myPlex makes streaming your media simple, gives you one queue to rule them all

Plex is one of the more popular solutions to the problem of how to get all that (legally downloaded, of course) media sitting on your home PC to your various devices for consumption. But, like many of its competitors, getting the whole shebang set up isn't always the easiest task. The company's new myPlex platform aims to solve this conundrum, and adds a few welcome features along the way. Now, setting up a server or a client is as simple as logging in to your Plex account -- no matter how many of either part of the media-streaming equation you may have. As an added bonus, your account is also now home to a queue that is shared across all devices. Stopped watching a movie half way through on your commute home? You can pick up right where you left off on your Roku. You can even add web clips from sources like YouTube to the list. Check out the source link for a few more details.

Source is
www.engadget.com/2011/10/29/myplex-makes-streaming-your-media-simple-gives-you-one-queue-to/

YouTube’s top channels rival cable audiences

Thought online video would never match the audience numbers of traditional TV? Think again: The top five channels on YouTube get the same number of average daily viewers as the top five U.S. cable channels, I was told by a YouTube spokesperson this week.

That revelation comes at the same time as a whole bunch of new data from traffic management company Sandvine that shows how YouTube is continuing to be a major contributor to bandwidth usage in North America. Sandvine’s Global Internet Phenomena report shows that YouTube is especially making a big dent in mobile, where it is now responsible for 20 percent of all downstream traffic during peak times.

YouTube videos also make up close to 10 percent of all aggregate fixed-line traffic in North America.

The Sandvine report contains another data nugget that explains some of YouTube’s success: The majority of all real-time entertainment traffic in North America is now consumed on devices that aren’t your traditional desktop or laptop PC. “Game consoles, set-top boxes, smart TVs, tablets, and mobile devices being used within the home combine to receive 55% of all Real-Time Entertainment traffic,” the report states.

YouTube has been working hard on getting users to watch its videos on TV. For example, the site has been bringing its YouTube on TV interface, which was formerly known as YouTube Leanback, to an increasing number of connected devices, knowing that users watch twice as much YouTube content per day when using YouTube on TV as when accessing the site using the traditional desktop experience.

Also worth noting: Sandvine’s real-time entertainment traffic number only include traffic that originated from fixed-line Internet accounts, but that also covers anything you watch on your iPad or mobile phone via Wi-Fi. And mobile has become increasingly important for YouTube: The site recently revealed that mobile devices make up 10 percent of all of the site’s video views.

Source is
http://gigaom.com/video/youtube-vs-cable-stats/

Kodak licenses some patents to IMAX

Kodak has confirmed today that the company has licensed some of its vast patent portfolio to IMAX, in an effort to stave off bankruptcy and stay viable.
IMAX will license 100 patents related to laser-projection technology used in giant-screen movie theaters.

The deal is not huge, however, with only $50 million in upfront fees and royalties into the future.

Says IMAX (via NYT):

This Kodak intellectual property is truly cutting edge, and will be used by IMAX?s esteemed technology group to enhance the cinematic experience for consumers, enable the application of digital technology in our larger and institutional theatres, and make being in business with IMAX even easier and more profitable.

Kodak hopes to sell 1100 patents, and soon, as the company struggles despite sitting on a patent portfolio worth over $2 billion. Kodak has not posted one profitable quarter since 2004.

Source is
www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2011/10/17/kodak_licenses_some_patents_to_imax

How Can I Play Blu-Ray Discs on My Computer?

The Default Method: Blu-ray Software

The only officially supported way to play Blu-rays on Windows is to, as you say, use a commercial program like CyberLink PowerDVD. Usually this retails for around $50. However, if your computer came with a Blu-ray drive, you should already have some sort of Blu-ray-capable software on your computer. Very few manufacturers will ship a computer with a Blu-ray drive without including compatible software. Check to see if a software Blu-ray player came pre-installed on your system that you just didn't know about. If you've reinstalled a clean copy of Windows, you'll either have to reinstall it from your computer's recovery DVDs, or use one of the methods below.

If your computer didn't come with a Blu-ray drive and you added it yourself, the drive should have come with a CD that includes something like PowerDVD on it. I always, always recommend keeping the CDs that come with your computers and hardware just in case they contain important things you need later. If you threw it away by accident, you'll either have to buy the software anew or use one of the more complicated methods below.

The Easy Method: Watch Your Movie in 30 Minutes using VLC

The easiest way to watch Blu-rays without commercial software is to use a program called MakeMKV to rip the movie, and then watch it using VLC. To do this:

1. Install MakeMKV as described in our original Blu-ray how-to.
2. Insert your Blu-ray disc. Make sure you have enough space on your drive (depending on the disc, this could be up to 50 GB).
3. Fire up MakeMKV and head to File > Open Disc and choose your Blu-ray drive. MakeMKV will open the disc, and then present you with the titles on the disc. Hit the MakeMKV button and your movie should start ripping.
4. When it's done, just double click on the resulting file and it will play in VLC.

This is definitely the easiest way to watch your Blu-ray movies, but you'll have to wait for the movie to rip. It shouldn't take long, so as long as you plan ahead at least a half hour, this is definitely the method to go with.

The Complicated Method: Watch Your Movie Now with XBMC

Alternatively, the XBMC media center software has a Blu-ray plugin that works similarly to the above. You'll still need MakeMKV, but it's pretty easy to set up:

1. Install MakeMKV as described in our original Blu-ray how-to.
2. Install the Blu-ray plugin as described in our feature on plugins in XBMC 10.
3. Insert your Blu-ray disc. Make sure you have enough space on your drive (depending on the disc, this could be up to 50 GB).
4. Open up XBMC and go to Videos > Video Add-Ons > BluRay Player with MakeMKV. From there you should be able to play the main movie on the disc. It might take a few moments to buffer, but I've found that it works pretty well.

That's it! Whenever you want to watch a Blu-ray movie, you should be able to just open up XBMC and fire up the Blu-ray plugin to watch your movie. It should stream pretty nicely, but note that streaming is an experimental feature of MakeMKV, so you might have a buffering issue once in a while. In my experience I've found it to work quite well, though.

Note that if you'd prefer not to use XBMC, you can also stream Blu-rays from MakeMKV to VLC as described here. I chose to feature the XBMC method since it only requires manual work the first time you do it, after which it becomes easy, while the VLC method requires you to manually set up the stream every time.

Source is
http://lifehacker.com/5806252/how-can-i-play-blu+ray-discs-on-my-computer

Netflix DVD profits will fund international expansion

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said on Monday’s earnings call that the company will rely on profits from its DVD business to fund expansion into new territories over the coming years.

The DVD-by-mail service may have taken a backseat to streaming, but it’s an incredibly profitable part of the business. In its fourth-quarter forecast, Netflix estimates domestic DVDs will produce $177 million to $192 million in contribution profit to Netflix, on revenues of $354 million to $368 million. Compare that to the company’s domestic streaming business, which is expected to contribute $30 million to $42 million in profit on $462 million to $477 million in revenue.

Those profits will be needed as Netflix bets on international expansion, both in Latin America over the next few quarters and — beginning early next year — in the U.K. and Ireland. In the fourth quarter, Netflix expects to lose between $60 million and $70 million in its new international markets, on $25 million to $30 million in revenue.

Netflix has seen a number of DVD subscribers leave through two waves of cancellations — one when the new pricing was first announced and another when it actually went into effect in September. But the company expects subscriber numbers to stabilize in the fourth quarter, as it’s already seen weekly cancellations slowing.

Once it reaches more of an equilibrium point, Netflix believes it can keep DVD-by-mail profitable and use its proceeds for other investments. In that sense, Hastings likened the DVD operations to AOL’s dialup business over the last decade: While it’s steadily declining, there are no real fixed costs associated with keeping it going.

On the call with analysts, Hastings also responded to some criticism about its decision to separate its DVD operations and introduce a new brand for the service. “In hindsight it’s hard to justify (the Qwikster decision),” Hastings told investors. But that doesn’t mean it couldn’t have worked, he maintained. “Having separate brands representing the different audiences can in theory make sense,” Hastings said on the call. However, “Qwikster became a symbol of Netflix not listening” to its subscribers. And as a result, rather than continue to fuel customer dissatisfaction, Netflix took a big step back.

That said, Hastings made clear that DVD won’t be a huge focus going forward, and that the bulk of its marketing spend and future investment will be on growing its streaming business, both in terms of the content available and the number of subscribers it hopes to attract. But having a profitable cash cow like DVD is a pretty favorable situation to be in.

Source is
http://gigaom.com/video/netflix-dvd-profits/

Netflix signs new streaming deals with Warner, CBS

Netflix has signed new streaming distribution deals with Warner Bros. and CBS today, allowing subscribers to watch shows from The CW.
The deal is good for four years and includes access to the station's most popular programs like "The Vampire Diaries," "Gossip Girl," "One Tree Hill," and "Nikita," "Supernatural," "Ringer," "Hart of Dixie," and "The Secret Circle."

Episodes of previous seasons will be available on October 15th with the exception of Supernatural and 90210 which will start in January.

The deal is worth $1 billion over its life.

Says CBS CEO Les Moonves:

    This is a forward-thinking agreement for a network whose programming occupies a unique space in the content marketplace. It is a model that opens a new door for The CW programming to expand its audience reach through the terrific Netflix service, and creates a brand-new window for CBS and Warner Bros. to be paid for the content we supply the network. It also further illustrates how new distribution systems are providing premium content suppliers with additive revenue streams while still preserving traditional monetization windows.

Source is
http://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2011/10/13/netflix_signs_new_streaming_deals_with_warner_cbs

DXG-5F9V makes home video memories a 1080p HD affair, 3D glasses not required

Who said all the 3D perks had to be reserved for Hollywood? DXG's making the home video fun a virtual en vivo experience with the release of its 3D and 2D camcorder, set to hit the company's online store today. For $299, you're getting a 5 megapixel still camera and glasses-free, 1080p HD video recording at 30fps, viewable on either the handheld's autostereoscopic 3.2-inch LCD display or the flatscreen of your choosing via an included HDMI cable. The DXG-5F9V only ships with 128MB of storage inbuilt, so if you're aiming to immortalize your Jackass-worthy shenanigans, you'll want to secure a 32GB SD card for additional capacity. With the holidays fast approaching, this might be your best bet to relive those looks of disappointment on Christmas morning. Official presser after the break.

Source is
http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/20/dxg-5f9v-makes-home-video-memories-a-1080p-hd-affair-3d-glasses/

Netflix adds Android app support for Honeycomb tablets

Netflix is releasing a new version of its Android app that will add support for Honeycomb tablets and expand availability beyond the U.S. With version 1.5 of the Netflix app, which is now available as a free download on the Android Market, Netflix expands the number of devices that its subscribers will be able to access its streaming video service on.

Netflix has been ramping up availability on Android devices over the past several months. Back in May, Netflix made its first appearance on the Android Market, but the app could only be used on a limited number of devices at first. But in September it updated the app to support Android Versions 2.2 and 2.3, which expanded its availability to about 80 percent of current Android phones.

The new version of the app increases that reach even further, by adding support for tablets running Android Version 3.x, otherwise known as Honeycomb. That could boost actual viewership on the Android platform, as users are more likely to watch video on a 7- or 10-inch screen than on the typical 4-inch screen many smartphones use.

In addition to Android tablet support, the updated app will also expand its reach beyond the U.S. For the first time, Netflix users in its international markets — Canada and Latin America — will be able to stream to their Android devices as well. As Netflix makes more of a push in international markets, it will hope to replicate its domestic success, which was driven in part by its availability on connected devices.

Netflix claims availability on some 700 devices, which include mobile phones and tablets, game consoles, connected TVs and Blu-ray players and streaming media players. But not all of those devices are available in those different geographies. Growing the device count and becoming ubiquitous internationally will be important to increasing its subscriber numbers in those markets.


Source is
http://gigaom.com/video/netflix-honeycomb-tablets/

Can H.265 save us from the mobile video tsunami?

Everyone knows that mobile data traffic is set to explode, driven by ever-increasing adoption of smartphones and tablets and the incredible growth of video traversing mobile networks. But a new video format is on its way, which could alleviate some of the strain on those networks by delivering high-quality video with half as many bits.

The new High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) spec, also referred to as H.265, should be a lot more efficient than H.264, which is the format of choice for most IP-enabled devices and applications. The format, which is being developed by the ISO/IEC Moving Pictures Experts Group (MPEG) and the ITU-T Video Coding Experts Group (VCEG), is expected to need 25 to 50 percent fewer bits for the delivery of H.264 video of the same quality.

As video growth explodes, network operators will welcome any help they can get in lowering the load of TV and movie content being streamed to mobile phones and tablets. With that in mind, saving up to half the number of bits for the same quality video file seems an attractive proposition.

Last year, the amount of data pumped over mobile networks topped an exabyte — that’s 1,000 petabytes or a billion gigabytes — and there appears no end in site to the growth in mobile data. Cisco estimates, for instance, that global mobile data traffic will increase 26 times from 2010 to 2015, to 6.3 exabytes per month. That’s being driven by connected devices grabbing a large portion of data being transfered. Cisco expects that the amount of Internet traffic served to PCs will drop from 97 percent in 2010 to 87 percent by 2015, due to growth in the number of smartphones, tablets and connected devices owned by consumers.

Video is also a big part of that growth: A recent report from Visiongain estimates that video traffic will make up more than 60 percent of global mobile data traffic by 2016. The research firm estimates that the percentage of smartphone users who watch mobile video will grow from 29 percent to at least 40 percent by that date. And with the availability of high-speed LTE networks, the quality of video streaming over those networks will only continue to improve.

But all that mobile video will soon begin putting strain on mobile networks. Earlier this month, a report from Tellabs showed that delivery of mobile data could become unprofitable for network operators by as soon as 2013. As network operators look for ways to improve the efficiency and profitability of their networks, H.265 looks like a possible savior.

The good news is that H.265 is on its way to standardization. The bad news is that it likely can’t come quickly enough. The spec is expected to be circulated for comment next February, with some initial applications taking advantage of it in early 2013. The immediate expectation might be that mobile networks could see some short-term benefit from more efficient video delivery.

However, Elemental Technologies CEO Sam Blackman said in a phone interview that we’ll probably see higher-quality video on more devices than see the amount of mobile data transfered drop. That is, video producers will likely boost video quality rather than issuing the same quality video and taking advantage of the bandwidth savings. While it might not help operators, it will be a boon to consumers, and could make mobile video even more attractive and in-demand.

Source is
http://gigaom.com/video/h265/

Skype and Rdio founders to challenge Netflix with Vdio

The founders of Skype and Rdio have decided to make a run at Netflix and Hulu with a mysterious new video service called Vdio, according to a GigaOM report.

Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, the co-creators of Skype, Kazaa, Joost and Rdio, have kept Vdio a secret for as long as two years and received $5.6 million in funding in Oct. 2010 while the company was listed under the name Project WBS. At present, Vdio.com is simply a splash page featuring high-quality animations from many movie and TV properties, including shows like Breaking Bad (pictured), Mad Men and Justified, as well as movies like Enter the Dragon and A Few Good Men. If you are the in the U.S. like I am, the screen says the service is only available in the U.K. If you are in the U.K., the splash page says “Coming soon to the UK.”

Since the startup has only collected $5.6 million in funding, I find it hard to believe this will act as a serious competitor to Netflix’s streaming service out the gate. But if Vdio’s model uses advertising paired with partner-provided content, it could be dangerous to Hulu. And if given the opportunity to grow and collect more funds under a subscription model, it could be a threat to Netflix, especially because Netflix has done nothing but agitate users this year with price bumps and a botched plan to move physical DVD rentals to another website.

We still don’t know much about Vdio, but I think it’s safe to make a few assumptions. Since the company comes from the people behind the excellent music streaming service Rdio, this new venture will likely be primarily subscription-based and highly social, with integration from Facebook and Twitter. Instead of streaming music, Vdio will probably streaming TV and movies, based on what we see on the Vdio splash pages.

Rdio recently launched a free element to its music subscription service as well, which gives users some free access to the huge Rdio catalog without ever needing to offer a credit card. Vdio might take this approach as well as a way to get users interested in the service.

Joost, another previous Zennstrom and Friis venture, also dealt with video. It was a web TV service founded in 2006 that originally centered around peer-to-peer video technology. Now the site is a simple (and bland) YouTube-like hub for content like movie trailers and short TV clips.

Do you think the guys originally behind Skype and Rdio have a chance to make a dent in online videos with Vdio?

Source is
http://venturebeat.com/2011/10/17/skype-rdio-founders-vdio/

Video Format War: Blu-ray vs. Streaming

Just as Netflix and its customers are ditching plastic DVD media, Blu-ray discs and players are growing in popularity. The two trends seem incongruous, so what gives?

The Blu-ray format is holding its own, say analysts--and that isn't likely to change anytime soon. What has changed, the experts note, is this: Streaming video services are becoming more reliable and more popular. The causes? ISPs are boosting their bandwidth capacity, more devices and services to pipe video to your living room via the Internet are coming to market, and Hollywood is increasingly offering popular on-demand content, making it more widely available.

High-Quality Video Still Counts

So how is the high-definition Blu-ray format bucking the trend toward streaming? For millions of videophiles, high-quality video still counts, and so do the advanced features that Blu-ray discs and players offer.

"For me, Blu-ray has great picture quality and awesome special features," says Dallas Rostad, of Fergus Falls, Minnesota. "And being able to go online and get information about the film is a plus."

Norm Bogen, a media analyst for In-Stat, estimates that about 18.5 million Blu-ray players will ship in 2011, up from 12 million in 2010. Sony, which makes Blu-ray players, is also bullish: Sony spokesperson Neil Manowitz estimates that the number of U.S. households with Blu-ray players will jump by 30 percent this year.

Betting on the Wrong Horse?

The real question, though, is whether Blu-ray has a long shelf life and is worth the commitment.

Movie buffs and TV fans want to know whether they should invest in Blu-ray technology--such as whether they should buy a portable Blu-ray player for the kids and stock up on Blu-ray movies, which typically cost more than their DVD counterparts (for instance, Transformers: Dark of the Moon will cost you $20 and the recently released Star Wars: The Complete Saga is $140).

Rob Enderle, an analyst for Enderle Group, sees the Blu-ray format sticking around for at least another 15 years--an unheard-of run for a technology to remain relevant. He says that streaming services will put the final nail into Blu-ray's coffin around 2025, when 100-megabits-per-second Internet access will be ubiquitous in metropolitan areas.

That isn't to say, however, that high-quality video-streaming technology doesn't pose a threat to Blu-ray. It does.

Streaming Video Not Too Shabby, and Getting Better

In-Stat's Bogen says that at the beginning of this year, media-streaming services such as Hulu and Netflix had 25 million subscribers. That number will hit 35 million by early 2012.

Video streaming is gaining momentum as a convenient way to watch movies and TV shows on an HDTV, a computer, a tablet, or a smartphone. Consumers now have at least a dozen ways to stream content to the living room (see "Netflix Inside: A Comprehensive List of Netflix Streaming Devices" for some examples), including the latest offering, which allows users to get Xfinity content via an Xbox 360 game console. Video options for tablets, meanwhile, are expanding to include apps from Blockbuster, Hulu, Netflix, and assorted cable providers.

One reason for the growth of streaming's popularity is that broadband speeds--wireless and wired--are increasing. The Verizon LTE network can handily stream high-quality video at 15 mbps. Charter and Comcast offer speeds up to 100 mbps.

The challenge for Blu-ray is that the profitability of the streaming video market is growing faster than that of the Blu-ray market. Studios are putting streaming profits ahead of visual quality.

Quality Comparison

Even the best streaming services that claim to be in HD stream at only about 1 mbps, or 5 to 10 mbps at the most, says Mark Waldrep, president and chief engineer of AIX Media Group. That's about the same as a standard DVD disc, which presents video at 4 to 8 mbps.

In comparison, a Blu-ray Disc pumps pixels at up to 36 mbps, says Waldrep. As a result, when you're watching 1977's Star Wars: A New Hope, for example, you can see the grime on C-3PO's golden shell and laugh at Princess Leia's bad makeup job.

One potential roadblock for streaming is that ISPs and wireless carriers attempt to curb bandwidth hogs by throttling speeds and capping downloads. For example, Verizon Wireless charges some of its customers an extra $10 per gigabyte if they exceed a predetermined gigabyte threshold. Under a Verizon plan, someone with a big appetite for feature-length movies could see their costs go up--or they could see the quality of their movie streams degrade--toward the end of the month.

"Because bit rates for HD movie streaming are under 10 mbps, including audio, your entertainment experience is dependent upon the bandwidth and integrity of your Internet connection and the capabilities of the playback device," says Danny Kaye, executive vice president of global research and technology strategy for 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. "With Blu-ray you get consistently reliable, flawless playback."

So, will streaming ever catch up to Blu-ray? Ross Rubin, an analyst with NPD, says that one format is worth watching: The Vudu HDX format, found on Blu-ray players from Samsung and other manufacturers, matches the quality of a 720p cable video-on-demand movie. But HDX still streams at only about 20 mbps, well short of the 36-mbps bit rate for Blu-ray, says Rubin. And most streaming services, such as those of Blockbuster and Netflix, throttle the video quality to match your bandwidth.

The Future of Media

Waldrep says that movie studios either choose the extreme quality that Blu-ray provides or shoot for the lowest-common denominator in Web streaming--video bit rates that accommodate a 1-mbps bandwidth pipe.

For the foreseeable future, consumers will have a choice between Blu-ray discs and mediocre to good-quality video streams. Meanwhile, DVD sales will continue to nosedive. DVD sales in the United States dropped by 20 percent during the first three months of 2011 compared with the same period last year, according to a report by the Digital Entertainment Group.

Nevertheless, the Blu-ray format will not last forever. As Enderle predicts, streaming will overtake Blu-ray within another couple of decades when 100-mbps Internet access becomes commonplace.

By then, streaming's bit rates will exceed that of Blu-ray--and physical movie discs will finally go the AOL-disc route.

Source is
http://www.pcworld.com/article/241215/video_format_war_bluray_vs_streaming.html

Rovi and ASUS Work Together to Integrate DivX Plus HD in High-End Blu-ray Disc Players

Rovi Corporation announced the signing of a new multi-year licensing agreement for DivX(R) technology with ASUS, a Taiwan-based manufacturer of computing, communications and consumer electronics products. Through the agreement, ASUS plans to integrate DivX Plus(R) HD, the premium level of DivX Certification, into its new high-end O!Play 3D Blu-ray/HD Media Players, the ASUS BDS-700 and BDS-500, which will be the first ASUS-branded 3D Blu-ray players in the market. The ASUS players further expand Rovi's broad global ecosystem: more than 500 million devices with DivX technology have shipped worldwide helping consumers to easily access and enjoy the wide range of Internet and Hollywood video entertainment that is available in the DivX format.

Recently introduced at CeBIT 2011, ASUS O!Play BDS-500 and BDS-700 are two comprehensive 3D Blu-ray/HD media player systems that enable easy-to-use HD video and audio, and offer broad format support. ASUS is including a variety of features, such as dual HDMI and USB ports, a customized, user-friendly interface, smartphone remote control, and gold-plated terminals. Both models ship with Qdeo video processing to help reduce image scatter without adversely affecting sharpness. Color and contrast are also improved and optimized for a more lifelike picture and increased viewing immersion.

"An impressive, ever-growing amount of DivX content is available throughout the world. ASUS, with its knowledge of and focus on the customer's entertainment experience, recognizes that DivX Certification is becoming a 'must-have' for Blu-ray players," said Matt Milne, senior vice president of CE sales, Rovi. "This is a wonderful opportunity for Rovi to work with a top-notch consumer electronics manufacturer to increase our traction in Asia and make it even easier for consumers to find their choice of DivX device to enjoy secure, high quality videos, including premium content."

Whether the content is on optical disc, USB drive, or streamed wirelessly between devices over a home network using DLNA, devices certified for the DivX Plus HD profile can easily play back personal and protected Hollywood entertainment in DivX (.avi) and DivX Plus HD (.mkv) formats. DivX Plus HD certification offers stunning visual quality and supports video resolutions up to 1080p. DivX certified devices contain digital rights management technology to enable the secure playback of premium content in the DivX format, making it easy for consumers to enjoy video entertainment across an extensive, multi-manufacturer ecosystem of consumer electronics devices. Film Fresh, the WB Shop, and Media Markt are but a few of the global online retailers offering titles in the DivX format.

ASUS's new DivX Certified 3D Blu-ray/HD media players are expected to initially launch later this month in Taiwan, followed by Europe and China.

Source is
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/rovi-and-asus-work-together-to-integrate-divx-plus-hd-in-high-end-blu-ray-disc-players-2011-10-13

Microsoft opens up latest Xbox Live dashboard preview program

Microsoft is prepping another update to the Xbox 360 dashboard and, as usual, that means some folks will be able to get an early peek courtesy of the company's preview program. While there's still no date set for a roll-out, those interested in participating this time around can now put their name in for consideration in the program, which is said to be a more automated process than before. As for the dashboard update itself, it boasts a new design for "integrated Kinect and controller navigation," new "Beacons" for playing online with friends, deeper Facebook integration, and cloud storage for your saved games and Xbox Live profile. According to Microsoft's Major Nelson, "other features and entertainment partner apps" may also become available during the program period. Hit the source link below for the complete details.

Source is
http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/12/microsoft-opens-up-latest-xbox-live-dashboard-preview-program/

Next-gen Apple TV likely to have dual-core A5 processor, 1080p playback

Apple’s next iteration of its Apple TV device will likely add in a dual-core A5 processor, the same powerful CPU found inside the new iPhone 4S and the popular iPad 2, and offer 1080p HD playback for the first time.

The Apple TV device has been referred to as a “hobby” by Apple in the past, but that doesn’t mean Apple won’t continue to slowly update the device with better specs to cater to fans. Apple TV lets owners stream content from their iTunes libraries and videos from YouTube, Netflix and Vimeo directly to a home TV.

A reference to the next-gen Apple TV found deep inside of iOS 5′s coding suggests a new version is on the way, according to a 9to5Mac report. The current version of the Apple TV device is listed as “2,1″ while a new “3,1″ version is listed in the iOS 5 software. A new version would include a dual-core A5 processor because it enables 1080p HD playback, the most noticeable deficiency to the Apple TV device. The current Apple TV’s A4 processor unfortunately only allows 720p HD playback.

It’s possible the new device listing could have something to do with an upcoming Apple-made television that we heard will almost certainly arrive in 2012. That device could easily integrate Apple TV’s best features like applications for streaming video services while providing another type of hardware for Apple fans to purchase. Our own Devindra Hardawar suggests the new Apple television will not replace your big-screen HDTV and will most likely will act as a secondary TV in your home. A television screen under 30 inches in size will be easier to manufacture and be ideal for bedrooms and kitchens.

Are you a fan of the Apple TV device? Would you buy a full-fledged Apple-made television?

Source is
http://venturebeat.com/2011/10/09/next-gen-apple-tv-likely-to-have-dual-core-a5-processor-1080p-playback/

Researchers say DRM drives away legitimate customers

According to research set to be published in the November-December issue of Marketing Science, DRM drives some consumers to piracy but doesn't affect those who were already predisposed to it.

Dinah Vernik from the Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University along with Devavrat Purohit and Preyas Desai of Duke's Fuqua School of Business came to a number of conclusions which directly contradict entrenched positions in the entertainment industry.

If you have ever read or heard a statement from an executive at a record label, movie studio, or book publisher, you're likely familiar with the set of assumptions:

1. Piracy is the biggest threat to sales
2. Deterring piracy will mean higher profits
3. DRM restrictions reduce piracy

Obviously, if you buy into these assumptions, the logical conclusion is that more DRM means less piracy and higher profits. As the Duke and Rice researchers show, none of these things should actually be assumed.

Although their research was restricted to music, they say their findings apply equally to other types of content, such as video and e-books. Their principle finding was that DRM doesn't reduce piracy. In fact, they found it has just the opposite effect.

Consumers, they say, are hesitant to pay for music with DRM restrictions because it prevents them from doing normal things, such as making a backup or playing it on their choice of device.

According to Vernik:

The recording industry acknowledges that consumers bear the additional costs of imposing DRM restrictions on digital music, which lowers the overall satisfaction of those who purchase music downloads legally. This dissatisfaction with sometimes onerous DRM restrictions could nudge consumers toward piracy.

The study shows these restrictions affect only those with legal intentions, since those are the people who purchase DRM-laden music. As it points out, pirated versions of the same content have no such restrictions.

What may be lost to many people is the second, and equally important, conclusion offered in the paper. Less piracy does not necessarily equate to more profit. They conclude it would ultimately lead to more competition and lower prices.

It doesn't address how content producers may be able to increase profits without DRM. However, that question has already been examined in past research, and the answer is once again the opposite of the standard thinking in the entertainment industry.

A 2010 paper from Professor Raghuram Iyengar, Assistant Professor of Marketing at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, suggests a significant price drop would increase both retailer and label profits significantly.

This is consistent with basic economic principles, which tell us the price of a mass produced product will ultimately be just above the cost of making each additional unit. In this case, the product is a download and the costs are royalties for the labels and bandwidth & server/operations costs for the retailer.

None of this should surprise anyone. All the research is showing is that basic economics applies to the content industry, regardless of the monopoly power which comes with copyright.

Ditching DRM could reduce piracy, prices, inconvenience

This may run counter to what your common sense tells you but, a new paper out of Duke and Rice University says that ditching DRM could actually reduce piracy. The study, which relied on analytical modeling, showed that while copy protection made illegally sharing content more difficult it had a significantly negative impact on legal users. In fact, the researchers say, "only the legal users pay the price and suffer from the restrictions [of DRM]." Many consumers simply choose to pirate music and movies because doing simple things, like backing up a media collection, is difficult with DRMed content. Even the most effective DRM is eventually broken, and fails to deter those already determined to steal. Meanwhile, abandoning these restrictions could increase competition and drive down prices (as well as remove a serious inconvenience), encouraging more people to legitimately purchase content. You can check out the November-December issue of Marketing Science for more details.

Source is http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/09/ditching-drm-could-reduce-piracy-prices-inconvenience/

Netflix looking to revive Reno 911!

Reno 911!

It appears that movie streaming giant Netflix is looking to revive the Comedy Central comedy "Reno 911!"
Netflix's chief creative officer Ted Sarandos has had meetings with Reno 911! producers Michael Shamberg and Stacy Sher, although that is as far as the process has gone. The show was cancelled in 2009.

For now, the lead stars of the show, Thomas Lennon, Kerri Kenney-Silver and Robert Ben Garant, have not signed any deal that would lead to them returning but they absolutely could.

Additionally, Comedy Central still retains the rights to the show. Netflix would have first run rights, but eventually syndicated episodes would be available back on Comedy Central, say industry insiders.

Netflix has been in headlines recently for their bidding war with Showtime over new episodes of the extremely popular but cancelled show "Arrested Development."

Source is http://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2011/10/09/netflix_looking_to_revive_reno_911

CinemaNow strikes deal with Intel, adds new movies in 1080p HD

CinemaNow's movie library is about to get a bit larger and a good deal sharper, thanks to a new deal with Intel. Yesterday, the video on-demand service announced that it's now offering a slate of 1080p HD movies for the first time, available on PCs packing a second generation Intel Core CPU.

The films will be from Warner Bros. and Fox.

Intel Insider "is a hardware-based security technology in second-generation Intel Core processors, which is the fastest-shipping Intel product with more than 75 million units shipped to date," says THR.

Reads a statement from Warner Bros. Digital Distribution:

CinemaNow and Intel are making secure HD Content distribution a reality on the personal computer.

Adds 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment:

The partnership with Intel and Best Buy's CinemaNow to bring HD digital downloads of our movies to the PC will expand our reach to millions of devices in the U.S. and potentially more around the world.

CinemaNow has 15,000 TV shows and movies, in standard definition. 

Source is http://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2011/10/07/cinemanow_adds_1080p_films_to_catalog