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Report: 3.5 million 3D Blu-ray discs 'sold' in first year, half were bundled with hardware
If we're looking at sales figures of 3.5 million units in the first year for a new laptop, smartphone, or camera, then we might be impressed. But 3D Blu-ray discs? When half were included in the box with a Blu-ray player? Man, that's gotta sting. Those numbers are based on an IHS Screen Digest estimate, tallying US sales beginning in June of 2010 and ending last month, though many larger titles didn't make their debut until later in the year. Still, if those results are even in the ballpark of official (unreleased) numbers from BD distributors, then things really aren't looking up for 3D. With fewer than 100 titles even available on Blu-ray, however, we're not really surprised that discs aren't exactly flying off the shelves. Obviously, as a growing number of movies are filmed in 3D we'll see BD title availability increase as well, but with the technology's lackluster beginnings over the last year and no sign that consumers are ready to spend more to embrace that new dimension, 3D may continue its slow crawl toward the mainstream for some time to come.
Panasonic extends Avatar Blu-ray 3D promotion by giving away copies with new Blu-ray players
If you're not interested in buying one of Panasonic's 3D televisions and snagging a copy of Avatar on Blu-ray 3D via the company's exclusivity deal, there is now a solution that doesn't involve downloading a rip, heading to eBay or opting for HBO's VOD version. Starting today, Panasonic has officially announced the offer extends to its 2011 3D Blu-ray players and HTIB systems, and invites all those who purchased one as early as March 1 to obtain a copy via the time honored tradition of a mail-in coupon. There's more details in the press release after the break or at the source link, unless you're looking for an in depth discussion of the properties of unobtanium, which would not be found at either of those locations.
Panasonic puts pricetags on 2011 Blu-ray players, HTIB & soundbars
Of course, it's not all about new TVs, as Panasonic also took the opportunity today to bust out MSRPs for a slew of other home theater products. As it mentioned at CES, the connected features of its 2011 Blu-ray players are taking center stage, with Skype access through Viera Cast, while they also claim to feature the industry's fastest playback, measuring at half the booting and loading time of the 2010 lineup. One other key feature is the ability to use an iPhone as a WiFi connected remote and load movies, music or pictures onto the phone then play them on the HDTV. The top of the line DMP-BDT310 should arrive in May while the rest are already making their way to store shelves, check the press releases after the break for full details on those, a soundbar and a few HTIB systems.
Samsung debuts world's slimmest 3D Blu-ray player, three others that'll get the job done
One-upping yourself, eh Samsung? Just a year after the BD-P4600 claimed the title of world's slimmest Blu-ray player, the outfit has introduced the BD-D7500 to take that crown and waltz all over Las Vegas. Introduces here at CES, the D7500 measures just 1.1-inches deep, and also includes 2D-to-3D conversion capabilities, 1080p upscaling, inbuilt WiFi, touch sensor control, DLNA streaming and support for Samsung Apps / Hub. Those not content with sliding this thing under their television can also mount it on a wall, but it's on you to figure out the wiring situation. Moving on, there's the BD-D7000 -- a cube-like, slot-loading 3D Blu-ray player with most of the exact same features in a different form factor. Speaking of which, the BD-D6700 is another slimster, coated in silver and offering twin HDMI outputs and support for Android / iPhone control. Finally, the BD-D6500 deck is slim and trim, boasting 3D playback, inbuilt WiFi, a slot-loading mechanism and support for Samsung Apps and Hub features. Sadly, Samsung's not dishing out any pricing details, but all of 'em will be available to procure sometime between tomorrow and July 31st, 2011. %Gallery-112486%
Samsung readies 23mm-thick 3D Blu-ray player for CES unveiling
Samsung's obsession with making the world's thinnest Blu-ray player hasn't abated and the company's now announced plans to slim things down even further with a 23mm-thick unit to be unveiled at CES 2011. What we know of it so far is that it'll be able to both play back native 3D content and convert 2D to "quasi-3D," it'll come encased in a metallic, wall-mountable chassis, and it'll feature the now familiar trimmings of YouTube, Facebook and Twitter integration. Pricing and availability are obviously still under wraps, but CES is next week, you can wait that long, can't you?
Sony's blazing fast BDX-S500U Blu-ray drive tests USB 2.0's true transfer chops
Here's a lesson in actual vs. theoretical. Sony Optiarc America has announced the new BDX-S500U external USB 2.0 Blu-ray drive capable of burning single-layer BD-R discs at smoking speeds of 6x or dual-layer discs at up to 4x. If you do the math, those specs imply transfer speeds of 27Mbps for single-sided 25GB discs and total burn times of roughly 20 minutes. That's great news for folks with PCs looking to use the high-storage medium or watch 3D Blu-rays -- except for one tiny hitch. See, USB 2.0's theoretical maximum transfer speed is 60MBps, but in the real world most are lucky to get even half that rate. According to tests by Techworld, those with certain USB 3.0 chipsets can even experience USB 2.0 rates as low as 11MBps. In that light, the BDX-S500U's impressive speeds -- just like Paul Walker -- may be too fast and too furious for its computer counterparts to keep up, making it a different kind of bag of hurt for buyers. While no official pricing has been offered the drive will go on sale later this month and online retailers are already listing prices in the range of $214 to $240. For full specs and details, check out the PR after the break.
Sharp adds two 3D Blu-ray players to its lineup
What self respecting consumer electronics manufacturer doesn't offer a 3D Blu-ray player? None we can think of. So obviously it was only a matter of time before Sharp joined in. The BD-HP80U and BD-HP90U will both be available in September and offer a slew of streaming features like DivX, AVCHD, Netflix, Pandora and VUDU, in addition to their 3D Blu-ray playback abilities. Both are wall-mountable using VESA-standard mounts, but the BD-HP90U brings more -- it can operate horizontally or vertically with its included stand and adds RS232. Look for them on store shelves for $429 and $499 respectively. %Gallery-103056%
Samsung's portable BD-C8000 Blu-ray player spotted slumming it at retail
Samsung's new portable Blu-ray player has been mostly a special order item since its unveiling last month, easily available at online shops but not so much offline. If you'd like to feel the cardboard box in your hands before dropping $499 on a 3D-ready, WiFi-packing, Samsung Apps enabled clamshell then stop by Best Buy where one of our readers spotted this unit, despite it being listed as online only / ship to store for ordering on the website. Of course, if you're that kind of instant gratification nut you'll probably be using the Netflix streaming instead of discs, but that's your choice. [Thanks, BBY Guy]
Samsung shows off portable, HTIB 3D Blu-ray player options and the biggest LED 3DTV yet
We had no idea that the Blu-ray players Samsung showed off at CES would just be the first of a steady stream rolling out this year, and today in New York it's showing off the latest set of 3D capable hardware -- many of which have already shown up on retail shelves. The $499 BD-C8000 is the first portable Blu-ray player that can handle the new 3D discs; while the 10.3-inch screen is 2D only, it folds WiFi, 1GB of memory, HDMI 1.4, a 3 hour battery and all of Samsung's DLNA and widget technology into its very netbook-looking shell for you to take somewhere that has a 3D-ready display. Though that's already shipping on Amazon, we'll have to wait until October to see the $1,799 HT-C9950W 7.1 home theater in a box system, specifically designed (& priced) to match those ultra-thin 9000 series displays (and their sweet touchscreen remotes). Speaking of LED edge lit 3DTVs, Sammy also mentioned it's ready to ship the biggest of the bunch with the 65-inch UN65C8000 (compare that to Panasonic's 65-inch VT25 plasma) which missed the original July launch projection but is already popping up at a few sites for pre-orders at a price as much as $1,500 below its $5,999 MSRP. %Gallery-99192% While those fill out the high end of the product line, more frugal buyers of course have the option of selecting older models that are dropping in price, but there are a few new displays and players (that we've seen before) for them too. Samsung's finally officially launching the 50-inch PN50C490 we saw last month that does 3D on a flat panel display in 720p for less than $1,000. Right now, taking it from 3D capable to 3DTV is still an expensive proposition, but we'll wait and see if any new promotions throwing in the starter kit -- updated with a few new Blu-ray 3D exclusives including Dreamworks Animations' How to Train Your Dragon and two IMAX 3D flicks, Shrek series coming soon -- for free turn lookers into purchasers. Check the gallery for more pictures and the press release after the break for more specs and pricing information.
LG's $400 BX580 network 3D Blu-ray player ships in a month or two
Staying on that cutting edge, are we LG? In a world starstruck by HDMI 1.4, internet connectivity, DLNA, 3D and 1080p, LG's latest deck has it all, and now we know precisely -- er, almost precisely -- when she'll ship. The BX580 has just found itself a slot on Amazon's website, priced at $399.99 and proudly listed as the company's first network 3D Blu-ray player. Aside from having the ability to handle forthcoming 3D Blu-ray titles, it also ships with NetCast Entertainment Access, giving users the ability to enjoy web connected content without bothering with an HTPC. 'Course, that "usually ships in one to two months" could stand to be a little more precise, but we'll take what we can get at this point.
Samsung's BD-C6900 3D Blu-ray player reviewed: speedy, but noisy
Most buyers of Samsung's first 3D Blu-ray player will probably be picking it up as a pack-in with their new television, but what exactly will they be getting? According to BigPictureBigSound, the claims of "Ultra Fast Play" are right on target for the BD-C6900, with a PS3-beating bootup time of only 41 seconds on Saw IV, and 23 seconds on Underworld: Evolution, same as the LG BD570. Unfortunately that slick see-through top may contribute to a higher than average noise level, so beware the tradeoffs for a 3D Blu-ray experience. As far as that goes, the reviewer was impressed by the 3D menus and the quality of the packed-in Monsters vs. Aliens disc, though there were a few issues that popped up on test discs for regular 2D content. As usual, adopting the first generation of a new standard isn't without its drawbacks, but with limited content currently available and additional competition on the way in the form of both firmware updated existing players and new hardware you should probably hit the read link and give it a careful once-over before jumping in.
Samsung's 3D BD-C6900 Blu-ray player now shipping, for real
The last we heard of Samsung's BD-C6900 Blu-ray player it was up on Amazon for a pre-order -- and then it was mysteriously gone again. We're not sure whether anyone clicked the button quickly enough to get one of those into their shopping cart and onto their credit card statement back then, but even if you missed out then it is actually shipping now. At least, it is according to Amazon, which lists the thing as "In Stock." The price is still $399.99 and for that you get 1GB of integrated memory, "explosive 3D capabilities," DLNA streaming, and of course that lovely skylight to show off the spinning blur of your latest library addition -- or Netflix rental.
Sony's $200 BDP-S470 is company's first 3D-ready Blu-ray player
And the flood gates are now officially open. Just hours after Panasonic introduced its newest 3D Blu-ray recorders and players, along comes Sony to brag about its first 3D-ready standalone deck. The BDP-S470, which is slated to ship later this month for $200, arrives with the ability to handle BD, DVD, CD and even SACD, with a 3D Blu-ray upgrade (via firmware update) planned for this summer. You'll also find BD-Live support, BRAVIA Internet Video, a USB socket for playing back media stored elsewhere, 1080p DVD upscaling and TrueHD / DTS-HD Master Audio decoding. If you were planning to snag a BDP-S570 BD player or one of the BDV-E770W / BDV-E570 Blu-ray Disc home theater systems, you'll be elated to know that those systems will also get a gratis 3D update in just a few months, with exact pricing and release details tucked down there in the source. Time to pick up a pair of 3D Gunnar Optiks, don'tcha think?
