Target to Promote Blu-ray
Retailer's decision follow similar move by video giant Blockbuster.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (July 25, 2007) -- Target, the second largest retailer in the U.S., has agreed to put its considerable marketing muscle behind Sony's Blu-ray player this holiday season.

That's according to an article by the Associated Press.

While Target told AP that it's not endorsing one high-def disc format over another, the decision to promote the Blu-ray player over its rival HD DVD is another blow to HD DVD supporters.

Target's move follows an announcement last month that Blockbuster will carry only Blu-ray high-def discs in 1,450 stores. (The video retailer will continue to stock HD DVDs in 250 stores.)

Target, according to the AP, will begin selling a Sony Blu-ray player (BDP-S300) in October and promote Blu-ray discs in store displays. The move should give Blu-ray a large advantage over HD DVD during the holiday season.

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DOA: Samsung's Dual-Format HD Player
The company decides to price the new set-top at $1,049.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (July 25, 2007) -- Samsung today revealed that its new dual-format HDTV DVD player will be priced at $1,049.

The player, which will play both Blu-ray and HD DVDs, will ship in the fourth quarter, becoming the second dual-format player on the market. LG introduced the first dual-format high-def player (BH-100) earlier this year with a price tag of $1199.

Earlier press reports indicated that Samsung would set the price for the BD-UP5000 at less than $600, but the company today revealed the $1,049 price tag, according to CNET's News.com.

Samsung said the BD-UP5000 would be the first dual-format player to support the interactive features of HD DVD, which includes the capacity to participate in online poll, re-edit movies and possibly order clothing worn by the film's stars.

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Mark Burnett: No Survivor In HD
The show's executive producer says the high-def cameras are too costly.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (July 25, 2007) -- CBS' Survivor and The Amazing Race will not be in High-Definition during the 2007-2008 season.

That's according to an article in TV Week.

The publication reports that Mark Burnett, the executive producer of both reality shows, says the network is concerned about the cost of upgrading the production to high-def.

CBS says the reason is that it's concerned about using expensive, possibly less durable high-def cameras in the wild. (The shows are set in sometimes perilous situations such as jungle conditions.) The network says the two explanations are not in conflict because the cost of replacing the cameras would drive up production expenses.


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MOJO: No MLB Baseball In 2007
The high-def network had shown games in high-def in past seasons.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (July 24, 2007) -- MOJO, the 24-hour High-Definition channel formerly known as INHD, said today it will not carry Major League Baseball games during the 2007 season.

The channel, which was renamed MOJO on May 1, has shown dozens of MLB games in high-def in past seasons. But Ellen Cooper, a company spokeswoman, told TVPredictions.com today that MLB games will not be added to its lineup in 2007.

"No, we will not be airing the MLB games in HD this season on MOJO," Cooper said in an e-mail.

Cooper did not elaborate on the reason, but she said last April that MOJO hoped to offer games in high-def during the 2007 season.

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TiVo's $299 HD DVR: Will It Help?
The new product faces several marketing obstacles.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (July 23, 2007) -- TiVo will begin taking orders at its web site on Tuesday for a new $299 High-Definition DVR. The high-def recorder will be roughly $500 less than the company's current Series3 HD DVR.

But can the new low-cost HD recorder help TiVo turn around its fortunes? The DVR service has seen its subscription growth crawl to a near halt after losing its marketing partnership with satcaster DIRECTV more than a year ago.

I believe that the $299 high-def recorder will appeal to TiVo enthusiasts and other tech-savvy HD owners. TiVo still has a strong brand name, particularly in urban areas and among well-educated consumers.

But I don't believe that it will generate the kind of subscription growth that the company needs for long-term profitability and survivability.


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MOJO to Add 3 Shows This Fall
The high-def network is targeting the young male audience.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (July 21, 2007) -- MOJO, the high-def network formerly known as INHD, says it will add three new original series this fall.

The network also announced the renewal of After Hours with Daniel, Dr. Danger with Dr. Bob Arnot and London Live, the music concert series.

The new MOJO programs coming this fall are:

Test Drive
Premiering in October, the 30-minute program will provide advice and humor about automobiles, from which car is the best "chick magnet" to dealing with road rage. MOJO has scheduled six episodes of the series.

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3D HDTV: Coming Soon?
But the technology is outpacing the content.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (July 20, 2007) -- High-Definition TVs that offer 3-D images could be ready in the next year or so, according to an article in the London Guardian.

Philips and several other companies are working on new 3-D technologies that will make objects appear to be surrounding the viewer, the newspaper reports.

Viewers will not need special goggles to view the images, as they did with past 3-D TV and movie presentations.

The Guardian reports that a prototype Philips 3-D HDTV would now cost $20,500 because of the complexity of the set. But the price is expected to fall sharply before it actually reaches market.

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HD DVD: We're Targeting 'MySpace' Audience
Key executive says interactive features will attract engaged viewer.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (July 19, 2007) -- The co-president of the HD DVD Promotional Group said yesterday that the format's new Interactive TV features are designed to attract the 'MySpace' generation.

That's according to an article in Video Business.

HD DVD is battling with rival Blu-ray for the new high-def disc audience.

In recent weeks, HD DVD backers, led by Microsoft, Universal and Toshiba, have announced that HD DVD discs will offer several interactive features including enabling viewers to re-edit movies, order clothing worn by the stars, download trailers and participate in online polls.

The interactive features will be found in new HD DVD discs that will take advantage of the player's Internet connection.

Blu-ray discs currently do not offer those features so HD DVD supporters say they will give the format a major advantage, particularly with younger people.

“We are targeting the MySpace generation,” Ken Graffeo, co-president of the HD DVD Promotional Group said yesterday at a Home Theater Forum session at the Home Media Expo.

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Getting Disillusioned With HDTV
By Paul Haak
HD Observer

Washington, D.C. (July 18, 2007) -- I have had a HDTV in my home for almost five years now, and must say that I have been getting very disillusioned with it and the technology behind it.

I will say that when I first got the TV I had Comcast digital service with the HD set-top box. At that time the picture was spectacular considering the relatively few HD programs that were being broadcast. We watched whatever was on in HD, and enjoyed it immensely, even showing it off to friends and neighbors.

What has changed?

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TiVo HD DVR: $299 In August?
Several online retailers have tipped off the device's launch.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (July 18, 2007) -- TiVo's new low-cost High-Definition DVR could be launched in the next few weeks.

According to the TiVo Community Forum, several online retailers this week posted product pages for the new TiVo Series 3 recorder but then quickly pulled them off their sites.

The retailers said the new HD DVR would have a suggested retail price of $299.

TiVo has said publicly that it plans to offer a less expensive HD DVR before year's end. (The current TiVo Series 3 HD DVR retails for $799.) But it has publicly given no launch dates nor pricing points.

The DVR service has acknowledged that the lack of an affordable high-def recorder has hurt its efforts to benefit from the growing HDTV market.


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Swanni: Microsoft Could Kill HD DVD
The president of TVPredictions.com says Microsoft's emphasis of HD DVD's Interactive TV features will turn off consumers.
By Allison Moore
HD Diva

Washington, D.C. (July 16, 2007) -- Phillip Swann, president of TVPredictions.com, says Microsoft could wind up killing the HD DVD high-def disc format "all by itself."

Microsoft is the biggest booster of HD DVD, other than Toshiba which launched the format.

However, in a new video posted at TVPredictions.com, Swanni says Microsoft is wrongly emphasizing HD DVD's Interactive TV features rather than its great picture and sound.

That message, Swanni says, will turn off consumers who have consistently rejected Interactive TV for the past decade.

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Microsoft: We Will Decide HDTV DVD Format War
The software titan brags on its new interactive software.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (July 16, 2007) -- Microsoft will be the difference in the high-def format war between HD DVD and rival Blu-ray.

That's according to...Microsoft.

Kevin Collins, Microsoft's "HD DVD evangelism director," tells TWICE magazine that the company's HDi interactive technology built into new HD DVD players will entice high-def owners to embrace the format.

HDi enables viewers to re-edit movies, download trailers and participate in online polls among other activities. The interactive features will be found in new HD DVD discs that will take advantage of the player's Internet connection.

"When the first titles with Web-enabled extras come to market, you will start to see the distinct disparity between the formats when it comes to interactivity," Collins told TWICE.

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Swanni to HD Owners: Don't Watch Non-HD 'Junk'
The president of TVPredictions.com blasts the networks for ignoring high-def during the summertime.
By Allison Moore
HD Diva

Washington, D.C. (July 16, 2007) -- Phillip Swann, president of TVPredictions.com, is urging High-Definition TV owners to stop watching non-HD "junk programming" such as NBC's America's Got Talent and CBS' Big Brother program.

In a new video posted at TVPredictions.com, Swanni says the networks are ignoring the high-def viewer this summer by scheduling a large dose of non-HD reality fare. And the only way for the high-def owner to strike back is to boycott those shows, he says.

"They (the networks) are sending a message that fewer people watch TV in the summer so why bother with this high-def thing," Swanni says. "But you should send them a message by not watching their shows."

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Universal Under Pressure to Support Blu-ray?
The studio is the lone one to support HD DVD exclusively.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (July 16, 2007) -- Universal Studios is the only studio that's backing the HD DVD high-def format exclusively.

But Variety Magazine reports that the studio is being pressured to start releasing titles in the rival Blu-ray format as well.

"We understand there is a lot of persuading going on right now," Variety quotes Envisioneering Group's Richard Doherty, who adds that Universal executives might negotiate with Blu-ray backers at this summer's investment conferences.

In the Blu-ray vs HD DVD high-def disc war, four of the eight major studios are backing Blu-ray exclusively, giving the format a major advantage in the number of title releases. Universal is the sole studio supporting HD DVD exclusively while three others are releasing titles in both formats.

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HDTV: Should You Buy a Warranty?
Many Americans are deciding they are not worth the money?
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (July 15, 2007) -- CE stores love to sell them, but consumers are increasingly saying no to extended warranties for High-Definition TVs and other electronics.

That's according to an article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

The newspaper reports that Best Buy recently revealed that its extended warranty sales fell 12 percent in the past year and Circuit City reported an eight percent decline in service or protection plans.

The reason: Prices of high-def sets, particularly Plasmas and LCDs, have fallen considerably, giving people less concern about replacing them if necessary.

"When a TV is $3,000, you're far more inclined to attach a $300 warranty to it than if the TV costs $1,200," said Colin McGranahan, a Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. analyst.

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Sony's PS3 Price Cut: Game Over?
Conflicting reports emerge over whether the company will stop making the newly priced $499 Play Station 3.
By Phillip Swann

Washington, D.C. (July 14, 2007) -- Sony this week said it was lowering the price of its 60GB Play Station 3 from $599 to $499.

However, there may have been a catch. A top Sony executive told GameSpot.com Thursday that it will soon stop producing the 60GB model.

David Reeves, CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, said the markdown was simply on a product that will soon no longer be available.

Reeves' comments left the company looking a bit foolish. Sony's decision to lower the price of the 60GB version of PS3 was widely praised earlier in the week. (The company says it will introduce a $599 80GB model next month.)

So Sony's American division soon issued a correction saying Reeves was not quite right.

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Wal-Mart: Sony Blu-ray For $488 & Get 7 Movies
The discount retailer offers the best deal yet on the new high-def player.
By Phillip Swann

Washington, D.C. (July 12, 2007) -- Wal-Mart is selling Sony's new Blu-ray High-Definition player (BDP-S300) for $488, a slight discount on its suggested retail of $499.

However, the discount retailer is also bundling two free Blu-ray movies in the box -- Gridiron Gang, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and the animated Open Season.

Coupled with Sony's offer of five free Blu-ray movies, which can be redeemed via the mail, a high-def owner can get seven free Blu-ray movies by purchasing the Sony player at Wal-Mart.

Wal-Mart says at its web site that the offer is limited and good while supplies last. The $488 price -- and seven free Blu-ray movies --- can be obtained at either the company's web site or at a Wal-Mart retail store.

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Ask Swanni: TiVo HD DVR For $299?
Your humble high-def guru takes your questions.
By Phillip Swann
 
Washington, D.C. (July 12, 2007) -- I get scores of e-mails every week from readers asking everything from whether they should buy a new HDTV to when will their TV provider add new high-def channels.

So, from time to time, I will publish my responses here in this new column called, "Ask Swanni!"


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EchoStar to Add 7 National HDTV Channels
The new channels will be launched in the next several weeks.
By Phillip Swann

Washington, D.C. (July 10, 2007) -- EchoStar's Dish Network said today that it will add seven national High-Definition channels in August and September.

The new channels are: MHD; Golf/Versus HD; Animal Planet HD; The Science Channel HD; TLC HD; Discovery HD; and The History Channel HD. The first six channels will be added on August 15 with The History Channel HD debuting on September 1.

EchoStar, which now carries 32 national HDTV channels, said it will add more high-def channels in mid-September but it did not name them.

In a press release, the satcaster said it has more high-def channels than any other TV provider, although Cablevision has 40 HD channels.

"No one currently has more national HD channels than Dish Network, and we’re committed to maintaining that edge by enhancing DishHD with channels that exemplify the top-quality programming our customers enjoy,” said Eric Sahl, EchoStar's senior vice president of programming.

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HDTV: Showdown in September
DIRECTV's plan to expand its high-def lineup will trigger more channels from cable operators.
By Phillip Swann

Washington, D.C. (July 10, 2007) -- DIRECTV plans to add dozens of High-Definition channels starting this September with the goal of reaching 100 by year's end.

Despite the prevailing wisdom, the cable TV industry will be ready with a response. Cable TV operators have been quietly taking steps to create more bandwidth to expand their high-def lineups in the third and fourth quarters of this year as well.

In some cases, cable services are eliminating analog channels to make room; in others, they are installing a new technology called Switched Digital Video that adds system space. And some cable operators such as Comcast and Time Warner are doing both.

Bottom line: You can expect the major cable TV operators to double their current high-def lineups by year's end, perhaps offering as many as 50 channels. Cablevision is already providing 40 HD channels with the recent addition of the 15-channel Voom lineup.

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Are You Ready For DIRECTV HD?
The satcaster is alerting subscribers to check their system for the high-def expansion this September.
By Phillip Swann

Washington, D.C. (July 9, 2007) -- DIRECTV is calling subscribers to tune into channel 499 to make sure they have the right equipment for the satcaster's high-def expansion this September.

If the subscriber has the proper equipment -- a Ka/Ku dish, a high-def receiver (H20, HR20) and a B-Band converter module attached to the receiver -- the screen on channel 499 will say the system is "searching for satellite."

That means the subscriber is set up to receive DIRECTV's new high-def channels when the satcaster switches to the MPEG4 transmission system in September.

The new transmission system will be delivered via the satcaster's new satellite, which was launched Friday night.


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Sony's PS3 For $499?
There are numerous reports of an imminent price cut for the game console.
By Phillip Swann

Washington, D.C. (July 8, 2007) -- Sony's Play Station 3, which has a Blu-ray player inside, could soon be getting a new price tag.

According to several online reports. Sony will soon lower the price of the video game console from $599 to $499. If true, the price would be the same as Sony's new standalone Blu-ray player (BDP-S300), which was introduced last month at $499.

Several Internet posters and TVPredictions.com readers have reported seeing the PS3 priced at $499 at Target stores across the country.

In addition, there are reports that Circuit City will soon lower the price to $499 as well, which might indicate that Sony plans an official price reduction.

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HDTV Doesn't Help Tucson TV News
The NBC affiliate in Tucson loses news viewers after switching to high-def.
By Phillip Swann

Washington, D.C. (July 8, 2007) -- KVOA-TV's news programs took a ratings dip in May despite a heavily publicized switch to High-Definition.

KVOA-TV is the NBC affiliate in Tucson, Arizona.

The station's 10 p.m. news program plunged from a 8.7 Nielsen rating in February of this year to a 6.3 in May, according to the Arizona Daily Star. The 5 p.m. newscast fell from 7.4 to 5.1 and the 6 p.m. program declined from 6.8 to 5.1.

KVOA became the first Tucson station to broadcast the news in high-def on April 22 of this year, shortly before the May ratings period.

"I think all of us over the years have found ratings books where we've wondered what happened, and this is certainly one of them," Gary Nielsen, president and general manager of KVOA, told the Daily Star. "I find it hard to believe that our newscasts went down."


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Samsung to Launch Dual-Format HDTV Player
The set-top will play both Blu-ray and HD DVD discs.
By Phillip Swann

Washington, D.C. (July 5, 2007) -- Samsung yesterday announced that it will launch a dual format High-Definition player in late fall.

The company hopes that the set-top, which will play both Blu-ray discs and HD DVDs, will appeal to consumers confused about which format to choose.

And unlike LG's dual-format player, which was released earlier this year with a $1199 price tag, Samsung said its player would cost just $545, according to several online reports.

That's roughly $50 more than a standalone Sony Blu-ray player ($499), which is the cheapest Blu-ray set-top on the market. Toshiba's entry-level HD DVD player now costs $299.

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Europe Probes Blu-ray For Anti-Trust
The service rolls out in San Diego with more markets coming.
By Phillip Swann

Washington, D.C. (July 3, 2007) -- European officials are investing possible "anti-competitive" practices by supporters of the Blu-ray high-def disc format.

That's according to an article in today's Wall Street Journal.

The newspaper reports that the European Commission, the executive body of the European Union, is asking Hollywood studios to provide information on their agreements with Blu-ray companies, which are led by Sony.

Four of the eight major Hollywood studios are backing Blu-ray exclusively in the high-def disc format war between Blu-ray and HD DVD. Consequently, many new video releases are available in Blu-ray, but not HD DVD.

The studios' support has been invaluable in giving Blu-ray a 2-1 advantage in title sales and rentals over the last several months.

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