BLU-RAY | PLAYERS | MOVIES | REVIEWS
PRESS RELEASES | DISCUSSION FORUM
Blu-ray Disc is a next-generation, optical disc format that enables the ultimate high-def entertainment experience. Blu-ray Disc provides these key features and advantages:Be sure to check out the BLU-RAY Discussion Forum
The Official HD-DVD vs. Blu-ray Discussion Thread
The "Blu-ray Disc Association" was founded in 2002 by nine leading electronic companies: Matsushita, Pioneer, Philips, Thomson, LG Electronics, Hitachi, Sharp, Samsung and Sony as contrast to the DVD Forum. Spearheaded by NP Infotech on February 19th 2002 the companies announced they were the "Founders" of the Blu-ray Disc and later changed their name to the "Blu-ray Disc Association" in order to achieve more companies joining their development. Some examples of companies that signed in include Apple, TDK, Dell, Hewlett Packard, The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. and Universal Music Group. At the moment there are more than 250 members and supporters of the Association.
More About Blu-ray - The format provides five times larger capacity than today's DVDs, with unprecedented storage capacity of 25 GB (single-layer) and 50 GB (dual-layer). Blu-ray Disc players will be fully backward compatible with current DVD formats, delivering entertainment content in full high-definition (HD) quality, under a secure environment made possible through the most advanced copyright protection technology.
Blu-ray Disc provides picture quality beyond anything available, with full capability 1080p/24 resolution in Blu-ray and Up to 40Mbps bit encoding - 5X current DVD. The theater quality "uncompressed" audio supports 8 channels of Liner PCM, Up to 32 streams of audio, interactive capability, seamless menus, integrated games, hi-def bonus and educational features. Java will allow for more dynamic, more sophisticated interactivity.
Expand your workd with Sony products using Blu-ray Disc technology. It;s the heart of an outstanding line of Sony products with Blu-ray Disc technology that extends beyond the boundaries of high-definition and opens the new vistas for creativity, enjoyment, and interaction.
Discover unsurpassed picture quality and uncompressed audio on supporting media that goes beyond any other format you've seen. Immerse yourself in the unrivaled detail that lets you experiencemore in every movie, every game.
Movies - The best names in entertainment suppor Blu-ray Disc technology. Seven of Hollywood's major studios -- with 90% of home entertainment sales -- ensure the most extensive library of high definition titles, with hits from SOny pictures, Walt Disney, MGM, 20th Century Fox, Warner Brothers, Paramount, and Lions Gate. You'll find more titles coming every month.
Blu-ray Disc was created to match the accelerating growth in digital consumer electronics and computer technology. The platform supports the convergence of film, music, gaming and other computer entertainment in a single standard. Sony Computer Entertainment's adoption of Blu-ray Disc ROM technology in the next-generation PlayStation 3 system was announced at the 2005 Electronic Entertainment Expo.
Capacity Without Compromise - Everything that DVD can do, Blu-ray Disc does and more. Blue laser technology enables up to 50 GB of storage -- five times the capacity of DVD. That's room for nine hours of HD. Or 23 hours of SD. Or tens of thousands of songs. Unbelievable data storage.
Versatiltiy Beyond the Ordinary - From movies to music to games to PC software and file backup, Blu-ray Disc is your solution! The system embraces pre-recorded titles (BD-ROM), discs that you can record yourself (BD-R) and discs you can re-record over and over again (BD-RE). So we can anticipate not only BD players for your living room, but also BD recorders, BD-based game consoles, BD drives for your personal computer and even BD camcorders using compact 8 cm (3") discs!
New Blu-ray Players
Samsung BD-P1400 Blu-ray Player
Read more info and discuss in the Samsung BD-P1400 Discussion Forum.
The SAMSUNG BD-P1400 Blu-ray Player is a perfect centerpiece to your media environment, providing you the features needed for a fulfilling entertainment experience. Advanced Blu-ray playback technology gives you crisp, clear images, while added picture quality adjustment lets you set sharpness and noise reduction to your liking. HDMI™ v1.3 lets you experience richer colors. Dolby® Digital Plus and Dolby® TrueHD compatibility completes the HD experience.
CD and DVD Compatible
Samsung’s Blu-ray Disc Player offers state of the art viewing with CD and DVD playback compatibility. Even as you take advantage of the latest video and audio advances, you can still enjoy all your existing media content.
Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby True HD
Immerse yourself in sound. The BD-P1400 supports the new Dolby Digital Plus Audio format — the next generation in sound. It also supports uncompressed PCM Audio and Legacy dts 5.1 Dolby Digital. Dolby® TrueHD is Dolby’s next-generation lossless technology developed for high-definition disc-based media. Dolby TrueHD delivers tantalizing sound that is bit-for-bit identical to the studio master,* unlocking the true high-definition entertainment experience on next-generation discs.
1080p with 24 Hz Video Output
View scenes as they were meant to be seen. The Blu-ray movie title’s original source (1080p/24Hz) output means you’ll enjoy the film picture quality.
Easy Connection of Digital Devices
With High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI™ version 1.3), a single cable transfers the full power of the Blu-ray Disc Player’s high-definition video and audio signal to your HDTV and other digital devices. Version 1.3, standard in the BD-P1400, transfers deeper color and higher resolution, and handles the new, compressed audio formats. Another plus: Your room is freed from the unsightly tangle of multiple cords and cables.
Anynet and Ready TV
You're in full command with the BD-P1400. Anynet+ delivers streamlined, one-touch control over all your Anynet compatible connected devices such as the TV, AV Receiver, and Home Theater. You can operate all of them with a single remote control that enables commands to be passed among devices within the system. A true “plug and play” product, it comes with a Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) feature that lets you operate Samsung HDMI products with a single remote control.
One Remote
Trust SAMSUNG to make home entertainment a seamless and exhilarating experience. Thanks to High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI™) with Consumer Electronic Control (CEC), just a click of a single remote control accesses any digital device in your SAMSUNG home entertainment system.
Specifications:
Inputs/Outputs
Dimensions/Weight
Samsung BD-UP5000 Blu-ray HD-DVD Combo Player
Download the BD-UP5000 Spec Sheet (PDF)
Read more info and discuss in the Samsung BD-UP5000 Discussion Forum.
Treat yourself to the best in HD entertainment. Samsung’s BD-UP5000 is the world’s first true Blu-ray and Hi-Def HD DVD Duo player. The BD-UP5000 offers Blu-ray Disc™ playback at an amazing 1080p resolution. A 32-tap adaptive up-scaler offers brilliant Blu-ray image detail. And picture quality adjustments let you set sharpness and noise reduction to your liking. With HQV and Full HD+1080p, you'll enjoy the truest image reproduction – just like the original HD video source. Discover unprecedented clarity with HD DVD, a new optical disc format that delivers up to six times the picture resolution of normal DVDs.
Key Features:
SAMSUNG Electronics to Release Duo Hd Player
Seoul, Korea – April 13, 2007 : Samsung Electronics Co., LTD., a leader in consumer electronics and digital media technologies, and the first company to introduce a Blu-ray disc player will introduce a dual format High-Definition (HD) optical disc player in time for the holidays.
Samsung’s Duo HD player (BD-UP5000) will fully support both HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc formats and their interactive technologies, HDi and BD-Java. With the Duo HD consumers can enjoy additional studio content such as trailers, director’s comments, more elaborate interactive menus and behind the scene footage. The new Duo HD joins Samsung’s next generation DVD line-up which includes Samsung’s second generation Blu-ray player available at retail this month. Together, these two models offer the consumer a strong line of High-Definition players to match Samsung’s award winning, and best selling, line of HDTVs.
"We welcome Samsung's Duo HD player as another solution in the marketplace that will help reduce consumer confusion and buyer hesitancy towards HD media," said Ron Sanders, President of Warner Home Video. "This is an innovative product that can move us closer to mainstream consumer adoption of HD technologies."
We are very pleased to announce the upcoming release of our Duo HD player. Consumers are hungry for more HD content but are currently confused about competing formats. Samsung’s Duo HD player will allow consumers access to every HD movie title available regardless of the authoring format. Samsung is committed to making life simpler through technology and will market next generation DVD products which will satisfy the consumer and market requirement. This is a big win for the consumer.
As a member of the DVD Forum and contributor to the DVD Industry, we recognize that both HD-DVD and BD formats have merits. As such, we have decided to market a dual format player. Samsung is flexible to market a stand-alone HD-DVD player whenever consumers demand it. Our main concern is not technology but consumer choice” said Dongsoo Jun, Executive Vice President of the Digital AV Division at Samsung Electronics.
About Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2006 parent company sales of US$63.4 billion and net income of US$8.5 billion. Employing approximately 138,000 people in 124 offices in 56 countries, the company consists of five main business areas: Digital Media, Telecommunication Network, Semiconductor, LCD, and Digital Appliance. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones, and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.
Samsung selects Broadcom's Blu-ray, HD DVD System-on-a-Chip
Broadcom, a global player in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, has announced that its integrated Blu-ray and HD DVD system-on-a-chip (SoC) has been selected by Samsung Electronics to power the dual format BD-UP5000 Duo high definition (HD) player.
By combining Blu-ray and HD DVD formats into one SoC platform (BCM7440), Broadcom enables media player manufacturers to provide universal high definition DVD players that can playback all HD movie titles regardless of the authoring format.
Available in mass production, the Broadcom BCM7440 is a solution whose multiple processor cores fully support both Blu-ray and HD DVD standards in a single SoC, including support for next generation interactive technologies (i.e. BD-Java and HDi) that are being incorporated into Hollywood's latest title releases.
The BD-UP5000 fully supports both Blu-ray and HD DVD formats as well as their interactive technologies, HDi and BD-Java. Consumers can now enjoy additional studio content such as trailers, director's comments, more elaborate interactive menus and behind-the-scene footage.
Denon DVD-3800BDCI Player and the Denon DVD-2500BTCI Blu-ray Transport
Mahwah, NJ – July 24, 2007 — Denon Electronics, a world leader in high-performance home entertainment products, today announced the upcoming introduction of two groundbreaking DVD products, the new reference-standard DVD-3800BDCI BD-ROM Profile 1 version 1.1 Blu-ray Disc Player and the DVD-2500BTC (SRP: $1,199) BD-ROM Profile 1 version 1.1 Blu-ray Disc Transport. The DVD-3800BDCI (SRP: $1,999) is the world’s first BD-ROM Profile 1 version 1.1 Blu-ray Disc Player from a Blu-Ray Disc Association member featuring the acclaimed 10-bit Silicon Optix Realta chipset. It provides users with the highest resolution high-definition video available today via HDMI™ connection, as well as the ultimate in audio performance, including high-definition audio decoding and DDSC-HD audio output. The DVD-2500BTCI outputs audio and video signals and requires a connected audio/video receiver to do the decoding. Both BD-ROM Profile 1 version 1.1 Blu-ray units are slated to ship this fall. (Fall 2007)
In addition to its Blu-ray Disc introductions, Denon is updating its advanced lineup of DVD players and changers with six additional models, including the DVD-1940CI (SRP: $349) and DVD-1740 (SRP: $169), as well as the new DVM-1845 (SRP: $269) 5-disc DVD changer. With the new additions, Denon’s current line of DVD players now feature advanced HDMI output capability for the ultimate in audio and video performance. Three new models in the company’s Retail Home Theater DVD lineup have also been added, including the DVD-758 (SRP: $349) and DVD-558 (SRP: $169) DVD players, as well as the new DVM-745 (SRP: $269) 5-disc changer.
Joe Stinziano, Denon’s Senior Vice President for Sales and Marketing, noted: “Denon is committed to providing our discriminating customers with a no-compromise high-end solution for enjoying next-generation high resolution media. Our new products exemplify the highest level of home theater quality. As a member of the Blu-ray Disc Association, we brought all of our design and engineering expertise to bear in the creation of these groundbreaking Blu-ray products, setting new performance standards for the format. Denon remains committed to offering our customers the most options in ultimate-quality home entertainment products and to this end, our future plans do not preclude the introduction of high-definition products in other formats.”
Reference-Standard DVD-3800BDCI: “Boundless” Home Entertainment Denon’s new DVD-3800BDCI BD-ROM Profile 1 version 1.1 Blu-ray Disc Player sets new standards in high-performance, interactive DVD playback. In addition to delivering the pinnacle of high-quality audio and video performance, both the DVD-3800BDCI and DVD-2500BTCI feature SD card readers that offer users a new level of full interactivity with multiple opportunities for content providers to add enhanced content such as movie trailers, games and more.
The Ultimate in Video Performance… In addition to being in the forefront of BD-ROM Profile 1 version 1.1 Blu-ray Disc Player technology, Denon’s DVD-3800BDCI is also the world’s first to feature the acclaimed 10-bit Silicon Optix Realta chipset, providing enhanced video performance with upconversion and IP scaling to 1080p. The pixel-by-pixel and Digital Noise Reduction feature afforded by this technology allows the player to remove image-degrading artifacts, resulting in astoundingly clear, high-resolution image quality.
The Ultimate in Audio Performance… Denon’s new DVD-3800BDCI also utilizes a variety of the world’s most advanced audio technologies, including Advanced AL24 processing, to deliver the ultimate in audio performance. The player offers HD Audio and DDSC-HD, with decoding of Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio and is capable of outputting both 7.1-channel analog signals and PCM audio via HDMI output.
DVD-2500BTCI Blu-ray Transport: High-Performance Connection to A/V Receivers The DVD-2500BTCI is a leading edge Blu-ray Disc Transport that allows owners of advanced A/V receivers to add Blu-ray capability to their system and enjoy high definition video. The DVD-2500BTCI will natively output an HD audio bit-stream to a connected receiver via HDMI. Once this signal is accepted in the receiver, it can then be decoded into its native format including Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio.
Latest Blu-ray Press Releases
Sony Announces New Blu-ray Recorders
Sony Electronics Japan has announced four new Blu-ray recorders, all set to hit store shelves (in Japan) on November 8th. All four recorders have BD-50 burning capability, and feature a hard drive that ranges from 250GB to 500GB. The flagship BDZ-X90 (which has the 500GB hard drive) features two digital and two analog tuners for parallel recording. Prices range from approx. $1200 to $1800.
Sony plans to bring these recorders to the US and Europe, but no date has been set at this time.
BDZ-T50
- 250GB HDD
- Digital Tuner
BDZ-T70
- 320GB HDD
- Digital Tuner (2)
BDZ-L70
- 320GB HDD
- Digital Tuner (2)
- Optimized for AVCHD Video Cameras
BDZ-X90
- 500GB HDD
- Digital Tuner (2)
- Analog Tuner (2)
Source: Blu-ray.com
Fox Specs Die Hard and Fantastic Four
August 30, 2007 - 20th Century Fox Fox Home Entertainment has released the official specs for 'Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer', 'Live Free or Die Hard' (Unrated), and 'Diehard Trilogy' Blu-ray releases. 'Fantastic Four' will get AVC 1080p video and DTS-HD MA audio on a BD-50, and is set to be released on October 2nd in North America and October 9th internationally. All four 'Die Hard' movies will see similar treatment, and are scheduled for a November 20th release in North America and October 28th internationally.
Extras for 'Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer' will include deleted scenes, a full length making-of documentary, multiple behind-the-scenes featurettes, and commentaries. Exclusive to the Blu-ray will be the BD-J multiplayer strategy game "Who Dares Defy Galactus?" and the trivia game "Saving The World One Question At A Time".
Extras for 'Live Free or Die Hard' will include a music video, a making-of documentary, commentaries, and the Blu-ray exclusive multi-level strategy game "Black Hat Intercept!" (with an appearance by Kevin Smith).
Extras for the 'Die Hard Trilogy' will include deleted scenes, featurettes, commentaries, visual effects breakdowns, alternate endings, side-by-side comparisons and much more.
Source: Blu-ray.com
Fox Announces Specs for 28 Weeks Later
August 29, 2007 - 20th Century Fox Fox Home Entertainment has announced the specs for their upcoming October 9th release of '28 Weeks Later'. The title will be encoded using AVC (MPEG-4) at 1080p, and feature an DTS-HD MA audio track. Extras include an audio commentary with the director and writer, a full-length documentary, three making-of featurettes, two deleted scenes, and trailers.
Source: Blu-ray.com
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Samsung BD-P1200 Blu-Ray Disc Player
Low Price on the Samsung BD-P1200 Blu-Ray Disc Player
Features:
With its HQV true 1080i to 1080p HD deinterlacing process, the BD-P1200 delivers the sharpest, most detailed HD images possible. There are no jagged edges with the per-pixel motion adaptive algorithm and a sophisitcated multi-directional diagonal filter. It doesn't get any better than this for viewing enjoyment.
With its HQV true 1080i to 1080p HD deinterlacing process, the BD-P1200 delivers the sharpest, most detailed HD images possible. There are no jagged edges with the per-pixel motion adaptive algorithm and a sophisitcated multi-directional diagonal filter. It doesn't get any better than this for viewing enjoyment. HQV's true 1080p HD deinterlacing delivers the sharpest, most detailed HD images possible by employing per-pixel motion adaptive algorithms and a sophisticated multi-directional diagonal filter that ensures video without jagged edges. Setting the Movie Frame (24Fs) feature to ON allows you to adjust the Blu-ray player's HDMI output to 24 frames per second for improved picture quality. The powerful HQV processing engine also provides per-pixel motion adaptive noise-reduction, detail enhancement and advanced scaling delivering premium quality upconverted SD material.
Customer Reviews: Read reviews...
Very impressive picture and sound quality - August 23, 2007
The picture quality of this player is excellent, than that can be said of all Blu-ray players with Blue-ray discs. What is really impressive is the ability of the BD-P1200 to enhance the quality of standard DVDs to almost HD standard.
Before buying this player I had read various reviews about it and a slightly cheaper Sony model. Those reviews also said how well the quality of a standard DVD was enhanced, and that this player was about the best at doing so. I can say those reviews were correct. They also commented on the start up time for this player being much improved and better than the Sony and while it is a little slower than a standard DVD to start it isn't really noticeable.
The only problem, or what I thought would be a problem was it cannot play Dolby sound via the HDMI cable, you need to use composite cables and and optical cable for sound. This I was told was one of those theoretical things where the picture quality is technically not as good cabling the unit this way, but you in fact cannot see the difference. That is indeed so, I couldn't see any difference in picture quality on a 50" plasma screen, the sound quality on my home theatre system is very good.
If you are in the market for a Blue-ray player this one should be top of your list.
Your next step in video - August 18, 2007
The Samsung BD-P1200 is a Blu-ray disc player. Blu-ray discs display a high definition video picture which you will need a high definition TV to take advantage of. I use a Toshiba 62" DLP which is a few years old and will display HD but not up to 1080p, I set the BD-P1200 to output 1080i. Depending on what you read, some professionals say there isn't much noticeable difference between the 1080i and 1080p. The BD-P1200 is capable of outputting 1080p, the highest resolution available at this point. It will also do 1080i & 720p HD. You choose the output in the set up menu. The BD-P1200 not only will play your existing DVD collection but it will upconvert it to one of the higher video outputs to make them look better than ever. Samsung uses one of the best upconverting chips on the market for this job. My BD-P1200 replaced my Denon 1600 DVD player. With the Denon I used Progressive Scan 480p output via component connections. I used the HDMI connection from the BD-P1200. It should be noted that using HDMI is the only way you can take advantage of the upconverting feature of the BD-P1200, and this is a feature you want to use. My 1600 sold new a few years back at about $449.00 and has a rep of being a fine DVD player. However, when playing standard DVD through the BD-P1200 the picture quality is improved noticeably.
Alright, let's talk Blu-ray. When viewing an actual Blu-ray disc the picture is stunning. You will notice a greater depth to the picture and more fine detail, crisp and vivid. Even with upconverting a standard DVD, Blu-ray goes to the next level higher. So being able to buy this unit for around the same price as the Denon it replaced, got me off the fence to jump into high definition movies.
Let's talk audio. The Samsung provides a 5.1 analog output. This is the very best way to take advantage of the Blu-ray's uncompressed audio. Blu-ray has much more storage capacity so they don't have to compress the audio which will allow Blu-ray to sound even better than standard DVD. I use the optical, or Toslink, output. Blu-ray discs contain the core Dolby Digital and DTS encoding, so, good news, these units are compatible with any existing equipment you own with the Dolby Digital and DTS decoder. Even with using the digital audio output of the BD-P1200 you will notice better sound but the very best will come from the analog outputs which will output full uncompressed audio signal and if you stick with analog outs you don't have to worry about having the latest decoders in your receiver or compatibility problems. Blu-ray discs will include new audio formats which the BD-P1200 is lacking some of them.
The BD-P1200 I wouldn't say is over built but it has a sturdy feel to it, much more than your average DVD player, and smooth operation. My Denon was actually slower than a earlier Sony I had before it. The BD-P1200 loads a disc almost as fast as my Denon and on some remote functions, like chapter skip, the BD-P1200 is faster. So on this 2nd generation player Samsung has overcome some of the criticisms of Blu-ray being slow. I like the slim remote and the buttons have a useable lay out. The buttons are different sizes and some have textures to help with using in the dark or dim light. I had no problem setting the unit up using the on screen menu. The manual was better than most I've read and includes illustrations.
In conclusion, I am very happy with the BD-P1200. I feel like I did get a $599.00 unit at a great price. I mean to say it is worth it's original retail price. This is a good buy if you've been waiting for prices to drop. To recap, you can easily use the BD-P1200 with existing audio surround equipment, it will play your current DVD's, Blu-ray rentals are available through Netflix or Blockbuster, so you can enjoy high definition home theater right now in your own home.
I haven't compared a lot on line but Amazon's prices on the Blu-ray discs are considerably cheaper than my local mass merchant electronics stores.
Simply Amazing!!! - August 17, 2007
I already own the Toshiba HD-A2. But when I hooked this baby up to my T.V., I was blown away by the picture. The clarity is stunning and the startup time is much faster than the Toshiba. My wife was equally impressed. I would recommend this player to anyone who is thinking about making the leap into Blu-Ray. You won't be disappointed!
Sony BDP-S300 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player
Low Price on the Sony BDP-S300 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player
Features:
When it comes to appreciating the resolution gains of HDTV screens, standard DVD just doesn't make it. What you need is Blu-Ray high-definition discs. With the Sony BDP-S300, your high-definition home-theater system can output video in ultra-high-def 1080p resolution for extraordinary depth and detail with compatible TVs. Display images at 24 frames per second for your favorite movies. The S300 also has a built-in decoding for Dolby Digital Plus for richer, more dynamic sound. Use Bravia Theatre Sync HDMI-CEC to control your compatible Bravia TV and AV systems with just one remote. See and hear a whole new world of high definition with the incredible BDP-S300 Blu-ray Disc Player. It is also backward compatible and can play DVD and CD discs at their original, respective resolutions. Full HD 1080/60p and 24p True Cinema Video Output Standard DVD Upscaling to 1080p via HDMI connectivity Bravia Theatre Sync HDMI-CEC Cinema Tuned Picture Presets Uncompressed Multi Channel Linear PCM Audio Output Dolby Digital Plus decoding capability to experience surround sound through your home-theater audio system Dolby Digital and dts 5.1 channel Output Multi Channel 192KHz/24bit Audio D/A Converters Analog-to-Digital Converter - 192KHz/24bit Popup Menus for simple control and use Quick Set Up FL Display has selectable Off and Dimmer modes MP3 and JPEG Playback from DVD+R/+RW, DVD-R/-RW MP3 Player - Content must be in DVD+R/+RW/-R/-RW format / CDR and CDRW Outputs - HDMI Connection, Component Video (Y/Pb/Pr), S-Video, Composite Video, Optical Audio, Coaxial Audio Digital & 2-Channel Analog Audio Dimensions - 17 x 3 1/8 x 14 7/8-inches (430 x 79 x 375mm) Weight - 10 pounds (4.5kg)
See and hear a whole new world of high definition with the incredible BDP-S300 Blu-ray Disc Player. The crystalline clarity of 1080p Blu-ray Disc movies1 and DVD upscaling2 has to be seen to be believed. Amazing 24p True Cinema3 2 output and cinema-tuned picture presets allow you to see movies exactly how the director intended. And with BRAVIA Theatre Sync, you can now you can control your compatible BRAVIA TV and AV systems3 from just one remote.
x.v.Color - Thanks to the adoption of a newly approved international color standard called xvYCC (an option in the HDMI v1.3 spec and which Sony participated in helping to create), the color space has been greatly expanded. 1.8 times as many natural colors as existing HDTV signals will now be faithfully reproduced. (x.v.Color capability is available on select BRAVIA televisions, Blu-ray Disc players and the PlayStation3 computer entertainment system.)
24p True Cinema Video Output - Many movies are filmed at 24 frames per second (fps) and prime time TV programs are videotaped at 24p. Seizing an opportunity, some studios are taking a purist approach and encoding high definition video content such as Blu-ray Disc in 24p. The BDP-S300 wisely takes advantage of this by including 24p output capability. The benefits are smoother and more natural-looking images that make watching television an experience to remember. (24p video input capability is available on select BRAVIA televisions.)
BRAVIA Theater Sync - Go beyond simple audio and video transmission with the "one-touch play" remote control feature that allows you to easily manage select BRAVIA televisions and Sony HDMI audio and video components with a single remote. (Available on select BRAVIA theater home A/V systems and components.)
Blu-ray Movie Reviews
EragonAfter watching “Eragon” only one word seems to come to mind: derivative. Based on the best-selling novel written by then-teenager Christopher Paolini, “Eragon” plays more like a watered down pot of gumbo consisting of equal parts “Star Wars: Episode IV,” “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, a dash of “The Chronicles of Narnia” with a sprinkle of every semi-successful fantasy/sci-Fi movie released in the past 30 years. When I saw the trailer, I assumed at the very least I could expect some awe-inspiring special effects. Instead, the only “wow” factor was that no plagiarism or copyright infringement law suits ensued. While some may be quick to point out that even George Lucas and J.R.R. Tolkien drew from their own influences, make no mistake; “Eragon” is not inspired. Dull and boring, it blatantly pieces together characters, scenes and themes from the various films with no regard for originality.
The film begins with a narrator revealing Alagaesia, a prosperous land of peace once ruled by the great dragon riders. Over time, power and greed took hold and the riders began to fight amongst themselves. Grand dragon rider, Galbatorix (John Malkovich), led a group of evil riders in destroying everyone who opposed them. With the dragons all but extinct, Galbatorix became the self proclaimed king of Alagaesia, hording the last remaining dragon egg.
With the good vs. evil “Lord of the Rings” style prologue out of the way, a beautiful young elf princess named Arya (Sienna Guillory) infiltrates Galbatorix’s fortress, managing to steal the egg. Galbatorix deploys his best henchman sorcerer, Durza (Robert Carlyle) to stop Arya and return the egg. Durza tracks her down, surrounding her in a tower of flames, but not before she magically teleports the egg to another forest, where young farm boy and soon-to-be-hero, Eragon (Ed Speleers) is hunting. Eragon takes the egg back to his uncle’s farm, assuming it’s nothing more than a precious stone. It hatches and out pops what looks like a stuffed animal version of the cuddly dinosaurs from “The Land Before Time.” This is the dragon, Saphira (voiced by Rachel Weisz), who has chosen Eragon as her rider. As the prophecy goes, together they will defeat the evil king and restore peace to Alagaesia. Read more...
Check Price on Eragon Blu-ray Disc
The HolidayNancy Meyers has directed only four movies so far, the remake of “The Parent Trap” (1998), “What Women Want” (2000), “Something’s Gotta Give” (2003) and this one. So far, she’s doing pretty well, with “The Holiday” being her best so far. Yes, it’s a romantic comedy; yes, you can predict exactly where it’s going five minutes into the movie. But who’d want it to end differently that it does? True, the end is a bit further from the beginning (at 138 minutes) than perhaps it should have been, but watching a quartet of actors as appealing as these four makes a bit of overlength forgivable.
The setup is dealt with quickly, before you have the opportunity to question its ease. In London, Iris (Kate Winslet) has just learned that her philandering boyfriend Jasper (Rufus Sewell) is dropping her—and she learns it the hard way, when at the Christmas party for the publication they both work for, his engagement to another woman is announced. Iris is crushed, even briefly considering suicide (an odd element for a comedy), even though she lives in an adorable cottage in Surrey.
Meanwhile in Los Angeles, Amanda (Cameron Diaz), a well-paid creator of movie trailers, has discovered that HER boyfriend, movie composer Ethan (Edward Burns) has cheated on her with his receptionist. As he is thrown out of her attractive Bel-Air home, he fires off a few criticisms which are all too accurate, such as her unwillingness to fully commit to her relationships. Also, she has a bad temper—we first see her as she’s throwing a sneaker at the departing Ethan. A friend suggests she take some time off over the Christmas holiday (hence the title). She Googles around a bit, and comes across a listing for Iris’ cottage, which isn’t available for rent, but is for a home swap. And bang, the deal is done. Read more...
Check Price on The Holiday Blu-ray Disc
Pirates Of The Caribbean: Curse Of The Black PearlBlu-Ray hasn’t been around very long, but long enough for the process to already have undergone changes great enough that some early players simply cannot handle some of the features of various discs. In this case, to coincide with the release of the third “Pirates of the Caribbean” epic, Disney released the first two in extras-laden, two-disc sets. At hand is “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” the first movie. No one expected a great deal more than a fun movie based on the Disneyland ride, but it unexpectedly turned out to be a treasure trove of eccentric performances, gorgeous location work, superb production design—all adding up to a surprisingly entertaining and intelligent movie.
This Blu-Ray DVD has almost too many extras. The second disc includes about 12 hours of them in two primary sections: “An Epic at Sea” consists of a long roster of relatively brief documentaries which feature virtually all of the main cast and principal behind-the-scenes workers. “Becoming Captain Jack” is a clear demonstration of Depp’s strange—and Oscar-nominated—performance as Captain Jack Sparrow. In “Becoming Barbossa,” Geoffrey Rush talks about his approach to the character; Rush is close behind Depp as an eye-catching, nearly-but-not-quite over-the-top scene-grabber, and it’s interesting to see him as just a regular person. (Depp, on or off screen, is NOT a regular person.) “Thar She Blows! From Construction to Destruction” is a piece on the destruction (for the movie) of an elaborate model ship, featuring miniature builders Charlie and Peter Bailey, as well as effects supervisor John Knoll. He’s been on the teams of many major effects films, and deserves to be as well known as effects experts like John Dykstra. Read more...
Check Price on Pirates Of The Caribbean: Curse Of The Black Pearl Blu-ray Disc
Fox Announces and Dates 29 Blu-ray Titles
August 20, 2007 - 20th Century Fox Fox and MGM have revealed 29 upcoming Blu-ray releases. Included are 19 catalog titles from Fox and MGM, and 10 new release titles to be sold day-and-date with their DVD releases. These titles include 'Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer' and 'Live Free or Die Hard'. The remainder of the day-and-date titles is expected to be announced shortly, as well as specs for each release.
Fox has also promised to release one state-of-the-art Blu-ray title per month, with features never before seen on a Blu-ray release. These titles will take full advantage of BD-Java and BD-Live (Q4) to deliver a unique movie experience. December's 'Independence Day' will feature a "Alien Scavenger Hunt" where viewer have to guess the correct number of aliens in a scene to unlock hidden content.
Announced Titles:
October 2nd
The Day After Tomorrow
Master and Commander
October 9th
28 Days Later
Amittyville Horror
Edward Scissorhands
The Fly
From Hell
Robocop
November 6th
A Bridge Too Far
Battle of Britain
November 13th
I, Robot
November 20th
Die Hard
Die Hard 2: Die Harder
Die Hard With a Vengeance
Red Dawn
December 4th
Cast Away
Independence Day
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Ronin
Also Announced
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Live Free or Die Hard
Prison Break
Source: Blu-ray.com
More Blu-ray Info
Blu-ray Profiles If you’re considering dipping your toe into the Blu-ray waters you won’t research long without hearing reference to Blu-ray Profiles. You may hear questions like the following:
“I hope my new Blu-ray player can be upgraded to to version 1.1.” or “Should I buy now or wait for 2.0?”
Valid question - but what does it mean?
BD-ROM is a specification that defines separate profiles for players. All Blu-ray players must meet the requirements of one of the profiles depending on when the player is built.
1.0 The first generation of Blu-ray Disc players were defined by this profile. Its only requirement is 64 KB storage for the use of application data.
It will be mandatory that BD players released starting Nov. 2007 will exceed Profile 1.0 and meet the requirements of profile 1.1.
1.1 Commonly referred to as Profile 1.1 or Final Standard Profile. This introduces a secondary video decoder that makes on disc Picture in Picture features possible.
PiP Disc Features: Can add interactive elements to films released on BD including a visual commentary. The feature allows a sub picture to run alongside the movie. This can be used to present behind-the-scenes looks at how special effects were created while the scene is in progress.
The most common question about Blu-ray right now is – do I buy now or do I wait for profile 1.1? It’s really only relevant if PiP is important to you.
2.0 Also called BD-Live. For BD-Live adds network connectivity.
3.0 Blu-ray Profile 3 will be designed for audio only and won’t carry any java or video decoding requirements.
I haven’t been able to find much info on BDP3 – if anyone has any further info of anyone planning to release a profile 3 player I’d be interested. It sounds like a real future speculation that there might be interest in BD audio only players if the format takes off. Perhaps the BDA is planning future car audio decks?
The Blu-ray Disc Profile does not specify compatibility with an audio codec. If you’re interested in whether or not a Blu-ray player will decode one of the new lossless codecs such as Dolby True HD or DTS HD, it’s not in the profile. You’ll have to examine hardware specs.
One thing I’ve found common on BD disc movies is a PCM 5.1 soundtrack which provides uncompressed audio.
This concludes my brief look at the Blu-ray Profiles. If anyone finds anything to add or any errors please don't hesitate to let me know.
I don’t take sides in the format war but it seems the escalating profile feature sets is evidence that BD wasn’t quite ready when it was released. It’s also interesting that I couldn’t find anything on profiles on the Blu-ray Disc association’s website. I scoured several separate but short FAQs and queried a few of its white papers. Nothing!
To sidestep the dungpile that is this horrible format war I intend to buy Samsung’s HD DVD / Blu-ray combo player when it’s released.
Posted by Wayde in the Blu-ray Discussion Forum - Blu-ray Profiles Thread
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