VideoPhile - Sat Dec 09, 2006

• December 9th, 2006 | HDTV, HD-DVD, Blu-ray

Loads of HDTV Channels From AT&T
AT&T is offering 27 new HDTV channels in the Houston, Texas area, making it the second city in that state to get HDTV channels from AT&T. [source: TV Predictions]

Creative Labs Spins Off HDTV Chip Division
Creative Labs has spun off 3Dlabs, its UK chip designer division, which they acquired in 2002. After the acquisition, 3Dlabs moved their focus from 3D graphics to HDTV. Their recent research over three years has led to a multi-core chip for use in handheld HDTV units. [source: Electronics Weekly.]

DVDs to Bite the Dust?
David Colker of the LA Times writes in The Morning Call that DVDs, which were introduced in 1997, will be replaced by new technologies such as HD discs (Blu-Ray and HD DVD). The main reason HD discs won’t replace DVDs right away is that there are several incompatible formats. Regardless, new technology means, once again, higher prices for media players, taking some time drop, likely followed by still newer technology.