dvd

A DVD player that streams media

It's not often we get so excited about a DVD player these days that we jump up and down when it arrives in the office. That wasn't always the case though--we remember when DVD was the most amazing thing we'd ever seen, and KiSS is keen to evoke such emotions in us once again with its funky new media-streaming DVD player, the KiSS 1600. We first saw it at CeBIT in March and were desperate to get our hands on it.

What the KiSS offers over other DVD players is the ability to stream media either over … Read more

Sony unveils three new DVD/CD burners

Sony, recognizing that not everyone is ready for Blu-ray or HD-DVD, announced three new CD/DVD burners today. The 840 series of multiformat drives includes two external models--one a slim drive designed for portability--and an internal model.

The DRU-840A (internal) and DRX-840U (external) offer the same burn speeds:

20X DVD+/-R 12X DVD+/-R DL 12X DVD+RW 6X DVD-RW 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW

The DRU-840A is an ATAPI (EIDE) drive, while the DRX-840U is connected via USB 2.0 (or USB 1.1, with slower write speeds). Both drives come with Nero 7 Express for disc authoring and mastering. … Read more

Wine & Movie - Coppola Style

What is better than a nice bottle of wine and a movie to curl up with? How about a 3 liter bottle of wine, with a DVD built into the bottom? Yes? Well don't worry, Francis Ford Coppola is one step ahead of you, and he has JUST that set up ready for you... if you want to watch Apocalypse Now, or One From The Heart (see image after the jump). And what wine is perfect to pair with such films? A 3 liter bottle of their 2004 Francis Coppola Reserve Syrah apparently. This collectible is an online exclusive, so browse here if you are ready to drop $225 on the Apocalypse Now set or $160 on One From The Heart. (via Porous Walker on NOTCOT.org)

Toshiba third-gen HD DVD players on the way--but how useful are their new features?

When a trio of new HD DVD players popped up on Amazon.com last week, the question wasn't so much, "Are they real?" as "How are they different from the existing models?" Toshiba clarified the issue today by officially announcing the three new models in a press release that trumpeted a handful of new features that will appeal to enthusiasts. But some key questions about those step-up features remain unanswered.

First, the basics. All three of the new models boast new, slim cases that are only 59.5mm high (less than 2.5 inches). And unlike many Blu-ray players--including models that cost hundreds more--the new HD DVD players each include active Ethernet ports and upgradeable firmware, so they can take advantage of the growing number of HD DVD titles that make use of interactive online features. The new lineup breaks down as follows:

HD-A3 ($300, October 2007): With its output resolution limited to 1080i, the primary appeal of the entry-level model is its affordable price tag. Except for the slimmer case, this looks to be nearly a clone of the current HD-A2, which is currently selling online for as little as $200.

HD-A30 ($400, September 2007): An extra $100 buys you 1080p output, HDMI CEC compatibility (which allows for control between other CEC-enabled AV products when connected via HDMI and using a single remote control), and 24-frame video support (1080p/24).

HD-A35 ($500, October 2007): In addition to the same features as the HD-A30, the top-end model in the fall 2007 lineup adds 5.1-channel analog audio outs, support for Deep Color video and HDMI passthrough audio.

Sounds great. Of course, there's a secret about those cutting-edge features that all those other blogs aren't telling you. … Read more

New HD DVD players on the way?

Toshiba hasn't made any official announcements, but some early Amazon product pages seem to indicate there will be three new HD DVD players released on October 1: Toshiba HD-A3, Toshiba HD-A30, and Toshiba HD-A35. From the admittedly limited details available on the Amazon pages, there doesn't seem to be any big shakeups to Toshiba's HD DVD line--there are three models, with the entry-level model lacking 1080p output. Interestingly, there's no HD-XA3, which would be the logical successor to the current HD-XA2, so perhaps Toshiba has ditched that naming scheme or maybe there's an additional flagship … Read more

Handbrake: Open sourcing your video

This is the second open source application review that I've done, but it really should have been the first. I could probably live without talking to other people (Adium), but I'm not sure I could survive long flights without the occasional movie. Handbrake covers this fundamental human need.

If you're not currently using the open-source Handbrake application, your life is woefully incomplete. Handbrake is one of the applications that you will continue to use when you die. Angels are using it, even as I type, to rip their DVDs to their hard-drives so that they can save battery life on long trips (to Redmond, most likely :-).

Enough gushing. What is Handbrake? … Read more

Japanese porn industry extends welcoming tentacle to Blu-ray

They haven't put out a press release about it or anything, but the signs are pointing to a decisive victory of Blu-ray over archrival HD DVD when it comes to the Japanese smut industry. A PC World article writes that Sony, manufacturer of the Blu-ray Disc, has been offering more technical support to Japan's adult film companies. At the Adult Treasure Expo 2007 in Chibo, Japan, filmmakers attested to this and said that it's no longer as difficult for them to find mass production outlets.

In the U.S., HD DVD has an edge in the porn … Read more

Gigantic HP laptop finally here

Maybe it took extra long, 'cause it was so hard to get these giant things on the truck. In any event, the 20-inch HP HDX--a massive multimedia laptop we previewed extensively back in May--comes with some cool new hardware tweaks and is finally ready to hit dorm rooms and CEO offices around the country.

One of the first systems to be announced with Intel's revamped Centrino Duo platform, the HDX won us over with its huge 20-inch display (which moves back and forth on a giant hinged arm), touch-sensitive media control buttons, pop-out remote control, and gamer-worthy specs. … Read more

Images: Samsung's Christmas in July

Though it's only July, Samsung decked out the Clift Hotel in downtown San Francisco this week with its holiday lineup of gadget gifts.

Pictured here, for example, is a camera that's compact but also packs a nice punch. Not only does it have touch-screen controls and a nice swivel handle, which allows easy, lower shooting angles, but it shoots video in 720p. Samsung says it went with progressive (the "p" in 720p) instead of interlaced (720i) for its first high-definition camcorder to allow better slow-motion replay of home movies. The camera also has 8GB of flash … Read more

Blu-ray v. HD DVD: Where do we stand?

The expected next-generation DVD format war isn't quite the deadlock many expected.

Target's announcement Thursday that it would sell a Sony Blu-ray player in its stores alongside Blu-ray discs in a special feature promotion is important because the second-largest retailer in the U.S. doesn't sell HD DVD players in its stores, outside of the external HD DVD drive made for Microsoft's Xbox 360. It does sell a Toshiba HD DVD player on its Web site, however.

When the battle between the competing optical disc formats--HD DVD and Blu-ray--began brewing last year, analysts predicted protracted trench warfare, … Read more