wide x 80 mm high.
- Includes Discus for DYMO software for creating disc designs
Print properties
- Print Quality/Speed:
Fast/Draft 600 dpi (two nozzle passes) -- good for simple
text
Normal 600 dpi (eight nozzle passes)
Best 1200 dpi (eight nozzle passes)
- Ink Density: 1 - 5 for matte discs, 6 & 7 for glossy
8 & 9 for colored (non-white) discs such as silver
inkjet printable
- Single Ink Cartridge system in full color - DYMO part number 1738252
Prints about 100 discs with one cartridge (Normal
quality, ink density 5)
Ink status light: yellow when ink level below 20%, red
below 5%
- 4.33" H x 10.62" L x 5.71" W (110 mm x 270 mm x 145 mm),
2.65 lbs (1.2 kg)
- DYMO is a unit of Newell Rubbermaid
- 10/08 - $249 street, cartridge $38; 12/07 - $279; Cartridge $49 -> $40
- See DYMO website for tutorials and videos
- http://global.dymo.com/enUS/DiscPainter
Find the DYMO
DiscPainter on Amazon.com
Next: Portable Media
Player Gallery
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