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Media
Information > Media DVD Coverage 
Archive
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| Updated March 2, 2008 DVD
NEWS DIGEST
1 -
Resident Evil: Extinction Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
The U.K. saw continued growth of the DVD market, with total year-end sales reaching an unprecedented 250 million units during 2007, compared with 229 million in 2006, according to data from the British Video Assn. Certain genres enjoyed significant share gains throughout the year, notably the film and children's sectors. Film has been driving market development throughout the year, with volumes up 13.2%. The children's sector also saw double-digit growth, with volumes up 12.8% from 2006. "As DVD approaches its 10th birthday, we are delighted to see a mature market continue to grow, whilst developing new channels for consumer consumption," BVA director general Lavinia Carey said. "There have been concerns that new technologies and piracy would reduce the physical sales of video. However, distributors and retailers have reacted by offering consumers even more choice and value for money and consumers are clearly responding as the market continues to increase on a monthly basis. "The increasing popularity of next-generation high-definition discs which, as forecast by the BVA, have exceeded sales of 1 million units in 2007, demonstrates that consumers are willing to pay for premium product," Carey added. "This is a format that will continue to grow."
DVD sales in the Netherlands reached record levels in 2007, industry body NVPI and GfK Benelux Marketing Services reported. About 31 million DVDs have been sold in 2007, representing sales of 339 million euros ($499 million). In 2006, total DVD sales reached 30.4 million copies and revenue of 334 million euros ($491 million). NVPI estimates that every Dutch household bought four DVDs during 2007. NVPI is optimistic about the future because of the potential of HD DVD and BluRay and the growing number of DVD players sold in the Netherlands.
DVDs scheduled to be released Jan. 27-Feb. 2 Bordertown
Rob Pegoraro writes that for several months, readers have asked him why they can't copy DVDs onto their computers. His answer: "DVDs, unlike audio CDs, contain a layer of encryption called CSS (short for "Content Scramble System") that prevents them from being fully readable to a computer. But CSS was hacked over eight years ago; despite some heavy-handed attempts at suppression, variations of this hack have since shown up in a wide variety of DVD playback and copying programs. ". . .These programs can be used to make illegitimate copies. I do not endorse that. What I do endorse is making copies of movies that you own--either as a backup or for watching on the road. That's an entirely ethical use, and one that so many people find valuable that Fox has now begun providing iTunes-compatible (but usage-limited) copies of its releases on some new DVDs. " ... many of these DVD-copying tools are built for techies or difficult to find. . . Mac users are all clear, thanks to a simple, fast and free program called HandBrake. But the Windows version of this doesn't handle commercial DVDs, requiring the intervention of some other program to strip off the CSS encryption. Some have suggested another freebie called DVD43, but I've had erratic results with that. . ."
Though more and better examples of DVD games suggest the DVD player has potential as an intelligent, interactive medium, so far it remains largely potential. Limited onscreen input and DVD-remote responsiveness hold the experience back. The latest entry in the not-terribly-crowded field is Harry Potter: Hogwarts Challenge. Family members can play together, even if only one is truly a Potter aficionado. It's visually appealing and interesting but not so immersive that players zone out. However, the game starts to feel repetitive. And there's that darned DVD remote to contend with. It just doesn't seem to maneuver your messenger owl or dodge Bludgers on the Quidditch field with the precision players might wish for. Herald Sun: Largest Australian DVD Pirate Ring Smashed Police claim they have smashed a $12 million-a-year pirate DVD ring in three raids on houses in Melbourne's west. The raids busted Australia's largest pirate DVD syndicate, with 170 DVD burners and more than 400,000 pirated discs allegedly seized, said operations director Neil Gane from the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT). Victorian and federal police and AFACT investigators first searched a home in Sunshine West following reports from the public of suspicious activity, Mr Gane said. More than 250,000 discs and 100 burners were recovered, he said. end
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