Bd Live -- Engadget

bd-live posts

VIZIO VBR100 Blu-ray player freed from superstore confines, unboxed on video

by Richard Lawler posted Aug 9th 2009 at 5:44PM

We'd heard VIZIO's VBR100 BD-Live ready (& timed Wal-mart exclusive) Blu-ray player would be making an appearance this month, and our friends over at FormatWarCentral have not only spotted the rare bird in the wild, but brought one home and performed a video unboxing for all to experience. Be prepared for bad news like a lack of high definition cables included in the $178 package, though coax and optical audio outputs plus the too often-forgotten rear mounted USB port are welcome bonuses. Still avoiding the potential trampling issue at Wal-mart? Other stores should have a similar VBR110 model soon, check the video beyond the link or embedded after the break and imagine the packaging splayed about your own living room.

Continue reading VIZIO VBR100 Blu-ray player freed from superstore confines, unboxed on video

Onkyo shows pride in its DV-BD507 Blu-ray player with lofty $449 price tag

by Darren Murph posted Jul 29th 2009 at 7:32AM

Onkyo's never been one to dabble in the Blu-ray bargain basement, but with BD decks selling for well under the $200 mark, we're wondering what kind of secret sauce is boxed in with the DV-BD507. The outfit's latest Profile 2.0 player doesn't sound too special based on specs alone, as it supports HDMI 1.3a, 1080p output, BD-Live functionality and BonusView features just like every other respectable rival on the market already. Sure, we can't say we don't appreciate its innate ability to process AVCHD files stored on SD / SDHC cards or toasted DVDs, but even on a good day we can't justify the $449 MSRP. Maybe it's upgradable to 3D... or something. Fancy rear shot is waiting after the break.

Continue reading Onkyo shows pride in its DV-BD507 Blu-ray player with lofty $449 price tag

Sony's Blu-ray MegaChanger hits the streets next month with new ES standalone

by Ben Drawbaugh posted Jul 23rd 2009 at 3:00PM

When we first got our hands-on the 400 disc MegaChanger pictured above we'd hoped it would be out a little earlier; but never the less the wait is almost over as Sony officially announced plans to release the BDP-CX7000ES in August, for the hard to swallow price of $1,900 -- about $400 less than rumored. The good news is that it does just about everything we can think of, like handle any Blu-ray Disc, DVD or CD with ease, and of course works with the latest codecs delivered via bitstream or LPCM. Now if you just have to have a Blu-ray changer, but wish it was half the price, you can wait a few more months for the BDP-CX960 for $800. You will however have to be willing to forgo things like RS-232 and IR-in, as well as the ES badge. Also shipping in August with the ES MegaChanger is the BDP-S1000ES. This standalone Blu-ray player is at the top of line and for $700 you get just about every feature and spec Blu-ray has to offer, as well as built-in WiFi and a DLNA client. The full details of all three are in the release after the jump.

Gallery: Sony MegaChangers

Continue reading Sony's Blu-ray MegaChanger hits the streets next month with new ES standalone

Universal bringing BD-Live integration to the iPhone, irony to starving children

by Nilay Patel posted Jul 20th 2009 at 12:44PM

Although Apple still hasn't managed to achieve feature parity with any of its competitors by enabling Blu-ray playback in OS X, it looks like Universal's bringing the mountain to the Mac -- or at least the iPhone. At first, the upcoming special edition of Fast and Furious will feature integration with a special iPhone / iPod touch app that'll allow viewers to control 360-degree models of the cars in the "Virtual Car Garage," but later Universal releases will feature the ability to control movie playback, read annotations while watching your flick, and even download ancillary video content for later playback on the go. Sounds like pretty nifty stuff -- let's hope El Steve reconsiders his whole "bag of hurt" stance when he gets the demo.

[Via AppleInsider]

Vizio's VBR100 Blu-ray player is a $188 Wal-mart exclusive next month

by Richard Lawler posted Jun 25th 2009 at 6:12AM

We still don't know what it looks like, but during its line show, Vizio let slip that the sub-$200 VBR100 Blu-ray player announced at CES is now scheduled to come to Wal-mart only in July. For $188 (just not that cheap anymore) Wal-mart shoppers can expect a BD-Live ready (with optional 1GB+ USB thumbdrive attached) player, though no details on codec or output support. Don't shop at Wal-mart for philosophical reasons, quality concerns or fear of being trampled during an early Black Friday rush? A similar VBR110 model should follow, coming to other retailers around November/December, just in time to match with that brand new WiFi connected Netflix / Amazon / Twitter etc. widget packing LCD.

Sony Pictures to smarten up Blu-ray with MovieIQ, the "killer app for BD-Live"

by Richard Lawler posted Jun 18th 2009 at 7:22PM

Are you one of the more than 4,000 people (86%) that answered our poll saying you thought BD-Live was a waste of time, or didn't see any reason to give it a shot? We talked to Sony Pictures recently and were promised that more useful reasons for hooking the internet to Blu-ray discs & players were on the way, and today at a press event it showed why it thinks that will come true. Check out the gallery for a few pics of its new MovieIQ app, quickly described as a "wiki for movies" that can tie into your discs and provide information from Gracenote on demand on nearly anything in the movie or even specific scene being watched, from actors & directors to background music. The first BD-Live discs with it should be available in September, we'll be back with more details shortly, for now just let the images do the talking.

Update: Official press release is included after the break

Gallery: BD-Live MovieIQ

Continue reading Sony Pictures to smarten up Blu-ray with MovieIQ, the "killer app for BD-Live"

Harman Kardon brings Blu-ray to America with BDP 1 deck

by Darren Murph posted Jun 9th 2009 at 1:19PM

See that player right there? It looks really familiar, doesn't it? Aside from a power adapter that's suited for use in the United States of America, it's essentially the BDP 10 sans a zero. Shortly after announcing its first Blu-ray deck overseas, Harman Kardon has seen fit to offer up a model here in the States, with BD-Live functionality, a USB socket, HDMI 1.3a, Ethernet, IR-remote in / out jacks, optical / coaxial digital audio outputs and support for all the major audio formats. The pain? $499, and it should start filtering into retailers as early as this month.

Panasonic's DMP-B15 portable Blu-ray player: $800, ships this month

by Darren Murph posted Jun 1st 2009 at 10:01AM

It'll definitely run you less here in America than it would if you chose to import straight from Japan, but the planet's first BD-Live-capable portable Blu-ray player still ain't cheap. Today, Panny announced that its DMP-B15 -- which originally broke cover at CES -- will be shipping later this month in the US for $799.95. That nets you an 8.9-inch WSVGA display, VIERA CAST internet accessibility, an SD card slot, 2.5 hour rechargeable battery, HDMI output and BD-Live (Profile 2.0) functionality. Oh, and quiet kids on the next road trip to Gramps' pad, which is totally priceless.

LG's HR400 Profile 2.0 Blu-ray recorder gets outed

by Darren Murph posted Jun 1st 2009 at 8:33AM

So, why can't Yanks get ahold of these Blu-ray recorders again? All pent-up rage aside, what we're looking at above is LG's yet-to-be-formally-announced HR400, a Blu-ray recorder that will evidently be aimed initially at the European market. Packing BD-Live (Profile 2.0) support, a built-in DVB-T TV tuner and YouTube compatibility, this deck also arrives with 160GB of internal hard drive space for holding OTA recordings. Heck, this thing can even play back DivX HD files, stream media clips from other places on your network and upscale DVDs to 1080p. Is all that worth €599 ($852)? We're saying no, but you and your wallet can make your own darn decisions.

LG's WiFi-enabled, DivX-friendly BD390 Blu-ray player now shipping

by Darren Murph posted May 19th 2009 at 10:56AM

LG continues to up its game in the Blu-ray department, first shipping the planet's first Netflix-enabled BD deck and now shipping the planet's first DivX HD 1080p certified player. Yep, the BD390 -- which was originally unveiled back at CES this year -- is now making its way out to eager consumers, boasting an 802.11n WiFi module and support for DivX streaming from a DLNA server. The pain? $399.95, but at least that includes BD-Live support, 7.1-channel audio output, 1GB of inbuilt memory and a USB 2.0 socket.

Denon outs 2009 line of Blu-ray players, AV receivers and headphones

by Darren Murph posted May 11th 2009 at 2:30PM

Ready for loads of succulent new audio / video equipment that you can likely only afford in your wildest dreams? Fantastic. Today in NYC, Denon has decided to introduce a whole fleet of new kit, so we'll get right down to the nitty gritty. Oh, and we're on hand at the premiere, so expect some hands-on shots shortly.

DBP-2010CI ($699; shipping in July) - Profile 2.0 Blu-ray player, onboard Ethernet, BD-Live / BonusView support, DivX HD playback, support for AVCHD, Anchor Bay Technologies VRS processing, upconversion and IP scaling to 1080p/24, RS-232c support, HDMI / component / composite video outputs
DBP-1610CI ($499; shipping in July) - Same as above sans Anchor Bay chip and RS-232c
Nine new AV receivers, priced from $379 at the low-end to $1,999 at the high; shipping between May and July 2009
ASD-51W ($299.99) and ASD-51N ($249.99) network-enabled iPod docks, both shipping in August. Both items also allow for Rhapsody streaming, Internet Radio streaming and Napster support.
AH-NC600 ($199), AH-C710 ($149) and AH-C360 ($49) in-ear headphones, all of which will ship by July

Full press releases and details for each are posted just past the break, and yes, it's overwhelming.

Gallery: Denon outs 2009 line of Blu-ray players, AV receivers and headphones

Gallery: Hands-on with Denon's new lineup

Continue reading Denon outs 2009 line of Blu-ray players, AV receivers and headphones

Sony BDP-S360 Blu-ray player casually arrives at Best Buy

by Richard Lawler posted May 8th 2009 at 1:57AM

One of our tipsters spotted Sony's latest Blu-ray player on a local Best Buy shelf sporting a $299 price tag. The BDP-S360 adds the DTS-HD MA decoding you were missing from the previous model, plus improved DVD scaling and out of the box BD-Live support. Of course one has to ask themselves if, in 2009, a player lacking the Netflix streaming or Amazon VOD features of competing hardware, or the DLNA streaming and integrated WiFi of the upcoming BDP-S560 is really worth braving these H1N1-infested streets, but we'll leave that choice up to you.

[Thanks, RyanD]

Blu-ray making greenbacks, sales up 72% to start '09

by Richard Lawler posted May 6th 2009 at 8:12PM

Congratulations Blu-ray, you might be ready to step into the zone of mass market acceptance, as NPD's retail tracking service found Q1 sales of standalone players up 72 percent over last year, moving over 400,000 units with a 14% increase in dollar sales. Last year sure the format survived mad fights but high prices were a setback; fast forward to March when an online survey of 6,994 people found awareness has reached 90 percent in the last six months, with customers fascinated by its updates. Although BD-Live is looking more and more like an unneeded gimmick, the real facts are people care about cost and average player prices dropped from $393 last year to $261 in 2009. The "Blu-ray report" suggests the magic number is $214 for folks like Shawn Marion, so more room might be needed to breeze, and could come as soon as this fall around the time Vizio's player finally appears. It might be tragic for Vudu, CBHD and others trying to get a foothold, but Blu-ray's magic wand is word of mouth - so while much talked about, but much lower selling tech like Kindle is happy as hell to get a record deal, right now Blu-ray's unique skills can't be compared.

Sony outs BDP-S360 and BDP-S560 Blu-ray players, new BD HTIBs

by Darren Murph posted Mar 2nd 2009 at 8:00PM

Hope you didn't just pull the trigger on a BDP-S350, 'cause we get the feeling Sony's two newest standalone BD decks are going to make you yearn for the next best thing. Here in Las Vegas, the company has just come clean with the Profile 2.0 BDP-S360 and BDP-S560, the latter of which includes integrated WiFi for tapping into BD-Live content and downloading future firmware updates sans an Ethernet cable. Also, the unit is fully DLNA-ready, handles DVD upscaling, bit-streams audio via HDMI, decodes Dolby TrueHD / DTS-HD Master Audio and plays nice with external media loaded up on a USB drive. As predicted, the lower-end BDP-S360 is essentially the same player sans WiFi.

Moving on, we've got a new pair of 5.1-channel Blu-ray HTIB systems: the BDV-E300 and BDV-E500W. Both bundles include a BD-Live-capable (Profile 2.0) Blu-ray player, while the BDV-E500W sports integrated S-AIR wireless audio capabilities. In other words, your rear speakers will get their signal sans cabling, and those who opt for the BDV-E300 are getting a kit that's S-AIR-ready, meaning that you can add modules in the future to get the same wireless support. Both sets also include Sony's Digital Media Port for controlling peripherals like Apple's iPod and Sony's own Walkman line, and the BRAVIA Sync technology ensures that HDMI-CEC lovers are taken care of. The models also bring along the firm's Xross Media Bar (XMB) interface, a USB port for loading up media and an easy-to-follow setup DVD. As for pricing and availability, we've broken all that down below.

BDP-S360 Blu-ray player: shipping this summer for around $300
BDP-S560 Blu-ray player: shipping this summer for around $350
HT-SS360 component home theater system : shipping in May for around $350
BDV-E300 Blu-ray HTIB: shipping in June for around $600
BDV-E500W Blu-ray HTIB: shipping in June for around $800

Catch the release in full just after the break.

Gallery: Sony outs BDP-S360 and BDP-S560 Blu-ray players, new BD HTIBs

Continue reading Sony outs BDP-S360 and BDP-S560 Blu-ray players, new BD HTIBs

Pioneer intros BDP-120 / BDP-320 / Elite BDP-23FD Blu-ray players

by Darren Murph posted Jan 8th 2009 at 9:00AM

Pioneer has put a few new BD-related products of late in other regions of the world, but America has been longing for a fresh line of Blu-ray decks from the outfit for months. At long last, we're being treated to a shiny new Profile 2.0 trio: the BDP-120, BDP-320 and the RS-232C-packin' Elite BDP-23FD (pictured above). From the top, the 120 features HDMI 1.3a, Dolby TrueHD / DTS-HD bitstreaming, 1080p24 output, BD-Live with no internal memory (1GB flash drive is included), TrueHD / DTS-HD Master Audio decoding and an Ethernet jack. The 320 steps it up with 48-bit Deep Color support, three noise reduction circuits, KURO Link, 7.1-channel analog audio outs, 1GB of internal memory and a "jitter free audio transmission for CD playback." The Elite deck adds an aluminum front panel, RS-232C control port and little else. The trifecta is expected to hit in April for undetermined prices, though you can find the ultraslim DV-420 upscaling DVD player in June for just $90. The finer details are just past the break.

Continue reading Pioneer intros BDP-120 / BDP-320 / Elite BDP-23FD Blu-ray players