Asus comes on board and Dell loves it...

[Proteus]

http://www.psu.com/Blu-ray-scores-ma...0001253-p0.php

Read the quotes by Tom Pratt of Dell. Very telling.

[Amel]

Blu-ray scores major new supporter
Posted on September 9th, 2007 at 07:43 EDT
Today, Asus joined hands with Sony to support its Blu-ray format. Along with being a supporter, Asus announced a multi-format DVD writer that includes the ability to play BD media.

Asus’s Blu-ray disc drive, known as BC-1205PT, is an internal SATA drive for PCs. It will of course handle DVD-ROM writing duties, along with CD-R/RW. It will be able to burn DVD±R/RW media at a speed of 12x and dual-layered discs at 4x. Unfortunately, it will only read BD-ROMs (at 5x) and won’t be able to write to BD-R or BD-RE media. According to Asus the drive is good for "high-resolution movie playback". But, in order to watch movies, users will need compatible BD playback software. A release date on Asus's new drive has yet to be announced.

Dell's very own Tom Pratt, a Technology Strategist, believes that Blu-ray is needed for the expansion of the PC platform in a rising digital home. One of the positive outcomes of Blu-ray is that it can store huge data files that are becoming more common with games and movies.

"For instance, a feature film can be distributed on one Blu-ray Disc with plenty of room for additional content such as out-takes and interactive games. Play the disc in the PC Blu-ray Disc drive and view high-definition video, as well as expanded interactive features that take advantage of the PC's connection to the Internet. The Blu-ray Disc can present interactive content, including games, information about the movie, and downloadable subtitles, sounds, and just-released movie trailers that can be saved to the PC's hard drive." said Pratt.

Most major computer manufacturers are choosing Blu-ray as a primary disc drive, as opposed to HD-DVD.

According to Pratt, "there was no PC industry involvement in HD-DVD development to address data storage capabilities. Blu-ray Disc technology is superior because it meets all the requirements for next-generation removable storage. It has higher storage capacity, a richer feature set, can be used for data storage and high-definition content delivery, and allows for backward compatibility with CDs and DVDs. It also has broad industry support and well-defined formats, which will help to avoid the compatibility issues associated with previous removable storage transitions. With these strengths, Dell believes that Blu-ray Disc technology is likely to dominate for the next decade or more.”

We've listed some of the supporters in each camp below:

Blu-ray:

Warner Bros.
Disney (Buena Vista)
Fox
Lionsgate
MGM
Sony Pictures
New Line
Dell-PC
Asus-PC

HD-DVD:

Warner Bros.
Paramount
Universal Studios
The Weinstein Company
First Look
Dreamworks
Dimension
New Line

Currently, Blu-ray appears to be outperforming HD-DVD. Part of this success is attributed to the PlayStation 3, which can play Blu-ray movies, and also to the superior movie studio support the format has

[Proteus]

The 'very telling' part I mentioned is how he explains, in no uncertain words, how HDDVD was released as an _unfinished, untested, and non-researched spec that did not include the needs of PC use_.

This directly contradicts HDDVD's commentary about being a 'complete spec'. Obviously, it is not.

[w_tanoto]

@amel: add Hewlett-packard to both side, and asus also to HD DVD. Acer to both, dell to BD, Fujitsu to both, Toshiba to HD DVD, samsung to both (HD DVD laptop only for korea, the rest, BD)

[Blackraven]

Since ASUS produces Sony PS3 consoles, I think it was already a given that they too would come up with a Blu-ray product of their own.

With that said, I am definitely pleased with the news and I will indeed be buying one this Christmas

[Maximus]

That is a stupid list.

They missed out more than half of the BDA board members, currently standing at 18.

BDA Board of Directors
1. Apple, Inc.
2. Dell
3. HP
4. Hitachi
5. LG
6. Mitsubishi Electric
7. Panasonic
8. Pioneer
9. Philips
10. Samsung
11. Sharp
12. Sony
13. Sun Microsystems
14. TDK
15. Thomson
16. Twentieth Century Fox
17. Walt Disney
18. Warner Bros.

[w_tanoto]

we now have ASUS Lamborghini VX2 with Blu-ray drive

[Manco]

Good post.

Nice to see the big PC manufac's stepping up to inform the consumer of the huge storage capacity of Blu-ray....for digital photos, home movies, data backup, etc. Most of that gets lost in all the FUD spread by the HD-DVD camp. They can't even get TL51 off the ground for pete sake.

[w_tanoto]

This is for acer:
http://crave.cnet.co.uk/laptops/0,39...9285109,00.htm
November 2006

[MacHaggis]

I'm not sure if anyone else mentioned this, but I noticed the new Dell Precision M6300 has the Blu-ray drive option... too bad it's in the 17" format.

Bogdan

[gvortex7]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

That is a stupid list.

They missed out more than half of the BDA board members, currently standing at 18.

BDA Board of Directors
1. Apple, Inc.
2. Dell
3. HP
4. Hitachi
5. LG
6. Mitsubishi Electric
7. Panasonic
8. Pioneer
9. Philips
10. Samsung
11. Sharp
12. Sony
13. Sun Microsystems
14. TDK
15. Thomson
16. Twentieth Century Fox
17. Walt Disney
18. Warner Bros.

I thought that JVC was a board member as well.

[McBain]

Originally Posted by gvortex7

I thought that JVC was a board member as well.

No, JVC is a contributor.

[TLBradbury]

I just bought a new notebook from Dell specifically because of the Blu-Ray drive to develop HD content using Adobe Production Studio Premium (the same toolset used to create Superman Returns). It's not quite as obvious in the PC arena as the home theater market, but Dell has been quietly building moment for Blu-Ray in the PC marketplace as well, and that helps all of us. If you're looking for a new PC, be sure to look at Dell, Sony, HP or others that are Tru-Blu!

[w_tanoto]

Originally Posted by TLBradbury

I just bought a new notebook from Dell specifically because of the Blu-Ray drive to develop HD content using Adobe Production Studio Premium (the same toolset used to create Superman Returns). It's not quite as obvious in the PC arena as the home theater market, but Dell has been quietly building moment for Blu-Ray in the PC marketplace as well, and that helps all of us. If you're looking for a new PC, be sure to look at Dell, Sony, HP or others that are Tru-Blu!

HP? right. I'm waiting for BD laptop from them, even sending a lot of unresponed messages suggesting them to get BD out in consumer line notebook. Their recent answer is "HP has no plans on releasing Blu-ray drive to consumer line notebook", "BD drive is exclusive to business laptop" (and business laptop are exclusively BD).

I personally won't buy business laptop. Guess somebody paid them to be exclusive to HD DVD on consumer line (except some pavilion desktop)

[GasCat]

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...rodid=11240631
It's fully packed for only $2900.00

The yellow cover on it is awesome.

[w_tanoto]

Originally Posted by GasCat

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...rodid=11240631
It's fully packed for only $2900.00

The yellow cover on it is awesome.

that is not the only one with BD from ASUS though.....
There's still more

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by gvortex7

I thought that JVC was a board member as well.

If Panasonic is a board member, then JVC are a board member. They are basically the same company.

[w_tanoto]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

If Panasonic is a board member, then JVC are a board member. They are basically the same company.

i thought matsushita - panasonic
nippon vector - jvc
they are different companies

[SS316SRV]

Originally Posted by Proteus

The 'very telling' part I mentioned is how he explains, in no uncertain words, how HDDVD was released as an _unfinished, untested, and non-researched spec that did not include the needs of PC use_.

This directly contradicts HDDVD's commentary about being a 'complete spec'. Obviously, it is not.

I have said over and over again that HD DVDs lack of utilization into other technologies is what is going to kill them, not disc sales. This is how blu-ray will become the industry standard. HD DVD is an unflexible technology while blu-ray can be utilized by other technologies.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by w_tanoto

i thought matsushita - panasonic
nippon vector - jvc
they are different companies

Panasonic are a wholly owned subsidiary of Matsushita, while JVC are majority owned by Matsushita.