dvd

As the new Sony BDP-S300 begins shipping on Amazon and SonyStyle for $499.99 (add $10 for shipping if you purchase it from Sony), I'm left wondering if people even care.

Now before some of you jump up and down claiming I am off-base by saying that most people really don't care about the high-def wars, hear me out.

Sony's decision to drop the price of the BDP-S300 to $500 may seem like a great concession that will spur sales, but the price is still too high for the average person to even consider buying one of … Read more

Blu-ray is extending its early lead in the high-def video wars.

Blockbuster Inc. announced on Monday that it would rent only Blu-ray discs, and not HD DVDs, in its 1,700 company-owned stores. That's supposed to take effect by mid-July.

The company said the decision was based on Blu-ray rentals "significantly outpacing" HD DVD rentals, and added that both formats will be available through its Web site.

While the dueling formats are technically somewhat similar, Blu-ray enjoys the advantage of being backed by more film studios (Sony, 20th Century Fox, Buena Vista, and Lionsgate) vs. HD DVD, … Read more

You've heard the expression "underpromise, overdeliver." Well, Toshiba execs are getting a little taste of "overpromise, underdeliver" when it comes to sales of HD DVD players.

According to a Reuters report today, "The Japanese electronics group now expects to sell 1 million next-generation optical disc players and recorders in North America by the end of calendar 2007, down 44 percent from its previous estimate of 1.8 million unit sales." Toshiba's also pulling back on its projection of selling 3 million units of HD DVD players and recorders worldwide by the end … Read more

Well that was quick.

Back in February, Sony said the Blu-ray player to be released this summer would sell for $599. On Monday, Sony said the BDP-S300, which is now shipping, will actually sell for $499 instead. The latest version is slimmer than the original, but with many of the same features.

Considering that the original Sony Blu-ray player, the BDP-S1, was released just six months ago for $1,000, that's a pretty swift price drop. Though Sony attributed the price cut to lower production costs and higher demand for the Blu-ray technology, it's also an indication that … Read more

If you really love Tetris, you're bound to have a lot of books about Tetris. You've also probably got a DVD archive of your greatest Tetris performances. It just goes with the territory.

Odds are, if you've got that many books and DVDs about Tetris, you might as well go all-out and display them on a Tetris-themed bookshelf/DVD organizer.

Courtesy of the handiwork of Instructable user odecom5, the online DIY showcase Instructables has step-by-step instructions on how to build your own Tetris bookshelf/DVD rack.

This isn't some half-hearted production, either. All five of the … Read more

You'd think catching movie pirates would be as easy as preventing anyone with a camcorder from entering a movie theater. Or throwing a net over Johnny Depp's house.

Instead, Malaysian theater workers are employing a high-tech strategy. According to a Reuters report, the Motion Picture Association is training Malaysian theater workers to strap on night-vision goggles to catch pirates in the act of filming.

And it's working. In the past two months, 17 illegal movie-tapers have been caught by begoggled Malaysian ushers.

Could New York City be the next test bed for the night-vision goggle probe? According … Read more

For every person who loves the idea of 6-foot tower speakers at each corner of the room, there are 20 others who prefer their home theater to be heard but not seen. It's for that latter group that the Sony DAV-IS10 Micro Home Theater System was designed. The system crams an entire 5.1 home-theater-in-a-box (HTIB) down to Mini-Me proportions: the 2-way 100-watt subwoofer barely outsizes a couple of phone books, the DVD/CD player head unit is a bit larger than a Mac Mini, and the five satellite speakers are--as Sony's press kit helpfully points out--"about the size of a golf ball." Despite the minuscule size, the DAV-IS10 will include the much of the same impressive features found on Sony's trio of Bravia HTIBs: DVD upscaling to 720p and 1080i via the HDMI output, automated speaker setup (which Sony calls "Digital Cinema Auto Calibration," or DCAC), and HDMI-CEC capability (the ability to control compatible TVs via the IS10's remote when connected via HDMI--"Bravia Theater Sync," in Sony speak). The system also features a Digital Media Port, so it can interface with Sony's quartet of proprietary digital audio accessories--though that's less of an enticement, now that we've been underwhelmed by the first two we've reviewed, the TDM-IP1 iPod dock and the TDM-BT1 Bluetooth interface. … Read more

Down from its debut price of $500, this mid-high-end HD DVD player is offered at a $200 discount at several sellers right now. We did the research for you: read on for a great deal with free shipping. We like this one because Circuit City also posts a rebate for 5 free DVDs to go with your new equipment. Check CNET Reviews (link below) for plenty of details & consumer feedback.

What: Toshiba HD DVD Player (HDA2) How much: $299 Shipping: Free Where: Circuit City (via Dealhack) When: Through unknown date Click here for product review.

Among the first-generation Blu-ray players, Panasonic's DMP-BD10 was remarkable for its higher-than-average price tag ($1,300 versus the $1,000 norm) and the company's promise of a future firmware upgrade that would unleash the full sonic power of Blu-ray audio soundtracks. Having made good on the firmware upgrade in April, Panasonic has now shaved 54 percent off the price. In addition to sporting the upgraded firmware, the newly christened DMP-BD10A will retail for $600 and include five Blu-ray movies--Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Transporter, Fantastic Four, … Read more