NME launches new format HD player, promises multi-format player in January

Proprietary format to go head to head with Blu-ray and HD-DVD

10 October 2006 16:05 GMT / By Amber Maitland

NME, the company that announced recently that it had developed a new, low-cost, multi-format disc, has now launched its first-generation HD VMD player, which plays an entirely new type of HD media that NME has developed.

But it has even great things up its sleeve; namely the multi-format DVD player that we’ve all been waiting for. It will play all the developing HD formats, and is due to be launched at CES in January.

The HD VMD player that the company is launching today will retail for just $175, making it by far the cheapest option for playing HD discs on the market. It’s backward compatible, so will play regular DVDs and CDs, as well as the company’s own HD VMD discs.

Introducing yet another new format is all well and good, but what’s the point if there’s no content agreements so that you can buy films to watch in HD? NME has that sorted, with content deals with VCL, a German content provider, as well as Bollywood content-provider Eros and Chinese distributors. It’s set to be big in the East.

At launch, ten titles will be available courtesy of VCL, and include Hostage, Wu Ji - The Promise, Reefer Madness, Sleepy Hollow, and Paparazzi.

“NME has the platform which will allow content developers to deliver high definition content to worldwide markets now, not at some future point,” said Mahesh Jayanarayan, CEO of NME.