Home Media Magazine - September 30 - October 6, 2007 - (Page 3)

SEPTEMBER 30–OCTOBER 6, 2007 >> E LE C T R O N I C D E LI V E RY Ready to Burn Baby Burn By Chris Tribbey t didn’t take long for companies to get really busy following the DVD Copy Control Association’s (CCA) decision to allow its Content Scramble System (CSS) software to be licensed. The move allows video purchased over the Internet to be burned to DVDs and played in most DVD players. Sonic Solutions already is peddling its Qflix recordable CSS program and DVD-on-demand software. I B R I N G I N G D I G I TA L E N T E R TA I N M E N T TO YO U Primera Technology Inc., a developer of DVD and Blu-ray Disc duplication and printing equipment, said it’s working with Sonic Solutions to offer hardware for disc-on-demand retail kiosks. With Sonic’s technology and licensing program, Primera will begin incorporating CSS recording capabilities into its automated disc publishing systems. That means discs with the CSS security will be produced within minutes of See SONIC, Page 28 INSIDE >> CCA Says OK to Burn Association opens up DVD CSS to licenses. >> TV Fans Study says adult viewers want digital delivery to go to the TV. PAGE 12 >> H I G H-D E F Directors PLAYING A PART IN HD By Chris Tribbey ore than one filmmaker has found himself center stage during the high-def format war. Transformers director Michael Bay at first railed against — and then accepted — the Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Animation SKG decision to ditch Blu-ray Disc. Steven Spielberg had his DreamWorks films excluded from that decision. Sony brought Barry Sonnenfeld on stage while introducing all its new Blu-ray products at the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA) Expo in See DIRECTORS, Page 32 Though some are trying to stay on the sidelines Watchdog Group Cites Google for Copyright Violations By Billy Gil oogle’s video service is once again under fire. This time, it’s not from copyright holders, but rather a nonprofit group that Sept. 26 sent several lawmakers letters haranguing Google for facilitating the screening of illegally copied movies, according to the Associated Press. The National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC) sent members of the House of Representatives and Senate committees on commerce and the judiciary letters focusing on illegally recorded full-length theatrical films found on Google’s video-hosting service (which incorporates subsidiary YouTube). «HERE’S A MULTIGoogle and its BILLION-DOLLAR YouTube service are be- CORPORATION ing sued by Viacom Inc. RIPPING OFF for alleged copyright in- SMALLER MOVIE fringement. STUDIOS. » The NLPC, founded in KEN BOEHM, NLPC 1991, has had a hand in at least one other high-profile ethics issue. It is known for revealing a conflict of interest in a $30 billion plan for the Air Force to lease aircrafts from Boeing, which resulted in multiple firings at Boeing and jail time for involved parties. NLPC chairman Ken Boehm, who described his organization as made up of individuals who “tend to be free-market types,” said it isn’t tied to the movie industry. Rather, it is criticizing Google on an ethical basis. “One of [Google’s] unofficial corporate mantras was ‘Do no evil’; here’s a multibillion-dollar corporation ripping off smaller movie studios. We thought, ‘That’s wrong; that’s evil,’” Boehm said. “We decided we would do our research and found See GOOGLE, Page 32 G M INSIDE PAGE 10 >> Best Buy Survey Chain’s study finds consumers are confused by HD. >> Blu Ribbon Finding Research firm says the Sony format still has the edge. H I G H-D E F MAR KE T S HAR E Blu-ray and HD DVD Sales Comparison as of 9/23/07 Week Ended 9/23 Year-to-Date I Blu-ray I HD DVD BLU-RAY HARDWARE SPECS PLAYING GAME OF CATCH-UP By Chris Tribbey ov. 1 is supposed to be a big day for Blu-ray Disc. As mandated by the Blu-ray Disc Association, any set-top player certified after Oct. 31 must meet Blu-ray profile 1.1 specifications, bringing all Blu-ray manufacturers under the same guidelines to support Blu-ray special features. Profile 1.1, also known as “Final Standard Profile,” adds a secondary audio decoder, allowing for interactive commentaries, a secondary video decoder, allowing for See BLU-RAY, Page 28 Since Inception 37% 63% 66% 34% 61% 39% N Source: Nielsen VideoScan First Alert data NEWS Movie Gallery plans to close 520 underperforming and unprofitable stores as it faces troubling financial times. RESEARCH Warner Home Video’s We Are Marshall scores on both the sales and rental charts for the week. Illustration: Charles Park PRODUCT 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment’s The Simpsons Movie is ready to make “Doh” on DVD and Blu-ray Disc Dec. 18. Page 6 Page 26 Page 30

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Contents News Commentary TV DVD Reviews Pipeline Research Top 20 DVD Sellers Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts Just Announced

Home Media Magazine - September 30 - October 6, 2007

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