Weekly Roundup ~ June 30

HD DVD News of the Past Week

• HD DVDs To Be Released Next Tuesday, July 3 (Link)
• New Announcements by Toshiba (America) regarding 1080p/24fps output (Link)
• Some News On the Technical Side of HD DVD... (Link)
• Universal Studios' First Wave of HD DVDs for September (Link)
• 'Underworld 2: Evolution' & 'Mr and Mrs Smith' on HD DVD in Poland (Link)
• Toshiba (Japan) Issues v2.0 Firmware Update for HD-XA2 & HD-XF2 (Link)
• Toshiba (America) Releases v2.0 Firmware Update for 2nd-Gen Players (Link)
• Upcoming HD DVDs with HDi Network Functionality Requires Firmware Update (Link)
• Anime Film 'Appleseed: Ex Machina' on HD DVD in 2008... (Link)
• HD DVD Player Lens Cleaner Introduced in Japan... (Link)

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What's Been Updated...

• The direct links to download the v2.0 firmware update image files are now available in this blogpost.
• Bandai Visual (Japan) has provided preview images to the cover artwork of Royal Space Force—The Wings of Honneamise (HD DVD) and Patlabor The Movie (HD DVD). The preview images are available via this blogpost. Both of which is expected to be available for sale on July 27 in Japan.

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Other News

• Some readers have informed us that v2.0 firmware update is also available for HD-E1 and HD-XE1 released in Europe. Up till now, we've not received official word as to whether the v2.0 firmware update extends to all regions in the European continent where both of the above-mentioned HD DVD players have been sold. But, if you are able to update your HD DVD player's firmware via the ethernet port to version 2.0, then we'd like to add that the v2.0 firmware update focuses mainly on improving the network functionality of the HD DVD players.
• And I've just done a mini-review (looking at a few of the positives)of Paramount's Transformers movie and gave it a 'Highly Recommended' rating. Certainly better than Spider-man 3, Pirates of the Caribbean 3 and Fantastic Four: Rise of Silver Surfer.

A Lighter Side...

Having watched Transformers at a theatre overseas yesterday, just compels me to dedicate this blogpost to talked all (not exactly all, no spoliers here) about it.

After being disappointed by the sequels of Spider-Man, Pirates of the Caribbean and Fantastic Four, Transformers The Movie is surprisingly good... a good mixture of both fun and excitement, without being overly serious or draggy. In fact, I would consider it very much better than Spider-Man 3, POTC: At World's End and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. A few things were done right in my opinion, one is making the audience feel something for the good guys, the Autobots and their relationship with a human teenager. As a Transformers fan would know, these "robots" are a race (like human race) by themselves. The other is a huge sense of urgency which pushes the movie on, with a few comic relief thrown in here and there (without disturbing the flow). It certainly has a good mixture of both, and the movie's pacing seems to be just nice for me.

Besides that, Shia LaBeouf's acting seems to have improved (more convincing) since the last time I saw him on the film, The Greatest Game Ever Played and TV series, Even Stevens. His fans should be happy to know about that, or at least I know my niece would.

And I also believe the audience is in for a real treat in terms of visual and sound effects, especially the CG Autobots and Decepticons.

In my opinion, this is the movie to catch. An enjoyable and certainly entertaining movie! Try not to take the movie too seriously and have fun...

Just something to add...

Toshiba has just announced its decision to maintain permanently, from July 1, the earlier promotional pricing for HD-A2 (at $299 SRP) and HD-A20 (at $399 SRP).

Any reader (currently residing in the U.S./Canada) who intends to get the HD DVD players from July 1, you may want to note that:

Bandai Visual USA will also be distributing a special coupon good towards a free copy of "FREEDOM" volume 1 (worth $39.99 SRP) with the purchase of any Toshiba HD DVD player, at the Anime Expo 2007. The Anime Expo 2007 will be held at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, Calif. June 29 - July 2, 2007.

Details and disc specs of FREEDOM vol. 1 HD DVD disc is available via this blogpost. FREEDOM is a 6-part anime series and vol. 1 HD DVD disc contains the first part/episode to the series. More details of this anime series available via the official website.

Some Major Updates from Toshiba's press release...

Highlights include Toshiba's decision to maintain permanently, from July 1, the earlier promotional pricing for HD-A2 (at $299 SRP) and HD-A20 (at $399 SRP) and Toshiba's announcement to add support for 1080p/24fps video output on HD-A20 & HD-XA2 for film content via September's firmware update. Lastly, Toshiba's HD DVD players garnering 70% share of all high definition set-top players during the promotional period in May/June.

Toshiba on their HD DVD Players' Web-Enabled Network Capabilities

• Using the Ethernet ports found on all Toshiba HD DVD players, and the currently available firmware update, once connected to the network, users can download bonus features, as available, from a movie studio's server. This data is then saved in the player's persistent storage and can be accessed by the user. In addition to downloading new bonus features, some HD DVD discs may even include locked prerecorded content which can be unlocked with a downloadable key from the studio's online server
  
  In addition to downloading content, HD DVD users also have the ability to upload content and interact with content providers. For example, with the award winning title, "Blood Diamond" from Warner Home Video, users can participate in interactive polls. After providing feedback, results are delivered back to users via the HD DVD player.

Toshiba Announces 24p Output

• Coming in early September, Toshiba will add an enhanced performance function to its HD-XA2 and HD-A20 HD DVD players by offering the capability for users to update the firmware of their players allowing playback of film content in 1080p/24 frames per second, or 24p. Movie films are traditionally captured at 24 frames per second and Toshiba's HD DVD players will be able to maintain this frame rate allowing consumers to enjoy movies in their native form.
  
  Mandatory to the HD DVD format, every Toshiba player is equipped with an Ethernet port. In addition to the capability to access web enabled content, this also allows HD DVD owners to conveniently update the firmware of their players with new features and performance improvements.

Movie Aficionados Adopt HD DVD as the Next High Definition Format of Choice - The Numbers Speak for Themselves.

• Responding to recent promotions as well as the industry growth of HDTV, the market adoption of HD DVD increased significantly in the past 2 months garnering Toshiba with approximately 70 percent share of all high definition set-top players, both HD DVD and Blu-ray, in both April and May according to NPD.

The full press release available here.

HD DVDs To Be Released Next Tuesday, July 3

Next week's HD DVD releases includes the Blood Diamond from Warner Home Video and catalog titles The Untouchables Special Collector's Edition and The Warriors Ultimate Director's Cut.

To those who have been following the news on high-definition formats, Blood Diamond has already been released in high-definition on the competing format roughly a month ago. So what makes this HD DVD release so special then?

First up, is Warner's HD DVD-exclusive In-Movie Experience (IME), which is a real-time picture-in-picture video commentary for this HD DVD title. Warner has mentioned that Director Edward Zwick would be using this video commentary to guide you along the journey of exploring the emotional and filmmaking challenges of Blood Diamond while the movie is playing on the background of your screen.

If you're new to what IME is, Warner has provided a video preview of how this feature is being used on The Matrix HD DVD. Warner Home Video has also released more than a handful of titles exclusively on HD DVD with this exclusive feature. To access the full list, you may want to check out this page (Scroll to the bottom).

The HD DVD disc can also be used to access web-enabled extras. You can use your HD DVD player's Internet connection to access the maps of conflict. This is yet another HD DVD-exclusive feature presented by Warner...


Main feature on The Untouchables HD DVD will be presented in 1080p High Definition Widescreen 2.35:1 video with Dolby Digital-Plus 5.1 (English), Dolby Digital 2.0 (French & Spanish) and DTS 6.1 (not DTS-HD) Matrixed Surround. Please note that max bitrate for DTS and DTS-ES audio tracks on HD DVD is specified to be 1.509 Mbps. Extras from the DVD release are ported over so you're not missing out anything from the DVD release with only the trailer presented in high-definition.

Main feature on The Warriors Ultimate Director's Cut HD DVD will be presented in 1080p High Definition Widescreen 2.35:1 video with Dolby Digital-Plus 5.1 (English) and Dolby Digital 1.0 (French & Spanish). Extras from the DVD release are ported over so you're not missing out anything from the DVD release with only the trailer presented in high-definition.

More Anime on HD DVD in Japan...

[March 23, 2007] Originally posted
[May 15, 2007] Updated with disc specs.
[June 28, 2007] Updated with cover artwork previews...

Bandai Visual Co., Ltd in Japan has announced that in addition to Freedom Vol. 1 HD DVD, which will see a simultaneous release in both Japanese and North American markets on June 26, Royal Space Force—The Wings of Honneamise, Patlabor The Movie & Patlabor 2 The Movie will all be released on HD DVD in Japan, in months of July and August. Each will include a booklet (insert) exclusive to this release. Each will be priced at 10,290 Yen.

July 27, 2007

Royal Space Force—The Wings of Honneamise (HD DVD)

• HD-30 / VC-1 / 1080p High Definition 16x9 / 120 minutes
• Japanese audio track: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 & L-PCM (Dolby Surround)
• English audio track: Dolby Digital-Plus (Dolby Surround)
• Optional Japanese & English subtitles
• Dolby TrueHD logographic sticker & Inner cover sleeve featuring the character artwork with Dolby TrueHD logo included.
• Packaged with a seperate DVD release of the same title.

Patlabor The Movie (HD DVD)

• HD-30 / VC-1 / 1080p High Definition 16x9 / 99 minutes
• Japanese audio track: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 & L-PCM (Dolby Surround)
• English audio track: Dolby Digital-Plus 5.1
• Optional English subtitles
• Dolby TrueHD logographic sticker & Inner cover sleeve featuring the character artwork with Dolby TrueHD logo included.
• Packaged with a seperate DVD release of the same title.

August 24, 2007

Patlabor 2 The Movie (HD DVD)

• HD-30 / VC-1 / 1080p High Definition 16x9 / 113 minutes
• Japanese audio track: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 & L-PCM (Dolby Surround)
• English audio track: Dolby Digital-Plus 5.1
• Optional English subtitles
• Dolby TrueHD logographic sticker & Inner cover sleeve featuring the character artwork with Dolby TrueHD logo included.
• Packaged with a seperate DVD release of the same title.

'Underworld 2: Evolution' & 'Mr and Mrs Smith' on HD DVD in Poland

Underworld 2: Evolution HD DVD is now available for sale in Poland. The HD DVD is being released by Best Film CO in Poland. The details we have are pretty sketchy but the main feature is presented in 1080i High Definition OAR with Dolby Digital-Plus 5.1 (English & Polish) audio and DTS-HD 5.1 (English) audio. Compared to the Spanish HD DVD release, this HD DVD does not seem to be pretty packed in terms of bonus materials.


Mr. and Mrs. Smith HD DVD is also available for sale in Poland. The main feature is presented in 1080i High Definition OAR with Dolby Digital-Plus 5.1 (English & Polish) and DTS-HD 5.1 audio tracks. Other details are pretty sketchy.

Toshiba (America) Releases v2.0 Firmware Update for 2nd-Gen Players

[Jun 26, 2007] Originally posted.
[Jun 28, 2007] Direct links to v2.0 firmware update image files are now available.

Toshiba America has released the another firmware update for HD-XA2, HD-A20, HD-A2, HD-A2W and HD-D2 sold in U.S./Canada. This release will update the firmware on the above-mentioned HD DVD players to version 2.0.

This firmware update improves network connectivity for supporting the download of web-enabled network content associated with certain HD DVD discs, and also addresses certain disc playback and HDMI/DVI related issues identified by Toshiba.

Important Note: Certain HD DVD discs may contain or have the capability of downloading studio-provided, web-enabled network content. To minimize any potential compatibility and/or connectivity issues, before viewing such content, it is recommended that you perform the firmware update process to ensure that your HD DVD player is using the latest firmware version.

There are currently three known ways to get the official firmware update:

1. If you have broadband internet service, you may obtain the firmware update over the internet using the Ethernet port on the back of your HD DVD Player. Instructions for configuring the Ethernet port and downloading the firmware update can be found in the owner’s manual for your HD DVD Player. BEFORE BEGINNING THE FIRMWARE UPDATE PROCESS, BE SURE TO REMOVE ANY DISCS FROM YOUR HD DVD PLAYER.
   
   
2. If you do not have an Ethernet-based broadband connection for your player or prefer not to use one, you may contact Toshiba Customer Solutions and request that a firmware update disc be sent by mail. You can update the firmware using this update disc by following the instructions provided with the disc. DO NOT UNPLUG, TURN OFF, OR USE ANY OTHER FEATURE OF YOUR PLAYER DURING THE FIRMWARE UPDATE PROCESS.
   
   
3. You may also download v2.0 firmware update image files, to create your own firmware update CD. Instructions on how to create the update CD available here.
   
   Direct links to v2.0 firmware update image files, to create your own firmware update CD:

• HD-A20 v2.0 Firmware Update
• HD-XA2 v2.0 Firmware Update
• HD-A2 v2.0 Firmware Update

You may want to refer to the webpage Firmware Update Information for Owners of Toshiba HD DVD Players: Models HD-XA2, HD-A20, HD-A2, HD-A2W and HD-D2 for full details and upgrading instructions direct from Toshiba (America) before attempting to update the firmware.

Some News On the Technical Side of HD DVD...

Hot on the heels of the debut of the world's first web-enabled HD DVD - Freedom Vol. 1, comes news of preparations for more extensive support of web-enabled extras on HD DVD both techically and commercially.

Firstly, DVD Forum has approved the selected three Certificate Authorities whose public keys will be embedded in HD DVD-Video players supporting the Version 1.1 specification, and, they will be listed on the DVD Forum Web page referred to by the specification so that Advanced Application authors can obtain code signing certificates. The Video Application Signed Security Subcommittee will monitor these Certificate Authorities, and make adjustments if needed.

The 3 selected Certificate Issuing Authorities whose public keys will be embedded in HD DVD-Video players supporting the Version 1.1 specification are VeriSign, Comodo and Cybertrust.

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Next, Memory-Tech Corporation (Tokyo Japan President and CEO, Shiroharu Kawaski) and Microsoft Corporation (Tokyo Japan, President and CEO, Houston Dalen) formed alliances for HD DVD commercial server technology development and services deployment.

Memory-Tech and Microsoft Business Alliances

1. Memory-Tech and Microsoft establish technology partnership for HD DVD commercial server development.
   
   
2. Memory-Tech and Microsoft jointly promote HD DVD web connectivity based on HDi T jointly with studio partners of the world.
   
   
3. Memory-Tech and Microsoft will deploy wide rage of application and business development based on the HD DVD server technology and hosting know-how of the two companies.

Toshiba (Japan) Issues v2.0 Firmware Update for HD-XA2 & HD-XF2

Toshiba Japan has released the another firmware update for the HD-XF2 and HD-XA2 sold in Japan. This release will update the firmware on the above-mentioned HD DVD players to version 2.0.

This firmware update improves network connectivity for supporting the download of web-enabled network content associated with certain HD DVD discs, and also addresses certain disc playback and HDMI/DVI related issues identified by Toshiba.

There are currently two known ways to get the official firmware update for the above-mentioned HD DVD players in Japan:

1. If you have broadband internet service, you may obtain the firmware update over the internet using the Ethernet port on the back of your HD DVD Player. Instructions for configuring the Ethernet port and downloading the firmware update can be found in the owner’s manual for your HD DVD Player. BEFORE BEGINNING THE FIRMWARE UPDATE PROCESS, BE SURE TO REMOVE ANY DISCS FROM YOUR HD DVD PLAYER.
   
   
2. If you do not have an Ethernet-based broadband connection for your player or prefer not to use one, you may request the update on a CD-ROM via the Internet website (in Japanese) or sending/faxing back the completed request form. You can update the firmware using this update disc by following the instructions provided with the disc. DO NOT UNPLUG, TURN OFF, OR USE ANY OTHER FEATURE OF YOUR PLAYER DURING THE FIRMWARE UPDATE PROCESS.

Official details from Toshiba (Japan) on how to get the latest firmware update for your HD-XF2 & HD-XA2(Japan): here (in Japanese)

Universal Studios' First Wave of HD DVDs for September

Universal Studios Home Entertainment have announced that the following titles will be released in high-definition exclusively on HD DVD, this September 18. Each disc will be priced at $29.98 SRP. None of them will be released on the HD DVD/DVD Combo discs.

Universal Studios seem to be embracing lossless audio as a standard feature on its catalog releases with all the titles announced for release on Sept 18 containing Dolby TrueHD lossless audio. Bonus materials from the respective title's DVD release are expected to be present on these HD DVD versions.

Elizabeth (1998) HD DVD

• 1080p High Definition Widescreen 1.85:1
• Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (English) & Dolby Digital-Plus 5.1 (English & French)
• English [SDH] & French subtitles
• Bonus material includes
  - Feature Commentary with Director Shekhar Kapur
  - The Making of Elizabeth
  - Theatrical Sneak Peek of Elizabeth: The Golden Age
  - Still Gallery
  - Theatrical and Teaser Trailers

For Love of the Game HD DVD

• 1080p High Definition Widescreen 2.35:1
• Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (English) & Dolby Digital-Plus (5.1 English & 2.0 French)
• English [SDH] & French subtitles
• Bonus material includes
  - Theatrical Trailer
  - Spotlight on Location
  - Deleted Scenes
  - The Perfect Game
  - On the Mound Trivia Game: Includes Video Piece for Game Winner Babe Ruth: Slide Babe Slide

The Last Starfighter HD DVD

• 1080p High Definition Widescreen 2.35:1
• Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (English) & Dolby Digital-Plus 5.1 (English)
• English [SDH] & French subtitles
• Bonus material includes
  - Feature Commentary with Director Nick Castle and Production Designer Ron Cobb
  - Crossing the Frontier: Making The Last Starfighter
  - Theatrical & Teaser Trailers

Stay tuned as we'll update this blogpost when we have further updates on Universal Studios' September HD DVD releases...

Upcoming HD DVDs with HDi Network Functionality Requires Firmware Update

As we've mentioned on this blog earlier last week, the upcoming HD DVDs with HDi network functionality or web-enabled extras would require the latest firmware update. HD DVD titles taking advantage of the network functionality includes Freedom Vol. 1 (June 26), Blood Diamond (July 3), 300 (July 31) and Heroes: Season 1 (Aug 28)

Toshiba (America) has also reiterated the importance of the latest firmware updates (See Important Note of the firmware update notification) if you intend to enjoy the web-enabled extras without any major hiccups.

Anime Film 'Appleseed: Ex Machina' on HD DVD in 2008...

Warner Home Video has secured worldwide home video and television rights (excluding Japan) to the new Japanese anime film Appleseed: Ex Machina, produced by John Woo and directed by Shinji Aramaki.

According to reports provided by The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Home Video is expected to release Appleseed: Ex Machina on HD DVD in 2008.

The piece of information has been updated and reflected in our Coming Soon.. list.

HD DVD Player Lens Cleaner Introduced in Japan...

Hitachi-Maxell has introduced in Japan the world's first HD DVD Player lens cleaner. There will be 2 types of cleaner discs available for sale - one which requires the cleaning liquid and another which doesn't. Each sold separately and is expected to be priced at 2,500 Yen (dry type) and 3,000 Yen (wet type). A standard test pattern is provided with the disc to check the player operations.

Weekly Roundup ~ June 23

HD DVD News of the Past Week

• Latest Updates on Upcoming International HD DVD titles... (Updated Jun 18). Details here.
• 3 Music HD DVD Titles Delayed (Link)
• New Update for Xbox 360 HD DVD Add-on? (Link)
• HD DVDs To Be Released Next Tuesday, June 26. (Link)

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What's Been Updated...

As you could see this week is a pretty quite one, so I took the opportunity to complete what I've started earlier. I've updated the HD DVD Quick FAQs/Facts section with new information and have added a new column titled "HD DVD: The Advanced Home Entertainment Experience" to talk about all the HD DVD-exclusive advanced viewing features and interactivity.

There are video previews of what these exciting features entailed on some of the HD DVD titles, especially if you're new to HD DVD.

Last we heard, Toshiba's standalone HD DVD players have had a soft launch in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong with the HD-E1... So we've updated the Firmware Updates section to include firmware updates notification for HD-E1 released in that region.

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Other News with Some Thoughts...

• The updated list of AFI's 100 greatest film of all time has been released. The full list is available here.
  
  Looks like some of those films have already been released by Warner Home Video and Universal Studios Home Entertainment on HD DVD. Some of them (Stanley Kubrick's films) have been indicated by Warner as coming soon... I do hope Paramount has plans for Forrest Gump on HD DVD soon...

• Bandai Visual USA will be distributing a special coupon good towards a free copy of FREEDOM volume 1 (worth $39.99 SRP) with the purchase of any Toshiba HD DVD player for visitors to the Bandai Visual USA booth at the Anime Expo 2007 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, Calif. June 29-July 2, 2007.

HD DVDs To Be Released Next Tuesday, June 26

Paramount Home Entertainment and Universal Studios Home Entertainment have each announced titles to be released on HD DVD, next Tuesday (June 26). Cover artwork of all these titles are provided below. You may click on the cover artwork previews below (except Black Snake Moan and Hustle & Flow HD DVDs) to find out the retail price, full disc details and release specifications of each respective title. In addition, Army of Darkness and Unleashed will be re-released as non-combo HD DVDs.

Bandai Visual will also be releasing Freedom Volume 1 HD DVD - the world's first high-definition release that takes advantage of the network functionality that comes with every HD DVD player released to date. Of course, an Internet connection is required. Please note that the playback of the main feature does not require an Internet connection.

Some details on Paramount's HD DVDs due next week...

Main feature on Black Snake Moan HD DVD will be presented in 1080p High Definition OAR with Dolby Digital-Plus 5.1 (English & French). English [SDH], French & Spanish subtitle options are provided. Among the bonus materials which includes an audio commentary, some production featurettes and deleted scenes, only the deleted scenes are presented in high-definition.

Main feature on Hustle & Flow HD DVD will be presented in 1080p High Definition OAR with Dolby Digital-Plus 5.1 (English, French & Spanish). English [SDH], French & Spanish subtitle options are provided. Among the bonus materials which includes the director's audio commentary, some production featurettes, extended scenes and theatrical trailers, only the theatrical trailers are presented in high-definition.

New Update for Xbox 360 HD DVD Add-on?

Some users having been reporting that there appears to be an update being downloaded for the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player Add-on when they insert their HD DVD discs.

Official sources have now confirmed that this update may be released to further improve network functionality (HDi) that will be used by upcoming HD DVD discs.

After installing the update, it should show the firmware version as 2.0.4634.0

3 Music HD DVD Titles Delayed

Eagle Rock Entertainment has earlier postponed the 3 HD DVD titles it had planned for June 26. They will now all debut on HD DVD on July 24. All three are expected to feature 1080i/p High Definition video with DTS-HD audio tracks.

• Deep Purple: They All Came Down To Montreux - Live at Montreux 2006
• Santana, Carlos: Hymns For Peace - Live at Montreux 2004
• Yes: Live at Montreux 2003

A Lighter Side...

The first HD DVD title with network functionality, Freedom Vol. 1, is expected on June 26. We've been told that the firmware on the HD DVD players have to be updated to the latest version in order to fully experience the HD DVD without any hiccups. So if you really want to get this title and get it to play properly, it would be best to update the firmware to the latest version. Details of Freedom Vol. 1 available here.

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Since New Line has not yet officially made its commitment to release their movies in high-def on the high-density discs and they are format neutral, I was wondering what sort of titles (besides Lord of the Rings) would others want to get on the HD DVD? Anyone interested to comment?

Weekly Roundup - June 15

I wasn't able to do the "Weekly Roundup" column last week, so I've decided to do it early, before the weekend arrives. Should there be any updates during the weekend, you are likely to see it updated in this blogpost.

HD DVD News of the Past 2 Weeks

• The Coming Soon List has been updated with The Shawshank Redemption and Twister (Link) which may be expected soon... Just imagine how cool it would be if Warner included 7.1-ch lossless audio for Twister HD DVD. Twister DVD has always been one of my favourite demo discs because of the audio.
• Updates on Upcoming HD DVD titles Plus New Announcements from Paramount and Warner (Link)
• Toshiba Corp Announces New HDD/HD DVD Recorders in Japan (Link)
• World's First HD DVD Featuring 7.1-ch Lossless Audio from nixbu Entertainment... (Link)
• 'Le Labyrinthe de Pan' or 'Pan's Labyrinth' on HD DVD... (Updated with higher-res menu screens) Details here.
• Toshiba Brings World’s First Slim HD DVD Rewritable Drive to Laptops (Link)
• Toshiba (Japan) Issues v1.6 Firmware Update for HD-XA2 & HD-XF2 (Link)
• Warner Announced TMNT, Out for Justice and Purple Rain on HD DVD. Details here.
• Warner Plans More High-Def Documentary Releases (Link)
• Studio Canal Announced Babel on HD DVD with lossless audio (Link)
• HD DVDs To Be Released on June 12 (Link)
• Silicon Optix HD HQV Benchmark HD DVD Now Available (Link)

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Other HD DVD News

It seems that now Toshiba (Australia) has officially taken over the promotion and distribution of its products from Castel Electronics.

Our readers currently residing in Australia should see Toshiba (Australia) reintroduce HD DVD there with the debut of 2 "new" HD DVD player models - HD-E1KY ($899 RRP includes GST) and HD-XE1KY ($1,599 RRP includes GST) - probably in July/August. Prices are in Australian dollars.

The physical appearance and specs of both are expected to be similar to the HD-E1 and HD-XE1 released in various regions in the European continent. Toshiba (Australia) has listed Harvey Norman, Myer, and Clive Peeters as some of those retailers which will carry Toshiba's products including the HD DVD players. Toshiba (Australia) AV team has mentioned that it will strongly support its High Definition products and technologies, including the HD DVD format.

The Australian online DVD retailer EzyDVD has introduced a promotional offer for every purchase of HD-E1KY. They are selling the HD-E1KY (shipped from July 4) at $979 but with 8 free HD DVD titles. Choose any 8 out of the nearly 50 choices, including Batman Begins, The Mummy, Poseidon, Tokyo Drift, King Kong, Troy, etc. So if you're interested in HD DVD, the HD DVD-exclusive titles like Batman Begins & King Kong to name a few, and advanced interactivity on HD DVDs such as Tokyo Drift, you might want to check out the offer. (Limited to Australian customers only)

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The June 2007 issue (no 132) of Les Années Laser, a french home theater magazine, contains a complimentary copy of the Le Labyrinthe de Pan demonstration/preview disc. This disc will be a HD DVD/DVD Combo. Content present on both sides includes the theatrical trailer, the DVD trailer, the 26 minutes making-of exclusive featurette, THX Optimiser and The HD DVD Experience featurette.

HD DVD Side

• 3 Clips of the Main Feature Presented in 1080p High Definition (VC-1 Encoded) video with DTS-HD Master Audio (Spanish) & DTS-HD High Resolution Audio (French) tracks.
• Theatrical trailer

DVD Side

• 3 Clips of the Main Feature Presented in 480p video with DTS 5.1 or Dolby Digital 5.1 audio options.
• 3 Clips in WMV HD (1080p or 720p) format playable on compatible PCs.

Updates on Upcoming HD DVD titles Plus New Announcements

Full details of Universal Studios' Elizabeth HD DVD on Sept 18... It will be a non-combo release with Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless audio, priced at $29.98 SRP.

Elizabeth (1998) HD DVD

• 1080p High Definition Widescreen 2.35:1
• Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (English) & Dolby Digital-Plus 5.1 (English & French)
• English [SDH] & French subtitles
• Bonus Materials
  - Feature Commentary with Director Shekhar Kapur
  - The Making of Elizabeth
  - Theatrical Sneak Peek of Elizabeth: The Golden Age
  - Still Gallery
  - Theatrical and Teaser Trailers

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Warner Home Video has announced earlier this week that Deliverance 35th Anniversary Deluxe Edition will arrive on HD DVD and DVD, this September 18. It is expected to be priced at $28.99 SRP.

The main feature will be presented in 1080p High Definition 16x9 2.4:1 video with Dolby Digital-Plus (5.1 English, 1.0 French) and Dolby Digital 2.0 (Spanish) audio options.

Extras on the HD DVD mirror that of the DVD release which will be available day-and-date:

• Commentary by John Boorman (Director Boorman takes a journey down the river and discusses the adventures, the team, the controversy and what it took to make Deliverance a classic film.)
• Deliverance: The Beginning (Take a historical look at the novel and its adaptation to the screen.)
• Deliverance: The Journey (along from the early stages of filming to the creation of classic moments, such as the Dueling Banjos scene.)
• Deliverance: Betraying the River (The making of one of the most controversial and ground-breaking sequences in film history.)
• Deliverance: Delivered (A reflective look back on the completion of the film, its impact and how the idea for the shocking ending came to be.)
• The Dangerous World of Deliverance (The original behind-the-scenes documentary on the difficult conditions and challenges of making this film)
• Theatrical Trailer

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Paramount Home Entertainment has announced Face/Off 2-Disc Special Collector's Edition on HD DVD, this September 11. This HD DVD release is considered the first 2-disc release for a catalog title. Paramount has also scheduled Top Gun on October 2 and The Jack Ryan Special Edition Collection HD DVD set (featuring The Sum of All Fears, Clear and Present Danger, Patriot Games, and The Hunt For Red October Special Collector's Edition HD DVDs) on September 25. Top Gun and Face/Off 2-disc SCE HD DVD will retail for $29.99 SRP each while The Jack Ryan Special Edition Collection HD DVD set will set you back $99.99 SRP each.

For theatrical titles, Paramount has announced Disturbia on HD DVD and DVD, on August 7. Expect the main feature to be presented 1080p High Definition video with Dolby Digital-Plus 5.1 (English, French & Spanish) with English [SDH], French & Spanish subtitle options. Some if not all of the bonus materials are presented in high definition with the exception of the audio commentary. It is expected to be priced at $39.99 SRP each.

Toshiba Corp Announces New HDD/HD DVD Recorders in Japan

Toshiba Corp. today announced two high-end additions to its VARDIA digital video recorders (DVR) that add the capabilities of HD DVD recordable drives to a wide range of advanced functions.

The new DVR introduce the ability to record two digital HD television programs simultaneously, and also integrate Toshiba's new "VARDIA engine", which supports significant enhancements to ease of use and performance, including faster drawing of the graphic user interface (GUI) and improved HD DVD disc operation.

The HD DVD VARDIA RD-A600 and HD DVD VARDIA RD-A300 will be rolled out in the Japanese market from the end of June.

The new models offer consumers a choice of hard disk drive capacities. The 600-gigabyte (GB) RD-A600 can record about 78 hours of digital HD broadcasts to its hard drive in HD picture quality, while 300GB RD-A300 can record about 39 hours. Both integrate an HD DVD recordable drive that can directly record HD television programs to an HD DVD-R disc or transfer HD images stored in HDD to an HD DVD-R disc. Like standard DVR, the new recorders allow users to build libraries of their favorite content, whether dramas, movies or sport, but add the ability to do so in vibrant, high definition detail, by storing HD content to HD DVD-R discs.

The versatility of the new VARDIA DVR extends to playback support for packaged content, including HD DVD, DVD and music CDs. An integrated high-performance 1080p compatible up-scaler from Anchor Bay Technologies, Inc., can up-convert standard definition DVD to an output resolution of 1080p, complementing the performance of an HDTV and allowing viewers to enjoy standard DVD in high picture quality.

The only difference between RD-A600 and RD-A300 is the HDD capacity. The former containing a 600GB HDD while the latter, a 300GB HDD. And video recording is still done in the MPEG-2 format...

Click on the preview image below for a larger view of the DVR's rear...

Full details and detailed specifications of each model available here.

By the way, their predecessor (the RD-A1) had a 1TB HDD, a 14bit/297MHz video DAC but consumes more power. It is also heavier and more bulky in terms of weight and size. Of course, it was also pricier (based on estimated pricing). Details of RD-A1 available via this blogpost.

World's First HD DVD Featuring 7.1-ch Lossless Audio from nixbu Entertainment...

nixbu Entertainment has released their next wave of HD DVDs in Germany - Bali - 1.000 Gesichter einer Insel HD DVD and Der Geist von Mae Nak or The Ghost of Mae Nak (Horror film from Thailand) HD DVD. Both should be available for sale weeks ago and each is expected to be priced at 18.90 EUR. The Ghost of Mae Nak HD DVD is the world's first HD DVD featuring 7.1 lossless audio.

Bali - 1.000 Gesichter einer Insel HD DVD (HD-15)

• 720p/24 High Definition (VC-1 Encoded)
• DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (English & German)
• Music-only audio track in DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
• Bonus Materials:
  - Featurettes/Specials about Surfing, Volcanoes, Temples and Spa.

Der Geist von Mae Nak /The Ghost of Mae Nak HD DVD (HD-30)

• 1080p/24 High Definition (VC-1 Encoded)
• DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 (German) & DTS 5.1 (Thai)
• German subtitle option
• Bonus materials include:
  - SD/HD Comparison
  - Trailer
  - Featurettes

'Le Labyrinthe de Pan' or 'Pan's Labyrinth' on HD DVD... (Updated June 1)

[May 21, 2007] Originally posted
[May 23, 2007] Updated with full details and disc specs of the HD DVD.
[June 1, 2007] Updated with previews of HD DVD menus / instant access menus courtesy of Wild Side Video. Be the first to see them here on this blog! Scroll down for the menu previews (Now also available in higher-resolution, by the request of some readers).
[June 11, 2007] First review of Le Labyrinthe de Pan HD DVD disc is already up on worldinhd (whd) website. A summary of the review is available in English at the bottom of the page. Thanks MOZ!

Wild Side Video has announced Le Labyrinthe de Pan (Pan's Labyrinth) on DVD in 3 editions - Standard, Collector's Edition and Ultimate Edition. All three are due for release in France, this July 4.

The HD DVD release of the film will only be available (on a non-combo disc) as part of the 5-discs Ultimate Edition set. It will be the world's first THX-Certified high-definition release for a non-catalog live action title.

The main feature will be presented in 1080p High Definition 16x9 1.85:1 video with DTS-HD Master Audio (Spanish) and DTS-HD High-Resolution Audio (French). Audio commentary on the HD DVD disc is presented in DTS-HD High-Resolution Audio format. Only French subtitles are provided.

The 3 DVD discs in the set would contain the standard definition release of the film plus bonus materials found exclusively on the Spanish DVD release, North American DVD release and the French 2-disc DVD release. The last disc of the set will be the original film score/soundtrack CD.

The 5-disc Ultimate Edition set is expected to be priced at 49,99 €. An exclusive 64-page book regarding the film and various aspects of the story is also included...

All the details here are extracted from the press release we received... A little cover artwork preview... and preview of the menus on the non-combo HD DVD disc.

Le Labyrinthe de Pan (Pan's Labyrinth) Ultimate Edition HD DVD disc
Instant Access (Pop-up) Menus

Click on the image previews below to see the higher-resolution version of the pop-up menus.

Classic Menus

Stay tuned for more...

Silicon Optix HD HQV Benchmark HD DVD Now Available

Press release from Silicon Optix...

With the increasing demand for 1080p-capable products, Silicon Optix is introducing the newly-released HD HQV Benchmark, a disc that provides the tools required to evaluate the picture quality of various high definition products, such as your HDTV, monitor, video scaler, HD-DVD player, projector or AV receiver.

It is a “must have” for those that are considering purchasing any HD products; or for those who have already purchased HD merchandise and wish to test the performance of their existing products.

Like the standard HQV Benchmark, the high definition counterpart contains video tests and patterns that determine the quality of a product’s HD video signal processing. A set of five tests evaluate quality factors such as HD Noise Reduction, Video and Film resolution loss tests, as well a test for “jaggies”. The tests will reveal enough to help you determine which products thrive as HD contenders; and expose the products that are HD pretenders.

If you’re not familiar with HD testing and terminology, the HD HQV Benchmark provides an introduction, a summary of the tests, as well as an explanation for how to use the testing scorecard.

If you intend to get this disc, you may want to note that ultimateAV.com has provided promo coupon codes to save a quick $5 from the recommended pricing of $20, when you order online via HQV's website.

HD DVDs To Be Released Next Tuesday, June 12

Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Warner Home Video and The Weinstein Company (with Genius Products, LLC) have each announced titles to be released on HD DVD, next Tuesday (June 12). Cover artwork of all these titles are provided below. You may click on the cover artwork to find out the retail price, full disc details and release specifications of each respective title. Among the HD DVD titles listed below, only Weinstein Company's Black X-Mas Unrated and Harsh Times will contain the Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless audio track.