Audio Video News

<B>The Big Monkey Of High-Def</B><BR>

HD DVD player owners (and the format itself) are getting an early Christmas present on November 14th when Universal will release Peter Jackson's smash remake of <I>King Kong</I> on the fledgling HD disc format. The suggested list price is $29.98. Few details on the release are available, and it's not known if Peter Jackson's extended cut, scheduled for release on DVD on the same day, will be included on the HD DVD.

Warner is behind HD on disc in a big way. On September 26th it will release a total of ten titles from the Warner catalog to the Blu-ray and HD DVD formats, including the recent <I>Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride</I> on Blu-ray.

Fox has announced its first wave of titles on the burgeoning Blu-ray Disc format, with an initial slate of catalog titles that "targets the early adopter" and a significant day-and-date release. November 14th will see the release of <I>Behind Enemy Lines</I>, <I>Fantastic Four</I>, <I>Kingdom of Heaven</I> (Director's Cut), <I>The Omen (666)</I>, <I>The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen</I>, <I>Speed</I>, and <I>The Transporter</I>. This wave will be followed on November 21st by the day-and-date Blu-ray and DVD release of <I>Ice Age: The Meltdown</I>.

Toshiba has made available Firmware Update Version 2.0 for its first-gen HD DVD players. In addition to enabling "anticipated network delivered content in future HD DVD discs" the new firmware version expands Dolby TrueHD support from 2.0-channels to full 5.1-channels. The update can be downloaded directly from the "Suport" link at Toshiba's HD DVD <a href="http://www.tacp.toshiba.com/hddvd/">web site</a>, or upon request Toshiba will ship a CD to registered HD DVD player owners.

<B>DISH Network to offer Warner movies on-demand and in HD</B><BR>
The ever changing face of video distribution continues to evolve. EchoStar and Warner have signed off on deal that will allow DISH Network customers to access to Warner's new releases and catalog titles via its "Dish On Demand" and pay-per-view services in standard and high-definition.

In mid-2005 the average selling price of a 50" plasma display began its yearlong plunge from over $5,000 to a June 2006 average of just above $3,000. The number of sets sold at the new prices more than tripled, even accounting for the traditionally hot fall (2005) selling season.

<B>Big Fourth Quarter For Blu-ray And HD DVD</B><BR>
The number of Blu-ray and HD DVD releases scheduled in the last quarter of this calendar year is growing rapidly. Warner's second wave of Blu-ray titles will hit stores on September 5th, followed by four more catalog titles from the Warner library on September 12th. Universal has announced four more catalog titles for HD DVD in late October.