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Onkyo: From HD-DVD to Blu-ray Players

Onkyo goes from HD-DVD to Blu-ray Players which is good news and the latest model to hit the shelves is the classy DV-BD606, this is their first Blu-ray Disc Player for the international market which is good news and the price is not that bad either considering the specs. Read more

Sony Blu-ray vs DVD: What are you buying?

I can remember when Blu-ray first came out and buying a Blu-ray player was in the thousands to buy, but not anymore. Many customers still feel to date that Blu-ray prices are still too high and that is why they are not purchasing them.

Personally I use nothing other than Blu-ray because you get more quality in sound and picture, Blu-ray Disc (Blu-ray or BD) is mainly used for high-definition video and data storage, then name comes from the name blue laser (violet-colored).

Anyway enough of the technical rubbish lets get down to the nitty-gritty, basically Blu-ray is ten times that of a single-layer DVD when it comes to capacity and quality is far superior, some say the it was the Sony PS3 gaming console that played the most important role in the format war, the PS3 uses Blu-ray but still the Microsoft Xbox 360 still uses HD DVD, Microsoft focuses more on its digital downloads from the Xbox Live Marketplace.

In a nutshell what I would love to know is the answer to these two questions:

1. Is Blu-ray still too expensive and this is why it puts you off?
2. Will Blu-ray completely replace DVD at some point?

Red Box gives Blu-ray a fighting chance

Now when it comes to Blu-ray we want more and more and yes just that little bit more, well it seems Red Box want in on the Blu-ray action.

They have Read more

Blu-ray has a shelf life of 5 years says Samsung

We all love having the latest technology but if you want to experience the Blu-ray format we suggest you get to the shops pronto, Samsung have said that they believe that within 5 years the Blu-ray format will be replaced by a different technology.

Andy Griffiths, Director of Consumer Electronics at Samsung UK told Pocket-lint in an interview that “I think it (Blu-ray) has 5 years left, I certainly wouldn’t give it 10″. He also went onto say that he thinks 2008 is Blu-rays year and that they have a huge back order at the moment.

You can purchase Blu-ray films on sites like LoveFilms, plus you can now buy Blu-ray players much cheaper than before due to the head to head fight with HD DVD players.

Although, there seems to be a new technology that Samsung are getting excited about and that is OLED, The new technology which is ready to rock is on a back burner due to high manufacturing costs. It’s said that once the OLED is at an appealing price for the consumer it will be launched, but they don’t expect this for some time.

Source: pocket-lint

Yamaha join blu-ray circuit with it’s BD-S2900 player

Yamaha, not to be left behind on the Blu-ray circuit in Europe have announced their BD-S2900 Blu-ray player.

Unfortunately it does not have BD-Live connectivity, so future feature upgrades from the internet will not be something this BD-S2900 can take advantage of, it does offer though: 1080p, 24fps, 12-bit Deep Color and HD Audio Bitstream output plus it this playing is Bonus View enabled.

The BD-S2900 is probably aimed at Yamaha’s existing cinema customers, due to the fact that the machine is reported to match the Yamaha’s existing receivers, so it’s likely you will not have to go out and buy a receiver just upgrade your existing player.

This Blu-Ray player also has 16-step motion video detection, precise pixel detection and the ability upscale SD content via Chroma Upsampling.

You can pick this Blu-Ray player up in a gorgeous titanium or black finish, and they come with one HDMI output and an SD card slot. In the United States you can pick up the BD-S2900 for $1,200, unfortunately we have no UK pricing for you yet, we will post this information as and when we receive it.

Source: pocket-lint

NAS with Blu-ray writer available soon from LG

Announced over the Weekend was LG Electronics are bring out the first Network Storage (NAS) device with an integrated Blu-ray drive to consumers, the devise is meant for small businesses and homes users, The four-bay NAS not only gives you the option to back up data onto Blue-Ray discs but also gives support for hard drives with up to 4TB of storage.

The N4Bi has three USB 2.0 connections as well as a gigabit Ethernet jack, LG also supports up to RAID 5 for joining the drives. But can also set them to RAID 0, 1, or 1+0 in addition to leaving each disk separate.

The N4B1, LG works on a streamlined web-based graphic user interface meant make managing the storage easy without depending on any one operating system. It also keeps track of what files have been downloaded and backed up, so it will only transfer new files when it is doing its routine backup.

There is also a handy catalogue system for when you back-up on a Blue-Ray disco, DVD or CD. You can use the N4B1 with Mac, Linux and Windows, ands it’s looking like you will be able to get your hands on one of these at the beginning of December.

Source: electronista

Blu-ray players Leaked Including Yamaha BD-S2900

Now we all love a good Blu-ray player, well in fact I prefer just to stick with a PS3 gaming console as it has a Blu-ray player and of course a hell of a lot cheaper. Anyway Yamaha are gearing up to unveil at least 3 new AV receivers on the world alongside a very high break the bank price Blu-ray player.

First up is the 7.1-channel RX-V1900 which apparently has USB, HDMI sockets, digital audio ports and a not known amount of power, this will be selling for around $1,399.95. Next up is the RX-V3900 for $1,899.95 and the RX-Z7 priced at around $2,699.95.

Anyway let’s move onto the most interesting one, the many are calling it “mythical” Yamaha BD-S2900, this Blu-ray player is priced at $1,199.95 with specs that include 192kHz / 24-bit DACs, BonusView, support for 1080p24 / 12-bit Deep Color, the full list is below. Not too sure if these specs are correct but we are very sure that CEDIA will clear things up for us.

Specifications shown over on AVBuzz
• Profile 1.0 Version 1.1 compatibility
• Secondary Video/Audio for enhanced commentary or information
Virtual Package for new entertainment possibilities with SD Card
High Picture Quality
• 1080p/24fps-compatible HDMI video output
• 12-bit Deep Color • High quality video processing with Chroma Upsampling precise pixel
Generation and 16-step motion detection
• 1080p playback for DVDs, photos and personal video data
Magnificent Audio Performance
• Direct HD audio bitstream output: Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio (lossless); Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD High Resolution Audio
• 192kHz/24-bit audio DAC
Advanced Facilities
• Design matches top-class Yamaha receivers
• RS-232C interface for custom installation
• IR In/Out ports
• Yamaha SCENE compatibility
• On-screen display with GUI
• Dolby Digital and DTS decoders
• Extensive disc/format compatibility
• SDHC compatible SD Card slot
• Dialogue Enhancer
• Dynamic Range Compression
• 5 Picture Modes (Normal/Soft/Fine/Cinema/User)
• 3 illumination modes: Bright, Dim and Auto
Disc/Format Compatibility
BD-Video, BD-R (BD Video), BD-RE (BD-Video andJPEG),
DVD-Video, DVD-R/-RW (DVD-VideoDVD-VR, AVCHD),
DVD+R/+RW (+VR, AVCHD),DVD-ROM (DVD-VR, JPEG, AVCHD)
CD, CD-R/-RW(CD-DA, MP3, JPEG) and SD/SDHC (JPEG, AVCHD)

Source – AVBuzz & HDTV-Space-Forum

Sony PS3 no disc read issue is the real deal

The Sony PS3 no disc read issue is the real deal and lets quieten the gamers that claim its just coincidence that people are getting this problem after firmware 2.42 update.

We have had over 40 reports of the Blu-ray / Disc read issues and this is not just a few Playstation 3 owners getting this problem. 40 people are not many, but that’s just reports to us and we see many more on other sites and forums.

Have you had disc read issues with your PS3?

The comment below was one we heard from one of our readers and they raise some very good questions:

I’m 39 years old. I take very good care of my electronics. I don’t have kids (yet). Bought a pre-owned 20GB PS3 off someone back in Feb 08. It was in immaculate condition. Never had a single problem or issue with it at all. Until this weekend. I can’t recall if it was specifically after 2.42 that I got the “no disc read” issue, but it was definitely after 2.41 for sure. As of this weekend (updated to 2.42 a few days back with no problems in gameplay/Blu-ray playback etc) my PS3 no longer reads/recognizes any kind of disc whatsoever. I get the “working bubble” in the upper right hand corner of the screen, but the disc doesn’t appear in the XMB. This is NOT a phantom issue, and if it’s a “coincidence” that so many of us are experiencing this (and at an increasing rate) then maybe OJ really WAS 100% innocent after all and Dubya is truly the greatest president this country has ever seen.

I don’t have the warranty option, so it’s either send the unit in and shell out the money to get it fixed, or wait for a possible firmware update to correct the problem.

My question is this: what do they do at the Sony repair center to correct this problem? Is it firmware related, or is it simple mechanical failure? Can anyone with tech experience sound off on this? Why are so many of us all of a sudden having variations on the same problem in the span of a few months?

Yes, this is a real problem. As I stated before, I’m super careful with my stuff and know better than to shut the console off during an update, etc. I’m happy for those of you who aren’t suffering this frustration, and hope that you won’t have to. Or in the least, that if it happens to you Sony will already be on top of the issue instead of shrugging it off and happily collecting 150.00 a pop for the trouble.

C’mon Sony. We deserve better than this.

So why are so many people getting this disc read issue after firmware 2.42, is it software or a hardware at fault?

Xbox 360 and Playstation 3: Streaming movies vs Blu-ray

Its been rumored for a while now that the Xbox 360 may get a Blu-ray drive now that HD-DVD is dead, the short answer from E3 2008 is NO.

Microsoft has confirmed that it has no plan to develop a Blu-ray drive at anytime, that includes an external or internal Blu-ray drive. They have also announced this week that they have a partnership with Netflix for Streaming movies.

The future war for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 now seems to be streaming movies vs. Blu-ray, although Sony is in a position to have the best of both worlds with its movie download service coming this year and also sporting the high definition disc drive.

Netflix will be a major boost to the Xbox 360 and can only be a blow to Blu-ray, but just how much damage can Netflix cause to Blu-ray for those wanting to watch high definition movies?

With Microsoft focusing on digital distribution and Sony pushing Blu-rays, what will end up the favorite for the end user? Do you prefer Blu-ray or streaming movies?

Do you think Sony PS3 is main reason for Blu-ray sales?

A new 2008 annual report by The Entertainment Merchants Association (EMA) has recently been released that shows the most trends in video gaming, TV and home video segments which reveals that video game publishers are indeed closing in on the huge revenue of stagnating home video sales.

When you look closely back at 2006 it looked like Blu-ray was the losing HD format, but this was all turned around thanks to the Sony PS3 in 2007 and now in 2008 things seem to be much stronger. Microsoft in fact sold around 316,000 and of course what many would say “Useless” HD DVD add-ons for its Xbox 360 gaming console, an average person would say spend around $310 on movie and game entertainment per year. This 2008 annual report of the EMA is quite confusing and long winded and definitely comprehensive to say the least, 32 pages long may be boring to some but to others quite interesting.

We as consumers spend so much money on home video and most of us prefer Blu-ray over any other format, personally Blu-ray is what I always buy because you get better sound quality and picture quality also. Of the $310 total an average person would be spending $116 goes to home videos, $56 goes to consumer Internet content, $52 spent on music, $37 to the box office, video games only $36 and $13 to mobile content. Blu-ray sales has increased to a staggering amount over the last year and we all remember not so long ago the format war was hot, the victor of course turned out to be Blu-ray, personally we say the high sales of Blu-ray has to be down to the Sony PS3.

What do you think; do you think that the PS3 has boosted Blu-ray sales?

Read the full report over at TG Daily here.

Sony Blu-ray or Downloads for Xbox 360 and next-gen

What will the future gamers and movie watchers want for their choice of media? Some people believe that Sony’s Blu-ray format is doing fine in sales of Blu-ray games, data and movies, while other people have the view that Blu-ray is tanking in a big way. We do live in a world that is either very mixed in views or misinformed on facts.

One option other than Blu-ray could be the Super Upscale future for DVDs, we have heard Toshiba working on something like that and this would apparently make the need for Blu-ray movies not necessary. That would have to be seen, but if it would be possible to upscale a DVD to near Blu-ray quality. Why the need for dearer Blu-ray discs?

Price will always be an important factor in the sales of Blu-rays, since we saw HD-DVD pull out of the format war the Blu-ray prices have increased and this will not increase sales. With Billions of DVDs in the world it would be a good choice for the people and environment to increase the quality of these through technology.

Yes we do want better quality video and more data on discs but if this can happen through improved Upscaling and better compression technology, then I am all for it and also the rest of the world.

What would you want on your Xbox 360 or next-gen Xbox, Blu-ray or Downloads?

To sum-up, Blu-ray is here now and the next-gen format has not been decided. I personally use Blu-ray movies and games on my PS3, but I would be a mad man not to see that HQ Upscaling for DVDs and better compression technology that can produce almost the same results is the better way to go.

Samsung Blu-ray Consumers Resource Center: Product Information & Tech Support

Samsung are all about keeping their consumers happy, which is why they have announced the launch of the Samsung Blu-ray Consumers Resource Center. This new service allows consumers to have easy access to all the latest product information, as well as online tech support and firmware upgrades. The support centre will be hosted on the Samsung website: www.samsung.com/bluraysupport.

The site is very easy to navigate and has an excellent FAQ section, perfect if you have a problem and have not been able to get the answer from another source. Samsung Blu-ray Consumers Resource Center, also offers you the opportunity to chat live with a Samsung Blu-ray support specialist. Samsung are offering a weekly topic section where Samsung will offer their perspective on any current Blu-ray issue that has come to light, this is also a great way to give consumer’s more information.

Reid Sullivan, Vice President of Audio/Video & Digital Imaging at Samsung Electronics America, has said “Now that Blu-ray is the future of HD, Samsung recognized the need to develop a single online location where current Blu-ray owners and those seeking out more information, can go to address their Blu-ray needs.” She also added “With answers to nearly every Blu-ray question and access to trained Samsung tech support, we believe the Blu-ray Resource Center will help consumers maximize the performance and potential of their Samsung Blu-ray player pre or post sale.”

If you are the owner of a Samsung Blu-ray player, then you are able to register your product online, this allows you to receive firmware update notifications via email.

Source – Press Release

1 hour before WWDC: Microsoft to announce Xbox 360 with Blu-ray

As we all know Microsoft and Apple are always trying to upstage each other, the thing is though it is always seems as if Apple come out as the winner. Well we all know that Apple are going to announce the launch of their new 3G Apple iPhone at WWDC, but Microsoft are going to try and upstage that announcement. So how could they ever upstage the announcement, well how about with a bit of Xbox 360 news. The whole Blu-ray business on the games console has not gone away and Microsoft are about to get sneaky by making an announcement just 1 hour before WWDC.

So with the world of Apple iPhone users waiting to hear Steve Jobs keynote, many gamers will now be waiting to hear if there is any truth in the rumour of a Xbox 360 Blu-Ray player, just one-hour before that keynote speech. We all know that Blu-ray won out over HD DVD, and as soon as we knew that Blu-ray was the winner many gamers were hearing rumours that the Xbox would be getting a Blu-ray player. However; Microsoft squashed them rumours right always by saying that they were not true. We all know that Microsoft would have to admit that HD DVD was the wrong choice and that they would have to come up with a Blu-ray player, so hopefully gamers will get the news that they have been waiting for.

The news of a possible Microsoft announcement comes from Crunch Gear; they say that they have someone close who works for Microsoft, from the HD DVD division in fact. He reckons that Microsoft will make an announcement at 9am PDT today, that’s right just 1 hour before the much anticipated Apple announcement.

So what announcement will you want to hear?

First ever Blu-Ray record Divertimenti released is Norwegian? Trondheimsolistene the Trondheim soloists

The latest news in the way of Blu-ray is that of Norwegian record label 2L releasing the first ever in the world a Blu-Ray record, oh and it’s Norwegian. “Divertimenti” is a milestone in many ways and it’s the 50th record release which marks the 20th anniversary of the Trondheim soloist whose concert in Selbu Church is captured on “Divertimenti.”

It is a label that is always at the forefront technologically, 2L (Linberg Lyd) found the occasion right to make “Divertimenti” a milestone also in format. Moving onto the Blu-ray technology, it makes use of five separate sound tracks which are complex indeed with a mixture of complex recording and mixing process which as been condition by very sophisticated equipment, 2L has cooperated with equipment manufacturers and the record now available is the fruit of a combined effort opening up new vistas of sound rendition. This is something special that is nothing you have ever heard before.

You will hear that each instrument has been clearly positioned which creates a multidimensional listening experience of stunning clarity and obviously with many not having the proper equipment to play Blu-ray discs you will never hear the clarity, this new release also includes a SACD disc, playable on all standard CD players and computers. Trondheimsolistene known as the Trondheim soloists is said to be one or the finest orchestras in Norway and under the leadership of Øyvind Gimse they have developed something special into an ensemble of international renown, and undertaken successful tours all over Europe, in America, Japan and Brazil.

The repertoire on “Divertimenti” is as follows: Bejamnin Britten: Simple Symphony,
Grazyna Bacewicz: Concerto for string orchestra, Terje Bjørklund: Carmina and Béla Bartók: Divertimento for strings.

You can see the PDF file here

Source

Panasonic HTiB Boasts Blu-ray, SD Memory Card Slot and iPod Dock

We all love things much more simple in our busy lives these days, so that’s why many of us eat fast food, microwave food or just prefer to eat out. When it comes to electronics, it’s also nice to get a device that’s got-it-all and that’s just what Panasonics new gadget has. This is Panasonic’s first home theater in a box (HTiB) and it sports Blu-ray, an SD Memory Card Slot and iPod Dock. See the press release below for more information.

Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company has announced that its first home theater in a box (HTiB) system with an integrated Blu-ray Disc player will be available for purchase in late Spring, with a suggested retail price of $999.95. The new model, SC-BT100, is the perfect complement to a high definition, flat panel large screen TV.

The new model epitomizes Panasonic’s emphasis on media friendly capabilities. It is made for iPod* and features an advanced integrated dock which not only recharges an iPod but plays music or video through the home theater system, displays audio tracks and menus on the TV screen and operates with the supplied remote control. Its SD Memory Card slot offers simple playback of digital images or original video footage in either standard or High Definition AVCHD format. The optical input offers simple digital 5.1channel audio connection for a set-top box, digital video recorder and game system.

“The Panasonic SC-BT100 home theater system is the best of both worlds,” says Paul Sabo, national marketing manager for Panasonic Home Audio. “It combines the installation ease and user-friendly operation of an HTiB plus the features and performance of high-end audio/video components, including full High Definition 1080p resolution Blu-ray video, wireless rear speakers and 7.1channel upgradeability. This is the simple, ideal solution for those embarking on the high definition home theater experience.”

The SC-BT100 can be upgraded to wireless full 7.1 channel sound with the optional purchase of two side speakers and a transceiver. It is equipped with Viera Link™ HDAVI control, HDMI digital A/V connectivity for one-touch operation of all the components including a Panasonic High Definition TV.

The Blu-ray Disc player boasts the Final Standard Profile for advanced functions such as Bonus View and audio mixing, which allows the consumer to switch the sound between the main and sub windows.

In addition to superb video, this system delivers advanced state-of-the-art audio. Its built-in receiver is compatible with the state-of-the-art audio codecs, including: Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD, DTS-HD, DTS-HD High Resolution, DTS-HD Master Audio, and Linear PCM.

The Kelton-design subwoofer features a driver anchored to the cabinet and a passive radiator to reduce vibration and noise while delivering more dynamic bass. The front and center channel speakers are made with a bamboo diaphragm which provides a tightly intertwined fiber to deliver greater rigidly and accuracy. To allow viewers to enjoy surround sound effects without disturbing others, the system even has Whisper-mode Surround™, which dynamically boosts bass and surround-channel levels as the volume is turned down to provide a full surround effect even at low volume.

Microsoft orders Xbox 360 with internal Blu-ray drive from Asustek subsidiary

We heard on March 6th 2008 that Sony was in talks with Microsoft about an Xbox 360 with a Blu-ray drive, then we heard on March 14th that Xbox 360 said no to Blu-ray as they wanted to focus on digital downloads. Just a couple of weeks after that we heard that Lite-On were going to develop a built-in Blu-ray Disc drive for a new model of Xbox 360, this is after Microsoft crushed the previous rumors.

Today its being reported from a Chinese newspaper called “Economic Daily News”, that Microsoft has ordered an Xbox 360 with internal Blu-ray drive from an Asustek subsidiary. The subsidiary is called “Pegatron Technology”, and they say the order has come direct from Microsoft.

When you hear many rumors like this from many sources, it tends to leave you thinking, “Something Blue is going to happen”. Microsoft did not deny the Lite-On Blu-ray rumor and they have not said no to this latest news. To add to the excitement, it’s also being said that the new Xbox 360’s with built-in Blu-ray drives could be shipping between July and September this year.

Since HD-DVD lost to Sony Blu-ray, it’s obvious that the 360 could do with some sort of Blu-ray option, internal or external. Now would 360 owners dump their current console for a new one with Blu-ray or are they happy with high definition downloads?

Source: Read

Hands-on: CyberLink PowerDVD 8 movie playback software

CyberLink has had one of the most popular movie playback software programs for years, and with PowerDVD 7 having a few incompatibilities with Blu-ray ROM drive discs will make some users look forward to upgrading to the new CyberLink PowerDVD 8. Tweak Town have gave this software a good going over to see how good the new version really is.

They found “Overall, PowerDVD, even with the teething problems in this new build, and the new lack of HD-DVD support, is still the best DVD playback software on the market, at least in my opinion. The new features, especially Movie Live, have yet to truly prove themselves, but the future is potentially quite exciting for this feature. It just needs to get a good community behind it, and then it should thrive. Its core feature; DVD playback, is as good as ever and with the improvements made in Blu-ray playback, PowerDVD is now well placed to become the ultimate Blu-ray playback software, which will ensure the programs relevance for some time to come.

Addendum: Just as the review was about to go live, I receive another e-mail from CyberLink. Not even a week after the release of PowerDVD 8, a new build has been released (version 3730a ), featuring two main features; the addition of BD Profile 2.0, otherwise referred to as BD Live, and fixes to BD Java titles. Unfortunately I don’t have a BD Live title as of yet, but I was eager to check if Across the Universe worked now, and unfortunately it still does not. As CyberLink release updates to PowerDVD 8, I will keep you guys in the loop” Overall they rated it 83%.

Read the full review.

Sony’s BDZ-A70 Blu-ray recorder with 1-touch transfer

Sony has launched a new BDZ-A70 Blu-ray recorder in Japan. This recorder has all of the features you would expect from a player; it features a 320GB hard disk drive or dual-layer BD-RE media.

This recorder also has one-touch video transfer to devices such as Sony’s PSP and some mobile phones. It is only Japan that has this player at this stage but I am sure it won’t be to long before the US and UK see it on the market.

The price of this BDZ-A70 Blu-ray recorder is set at 170,000 yen which is £850

source

iPhone and iPod Touch to become Blu-ray remote controls

The iPod touch and iPhone are set to work closely with Blu-ray discs and players thanks to new software that will network these two Apple devices with Blu-ray technology this means that you could soon be using your iPhone and iPod touch as a remote control for your Blu-ray players.

Netblender states that “The sophisticated user interface of the iPhone enables greater user interaction as well as the power to leverage the iPhone’s existing network. Search, e-commerce and advertising possibilities related to movie content abound when one imagines real-time communication between the iPhone and the content currently being displayed on a Blu-ray player,“.

source

Sony to launch the new BDZ series Blu-ray Recorders: A70 and T90

Sony is to launch a new BDZ series of Blu-ray recorders; the A70 is at the lower end with the T90 being aimed at the higher end of the market. The A70 has a 320GB hard drive while the T90 has a 500GB hard drive.

However if you want you can decide to record direct to a Blu-ray disc, both players are also able to convert video so that it can play on portable formats. Both the Sony BDZ series Blu-ray Recorders have both analog and digital TV tuners, as well as HDMI connections and Sony’s Room Link.

Prices for these Blu-ray players start from $1,664 and will be available in Japan from April 30th.

Source - Slippery Brick

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