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NHL uses BD-Live to connect Blackhawks fans via championship Blu-ray discs
One of this week's Blu-ray releases was the NHL Stanley Cup Champions 2009-2010 disc from Warner, and it's surprisingly packing a few BD-Live extras courtesy of Imagion AG and Giant Interactive. As one of the discs released with their BD-Connect features, fans (or bandwagon jumpers -- c'mon, no one was rooting for the Blackhawks when they were losing) can expect downloadable content including dynamically updated news from Blackhawks TV and league sources every time they pop the disc in to relive the glory of last season. That's an ambitious start for the NHL's first Blu-ray release, we guess hockey has realized how important its high-def fans are.
Japan, Europe ready to deliver Blu-ray 3D discs
The U.S. may have been first with a Blu-ray 3D capable authoring facility, but Europe and Asia are on the case, with Imagion AG delivering the EU's first 3D disc (ironically, if we're not Alanis Morrisette-ing the meaning, Grand Canyon Adventure) and Panasonic replicating its US facility in Roppongi,Tokyo. Of course, over here it's still a wait and see game to find out when the first retail 3D release arrives, but seeing some of the same names that pushed through early Blu-ray disc technology is a welcome sign things should ramp up quickly.
Imagion AG hits 500 BD-Live movies authored, plans more U.S. Blu-ray releases
It's been an under the radar race to 500, but that's how many Blu-ray discs Imagion AG has put together using its dynamicHD BD-Live platform. Many of those are international releases, although their work on CSI and Star Trek:TOS hits closer to home, and now the company is partnering with Giant Interactive to work on more BD-Live discs in the U.S under the BD-Connect name. We're still holding out hope BD-Live lives up to its promise and brings many worthwhile new experiences to Blu-ray discs, are we the only ones? Hello? Anyone?
Star Trek, CSI Blu-ray boxed sets doing BD-Live right with dynamicHD
Implementations of dynamicHD on Blu-ray and HD DVD discs so far have been some of the best examples of the potential BD-Live holds that we keep hearing about, but rarely see. For those Star Trek fans that picked up TOS box set this week, it not only ties them into the www.cbs-bdlive.com website, but also brings home interviews, behind the scenes looks and other highlights from FEDCON in Europe that is going on from today until May 3. Next up to tie Internet downloads into the disc based experience? CSI: Crime Scene Investigation The First Season hitting May 12. You can check out the website to see who is watching right now and where, set up watching parties and share quizzes. Imagion AG demoed a lot of these features for us on HD DVD during CES '08, and some got a peek at them on Terminator 2: Ultimate HD Edition, check out the official press release after the break and let us know if this is enough to change your opinion on BD-Live.
Big Buck Bunny Blu-ray disc busts out 3 PiP streams, BD-Live
After giving HD DVD a proper send-off with Terminator 2: Ultimate HD-Edition, the Imagion AG team has thrown itself fully into the b's like Paul Pierce, preparing the Blu-ray release of Big Buck Bunny, another open source creative commons-licensed movie from the creators of Elephants Dream. How do you top being the first to do PiP on Blu-ray? With three separate picture-in-picture tracks give us a look at the original storyboards, 3D renders or the original rough renders from the production team's Blender software. The dynamicHD-live portion should be familiar to fans of the T2 release, using BD-Live access to TuneHD.net for constantly updated news, Big Buck Bunny-related websites and calibration settings. The disc packs in both BBB and Elephants Dream and should be shipping soon.
HD DVD's last hurrah: Terminator 2: Ultimate HD-Edition due March 20
HD DVD fans have at least one more high profile release to look forward to, as German distributor Kinowelt is prepared to release Terminator 2: Ultimate HD-Edition (region free of course) March 20th. Produced by HDi (and Blu-ray) pioneers Imagion AG this release includes the directors cut of the film, with DTS-HD 7.1 audio and more than four hours of bonus material in a high quality SteelBook case. Expect this to be the triumphant example of HD DVD's advanced features and capabilities that American Gangster so sadly wasn't. Check out a list of features after the break or our hands-on from CES to learn more about the disc's interactive and online capabilities, and maybe a peek at the future of BD Live.
Hands-on with Imagion AG's dynamicHD HD DVD & Blu-ray technology
Tucked away in the HD DVD booth, Imagion AG -- creators of the first HD DVD with internet connectivity, the first European HD DVD and the first Blu-ray Profile 1.1 release -- was showing off its end to end tools for creating next gen interactive features. Despite being a Blu-ray exclusive movie in the U.S., Imagion is working on the Terminator 2: Ultimate HD Edition release for Europe, which will let fans view the script and/or storyboard during playback, share special edits of the movie via the internet, and track their interactive Blu-ray and HD DVDs via tuneHD.net, powered by their dynamicHD tech. With simplified access for publishers to update online features through a web interface and community features connect fans, Imagion is continuing to push the edges of next gen disc formats. Check out the gallery for a look at what tomorrow's HDi and BD Live discs can do.%Gallery-13490%
Motorhead's "Stage Fright" is the first online-enabled music, European HD DVD
After releasing Europe's first HD DVD -- the HDi enhanced Elephant's Dream -- Imagion AG is again breaking new ground with the first music HD DVD (and first European HD DVD) to include online features. Due in August, Motörhead's "Stage Fright" also uses HDi for new interactive features, allowing viewers to create their own setlist from concert footage and to take "snapshots" of the concert and create personal picture gallery in their HD DVD player's storage. Fans can hook their HD DVD player to the internet to download news, tour dates, pictures and artwork that will update the disc's menus. We may not be die-hard followers of "the dirtiest heavy metal band in the world" yet, but with this kind of release look for our tattoos to join the gallery soon. Check after the break for screen shots.
