Looks like Blu-Ray may not have things so wrapped up, as Toshiba releases its third generation HD-DVD. The HD-A3x adds 24p support, which has been sorely missed by many, as well as CE-Link. Models range from $299.99 to $499.99, which is more than reasonable, and should be released in the October-September timeframe.

Samsung is showing off more on its third-generation Blu-ray player lineup, including a home theater-in-a-box system, and the sweet Duo HD dual-format HD DVD / Blu-ray players.

The BD-P2400 adds 7.1-channel output, while the BD-P1400 has 5.1 channel output. The dual-format BD-UP5000 plays both high-def formats at 1080p and includes the HQV upconversion processor chip found in the BD-P2400. It includes the same feature set as the BD-P2400, with Blu-ray playback at 24 or 60fps, 7.1-channel out, and Dolby Digital Plus and DTS HD support. It also has HD DVD-specific features like local storage and picture-in-picture support, while staying fully compatible with both the HDi and BD-J interactive specs.

The HT-BD2 home theater system includes an 1,100-watt receiver and the same media playback features as the BD-P1400. It also includes five tower speakers, two rear satellites, and a powered sub.

The BD-UP5000 will retail for $1,049, and the HT-BD2 will ship for $1,499, both in the fourth quarter of this year.

Okay, some things are just extravagant, you know? Almost embarassingly so. Consider the specs on the new Toshiba Qosmio G45-AV680: HD DVD-R3 drive, USB HD tuner, Santa Rosa Intel PM965 chipset, Core 2 Duo T7300, 2GB RAM,  nVidia GForce 8600 GT 512MB, dual 160GB HDD, all current and future wireless standards, webcam, Harmon Kardon 4-speaker system with subwoofer,  and obligatory fingerprint reader. Whew! It’ll cost you: $3,199, but if you’re in the market for the notebook that has everything (except SSD, I do notice), the Qosmio might be your cup of tea.

Sony is finally lowering down the prices for the PS3, but not for the reasons most think. Rumors had it that the long withstanding feud between the PS3 and the Wii inspired Sony’s decision, but Sony insists it is for two reasons: to "bridge the gap with Xbox 360 and to drive the nail deeper into the coffin of the HD DVD high definition format."

Hopefully, by the time the Christmas holiday season approaches, we will finally see if buying the expensive console is worth the trouble. Sony expects new games to arrive by next March, so if successful, we could see a better future for the PS3.

At the Las Vegas trade show, LG introduced its GGW-H10N combo drive, which supports Blu-Ray and HD DVD formats.

It can playback Blu-ray, DVD and HD DVD media, along with 4x recording and even rewriting of Blu-ray Discs. Sounds great, but with a $1200 price tag, I’ll be waiting until it’s a bit older before I upgrade.

See specs and pix and CDRinfo.