HD DVD's Motto In A Nut Shell

Sometimes, you just can't make this stuff up.

The ad for HD DVD at the CES.

[via Gizmodo]

Envive Shows Off It’s New Media Server: The TheaterStation

Even as the format war is coming to an end, it will be short lived by the winner. The wave of the future for home media will be server based, and all movies will be downloaded and stored. That’s why Envive has announced the TheaterStation Media Server, that can hold at least 200 hours of DVD quality movies. The unit has a HDMI, component, and DVI setups, and the storage space can be upgraded to hold 10 times the 200 hours.

It’s a little pricy, starting at $2,495.99, but if you’re ready to get a head start on the future, it’s available for preorder now.

eHomeUpgrade [via Engadget]

Are People Returning HD DVD Players Now?

You just knew that this was coming after the news that broke this past weekend, but reports from the CES are that people are returning HD DVD players bought on the cheap on Black Friday. What I find funny is that I couldn't find a cheap HD DVD player anywhere, and now it looks like that might have been a good thing.

Anyone get a HD DVD player this holiday season who's looking to return it?

[CES 2008 via Gizmodo]

Mitsubishi Intros New “Laser TV” At CES

Mitsubishi unveiled their new “Laser TV” yesterday at the Palm Hotel in Las Vegas, and what a showing it was. Gizmodo had a chance to see the new technology up close, and said that it was the “most vivid color we've ever seen on any TV, especially the primary colors of red, green and blue. The blacks were midnight-dark, too, and there was even a 3D version of the TV”. Crunchgear also had a chance to check it out and said “the picture quality on the 65-inch Laser TV is stunning and produces twice the color of HDTVs today. Crunchgear also said that they over heard a buyer talking, and stated that the set could retail at $1,800.

LCD and Plasma may not have to totally shake in their boots because the “Laser TV” is rear projection, so hanging them on the wall is most likely not going to be an option. But if this new tech is said to be cheaper to manufacture and produces a better picture, which might be a huge advantage for this HDTV. Hopefully the savings will be passed on to the consumer. A 65-inch HDTV which has twice the color of today’s HDTVs, at a retail cost of $1,800? Once the specs and the life of the TV come out, this might be the set for me!!!

Mitsubishi said to look for it to drop later this year.

Panasonic Shows Off 150- Inch Lifescreen Plasma

Panisonic unveiled their monster and world's larges 150-inch plasma TV at the CES, and it's amazing. Here are some of the details:

• 2k x 4k res, 4x the res of 1080p
• It's as big as a wall
• 50% less power use via double luminance efficiency

Thanks to Gizmodo for this info.

Warner Bros. Goes 100% Blu-Ray: HD DVD On The Ropes?

In what is sure to be a huge blow to the HD DVD camp, Warner Brothers has gone exclusively to Blu-Ray. Where once they were producing for both HD formats with movies like Harry Potter and 300, the WB will produce only for Blu-Ray. Check the quote from WB chairman Barry Meyer:

"The window of opportunity for high-definition DVD could be missed if format confusion continues to linger,"

Meyer seems to think that this will end the format war, but with movie homes like Paramount, DreamWorks and Universal still in the HD DVD camp, I don't think this thing is over. But it is disappointing because HD DVD titles seemed to have more features than their Blu-Ray counter parts. And this move would suggest that most movie homes are moving towards Blu-Ray. With the thought of Batman: The Dark Knight and the remaining Harry Potter movies only in Blu-Ray format, they might have made up my mind for me.

A big blow for sure!

Check the press release after the jump.

[Gizmodo]