AfterDawn: News

Microsoft to release HD DVD emulator software

In an effort to further promote development for HD DVD, Microsoft is making an emulator software available for $2,999 USD.

The company believes that by offering a way to test HD DVD movies for playability before they are burned to disc should in turn, reduce many playback issues. All that is needed is an active connection to Xbox Live and a 360 to use the emulator with.



The emulator should successfully "emulate results for any certified player in testing the content" says the company.

Developers will also "have three options to test content: the content can be played directly from a network storage share or USB drive, or from an optical disc within the Xbox 360's hard drive."

Microsoft found that during tests, the emulator helped reduce development time and costs by bringing down the number of needed test discs by over 75 percent.

"We are committed to supporting and advancing the HD DVD ecosystem," Microsoft HD DVD Jordi Ribas said in a statement.

Source:
betanews

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 13 Dec 2007 18:54

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• 14 comments

• sk8flawzz

  so i don't know a thing about $3,000 type software..
  is this a good thing or bad?

  13.12.2007 22:06 #1

• hikaricor

  Pfft.... this will be pirated or leaked in a day.

  13.12.2007 22:19 #2

• elfman12

  It's for developers, not end users. Thus the price.

  14.12.2007 00:56 #3

• duckNrun

  Yeah I can see all those big HD-DVD devs hooking up their 360's so they can insure that their product works as they designed it to...lol
  
  Certainly there's another way for them to do this with the tech and equipment that they already have...?

  14.12.2007 06:29 #4

• hughjars

  Actually it is a professional development tool and it is already proven to reduce costs for small and independent movie producers.
  
  Microsoft implemented a beta program from July through November of this year, involving more than 40 participants, including Deluxe Digital Studios, Enteractive GmbH, Imagion AG, Memory-Tech Corporation and NetBlender Inc.
  
  Participants found that the tool significantly decreased the number of hours and reduced the costs associated with the production process, freeing up time to refine and improve content.
  
  "The authoring process for HD DVD is more complex and expensive than the process for standard DVD, and as with any new technology, it can require a lot of time and resources," said John Harrington, CEO of NetBlender.
  "In the process of working with the new Xbox 360 HD DVD Player Emulator, we were able to cut the number of test discs needed per month from roughly 200 down to 50, saving more than 100 work hours per month. This positively impacted our business essentially overnight.
  We estimate we will recoup the low cost of the tool in less than one month's time."
  
  So, HD DVD authoring costs just got a lot cheaper - on top of HD DVD production being easier and cheaper (compared to Blu-ray without the Blu-ray subsidies).
  
  Less expense and easier.
  That's just how it is with HD DVD.
  It's why HD DVD already leads (before this new development) 41:38 in terms of movie studios, when the smaller and independents are counted.

  14.12.2007 09:07 #5

• ripxrush

  If the end result may mean cheaper or at least MORE HD-DVD's that is great for me!

  14.12.2007 11:57 #6

• NexGen76

  Quote:The company believes that by offering a way to test HD DVD movies for playability before they are burned to disc should in turn, reduce many playback issues.So this is away to fix all the issue they had with some disc freezing & some not working at all(combo Disc).Good job depend on some else to do your job.

  14.12.2007 12:46 #7

• hughjars

  Originally posted by nextgen76: So this is away to fix all the issue they had with some disc freezing & some not working at all(combo Disc). - Er, no.
  
  This is an inexpensive authoring tool which makes HD DVD production easier, cheaper and less work than would otherwise be the case.
  
  It makes HD DVD authoring a lot easier and cheaper for the small & independent studio.
  
  Originally posted by nextgen76: Good job depend on some else to do your job. - WTF are you talking about?
  
  How on earth does a sporadic problem that a few HD DVD discs have had mean anything to this?
  
  If it was the disc itself that had been the probelm they got quickly replaced by the movie studio and if it was a firmware issue then the hardware producer came out with a new firmware quickly.
  
  Wow, you really are of the 'hard of leaning' kind aren't you?

  14.12.2007 14:19 #8

• NexGen76

  Originally posted by hugejars: - WTF are you talking about?
  
  How on earth does a sporadic problem that a few HD DVD discs have had mean anything to this?
  
  If it was the disc itself that had been the probelm they got quickly replaced by the movie studio and if it was a firmware issue then the hardware producer came out with a new firmware quickly.
  
  Wow, you really are of the 'hard of leaning' kind aren't you?Quote:Worse than that, the damn discs don't even work half the time! Just the other night, I sat down to watch my recently-purchased HD DVD copy of '300' on my Toshiba HD-XA2 player, and I only made it 45 minutes before the stupid thing froze up and ceased playback. No matter how many times I try to restart the movie, the disc will not play beyond Chapter 14. This is an extremely high-profile release; in fact, it's currently the best-selling title on either the HD DVD or Blu-ray formats, and the disc won't function in a top-of-the-line HD DVD player! Who wants to put up with nonsense like that? I certainly don't.
  
  Let's not kid ourselves that this is an isolated defective disc or a one-time anomaly. Complaints about playback problems on '300' are widespread, and similar compatibility issues have plagued earlier Combo releases such as 'Children of Men', 'The Good Shepherd', 'Happy Feet', 'Superman Returns', and 'The Matrix Reloaded' (copies from the expensive 'Ultimate Matrix Collection' box set which has the bonus features in DVD format on the flip-side of the disc). Some of these will only work properly on second-generation HD DVD players but not first-generation models, and some bizarrely just the opposite. Some function fine on Toshiba's players but not on Microsoft's HD DVD add-on accessory for the XBox 360, and others vice versa. Some don't work right on any player at all.
  http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/894
  
  
  
  Originally posted by hughjars: Wow, you really are of the 'hard of leaning' kind aren't you?you spell it learning not leaning....you forgot the R have a nice day Mr.Jars.

  14.12.2007 17:06 #9

• ikari

  Admins,
  
  I have been a long time reader of Afterdawn and recommend it to everyone tech-savvy. I have only one concern: Why is it that everytime there is a HD DVD/Blu-Ray topic, the Afterdawn patrons have to see Hughjars and NexGen76 little fights? I enjoy a nice discussion with non-insulting arguements and counter-arguements. For the most part everyone of the topics are like that. Any HD DVD/Blu-Ray topic seems to be the exception.

  14.12.2007 17:51 #10

• DoomLight

  there is a torrent for this somewhere. 3 grand. woof

  14.12.2007 21:29 #11

• ivymike

  I wonder if this is a first step towards an HD-DVD-RW add-on for the X-BOX 360 rather than an HD-DVD-ROM currently available.

  15.12.2007 01:59 #12

• hughjars

  1st of all, way to stay on-topic nextgen.
  
  2nd if you really want to (laughably) pretend that only HD DVD has suffered a few problems with firmware or discs then you work away, it's so obviously absurd to anyone in the least bit informed.
  
  It'll also come as something of a shock to the Blu-ray various owners who can be seen in various a/v forums complaining about their Blu-ray players or disc-rot or playback glitches etc etc.
  
  I'd post a link if I could be ars*d but your point on this is so clearly risible it's really not worth it.

  15.12.2007 08:47 #13

• borhan9

  Quote:In an effort to further promote development for HD DVD, Microsoft is making an emulator software available for $2,999 USD.There is no way i would spend that much money on the emulator for this i would wait for it to hit the torrent sites and download and test it that way.

  24.12.2007 01:01 #14