Volume production of China’s self-developed high-definition optical disc format – China Blue High-definition Disc (CBHD) – is to begin in the fourth quarter of 2008.
Shanghai United Optical Disc has completed its first production line and its output is initially expected to sell only in the Chinese market.
High Definition TV News
Warner Home Video has announced that they will bring the highly anticipated The Ultimate Matrix Collection to Blu-ray on October 14th.
The sci-fi action film starring Keanu Reeves played a major part in converting mainstream audiences to DVD.
A group of consumer electronics manufacturers and wireless technology firms has joined forces to develop a new standard that could send HD video signals wirelessly from a set-top box to screens around the home.
Sony and Samsung are among a consortium backing Wireless Home Digital Interface (WHDI) technology.
As competition for video services continues to grow in Europe operators will offer high definition VOD as a means of standing out from the crowd.
That’s acccording to a report from analysts ABI Research, which says the move from near-VOD to true VOD dramatically increases buy rates.
It believes the next step will be to differentiate even further with HD VOD and greater content choice.
Cable, satellite and IPTV providers will be able to pack more HD video onto limited bandwidth using technology developed by NextIO and Broadcast International.
The companies have teamed up to combine NextIO’s ExpressConnect solution and BI’s ultra-high speed video compression technology.
By combining the technologies it will be possible for video providers to deliver live HDTV at compression levels four to six times higher than is currently possible.
A lack of knowledge among US retail salespersons regarding recent improvements in plasma technology is blamed for the high proportion of recommendations given for LCD sets.
More than three times out of four, sales staff steer customers to a liquid-crystal display set rather than a plasma screen, according to a study by JD Power and Associates.
Based on the results of a mystery-shopper survey it carried out, analysts suggest that shop assistants don’t really know much about the differences between LCD and plasma.
Hotels upgrading old CRT-TVs in guest rooms to flat-panel HDTV sets will cause global hotel TV sales to reach 9.7 million by 2012, according to research.
A report by analysts iSuppli says that worldwide macroeconomic fundamentals suggest that the hotel market will continue growing for the next few years despite the economic woes affecting many western nations.
It said that a greater appetite for luxury accommodation was leading to rising occupancy and increased travel rates among both business people and consumers.
The UK’s BBC has named a new controller of its HD channel briefed with attracting more viewers and increasing content
Danielle Nagler has been appointed head of BBC HD replacing Seetha Kumar who is moving to a new senior role within the corporation.
Nagler said it was a “critical time” for the channel and the technology – and for people making programmes.
Just three months after going live in New Zealand, the free-to-air digital television and radio service Freeview has reported an impressive response to its new high def offering.
Since its launch in April, 7,594 HD enabled homes have taken the Freeview HD service
Steve Browning, Freeview’s general manager, admitted that he hadn’t expected uptake to be “quite this fast”.
To those not converted to fishing, just the prospect of watching the sport on TV – let alone in high def – would be enough to have them rushing for the remote control.
Yet for converts – and there are millions out there – fishing programmes in HD are a huge draw.
Now soaring ratings for high definition fishing programmes has led the Outdoor Channel to add to its angling schedule.