Region free DVD on Toshiba EP35 HD DVD player
This wonderful device for budget HD movie watching, whilst was always region free for HD DVD discs, can now be made region free for SD DVDs with some modified firmware. This means upscaling of your DVD collection to 1080p regardless of DVD region. 
Many thanks to those involved in getting the mod working.
To get this to work you need to apply some firmware that has the region free mod in it. The firmware currently available is version 1.3, which is older than latest firmwares available. However once the mod is applied, you can safely update to new official firmware releases without losing the region free status.
Also, if you have more recent firmware (up to 4.0 at least), you can roll back to the modified 1.3 and then re-apply firmware updates.
More details over at the AV Forums: EP35 Region Free Firmware
Note that RCE encoded discs require an extra handset hack as follows:
RCE HACK.
1) Turn on player
2) Open tray, put disc in tray but don´t close
3) Push T.search on remote
4) Push 1, 3, 9 and "Region number" (e.g. 1 for US discs)
5) Push T. search on remote.
You will see TEST on your player
6) Press PLAY on the remote
When player is turned off, this setting is cleared.
Channel 4 recreates Kubrick’s The Shining
Channel 4 recreates Kubrick's The Shining... or at least has produced a short promotional piece using look-a-like actors and crew in 70s dress, with a one-shot walk through around the sets of The Shining from Stanley's point of view.
This piece serves to promote More 4's Kubrick season starting on 15th of July, and will be shown in the next few weeks across Channel 4 and More 4 in the UK.
More here including a web version of the clip: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/jul/03/channel4.kubrick?gusrc=rss&feed=uknews
HD DVD, Blu-Ray and what now
Another "haven't bothered to update this site" post. Last comment on HD DVD was back when Paramount were going exclusive! Lol.
Anyway, state of play obviously is that HD DVD is no more, but my position now is how best to move to Blu-Ray and what of existing HD DVD players and titles.
Superman II : The Donner Cut (update)
I'm much neglecting this site, and also neglecting the very film I campaigned to see!
Anyway (as I've posted over in the HTF): having finally gotten around to watching the Donner cut (after I was begging for it so long!), though have to say I did hold out to get it in HD...
A huge massive big thank you to all involved in making this happen!
Wow.
Not sure how to feel about it really. I love it, but it's certainly quite a different film. It's going to take a little getting used to.
What stuns me is just how much footage there was, and how much had been reshot by "the other guy". It's quite weird in places as it's a case of watching the film you know but something is just different, and of course it's because the same scene but shot by someone else.
The test footage and bits of CGI don't bother me at all. They work pretty well. Much of the new footage is fantastic. Some a little rough around the edges, where perhaps at the time would have been polished off had it made it into the theatrical release. Some perfect though. Everything with Brando is excellent.
A sense that things are missing of course because of knowing the other version so well, but nothing really major sticks out. The ending I'm not so sure, but then I never really bought it in Superman either. It looks great though regardless.
Anyway, once again, many thanks.
Sony & Blu-ray: Deception and Anti-Consumer Behavior
Blu-Ray is apparently "winning" the format war. Much of that is down to aggressive marketing and self promoting "news" articles that Sony peddles all over the net, and the rest down to the public who believe in Sony and in part think the name sounds cool (remember these are the geeks who know about HD. Joe Public hasn't got a clue what "Blu-Ray" means).
The following article spells out what's really wrong with Blu-Ray. The differences between the formats are hardly technical but mostly down to the politics and behaviour of the backers. Sony could win this war having lost just about all the other unnecessary format wars in the past (all of their making), and they would win through sheer desperation and forcefulness. The loser in this war wouldn't be HD DVD however, it's the consumer. If Sony et al had played ball early on and negotiated a deal we wouldn't have had the war and we would have had the best of both worlds (and hopefully none of the worst anti-consumer points from Blu-Ray).
Edit: Sadly the above site appears to have gone. Wouldn't be Sony's lawyers at work by any chance? !
In other news. A "win" for HD DVD as far as I'm concerned is the announcement that Battlestar Galactica (2004) Season 1 is coming to HD DVD on December 4th just in time for Christmas. Exclusive because it's a Universal title who currently only back HD DVD. One in the eye for those who believe the war is over and Universal are about to fall to Blu-Ray come Christmas when they come out with this cracking Christmas HD DVD promoting set (considering the very poor selection of releases on both sides at the moment).