Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[HD DVD rides again: TCL brings China Blue HD & Blu-ray together for a CES face-off]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/11/hd-dvd-rides-again-tcl-brings-china-blue-hd-and-blu-ray-together/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/11/hd-dvd-rides-again-tcl-brings-china-blue-hd-and-blu-ray-together/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/11/hd-dvd-rides-again-tcl-brings-china-blue-hd-and-blu-ray-together/#comments Ah, HD DVD, our old friend - we thought we'd never see you again. But there was no mistaking it, here's the logo tucked away in Chinese manufacturer TCL's booth on a China Blue HD deck next to a similar Blu-ray player. The Blu-ray demo appeared to be down when we stopped by making this not much of a fight -- although with recent gains by CBHD like adding studio support from Paramount, it may want to take this challenger more seriously. We'll move the threat level on this conflict to yellow.

Gallery: TCL brings the CBHD-Blu-ray battle to CES

HD DVD rides again: TCL brings China Blue HD & Blu-ray together for a CES face-off originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jan 2010 16:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu-raycbhdcesces 2010Ces2010chinachina blue hdChinaBlueHdchineseformat warFormatWarhands-onhd dvdHdDvdtclMon, 11 Jan 2010 16:04:00 EST<![CDATA[China Blue HD crosses over to the UK, third Opium War inevitable]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/13/china-blue-hd-crosses-over-to-the-uk-third-opium-war-inevitable/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/13/china-blue-hd-crosses-over-to-the-uk-third-opium-war-inevitable/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/13/china-blue-hd-crosses-over-to-the-uk-third-opium-war-inevitable/#comments We've given HD DVD's bastard child China Blue HD its due for a good start in its native land, but now that U.K. Importer GBAX has made a few units available it's time for English language buyers to at least consider this Blu-ray alternative. Of course, with a £259.99 ($413.22 U.S.) pricetag for this plain TCL player, AV and HD cables, plus 14 CBHD movies (The Aviator, Blood Diamond, The Invasion, The Island, Flood, Poseidon & 8 Chinese-only flicks) to get you started the barrier to entry is high, but as shown in the unboxing / preview video -- embedded after the break, watch for ninjas -- the experience is very familiar. As Format War Central points out, the 220/240Hz power cord makes things complicated for the U.S. and other places outside Europe, but hardcore HD DVD holdouts are used to a world filled with only Warner and Universal movies already, so why not give the other blue laser flavor a try?

[Via Format War Central]

Continue reading China Blue HD crosses over to the UK, third Opium War inevitable

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China Blue HD crosses over to the UK, third Opium War inevitable originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu-rayblue laserBlueLasercbhdchina blue hdChinaBlueHdeueuropeformatformat warFormatWarhdtvhigh definitionHighDefinitionimportoptical discoptical disksOpticalDiscOpticalDisksplayerspoundstclukunited kingdomUnitedKingdomTue, 13 Oct 2009 21:24:00 EST<![CDATA[China Blue HD crosses over to the UK, third Opium War inevitable]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/13/china-blue-hd-crosses-over-to-the-uk-third-opium-war-inevitable/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/13/china-blue-hd-crosses-over-to-the-uk-third-opium-war-inevitable/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/13/china-blue-hd-crosses-over-to-the-uk-third-opium-war-inevitable/#comments We've given HD DVD's bastard child China Blue HD its due for a good start in its native land, but now that U.K. Importer GBAX has made a few units available it's time for English language buyers to at least consider this Blu-ray alternative. Of course, with a £259.99 ($413.22 U.S.) pricetag for this plain TCL player, AV and HD cables, plus 14 CBHD movies (The Aviator, Blood Diamond, The Invasion, The Island, Flood, Poseidon & 8 Chinese-only flicks) to get you started the barrier to entry is high, but as shown in the unboxing / preview video -- embedded after the break, watch for ninjas -- the experience is very familiar. As Format War Central points out, the 220/240Hz power cord makes things complicated for the U.S. and other places outside Europe, but hardcore HD DVD holdouts are used to a world filled with only Warner and Universal movies already, so why not give the other blue laser flavor a try?

[Via Format War Central]

Continue reading China Blue HD crosses over to the UK, third Opium War inevitable

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China Blue HD crosses over to the UK, third Opium War inevitable originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu-rayblue laserBlueLasercbhdchina blue hdChinaBlueHdeueuropeformatformat warFormatWarhdhigh definitionHighDefinitionimportoptical discoptical disksOpticalDiscOpticalDisksother formatsotherformatsplayerspoundstclukunited kingdomUnitedKingdomTue, 13 Oct 2009 21:24:00 EST<![CDATA[China Blue HD adding supporters and talking trash to Blu-ray]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/01/china-blue-hd-adding-supporters-and-talking-trash-to-blu-ray/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/01/china-blue-hd-adding-supporters-and-talking-trash-to-blu-ray/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/01/china-blue-hd-adding-supporters-and-talking-trash-to-blu-ray/#comments It momentarily slipped under our US-centric noses, but another log was thrown on the Chinese high definition format war recently when Universal Studios and National Geographic joined Warner in supporting China Blue HD. Format War Central also reports 8 new manufacturers have signed up to join the CHDA backing the format. That plus a claimed 3-1 sales advantage have the CHDA calling the format war "a game no one played" thanks to Blu-ray's high prices and licensing fees. It's still unlikely China's son of HD DVD could affect that high definition movie marketplace anywhere else, but it will be interesting to see if the country's manufacturers choose that path and upgrade their existing DVD equipment instead of replacing it to produce the even cheaper Blu-ray players we'd hoped for.

[Via Format War Central]

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China Blue HD adding supporters and talking trash to Blu-ray originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 03:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu rayblu-raybluraycbhdchdachinachina blue hdChinaBlueHdchineseformat warFormatWarhdother formatsotherformatsThu, 01 Oct 2009 03:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Blu-ray reportedly trailing CBHD in China, the second theater of the format war begins]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/25/blu-ray-reportedly-trailing-cbhd-in-china-the-second-theater-of/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/25/blu-ray-reportedly-trailing-cbhd-in-china-the-second-theater-of/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/25/blu-ray-reportedly-trailing-cbhd-in-china-the-second-theater-of/#comments
Just because Toshiba has given up on HD DVD and moved on, doesn't mean the format war is totally over for red. According to a report by a Japanese TV station, its successor, China Blue HD is actually leading Blu-ray in marketshare in that country. Of course, based on the article found by our friends at FormatWarCentral, all we have to go on is a machine translated description of a video in a language we don't speak describing the apparent initial success of the government backed format in a socialist republic. If you need more evidence than that to declare the format war officially restarted, you're probably a communist, but before we drag you in front of the Un-American activities committee check out the video for a peek at the slick new CBHD cases that The Onion will surely be shipping its videos in very soon.

[Via FormatWarCentral]

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Blu-ray reportedly trailing CBHD in China, the second theater of the format war begins originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 25 Jul 2009 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu-raycbhdchinachina blue hdChinaBlueHdchineseformat warFormatWarhd dvdHdDvdhdtvmarketsharetv tokyoTvTokyoSat, 25 Jul 2009 18:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Blu-ray reportedly trailing CBHD in China, the second theater of the format war begins]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/25/blu-ray-reportedly-trailing-cbhd-in-china-the-second-theater-of/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/25/blu-ray-reportedly-trailing-cbhd-in-china-the-second-theater-of/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/25/blu-ray-reportedly-trailing-cbhd-in-china-the-second-theater-of/#comments
Just because Toshiba has given up on HD DVD and moved on, doesn't mean the format war is totally over for red. According to a report by a Japanese TV station, its successor, China Blue HD is actually leading Blu-ray in marketshare in that country. Of course, based on the article found by our friends at FormatWarCentral, all we have to go on is a machine translated description of a video in a language we don't speak describing the apparent initial success of the government backed format in a socialist republic. If you need more evidence than that to declare the format war officially restarted, you're probably a communist, but before we drag you in front of the Un-American activities committee check out the video for a peek at the slick new CBHD cases that The Onion will surely be shipping its videos in very soon.

[Via FormatWarCentral]

Filed under: ,

Blu-ray reportedly trailing CBHD in China, the second theater of the format war begins originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 25 Jul 2009 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu rayblu-raybluraycbhdchinachina blue hdChinaBlueHdchineseformat warFormatWarhdhd dvdHdDvdmarketsharetv tokyoTvTokyoSat, 25 Jul 2009 18:03:00 EST<![CDATA[China Blue HD players revealed, second stage of the format war is officially on]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/24/china-blue-hd-players-revealed-second-stage-of-the-format-war-i/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/24/china-blue-hd-players-revealed-second-stage-of-the-format-war-i/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/24/china-blue-hd-players-revealed-second-stage-of-the-format-war-i/#comments
China's alternative to Blu-ray finally has some hardware to show off, with players from TCL and Shinco making their debut this week. Priced at less than 2,000 yuan ($292) they're reportedly 40% cheaper than the competition, and while the promised support from Warner Bros. has yet to materialize it plans to release 100 movies on the CBHD format by the end of the year. That's about all the machine translation could help us make out beyond the usual promise of lower licensing fees for Chinese manufacturers, but a better look at the latest (and by far most legit, although that's not saying much) Blu-ray fighter is beyond the read link.

[Via CDR Info]

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China Blue HD players revealed, second stage of the format war is officially on originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blue laserBlueLasercbhdchinachina blue hdChinaBlueHdhd dvdHdDvdhdtvplayerplayersshincotclFri, 24 Apr 2009 07:27:00 EST<![CDATA[China Blue HD players revealed, second stage of the format war is officially on]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/24/china-blue-hd-players-revealed-second-stage-of-the-format-war-i/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/24/china-blue-hd-players-revealed-second-stage-of-the-format-war-i/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/24/china-blue-hd-players-revealed-second-stage-of-the-format-war-i/#comments
China's alternative to Blu-ray finally has some hardware to show off, with players from TCL and Shinco making their debut this week. Priced at less than 2,000 yuan ($292) they're reportedly 40% cheaper than the competition, and while the promised support from Warner Bros. has yet to materialize it plans to release 100 movies on the CBHD format by the end of the year. That's about all the machine translation could help us make out beyond the usual promise of lower licensing fees for Chinese manufacturers, but a better look at the latest (and by far most legit, although that's not saying much) Blu-ray fighter is beyond the read link.

[Via CDR Info]

Filed under: , ,

China Blue HD players revealed, second stage of the format war is officially on originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blue laserBlueLasercbhdchinachina blue hdChinaBlueHdhdhd dvdHdDvdother formatsotherformatsothersplayerplayersshincotclFri, 24 Apr 2009 07:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Warner Bros. plans to support CBHD, the format war is back on -- at least in China]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/02/warner-bros-plans-to-support-cbhd-the-format-war-is-back-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/02/warner-bros-plans-to-support-cbhd-the-format-war-is-back-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/02/warner-bros-plans-to-support-cbhd-the-format-war-is-back-on/#comments
It seems appropriate that after striking the fatal blow in the war between HD DVD and Blu-ray, Warner is the first to break rank and ally itself with the China Blue HD team. Ready to enter the ordinary Chinese consumer's family, according to Managing Director Tony Vaughan, the Harry Potter series, Speed Racer and others will launch for 50-70 yuan ($7.30 - $10.22) per disc. Excuse us while we pick our jaws up from the floor, but with at least one Hollywood studio in pocket and 1999 yuan ($292) players on the way the son of HD DVD looks closer to a real Blu-ray competitor -- and less like the destined for the scrap heap reject we predicted -- than ever. With DVD sales shrinking and Blu-ray not quite ready to pick up the slack, how long until another studio decides the Chinese market has enough potential to publish movies on CBHD? [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]

[Via Format War Central]

Filed under: ,

Warner Bros. plans to support CBHD, the format war is back on -- at least in China originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Mar 2009 23:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu-raycbhdchinachina blue hdchina blue high-definitio discChinaBlueHdChinaBlueHigh-definitioDischarry potterHarryPotterhdtvwarnerwarner broswarner brothersWarnerBrosWarnerBrothersMon, 02 Mar 2009 23:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Warner Bros. plans to support CBHD, the format war is back on -- at least in China]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/02/warner-bros-plans-to-support-cbhd-the-format-war-is-back-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/02/warner-bros-plans-to-support-cbhd-the-format-war-is-back-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/02/warner-bros-plans-to-support-cbhd-the-format-war-is-back-on/#comments
It seems appropriate that after striking the fatal blow in the war between HD DVD and Blu-ray, Warner is the first to break rank and ally itself with the China Blue HD team. Ready to enter the ordinary Chinese consumer's family, according to Managing Director Tony Vaughan, the Harry Potter series, Speed Racer and others will launch for 50-70 yuan ($7.30 - $10.22) per disc. Excuse us while we pick our jaws up from the floor, but with at least one Hollywood studio in pocket and 1999 yuan ($292) players on the way the son of HD DVD looks remarkably closer to a real Blu-ray competitor (and less like the destined for the scrap heap reject we predicted) than ever. With DVD sales shrinking and Blu-ray not quite ready to pick up the slack, how long until another studio decides the Chinese market has enough potential to publish movies on CBHD? [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]

[Via Format War Central]

Filed under:

Warner Bros. plans to support CBHD, the format war is back on -- at least in China originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Mar 2009 23:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu-raycbhdchinachina blue hdchina blue high-definitio discChinaBlueHdChinaBlueHigh-definitioDischarry potterHarryPotterhdother formatsotherformatswarnerwarner broswarner brothersWarnerBrosWarnerBrothersMon, 02 Mar 2009 23:31:00 EST<![CDATA[China's Blu-ray rival lacks key manufacturer support]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/24/chinas-blu-ray-rival-lacks-key-manufacturer-support/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/24/chinas-blu-ray-rival-lacks-key-manufacturer-support/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/24/chinas-blu-ray-rival-lacks-key-manufacturer-support/#comments
HD DVD's strike from beyond the grave may be falling short before it even gets started, as Digitimes reports no Taiwan drive manufacturers have joined the China Blue HD team so far -- and according to the always talkative anonymous sources, there's little optimism they will. Unfortunately the manufacturer support stage is where VMD, EVD and FVD failed before it and with no Hollywood support and cheaper Blu-ray hardware on the way, it's hard to see how CBHD will ever have much impact.

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China's Blu-ray rival lacks key manufacturer support originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 16:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu rayblu-raybluraycbhdchinachina bluechina blue hdchina blue high-definitio discChinaBlueChinaBlueHdChinaBlueHigh-definitioDiscformatformat warFormatWarhdother formatsotherformatsWed, 24 Dec 2008 16:14:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba's hanging on to those HD DVD patents]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/27/toshibas-hanging-on-to-those-hd-dvd-patents/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/27/toshibas-hanging-on-to-those-hd-dvd-patents/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/27/toshibas-hanging-on-to-those-hd-dvd-patents/#commentsToshiba almost had to mess up its thirty-seven hundred dollar lynx coat, at the thought of seeing its HD DVD walking in the rain with some alley-cat-coat wearing hush-puppy-shoe-wearin' Taiwanese crumb cake. According to China's Economic Daily News, some Taiwanese manufacturers apparently sought to buy out the company's blue laser patents and use them negotiate a reduction in the cost of Blu-ray licenses. Whatever the master plan was, it's all for naught since Toshiba's not keen on giving up its licenses, which EDN sees as related to the upcoming China Blue High Definition discs still set to roll out based on HD DVD. HD DVD without Toshiba is like corn flakes without the milk, so it's unlikely we'll ever see it with anyone else, Tosh's own XDE dalliances notwithstanding.

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Toshiba's hanging on to those HD DVD patents originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cbhdchina blueChinaBluehdhd dvdHdDvdoran juice jonesOranJuiceJonespatentstaiwantoshibaWed, 27 Aug 2008 15:33:00 EST<![CDATA[China's Blu-ray competitor CBHD brings HD DVD back from the dead]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/28/chinas-blu-ray-competitor-cbhd-brings-hd-dvd-back-from-the-dead/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/28/chinas-blu-ray-competitor-cbhd-brings-hd-dvd-back-from-the-dead/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/28/chinas-blu-ray-competitor-cbhd-brings-hd-dvd-back-from-the-dead/#comments
CBHD, née CH-DVD -- the Chinese version of the now-deceased HD DVD format -- is in production, gearing up for a fourth quarter launch. DigiTimes cites reports from enorth.com.cn that Shanghai United Optical Disc has laid out the first production line, although Taiwanese disc makers (already burned by HD DVD) aren't as confident it can take on Blu-ray, even with considerably lower royalty fees and hardware costs for disc replicators. Coming alongside news that Chinese-built Blu-ray players based on increasingly affordable hardware is on the way, plus a decided lack of studio support, it's not hard to see how this one will turn out (again.) Not to underrate China's national pride, but unless it can gain an unexpected foothold among DVD pirates, CBHD will probably be on the high definition scrap heap alongside HD DVD, EVD and the rest before long.

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China's Blu-ray competitor CBHD brings HD DVD back from the dead originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Jul 2008 09:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu rayblu-rayblue laserBlueLaserbluraycbhdch dvdch-dvdChDvdchianchinesedigitimesformat warFormatWarhdhd dvdHdDvdother formatsotherformatsMon, 28 Jul 2008 09:35:00 EST<![CDATA[China's Blu-ray competitor CBHD brings HD DVD back from the dead]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/28/chinas-blu-ray-competitor-cbhd-brings-hd-dvd-back-from-the-dead/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/28/chinas-blu-ray-competitor-cbhd-brings-hd-dvd-back-from-the-dead/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/28/chinas-blu-ray-competitor-cbhd-brings-hd-dvd-back-from-the-dead/#comments
CBHD, née CH-DVD -- the Chinese version of the now-deceased HD DVD format -- is in production, gearing up for a fourth quarter launch. DigiTimes cites reports from enorth.com.cn that Shanghai United Optical Disc has laid out the first production line, although Taiwanese disc makers (already burned by HD DVD) aren't as confident it can take on Blu-ray, even with considerably lower royalty fees and hardware costs for disc replicators. Coming alongside news that Chinese-built Blu-ray players based on increasingly affordable hardware is on the way, plus a decided lack of studio support, it's not hard to see how this one will turn out (again.) Not to underrate China's national pride, but unless it can gain an unexpected foothold among DVD pirates, CBHD will probably be on the high definition scrap heap alongside HD DVD, EVD and the rest before long.

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China's Blu-ray competitor CBHD brings HD DVD back from the dead originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Jul 2008 09:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu-raycbhdch-dvdchinachineseformat warFormatWarhdtvMon, 28 Jul 2008 09:35:00 EST