Audio Video News

The strange and twisting-turning saga of the next-generation optical disc format war just got stranger with reports that China announced plans to develop and launch its own next –generation DVD format in 2008, seemingly placing China's massive manufacturing infrastructure at odds with the emerging Blu-ray and HD DVD standards.

In a surprising about-face Paramount Home Entertainment announced early this week that it intends to release its films on Blu-ray Disc. As confusing as this announcement makes the current format war in general, what's perhaps more confusing is that the studio ostensibly still plans to release films in the HD DVD format as well as Blu-ray in spite of the fact that all parties involved seem to agree that two formats will simply confuse consumers, perhaps to the point that they won't buy into either format.

Twenty members of Congress signed a letter sent to House of Representatives Internet and commerce panel chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) requesting that a federal law be drafted to legalize the use of the broadcast flag. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and the members of Congress who signed the letter argue the broadcast flag is necessary to safeguard digital content from Internet piracy.

Verizon began taking orders late last week for its FiOS fiber optic TV service, beginning a rollout that will cost the telecommunications company billions and have it competing directly with cable and satellite operators for your TV subscription dollars.