Microsoft Corp. today
announced the release of the Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator, enabling film
studios and disc authoring companies to model the behavior of HD DVD disc
content, including encoded video and HDi interactivity, in a virtual
environment before committing to burning a single HD DVD disc. This
comprehensive tool is among the first commercially available,
software-based solutions of its kind, eliminating the need for expensive
hardware or time-consuming and costly trial-and-error processes for testing
HD DVD titles, helping to ensure that titles ship error-free.
The enhanced content and rich interactive capabilities of HD DVD
increase the need for an efficient way to troubleshoot coding to maintain
the highest-quality consumer experiences. The emulator uses a combination
of available hardware (the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and
the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player) and specialized emulation software to
ultimately enable playback of near-final assets from a network storage
share, portable hard drive or optical disc. This allows focused testing of
the layout, the menus, and the behavior of the interactivity functionality
of a title. Detailed log reports from the Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator deliver
valuable tracing information to help quickly and easily pinpoint problems
with advanced interactivity code that otherwise could take hours of manual
debugging.
"We are committed to supporting and advancing the HD DVD ecosystem, and
the new Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator reflects these efforts by providing
developers with the software-based tools they need to efficiently deliver
the highest-quality content," said Jordi Ribas, general manager of HD DVD
at Microsoft. "Microsoft developed the Emulator to help save studios and
postproduction houses time, resources and costs involved with the creation
of HD DVD content, and let them focus on what really matters -- pushing the
envelope with the format."
Sessions using the Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator are designed to complement
existing workflows so that tests can be run at various stages. The tool
offers several choices for how to run a session: directly from a network
storage share, from a USB drive connected directly to the Xbox 360 console,
or from an optical disc in the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player. While the tool
enables the testing of content playback on the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player
specifically, it effectively eliminates layers in the testing process for
other HD DVD players as well.
Validated by the Industry's Leading HD DVD Production Houses
As part of the development process, Microsoft implemented a beta
program from July through November of this year, involving more than 40
participants, including Deluxe Digital Studios, Enteractive GmbH, Imagion
AG, Memory-Tech Corporation and NetBlender Inc. Participants found that the
tool significantly decreased the number of hours and reduced the costs
associated with the production process, freeing up time to refine and
improve content.
"The authoring process for HD DVD is more complex and expensive than
the process for standard DVD, and as with any new technology, it can
require a lot of time and resources," said John Harrington, CEO of
NetBlender. "In the process of working with the new Xbox 360 HD DVD Player
Emulator, we were able to cut the number of test discs needed per month
from roughly 200 down to 50, saving more than 100 work hours per month.
This positively impacted our business essentially overnight. We estimate we
will recoup the low cost of the tool in less than one month's time."
Setting up the Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator simply requires establishing a
connection to Xbox LIVE, navigating to the Download Games menu, and adding
the Emulator software to the hard drive of the Xbox 360 console. The
one-time licensing fee is $2,999.
As scenarios for next-generation interactivity continue to expand and
evolve, streamlining the production process for HD DVD titles frees up
resources that licensees can use to focus on refining and improving content
-- maximizing the potential of HDi to create compelling user scenarios. The
Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator is available for sale immediately at
http://www.thisishddvd.com/emulator.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) is the worldwide leader in
software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize
their full potential.
SOURCE: Microsoft Corp.
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