Microsoft hoses down latest Xbox 360 Blu-ray rumor

If you're suddenly overcome with a feeling akin to déjà vu, go ahead and kill that speed dial to your physician. For the second time in a month, Microsoft has actually come forward to squash a Blu-ray Xbox 360 rumor. This go 'round, an alleged statement from Redmond states quite outrightly that "Lite-On is not manufacturing Blu-ray drives for Xbox 360," and it continues on by noting that "customers who want a premium movie experience [can check out the] library of on-demand HD content" available to console owners. Still, we've grown accustomed to these denials by now, and while you'd think that having a pair of rumors on the matter smashed would put the issue to rest, we've all ideas this one isn't quite dead and buried just yet.
-engadget

Blu-Ray Xbox 360: “No way” says Microsoft; Microsoft: No Blu-ray in Xbox 360

Microsoft: No Blu-ray in Xbox 360
-gamedaily

Microsoft has today firmly stated that it is not looking to include Blu-ray in an Xbox 360 consoles anytime soon. In an interview with Reuters, group product manager for Xbox 360 Aaron Greenberg shot down the idea that his company's console would support Blu-ray in the wake of the format death of HD-DVD. Instead, Greenberg says that his company will invest its efforts in downloadable content via Xbox Live.

"Xbox is not currently in talks with Sony or the Blu-ray Association to integrate Blu-ray into the Xbox experience," said Greenberg to Reuters in an interview, adding, "We're the only console offering digital distribution of entertainment content."

Greenberg also commented that he expects the Xbox 360 to be outsold by the PS3 for the second straight month, citing supply problems. "We definitely expect we will trail in February as a result of our supply constraints," said Greenberg. "By April, we will be in a very healthy inventory situation."

Microsoft has had something of a schizophrenic relationship with Blu-ray. Right after they announced support of HD-DVD, then Corporate Vice President of Interactive Entertainment Business Peter Moore said the 360 might support Blu-ray if the format wins, only to have that recanted days later in a statement. The issue flared up again when U.K. Xbox head Neil Thompson commented, that whichever format was the winner it would be "highly likely" for a "solution" to be offered. Earlier this year, Albert Penello, group marketing manager for Xbox, said that Mircosoft would "consider" supporting Blu-ray, but the he officially rejected that position a week later , saying the company is "not thinking about it." This most recent clarification comes after Microsoft CEO Steve Balmer said "we'll support Blu-ray in ways that make sense."


Blu-Ray Xbox 360: “No way” says Microsoft
-electricpig.tv

Ever since the demise of HD-DVD, we’ve been hankering for a Blu-Ray add on (or built-in drive) for the Xbox 360, but now Microsoft has dashed our hopes, saying it’s not in talks with Sony, and that recent stories to the contrary are just plain wrong.

The latest comments come from Aaron Greenberg, group product manager for Xbox 360. He told Reuters: “Xbox is not currently in talks with Sony or the Blu-Ray Association to integrate Blu-Ray into the Xbox experience,” claiming that the console isn’t in immediate need of HD discs.

“We're the only console offering digital distribution of entertainment content,” he added, “we still think we have significantly better value than Sony. Every month we've actually been in stock we've outsold them by a 2 to 1 margin.”

So there! It’s clear we’re getting mixed messages from Microsoft, but could the case be that it’s Sony who’s not in talks with Microsoft rather than the other way ‘round? Would they really give away one of the PS3’s most attractive features to the competition so easily? Stay tuned and we’ll tell you more as soon as we hear it.

Panasonic's DMP-BD30K Blu-ray Player Goes DivX Certified

Panasonic's just become the first manufacturer to make a DivX-certified stand-alone Blu-ray player, the BD30K, which will be available in Europe and Russia starting this month. It's not the first machine to have both DivX and Blu-ray (the PlayStation 3 did that a few months ago), but it does signal the continuation of a trend that started with many DVD players getting DivX functionality. Do you really need DivX on your Blu-ray player? Probably not, but if you're frequently downloading stuff off BitTorrent, having another machine that can play back last week's Lost is pretty convenient.


Panasonic to Release DivX Certified Blu-ray DVD Player Next Generation DVD Player to be Available in Europe and Russia DivX, Inc., a digital media company, announced the DivX® Certification of Panasonic's Blu-ray Disc (BD) Player The Panasonic Blu-ray Disc player, which joins a number of existing DivX Certified products from Panasonic, is scheduled to be released beginning in March and is expected to be the first DivX Certified® Blu-ray Disc Player available in Europe and Russia. Like Panasonic's existing DivX Certified DVD players, the latest DivX Certified Panasonic Blu-ray disc player enables users to enjoy high-quality DivX video playback. "In order to give our users access to the extremely popular, high-quality DivX format, we have introduced the first DivX-Certified Blu-ray Disc Player for Europe and Russia," said Yuki Kusumi, Group Manager of Product Technology, Video Business Unit, Network Business Group, Panasonic AVC Networks Company, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. "The timely launch of this strategic product is a direct response to the strong demand for DivX playback among consumers. We are very confident this product will be very popular in the European and Russian markets." "The DivX Certified Panasonic Blu-ray Disc Player is a great device from a leader in next generation DVD technology, and marks an important strategic milestone in our growth into new product categories," said Kevin Hell, CEO of DivX, Inc. "DivX has already become a de-facto standard on existing DVD players and we are well-positioned to repeat that success in the Blu-ray category. We're pleased Panasonic continues to recognize DivX technology as an important feature on next-generation devices." Products that bear the DivX Certified logo have undergone a rigorous testing program to ensure a high quality DivX media experience that includes reliable video playback, excellent visual quality, and interoperability with other DivX Certified digital devices. The DivX logo has become a powerful symbol for a high-quality digital video experience across any device. About DivX, Inc. DivX, Inc. is a digital media company that enables consumers to enjoy a high-quality video experience across any kind of device. DivX creates, distributes and licenses digital video technologies that span the "three screens" comprising today's consumer media environment--the PC, the television and mobile devices. Over 100 million DivX Certified devices have shipped into the market from leading consumer electronics manufacturers. DivX also offers content providers and publishers a complete solution for the distribution of secure, high-quality digital video content. Driven by a globally recognized brand and a passionate community of hundreds of millions of consumers, DivX is simplifying the video experience to enable the digital home. -gizmodo

Microsoft Preps A New 60 GB Xbox 360 With BluRay Drive?

Right after the Financial Times reported that Sony and Microsoft are talking about a possible BluRay drive for the Xbox360, a new rumor has emerged. TrustedReviews claims that a “rock solid source” said that Microsoft is working to release a new standard version of its Xbox 360 with a 60 GB hard drive, that will replace the currently 20 GB hard drive.

TrustedReviews also said that the new version is due to be out until the end of Q2 and, in the light of the previous rumors, it seems it will include an internal BluRay unit.

Microsoft did not confirm officially the information about the BluRay unit or about a new version of Xbox 360, but at Mix 08, Steve Ballmer admitted that the company is working on device driver support for Blu-ray drives in Windows. “Toshiba has moved on. We've moved on, and we'll support Blu-ray in ways that make sense", Ballmer said.

Shortly after Warner Bros has signaled the end of the high definition war, by choosing the BluRay as its exclusive format, a Microsoft official admitted in an interview with Reuters that the company could consider a BluRay drive for Xbox 360, if the consumers will demand such a feature.

Although, right before this year CES, there were rumors that Microsoft is working on a new version of its gaming console. Last year in October, an Australian site claimed that a dual HD TV tuner and a docking port for an MP3 player are considered as new improvements for Xbox 360. The same source also said that the new version will include a HD DVD unit, but before CES, Microsoft downplayed the rumors about a new Xbox 360 with an internal HD DVD unit.

However, I found it hard to believe that Microsoft will offer an internal BluRay unit for Xbox 360. For the moment, it is unclear in which way a BluRay unit will affect the current price of Xbox 360.

Currently the 20 GB version of Xbox 360 with HDMI port sells for $349.99 and Microsoft is facing a tough competition from Nintendo Wii, that sells for $250. So, adding a new feature which will probably boost the price it doesn’t seem like a good move.

However, an external BluRay unit that will be sold as an accessory seems to be a logical decision as the HD DVD format has lost the battle. It won’t have any impact on the overall price of Xbox 360 and it could be a nice addition for the Xbox 360 owners.

As for the rumored 60 GB version of Xbox 360, maybe after two years since its release it is time for Microsoft to refresh the standard version and maybe to cut the prices of the 20 GB version.

- eFluxMedia

Hook a Blu-ray Disc drive up to your laptop

With Blu-ray Disc now the clear victor in the high-definition format war, those cautious about buying hardware can spend with ease. Those with home theater PCs or laptops will be pleased to learn that Philips & Lite-On Digital Solutions (PLDS) will be soon releasing its first USB external BD-ROM drive in Q2 2008.

“Due to recent market developments we can expect an increasing volume of movies to be released in high definition on Blu-ray Discs,” said Jelmer Veldman, European Marketing Manager at PLDS. “The market adoption of Blu-ray as the optical disc standard for High Definition content results in a growing demand for Blu-ray playback solutions. The portable external Lite-On BD-ROM drive allows users to playback their Blu-ray discs on any PC via a USB 2.0 cable.”

The upcoming model, designated the Lite-On DX-4O1S can read Blu-ray Disc media at 4X, single-layer DVD at 12X, dual-layer DVD at 8X, and CD media at 32X maximum.

Alternatively, HTPC addicts may consider the Xbox 360 HD DVD drive, now on clearance for $50. While HD DVD may have limited future potential, the Xbox 360 add-on, which works with natively with Windows Vista, is an affordable option to view today’s high-definition content.

-dailytech

Acer to begin Blu-ray laptop "push"

Sees hardware, not home cinema, as way forward for format

Following the demise of the HD DVD format, DigiTimes reports that Acer will "push" Blu-ray notebooks this year.

Acer, who was signed up to both next-gen formats, has predicted that the sales boost of Blu-ray drives will first be seen in notebooks rather than standalone players.

Scott Lin, president of Acer, has revealed the company is planning to launch BD-capable notebooks in the second quarter of this year.

The reasoning behind the notebook push is since most homes do not yet have Full HD (1080p) ready TVs, a notebook with a Blu-ray disc drive and full HD panel will have more advantages over a stand-alone player, said Lin.

One of the two new notebooks will apparently boast an 18.4-inch screen and the other will be a 16-inch offering, both will support HD quality images.

Source: Pocket-lint

Sony Intros New Bluray Disc Players

With Toshiba's public withdrawal of HD DVD having virtually sealed the fate of the format, rival Sony has made some haste in announcing spanking new Blu-ray Disc Player models; namely, the BDP-S350 and the BDP-S500.

Announcing the Blu-ray Disc players at Sony's product showcase in Las Vegas, Chris Fawcett, vice president (Marketing) of Sony Electronics Home Product Division, said "the new devices bring home movie experience beyond cinema".

Both players support 'Bonus View' for viewing picture-in-picture content, and have external ports for users to add optional storage devices.

Meanwhile, the BDP-S350 is BD-Live capable, and has an Ethernet port for firmware upgrade and access to Internet-based interactive content.

The other player, the BDP-S500 does not require any firmware upgrade to enable interactivity features, and will ship with 1GB of storage.

The S350 and S500 can handle 7.1-channel Dolby TrueHD decoding and bitstream output, as well as DTS-HD Master Audio bistream output. Whereas the S550 adds DTS-HD Master Audio decoding to 7.1 channel analog audio output.

Both players feature 1080/60p and 24p True Cinema output, and are compatible with a wide array of video formats, including BD-R/RE (BDMV and BDAV modes), DVD+R/+RW, DVD-R/-RW, CD, CD-R/RW (CD-DA format), and JPEG on DVD/CD recordable media.

Sony said the BDP-S350 will ship this Summer for about $400, while the BDP-S550 will be available this Autumn for around $500.

In a separate announcement, DreamWorks Animation SKG said that it is locked in an exclusive deal to distribute DVDs on Toshiba's HD DVD format, even though the latter plans to quit HD DVD technology.

Explaining further, DreamWorks Chief Executive, Jeffrey Katzenberg, said, "We have a partnership with Toshiba, and have an obligation to see this through. As you know, we have been well-compensated for our support. It really is in their court at this point to really declare what the next step will be. We're poised either way to jump into the marketplace when the conditions are right to do so."