Microsoft's Kevin Collins staged a couple of impressive demonstrations of interactivity features upcoming from HD DVD.

All current HD DVD players allow users to save and easily recall their favorite scenes on their HD DVD discs with a button push on the remote. Going beyond, Kevin showed in real time that he could save his favorite scenes on a player, and upload them to a server that then gave him the option of sending his "My Scenes" to friends, or allowed him to access the scenes from the same title on a different player. Kevin used a second-gen HD-A2 to save the scene, but then accessed it from a first-gen HD-Xa1 to deomnstrate that Toshiba's first-gen players will be able to take advantage of new features on the format.

The idea is that participating studios will supply a web site at which users can register and store and share the lists of scenes. Viewing the scenes of a different title requires having that disc in the player at the time, but the point is that it's easy to store and share your favorite scenes with your buddies.

In addition, a Donwload Center feature wil allow for additional features, trailers etc. to be downloaded to a title and accessed from its menu. It will nalso allow for business development opportunities in which a retailer or manufacturer would provide keys to unlock exlcusive clips, trailers or features.

HD DVD promised next-gen interactivity, and is continues to make good on the claim in impressive fashion.

Pictured above is a screen shot from a Bandai animated title that not only allows storyboards to run simultaneously with movie, but allows searches for scenes with the storyboarding feature.