Today's High-Def Headlines

Vizio Takes Q2 TV Lead - TWICE
Vizio ascended to the top of the flat-panel market share ranks in the second quarter of 2007, according to two separate TV market research reports released Monday. Austin, Texas-based DisplaySearch said the young flat-panel brand with predominately U.S. financial backing used its unusually focused retail distribution strategy and aggressive pricing to out sell all other brands in combined LCD TV and plasma sales during the period. El Segundo, Calif.-based iSuppli also showed Vizio holding the marketshare lead in LCD TV unit sales.

The Secret of Vizio's Success - CNET
If you don't know Vizio yet, you will very soon. The LCD TV maker has quickly staked out a place in the flat-panel market and has elbowed aside some of the biggest names in electronics in the process.

Still Waiting for OLED TVs - CNET
We've been hearing about the potential for OLED (organic light-emitting diode) TVs for several years now and Sony, Samsung and Seiko Epson have demonstrated the ability to make a prototype OLED panel. So when will TV manufacturers actually start selling OLED TVs and, more importantly, will those TVs cost way too much for the average consumer?

Fox and MGM Announce Blu-ray Titles - IGN
In what can only be described as a rather blatant - and shall we say "ineffective" - attempt not to be out-done on the day that Paramount and DreamWorks announce their HD DVD loyalty, Fox and MGM are banding together in the Blu-ray corner to announce "an aggressive global Blu-ray Disc release strategy" including 29 marquee titles.

Channel 9 Airs News in HDTV - Cincinnati Enquirer
High-definition TV owners were quick to discover WCPO-TV's local newscasts Sunday in HDTV, the first and only Cincinnati station to broadcast local news in the new wide-screen format. Cleveland, Columbus and Indianapolis stations have been airing local news in HDTV since early this year.

Building B Boasts of New Triple-Play Platform - MCN
Boasting that it plans to market a new television and Internet video service that could rival existing pay TV services from cable, satellite and telephone providers, startup firm Building B said it has raised $17.5 million in funding. The company, which plans to detail its commercial partners this fall, said it expects to begin marketing an HDTV programming platform that will combine programming from existing basic and premium cable networks with video delivered from Internet content providers during the second half of 2008.

Judge Orders DirecTV to Stop Ad Slamming Cable - Houston Chronicle
A federal judge in Illinois ordered DirecTV Group, the nation's largest satellite TV provider, to stop running ads that claim consumers and home-theater installers prefer the quality of satellite's high-definition TV over cable's. Comcast Corp., the nation's largest cable TV operator, asked the court in July for a preliminary injunction. DirecTV and Comcast are suing each other, each claiming the other has either skewed HD-TV survey results or promoted studies that are unreliable.

Group Seeks Converter Box Alternative - TWICE
A group of independent cable TV operators has approached Congressional leaders about expanding the DTV converter box program with a proposal to provide free analog cable service for seven years to impacted residents. The movement, which is called the “Save Our Sets (SOS) Transition Plan Coalition,” (http://www.saveoursets.org/) proposes to encourage multichannel video service providers to offer free analog broadcast TV service to residents that currently rely on over-the-air TV signals.

Adobe Brings High-Definition to Flash Videos - CNET
Adobe Systems intends to add support for a video compression standard that will bring high-definition video to Flash-based streaming content on the Web. The company on Tuesday is expected to announce the release of a beta version of its Flash Player, code-named Moviestar, that adds support for H.264, the video compression portion of the MPEG 4 standard.

DIRECTV is the Only Place to See the Premiere of Disney's High School Musical 2 in HD
DIRECTV, the nation's leading satellite television provider, ends the summer on a high note with the exclusive HD broadcast of the premiere of Disney Channel's hit movie High School Musical 2 on August 24 at 6 p.m., 9 p.m., and midnight EST. Only DIRECTV customers can watch the three screenings in HD, with 5.1 digital audio, by tuning into DIRECTV's original entertainment channel, The 101.