AfterDawn: News

LG will show HD DVD & Blu-ray combo player at CES

Despite reports last September that LG will not be manufacturing a dual player for both competing formats for high definition content, HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc, the company has given a welcome surprise by announcing it will be showing a dual-format player at CES next week after all. A player for both formats has been anticipated by both content providers and consumers alike.

LG did not give many details on the technology used in the player, or how much one will cost. It did say however that the unit is expected to be available in the United States in early 2007 and promised further details will be given at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) being held in Las Vegas January 8th - 11th.



"LG expects this technological breakthrough to end the confusion and inconvenience of competing high-definition disc formats for both content producers and consumers." a press release from the company states.

Source:
Press Release

Written by: James Delahunty @ 4 Jan 2007 0:13

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• 10 comments

• AlBundy

  I wish I had the money for one esp with Vista coming out soon.

  4.1.2007 03:54 #1

• CrowDUDE

  Outthought I think it’s not a good idea, it would be cool to choose witch format to buy or rent since many studios aren’t releasing movies in both HD-DVD and Blu-ray..
  
  Here's more info..
  http://articles.news.aol.com...

  4.1.2007 03:56 #2

• DVDdoug

  I knew somebody would do it!
  
  Although, I expected the first generation combo players to contain two different drives in one chassis. (This would be easy to do with a computer... but expen$ive!)

  4.1.2007 10:04 #3

• CrowDUDE

  "Although" Not Outthought as my previous post.LOL

  4.1.2007 11:14 #4

• ZippyDSM

  most of us new abotu this tech a year ago....its good its been made more damage to the propitiatoryness of the format war!
  screw both sides I'll take a all in one or nothing :P

  4.1.2007 13:23 #5

• flyingv

  Good idea-if you have the money! Looks as though HD-DVD is going to come out on top. I'll still wait out this one though. The "scratch restance" coating on the Blu-ray is a great idea but it can also be applied to the HD-DVD also if Sony will come off with the rights and/or produce good quality DVDs.

  4.1.2007 15:56 #6

• hughjars

  I expect to see a move away from exclusivity.
  
  The funniest outcome (and worst from the Blu-ray camp's POV) would be if this whole so-called 'format war' all became about as significant the debate today is for DVD -R & DVD +R.

  4.1.2007 15:56 #7

• ZippyDSM

  hughjars
  well look at it this way they can make more moeny joining each other but I don't see that happening for another couple of years they need to play patty cake long enough t understand that sheeple..er the consumers are not taking kindly to their 40$ movies,this is a large step foreword but only near the half way point.
  
  flyingv
  Pretty much the ball is in HDVDs court,it would be nice if they would just quit this BS join forces lower prices and do things with the consumer in mind.

  4.1.2007 18:47 #8

• hughjars

  Zippy HD-DVD stuff is notably cheaper than any of the Blu-ray stuff available.
  
  It's the same (or better) image quality and sound quality for far less money
  (forget the claims about theoretical capabilities, Blu-ray producers are all - save Sony - moving to the exact same VC-1 encoding as HD-DVD uses).
  
  I see a HD-DVD burner has just been announced (but no price yet) but I do expect it to be much less expensive than any of the (extremely expensive) Blu-ray drives currently available.
  Ditto the NEC burner
  (which has been shown several times in the last couple of years but which has yet to hit the market).
  
  Did you see there is a press conference at CES on sunday where Toshiba are expected to announce price cuts?
  
  There is talk of price points dropping to $300 and $200
  (which is way below any current possible Blu-ray price point right now......and far below the PS3 price point which some have claimed is the cheap Blu-ray player).
  
  
  http://www.computerworld.com/action/arti...9&intsrc=kc_top
  
  http://www.gadgetnutz.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=00264
  
  
  We'll start to find out for sure on sunday.
  
  What is that but forcing lower prices and doing things with the consumer in mind?

  5.1.2007 11:13 #9

• ZippyDSM

  hughjars
  about time.
  
  *L* more reason for a PS3 price drop,Sony is going to have to face it the PS3 is just to costly.
  I think the best thing for sony would be to drop the low end PS3 price by 150-250 and raise the high end price by 100,I don't see dropping it 100 going to help much.

  5.1.2007 13:39 #10