AfterDawn: News

Universal launched new HD DVD website

Last week, Universal Studios launched a new HD DVD promotional web site. Dubbed Universal Studios Home Entertainment Hi Def, it promises exclusive web-enabled content. It is designed to be an extensive resource for Universal customers who have bought HD DVD titles. Right now the site includes a FAQ covering the format's current interactive features, some technical support and previews of upcoming releases.

However, most of the sections that look like they will be promising are still "Under Construction". Among them are "U-Shop," which will apparently offer customers exclusive products as they watch the movies, "Best Buddies," a "MyScenes" feature and a dedicated "Download Center".



Universal has also promised that registered users of the site will have access to excluding official content including latest movie trailers and other material.

Source:
Hi-Def Digest

Written by: James Delahunty @ 3 Sep 2007 18:29

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• 5 comments

• Unfocused

  At least they are trying to put something up to help the customers out...

  4.9.2007 05:56 #1

• hughjars

  I must admit I'm skeptical about all of this high def 'extras' business, I never bothered with them more than once with regular DVD and they are invariably forgettable.
  
  I suppose you can say that at least HD DVD has their interactive system up and running, with more to come as it matures.
  
  Still, I'm sure plenty of people paying the premium for high def at least want a little more for their money.
  
  Blu-ray can't even get 'profile 1.1' out and in the shops nevermind the full 'profile 2.0' spec.
  Oh yes, it truly is the built-in obsolescence format. :P
  
  (naturally the Blu-ray fanclub dismiss the fact that the spec is unfinished......... until they eventually do get the 'advanced features' when it will undoubtedly become the greatest thing ever.
  
  Sadly not a single Blu-ray player on the market now can support either 'profile 1.1' or 'profile 2.0' and there's little sign of that actually changing for some time.
  
  The deadline for all new players to be 'profile 1.1' compliant was recently moved to Nov and there is a - IMO disgraceful and dishonest - scramble to rush new 'profile 1.0' players to the market before the deadline.
  
  I was disappointed to see Pioneer join this deceitful move with their 'new' BD-LX70A.
  Pioneer are marketing themselves as a 'revived' high end company - selling soon to be surpassed gear doesn't really fall into that category IMHO - high end kit usually aims to be 'current' for a least a couple of years.
  This will be surpassed in 6 months at most......if they all do get a move on with their profiles.)

  4.9.2007 11:56 #2

• djeazyg

  Over this past weekend I had the opportunity to check out 300 in both the HD-DVD and Blue Ray format. (Good friend just started a new job at Circuit City) I own 300 on regular DVD so I know the quality that I have. At 1080p and with the best equipment that Circuit City has to offer I see no extreme difference in picture quality in either format . Blue Ray and HD-DVD both looked the same to me and there was nothing that made me say "My God I must get this in Hi Def". Is the quality better? Slightly, yes. But I'll bet the up scaling DVD players make up for that difference. (They didn’t have any in stock for us to test) They are a lot cheaper to. This hi def thing is blown way out of proportion and not worth the time or money from what I see.

  4.9.2007 12:37 #3

• hughjars

  Well of course you're entitled to you view but I think you need your eyes testing!
  
  I'm sorry that these images mess with the page width but you mentioned upscaling & these images are 1920x1080.
  The blur in regular DVD is obvious when compared.
  
  IMO there's no contest, HD DVD can look almost 3D at times when it's done well (and King Kong is an excellent example).
  
  But of course I know regular DVD is, for some people, 'good enough'.
  Each to their own, it'd be a boring world if we all thought the same stuff etc.
  
  I just find HD worth it myself and I enjoy the additional clarity......as well as the excellent audio HD DVD brings.
  
  King Kong DVD -
  
  
  
  
  King Kong HD DVD -
  
  
  

  4.9.2007 14:56 #4

• borhan9

  Mate can u edit your last post it has made the page go haywire. This is just another counter move in the format war.

  10.9.2007 15:22 #5