Toshiba’s Digital Product Division, a division of Toshiba America Information Systems Incorporated, has lowered the starting price on its HD DVD notebook line to $899 (starting with the Satellite A205 notebook). In addition to the new pricing structure, Toshiba has incorporated the world’s first notebook HD DVD-R/RW optical drive into the Qosmio G45. On the one hand, you have a cheaper line-up of high-definition notebook computers and on the other you have the ability to burn, erase and re-burn content to HD DVD-RW discs. I'm not done though. Until February 28, 2008, consumers buying an HD DVD enabled Toshiba notebook will receive five HD DVD movie titles for free, from a selection of 15 titles.
The Toshiba HD DVD notebook portfolio consists of four models featuring high-definition widescreen displays with resolutions up to 1080p and screen sizes ranging from 15.4- to 17-inches. The portfolio includes the Satellite A205, Satellite P205, Satellite X205 and Qosmio G45 models. HD DVD enabled notebooks are of course compatible with all of today’s standard-definition DVD titles, ensuring that a user’s collection of DVD movies is not left obsolete. Select Toshiba HD DVD enabled notebooks include an HDMI port and can be connected to an HDTV to deliver a pure high-definition image that will equal the resolution capability of the HDTV, up to 1080p.
Link: HD DVD PC Offer
wheres Boz.
Oh well. Technology advancement can also suck it.
Oh well. Technology advancement can also suck it.
Well, you're wrong. All discs will work in all Blu-ray players. If you have a Blu-ray player with profile 1.0, you can only play the main feature (and normal extras). If you have a Blu-ray player 1.1 you can use the new features (such as Picture-in-picture). If (when it's out) your Blu-ray player has profile 2.0, you can use the internet features. Note that for example your player may have profile 1.0 but contains 1.1 features (such as Picture-in-Picture) as it was optional for that profile. Or your profile 1.1 player may contain an internet connection feature as it's optional for that profile.
The main feature will play in ALL profiles.
Last edited by testman on 07 Jan 2008 - 11:47
Yeah I see your point, I also was looking for a successor so i could buy a next gen reader. Blu-ray won, obviously, but now I'm left with another dilemma. 360 Elite (or Ultimate if its really announced today) or PS3?
Last edited by theyarecomingforyou on 07 Jan 2008 - 16:07
...or Hairy Twater and the Asses of Fire
Got a card in November saying they were delayed... and still nothing.. have to call them tomorrow.
There are several different hardware requirements (see the chart below), but it basically boils down to picture-in-picture functionality. All Blu-ray players up until this point have been Profile 1.0 and have lacked the secondary video and audio decoders necessary to play a smaller video in the corner while also playing the main high-def movie in the background. With the notable exception of the Sony PlayStation 3, Profile 1.0 players cannot be upgraded via firmware to become Profile 1.1 players. (Heh so us sony ps3's customers with firmware 7.10 say its profile 1.1 or is it not?)
Because Profile 1.0 players lacked this functionality, movie studios have understandably not included picture-in-picture functionality on any current Blu-ray disc. Fox has announced that it will release its first Profile 1.1-enabled disc, Sunshine, in the first quarter of 2008. And as more Profile 1.1 players become available, we expect more Profile 1.1 discs to be released.
Profile 1.1 vs. Profile 2.0
Despite Profile 1.1 also being known as Final Standard Profile, there's actually still another Blu-ray specification, Profile 2.0, also known as BD-Live. The reason it's called BD-Live is that the major difference between profiles 1.1 and 2.0 is that Profile 2.0 requires that the player has an Internet connection. Although some current Blu-ray players have an Ethernet port, these are strictly for firmware updates and can't be used to access downloadable content.
Again, since Internet connectivity isn't a mandatory feature on current Blu-ray players, movie studios have not included any Internet-enabled functionality on any current Blu-ray discs to date and there are currently no Internet-enabled discs announced for the future. Internet connectivity could be used to download additional movie content, download trailers, or enable purchasing movie-related merchandise. The other requirement of Profile 2.0 is increasing the mandatory local storage capacity to 1GB, which is presumably to accommodate downloaded content.
Technical hardware requirements
Features Profile 1.0-Required local storage-None/Secondary video decoder-Optional/Secondary audio decoder-Optional /Internet connectivity-Optional Profile 1.1-Required local storage-256 MB/Secondary video decoder-Mandatory/Secondary audio decoder-Mandatory Profile 2.0-Required local storage-1 GB/Secondary video decoder-Mandatory/Secondary audio decoder-Mandatory
Last edited by Mikee4fun on 06 Jan 2008 - 23:34
I'm still unsure if any Profile 2.0 content would *require* such a player though. Or if you just wouldn't gain access to the networked stuff. In that case, it sounds like a typical progress of technology to me. Obviously more modern hardware will have more features. That wouldn't be a problem for me.
Same goes for picture-in-picture support. I don't give a damn for that feature. Would I now still "need" a Profile 1.1 player? I mean, I just want to watch movies. :-p
Last edited by Jugalator on 07 Jan 2008 - 09:43
A bit sad really, because people will no doubt fall for it and think they're doing a great deal, when in June 2008, the exclusive deals of Warner + New Line will have gone through and they should have something like 20-25% of the studio support left with just Paramount and Universal remaining. (and those studios are probably sweating it already -- no fun to be on this side)
Last edited by Jugalator on 07 Jan 2008 - 09:45
A bit sad really, because people will no doubt fall for it and think they're doing a great deal, when in June 2008, the exclusive deals of Warner + New Line will have gone through and they should have something like 20-25% of the studio support left with just Paramount and Universal remaining. (and those studios are probably sweating it already -- no fun to be on this side)
and if Toshiba are particularly keen for the extra cents then they simply need to sell a replacement BR Drive assuming it wins the format wars.
This will be a big win for Sony. They seem to be fixing there major flaws lately.
1. Winning a format war for once which means they won't need to go back to the drawing board with all their VAIOs, BR players etc.
2. Elimination of DRM
3. Elimination of SonicStage
4. Wider compatability, i.e. less Sony only works with Sony.
5. Wireless audio (still to kick off and still needs improving. early days.)
...I am sure there is more good stuff and still plenty of flaws such as overpricing (but even this has been improving) but I feel I will be happy if all they do now is finally release a laptop without all the crapware (so I don't need to waste my time clean installing) and somehow promote their great mp3 players in some way to compete with iPod (I really don't know how).
Anyway, please don't turn this in to a debate. Just my pennysworth.
That was for BMG music downloads. There is no way they are going to eliminate DRM from Blu-Ray though.
When is Neowin going to fix the stupid edit button, it's been broken for months now.
Last edited by bits on 08 Jan 2008 - 09:14
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