Published scoops - Industry News

ActiveVideo isn’t a content provider, and they’re not selling a set-top box. You can think of them more as a distribution network like Boxee. The difference is that with ActiveVideo, you don’t need an external box or HTPC. You just need to access the cloud.

Blu-ray finally got its 3D specs completed, and players, discs and HDTVs are expected to start hitting the consumer market sometime in 2010. According to Sony the specs will be backwards compatible, allowing 2D discs to still play on 3D Blu-ray players, as well as allow 3D discs to play on current market 2D Blu-ray players (of course only in 2D).

The Wall Street Transcript has just published Luxury Goods, Entertainment, Toys & Games Report offering a timely review of the Media sector. his Special Report contains expert industry commentary through in-depth interviews with public company CEOs, Equity Analysts and Money Managers. Please find an excerpt below.

Free Video on Demand service via the web (Web-VOD) may take a huge popularity hit should Comcast Corp. move forward in a possible merger of assets that includes NBC-Universal’s Bravo, SyFy (formerly SciFi) and Hulu.com properties.

Chicago (IL) – Bill Gates recently sat down for his annual interview with Cnet and spent some time talking about his thoughts on Project Natal – including the system’s release date, which should not be a surprise to TG Daily readers

In addition to requisite Fourth of July weekend parades, fireworks and barbeques, consumer electronics retailers aggressively marketed Blu-ray Disc players separately and in home theater systems with price cuts not seen since Black Friday.

We reported early this week that the recently-approved final AACS license included Managed Copy, enabling consumers to make one copy of any Blu-ray Disc they buy. Now additional details on the acquisition procedure and on the actual rollout of this feature have arisen. S

Vizio May 21 announced it has filed a patent infringement suit against fellow HDTV manufacturer Funai Electric Co. Vizio said in a press release that Japan-based Funai, which manufactures and distributes HDTVs for brands such as Philips and Magnavox, “infringes numerous Vizio patents in its manufacturing, importation and distribution of high-definition televisions.”

Toshiba reported a fiscal fourth-quarter loss, as the company reduced costs by exiting the high-definition video market but failed to offset slumping television sales. Toshiba’s digital-products unit for the quarter ended March 31 had an operating loss of 15.6 million yen

So, after thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours on Amazon you've finally got your brand-new top-of-the-line HD TV, HD-DVD Player, and replaced your whole DVD library with HD-DVDs. Now your living room is packed to the gills with the latest in entertainment technology. You are a god of the media age, and lesser men bow before you.