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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.
RCA BRC3108 portable Blu-ray ships to Target, seriously undercuts Panny's DMP-B15
Remember Panasonic's DMP-B15? You know, that "world's first portable Blu-ray player" that was introduced at CES and just started shipping last month? With an $800 price tag, there's a good chance you never even let the thing enter your stream of consciousness, but we can only wish you the best of luck as you try to ignore this one. RCA has quietly started to ship its BRC3108 10-inch portable Blu-ray player, which is equipped with a rechargeable battery, integrated stereo speakers, a headphone jack, 1080p HDMI output and bundled car / AC adapters alongside a carrying bag with headrest attachment for in-car use. The mini player lists for $349.99 on Amazon, and it's already starting to appear in select Target locations. You'll notice that Amazon still shows the device as being available for pre-order, and even the Target model didn't have a shelf tag yet. That said, we're sure someone in the back can pull some strings if you wave your credit card around long enough. Update: Looks like it's listed at $299.99 at Target -- image is after the break. Thanks, Thomas! [Thanks, Scott]
Panasonic's new DMP-BDT100 is a cheaper, slimmer choice for Blu-ray 3D playback
Panasonic's not letting us know exactly how cheap it's going with the new DMP-BDT100 Blu-ray player, but with an existing lineup that starts at $399 for the DMP-BDT300 it's not hard to see why it would need a mainstream option to compete with Samsung, Sony and the rest. The DMP-BDT100 still promises high quality playback and Viera Cast features including Netflix, Amazon VOD and Pandora access, but it does it in a smaller, energy efficient package as Panasonic's first single-HDMI out 3D Blu-ray player. It will ship in August, but we'll have to wait for any pricing info or possible new Blu-ray 3D pack-in deals (c'mon Avatar.) Press release and one more pic from HDTV.com.pl are after the break.
Toshiba BDX2700 Blu-ray player review
One of the best things the HD DVD camp had going for it during the format war was great hardware from Toshiba. And after the war was over many assumed Toshiba would just ignore the Blu-ray player market entirely and focus on other areas. Of course that wasn't the case and the idea of a Blu-ray player from Toshiba has always intrigued us, which is why we jumped at the chance to review one. Sadly, the BDX2700 reviewed on the next page doesn't share much with its red counterparts, but it isn't all bad. %Gallery-98138%
ABI Research predicts Blu-ray players in 18% of TV owning households next year
After successfully predicting shocking trends like Blu-ray player prices heading downwards and the PS3's continued install base lead on other players, analysts at ABI Research see 62.5 million Blu-ray players shipping next year. Analyst Mike Inouye sees this as a part of the growth potential of TV-centric devices related to price declines, plus new technology arriving like larger displays, internet access and 3D. With market penetration (in TV owning households) expected to rise from 7% in 2009 to 18% next year, we're wondering what's holding the format back from even more growth. Prices are relatively low now, full featured players are easy to find, and HDTVs are rapidly taking over. Is that other 82% happy with upscaled DVDs, movies on cable or on demand, internet downloading/streaming, or are we just being impatient?
American Beauty Blu-ray joins Paramount's Sapphire Series on September 21
It should be good news that American Beauty is seeing a "Sapphire Series" Blu-ray release, but given the issues faced by Saving Private Ryan and Gladiator, we'll wait until the reviews are in to buy this one. If all goes well, buyers can get the quintuple Academy Award winner with 5.1 DTS-HD Master audio tracks, though the only HD bonus feature announced is the theatrical trailers. Still, if your most memorable Sam Mendes production isn't the iPhone 4 FaceTime ad, it may be hard to pass this one up when it arrives September 21.
Sony's 2010 ES line includes 3D and excludes online retailers; Android remote app on the way
Given the company's focus on 3D this year, it's not at all a surprise to see Sony's 2010 line of ES receivers (and lone Blu-ray player) touched up with a dash of 3D support and HDMI 1.4-compatible features, but it may be a shocker to see their sale restricted to "specialty AV retailers and custom installers." That means no Amazon.com or other online retailers, but wherever one finds the STR-DA5600ES, STRA-DA4600ES, and STR-DA 3600ES, they'll include IP, RS-232 and IR control support for easy home automation integration, iPhone remote control (Android -- and of course we'd expect Google TV -- version coming soon) as well as working as an Ethernet hub and DLNA streaming device. At the top of the line the STR-DA5600ES ships in September for $2,000 and is able to automatically calibrate audio for speaker types (like last year's), plus locations and angles, function as a DLNA Live Audio server itself and stream audio and video to other rooms via HDMI (six in, two out) or CAT5e. While the remaining models do a bit less, for a bit less when they all ship in August, the STR-DN2010 is a new model for 2010 at just $800. As for the Blu-ray player, the BDP-S1700ES ships with 3D movie play back, BRAVIA Internet video and Qriocity streaming WiFi and Gracenote database browser for $400 this August, check for a picture and specs on all after the break.
Vizio rolls out dual-band 'HD' router, trio of WiFi-equipped Blu-ray players
WiFi-equipped TVs may have been Vizio's big focus at CES earlier this year, but it's now expanding things to some other devices as well -- it's just announced a trio of WiFi-equipped Blu-ray players, and a dual-band 'HD" router to go along with them. That router, the XWR100, apparently earns the 'HD' designation by prioritizing HD media streamed to Vizio's VIA-enabled devices, like the company's three just-announced Blu-ray players. Those include the VBR210, VBR220 and VBR231, the latter of which is the first dual-band wireless Blu-ray player, and all of which include Vizio Internet Apps (or VIA) to stream content from Vudu, Netflix and other services. Look for the router (pictured after the break) to set you back $99.99 when it rolls out sometime in the third quarter, while the three Blu-ray players will be available this month and next for $189.99 and $199.99. Head on past the break for the full press release.
LG's BX580 network 3D Blu-ray player now shipping for $100 less than expected
Is there an HDMI 1.4-compatible Blu-ray player in your future? LG's BX580 wants to be your player of today. The device is now shipping, more or less falling in line with the "month or two" estimate we got back in May, but clocking in at $100 less than the $400 we'd expected it at. Sure it's listed on Amazon's page at $399, but add it to your shopping cart and (spoiler alert) it's actually just $299.86. That's a relative bargain -- though we'd still have a hard time choosing this over an equally 3D-ready PS3.
Sony releases Blu-print 6 software for mastering Blu-ray 3D movies
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs on Blu-ray 3D doesn't make its retail debut until next week, but you can get a taste of the tools used to make it right now, as Sony has announced the availability of its Blu-print 6 and Z Depth software packages. The latest version of Blu-print adds "Profile 5" (read: 3D) authoring compliance to its list of features, integrating all the offset metadata for 3D menus and working with MVC encoded video, while adding a few non-3D features like new DTS-HD encoding support and Windows Vista 64-bit compatibility. Z Depth's job is keeping subtitles properly aligned in 3D, just one of the new issues that need to be dealt with in these discs. No word on a price tag, but judging by the initial version's $50,000 retail value, we're figuring if you have to ask...
Plextor gets all zen with PlexMedia: a modular, network-attached Blu-ray player
It's not often we come across an external drive that looks like anything but a brick, so we were pleasantly surprised to see Plextor demoing something a little more svelte at Computex. We can tell the PlexMedia network attached media player (bottom) is a looker right off the bat, but it truly becomes useful when you plug in the PX-B120U (top) designed to go with it. The combination is a fully-functional Blu-ray disc player that apparently outputs to a TV, but the smaller box can also detach, slip into your bookbag and become an external Blu-ray drive for your PC. Since there's no specs or pics of the unit's rear, we honestly have no idea how it accomplishes either, but we imagine the info will spontaneously pop into our being if we stare long enough at those azure ripples, and thus complete our meditation. On the off-chance that doesn't work, we've also dispatched a carrier pigeon to Plextor HQ for the answers; in the meanwhile, you can peruse the presser after the break.
Toshiba BDX2500, BDX2700 Blu-ray players now available
The world no longer has to wait, two of Toshiba's second generation Blu-ray players are now on sale. The BDX2500 and BDX2700 are differentiated by the former's lack of integrated WiFi and a few external design cues, but both are packing VUDU, Netflix and Blockbuster On Demand for those who don't mind switching it up for discless movie watching on occasion. The 3D capable BDX3000 is still waiting in the wings, but these should provide some competition for LG's Blu-ray boxes for now. The MSRP on the BDX2500 has dropped $20 to $179, while the BDX2700 is still $249, which should make them a more compelling option than last year's initial BDX2000 effort.
Sharp plunges headfirst into 3D market with LV-series Quattron TVs, Blu-ray DVRs
Looks like Sharp's keeping its word -- next month, the fourth-largest LCD TV maker will launch a slate of new 3D TVs in Japan, just as planned. Based on the same Sharp Quattron quad-pixel technology that made George Takei's jaw drop, the new LV-series of AQUOS panels will come in 40-, 46-, 52- and 60-inch sizes when they debut July 30th, and feature 1080p resolution, UV²A panels and a high-speed signaling technology named FRED that Sharp says increases brightness and reduces crosstalk. More interesting are the AN-3DG10 glasses that come with them, which reportedly allow each individual viewer decide whether to view content in 2D or 3D -- we're guessing by tweaking the glasses to show either the left or right image to both eyes simultaneously, instead of flipping back and forth. Of course, you'll also need something to watch, and thus Sharp will also release a pair of Blu-ray DVR units, the BD-HDW700 and BD-HDW70, which record two simultaneous Japanese television programs onto terabyte-sized hard drives when they're not sending Blu-ray 3D content to the aforementioned displays. While mum's the word on pricing, Impress Watch believes the TVs will start around ¥280,000 (around $3,067) and top out at a cool ¥600,000 ($6,581) for that 60-incher, and says that US and European variants are expected later this year. While you wait, why not take a deep dive into the details -- you'll find an entire brochure's worth at our source links.
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.
Denon's 2010 receivers, Blu-ray players are Control4, streaming & 3D ready
Right on time, Denon's dropped the details on its hardware for 2010 on us. Taking top honors are two Blu-ray players: the DBP-2011UDCI ($799, August, not pictured) and the DBP-1611UD ($399, June, pictured above) that are touted as "true universal players"; with DVD-Audio and SACD playback out of the box and Blu-ray 3D on the way in a fall firmware update the company's confident they'll play most any 5-inch optical media you may be able to get your hands on. If you're past discs don't worry, Netflix, DLNA and YouTube streaming is also part of the deal. Those should pair well with any of the slew of receivers due up including the AVR-991 (SRP: $999, July), AVR-891 (SRP: $799, May), AVR-791 (SRP: $499, May), AVR-591 (SRP: $349, May) and the AVR-391 (SRP: $249, July); or the custom install-focused AVR-4311CI (SRP: $1,999, Sept.), AVR-3311CI (SRP: $1,199, June), and AVR-2311CI (SRP: $899, June). All of the above bring HDMI 1.4a repeaters for 3D compatibility, onscreen displays through HDMI, and some include web browsers plus music streaming from Pandora or connected PCs. Check the press releases after the break for all the details including a few new headphone models, though we recommend taking it in just a bit at a time -- the threat of overdosing on this much info is high. %Gallery-91863%
Avatar smashes Blu-ray sales records, has some owners ready to smash incompatible players
Well, well. Our friend Jimmy C.'s (who cancelled on our planned interview last week, but it's cool) little indie project has taken the all-time Blu-ray sales crown for North America in just four days. That's how long it took for Avatar to move 2.7 million Blu-ray discs, ahead of The Dark Knight's 2.5 million number, showering viewers with that incredibly high bitrate audio and video (other than some pleading for more low end thump, we haven't heard any complaints.) The downside for a few, including one Crunchgear editor, is that the movie shipped with a new version of BD+ encryption and has had trouble playing on certain Blu-ray players, including the BD-UP5000, BD-C5500, as well as several Pioneer units (fixed after a firmware update.) Some owners have found a way around the issues for the BD-C5500, but there's no word when an update to take care of things completely may be incoming. If you're wondering how much time the extra DRM bought Fox & co. before the BDRips started floating around, DVDFab claimed to break it the same day the movie launched, while Slysoft's AnyDVD HD has offered compatibility with some, if not all, region releases the day after. So much for that ten year prediction.
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.
Kogan announces $200 HD tablet, with networked TVs, Agora handset, and leprechauns to follow
Ah, Ruslan Kogan -- we can't help but want to see this starry-eyed dreamer succeed, even if we still haven't got our Android handset. According to Australia's APC, the man's gunning for the iPad market with an as yet unnamed tablet of his own. The goal? A full HD, ARM 600MHz-powered capacitive touchscreen device with 512MB RAM, 2GB storage, and an SDHC card for under $200 (presumably that's Australian dollars, meaning about $180 US). Apparently the above prototype runs Windows, Android and Ubuntu, although Windows won't be an option if -- and we do mean if -- this thing ever solidifies, due to production costs. As for that display, it's tipped to be 800 x 480, the sting of which is taken out by the unit's 1080p HDMI output. You say you're not in the market for a slate? Kogan's also said to be working on networked TVs ("probably by the end of the year") and a Blu-ray player with WiFi and YouTube widgets. As for the aforementioned Agora handset? "[S]oon," he says. "I can't give a time frame on that, though. It'll be as soon as we're allowed to." This is one mysterious man indeed. We can't help but wonder when he's going to get serious and tackle something big, like perpetual motion. Update: We just realized that this is none other than SmartQ 7 MID first handled, oh, back in May!
Bang and Olufsen's 55-inch BeoVision 7 collects a review, much love
55.5 inches of 1080p goodness would draw attention in any case, but when they're supplemented with local dimming of an LED-backlit display, 6ms response time, a stonking 4,000:1 static contrast ratio, and an integrated Blu-ray player... well, our cup runneth over with interest. The BeoVision 7-55 is just such a monstrous, no-compromise display, and it's recently undergone a review over at Flatpanels HD. The reviewers were giddy with the versatile motorized stand and the Blu-ray player (which opens by you waving a hand in front of it), while describing the design and execution as "truly beautiful." Picture quality is no worse, mind you, and epithets like "extraordinary" and "fantastic" were used to describe the experience of watching HD content on this panel. The same words can also be applied to the $18,700 MSRP, but at least the review is free and can be found at the source link below.
Sony Canada shows off BDP-S570 Blu-ray load times compared to a PS3
Just in case 3D readiness wasn't enough to get your preorders in for the BDP-S470 and family, Sony Canada has created these videos. embedded after the break, pitting the BDP-S570 against a PS3 Slim in a battle of load times and another showing off the iPhone remote control app. The new standalone player comes out ahead in the battle of speed -- or example of the long and tedious Blu-ray movie loading sequences, depending on your POV -- we'll see if it edges out the game console the next time we find out which one is your favorite player.
