RSSHP to Unveil PC with Hybrid High-Def Drive
By Scott M. Fulton, III | Published May 7, 2007, 6:00 PM
A spokesperson for Hewlett-Packard confirmed to BetaNews this afternoon that it will be including a hybrid Blu-ray / HD DVD disc reader and Blu-ray disk writer/re-writer drive as one of the options of its new high-performance Pavilion series PCs, with online availability confirmed for Wednesday.
Though HP would not confirm the brand specifically, it will most likely be using an LG "Super Multi Blue" hybrid disc component, which is the only one available that meets the specifications HP gave us this afternoon.
Model GBW-H10N reads to Blu-ray Disc, HD DVD, DVD, and CD, and will write to CD, DVD, and Blu-ray but not HD DVD, for reasons that may have more to do with licensing than technology.
The LG option will be available on Pavilion Media Center PC models m8010y and d4890y. Also available will be an optional nVidia GeForce 8800 DirectX 10 graphics card, ATI TV Wonder digital cable tuner card, and Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 CPU - currently the only four-core option available on a single die.
The GBW-H10N has been available separately - at least someplace in the world - since June of last year, when a BenQ-branded edition showed up in Taiwan for over $900 retail. Today, the average price of this component is about $550 USD.
While its DVD-ROM write speeds at 16x are typical for drives costing less than $20 via mail order (without the Blu-ray writing capability, of course), its CD-ROM reading speed is a little lower than average: 40x versus the going rate of 52x.
Although HP remains mum on pricing until Wednesday, expect this component to add about $500 USD to the price of a performance Pavilion system.
Hibryd, HiDef, HiCost
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|This is some of the best news I've heard for the format wars. I'm glad HP is doing this. Hollywood I agree with you and have been saying that for a while, duel players will take over in the next year or two. Its the way we take care of format wars, look at DVD + and - . If a VHS/Betamax player could have been made it probably would have, but the media are to different.
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|Combine this drive with AnyDVD HD and you'll be able to watch any formats with no HDCP crap. :)
Hopefully prices will come down.
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|A little pricy, but bleeding edge fun....
$960
http://dfwdepot.com/dvd-...nfo&products_id=244
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|This is why HP is beating DELL, they got the latest going into their product.
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|Yeah i want blueray or hd-dvd. i don't care which one i want them now. But i wont cause the blank media is sky high. So untill they drop the prices bigtime i will stay away.
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|Next year, you won't have to buy a dedicated HD-DVD or BD player. Hybrids are coming and both formats will stay alive.
Sony will still be making BD only players just like they did with Betamax, and did anyone forget 8mm video? Another Sony flop.
Early adopters who shelled out a grand for a dedicated player will be whining like little girls when you can get a hybrid player for $199.00
That is precisely why I bought a PS3 and the 360 add-on. Now I won't have two dedicated dinosoar players laying around, just a couple of the newest gaming systems that happen to play Blu-Ray and HD-DVD movies.
I'll buy a nice hybrid later this year when the prices fall.
Vantorax, AnyDVD/HD-DVD does rock. I can't tell you how many times it's come in handy.
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