Sony have unleashed two brand new Blu-ray players, both of which will be fully 3D compatible. The Sony BDP-S570 model will be 3D ready straight out of the box, while those opting for the cheaper BDP-S470 player will get 3D visuals through a software update.
With a "Monolithic" design style, both players will send 1080p 3D images to your eyes, providing you have a compatible 3D TV and Active Shutter glasses set up.
Hooking up to the internet via either built-in Wi-Fi on the BDP-S570 model or over an Ethernet cable with the BDP-S470 unit (an additional Sony Wi-Fi dongle can be bought for the S470), owners will be able to access Sony's new Bravia Internet Video Service. This new on demand platform will let you stream content from YouTube, LOVEFiLM and BBC's iPlayer without the need for any additional media boxes.
DLNA networking is also available across both Blu-ray players, which have also the nifty feature of being able to be controlled by an iPod Touch or iPhone.
Though prices are still to be confirmed, you'll be able to pick both 3D Blu-ray players up from shops by the end of the month.
Thinking Blu-ray discs were just starting to get affordable? Think again. It looks like Blu-ray disc prices are about to rise as the cost of polycarbonate is set to increase.
Polycarbonate is a major material in the production of not only Blu-ray discs, but everything from water bottles to CDs too. Any price increase on the material would certainly have an adverse affect on Blu-ray disc prices, just as they were starting to hit pocket-money prices.
Measures are in place to address the balance here however. Taiwanese manufacturers have begun stockpiling discs in an attempt to bolster resources before what seems to be an all but certain rise. If all goes well, consumers may not have to face the extra costs for a little while yet.
Dig out those bargains while you can.
Via: DigiTimes
When it comes to high specs (and high prices) Onkyo always deliver with their home cinema kit. This new range of THX-certified gear looks should get cinephiles slaivating as much per usual.
First up is the BD-SP807 Blu-ray player. The player can render detailed, sharp high-def images thanks to 287Mhz/12-bit video DAC from Analog Devices and Noise Shaped Video processing. Your old DVDs will also polish up a treat thanks to 10-bit processing from the onboard Anchor Bay ABT1030 chip. Audio looks to be solid too, with all audio channels benefiting from 182kHz/24-bit DACs, with bit stream output of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio Essential Soundtracks.
Next up is the PA-MC5500 THX Ultra 2-certified 9-channel amplifier. Designed with a focus on minimising interference, the 26 kg flagship model will deliver a massive 220w (into 6 ohms) and an SACD-friendly frequency response that hits 100kHz.
Last in the set of devices (optimised to together) is the PR-SC5507 THX Ultra 2-certified 9.2-channel A/V Network Controller. With seven HDMI, three component and six S-Video/composite inputs, it's a thorough networking solution, delivering studio-quality upscaled video streams and decoding and processing all major home cinema audio formats.
The PR-SC5507 A/V Network Controller is available now, priced £1800. The BD-SP807 and PA-MC5500 will be available in February and March respectively, with no pricing details available yet. But you can bet they'll be a pretty penny.
The Blu-ray disc association have decided which codec it's going to use to display 3D Blu-ray, and PS3 owners can breathe a sigh of relief.
Multiview Video Coding is the codec agreed upon, which will only need 50% more storage space per film compared to 2D its 2D counterparts, despite offering two seperate 1080p frames, one for each eye. All new 3D discs are going to be backwards compatible too, meaning the 2D versions of each film will be viewable on older Blu-ray players with the new 3D discs.
And finally, confirmation for Playstation fans; your PS3 WILL be fully compatible with the new 3D format. You'll still need a new 3D-capable TV with IR emitters and a set of 3D shutter shades, but at least PS3 owners wont have to upgrade to a pricey new blu-ray player.
Via: Engadget HD
Those looking to trek back to Middle Earth's Mount Doom in high definition will finally be able to do so next spring. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Blu-ray boxset has been given a release date of April 10th 2010, priced at £74.99.
It's a mammoth nine disk set, that will contain a seven hour assortment of as-yet-unannounced featurettes, as well as digital copies of the films.
If you were waiting for the excellent extended editions however, it looks like you are going to have to wait a fair bit longer; this Blu-ray boxset will only include the theatrical cuts of Peter Jackson's epic adventure.
Technical Specs
- 9-Disc Set
- Theatrical versions
- Digital Copies
Video Resolution/Codec
Aspect Ratio(s)
Audio Formats
- English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround Sound
Subtitles/Captions
- English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, German, Hungarian, Latvian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Slovenian
Supplements
- Featurettes
- Documentaries
- Music video
- Trailers
- TV spots
- Exclusive HD Content
- Digital copies
If you are looking for high-end features in a Blu-ray player, but are working on a reasonably tight budget, then the Philips BDP7500 player may be just what you are looking for.
Philips have been pretty generous with the amount of top-of-the-line features they are packing in for just £249. Featuring 1080p 24fps Full HD images, with support for 7.1 lossless formats Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio as well as 1GB of internal storage for BD-Live content, the BDP7500 is a budget player that gives more expensive options a real run for their money.
Lots of video and audio formats are supported by the BDP7500. DivX Ultra, H.264, VC-1, JPEG and MP3 are all supported, and can be accessed easily via a USB stick thanks to the player's front mounted USB drive.
For a cheaper player, it has a pretty attractive design too. An aluminium build, it gives off a blue glow whilst in use and has illuminated, touch sensitive buttons.
Definately worth considering if you are looking for a reasonably priced Blu-ray player, and a great entry point into the market for newcomers.
You can pick up the BDP7500 right now, direct from www.philips.co.uk .
Nvidia's Ben Berraondo has announced that 3D Blu-ray movies may be hitting stores as early as summer 2010.
The Nvidia PR manager for the UK and Northern Europe confirmed that after months of discussion, the Blu-ray Association had finally settled on "proper parameters [for] what constitutes a 3D Blu-ray" and stated that movie fans would be able to pick up the 3D flicks "towards the end of Summer 2010".
Nvidia's 3D Vision Technology will be one way of viewing the newly agreed upon standard, with Berraondo stating that bit rates of around 60Mbits will be used in the new flicks. HDMI 1.3 should be capable of smooth playback, with the MVC-AVC format used for encoding.
However, Berraonodo did hint that many people may have to upgrade their existing hardware to be able to watch the new 3D flicks. A 120 Hz TV would be necessary to view the films (double the 60 Hz standard widely available now) and also a Blu-ray drive capable of reading at 2x speed.
PS3 owners may stand to be the best prepared for viewing 3D Blu-ray content. Thanks to the console's discrete Nvidia GPU (based on the GeForce 7800), a mere firmware upgrade may be all that's necessary to go 3D. They'll still have to shell out for Nvidia's dorky shutter glasses however.
Via: PC Pro
With Christmas just around the corner, there are some festive treats released by Warner Brothers on Blu-ray this week. The Polar Express hits Blu-ray this week, complete with 3D glasses. Those looking to get a bit more surreal can also get a Blu-ray copy of The Wizard of Oz, which I personally find grows ever creepier with each successive viewing. Both The Polar Express and The Wizard of Oz come as part combo-pack releases which also feature the DVD format versions.
January 18th see the Blu-ray release of Vietnam flick The Green Berets. Starring John Wayne, it was Hollywood's first go at committing the Vietnam war to celluloid. A Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack and a ton of "making of" featurettes bolster the package.
The multiple Oscar-winning Mystic River has also been given a Blu-ray release date. Trailers, interviews and a featurette on how the book was adapted for the big screen are just a few of the extras set for inclusion. You can pick Mystic River up from February 8th.
In a bid to boost sales of the Blu-ray format, Warner Bros. are setting up an exchange scheme allowing US consumers to swap DVD versions of Warner Bros. published films for high-def Blu-ray copies.
The DVD2Blu website states "Upgrade your Warner Bros. DVD titles for new industry-leading Blu-ray discs and unleash the power of your HDTV through the WBshop.com DVD2Blu program."
It isn't a free service however. Each DVD mailed off to be upgraded costs $7.95, plus an additional $4.95 in shipping fees. The total cost when totalled together is not far off the regular retail price of a Blu-Ray disc. However, bulk orders over $25 are sent out for free, which goes some way to making the service worthwhile.
So far there is no UK or European equivalent service announced by Warner Bros. , but expect similar services to reach our shores as the film studios push to boost the popularity of the Blu-ray format in these credit-crunching times.
You can try the service for yourself at http://www.dvd2blu.com/ .
High-end audio/visual manufacturers Bang & Olufsen have revealed details of the latest addition to their BeoVision 7 LCD range.
The BeoVision 7-55 model has a 55-inch display, where previous entries to the range have dared only go to 40 inches.
A sharp image that compensates for motion blurring will be possible thanks to the integration of the BeoSystem 3 video engine. The engine is capable of advanced signal processing thanks to the VisionClear picture improvement technologies it features, and alongside the 120hz refresh rate, should nicely cut back on any fuzzy movement blur.
The BeoVision 7-55 features LED backlighting, and will benefit from local dimming which should improve the contrast ratio for deeper, inky blacks.
The TV will be one of the few on the market to feature an integrated Blu-ray player and sound bar, which should hopefully circumvent the notoriously lacklustre sound quality of most LCD speakers.
A motorised floor stand will also ship with the BeoVision 7-55 to adjust the height of the TV, a pretty nifty addition that well cement your position as the jammy envy of your friends.
The set will cost a whooping $18,700 (circa £11,150) and will ship in late November stateside, with a worldwide rollout expected shortly afterwards.
District 9, the excellent dark-horse of this year's sci-fi summer blockbusters, is set to be released on Blu-ray on December 28th 2009.
Part mock-documentary, part action flick, District 9 is a gritty examination of how the world would react to an influx of alien refugees.
Tackling issues such as xenophobia and social segregation, District 9 successfully walked the line between brains and action-film brawn.
The Blu-ray release of the film will be displayed in 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 video with a DTS-HD Master audio 5.1 soundtrack.
Featurettes set to be included are:
- Metamorphosis: The Transformation of Wikus
- Innovation: Acting and Improvisation
- Conception and Design: Creating the World of District 9
- Alien Generation: Visual Effects
- A Filmmaker's Log: Three-Part Documentary
The Blu-ray will also include a director's commentary, an interactive map of Johannesburg, Sony's MovieIQ and BD-Live content.
Pre-order your copy from Amazon here.
Rock has announced the latest in its line of high-performance, HD-friendly notebook PCs designed for both gamers and movie addicts alike.
The Xtreme 790 notebook range comes with 17-inch widescreen X-Glass display, Intel Core i7 processors, up to 6GB of RAM, up to 1.5TB of hard drive storage, Blu-ray reader, and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M 1GB graphics, with prices ranging from £1,999 - £2,999.
With over four months' notice, here's news that Terminator Salvation will be available to buy on Blu-ray from 23rd November 2009.
As well as the high definition movie, bonus material available on the Blu-ray disc includes:
- "Re-Forging the Future" - Go behind the scenes of Terminator Salvation with an exclusive set tour.
- "The Moto-Terminator" - See how the Terminator Salvation visual effects crew and Ducati partnered to create the slick and deadly Moto-Terminator!
Maximum Movie Mode featuring director McG deconstructing the film's key moments.
- Picture (PiP) commentary with cast and crew interviews, storyboards, still galleries, timeline and more.
- 11 mini featurette focus points spotlighting how the ground-breaking special effects were created.
- "Resist Or Be Terminated" Tech Com videos (nine viral videos from the theatrical campaign and four new videos from the Home Entertainment campaign)
- "The Final Resistance" video - access the secret plans of Skynet
- CINECHAT - BD-Live technology that lets viewers around the world chat live about this, or any other CINECHAT enabled Blu-ray disc.
Sony has today announced its latest line of VAIO PCs -- the NW Series.
From what I can ascertain at present, all models will feature a 15.5-inch true 16:9 widescreen with Sony's X-black LCD technology, Blu-ray and HDMI output.
They're driven by Intel Core2Duo Processors up to T6500 at 2.1GHz, Mobile Intel PM45 Express Chipset and ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570 graphics card.
Using the words "low end" in the same sentence as "Denon" are a rarity, and it's worth noting that Denon's idea of an entry level Blu-ray player may not be quite the same as some other manufacturers.
Conspicuously absent from Denon UK's web site at present, the new DBP-2010 Blu-ray player will do everything you'd expect, including Profile 2.0 compatibility, 10-bit video processing, 7.1-channel outputs and full decoding of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, and decent audio output for CD playback.
Not a pushover at all, which is just as well as it'll retail for around £599.
(Via Tech Digest)
Denon has announced the launch of its DVD-A1UD universal player that will happily play all of your optical disc media including Blu-ray, SACD, DVD-Audio/Video and CD, in supreme quality thanks to its built-in HQV technology.
Neither video nor audio quality has been overlooked, so this should be a unit that pleases many.
On the video side, features include REALTA high picture quality circuitry, digital noise reduction, 1080/24p, pixel image correction, support for Cinema Scope aspect ratios, and direct source playback.
Ahh, the Eurovision Song Contest in high definition... could it get any better?
There's disappointment among fans, though, because although the Contest has been filmed in high definition since at least 2007, it's only been available to buy on standard definition DVD.
Would you like to campaign to have highlights put onto Blu-ray in all their high definition glory? If so, head over to this petition page and sign up.
We've been waiting quite a while for Panasonic's new Freesat+ PVR Blu-ray recorders to hit the UK, and finally they've arrived.
With a special consumer web site to mark the "UK's first Blu-ray recorder" event, Panasonic offers up the DMR-BS850, DMR-BS750 and DMR-XS350.
Now for the kicker... the price.
The DMR-BS850 comes in at around £860 while the DMR-BS750 is only slightly cheaper at £760. The DMR-XS350, which doesn't have Blu-ray, is about £605.
Apparently that's justified by Panasonic asking just how much your memories (which you'll be recording to Blu-ray disc) are worth. Riiiight.
Full specifications for each player over the jump.
Updating the R610 notebook PC which Samsung released last year comes the R620 Blu-ray enabled laptop featuring a high-resolution 16:9 display and a number of advanced features.
The 16-inch screen features Samsung's SuperBright Gloss technology for sharper and brighter images and can display full 1,920 x 1080 resolution.
Since HD DVD's demise well over a year ago, Toshiba has until now continued to state that it has no intention of adopting the Blu-ray format, instead choosing to work on hardware with the XDE upscaling processor built in.
However, that may be about to change, if CrunchGear's reporting of Toshiba's annual shareholder meeting in Tokyo is accurate.
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