Toshiba Opens up on HD DVD

By Nick Mokey Updated July 24, 2014

Toshiba Opens up on HD DVD

Following leaks predicting the demise of HD DVD, Wal-Mart’s announcement to stop carrying the format, and news reports from the Japanese press declaring the format war over, Toshiba finally commented publicly about its ailing technology on Monday morning. The official word: HD DVD is up for review, but still not dead.

Company representatives said that Toshiba has not officially declared a stance to kill HD DVD, but acknowledged that it’s up on the block. “The media has reported that Toshiba will discontinue its HD DVD business. Toshiba has not made any announcement concerning this,” the company said, according to vnunet.com. “Although Toshiba is currently assessing its business strategies, no decision has been made at this moment.”

One anonymous source told the Associated Press that HD DVD’s fate would be decided at an upcoming board meeting, possibly as soon as Tuesday. Meanwhile, the stock market has not waited for an official word to start moving, as Toshiba stock on the Tokyo Stock Exchange rose 5.7 percent on Monday.

Managing Editor

As Digital Trends’ Managing Editor, Nick Mokey oversees an editorial team delivering definitive reviews, enlightening…

Audio / Video

Anker Soundcore says its new wireless buds will block up to 98% of external noise

Woman wearing Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC.

Anker's Soundcore division has got a new set of wireless earbuds. And while the name may sound familiar -- they're called the Liberty 4 NC -- their price is a nice surprise: just $100. That buys you a set of hi-res-capable wireless earbuds that Anker claims have really impressive active noise cancellation (ANC) and battery life.

Anker calls it "Adaptive ANC 2.0" a system that uses two mics -- one inside your ear and one on the outside of the earbuds -- to adapt ANC performance instantly in any environment. The company must be confident that the system works well; it claims it blocks out up to 98.5% of external noise. Not even the superb Apple AirPods Pro 2 claim that kind of performance.

Audio / Video

How to convert your VHS tapes to DVD, Blu-ray, or digital

VHS tape lifestyle DVD burner combo deck

Nostalgia is a powerful motivator. And nothing quite drives nostalgia more than ripping open a storage bin to find a pile of VHS camcorder tapes that pretty much document your life -- from weddings to graduations, to family vacations, to that indie film you made when you thought you were going to be the next Scorcese.
But when you're done tripping down memory lane (assuming you have a VCR to play them on), you might be thinking about converting that VHS gold to a digital format because, whether you know it or not, the tape that those memories are on is slowly decaying and may soon be lost forever. Converting well-worn home movies will never be flawless, but it can be done on a modest budget with a few basic tools.
Below, we'll show you how to save your moments digitally on multiple formats, including by DVD transfer, Blu-ray, or digital file. If you're just too busy, we've also got a list of the various VHS conversion services, including pricing, to help you preserve that 20-year-old home video of you bailing on your first bike. If not for you, do it for posterity's sake.

Disclaimer: It's illegal to produce copies of commercial films and copyrighted content, but there are no restrictions on copying home videos.
Retail VHS-to-DVD conversion services

Audio / Video

Pay up! Netflix begins account sharing crackdown in the U.S.

Netflix account sharing email.

Netflix today announced that it's going to start notifying subscribers in the U.S. who are sharing passwords that it's time to pay up — $8, to be precise. The world's largest streaming service says it's sending emails to "members who are sharing Netflix outside their household" that will detail their options.

Known as "extra member slots," the extra $8 will allow the former freeloaders to watch Netflix on one device at a time, and download content onto a single device at a time for offline viewing. They'll also have their own profile, but cannot create additional profiles. (The profile can be transferred from the main account, also known as the "home account.") And the extra member has to live in the same country as the home account.