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Momitsu BDP-899 promises out of the box region free Blu-ray for cheap
Looking for region-free Blu-ray and DVD support? The Momitsu BDP-899 fits the bill, including BD-Live and Dolby TrueHD output. It's not clear whether multi region support is included by default or only due to retailer mods, but the BDP-899 can be manually changed between DVD & Blu-ray regions when there isn't a disc in the tray via a code input by the remote. We found a few reviews indicating its region switching and PAL/NTSC conversion works as advertised, though checking out every possible combination could stress anyone's disc library. At $349, it's the cheapest BD-Live compatible region free player we've seen, although questions about how fast Momitsu will be in providing firmware updates in case of problems might have the region switching consumer eyeing more expensive modded players from other manufacturers instead. [Via CD Freaks, thanks Richard!] Read - Quick review of Momitsu BDP-899 BluRay player Read - BDP-899 (modified) Region FREE Blu-ray player review
Snow White's Blu-ray debut is October 6
Announced during CES as the third title (after Sleeping Beauty and Pinnochio) to get Disney's Platinum Edition treatment, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will appear for the first time in high definition October 6 --well ahead of the standard DVD November 24 -- and Disney prez Bob Chapek is already bragging that it will be a reference point for home entertainment libraries. Expect a major push from Disney to upsell its family customers to the HDTV edition, with the staggered release scheduling and meticulous attention paid to this release, there's no question this as much a part of the company's Blu-ray driving strategy as its Magical Tour last year. USA Today also says several Blu-ray exclusive extras will be included, but your guess is as good as ours what they are, other than the now standard for Disney $40 combo pack that includes a DVD and Pinnochio's Disney View picture frame.
Panasonic DMP-BD60 Blu-ray player reviewed, are the new features worth it?
Panasonic's DMP-BD60 hits the scene as the successor to the well-received DMP-BD35, packing Viera Cast features on top of BD-Live capability in a slim (& more power efficient) package. CNET's reviewers threw the new boss on their test bench and found a lot to like, while the Internet features weren't flawless with some control issues on YouTube videos, however it lags the competition without wireless Internet capabilities. Picture quality was up to par, but it seems to have fallen off the pace compared to the latest offering from Samsung in terms of speed, taking longer to load some movies from off mode. Check the full review for all the details, but with the price currently at $299 this player might not have enough value unless Amazon VOD and Picasa access is particularly important.[Via TV Snob]
Sony embeds Blu-ray exclusives on The Da Vinci Code: Extended Cut
With sequel Angels & Demons ready to hit theaters in May, Sony Pictures is throwing in nearly a half hour of exclusive extra footage on The Da Vinci Code: Extended Cut coming to shelves April 28. Codebreakers can look forward to in movie BD-Live chat, a $10 coupon off tickets to the sequel, new director's commentary and a picture-in-picture mode allowing for eight different ways to watch the movie at once, we think fans (and with $700 million+ grossed worldwide there's more than a few of those) will find this hard to pass up.
Sony outs BDP-S360 and BDP-S560 Blu-ray players, new BD HTIBs
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-46043%
Panasonic's portable Blu-ray player previewed in Japan
The Japanese variant of Panasonic's slick all in one portable Blu-ray player has peeked out from behind cover, ready to launch March 15. The DMP-BV100 adds a 1seg TV tuner but is otherwise the same as its U.S. cousin, ready to play your HD discs on its 1024x600 screen, or a max 1080i via HDMI out. BD-Live is still part of the package, as well as SD card reader, DLNA, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA support. If you're watching on the go, a 7 hour charge time will yield 2 and a half hours of either Blu-ray or OTA video, so getting through the LOTR trilogy on an airplane ride is unlikely unless you can plug in. Around 850€ ($1,070) will nab one for anyone who can't wait for a localized antenna-less version in May. Check out our CES hands on or more pics over at AV Watch.[Via AV Watch & Akihabara News]
Sony using BD-Live to promote new content across different titles
It will take time to find out if 2009 is the year BD-Live takes off, but at least studios are trying a few new things. Sony's latest experiment centers around a Q&A session with the director and one actor from Kramer vs. Kramer, which will be posted for download by owners of that movie and other Sony Blu-ray releases. Throwing in downloads for a 1979 flick is an interesting strategy, and posting content that crosses discs could help raise awareness of the feature among customers but honestly we could just go to the website and read a Q&A without owning the disc too. Good try Sony, but it looks like our wait for more innovative uses of Blu-ray's Internet connectivity continues.
Star Trek movie collection coming to Blu-ray
Just in time for J.J. Abrams' newly re-imagined Star Trek film comes a new Blu-ray collection of the original six films. This seven-disc Blu-ray collection includes: The Motion Picture, The Wrath of Khan, The Search for Spock, The Voyage Home, The Final Frontier and The Undiscovered Country. Each of the films will be presented in 1080p with Dolby TrueHD 7.1 soundtracks. Each film includes multiple commentary tracks and a bonus BD-Live "Star Trek IQ" feature. In addition to the standard slew of special features, a seventh disc includes "The Captains' Summit" -- a 70-minute roundtable discussion, hosted by Whoopi Goldberg, where series stars talk about their lives on the set.The collection will be released on May 17th.(DVD set pictured)
LG's BD300 gets new firmware update, YouTube access included
LG just gifted its multifaceted BD300 with HD Netflix support in December, and today it's blessing owners with one more goodie: YouTube access. The latest update brings the deck to version BD.8.16.537, and as mentioned, the most notable inclusion is YouTube streaming. Sure, it may not change your life, but it just might make your day. Give it a go and let us know how things look.[Thanks, Kurt]
LG BD370 network Blu-ray player hitting Japan later this month
LG Japan will deliver the just-announced BD370 network Blu-ray player later this month in Japan, naturally sans-Netflix and CinemaNow support. The Ethernet port still finds meaning in life through BD-Live and YouTube videos, but don't look for any acTVila support here. Found are DivX, AVCHD, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA support plus a ring that lights up blue for HD discs, and red for all others, and for an expected ¥34,800 ($416) this can be all yours, unless you're here in the U.S. where our wait for a Q2 release date and price continues.
Disney considering raising Blu-ray prices?
We predicted drastic measures in Blu-ray pricing, but Disney might be going the wrong way. CEO Robert Iger indicated on a conference call with analysts today that since the company's Blu-ray releases are packing all sorts of extra features like Digital Copy and BD-Live, it might be able to raise prices following a Q1 profit drop of 64%. The scariest part is that Disney's economic shortfalls were consistent with the overall home entertainment downturn, so it might not be the only studio with this reaction to shrinking profits, looking to squeeze an extra few bucks out of the customers willing to spend the most.
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Lionsgate Live features debut on The Spirit Blu-ray
Lionsgate was early on the BD-Live train with War and Saw IV, and now its latest Blu-ray development Lionsgate Live will debut on The Spirit. Hitting the streets April 14,a flick that underwhelmed at the box office is lavished with a 7.1 DTS-HD MA soundtrack, and Lionsgate Live features that notify users of new features across all Lionsgate BD-Live movies. Viewers can also create a "Molog" and insert text, shapes and audio into the movie then share their customizations and commentaries with others on the network. The second coming of BD-Live, or just another useless bullet point like Yakuza Fighter?
Will BD-Live finally shine in 2009?
Let's not sugarcoat things -- BD-Live hasn't exactly been a runaway success. Sure, you could blame some of that on the fact that Profile 2.0 players are just now becoming a) affordable and b) plentiful, but really, it's the uninteresting content that's truly holding it down. According to a report over at VideoBusiness, that's set to change in 2009. Lionsgate is planning to open a dedicated BD-Live portal (christened Lionsgate Live) which will provide even casual fans with easy access to games, ringtones and filmmaker chats. Other studios are shifting focus to ensure that interactivity is seamlessly integrated and simple to navigate, not to mention getting BD-Live material onto more Blu-ray Discs. In our eyes, '09 is a make or break year for BD-Live; if consumers still aren't digging it by CES 2010, there's a good chance the investments in the technology will taper off. 'Course, those widgets sure seem to be catching eyes over on the connected HDTV side, so maybe there's hope here after all.
Pioneer prices latest trio of Blu-ray players
When Pioneer introduced its BDP-120, BDP-320 and Elite BDP-23FD Blu-ray players at CES, we had a vague idea of how much they'd cost. Now, we're being clued in on actual MSRPs. Potentially most impressive is the BDP-120, which will offer up BD-Live functionality and a Pioneer logo for just under $300. The mid-range unit includes 1GB of inbuilt memory and will cost $400 or less, while the top-end player will demand $599. Kudos on keeping these priced below the stratosphere, Pioneer.Update: Pioneer pinged us with updated pricing, now reflected in the text.
Disney to release Bolt on Blu-ray two days before DVD
Although Blu-ray has been out for a few years, it is still pretty new and thus the studios are still testing the waters to see what works. The latest test by Disney is one that Blu-ray fans have been recommending for some time; release new titles on Blu-ray before DVD -- but we suspect that many had more than a two day lead time in mind. Although this will be interesting, we still think Disney's previous test of including a DVD with the Sleeping Beauty Blu-ray Disc was more interesting. Also, like the more recent titles from Disney Bolt will feature some BD Live content as well as a digital copy.
NetBlender Live BD-Live platform launched
Moviemakers ready to jump to BD-Live production can add NetBlender's offering to their list of options, now that NetBlender Live has launched. Much like Ascent Media's group, NetBlender can handle the hosting and backend so interested producers can add content as necessary and extend the life of discs. All this means is we should expect even more Internet-enable movies, we'll have to see what they do with it to know if the effort has been worthwhile.
Pioneer intros BDP-120 / BDP-320 / Elite BDP-23FD Blu-ray players
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.
Ask Engadget HD: Which Profile 2.0 Blu-ray player loads discs the quickest?
CNET's UK branch already ran a number of Blu-ray players through a timed gauntlet, but this week's Ask Engadget HD question places the responsibilities squarely on your shoulders. We're hoping Mick's question enables us to compile some pretty meaningful data, so break out the stopwatch and contribute! "Which current Blu-ray player (Profile 2.0, of course) has the quickest load time? I'm looking for something that loads much faster than my BDP-S300. Manufacturers don't bother listing load times on their decks, so I'm looking for some help from the audience." You heard the man -- we want model name, startup time and disc load times, along with any other tidbits you feel like tossing in. Get to it, partners.Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.
Memorex ups to Blu-ray Profile 2.0 with its MVBD-2520 player
What a difference a few months makes -- just about $69 -- back in September, Memorex rolled out its MVBD-2510 (pictured) at $269, but the follow-up MVBD-2520 will show up this summer at $200. The inclusion of Profile 2.0 on this unit is good to see, but holding back the Dolby TrueHD and DST-HD MA to bitstream output spoils some of the fun, especially compared to what we're seeing at the same price point from VIZIO. That $200 figure is MSRP, so expect street prices to duck lower still. Based on what we're seeing, Blu-ray player prices won't be a valid excuse for failure in the marketplace come this time next year.
Dreamer's BIDDLE could actually make BD-Live useful
Imagine this -- utilizing your Blu-ray player for playing back BDs, DVDs and practically anything else available via the internet. A marvelous idea, right? Dreamer has every intention of making that web-to-TV STB you've got totally obsolete with its BIDDLE thin-client, which will theoretically enable any internet-connected Profile 2.0 BD deck to tap into the limitless world of online content. Here at CES, the outfit has announced a partnership with Technicolor that sadly doesn't pinpoint any specific players, though the concept is more than intriguing. Essentially, it would add a whole new world of functionality to BD-Live-enabled Blu-ray players, which is just about exactly what the doctor ordered for the flagging format. Only time will tell if this stuff has a shot at catching on, but we certainly dig the sound of it. [Warning: PDF read link]
