DVDFile

Analog hole, more Blu-ray delays, region coding

Macrovision

There have been circulating unconfirmed reports that the electronics manufacturers and the studios may have reached an agreement to avoid imposing image constraint until 2012.  That should give consumers a reasonable period to amortize their investments in analog-input-only HD-ready displays before the studios start reducing resolution on component video connections.  There may be more here than meets the eye (no pun intended). 

In a press release issued by the company you love to hate, Macrovision announced that it had developed a new analog copy protection system called ACP Technology (analog content protection technology) suitable for protecting HD discs.  They also stated that the AACS Industry Consortium selected its system to protect high-definition disc content.  Consequently, Macrovision's ACP is expected to be included in the next AACS specification release.

Assuming that any signal contamination this Macrovision system imposes is not visible and it does not adversely affect display circuitry, this is more good news for early adopters who own HD-ready displays equipped only with component analog video inputs and not with an HDCP-compliant HDMI input.  With protection in place to protect full resolution analog HD content, the studios might be less inclined to activate the dreaded Image Constraint Token.  I applaud the industries’ efforts to avoid the abandonment of the early adopters.  Without them, the viability of any HD disc product introduction would be at risk.

More Blu-ray Disc Delays?

An anecdotal story has been published in which representatives from both Pioneer and Panasonic indicated that their Blu-ray Disc Player offerings will arrive even later than expected. 

The $1,800 Pioneer BDP-HD1 player may not be available until November, after the introduction of the Sony PS3 game system with its integral Blu-ray Disc player.  Panasonic was reported to have volunteered that its DMP-BD10 Blu-ray Disc player also will be delayed until November. 

I previously reported that Sony’s $1,000 BDP-S1 Blu-ray Disc player has been delayed until August, well after Sony and others are scheduled to release their first wave of Blu-ray Disc titles.  This leaves the $1,000 Samsung BD-P1000 as the only player potentially to be available in June.  In fact, some online retailers have put the Samsung up for pre-order with no precise availability.

Will the Blu-ray camp do what the HD DVD camp did?  Reschedule software and hardware launches to coordinate the simultaneous availability of both?

These delays do not bode well for Sony or Blu-ray.  One market research firm predicted that HD DVD will have captured 70% of the HD disc market by the end of the year.  But the firm did go on to say that the market shares might change dramatically in 2007.

Region Coding

In yet another news item, it was reported that the DVD Forum has decided to organize a working group to develop specifications and enforcement plans for region coding of HD DVD.  The report mentioned that the Blu-ray Disc organization is also working on a region coding system for which the number of regions worldwide would be reduced from DVD's seven to only three.  So while this doesn’t much affect us in North America, it may have an impact on our overseas friends.

Impatience Isn’t a Virtue

Shortages of Toshiba HD DVD players, slow HD DVD title rollout, hardware and software delays, Blu-ray postponements . . .  I don’t know about you, but I’m finding these product introductions badly organized, rushed, and frustrating.  Ever since I bought my first HD-ready front projector twelve years ago, I’ve been waiting for film to be made available on a viable high-definition home theater medium.  I’m really hoping I can start covering HD discs for you soon, but I’m having a great deal of trouble waiting for product.