Wednesday, November 8, 2006
InterVideo WinDVD 8
Posted by Chris Gohlke in "SOFTWARE" @ 03:00 AM
"InterVideo today announced WinDVD® 8, the latest release of the software DVD player favored by 175 million users worldwide. WinDVD 8 takes video and audio playback to the next generation with Windows® VistaTM compatibility. Offering an unprecedented list of new and expanded features, the new version delivers the smooth, crystal-clear video and rich surround sound users have come to expect from WinDVD. "With the advent of the Windows Vista era, being able to use a single software solution to play all DVD/video/audio in multiple formats simplifies our customers’ digital lifestyle," said Steve Ro, CEO and President of InterVideo. "People are eager to adopt next-generation technologies like H.264, VC1 or the UPnP ability in the new Windows Vista OS, and WinDVD 8 provides this path. WinDVD users worldwide can always get the most out of their current systems. Now, WinDVD 8 users can also leverage the enhanced multimedia features and capabilities of Windows Vista." WinDVD 8 is available in two versions. WinDVD 8 Platinum will appeal to power users who want the latest audio/video technologies, such as H.264 and VC1 support, and the ability to integrate with the Media Center and UPnP home networking. WinDVD 8 Gold is designed for movie lovers and business travelers who just want an easy way to enjoy high-quality movie playback. Both versions are Windows Vista-compatible. A universal player, the Platinum version can be used to play back the latest high-definition file formats, such as MPEG2-HD, VC-1, WMV-HD and H.264 HD, as well as all the standard-definition formats like MPEG-4, Real®, QuickTime and WMV (Windows Media Video). WinDVD 8 also extends its support for DivX® multimedia technology to deliver high-quality interactive video."
What I find interesting here is the "universal player" aspect - they say it can play back Quicktime, Divx, etc. An interesting way to avoid having all those apps/codecs on your system! This is something Microsoft really needs to build into their player. I find it so frustrating to download a video that WMP can't handle for one reason or another, I can only imagine how frustrating Joe User finds this.
What I find interesting here is the "universal player" aspect - they say it can play back Quicktime, Divx, etc. An interesting way to avoid having all those apps/codecs on your system! This is something Microsoft really needs to build into their player. I find it so frustrating to download a video that WMP can't handle for one reason or another, I can only imagine how frustrating Joe User finds this.
