China blue HD crosses over to the UK

DELUCAS · 14-10-2009, 6:50 AM

China Blue HD crosses over to the UK, third Opium War inevitable
by Richard Lawler posted Oct 13th 2009 at 9:24PM

We've given HD DVD's bastard child China Blue HD its due for a good start in its native land, but now that U.K. Importer GBAX has made a few units available it's time for English language buyers to at least consider this Blu-ray alternative. Of course, with a £259.99 ($413.22 U.S.) pricetag for this plain TCL player, AV and HD cables, plus 14 CBHD movies (The Aviator, Blood Diamond, The Invasion, The Island, Flood, Poseidon & 8 Chinese-only flicks) to get you started the barrier to entry is high, but as shown in the unboxing / preview video -- embedded after the break, watch for ninjas -- the experience is very familiar. As Format War Central points out, the 220/240Hz power cord makes things complicated for the U.S. and other places outside Europe, but hardcore HD DVD holdouts are used to a world filled with only Warner and Universal movies already, so why not give the other blue laser flavor a try?

[Via Format War Central]
Continue reading China Blue HD crosses over to the UK, third Opium War inevitable

Read 30 CommentsX Share
Email thisDiggFacebookTwitterYahoo BuzzRedditStumbleUponPermalink##

For some strange reason my original thread i started on this way back was closed !!

Techie_89 · 14-10-2009, 7:08 AM

That was quick!!...
I didnt think anyone in the UK would start importing them for at least another year.

BISHI · 14-10-2009, 11:11 AM

Will I be able to play these films on my existing HD player ?

**Bald Monkey** · 14-10-2009, 11:54 AM

If you mean a HD-DVD player, then no.

Not at the moment

Maybe.. just maybe, someone, somewhere at sometime will figure a way to hack the players to do it??? Maybe

BISHI · 14-10-2009, 11:59 AM

So is it not the exact same technology playing exactly the same format as Toshibas HDDVD ?

**Bald Monkey** · 14-10-2009, 3:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BISHI

So is it not the exact same technology playing exactly the same format as Toshibas HDDVD ?

No, AFAIK, it basically very similar but different enough to ensure it won't work. In terms of hardware then yes they are probably very similar, just like HD-DVD and BR. But the firmware on a HD-DVD player will never be able to play a CBHD disc. Unless it can be hacked somehow and the hardware is compatable.

northy124 · 14-10-2009, 9:16 PM

This sounds great, anyone know of a master list of all CBHD titles (Chinese only)?

Oh on the HD DVD Players playing them it is a huge possibility from what I read a while back, just comes down to someone hacking the firmware I think (could be wrong as this was a while ago that I read this and things could of changed

)

Leterface · 15-10-2009, 6:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by northy124

Oh on the HD DVD Players playing them it is a huge possibility from what I read a while back, just comes down to someone hacking the firmware I think (could be wrong as this was a while ago that I read this and things could of changed

)

I heard it is just the opposite a long time ago. Ie that the HD DVD players won't never play CBHD discs but the HD DVD players could play CBHD discs with the right modifications if they would be possible. You know the point in Chinas own HD players is that there shouldn't become available a market of pirate HD discs because the Chinese discs should not play on any western HD players (that is BD and HD DVD).

Viking61 · 23-10-2009, 2:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bald Monkey

If you mean a HD-DVD player, then no.

Not at the moment

Maybe.. just maybe, someone, somewhere at sometime will figure a way to hack the players to do it??? Maybe

I saw these posts on another forum:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Striderprime00

I wonder if there is any way to update my HD DVD player's firmware to run these discs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hdxa1user

yes the firmware can be changed in the player to work both unit... most of the technology inside the player is from toshiba and the firmware is aswell..

The one who is saying this is the guy who made the regionfree firmwares for the Toshiba HD DVD players, so he should know what he is talking about.

emthree · 24-10-2009, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Viking61

I saw these posts on another forum:

The one who is saying this is the guy who made the regionfree firmwares for the Toshiba HD DVD players, so he should know what he is talking about.

I have a good feeling about this, having two HD DVD players in my possesion. I also sense Viking that you have a red line connection to this region free expert; and no doubt you will keep us posted

theronkinator · 28-10-2009, 7:38 PM

I use a 360 drive with my PC so for me is it just a codec issue?

Viking61 · 12-01-2010, 7:28 AM

Is this picture fake?

Look at the HD DVD logo next to the CBHD logo. It's supposed to be from a TCL player shown on CES 2010.

Link to the article:
HD DVD rides again -- Engadget

**Bald Monkey** · 12-01-2010, 8:15 AM

I presume it is genuine.

Surprising but genuine

DELUCAS · 12-01-2010, 8:24 AM

So i presume it supports and plays back hd dvd

mckee74 · 12-01-2010, 11:31 AM

Interesting to say the least.

Nic Rhodes · 12-01-2010, 1:05 PM

Didn't expect that!

*Rsaeire* · 12-01-2010, 2:14 PM

I was hoping for something like this; seems my prayers have been answered.

**Bald Monkey** · 12-01-2010, 2:20 PM

Why? you have an XE1

mckee74 · 12-01-2010, 3:39 PM

Does this possibly mean that we would be able to play these discs on our HD players with some kind of firmware upgrade, or do you think I'm being a tad optomistic.

Of course, the next question is would we even want to if we could but that's a different question for a different day!

**Bald Monkey** · 12-01-2010, 5:38 PM

I think it's always been possible.

But a CBHD player that plays HD-DVD is still a long way from existing HD-DVD players playing CBHD

It would be great if they did IMHO. Plenty more cheap HD goodness

I still have far more HD-DVD's than BR's and I can't honestly say it's due to qulaity or choice of film

It's price, that simple.

weyland-yutani · 12-01-2010, 5:48 PM

really don't see the point in allying all this stuff with the HD-DVD fanbase if the new discs won't play on existing machines. do they think we'll go out and buy a separate machine to play CBHD? how does that help or involve HD-DVD owners? seems a giant waste of time considering the penertration of the blu-ray format now.

**Bald Monkey** · 12-01-2010, 5:51 PM

Apart from numbers it seems no different to me than SD-DVD compatability.

It helps sell your product to those with existing collections. But there must be either a lot of these customers or the license (and whatever else) must be cheap.

I wouldn't have expected either

Perhaps there's more to it?

Viking61 · 12-01-2010, 8:46 PM

Not to disappoint you guys, but one sharp eyed member in the US forum has a possible explanation. The logo on the picture looks a lot like the original logo for the CBHD format: DVD Forum Approves "HD DVD China" Logo

Why they keep using that logo is another matter.

*Rsaeire* · 13-01-2010, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bald Monkey

Why? you have an XE1

Well, if CBHD players can playback HD DVDs, then HD DVD players might be able to playback CBHDs one day; through modified firmware or whatever.

Don't get me wrong, I still love my XE1, even if I paid about €450 nearly two years ago.

jamesy999 · 17-01-2010, 7:04 PM

Surely they'll be a way round playing CB on HD dvd. Its the same disk so surely its just a software issue. Fingers crossed!