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Sony selling 3D bundle deals for a limited time
In a rare move, Sony has deviated from their pricey reputation to offer two special 3D bundle promotions until July 17th -- or while supplies still last -- with the clear intention of enticing wavering adopters to veer whole-hog into 3D. The options boil down to either a 46-inch or 54.6-inch Bravia HX8000 for $270 / $340 off their retail prices, respectively, and as a bonus, buyers will receive a variety of 3D accessories valued at $899 for free. Rolled into that $899 goody basket are two pairs of 3D glasses, a 3D sync transmitter, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and IMAX Deep Sea 3D, as well as four 3D games for the PS3 (two are demos); and finally the BDV-E570 3D home theater in-a-box. Depending on how you define "savings," this deal amounts to around $1,200 greenbacks you won't have to shell out for a complete 3D-ready package. At $2,429 for the 46-inch and $3,059 for the 54.6-inch package though, you'll still be required to dig deep into your wallet to bring either of these promotions couch-side.
Blockbuster On Demand comes to select Philips Blu-ray players
Movie lovers connected to Blockbuster from the days when renting involved begging mom for a ride to the store can take heart knowing the company is still expanding its On Demand service. Specifically the company has added two Philips Blu-ray players, the 5320 and 7320 (both of which scored Netflix back in January), to its short list of supported streaming hardware. Will this move turn the tide for the ailing company whose streaming claim to fame involves offering new releases on the same day as their Blu-ray and DVD release? Probably not, but at least it does show the brand isn't ceding the platform fight to Netflix and the recently announced Hulu Plus just yet. Read the press release after the jump.
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.
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.
Samsung BD-C6500 & BD-C5500 Blu-ray players now shipping
Can't wait to get your hands on some of Samsung's 2010 lineup of Blu-ray players? The BD-C5500 and BD-C6500 are both currently available and shipping on Amazon for $199 and $299, respectively. Both share a slim 39mm profile, although only the BD-C6500 has a promised 15-second boot time and access to the updated version Internet@TV including Samsung Apps. Our wait for the sunroof sporting BD-C6900 3D capable model continues. Update: We checked with Samsung and confirmed all models in the 2010 lineup feature Internet@TV and Samsung Apps access, though if you're impatient and hate waiting you'll have to get in the BD-C6500 (above) and not the BD-C5500 (pictured after the break.)
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?
LG BD550 Blu-ray player manual pops up on support site
We're still eagerly awaiting all the 2010 hardware that debuted at CES to show up on store shelves, so until then we'll take what we can get and today that would be an instruction manual for LG's BD550 Blu-ray player. Filling out the low end of the company's Blu-ray player lineup for this year there's no real surprises here: NetCast access means VUDU, Netflix and the works, but only two channel analog audio out and no video via USB. We're honestly more interested in the BD570 and 250GB hard drive packing BD590 but that shouldn't stop you from discreetly browsing this PDF for now and imagining setting up your Pandora accounts via its sleek remote -- so dirty.
Samsung's 3D Blu-ray player available for preorder on Amazon: $399 - Update: Not anymore
It feels like we just left our shutter glasses behind at CES, but already a few of Samsung's new 2010 Blu-ray players (all featuring Internet@TV and Samsung Apps features) have popped up for preorders on Amazon, including the 3D playing BD-C6900. The company just announced 240HZ 3D LCDs have begun mass production and isn't waiting for the competition before diving in, issuing the first price we've seen for one of the new players at a penny shy of $400. Moving down the line the super slim and woodgrain textured, but 2D only, BD-C7500 is also $399.99, while the speedy BD-C6500 and its promised 15 second bootup time is set for $299. The entry level and eco-focused BD-C5500 is still unpriced but instead of asking whether you can afford the price of a 3D Blu-ray player, ask yourself if you can afford not to own a Blu-ray player with a hole in the top. The answer should be obvious. Update: Whoops, and now they're gone, disappearing from Amazon as quickly as they came. Will that pricing information stick? We'll wait for an official announcement, but they all seem probable from here. %Gallery-82060%
Denon S-5BD combines a receiver with a Blu-ray deck, costs too much
We're not sure why you'd want to spend $1,799 on a 5.1-channel receiver with an integrated Blu-ray deck when you can mix-and-match plenty of terrific 7.1 receivers and BD players separately for far less, but hey -- it's CES and Denon's introducing the S-5BD in case you do. Sure, it'll do BD-Live and do two-source, two-zone audio distribution with 3 HDMI inputs and an optional iPod control dock, but you know you're doing something wrong when you have to buy a separate amp to use the 7.1-channel analog outputs. Denon, you have made us shake our heads in confusion. Congratulations. In return we offer you this gift of PR after the break.
Panasonic's other 2010 Blu-ray players keep making 2D look & sound better
Not planning to make the jump to 3D this year? Panasonic is still working on hardware for you too. Continued revisions of the UniPhier processor and PHL Reference Chroma Processor Plus hardware at their core to improve picture quality, reduce size & power consumption, and lower the bootup time from off to playing to just 14 seconds. The DMP-BD45 foregoes any VieraCast features beyond BD-Live hookups, while the BD65 and BD85 (above) add access to streaming services, expanded audio codec processing, and in the case of the BD85, additional hardware tweaks to keep audiophiles happy. Check the PR after the break for every detail except price and shipping dates -- we won't call you Luddites for living in a 3D-less world, just think (& Twitter) it.
