Since I am interested in using next generation DVD (ie Blu-ray or HD DVD), I thought it might be worthwhile what it was all about. Here is a link to a good article that explains what all the fuss is about. Still does not say who the winner will be.
Month: January 2006
Who will be the winner: HD DVD or BLU-ray
In my previous post I asked the question whether HD DVD or Blu-ray will win the DVD race in the long run. Adult entertainment is a very big market (at least so I have heard) and will that in the end decide the winner. Here is a snippet of news I just saw.
Digital Playground is the first adult film studio to publicly align itself with one of the next-generation disc formats – and they’ve picked Blu-ray.
HD DVD or Blu-ray
Further to my previous blog. Here is a quote from Paul Thurrott on his visit to CES. I think looking at price for these devices when they eventually hit South Africa are going to be the deciding factor.
But the one thing I saw this week that really made me smile and think that everything was OK with the consumer electronics world was an HD DVD set-top box for just $499 from Toshiba that will ship this spring. This announcement came a day after Sony said that the initial release of Blu-ray devices would cost as much as $1800 and would ship later this year. Toshiba’s good old-fashioned competitive gumption is great for the industry and for consumers. Although I think Blu-ray will offer some technological advantages over HD DVD, the breakthrough price point on HD DVD has decided who won the first round. I’m all for standards, but if there have to be two formats, I think that starting things off with a price war is going to make everyone’s decision much easier.
Update on building a Linux PVR
One thing that is missing from my hardware list and which is a critical item. I obviously need some optical device and the first one that springs to mind is a Dual Layer DVD writer. After thinking about this a bit I was wondering whether it would not be worthwhile to go directly to Blu-Ray or HD DVD drives. The question then arises, what one?
Time to get DSTV
For a while now I have considered getting DSTV, I do not even have M-NET at the moment. Now that DSTV also come with their own PVR (Personal Video Recorder) I was considering it. Over the New year long weekend I read an article about a guy that build his own PVR. I then decided that it would be a nice hobby project to also build my own. Here is my idea on what I will use (please comment if you have any other ideas)
Hardware
- Hauppauge WINTV-PVR-350
- AMD based PC (Athlon XP 1800 or faster)
- 1GB of RAM
- 160GB Harddisk or bigger
Software
- Linux OS (Probably Ubuntu Breezy but may consider Dapper)
- MythTV
I will add blog entries as I progress with this hobby project.
Upgrade to WordPress 2.0
I have just upgraded this site to version 2.0 of WordPress. If you encounter any problems then please let me know.
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Voospoedige Nuwejaar / Happy New Year
To all my friends, family and people I know, I just want to wish all of you all a Happy New Year and all the best for 2006. May all you wishes and dreams come true and may we have real peace on earth wherever you may be.
Aan al my vriende, familie en kennise, wens ek ‘n voorspoedige Nuwejaar toe and alles van die beste vir 2006. Mag al jul wense en drome waar word en mag ons werklike vrede op aarde hê waar jy ookal mag wees.