We just love it when research firms compare the adoption of Blu-ray to DVD and this latest report from Futursource is no different. The long and the short of the study is that if you include the Playstation 3 and the PS2, Blu-ray adoption is ahead of DVD in its fourth year. The firm goes on to predict that Blu-ray will keep the lead -- especially if prices on the titles continue to drop -- but package media will not sustain the household penetration it enjoys today because of the recent introduction of digital downloads and other VOD options consumers have. This of course is music to our ears as we will sleep better at night knowing that we'll be able to choose to watch movies in the highest quality possible. Of course we can't wait for the day when we can get better, cheaper, easier access to content, but for now Blu-ray is a-ok in our book.

[Via Blu-ray.com]

Looks like the nation's biggest retailer is figuring out that DVDs and Blu-ray Discs don't bring in the number of customers that they used to. Honestly this is pretty much what we'd expect as more and more consumers are renting from Netflix and Redbox and when they do decide to buy instead of rent, they know that Amazon is hard to beat. So all of that combined with the streaming competition, it makes sense to reassign the valuable shelf space to something a little more profitable.

Starting this autumn -- which is sort of like now -- Tesco stores in the UK will be offering "virtual DVDs" to customers who purchase certain home video titles. Promising no less than a "DVD-equivalent" experience, the new service will be replete with all the menus, copyright warnings and extra bits you'd find on the disc itself, plus additional exclusive content and movie viewing parties with online chat. We're not entirely sure films need all the added interactivity Microsoft has cooked up, but ambitions are to expand the bonus content and to offer the service in other markets "eventually." And hey, seeing as it's based on Silverlight, all that good stuff will be available on Mac too.

It's been a rough week for DVD copying services from Real and Kaleidescape, and public understanding of the whole DVD copying mess hasn't been spared. People like to watch DVDs and lawyers like to get paid, however, so we're willing to bet there's more to come. CEPro has put together a breakdown of the issues at hand, which not only makes for some good reading but also shows just how far from any real clarity we are. Whether it's legal to make bit-for-bit copies, but illegal to view them; legal to use copying tools, but illegal to produce them; or just plain mean to do something Hollywood doesn't want you to, consumers are going to push for media convenience. We're still hoping Blu-ray's Managed Copy gives us enough wiggle room on our HD digital handcuffs, but sadly, it seems like DVD fans can pick between taking up residence in legal limbo while the courts struggle to catch up with tech or just strip the CSS from discs and get on with their lives.

When it rains it pours -- right on the heels of the punishing blow dealt to RealDVD, the money-laden Kaleidescape crowd suffered its own setback at the hands of the law. You just know that the DVD CCA (Copy Control Association) appealed the 2007 ruling that allowed Kaleidescape owners to rip DVDs to their media servers, and yesterday a California Appeals Court overturned that ruling. Next stop -- the Santa Clara Superior Court, which could place an injunction on Kaleidescape if the appeal is upheld. It's not over yet, but we're prepping the soundboard with ominous music, boos and noisy hand-wringing. Whatever (and whenever) the outcome, we can only hope that Blu-ray's Managed Copy comes to the scene sooner rather than later and settles this issue for our beloved HD content

Something tells us Kaleidescape has a man (or woman, to be fair) on the inside, else United States District Court Judge Marilyn Patel is just downright trifilin'. In every visible way, RealNetworks' proposed RealDVD player was exactly what Kaleidescape was, but for people with annual salaries far less than $9,854,392,220. Regardless of our opinion, a preliminary injunction has just been passed down from The Almighty in the robe, which blocks the sale of the RealDVD software here in the US. The six major movie studies filed the suit last September, alleging that it "illegally violated their right to restrict the use of their movies in digital form." Evidently those that matter agree. A RealNetworks spokesperson took the time to vent their feelings on the whole ordeal, and since we know you're curious, we've pasted it below for your convenience.

We are disappointed that a preliminary injunction has been placed on the sale of RealDVD. We have just received the Judge's detailed ruling and are reviewing it. After we have done so fully, we'll determine our course of action and will have more to say at that time.

[Via Electronista]

We never thought we'd have to use the "mini" prefix for a HTIB system, but Sony Korea's CMT-DH50R introduction has forced our hand. The CMT-DH50R takes the familiar mini-system motif popularized in executive offices and adds in HDMI output with 1080p upscaling. Looking through the numerous badges on this 2x80-Watt system, though, you'll notice the Blu-ray logo is nowhere to be found -- sorry, folks, it's DVD only. It's also not clear if there's an HDMI input to go along with the USB device support; but Korean execs may be willing to overlook any shortcomings because the system will play back their ill-gotten and totally legit DiVX files and, more importantly, let them rock the karaoke right from their desks. We'd be surprised if this system made it to US shores in this form, so if you're itching, we suggest you grab up ₩428,000 and grab a flight.

Read - CMT-DH50R release
Read - CMT-DH50R specs

It's not a big leap to assume that folks who can grab and actually use Toshiba's RD-X9 2TB DVR would want to occasionally archive some of their shows to an optical disc. Yes, plugging in an external USB drive for backups is probably a better approach, but those optical discs are just so bite-sized and bookshelf-friendly. Toshiba apparently agrees, because burning to disc is supported as well; but maybe engineering is still bitter about the whole Blu-ray/HD-DVD thing and isn't aware of the new company line, because the onboard drive is DVD, not Blu-ray. Hopefully the next iteration will get everyone on one page, and we can move on to a feature-competitive Blu-ray model.

If you're into an all-Pioneer system, we'd suggest jumping into one of its Blu-ray HTIB offerings, but we'll just hope that these new DVD-centric offerings strike a lower price point that allows more people get started right away and attach a Blu-ray player to the HDMI inputs when their budget allows. Coming to the lineup -- at least in the UK -- are the 2.1-channel DCS-FS30 and 5.1-channel DCS-585 and DCS-590 systems. All kits are based (see that?) on a powered sub, but the configurations vary from there. The DCS-FS30 adds two height-adjustable desktop-sized speakers, and the DCS-590 is comprised of four tall speakers and a center channel, but things get interesting with the DCS-585 that comes with six small cube speakers -- two for center, the remaining four to be sprinkled around the room or stacked and put up front. Correct placement is so staid -- it's all about choices, see? More pics after the break.

Oh sure, outfits have claimed to ship kitchen-friendly TV sets before, but Toshiba just made 'em all look silly with the introduction of the 19LV612U. Less formally known as the first member of the Stainless Style TV series, this 18.5-inch set packs a built-in slot-loading DVD player, integrated ATSC / NTSC / QAM TV tuner and a 1,366 x 768 native resolution. Oh, and then there's the seductive stainless steel coating, which makes it fit in impeccably well with your modern day dishwasher, refrigerator and microwave oven. Other specs include 300 nits of brightness, a 1,000:1 contrast ratio, five millisecond response time, HDMI / VGA inputs, a headphone jack and VESA mount support. It's expected to ruin meals regularly starting this September for $349.99

Remember back in May when Blu-ray sales were reportedly up 72 percent for 2009? Turns out the high definition disc business is doing even better than that. The Digital Entertainment Group is reporting a 91 percent sales increase year-on-year, totaling $407 million, for the first six months of this year -- an impressive feat, especially in this recession climate. Blu-ray rentals, too, saw a 61 percent increase, and on the less tangible side of things, digital distribution rose 21 percent. Despite all this, the report noted that overall consumer spending on prerecorded entertainment dropped 3.1 percent, and net profit down 2.2 percent... come on UMD, pick up the slack.

It's some 60 percent smaller in size, but other than that Sony's new VRD-MC6 DVDirect looks and acts an awful lot like the previous VRD-MC10 and VRD-MC5: it can take 1080i video with 5.1 audio off your Handycam's drive or Memory Stick and shoot out an AVCHD DVD that plays back on compatible Blu-ray drives like the PS3. If you're not into the all-Sony seamless end-to-end HD experience, you can also bring in SD video over FireWire, composite, or USB to churn out regular old DVDs with automatic chaptering and custom menu backgrounds, or you can go totally old-school and just drop in an SD card full of photos and MP3s to generate a slideshow. Yeah, it's not nerd heaven and you won't be editing Oscar-winners here, but at $230 it's a pretty painless way for everyone else to archive and share their videos. Ships in September.

Some think that discs are already dead, but that's because they're ignoring all the success Netflix is still having. Of course any company with a name like Netflix is obviously forward thinking -- the name isn't Discflix after all -- and on that note Reed Hastings, the CEO, told the WSJ that he expects to see significant declines in packaged media rentals in the next "four to nine years." We think that estimate is as good as any, but can't wait to see how the home media landscape changes between now and then. This is of course why Netflix is actively building it's streaming service which evidently is currently only used by 20 percent of Netflix customers.

Just in case you needed another reminder that despite some interesting developments, digital isn't quite overtaking disc just yet, as NPD's latest figures indicate 63 percent of consumer spending is still on DVD purchases. Blu-ray purchases snapped up 7 percent, rentals of DVD and Blu-ray discs together were rolled up to take 18 percent of the pie, VOD accounted for 9 percent with 3 percent of the cash left for digital downloads and online streaming. Still, all wasn't lost for internet based options, while out of the more than 11,000 surveyed only 9 percent of those with internet at home reported watching a movie via streaming that's up 4 points from last year, same for rented downloads, up to 8 percent from 4 in the previous year. The much hyped video game console marketplaces? Less than 5 percent of consumers have checked them out yet (We'll wait for one to launch on Wii.) Interestingly, but not all that surprising given the crossover, the same people into digital video are also heavy consumers of Blu-ray and DVD, but the overall indication is that packaged media still has some time in the spotlight before consumers find a reason to switch.

[Via Electronista]