Digital Video Essentials calibration tool launches on HD DVD

We certainly can't say that this one arrived a moment too soon, as all of you early adopters of HD DVD drives have probably been frustrating yourself with manual color calibration techniques that just never turned out quite right. Thankfully, the highly-anticipated (and perpetually delayed) HD DVD version of Digital Video Essentials is finally available for sale, and interestingly, the disc will actually be of the dual-format variety for those still keeping a vanilla DVD player around the house. Users will be graced with both 1080p and 720p VC-1 encoded material, NTSC and PAL compatibility, 6.1-channel Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Digital True HD tracks, built-in color filters, and of course, widescreen / standard options. So if you've been yearning to get your HD DVD calibration on, the time has finally come, at least for those willing to shell out the $34.95 required to pick DVE up.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 17th 2007 11:14AM]

Where's the Blu-Ray version?

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 17th 2007 2:07PM]

Great question, the answer is it problem won't happen. Joe is a HD DVD supporter.
http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/07/18/tv-calibration-expert-joe-kanes-take-on-high-def-video-format/

[Bobbo Posted Apr 17th 2007 1:07PM]

Sweet! I calibrated my HDTV with the previous DVD version and it left me wanting. I have been waiting for this since day one of buying a HD-DVD player.

Now lets see if Netflix has it.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 17th 2007 2:05PM]

Netflix won't carry and even if they did they wouldn't send you the filters you would need to use the disk.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 17th 2007 4:41PM]

Just got an e-mail back from DVD International's sales/distribution guy after I couldn't find it for purchase (my long-standing pre-order on Amazon still says May 21). Even though the press release linked above says it's available now, he told me that "April 24 is the standing date for the first retailers to receive and ship product."

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 17th 2007 6:00PM]

Shop around. There is a guy on the AVS forum who owns an Audio video business. He is selling this for $23. Also, some people reported purchasing this disk for $20. I think buy.com was one of those places...

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 17th 2007 6:03PM]

Yeah, $18.99 at buy.com. Not a bad price at all. Plus, add on the $10 off coupon for first time google checkout users, and you get this for $8.99 plus shipping:

http://www.buy.com/prod/digital-video-essentials-hd/q/loc/322/203043835.html

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 17th 2007 6:06PM]

^Thanks. Bought from there :D

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 18th 2007 2:58AM]

Finally, I've had this thing on hold forever.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 18th 2007 1:36PM]

Netflix carried the old one, I rented it years ago. SO they MIGHT cary the new one. The old one did not come with the filters, so I doubt this one would either even it it was rentable - but your old filters (from the first DVE) would work I suppose.