Taiwan Headlines is reporting that HP will roll out HD DVD Player/Media Centers in September. The device is described as a “Player” but I have to assume they mean Media Center, perhaps similar to the one below demonstrated at last years Consumer Electronics Show.

“Hewlett-Packard (HP) plans to roll out HD DVD players in September and has chosen Toshiba to make the machines for it. Toshiba will likely delegate the orders to Lite-On to pare down production costs.”

As always we’ll report back with more details as they become available. Source

R.Hollis

Just a quick update this morning on HD DVD firmware update 2.0, as of early this morning 08/25/2006 2.0 is live and ready for ethernet updates.

No word on the official contents of the update but considering that a disc image of the update has been floating around the internet for several days, we can make at least a few educated guesses as to what’s included.

?Dolby TrueHD support
?Improved 720p Performance
?Miscellaneous ethernet connectivity improvements

I’ll update once the official release notes are updated.

–Update– Official release notes updated:

“This firmware update adds support for certain anticipated network delivered content in future HD DVD discs, improves certain video and audio processing capabilities, as well as addresses certain disc playback and HDMI/DVI related problems identified by Toshiba.”

–Second Update–

I’ve verified Dolby TrueHD audio support is working.
720p does indeed appear to have been improved. (although I still prefer the image at 1080i)
There are new Ethernet options in the setup menu. (connection speed, cookie handling etc.)

R.Hollis

Innocuous, semi-questionable title aside, the North American HD DVD Promotional Group’s website got a bit of a makeover today. Some of the notable improvements to ‘The Look and Sound of Perfect‘ include a full color HD background, virtual comparisons of DVD versus HD DVD and a list of dates and locations for the revamped HD DVD Experience Tour, which is scheduled to begin this September.

Also updated is the list of HD DVD’s in the “Coming Soon” section. The list now includes titles like:

A Clockwork Orange, King Kong (2005), The Black Dahlia, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Miami Vice (2006), Hulk, The Maltese Falcon, The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Twister, The Mummy, Blade Runner, Braveheart, The Deer Hunter, Dune (1985), Field of Dreams, Forrest Gump, The Ultimate Star Trek Collection, Grease, The Green Mile, Mission: Impossible, Mission: Impossible 2, Mission: Impossible 3, Mutiny on the Bounty, North by Northwest, Ocean’s Eleven, Ocean’s Twelve , Se7en, The Shining (1980)

Just to name a few?

R.Hollis

Hey look at that, Reign of Fire on HD DVD. I’m not quite sure what to make of this but it appears as if Pony Canyon will be distributing a Buena Vista Pictures/Spyglass Entertainment release on HD DVD in Japan.

Could this be the first of many? Are Buena Vista titles limited to Japan only? I’ll post an update as soon as I have more information.

Source Page: AV Watch
Translated: Google Translation (its rough)

–Update– ok I’ve already received a couple of email from folks who didn’t seem to get the tongue-in-cheek nature of the post. No Disney won’t be supporting HD DVD just yet; these discs are almost always released under an agreement to a independent distribution company by Buena Vista International. As it turns out this isn’t even the first ‘Buena Vista Pictures’ HD DVD, that honor goes to Finding Neverland.

R.Hollis

I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or scratch my head when I read this one. Apparently the editor of the ‘Official PlayStation Magazine’ won’t be buying a PS3 at launch because she “finds the concept of a $600 console insulting.”

Dana Jongewaard goes on to state that “I hope that the price drops soon so I can consider it.” Interesting stuff, the weird thing is I can’t get a feel for whether Dana’s typical or atypical of the average gamer.

She obviously has an interest in games but isn’t comfortable with the price, she also mentions that she has no interest in Blu-ray whatsoever. Will other gamers feel the same and turn their attention toward the Wii and Xbox 360? Only time will tell.

R.Hollis

There’s a bit of cheesecake in this video, so view at your own risk. But it’s damn funny.

I don’t even know what to say. But it sure isn’t viva le Blu-ray.

R.Hollis