As consumers continue to embrace more high-definition products and services, next-generation DVD players are poised to experience significant growth over the next five years, according to a new report from Parks Associates titled "Next Generation DVD Players: Will History Repeat?"
The new report estimates that, with set-top box models and game consoles combined, more than 32 million Blu-ray and HD DVD players will be sold in United States by 2011, an 85% increase from the 4.9 million units estimated to be sold in 2007.
"Purchasing or renting DVDs will continue to be a dominant way for consumers to view content," stated Chris Roden, Research Analyst at Parks Associates. "What has yet to be determined is which format will become the standard, HD DVD or Blu-ray?" According to the report, consumer confusion is still prevalent with less than 10% of U.S. consumers stating that they are familiar with the HD DVD or Blu-ray formats.
"However, we are starting to see the pendulum swing slowly in one direction," said Roden. "Recent retail developments, support from major Hollywood studios, and inclusion of the format in the PlayStation 3 puts the Blu-ray format in the lead."
In "Next Generation DVD Players: Will History Repeat?," Parks Associates investigates consumer preferences and industry support for the competing DVD formats, with analysis of market strategies and adoption and a prediction of the outcome in this standards battle
Source: Parks Associates
Related stories:
Broadband Report: Gametap expands
The online video-game service GameTap is expanding its service offerings by launching broadband video content. UPI recently caught up with Stuart Snyder, senior vice president and general manager of GameTap, and Ricardo Sanchez, vice president of Content for GameTap, to talk about their push to create original video programming.
Japanese get a chance to chat up Cleopatra with DVD-powered mannequin
TOKYO, June 22 (AFP) - Fantasies about chatting up legendary figures have come closer to reality in Japan where researchers have developed a mannequin with a built-in projector that can resemble a face of one's choice.
Industry's First HDMI Transmitters for PC Platforms
Silicon Image, Inc. today debuted the industry's first High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) transmitters for desktop and notebook PC applications. Capitalizing on increasing consumer interest in Media Center PCs and the growing availability of HD content for PC platforms, Silicon Image's new series of HDMI transmitters targeted at PCs-consisting of the PanelLink SiI 1390 and SiI 1930 transmitters - are the first integrated solutions designed to interface directly to the video and audio interfaces of PC platforms for seamless connectivity. Silicon Image also introduced the SiI 1368, the industry's first Digital Visual Interface High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (DVI-HDCP) transmitter designed for PCI-Express graphics chipsets supporting Intel's Serial Digital Video Output (SDVO) interface.
Smart projectors do not require artificial canvases
Video projectors will play a major role in future home entertainment and education applications – ranging from movies and television, over computer games, to multimedia presentations. However, we have to give up living space and ambiance to set up artificial canvases that have to be as large as the desired image.
A
Smart projector, developed by Bauhaus University (Germany) researchers, is able to display correct images onto arbitrary existing surfaces, like wallpapered wall or window curtains without artificial canvas.
Alereon Introduces Advanced 480 Mbps Ultrawideband Evaluation Kit
Alereon, a leading fabless semiconductor company developing wireless solutions for the
Ultrawideband (UWB) and Wireless USB (W-USB) markets, today announced availability of the AL4000-EVK Evaluation Kit. The AL4000-EVK is a sophisticated UWB hardware and software environment for developing and testing real world UWB applications. The AL4000-EVK is based on the Alereon AL4000 series UWB chipset, which operates at speeds from 55Mbps to 480Mbps; nearly 5 times faster than any other UWB personal area network (PAN) chipset.
1 Terabyte Optical Storage Disks the Size of a DVD
Physicists at Imperial College London are developing a new optical disk with so much
storage capacity that every episode of The Simpsons made could fit on just one. Speaking at the Asia-Pacific Data Storage Conference 2004 in Taiwan today, Dr Peter Török, Lecturer in Photonics in the Department of Physics, will describe a new method for potentially encoding and storing up to one Terabyte (1,000 Gigabytes) of data, or 472 hours of film, on one optical disk the size of a CD or DVD.
All-in-one printer evolves: Does more, does better
Used to be that I'd avoid all-in-one consumer electronic products simply because they just weren't as good as the separate, standalone models. But that's changed, especially when it comes to computer peripherals. Take the printer for example. Or more specifically, let's take a look at Epson's latest offering in their all-in-one printers category, the Artisan 800.
Brightening the future for optical circuits
(PhysOrg.com) -- By working together to share costs and know-how, European researchers are shaking up the way research and development is carried out on optical chips.