Nintendo News | Wii DVD Playback Unveiled

By Adam Riley 13.11.2006 28

Sonic Solutions, the leader in digital media software, today announced that Nintendo, the worldwide innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, has chosen Sonic CinePlayer CE DVD Navigator to bring high-quality DVD movie viewing to a future version of the company's Wii gaming console. Nintendo plans to release this version of Wii in the latter half of 2007.

Based on the same technology trusted by Hollywood studios, CinePlayer CE DVD Navigator is a robust, software-based DVD playback engine that delivers broad playback compatibility on a variety of platforms. The proven technology offers exceptional picture quality and supports all standard video and audio formats offered in the DVD specification, as well as advanced functions such as anamorphic widescreen video, motion menus, and multiple video angles.

"To be involved in Nintendo's ground-breaking gaming console is extremely gratifying and a testament to the efficiency, flexibility and dependability of Sonic's technology," said Jim Taylor, senior vice president and general manager of Sonic's Advanced Technology Group. "Game consoles represent a fresh market and platform where we can introduce a new audience of potentially millions to the quality of our brand and the power of our digital media applications."

According to a recent report by new media research firm Centris (http://www.centris.com/index.htm), DVD playback device penetration continues to grow. The total number of DVD playback-capable households grew to 91 million in April 2006, which represents an 8% increase over the previous year. Adding to this figure was an increase in DVD-enabled game units which grew 11% year over year to approximately 45 million.

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Raff is offline. Raff 13.11.2006#1

SO will it have modern connections?

It's going to be shit and you jolly well know it.
 
dscuber9000 is offline. dscuber9000 13.11.2006#2

I have doubts, but I'll pray for this to be a downloadable channel.

 
Laurelin is offline. Laurelin 13.11.2006#3

Is this an upgrade? Will I be able to update my no-DVD-Wii from launch day (I hope so) to play DVDs when the time comes or do I have to buy a new Console?

I find your lack of faith disturbing!
 
dojo is offline. dojo 13.11.2006#4

No way am I gonna buy a new Wii just for DVD playback. If its a firmware upgrade (which I seriously doubt, for some reason), I'll be happy, but otherwise...Smilie

 
Laurelin is offline. Laurelin 13.11.2006#5

Yes, same here. That's why I asked.

I find your lack of faith disturbing!
 
Elrinth is offline. Elrinth 13.11.2006#6

it's a whole new Wii... sorry guys.
Same as the Q cube with gamecube.

this sucked, damn nintendo for never being prepared for launch with everything in the system.

 
ohm is offline. ohm 13.11.2006#7

Dman nintendo, why do they have to be such cocks.

 
J4K is offline. J4K 13.11.2006#8

And why isn't this available at launch?

*sigh* probably some move by Nintendo to save themselves money. Smilie Ah well, I'm not getting a Wii for a while anyway.

( Edited on 13.11.2006 13:39 by Jacob4000 )

 
Laurelin is offline. Laurelin 13.11.2006#9

*shrug* I don't need DVD playback anyway. So no harm done to me.

I find your lack of faith disturbing!
 
OLU1701 is offline. OLU1701 13.11.2006#10

I don't see why Nintendo has to make such a big deal over multi media technology that it's rivals had for their consoles in the fading Gen. You either add it as a firmware upgrade for the standard Wii or you don't you stupid morons.
(sighs) When will they EVER learn....

 
ollie999 is offline. ollie999 13.11.2006#11

That's plain retarded. I doubt anyone is going to wait till then just for a DVD player.

Plus if it looks anything like the Panasonic Q version of the Gamecube it would spoil the sleekness of the Wii.

I'm not really bothered though as my house already has four possible places to play DVDs.

You think you've got problems.
What are you supposed to do if you are a manically depressed robot?
No don't even bother to answer that.
It just gives me a headache trying to think down to your level.
 Nintendo HQ
My Music and Film Reviews Blog
 
Tenacious D is offline. Tenacious D 13.11.2006#12

oh well..as annoying as it may be, how many of you will it actually affect? how many of you don't already have dvd playback? although it would have been nice to watch films on my launch wii.. Smilie

 
Darkflame is offline. Darkflame 13.11.2006#13

Idioitic Nintendo :-/

The one thing you DONT want to do before a lauch is annouce a better version.
Especialy something software-releated that should be a download.

http://www.fanficmaker.com <-- Tells some truly terrible tales.
Last update; Mice,Plumbers,Animatronics and Airbenders. We also have the socials; Facebook & G+. 
 
Darkflame is offline. Darkflame 13.11.2006#14

(err, to be fair though, Nintendo isnt making a deal of this at all...thats a quote from the software makers)

http://www.fanficmaker.com <-- Tells some truly terrible tales.
Last update; Mice,Plumbers,Animatronics and Airbenders. We also have the socials; Facebook & G+. 
 
Modplan Man is offline. Modplan Man 13.11.2006#15

has anyone noticed it says it's software driven (as in no added hardware required, leaving it open to be a firmware upgrade)?

Remeber reports of having to get some sort of dongle to play dvd's on the wii?

Now put the two together...

 
Dr_R is offline. Dr_R 13.11.2006#16

Oh Amazingjanet I hope you're right!!!

"This man has advanced communist views ... He dresses in a bohemian fashion both at his office and in his leisure hours."
 
Raff is offline. Raff 13.11.2006#17

But they've already said that's all cancelled. This is the result. A special version with some extra software and probably a few more AV options.

It's going to be shit and you jolly well know it.
 
jadnice is offline. jadnice 13.11.2006#18

Hmmm... interesting. So Wii out the box can play dvd movie media but its just missing the software to run it. So later next year they will provide this service. The question is why not have that software ready right out the box?

Plus I am sure others out there will find a way to install their own version before Nintendo gets around releasing the software to be download. Now the other question is...will it come at a cost???

 
Fenton is offline. Fenton 13.11.2006#19

Is this supposed to be some sort of joke or something?

If you have to pay for this fuctionality I will personally beat Iwata with a hockey stick.

 
OLU1701 is offline. OLU1701 13.11.2006#20

Jadnice it's not a firmware upgrade ...It's a software announcement for the enhanced Wii console Nintendo intend to release in the latter half of next year. I think it's an absolute stupid thing to make and a stupid announcement to make only days before the Wii most of us are getting is to be launched.

Even though We all have some sort of DVD playing format it still sounds like an "in your face suckers" announcement esopecially when you consider that Wii was scheduled to have DVD playback in the first place.

Anyway if the enhanced console is within the same price range as the X Box 360, it'll most likely be ignored so I guess as was the case in the past,the joke will once again be on Nintendo.

 
knighty is offline. knighty 13.11.2006#21

This is an outrage if you have to pay.

Microsoft do their upgrades for free. For example, the 360 now supports 1080p and can play WMV files.

Fucking Nintendo.

 
Satoshi is offline. Satoshi 13.11.2006#22

"software-based DVD playback engine"

Please not be a mistake!!!

Avoid Games Like the Plague, productivity++
 
xeke is offline. xeke 13.11.2006#23

I could really care less about DVD playback. I have a DVD player hooked up the the same TV the wii will use and I haven't used it in ages. I mostly use my Macbook for DVD's these days.

Gods in His Heaven. Alls right in the World.
 
Darkflame is offline. Darkflame 13.11.2006#24

Any device that plays DVD's has a lisence fee included in the cost.
This lisence fee, say, $10, has to go somewhere.

So its perfectly fine that we have to pay for it. (after all, why should people that DONT want DVD playback have to pay $10 more needlessly?).

The bad part, of nintendo, is even considering a new hardware version.
It should be software, or, at worse, a dongle.

=====

Its highly unlikely Nintendo will charge for other updates, unless it involves third-party lisenceing.

(Microsoft supporting wmv is like ,duh...its THEIR format).

( Edited on 13.11.2006 19:00 by Darkflame )

http://www.fanficmaker.com <-- Tells some truly terrible tales.
Last update; Mice,Plumbers,Animatronics and Airbenders. We also have the socials; Facebook & G+. 
 
Megadanxzero is offline. Megadanxzero 13.11.2006#25

Why they EVER decided to take it out of the original one in the first place will always be a mystery to me...

Still a proud member of the 'omfg amazing water in games' society
 

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