 | 'Jack Ryan' HD DVD Set Gets a New Date (High-Def Digest, 1/25/2008 7:00pm) |
| After a delay of several months, Paramount has set a March re-launch for 'The Jack Ryan Collection' on HD DVD. As previously reported, the 'Jack Ryan' set was due to hit HD DVD late last October, only... ... (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | Blu-ray Review: Dial M for Murder - 3D (High-Def Digest, 10/10/2012 10:55pm) |
| Jack Warner was one of the famed Warner brothers, and for many years ran the Hollywood studio that bore his family's name. Over the course of several decades, Jack made both good and bad decisions. [...] (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | Jack Reacher Blu-ray Review (Big Picture Big Sound, 5/03/2013 10:26pm) |
| From the writer of The Usual Suspects, Lee Child's one-man army makes a respectable transition to the big [...] (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | 'Jack Irish: Set 1' Dated for Blu-ray (High-Def Digest, 7/10/2013 8:00pm) |
| Two mysteries from the Australian detective series are bound for Blu-ray in October. In an early announcement to retailers, Acorn Media will be releasing 'Jack Irish: Set 1' on Blu-ray on October 1. [...] (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | 'Jack Reacher' Blu-ray Announced (High-Def Digest, 3/06/2013 6:30pm) |
| The action-thriller starring Tom Cruise will debut on Blu-ray in May. In an early announcement to retailers, Paramount has revealed 'Jack Reacher' for a Blu-ray release on May 7. Tom Cruise tackles [...] (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | 'Tom and Jerry's Giant Adventure' Announced for Blu-ray (High-Def Digest, 5/01/2013 8:00pm) |
| The crazy cat and mouse will be climbing up a beanstalk in August. In an early announcement to retailers, Warner Brothers says 'Tom and Jerry's Giant Adventure' will hit Blu-ray on August 6. This Tom [...] (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | 'Jack the Giant Slayer' Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D Announced (High-Def Digest, 4/19/2013 9:45pm) |
| Bryan Singer's epic fantasy will hit both Blu-ray formats in June. In an early announcement to retailers, Warner Brothers is preparing 'Jack the Giant Slayer' Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy combo pack and [...] (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | 'Jack the Giant Slayer' Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D Detailed (High-Def Digest, 4/22/2013 11:00pm) |
| Bryan Singer's epic fantasy hitting both Blu-ray formats in June has now been fully detailed. As previously reported, Warner Brothers is preparing 'Jack the Giant Slayer' Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy [...] (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | ‘Jack Reacher’ Blu-ray available for pre-order (HD-Report, 1/10/2013 12:49am) |
| While an exact release date has not been announced, Paramount’s action/thriller Jack Reacher is now available to pre-order on Blu-ray Disc. If the packaging is final (which it appears to be), the Two-Disc Combo edition [...] (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | ‘Jack Reacher’ Blu-ray release date and confirmed package art (HD-Report, 5/01/2013 6:29am) |
| Paramount’s action/thriller Jack Reacher will release to Blu-ray Disc on Tuesday, May 7. The Two-Disc Combo edition will include a Blu-ray, DVD, Digital and UltraViolet Copy. The BD is formatted in 1080p at 2.35:1 widescreen [...] (Read Full Article) |
| Paramount Cancels HD DVD Titles (Format War Central, 2/28/2008 7:32pm) |
| We read in the forums that Paramount is telling retailers that the HD DVD titles The Jack Ryan Collection, Sweeney Todd and The Kite Runner have been canceled.
Word is expected on Bee Movie and There Will be Blood soon.
I guess those who managed to acquire The Jack Ryan Collection before it was recalled have somewhat [...] ... (Read Full Article) |
 | 'Jack Ryan' Special Edition HD DVD Not So Special? (High-Def Digest, 10/16/2007 6:00pm) |
| In what may end up being the biggest packaging blunder yet for a high-def title, Paramount's 'Jack Ryan Collection' HD DVD appears to have shipped to retail in a deluxe "Special Collectors Edition"... ... (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | This Week on Blu-ray: Jack Reacher, Fringe, Mama, The Great Escape and more! (Big Picture Big Sound, 5/07/2013 4:53pm) |
| Tom Cruise beefs up his action resume, a sci-fi favorite comes to a close, and horror hunts for a PG-13 audience; get a [...] (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | HDD Spotlight Bargain: 'Jack Reacher,' 'Django Unchained,' 'A Good Day to Die Hard,' & 'Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters' Blu-rays $13 Each at Amazon! (High-Def Digest, 6/13/2013 6:22pm) |
| It's June 13, and Amazon has some hot Blu-ray titles on sale for just $13 for a limited time! The online retailer is now selling 'Jack Reacher,' 'Django Unchained,' 'A Good Day to Die Hard,' and [...] (Read Full Article) |
| 'Jack Ryan Collection,' 'Kite Runner' Lead Paramount's Q1 HD DVD Plans (High-Def Digest, 1/18/2008 5:00pm) |
| Paramount has issued a new press release outlining its Q1 HD DVD release plans, including official confirmation of the high-def return of 'The Jack Ryan Collection' and a debut for 'The Kite Runner.' Originally... ... (Read Full Article) |
 | What's Hot (Sun-Sentinel, 11/06/2005 8:01am) |
| Gateway's 21-inch wide-screen flat-panel monitor -- euphoniously called the FPD2185W -- is a home entertainment jack-of-all-trades. ... (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | Men, The (Blu-ray Review) (Home Media Magazine, 5/17/2013 8:12am) |
Olive
Drama
$19.95 DVD, $29.95
Blu-ray
Not rated
Marlon Brando, Teresa Wright, Everett Sloane, Jack Webb.
Given the rebellious streak that his personal and professional image would soon come to convey, it [...] (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | The Best 3D Blu-rays for Halloween! (High-Def Digest, 10/30/2012 12:20am) |
| by Daniel Hirshleifer It's that time of year again. The jack-o'-lanterns are out, the scarecrows are up, and everyone's donning costumes. Yes, it's Halloween, the scariest holiday of them all. [...] (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | 'To Be or Not to Be' Blu-ray Bound (High-Def Digest, 5/23/2013 4:00pm) |
| Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 wartime black comedy starring Carole Lombard and Jack Benny is planned for Blu-ray this summer. In an early announcement to retailers, Criterion will be bringing 'To Be or Not [...] (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | Blu-ray Review: Jack the Giant Slayer - 3D (High-Def Digest, 6/18/2013 4:30pm) |
| A pair of young daydreamers (Nicholas Hoult and Eleanor Tomlinson) from opposite ends of the social latter wish for more adventure in their lives, a momentary escape from the routine and pressure of [...] (Read Full Article) |
| TV on a high - by definition (Guardian Weekly, 4/13/2005 11:11pm) |
| 'The clarity is so good, you feel like you are at the movies," says Jack, a plumber from Florida. "I think it's probably the greatest bit of technology to come along in the past 40 years or so," says Mike, a 23-year-old student from Massachusetts. "It's that good." (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | She Devil (Blu-ray Review) (Home Media Magazine, 3/22/2013 10:28pm) |
Olive
Sci-Fi
$24.95 DVD, $29.95 Blu-ray
Not rated.
Stars Mari Blanchard, Jack Kelly, Albert Dekker.
You could probably make a movie wilder-and-woollier than this black-and-white "Regalscope" release by [...] (Read Full Article) |
| Netflix to Jack Up Prices For Blu-ray Renters [NetFlix] (Gizmodo, 4/22/2008 12:15am) |
| What's the best way to punish the same early adopters that made your service a success? If you're Netflix, it's charging them extra for renting Blu-ray. CEO Reed Hastings justifies this action by... ... (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | IRL: ColcaSac Jack Bauer shoulder bag, Mitsubishi WD-82740 3D TV and the Galaxy Note II (Engadget, 3/03/2013 7:00pm) |
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment.
[...] (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | Dr. No (Blu-ray Review) (Home Media Magazine, 11/06/2012 8:52am) |
MGM
Action
$19.99 Blu-ray
Rated 'PG.'
Stars Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, Joseph Wiseman, Jack Lord, John Kitzmiller, Bernard Lee, Anthony Dawson, Zena Marshall, Eunice Gayson, Lois Maxwell, Peter [...] (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | New Leaf, A (Blu-ray Review) (Home Media Magazine, 9/21/2012 8:04pm) |
Olive
Comedy
$24.95 DVD, $29.95 Blu-ray
Rated ‘G.’
Stars Walter Matthau, Elaine May, Jack Weston, James Coco.
Embraced by cult movie fanciers and even some big-name critics at the time, Elaine [...] (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | 'The Great Gatsby' Dated for Blu-ray (High-Def Digest, 2/15/2013 9:00pm) |
| Jack Clayton's 1974 take on the classic tale starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow is planned for Blu-ray this April. In an early announcement to retailers, Warner Brothers says 'The Great Gatsby' [...] (Read Full Article) |
| 'Grumpy Old Men' Coming to Blu-ray (High-Def Digest, 3/10/2009 4:00pm) |
| Warner Home Video has announced an early-July Blu-ray bow for the comedy favorite 'Grumpy Old Men.' Starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau in one of the biggest hits of their career, Warner will give... ... (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | New Blu-ray Disc releases, June 18 (HD-Report, 6/18/2013 1:36pm) |
| Here’s what’s new on Blu-ray Disc and Blu-ray 3D this week. Warner Bros.’ Jack the Giant Slayer is now available in both Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D editions. Each edition comes with a DVD copy and [...] (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | School of Rock Blu-ray Review (Big Picture Big Sound, 8/31/2012 7:17pm) |
| Jack Black and his kiddie cohorts rock this Best Buy Blu-ray [...] (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | 'School of Rock' Blu-ray Best Buy Exclusive (High-Def Digest, 8/20/2012 8:00pm) |
| The 2003 Jack Black comedy will rock high-definition exclusively at Best Buy at the end of August. According to the retailer's website, Paramount will release 'School of Rock' on Blu-ray at Best Buy [...] (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | 'On the Road' Blu-ray Dated (High-Def Digest, 4/12/2013 8:00pm) |
| Director Walter Salles' adaptation of Jack Kerouc's famous novel will "burn, burn, burn" on Blu-ray in July. In an early announcement to retailers, MPI Home Video is preparing 'On the Road' for [...] (Read Full Article) |
| 'Tropic Thunder' Director's Cut Rumbles Onto Blu-ray (High-Def Digest, 10/10/2008 10:00pm) |
| DreamWorks has some big Blu-ray news for you - Ben Stiller's hit comedy 'Tropic Thunder' is rolling into stores this November in a never-before-seen unrated director's cut version. Co-starring Jack Black,... ... (Read Full Article) |
| New TV technology advancing quickly (The Clarion-Ledger, 3/03/2006 11:16am) |
| Q: Jack, can you help explain the new televisions? How does what I have now (2000 technology) differ from HDTV, plasma and/or LCD? If I purchase a HDTV, what other enhanced equipment must I purchase? I have Direct TV with TiVo, a VCR, DVD player and basic cable. ... (Read Full Article) |
| 'Grumpy Old Men' Blu-ray Detailed (High-Def Digest, 3/31/2009 1:00am) |
| As previously reported, Warner Home Video has announced an early-July Blu-ray bow for the comedy favorite 'Grumpy Old Men.' Warner Brothers will give the smash hit comedy starring Jack Lemmon and Walter... ... (Read Full Article) |
| Sony Unleashes 'Anger Management' on Blu-ray this May (High-Def Digest, 3/12/2008 10:00pm) |
| Sony Pictures has announced plans to bring the Adam Sandler-Jack Nicholson comedy 'Anger Management' to Blu-ray this May as a full-featured special edition. Proving an unstoppable pair at the box office,... ... (Read Full Article) |
| 'Bucket List' Kicks It on Blu-ray This June (High-Def Digest, 3/31/2008 6:00pm) |
| Warner has announced a June arrival for the Jack Nicholson-Morgan Freeman comedy 'The Bucket List,' which will hit Blu-ray with a bucket-full of exclusive features. A surprise sleeper hit (grossing over... ... (Read Full Article) |
| Cablevision sez: People don't know jack about HDTV so let's treat them like complete idiots (CrunchGear, 11/26/2007 1:45pm) |
| [IMG doyouseeinhd.jpg] Rather than go to bed at a respectable hour, I was awake well into the night just a few hours ago, scrolling through my many channels of utter garbage. Then I landed on some “here’s what this guy has to say†testimonial about HDTV. Judging by this infomercial—one for Cablevision’s iO, which is odd since I’m a wonderfully happy Time Warner subscriber—consumers ... (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | 'The Nightmare Before Christmas: 20th Anniversary Edition' Blu-ray Announced (High-Def Digest, 7/09/2013 8:00pm) |
| Jack Skellington will be trick-or-treating his way to Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D in September. In an early announcement to retailers, Disney is preparing 'The Nightmare Before Christmas: 20th Anniversary [...] (Read Full Article) |
| New Line Says 'Be Kind Rewind' on Blu-ray (High-Def Digest, 4/24/2008 6:00pm) |
| New Line Home Entertainment has set a June Blu-ray bow for the Jack Black-Mos Def fantasy-comedy 'Be Kind Rewind.' Directed by Michel Gondry ('Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'), the film stars Black... ... (Read Full Article) |
| Clearer picture on profits for PCCW (Weekend Standard, 4/14/2005 5:46pm) |
| PCCW, Hong Kong's dominant fixed-line phone operator, will upgrade its pay-TV platform to high-definition TV standard before year-end. The company will stress a higher-quality service to halt erosion of its pay-TV profit margins, said vice-chairman Jack So during a promotional trip to London. (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | Lawrence of Arabia: 50th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray Review) (Home Media Magazine, 11/08/2012 2:15am) |
Street 11/13/12
Sony Pictures
Drama
$26.99 2-disc Blu-ray, $95.99 3-disc limited-edition Blu-ray set
Rated ‘PG.’
Stars Peter O’Toole, Omar Sharif, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Jack Hawkins, [...] (Read Full Article) |
| NBC Airs Nascar Daytona 500 in Hi-Def (Mediaweek, 2/19/2006 10:10pm) |
| NBC will air the 2006 Nascar Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 19, in high definition, televising the action with 76 cameras, including 10 in-cars, from Daytona Speedway. The telecast will also feature a "crew-cam" helmut camera worn by a jack-man in Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s crew to capture pit stop actioon. ... (Read Full Article) |
| NBC Airs Nascar Daytona 500 in Hi-Def (Mediaweek, 2/16/2006 5:09pm) |
| NBC will air the 2006 Nascar Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 19, in high definition, televising the action with 76 cameras, including 10 in-cars, from Daytona Speedway. The telecast will also feature a "crew-cam" helmut camera worn by a jack-man in Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s crew to capture pit stop actioon. ... (Read Full Article) |
 | Tony Randall swore and drank beer (TV Squad, 6/07/2005 8:33pm) |
| Filed under: TV Royalty So he wasn't just the anal, fussy guy we came to know on The Odd Couple . Co-star and friend Jack Klugman has a new book out, Tony and Me . He self-published the book (so he could have control over the content and look), and is now selling the book at BookExpo America in New York. The Odd Couple is one of my favorite comedies, so I'll be grabbing this as soon as I ... (Read Full Article) |
| HD DVD Makes Announcements - New Blu-ray Market Share Record? (Format War Central, 1/17/2008 5:16am) |
| This article at Hollywood Reporter seems to have good news for both camps.
It starts with a list of new HD DVD title announcements including Into the Wild, Things We Lost in the Fire and Bee Movie from Paramount/DreamWorks, and later The Kite Runner and The Jack Ryan Collection.
Universal announced American Gangster.
The good news for Blu-ray [...] ... (Read Full Article) |
| Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World on Blu-ray Disc (Big Picture Big Sound, 6/15/2008 11:43pm) |
| Russell Crowe stars as Captain Jack Aubrey, a commander in her majesty's navy in the eigthteenth century, on a quest to capture or destroy a dangerous French privateer vessel. He may be out-classed and out-gunned, but his resolve and instinct are strong. Will it be enough? The film is now available on Blu-ray Disc with an excellent audio and video transfer but an appalling dearth of extras. ... (Read Full Article) |
| ViewSonic's new n2050w 20-inch LCD TV (Engadget, 10/17/2005 12:45pm) |
| So HD Beat has the dealio on the new n2050w 20-inch LCD TV from ViewSonic. It’s got the 1080i hook-up with an HDMI jack, and you can view the sights with a 1000:1 contrast ratio. There’s NTSC support and picture-in-picture, but while the size is desktop friendly, they’re probably not going to land this on our desktop with a native resolution of 1366 x 768, but as far as TVs go you could do ... (Read Full Article) |
| Haier L47A18 1080p LCD unveiled (Engadget, 5/14/2007 11:44pm) |
| Filed under: Displays, HDTVChinese manufacturer Haier has released the L47A18-AK 47-inch 1080p LCD, with detachable bottom-mounted speakers and a pair of HDMI ins. The set also includes two integrated USB ports, card readers that can play back, among other formats, MP3, JPG, and DiVX, and a printer jack -- for making take-home copies of yesterday's photos with Mom, of course. No word on a release ... (Read Full Article) |
| Sony stock jumps on Blu-ray win, Tretton calls 2008 PS3's 'breakthrough' year (Joystiq, 2/20/2008 12:30pm) |
| Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Business
Now that the HD movie format war is officially for-sure over, Sony is ready to reap the benefits. Sony's US shares rose up to 5 percent yesterday (closing up 3.4% at $46.30) on the news that Toshiba was ready to put HD DVD on an ice float. Sony Computer Entertainment America CEO Jack Tretton took the opportunity to say that with Blu-ray winning the forma ... (Read Full Article) |
| How much do stores jack up ambient lighting to sell you HDTVs? (Home Theater, 8/09/2009 2:02pm) |
| Along with selling unknowing consumers $80 HDMI cables that they could buy online for a few bucks, HDTV retailers other longtime scam is to boost the brightness in their stores (including on the sets themselves) to entice buyers. Why? In part because bright screens can mask poor black-level performance on cheaper sets. But then [...] (Read Full Article) |
| Sony expands connected BRAVIA HDTV line with new W-Series (Engadget, 3/03/2009 1:00am) |
| While these three weren't quite ready for CES, they're still being debuted in Las Vegas alongside Sony's new Blu-ray devices. The W-Series, as with the recently announced BRAVIA Z5100 and XBR9 models, is fully equipped with an Ethernet jack and a Yahoo!-powered widgets engine. Consumers who bite on the 52-inch KDL-52W5100, 46-inch KDL-46W5100 or 40-inch KDL-40W5100 can expect easy access to Ama ... (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | Netflix adds movie selection service 'Max' today on PS3, created by You Don't Know Jack studio (Joystiq, 6/28/2013 2:00pm) |
Netflix will introduce "Max" on PlayStation 3 today, a new interactive way to find movies. Created by (Read Full Article) |
| Blu-ray Review: Master and Commander (TVPredictions, 5/05/2008 11:25pm) |
| THE MOVIE: 4 1/2 stars out of 5Set in 1805, Master and Commander stars Russell Crowe as Captain Jack Aubrey, the commander of a warship in the British Royal Navy on the hunt for a French war ship that poses a threat to the Royal Navy. However, the French ship sneaks up on the British ship in a fog bank and causes extensive damage to the ship. The Brits are able to escape and retool and Captain Luc ... (Read Full Article) |
| Advanced Powerline Technologies, Inc., Today Announces Component Supplier Secured for its LCD High Definition Digital (Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance, 9/08/2005 1:54pm) |
| Advanced Powerline Technologies, Inc., announced today that it has secured its Component Supplier for its LCD High Definition Digital Televisions . After the representative from NEXGEN Mediatech, Inc. completed a tour of the factory located at ONE APT DRIVE, Woodward, Oklahoma, and other support facilities around the area, Advanced Powerline Technologies, Inc., Chairman and CEO Jack Lin secured ... (Read Full Article) |
| (Unranked) | Batman: Arkham Origins PS3 gets 'Knightfall' content (Joystiq, 6/11/2013 2:44am) |
|
During the PlayStation event at E3, Sony's Jack Tretton announced Batman: Arkham [...] (Read Full Article) |
| Asus has a USB-powered Blu-Ray player on the way (DVICE, 9/18/2009 7:21am) |
| This hot little number is an external Blu-Ray player for computers that Asus hopes to have on shelves later this month. What surprised us the most is the fact that the one and only connector you'll see along the sides of the unit is one for a USB attachment — no HDMI, no AC jack to plug this thing into the wall. It does everything via USB.
Hopefully Asus will give it a cooler name than "SBC-04D1S-U" by the time it launches. According to the company it can write DVD-Rs and CD-Rs in addition to reading Blu-Ray. It also has a "Turbo Engine for enhanced USB Connectivity" — which is vaguely responsible for cranking HD goodness to your screen — and comes with a vertical stand and Cyberlink software.
Pricing information isn't available just yet, but we'll let you know when we do.
Still sounds pretty sweet — and it looks good, too. Hook it up to this (Read Full Article) |
| ATI adds first HD card to the All-in-Wonder lineup (TV Squad, 6/26/2008 5:31pm) |
Filed under: HDTV, PVR Wire, HardwareOnce upon a time, ATI's All-in-Wonder cards were the cream of the crop. The lineup combines a TV tuner with a graphics card. That means you don't need to buy two separate pieces of hardware to capture TV signals and to display those signals on a monitor. But while other hardware makers have been busy putting out HD tuner cards, ATI has been stuck in the dark ages of standard definition.
Now it looks like ATI is back in the game with the ATI All-in-Wonder HD. This PCI Express card has enough oomph to capture HD video and to play back HD video on your PC. It features DirectX 10.1 support, an MPEG2/VC-1/H2.64 decoder, and Vista and AMD Live! certification. It also packs a DVI port and HDMI jack.
On the TV tuner side of things, the AiW HD can handle SD, HD, and ClearQAM signals.The card should be available in July for $199.
[via Engadget] Permalink | Email this | | Comments (Read Full Article) |
| Sony's new BDP-N460 Blu-ray player adds access to internet content (Engadget, 9/09/2009 10:00pm) |
What you're looking at here is the latest addition to the Sony Blu-ray family. The BDP-N460 seemingly fits right in between the BDP-S360 and the BDP-S560 with an MSRP of $249. What sets it apart from its little brother is the fact that it can use its included network jack for more than just BD-Live and it features a USB port on the front, in addition to the one on the back for optional BD-Live storage. There's no built in WiFi or MKV support like other brands though, but it is shipping with access to YouTube and to Bravia Internet Video, and in addition Sony promises Netflix Watch Instantly later this fall. No word on whether this means the end for the BDP-S360, but considering the price and improved features of the 460, that's where we'd put our money.Continue reading Sony's new BDP-N460 Blu-ray player adds access to internet contentFiled under: HDTV, Home Entertainment, Blu-ray, SonySony's new BDP-N460 Blu-ray player adds access to internet content originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments (Read Full Article) |
| New Ratings: Blu-ray players now on CRO (Consumer Reports, 8/05/2009 3:30pm) |
| We’ve just posted our latest high-def Blu-ray Ratings (available to subscribers), and we’re happy to report that almost all the models tested can provide excellent HD and DVD picture quality. In fact, all the models in our Ratings offered excellent high-definition performance, though we did see some differences in how well players handled upconverted film-based programs from standard DVDs. In addition to models from familiar brands, such as LG, Panasonic, Samsung, and Sony (whose products we’ve previously reviewed), our latest Ratings include the first Blu-ray players from JVC, Sherwood, and Oppo (pictured), a smaller company whose upconverting DVD players earned strong word-of-mouth among the A/V enthusiast community. Check our Ratings to see how well these newcomers did compared to second- and third-generation models from other brands. With satisfying HD picture quality now almost a given, it’s primarily features that differentiate one player from another. For example, while almost all the new models in our Ratings are BD-Live (or BD-Live-ready) players—meaning they can connect to the Internet to access extra content, such as outtakes, additional directors', or actors' commentaries, or even video games, from a movie studio’s servers—some older models lack this feature. All the players in our test have BonusView, a picture-in-picture feature that lets you view additional content in a smaller window while the movie is playing. We’re also seeing more Internet-connected players that can now directly access instantly streaming movies from services such as Netflix or Amazon Video on Demand, or music from streaming Internet radio services such as Pandora. Some models offer wireless access to a home network so you don’t need to have a wired Ethernet jack near the player. Although we have seen Blu-ray prices fall since our last test, the addition of these new features has tempered the types of price drops we initially envisioned. As a result, you can still expect to pay $350 to $500 for a top-rated, BD-Live model from a major brand. A less expensive option is to choose a “BD-Live-ready†model; prices typically start at about $250. These players come with an Ethernet connection, but require you to purchase additional memory (typically a 1GB USB flash drive, which costs $10 to $15) to activate the BD-Live feature. But if you can live without BD-Live, you can save money by choosing one of the BonusView-only players, which typically sell for $200 or less. But we do anticipate prices dropping this fall, even on full-featured models from major brands, as manufacturing efficiencies come into play and brands compete for market share. We’ll be tracking Blu-ray prices over the next several months, especially during November’s Black Friday shopping period, when rumors suggest we’ll see the first $100 model. So keep checking back here for updates. Also, we recently changed our Blu-ray testing protocol, adding scores for Blu-ray disc load times and remote control operations. With so many players offering excellent picture quality, we’ll continue to adapt our Ratings to include new features or attributes that will help buyers differentiate among the choices.—James... (Read Full Article) |
| In the CR Test Labs: New LCD, plasma HDTVs (Consumer Reports, 8/04/2009 2:55pm) |
| The latest batch of televisions in the CR TV lab includes the new 46-inch Sony Bravia LCD. While many of us are gearing up for summer vacations, CR’s TV engineers are still hard at work testing more LCD and plasma TVs. Among this latest group are models with full-array LED backlights, and several 240Hz sets that take aim at reducing motion blur. We’re also looking at some new Toshiba models that will be the first to include Dolby Volume, a volume-leveling technology that attempts to minimize differences in loudness when you switch channels or when commercials come on. Here are the models currently being tested in our TV labs: LCD TVs Hitachi L26D103: This 26-inch 720p (1366x768) set is a TV/DVD combo with an integrated standard DVD player, headphone jack, and a built-in sleep timer. Hitachi L32A403: This 32-inch 720p (1366x768) set from Hitachi has four HDMI inputs, and comes with a swivel stand. JVC LT-46J300: This 46-inch 1080p LCD from JVC has the company’s TeleDock integrated iPod dock. LG 55LH90: This 55-inch 1080p LCD TV from LG is a high-featured model that has full-array LED backlights with local dimming, and the company’s TruMotion 240Hz technology, which combines a 120Hz refresh rate with a scanning backlight. It’s also a THX-certified set. Oddly for a higher-priced set, it doesn’t include access to LG’s NetCast Internet service. Magnavox 42MF439B/F7: Earlier this year Philips handed over the manufacturing and marketing of its Philips- and Magnavox-brand TVs in the U.S. to Funai, which also controls the Sylvania brand. This Magnavox, among the first TVs we've seen as part of the deal, is a lower-priced 42-inch 1080p LCD model that can play back digital photos and music stored on a USB flash drive. Philips 32PFL3504D: This 32-inch 720p (1366x768) set, available at mass merchants, warehouse clubs, regional dealers, and online retailers, is fairly low-priced for a major brand and includes a set-up assistant that uses an onscreen wizard to personalize settings. RCA L46FHD37R: A lower-cost 46-inch 1080p LCD, sold at Best Buy, Costco, Sam’s Clubs, and other retailers, that include a light sensor that automatically adjusts contrast to room light conditions. Samsung LN52B750: This 52-inch 1080p LCD from Samsung has new Touch of Color cosmetics (charcoal gray) and the company's Auto Motion Plus 240Hz technology that actually quadruples the TV’s frame rate. It also includes the company’s [email protected] Internet service, which uses Yahoo widgets to access online content, which will soon include instant movies from Blockbuster. Also comes with some preloaded content, such as recipes and games. It can wirelessly connect to a home network via an optional USB wireless dongle. Sharp Aquos LC-52E77UN: This 52-inch 1080p LCD from Sharp features a new design, 120Hz technology and has five HDMI inputs, the most we’ve seen. Sharp Aquos LC-C4067UN: This value-priced Aquos is a 40-inch 1080p LCD sold via the warehouse clubs. Sony Bravia KDL-46Z5100: This pricey 46-inch Sony LCD has Sony’s Motionflow 240Hz technology, which actually quadruples the TVs frame rate, plus the Bravia’s widget-based... (Read Full Article) |
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