DVD posts

Thumbnail-Sized Chip Holds Equivalent of 20 HD DVDs

by Caleb Johnson (RSS feed) — Oct 24th 2009 at 1:51PM

Engineers at North Carolina State University have created a computer chip that holds one terabyte -- or 1,000 gigabytes -- of data and is no larger than a fingernail. For perspective, that means you could store 20 high-definition DVDs or 250 million pages of text on this tiny chip. According to Computer World, this modern marvel is made possible by a process called selective doping, in which engineers add an impurity to a material in order to change its properties. In this case, it results in a drastic reduction in size.

Not only does this breakthrough affect data storage, but it has implications for 'green' technology, too. For example, engineers could use selective doping to build ceramic engines that could withstand higher temperatures. That possible outcome, lead engineer Jagdish "Jay" Narayan says, could lead to better fuel efficiency. Doping could also better solar energy by improving the thermal conductivity of the materials used.

Tags: chip, dvd, engineering, green, science, selective doping, SelectiveDoping, storage, terabyte, top

Audio/Video, Celebrities

French President Sarkozy Accused of DVD Piracy

by Caleb Johnson (RSS feed) — Oct 8th 2009 at 5:54PM

Known for his anti-piracy views, French President Nicolas Sarkozy has once again been accused of being the pot that called the kettle black. According to Huffington Post, a French newspaper is reporting that Sarkozy illegally made 400 copies of a DVD and gave them to diplomats at a conference. The film in question is a 52-minute documentary on Sarkozy, himself, called 'A visage decouvert: Nicolas Sarkozy.' The distributor only gave the president 50 copies, which, apparently, just wasn't enough. Sarkozy burned a few hundred more, but didn't stop there, either. The President, or whoever actually made the copies, worked up a new DVD jacket and replaced manufacturer Galaxie Presse's logo with that of Sarkozy's own presidential 'AV Service.'

If you're keeping count at home, this is Sarkozy's second brush with copyright infringement. This means, according to his own policy, Sarkozy is just "one strike" away from being out. What, we wonder, does Sarkozy's musician wife think about his lack of respect for copyright law? We'd imagine somebody's going to be in, how do you say? Le doghouse. [From: Huffington Post]

Tags: copyright, dvd, expire-images:2010-10-9, france, government, illegal, nicolas sarkozy, NicolasSarkozy, piracy, top

Audio/Video

Former Postal Worker Admits Stealing Over 3,000 Netflix DVDs

by Caleb Johnson (RSS feed) — Sep 23rd 2009 at 3:01PM

A former government employee amassed quite a collection of DVDs over the years, but there's one problem. They were all stolen property. Myles Weathers, who worked at a postal sorting facility in Springfield, Massachusetts, plead guilty Tuesday to federal theft charges. According to The Smoking Gun, Weathers swiped 3,012 Netflix DVDs, worth about $36,471, during his tenure as a postal worker.

Apparently, Netflix officials discovered Weathers's scam when they noticed an unusual amount of DVDs were reported missing by customers in the area. Turns out, video surveillance showed Weathers pulling the bright red envelopes from stacks of mail and placing them inside his backpack.

Tags: crime, dumb criminal, DumbCriminal, dvd, netflix, post office, postal, PostOffice, theft, top

Web

Swedish Government Funds Artsy 'Feminist' Porno for Gals

by Leila Brillson (RSS feed) — Sep 5th 2009 at 5:01PM

To the easily flustered: avert your eyes. Swedish director Mia Engberg has produced 12 short films that she dubs, as oxymoronic as it sounds, 'feminist porn,' the AFP reports. Artsy, with slow close-ups of men and women, lots of laughter and 'unsexy' imagery like hugging, 'Dirty Diaries' -- as the series is called -- hopes to celebrate sexuality, not please men. Enterprising, and not without controversy.

Tags: adult, amateur, dvd, film, filmmaking, indie, porn, pornography, sweden, top, video

Audio/Video, Computers, Video Games

How to Backup Your Media and Ditch Discs Forever

by Lee Bains (RSS feed) — Aug 28th 2009 at 6:33AM

As a motley group of music snobs, avid gamers, and movie buffs, we hate to admit this. Really, we do. But the vast majority of our listening, playing, and viewing takes place not in an acoustically treated home-entertainment fortress, but on a couch in front of a laptop. Seeing as that's the case, we really don't need all those fragile, easily smudged discs lying around as we once did. And even those of us who do prefer hi-fi adventures worry about the safety of the delicate plastic circles we've spent so much time and money accumulating. Fortunately, Lifehacker's Kevin Purdy has come up with a comprehensive guide for going disc-less -- whether your motivation be efficiency or security.

His piece has it all -- from preferred bitrates and free conversion software, to the best places (online and real-world) to sell used discs. Do yourself a favor and check it out. Your teetering towers of bare naked, upside-down CDs perched on the coffee table will thank you for it. [From: Lifehacker]

Tags: backup, blu-ray, cd, discs, dvd, top, video games, VideoGames

Audio/Video, Cell Phones, Columns, Editor's Picks, iPod, iPhone, Windows Software, Mac Software, Reviews, Downloads

Switched Download: Handbrake Rips DVDs for iPhones, Other Devices

by Terrence O'Brien (RSS feed) — Jun 29th 2009 at 1:08PM

Switched Download: Handbrake Rips Your DVDs for Your iPhone and Other Devices

Handbrake

What it does: Handbrake converts DVDs and other videos into formats for easy sharing between your computers or loading onto a portable device or console.

What we like about it: Handbrake is dead simple to use, with one-click presets that format for the iPod, the iPhone and iPod Touch, Apple TV, PSP, PS3, and Xbox 360. But power users can access advanced controls to fine-tune options such as resolution or bitrate, or optimize videos for devices such as BlackBerrys. Though it began as a DVD converter, the latest version of Handbrake can reformat just about any video source -- including YouTube clips and DivX files.

Tags: dvd, features, handbrake, switcheddownload, top, video

Audio/Video

Dog Sniffs Out 35,000 Pirated DVDs

by Lee Bains (RSS feed) — Jun 5th 2009 at 12:45PM

The most powerful weapon to have recently emerged against the high-tech, big-money industry of DVD piracy comes in an unlikely package: knee-high, four-legged, and covered with black hair.

Wednesday, according to the AFP, the worldwide arm of the Motion Picture Association of America (called, simply, the Motion Picture Association) announced that 35,000 pirated discs had recently been located in several Malaysian warehouses -- by none other than a black lab named Paddy. Trained to sniff out chemicals integral to the bootleg discs, Paddy was given to the Malaysian government by the trade association, itself. Thanks to the dog's nuanced sense of smell, Malaysia's ministry of trade and consumer affairs was able to shut down the six different warehouses in possession of the pirated goods. The Motion Picture Association, which has reported that the companies it represents lost a total of $6.1 billion to pirates in 2005, is of course quite pleased with the work of its canine cop.

On top of being a curse to pirates everywhere, ol' Paddy must be a pretty tough film critic, to boot. After all, to him, pretty much every movie stinks. [From: Yahoo/AFP]

Tags: animals, dogs, dvd, mpa, mpaa, pets, piracy, pirates, top

Audio/Video, Computers

91% of Americans Want the Ability to Copy DVDs Onto Their PCs, Study Finds

by Lee Bains (RSS feed) — Apr 6th 2009 at 11:18AM

This morning, the National Consumers League released a statement claiming that 90-percent of PC-owning, U.S. consumers want the ability to save DVDs, as they would CDs, on their computers. The study was conducted by the Opinion Research Corporation, and drawn from a survey of 1,000 consumers of varying ages.

This should come as no surprise to those who have witnessed the gradual digitalization (moving away from physical products and towards computer files) of music, songs and albums. Just as many music fans now use their computers as their primary sound systems, 69-percent of those surveyed attested to watching DVDs on their computers. Is it any surprise, then, that they'd want the ability to save the disc on their video player of choice? It shouldn't be, particularly when you consider that nearly 40-percent of the respondents claimed to have, at some point, repurchased a DVD due to loss or damage.

For the most part, folks in the "biz" aren't too fond of this trend, since importing media onto a computer renders computer files that are more easily pirated than are physical discs. That being said, with the economy in such dire straits, and folks' once disposable income becoming increasingly indispensable, DVD sales have suffered (55-percent are purchasing fewer DVDs than they were last year). That being said, 40-percent of the respondents said that the ability to import DVDs onto their computers would stimulate their purchasing of the discs.

Tags: digital media, DigitalMedia, drm, dvd, dvd recorder, DvdRecorder, DVDs, studies, surveys, top

Audio/Video

Warner Bros. 'Archive' Brings Obscure Films to DVD On-demand

by Darren Murph (RSS feed) — Mar 27th 2009 at 4:58PM

Being the digital aficionados that we are, we still prefer Criterion's Online Cinematheque over this approach, but those not quite ready to give up physical media will absolutely (and understandably) disagree. At any rate, the studio has just fired up its Warner Archive, a nice little web portal where film fanatics can surf over and locate niche titles to be placed on a DVD and shipped out. Most of the flicks are priced at $19.95, but that's still far cheaper than scouring eBay for hours in hopes of finding the original reel, having it converted and then watching it. Head on over to see if there's anything you like, but don't be shocked if you leave a few Benjamins poorer.

Tags: dvd, dvd-on-demand, on demand, OnDemand, studio, vod, warner bros, warner bros., Warner Brothers, WarnerBros, WarnerBros., WarnerBrothers

Audio/Video

Borders to Quit Selling CDs and DVDs?

by Lee Bains (RSS feed) — Mar 26th 2009 at 3:04PM

The book and music retailer Borders may soon be removing CDs and DVDs from its stores' shelves, according to a report in the Consumerist.

Apparently, this past Monday, a Borders employee wrote the Consumerist, claiming that "most Borders [stores]" will remove 75-percent of their CD and DVD inventory over the next couple of months. According to this tipster, whose veracity has not been confirmed, CDs and DVDs will be gradually, and drastically, marked down over the next seven weeks in order to clear the shelves.

With the closings of Circuit City and Tower Records stores, and the upcoming closing of Virgin Megastores, the success of iTunes, and the illegal download boom, we wouldn't at all be surprised if this rumor winds up being true. That being said, we're not in the business of counting chickens, so why not let us check out these supposed mark-downs first? [From: Consumerist Via: Blogging Stocks]

Tags: borders, business, cd, cds, dvd, financial crisis, FinancialCrisis, music industry, MusicIndustry

Audio/Video

Bob Barr Takes a Stand on DVD-Copying

by Dan Reilly (RSS feed) — Mar 11th 2009 at 1:25PM

Back in September, we said it was only a matter of time before the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) went after RealDVD, the software that lets you copy entire DVDs onto your computer for personal use. Studios are currently involved in a heated lawsuit with RealNetworks in Federal court that aims to ban the sale of the product.

The MPAA claims that the software violates the Digital Millennium Copyright Act by encouraging DVD piracy. Conversely, RealNetworks says that the software merely allows DVD owners to save their discs to their own personal hard drives, a practice fully in line with DMCA stipulations. Currently, the court has issued an injunction against the sale of RealDVD. Meanwhile, the MPAA is accusing the company of destroying evidence that would show the software is "based in part on the work of ... hackers."

The case has attracted the attention of 2008 Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr, who, in a San Francisco Chronicle editorial, called the suit "knee-jerk, anti-technology litigation" that should concern those who hope for "fair play and innovation to remain valued commodities in 21st-century America." He believes the product would actually benefit the MPAA by encouraging the legal use of DVDs, saying that RealNetworks has "the law, the facts and common sense on its side." We have to agree, although it would seem like an easy way to copy your Netflix rentals. Either way, we'll certainly keep an eye on the case. [From: SFGate and Wired]

Tags: bob barr, BobBarr, drm, dvd, movies, mpaa, piracy, politics, real dvd, real networks, RealDvd, RealNetworks

Audio/Video, Home Video

Fox Removing Special Features from Rental DVD and Blu-ray Movies

by Tim Stevens (RSS feed) — Mar 6th 2009 at 9:53AM

In the VHS days, rental versions of movies were usually saddled with preview after preview that you'd have to fast-forward through before getting to the main event -- a small penalty for not having to pay full-price to watch it. With the advent of the DVD, and now high-def Blu-ray discs, you're usually just a button-press away from the film itself. Increasingly, however, the real attraction of disc-based movies has become the special features -- deleted scenes, director commentary, blooper reels -- that are currently present on both retail and rental discs. Now, though, Fox wants to put a new penalty for renters in place, by stripping out those special features and restricting them only to the full-price versions that you buy.

For example, Fox's retail DVD copy of recent Oscar darling 'Slumdog Millionaire' will feature the usual selection of deleted scenes, making-of documentaries, and commentaries from those who worked on the film. The rental version, however, will only have the film itself and trailers for other upcoming Fox DVDs -- hardly a fair swap. 'Slumdog' will be the guinea pig for this business experiment along with 'Marley and Me,' also being released on March 31. Different films will feature different sets of features, and it remains to be seen whether this will have the impact Fox must surely be hoping for (more movies bought, fewer rented), but we're fairly certain most Netflix subscribers won't be too pleased to hear this news. [From: Boing Boing Badgets]

Related Links:

Tags: blockbuster, blu-ray, dvd, dvd rentals, DvdRentals, economy, entertainment, fox, movies, netflix, slumdog millionaire, SlumdogMillionaire, special features, SpecialFeatures, video rentals, VideoRentals

Audio/Video, Video Games

Video Games Now Outselling DVD and Blu-ray

by Peter Mychalcewycz (RSS feed) — Jan 28th 2009 at 11:47AM

For the first time in the history of our majestic Earth, video games have seen retail sales higher than those of DVD and Blu-ray, according to GamesIndustry.com. The popular Nintendo Wii was a major factor, along with what we can only describe as folks' desire to escape from what had been a pretty tough year.

Media Control GfK International reported that video game sales jumped 20 percent last year, accounting for $32 billion of the $61 billion worldwide packaged media market. Video games represented 53 percent of packaged media sales in 2008, and are expected to grow to 57 percent in the new year. Blu-ray is expected to double sales in 2009 with the combined revenue of DVD and Blu-ray dropping four percent or more.

[From: GamesIndustry.com]

Tags: blu-ray, business, dvd, sales, trends, video games, VideoGames

Audio/Video, Home Video

The End Of The End Of An Era? No More VHS Distribution.

by Will Safer (RSS feed) — Dec 23rd 2008 at 9:32AM

A trivia point for you: What was the last big studio movie to be released on VHS tape? The answer is 'A History of Violence,' released in 2006.

People in the consumer electronics industry have been announcing the end of the VHS era for years now – but this time they really, really mean it. Ever since the introduction of the DVD back in the late '90s, the VHS tape has been only the second-best solution to watching movies at home. The VCR is something only your parents or grandparents have attached to their second TV down in the basement or back guest room with a stack of old tapes sitting nearby, maybe your old copy of Eddie Murphy's 'Coming to America' or your mom's complete collection of 1981's 'Brideshead Revisited.' (Well, some mothers we know.)

Camcorders stopped using VHS tapes once other, smaller format tapes came out, like Super 8 or MiniDV so that source for a tape collection has also dried up. (And now video cameras that take recordable discs, memory cards or have hard drives are the common choice.)

During the last two years, movies on VHS tape have pretty much been available only in dollar stores, as the big box retailers have converted their floor space to carry DVDs and movies on Blu-ray Disc.

While watching a movie on disc is a much better experience than watching on VHS (no more "be kind, rewind" signs at the rental store is certainly a good thing), people can't deny the effect this technology had on American movie-watching patterns.

"I think in some ways it even pulled families together, if that doesn't sound too corny, because renting movies became such a part of the weekend," Jim Henderson tells the Los Angeles Times. He's one of the owners of a Hollywood store that sells pop culture in just about every format imaginable, including VHS. But even he no longer buys new VHS tapes. His inventory comes in by way of customers who want to want to buy and trade hard-to-find items.

JVC, the first company to make VHS players for consumers, announced before Halloween that it would no longer make stand-alone players – although it will continue to make DVD-VHS combo units for the time being.

And one of the major distributors of those cheap VHS movies you see in the dollar stores has announced he's bought his last new VHS tape. Ryan J. Kugler, who runs a family business that specializes in the cheap tapes says he was the last one buying VHS and the last one selling it. "And I'm done," he says. "Anything left in warehouse we'll just give away or throw away." [From Los Angeles Times, via Engadget]

Tags: DVD, JVC, top, VHS tape, VhsTape

Audio/Video, TV

Economy and HD Adoption Driving Stay-at-home Entertainment Up

by Darren Murph (RSS feed) — Dec 21st 2008 at 12:30PM

We've already waded through a number of research reports that found individuals more likely to stay at home and get their entertainment during rough economic times, but an insightful piece from Parks Associates takes a more deliberate approach to analyzing what's really going on. When looking at just how many people are viewing video-on-demand content now versus two years ago (it's way up, by the way), it's easy to attribute that -- along with the downturn at the box office -- to a flagging economy. However, the report also notes that HD adoption in general has boomed over the past two years, giving citizens access to more high-quality at-home entertainment than ever before.

As Kurt Scherf, principal analyst at Parks, so satisfactorily put it: "As we're seeing high-definition TV penetration reach 50-percent of households and home theater penetration well over 20-percent, we're seeing consumers want to enjoy those investments as much as possible." Nice thinking outside of the box there, Kurt.

[Via VideoBusiness]

Tags: dvd, economy, entertainment, Parks Associates, ParksAssociates, report, research, sales, video on demand, video-on-demand, VideoOnDemand, vod

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'Black Friday' Deals to Watch For

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Black Friday' Deals to Watch For

Traditionalists might balk, but the holiday shopping season is already underway. Skeptical? Head to your local department store and you'll be inundated by Christmas trees and ornaments. Bargain hunters, though, know that the real deals are more than a month away.

Black Friday, traditionally, is when retailers truly slash prices. Early birds can save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars off of their holiday bills. Switched.com checked with a few elves, who gave a sneak peek at what you can expect deal-wise this year.

Blu-ray Players and Movies: Blu-ray is shaping up to be the biggest door buster of this year's Black Friday. de Grandpre expects at least one retailer will offer a Blu-ray player for just $49. Look for bargains on Blu-ray films as well, with last year's hit titles (such as "Iron Man") to fall as low as $5.

Laptops: With the proliferation of Netbooks this year, it's never been easier to find affordable portable computing, but Dan de Grandpre, CEO of DealNews.com says it will get even cheaper on Black Friday. Look for well-equipped Netbooks to sell for $199 – and basic 15" laptops to go for as little as $249.

HDTVs (Pretty big): The holidays are typically the best time to buy a new TV – and Black Friday is the time to do it. If you're looking for a normal sized set, you're in luck. Piper Jaffrey analyst Mitch Kaiser says he expects to see 32-inch LCD sets for as low as $299. GottaDeal.com is estimating 37-inch plasma and LCD sets will fall to $399 or less.

HDTVs (Really big): Need something bigger? How about a 46-47 inch LCD set for $599 – a 25 percent savings? Or a 52-inch LCD for $999? Dealnews says you can expect both. Plasma deals will be a little harder to come by, but a 50-inch set should run roughly $899.

HD Camcorders: You've wanted to shoot your child's school play in HD for a while, but haven't been able to spring for the pricey camcorder. This might be the year. Low-end, flash-based 720p models could drop as low as $60 (though you won't be able to zoom with those). Expect a high quality 1080p HD camcorder for $349.

GPS: While navigation systems have dramatically expanded their reach this year – even making it onto the iPhone – there's still a market for car-based systems. Dealnews predicts you'll be able to find a no-name entry-level system for $49, while a Garmin or Tom-Tom brand will be as low as $69.

Digital Picture Frames: Showcasing your digital pictures consistently gets cheaper. This year, skip the 7-inch screens and focus on the 8- or 9-inch ones, which should be available on Black Friday for as little as $30.

Monitors: Computer monitors might not be the sexiest of gifts, but they're usually welcomed with open arms – and they'll be cheap this year. Name brand 22-inch LCD models may go for as low as $99, while 24-inch models will drop below $150.

Memory: Don't know anyone who needs a monitor? External hard drives are always popular, since they're an easy way to back-up data. Dealnews expects a 1TB drive to fall as low as $49 this year. Gottadeal is looking for 8GB flash drives to hit $15.

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