AfterDawn: News

No Blu-ray, HD DVD combo from LG

Earlier this year, Korean electronics company LG indicated that it was considering creating a player that could house the ability to play both Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD movies, but that now does not appear likely - at least not for the time being.

"We have had discussions about having such a device, but there are no official plans at the moment," said LG spokesman John Taylor. "The product in question was never really fleshed out in a lot of detail publicly."



Many believe that building a home player that could read the discs of both high-definition formats is practicible. Some, such as Sony Electronics COO Stan Glasgow believe cost is a major obstacle to such a project. The 'evolution' into High Definition is still in its early stages, therefore prices for HD hardware are high. Standalone HD players currently retail at about $500, while Blu-ray players sell for around double that. (Although Glasgow believes the prices of Blu-ray players will have halved to around $500 by next year.)

Steve Baker, an analyst with sales & marketing research firm NPD Group, doesn't believe a lack of a combination player in the near future is a major issue. "These are early-adopter products. It is fine if there is a fight right now," he said.

He also noted that Pioneer, another company that once pondered the idea of a combo player, has scrapped those plans.

Source:
cnet

Written by: Ben Reid @ 20 Sep 2006 16:52

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• 24 comments

• antomic

  HD was rushed. im not buying an HD-DVD if they put a chip in the dvd to track me.

  20.9.2006 19:12 #1

• JaguarGod

  I think the chip is for all formats including standard DVD. So far it seems more like Blue Ray was rushed.
  
  As for the player, I would have liked something like this. This would have made the decision easier. Just get the LG and screw everything else. Then you can pick the movies from the format that was best.
  
  What this would do is force each format to try and top each other. You would get some really good quality and some nice features.

  20.9.2006 19:35 #2

• ZippyDSM

  antomic
  HD DVD was rushed? WTF BR cant even function right 0-o
  BR cant not do 2 layers at this time,BR has losuey Video quality for some strange reason BR is fck right now at least for movies.
  
  HD DVD is heads beyond BR it runs up to 3 layers with no trouble it had better functioning hardware as far as quality is concerned in all HD is doing well this might change by next year but HD DVD is leading the way for right now and BR is off dreaming about the future 0-o.

  20.9.2006 22:02 #3

• A_Klingon

  Well, one day, sooner or later, LG Electronics will wake up and smell the roses. I hope.
  
  LG is the second entry on my personal Boycott List (second only to Hewlett-Packard) for incorporating *unannounced* DRM restrictions into their standard dvd burners.
  
  Before LG sets their sights too high and mighty on dual HD/BluRay devices, ("biting off more than they can chew"), they need to get their act together with their more mainstream products like the stupid #$&&$%@ LG Dual-Layer DVD burner I bought.
  
  It flat-out refuses to recognize those new breed of DRM-infested retail DVDs that also carry the same DRM inhibitor. In other words, it is becoming increasingly difficult for me to rip all of the discs (say) in a box-set. *Some* of those dvds rip fine, but the others (carrying the hidden, unannounced DRM), are unrippable.
  
  My 100% successful solution to this was to uplug the ribbon cable from the Diseased LG burner, and plug in a cheap, 2nd-hand DVD *player* (dvd rom), I picked up at a computer shop for 20 bucks. (I bought 2 actually).
  
  These older readers are PRE-DRM, that is, they don't recognize the newer stooopid DRM flag, and both cheap readers ripped the DRM'd discs perfectly!
  
  Moral: 1. ALL DRM SUX
  2. LG ELECTRONICS SUK
  
  Related question: Are you guys aware that more and more music cds now contain one or more unrippable song tracks, while the rest rip fine?
  
  These bum discs are popping up more & more all the time, even at my Public Library. And *of course*, nowhere on the cd packaging does it say the disc is partially scrooooooed.
  
  (Figures........) [shrug]
  

  20.9.2006 22:55 #4

• ZippyDSM

  A_Klingon
  I have a LG drive its their first gen multi DVD RW cant do DL tho *L*
  I have a lite on 160p6s I guess in a few years all the main brans will go DRM 0-o look at reitech and thier stupid RFID thing its rather sad...
  
  I am guesing in order to annoy CD rippers they do this and try and focus on the msot riped songs,didnt they learn from Sony that no matter how godly thier DRM is someone will get around it....well if you cant coy it digitaly theres always doign it analogly IE from drive to sound card to PC :P

  20.9.2006 23:02 #5

• A_Klingon

  HiYa Zippy !! :-)
  
  Quote:I have a lite on 160p6s ...Boys-o-boys-o-boys..... things are getting a tad rough out there .....
  
  I'm thinking that maybe Lite On are about to make it to the #3 position on my personal S--- List (er, .... 'Boycott List'). <g>
  
  I bought a Lite On DVD Recorder. (standalone unit). It's just like a regular VCR (built-in tv-tuner and all that), except it uses discs instead of tapes. It has no hard drive.
  
  The stupid thing worked fine for about 6 months - but now the optical drive is just about shot. It will now only recognize about 1 disc out of 5 or so - it loves to destroy *brand spanking new* dvd-rs and dvd+rs. It records (burns) a bit of info ("initializes") the discs, then declares them "Invalid". Poof! One, now-useless disc.
  
  It likes to fry both blank cds and dvds, and even when I *can* coax it to burn something, the resulting video often stutters, pixellizes, then freezes up (locks up) altogether. I have to turn the stoopid thing OFF then ON again to reboot it.
  
  It is the Lite On Model LVW-5005 DVD Video Recorder. WHAT a cheaply-made piece of junk! I read quite a bit about it here in the AfterDawn forums. The unit is cheaply-made Chinese trash. (Nothing against the Chinese folks, just the Lite On people) Sub-standard components. Cheap, flimsy optical drive. Lousy, blurry (mono) tv tuner. Etc. etc.
  
  I downloaded & upgraded the official firmware from the manufacturer's website - didn't help. I used a really decent hacked firmware too, and although it got me an additional 3-hour recording option ("LP" speed), it didn't knock out the Farking MacroVision Copy Protection as promised, so I can't dub 90% of the VHS tapes out there.
  
  The only reason I keep the damn thing is that it'll play SVCDs. (I made a few on my computer).
  
  So let's see now ........
  
  * HEWLETT PACKARD SUX
  * LG ELECTRONICS SUK
  * LITE ON SUX
  
  Who wants to be next? Sony's vying for position # 4 I think. (Yummy Root-Kits and all) :-)

  21.9.2006 00:14 #6

• ZippyDSM

  A_Klingon
  shit I don't doubt it qauilty is going to hell I upgraded my mombo last year went with a Abit to a 939 CPU had to send it back 3 times and its still not fixed...finaly bought a used DFI NF3 ultra and love it,everyone is to busy clinging to china so they can save a buck and its killing the hardware 70% of the time >< the other 30% its DRM are other stupid moves by the gray dim suits....

  21.9.2006 00:21 #7

• A_Klingon

  Quote:... everyone is to busy clinging to china ... Yep - but we hardly have any choice at all, zippy. Even most Mainstream American and European manufacturers farm out their manufacturing chores to Chinese labour-camps. (sweat shops) Cheap labour = more profits.
  
  Quality-control is going to hell in a handbasket. Just TRY to find something today that doesn't have 'Made In China' stamped on it. :-(

  21.9.2006 00:32 #8

• ZippyDSM

  A_Klingon
  I tried but even the made in the USA stamp has made in china on it ><
  
  
  If it were not for LACK of Quality-control I wouldn't mind china as much maybe 1-3 points less but sht....they are turning the world upside down...well...they did want to conquer the world....
  
  I buy used 60% of the time because of it ><
  
  

  
  
  I have a brain...I think......
  I fuzzy braind mew =0_o=
  FIGHT THE M.A.F.I.A.A.
  "Music And Film Industry Association of America.."
  "Hollywood the 4kids of comic moives."

  21.9.2006 00:44 #9

• Andrew691

  Speaking of Liteon's being crap, my mate just bought a brand new laptop with one i'm not sure what model number or anything, but its a piece of crap. It does exactly what your standalone does klingon, it initializes the disc starts to write "lead in" then fails leaving me with loads of expensive coasters (TY and Verbs) the only thing he's been able to get it to burn is DVD-RW and they're CMC Mag and wont work on any standalone player.
  I always thought Lite On was meant to be top quality, but i guess everything is being made for little to nothing in china these days, people work for piss all money, consumers getting ripped off and the Corporations raking in the money.
  
  The whole combination hd-dvd/BD player will never really do much unless 1 year down the road the frmats are still waring and no clear winner has appeared.

  21.9.2006 03:14 #10

• ZippyDSM

  Andrew691
  BR wil probly pic up in the last of next years frist quarter if not...BR is dead at least movie wise,altho in 2 or 3 years when BR gets all the bugs out and can do 100GB a disc...who knows what will happen then 0-o
  
  BR has potienal but crist it cant even find its own arse right now 0-o

  21.9.2006 03:18 #11

• lxfactor

  anydvd removes alot of music and movie protections.. i never had a problem..

  21.9.2006 08:20 #12

• advent

  I purchased a liteon LVW1106HC+ dvd recorder approx a month ago and what a load of rubbish-its more like a
  "coaster" manufacturer; not only that,it only plays about half of my bought dvd's.
  It has since been returned and a full refund obtained.
  It's a shame when you think that liteon use to turn out some half-decent gear.

  21.9.2006 12:57 #13

• borhan9

  Man out of all the companis why LG?? I don't like their products. I would pefer to see Pioneer come up with one. They at least have a good track record compared to LG products. Well in my opionon.

  22.9.2006 04:16 #14

• ronnybuck

  I have four DVD Recorders. Three are Panasonic and the other a Liteon 1107HC1. I have been through 2 Cyberhomes, one Sony and a Phillips. Cyberhomes made good paper weights, the Sony lasted one week, and the Phillips about a year. The Panasonics are still going and the Liteon so far is well. I use the liteon with DVD+RW's because I don't have to finalize to play on other players. The Panasonics record stuff that I send to my son overseas like CSI and SciFi. It's been an interesting trip with this stuff. I feel the life of these recorders is a lot less than the old VCR's. With HD and the fact they are too expensive to buy standard DVD recorders will be around for a while as it replaces the VCR. My next player will be one that plays DivX and real player files. These files are smaller and good enough for me. Only the very rich can afford the HD world.

  22.9.2006 15:36 #15

• A_Klingon

  Quote:I purchased a liteon LVW1106HC+ dvd recorder approx a month ago and what a load of rubbish-its more like a "coaster" manufacturer; ... Yeppir.... I hear ya, big guy.
  
  LiteOn used a myriad of components which were the cheapest-possible-available that would still actually function. I found *that* out by visiting various forums from people who also got stuck with my model. The weakest link in a long line of weak links is the optical drive. It wears out within a few months.
  
  One guy actually said, "Huh? What's all the fuss about? All *I* did was replace the optical drive with another (higher-quality) drive."
  
  EXCUSE ME??? I should NOT have to buy another drive for a machine that is only a few months old! PLUS, the guy said you had to make sure the replacement drive was the same _type_ as the original, (I don't have a clue what "type" that would be), PLUS "you have to make sure that the drive is compatible with your particular chipset"... - WTF???? I have not a *clue* what type of chip-set my Lite On uses...., PLUS, "you have to physically modify the replacement drive so that it will fit _inside_ your recorder"....)
  
  (Holee s--- !!!) What does *that* mean? Chop off an end or two here and there? Tuck in the ribbon cable? Remove some of the plastic loading tray???
  
  (The guy was nutz). I have no intention of doing any of that.
  
  I should have known better when I bought the stooopid thing. It was reduced in price from the original retail, and WALMART had dozens & dozens of them stacked-up waist high in a floor display. That should have told me something right there.
  
  Unless I use a rewriteable disc, there is a better than 90% chance the machine will create a coaster. Plus it can now take up to 3 or 4 minutes for the stoopid thing to even decide what type of disc I have inserted. (And it still gets *that* wrong!) A DVD-R can be identified as a "Data Disc", or a "DVD-RW" or even a "Video Disc" (whatever *that* is supposed to mean).
  
  I just created 6 coasters yesterday with the machine in about an hour.
  
  So yes.....Lite On is now officially on my permanent S---T List.

  22.9.2006 20:11 #16

• ZippyDSM

  A_Klingon
  sounds like the 15 revisions of the PS2 they wont tell you what works with what becuse they want you to buy a WHOLE NEW SYSTEM...

  22.9.2006 20:25 #17

• ZippyDSM

  A_Klingon
  sorry about a quck douple post here
  
  have the software guys at CD freaks "fixed" its frim ware yet? :3

  22.9.2006 20:26 #18

• A_Klingon

  Quote:have the software guys at CD freaks "fixed" its frim ware yet? :3 They may have, zippy, but I haven't checked lately.
  
  It doesn't matter anyway. The electronics is working (poorly perhaps, but it is working), BUT the optical drive is a Gonner.
  
  Without a functioning drive, the electronics (and any further firmware upgrades) is pointless.
  
  The unit is a piece of JUNK.
  
  [shrug]

  22.9.2006 20:34 #19

• ZippyDSM

  A_Klingon
  Mmmmmmmm you sure its not just a bad drive?
  sicne everyone is going to china is skip qauilty controll dead and messed up electronics have increased!
  
  I still feel the 360 has a 30% fail rate *L*

  22.9.2006 20:38 #20

• A_Klingon

  Quote:Mmmmmmmm you sure its not just a bad drive? Gonner, zippy. Gonner. I've wasted enough time with it. I've wasted enough brand-new discs with it.
  
  I must now move on, and find new meaning in my life. <g>
  
  Junk - Trash - LandFill - Toxic Waste - Klunker - LEMON - Flea-Market fodder - Paperweight - Door-Holder-Opener - (I suppose it could be used as an anchor for someone's rowboat). <gg>

  22.9.2006 20:51 #21

• ZippyDSM

  A_Klingon
  Gee I didn't know the 360 was that bad *rolls eyes*
  
  to think retailers don't want to give money back on bad items I wonder why....LOL
  
  Soon you wont be able to get a refund when you take that new piece of hardware back for 2nd time why because like video games quality dose not count 0-o
  
  

  22.9.2006 21:12 #22

• craftyzan

  What kinda device are we gonna be sticking our media in if DVD's are going out like the dodo bird?

  24.9.2006 22:09 #23

• ZippyDSM

  craftyzan
  whatever the device the government and the corporations use to best see what you buy what you do and make sure you dont copy.

  24.9.2006 23:21 #24