Alright, so not too long ago I reported on a potential new SKU, the Xbox 360 Ultimate which was supposedly going to be the Elite, but with an integrated HD-DVD drive. That, so far hasn’t happened, but this new announcement could give way to just that.

Or, they could just bundle the current separate HD-DVD drive with an Xbox 360 Elite since they probably have a ton of HD-DVD drives just sitting around. Although the drives have been selling like crazy thanks to all the rebates, price cuts, and other deals.

Other additions that came with this rumor, that sound extremely outrageous are a larger hard drive (more than 120GB? I haven’t even used the 20 that came with mine), dual HDTV tuners, an MP3 player docking port (where? The dual orientation capabilities of the 360 would prevent this no?), and a quieter system (this one might actually happen). No idea how much that bundle would cost, but it would definitely bump HD-DVD sales in the same cheatorous way that Sony did with Blu-Ray, and it would make for an Xbox that’s more suitable for IPTV or DVR functionality, which we could theoretically see any day now

We’re sure that you remember HD DVDs. They were that other format for watching high definition movies, a couple years back. They put up a good fight, surely, but you have to go where the money is. The result? Blu-Ray pretty much took over the at-home movie watching experience, and forever conquered the high definition war. There had been this sort of bastion of hope though, longed for in one company: Toshiba. But it looks like that’s all gone and done away with now.

Whichever you preferred when the whole thing was going down might be irrelevant now, who knows. Either way, Toshiba bowed out of the fight last year, saying that they were no longer going to back the defeated high-definition discs, or make HD DVD-players. The result was a huge sale on discs all over the place, and some brand new movies were going for as cheap as $1. But now that Blu-Ray is here to stay, it looks like you need to find a pretty good Blu-Ray player to take the place of that ancient HD DVD player. On a light-hearted note, the press release even adds that the Toshiba Blu-Ray player will not play HD DVDs.

Thankfully, Toshiba has managed to make their presence finally known in the Blu-Ray world, by announcing the BDX2000. Stand-out features include BD Live (Profile 2.0), which allows for users to utilize the interactive features via an Ethernet connection. Using the REGZA-LINK(R) function, the new BDX2000 can connect with a REGZA LCD TV via a HDMI(TM) cable and display full high definition content with a single remote control. So if you haven’t already picked up a Blu-Ray player, you should check out the BDX2000 when it becomes available in November, for an estimated $249.99

WAYNE, N.J., Sept. 3 /PRNewswire/ — Toshiba America Consumer Products L.L.C. (”Toshiba”), a market leader in home entertainment products, underscores its commitment to high-definition entertainment with the introduction of its first Blu-ray Disc player. The BDX2000 provides Full HD 1080p digital output that when coupled with a REGZA(R) LCD TV, enables consumers to enjoy the superior quality of high-definition audio & video content.

Supporting BD-Live(TM) (Profile 2.0), the BDX2000 allows users to take advantage of interactive features through an Ethernet connection. With interactive content enabled on select Blu-ray discs and Bonus View(TM) support for picture-in-picture capability, Toshiba’s Blu-ray player offers state-of-the-art home entertainment.

Complementing the player’s stunning picture quality, design is an integral component of Toshiba’s home entertainment products. This new Blu-ray Disc player boasts a faceted design featuring a smoked mirrored front panel. The stylish front panel dropdown door conceals the player’s primary functions, allowing for a smooth, clean facade.

“Toshiba is a technology leader in high definition products,” said Jodi Sally, Vice President of Marketing, Digital A/V Group. “From listening to our consumers we know they demand access to full high definition content. With the introduction of our BDX2000 we are offering consumers what they want with a breath-taking HD viewing experience to meet the needs of today’s home theater.”

Using the REGZA-LINK(R) function, the new BDX2000 can connect with a REGZA LCD TV via a HDMI(TM) cable and display full high definition content with a single remote control. For added convenience, the BDX2000 features a SD card slot, making it an entertainment hub in the home by allowing consumers to showcase photos and videos with ease.

Additional Product Features:

BD-Live(TM) (Profile 2.0)
1080p/ 24 fps Full HD Video Output
AVCHD Playback
Toshiba REGZA-LINK(R) (HDMI-CEC)
Support for enhanced audio formats from Dolby(R) True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio | Essential(TM) Playback
Bonus View
SD Card Slot
ENERGY STAR(R) Certified
Pricing and Availability:

Toshiba Blu-ray Disc Player

BDX2000 (available November, MSRP $249.99)

About Toshiba America Consumer Products, L.L.C.

Toshiba America Consumer Products, L.L.C. is owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, a world leader in high technology products with subsidiaries worldwide. Toshiba is a leading manufacturer of a full line of home entertainment products, including flat panel TVs, Hi-Definition Blu-ray Disc players, TV/DVD Combination products and portable devices. Toshiba America Consumer Products, L.L.C. is headquartered in Wayne, New Jersey. For additional information, please visit www.tacp.toshiba.com or www.toshibatv.com.

Important Notes:

This product does not play HD DVD discs. Blu-ray discs with high-definition content required for HD viewing.

Viewing high-definition content may require a HDCP capable DVI or HDMI input on your display device.

Performance of interactive and/or network features may vary depending upon disc design or content, and may also require an always-on broadband internet connection. Additionally, firmware update may be required for some interactive and/or network features. Some features may require additional bandwidth.

When using BD-Live(TM), certain content and services may require that you have an SD card or SDHC card with available storage capacity of at least 1GB inserted in the SD card slot of this player. Content and services through BD-Live are provided by third-parties and are subject to change or discontinuation without notice. Toshiba makes no warranties, representations, or assurances about the content, availability or functionality of third-party content or services.

For 1080p / 24 frames output, content that was encoded in 1080p/24 fps is required.

Viewing 1080p/24 fps output requires an HD display capable of accepting a 1080p/24Hz signal.

1080p capable display required for viewing content in 1080p.

Use of REGZA-LINK(R), a feature based on HDMI-CEC, requires an HDMI-CEC compatible display device. Depending on the specifications of your display device, some or all REGZA-LINK(R) functions may not work even if your display device is HDMI-CEC compatible.

Supported card types: SD cards: 8MB?2GB, SDHC cards: 8GB. Supported file types: JPEG, MP3, WMA and AVCHD. Some cards and files may not be supported.

Because Blu-ray is a format that makes use of new technologies, certain disc, digital connection and other compatibility and/or performance issues are possible. If you experience such issues, please refer to www.tacp.toshiba.com for information on the availability of firmware updates that may resolve your problem, or contact Toshiba Customer Solutions.

Some features subject to delayed availability.

While every effort has been made at the time of publication to ensure the accuracy of the information provided herein, product specifications, configurations, system/component/options availability are all subject to change without notice.

BD-Live and Bonus View are registered trademarks of the Blu-ray Disc Association.

Dolby is a registered trademark of Dolby Laboratories.

DTS is a registered trademark & the DTS logos and Symbol are trademarks of DTS, Inc.

ENERGY STAR is a registered mark owned by the U.S. Government

HDMI, the HDMI logo and High-Definition Multimedia Interface are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing, L.L.C.

All others are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Toshiba have gone public with their plans to develop Blu-ray devices, as they were tipped to be back in July.  The company has applied for membership of the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA), the marketing and promotion organization behind the format, together with confirming that they intend to launch both standalone Blu-ray players and notebooks with integrated Blu-ray drives sometime during 2009.

Toshiba’s involvement with Blu-ray has been a long time coming, not least because the company was responsible for the rival HD-DVD format.  However HD-DVD failed to find favor with buyers, and so around eighteen months after announcing their format was dead, Toshiba have jumped onto the Blu-ray bandwagon.

In their press release, below, Toshiba highlight both the growth of Blu-ray products and the demand from consumers and retailers for them to produce their own range as key motivators.  Back when HD-DVD collapsed, Toshiba had suggested that it would focus on digital delivery rather than another disc-style format.

Press Release:

 Toshiba Applies to Join Blu-ray Disc Association
  10 Aug, 2009

Tokyo—Toshiba Corporation (TOKYO: 6502) announced today that the company has  applied for membership of the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) and plans to introduce products that support the Blu-ray format.

As a market leader in digital technologies, Toshiba provides a wide range of advanced digital products, such as DVD recorders and players, HDTVs and notebook PCs that support a wide range of storage devices, including hard disk drives (HDD), DVD, and SD Cards. In light of recent growth in digital devices supporting the Blu-ray format, combined with market demand from consumers and retailers alike, Toshiba has decided to join the BDA.

Toshiba aims to introduce digital products that support the Blu-ray format, including BD players and notebook PCs integrating BD drives, in the course of this year. Details of the products, including the timing of regional launches, are now under consideration. We will make announcements in due course.

Advantages of HDTV expressed in non-technical terms

High-definition television (HDTV) yields a better-quality image than standard television does, because it has a greater number of lines of resolution. The visual information is some 2-5 times sharper because the gaps between the scan lines are narrower or invisible to the naked eye. The larger the size of the television the HD picture is viewed on, the greater the improvement in picture quality. On smaller televisions there may be no noticeable improvement in picture quality.

The lower-case “i” appended to the numbers denotes interlaced; the lower-case “p” denotes progressive. With the interlaced scanning method, the 1,080 lines of resolution are divided into pairs. The first 540 alternate lines are painted on a frame and then the second 540 lines are painted on a second frame. The progressive scanning method simultaneously displays all 1,080 lines on every frame, requiring a greater bandwidth.

Disadvantages of HDTV expressed in non-technical terms

Limitations to picture quality

In practice, the best possible HD quality is not usually achieved. The main problem is that many operators do not follow HDTV specifications fully. They may use lower bitrates or smaller resolution to pack more channels within the limited bandwidth, reducing video quality. The operators may use a format that is different from the original programming, introducing artifacts in the process of re-encoding. Also, image quality may be lost if the television is not properly connected to the input device or not properly configured for the input’s optimal performance, which may be difficult because of customer confusion regarding connections. Also, some HDTV broadcasters intentionally distort the aspect ratio of program material for convenience, for example, when horizontally stretching the 4:3 source used for the standard-definition version of their channel up to 16:9 for the HDTV version of their channel, resulting in an image where objects are too “short and fat”. The proper approach (properly obtaining a true 16:9 version of the source material instead of horizontally-stretching the 4:3 version) is not always used. This aspect-skewing “shortcut to 16:9″ has been observed on several so-called “16:9″ major HDTV cable channels in the USA as recently as June 2009 with the FOOD Network HD channel and HGTV HD channel being two examples.

Connector cables

Appropriate cabling must be used. Either HDMI, DVI, component video or VGA cables must be used to support a high-definition signal. For instance, if Composite Video or S-Video cables are used for connections from a Set Top Box or Satellite dish then only an SDTV quality picture will be seen. Component video cables with RCA connectors are color coded for reception of the desired signal. They consist of three video cables (green, blue, and red). Additionally for audio, there is a pair of audio cables(red and white), carrying analog audio signals. HDMI cables carry video and audio in a single cable using digital technology.

Signal quality

As high-definition video broadcasts are digital, the disadvantages of digital video broadcasting also apply. For example, digital video responds differently from analog video when subject to interference. Unlike in analog television broadcasting, in which interference causes only gradual image and sound degradation, interference in a digital television broadcast will freeze, skip, or display “garbage” information. This is often called the “cliff effect” where one either gets a perfect picture or none at all. The quality of the antenna is especially important, especially in DVB-T which is extremely sensitive to impulse noise from electrical appliances or automobiles and may require the installation of fully shielded antenna cables in order to successfully receive a picture.

Early ATSC receivers were very sensitive to dynamic multipath interference. Third and fourth generation receivers, in place since 2001, have made ATSC as resistant to multipath as DVB.

Aspect ratio

In order to view HDTV broadcasts, viewers may have to upgrade their TVs at some expense. Adding a new aspect ratio makes for consumer confusion if a display is capable of more than one ratio but must be switched to the correct one by the user. Traditional standard definition programs and feature films (mostly movies from before 1953) originally filmed in the standard 4:3 ratio, when displayed correctly on an HDTV monitor, will have empty display areas to the left and right of the image. Many consumers aren’t satisfied with this unused display area and choose instead to distort their standard definition shows by stretching them horizontally to fill the screen, giving everything the appearance of being too wide or not tall enough. Alternatively, viewers may choose to zoom the image which removes content that was on the top and bottom of the original TV show.

 Confusion about formats

Another disadvantage of HDTV compared to traditional television has been consumer confusion stemming from the different standards and resolutions, such as 1080i, 1080p, and 720p. Complicating the matter have been the changes in television connections from component video, to DVI, then to HDMI. Finally, the HD DVD vs. Blu-ray Disc high definition storage format war for a period of time created confusion for consumers. This particular format war was “settled” with Blu-ray emerging as the victorious standard when Toshiba withdrew from the HD DVD format in February 2008, and then the HD DVD Promotion Group was dissolved on March 28, 2008.

DTS-HD Master Audio is a lossless audio codec created by Digital Theater System. It was previously known as DTS++. It is an extension of DTS which, when played back on devices which do not support the Master Audio or High Resolution extension, degrades to a “core” track which is lossy. DTS-HD Master Audio is an optional audio format for both Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD.

One goal of the DTS-HD Master Audio format was to allow a bit-to-bit representation of the original movie’s studio master soundtrack. To accomplish this, DTS-HD MA supports variable bit rates up to 24.5 Mbit/s on a Blu-ray Disc and up to 18.0 Mbit/s for HD DVD. The format supports a maximum of 192 kHz sampling frequency and 24-bit depth samples in 2 channels stereo mode, and 96 kHz/24bit resolution in multichannel mode with up to 8 channels.

According to DTS-HD White Paper, the DTS-HD Master Audio contains 2 data streams, the original DTS core stream and the additional “residual” stream, which contains the “difference” between the original signal and the lossy compression DTS core stream. The audio signal is split into two paths at the input to the encoder. One path goes to the core encoder for backwards compatibility and is then decoded. The other path compares the original audio to the decoded core signal and generates residuals, which are data over and above what the core contains that is needed to restore the original audio as bit-for-bit identical to the original. The residual data is then encoded by a lossless encoder and packed together with the core. The decoding process is simply the reverse. Notice that DTS-HD lossless audio coding is always variable bit rate.

High Definition Multimedia Interface, or HDMI, is hailed as the next generation of audiovisual cabling. Simply put, HDMI is an all-digital connector that can carry high definition video and several digital audio channels all on the one cable. HDMI was first officially unveiled in 2003, but it’s only now that we’re starting to see widespread support for the standard. Is it something you should be seeking out?

2. How is it different from my current analog cables?

Analog video cables, such as component, composite or S-Video, are currently the main methods used to transfer picture signals in an average home system. Component is the highest quality analog cable as it breaks down the picture signal into three different cables — one each for red, blue and green. When you’ve got analog cabling connecting digital sources (such as an LCD or plasma screen with a DVD), the digital video or sound signals have to be converted into analog to travel through the cable, before being re-converted back into digital at the receiving end. This could lead to some signal degradation and a resulting loss in output quality.

3. What are the advantages of going digital with HDMI?

HDMI can deliver high quality sound or vision without the risk of quality loss due to the conversion or compression of a video or audio signal. HDMI pictures should be smoother and sharper, with a distinct reduction in video noise. Sound should be crisp and taut, without any distortion. And of course, using the single cable HDMI can get rid of a lot of messy cables snaking around your home theatre kit.

Because of its digital nature, HDMI also works well with fixed-pixel displays such as LCD, plasma or DLP screens and projectors. A HDMI cable allows you to exactly match pixel-by pixel the native resolution of the screen with whatever source device you’ve got connected. HDMI systems will also automatically convert a picture into its most appropriate format, such as 16:9 or 4:3.

HDMI has some built-in smarts that allow you to control any device connected via HDMI through the one remote. Since the HDMI connection allows two-way communication between devices, it gives you basic universal remote-like functions which, for example, can tell the components in an HDMI-linked system to turn on when you want to watch a DVD, just with the press of a button.

4. How does DVI fit into the equation? Is it better than HDMI?

You may have heard of digital video interface (DVI), which is another all-digital connector for video. DVI has been around for longer, and can be found in many more televisions and other devices than HDMI. DVI was initially developed as a connector between PCs and monitors, but eventually found its way into the home entertainment world.

The HDMI standard is actually based on DVI, so picture quality should be identical. Where HDMI has it over DVI is its audio capabilities — DVI can only carry video signals. HDMI cables can also be made longer than DVI — HDMI can go up to 15m in length. And from an aesthetic viewpoint, HDMI connectors are less bulky than DVI ones. HDMI connects like a USB device for PCs, while DVI still has screw pins on its connector. However, this means that HDMI connections are more prone to damage from accidental knocks so more care needs to be taken with them.

5. I’ve got some gear with DVI connectors. Will they work with HDMI?

As HDMI is fully backwards compatible with DVI, so you won’t be making your DVI products obsolete if you buy something with an HDMI connector. For example, HDMI televisions will display video received from existing DVI-equipped products, while a HDMI DVD player will play on a DVI-equipped television. All you’ll need is a HDMI/DVI adaptor. Just be aware that doing this will lose you the added functionality of HDMI, such as automatic screen format conversion and universal remote control.

6. What products support HDMI?

HDMI has been on the market for a while now, and most new DVD players, set-top boxes and TVs feature at least one HDMI port.

On the display side of the equation, most new screens, projectors and DVD players support the standard. If you’re looking to buy a device like a TV or AV receiver look for the most HDMI ports yu can afford. Three is the minimum you should expect from today’s devices, while DVD players and the like only usually require one output. Also, be aware that an HDMI port currently only sends information in one direction — though there are moves to change this in the future. As a result, it’s not possible to use a HDMI output port on a PC, for example, to display a PS3 signal.

7. Where can I get HDMI cables?

If you own a component with HDMI but don’t have a cable for it, then there are several cable manufacturers who sell HDMI gear. www.ukhdmi.com, for example, sell HDMI cables and HDMI to DVI cables under their Cablesson range of interconnects. www.ukhdmi.com also has a comprehensive selection of HDMI products. HDMI cables and adapters have been developed in a joint partnership with HDMI’s founder, Silicon Image.

8. What do the different versions mean?

While the latest version of HDMI is up to 1.3c, but there are four main versions that most equipment will correspond to — 1.0, 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3. Notice that the versions signify changes to the types of audio they can transmit, as all versions should be able to transmit HD video up to 1080p.

1.0 This is the first version of HDMI and it was ratified in late 2002. It will decode most versions of audio contained in DVD and digital TV signals, including Dolby Digital and DTS.

1.1 This version added DVD-Audio support, which means users with compatible disks and players can listen to 5.1 channel audio streams without the need for six separate audio RCA cables.

1.2/1.2a The main improvement on 1.1 is the addition of Super Audio CD (SACD) support, which means users no longer need to rely on iLink or analog cables to listen to SACDs. The standard also adds support for an as-yet unused Type A PC connector.

1.3/1.3a/1.3b Version 1.3 adds support for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio which are used in Blu-ray players. Increasingly, AV receivers are including decoding for these standards on board, while devices the PlayStation 3 will output a decoded signals. The 1.3 standard also increases the available bandwidth by a factor of two to 10Gbps. Though 1.3b and 1.3c exist they don’t add any further functionality over 1.3a, and so are interchangeable.

9.What’s this I hear about Wireless HDMI?

Eventually, every technology goes wireless, and with Wi-Fi and Wireless USB now in play it makes sense that manufacturers have turned their eyes to making HDMI clutter-free too. Only thing is, it doesn’t work yet. Belkin showed off their FlyWire technology behind closed doors at CES 2008, and it hasn’t been heard of since. There is, as yet, no standard for Wireless HDMI, and so it’s not really worth holding out for. Also, Wireless HDMI is not to be confused with WirelessHD — this is a separate technology used by manufacturers such as Sony to send signals from a media box to slim, wall-mounted TVs.

On the display side of the equation, most new screens, projectors and DVD players support the standard. If you’re looking to buy a device like a TV or AV receiver look for the most HDMI ports yu can afford. Three is the minimum you should expect from today’s devices, while DVD players and the like only usually require one output. Also, be aware that an HDMI port currently only sends information in one direction — though there are moves to change this in the future. As a result, it’s not possible to use a HDMI output port on a PC, for example, to display a PS3 signal.