Another Blu-Ray killer enters the market

[Rhygar]

http://www.avreview.co.uk/news/article/mps/uan/2073

We've just had one of the first working demos of Toshiba's new QuadCore laptop range, two of which feature 'Blu-ray rivalling' upscalers to deliver High-def pics without having to fork out for the compatible next-gen Blu-ray discs. And amongst howls of derision from certain rude, aged members of the UK press, the demonstrations looked pretty damn great in our expert opinion. And anything that's going to save us the ignominy of having to replace our entire DVD collection with Blu-ray has to be worth giving a go.

But now a new contender has strolled onto the Hi-Def block and its claims are equally as grandiose.

The new Kaleidescape standalone DVD player claims to 'provide a viewing experience that rivals Blu-ray', which is huge considering there are around 170,000 titles on DVD compared to just 6,000 on Blu-ray. Six thousand - really?

The idea then is that there's just no point in upgrading when you can get the same experience without the added cost.

Catchily called the 1080p Player, it features a Sigma Designs Gennum VXP chip, 10-bit processing and full support for Dolby Digital, DTS, MPEG and PCM audio formats. A mini version called (you guessed it) the Mini 1080p Player is also released doing exactly the same thing but with a far smaller footprint.

So they're as good as Blu-ray, will polish your existing DVDs to within an inch of their lives and offer access to Kaleidescape's extensive Movie Guide database - what's not to like? Erm, how about the respective $4,300 and $3,000 price tags, oh and the fact that to make them work you'll need to already have the $10,000 Kaleidescape System installed. Suddenly, Blu-ray doesn't look so pricey.

Had to laugh when I saw the prices of these things.

[Jimbo976]

That's it. I'll have to put all my Blu-rays up on ebay tomorrow! Oh well - it was fun...

[dakota81]

That just can't be. I was told countless times by the membership of this forum, that this technology was going to cost me less than $200.

The obvious answer is that the article's prices are a typo, and the author has an unbelievable pro-Sony / anti-consumer bias.

[tolitzpogi]

There must be a humongous bounty on Blu-Ray's head, with all these "killers" after it

- T

[zaphod]

Erm, how about the respective $4,300 and $3,000 price tags, oh and the fact that to make them work you'll need to already have the $10,000 Kaleidescape System installed.

You need to have the Crazyscape 'system' already installed? Installed where? On the players? So in effect they cost a cool $13,000 at least? This is SO gonna wipe the floor with Blu-Ray...

[vinnie97]

You need to have the Crazyscape 'system' already installed? Installed where? On the players? So in effect they cost a cool $13,000 at least? This is SO gonna wipe the floor with Blu-Ray...

lol batshitcrazyscape lol

[hddvdnot]

Where's Mikemorale to defend this article? I guess he's too busy..

[C.S.Strowbridge]

Who is this aimed at What is the target audience? Even if you have Kaleidescape already, it makes no sense to spend that kind of money on a system that doesn't play Blu-ray.

[SGRSBSKIER]

Most people have less than 100 DVD's, even if everyone had the Kaleidescape System installed it would be cheaper to re-buy all of your movies on Blu-ray.

[eric89074]

The final nail in blu ray's coffin.

[Woody]

Kaleidescape is actually a kick-ass system. (it had better be )

However, the new upscaler is simply the Silicon Optics Gennum chip upconverting DVDs to 1080p.

Their BR capable player is due in 09'.

[ack_bak]

Their BR capable player is due in 09'.

I wonder what that will cost? $10K?

[Kosty]

Its nice as an upgrade of Kaleidescape for better standard def DVD upconversion. But many of those users have as their main display a Reon capable front projector or scaler already, so its an incremental capability improvement.

A expensive laptop with a better upconversion capability is meh, as a small screen doesn't benefit much and there are better (and way cheaper) ways than a laptop , that include Blu-ray capability to upconvert DVDs and feed your displays.

[Cochise]

there are around 170,000 titles on DVD compared to just 6,000 on Blu-ray.

Six thousand titles available on Blu-ray???

Gee, I've got some shopping to do, pretty sure I have less than five thousand of them.

[shinynewtie]

how about some actual proof that this upconverting works instead of throwing words around like "riveling blu-ray"...

the sad thing is some ex-hddvd folks will eat this up...

until i see/hear proof that these new techs provide PQ AND AQ that SURPASSES blu-ray, i know i've got the best tech in my living room.