Posts with tag BonusView
Wow, Toys 'R Us was only a day off. Sure enough, Sony's BDP-S350 -- which was first introduced / spotted in February -- has gone on sale at Sony Style retail outlets, the Sony Style website and other fine retailers near you. If you're looking for a quick refresher, this Profile 2.0-compliant deck supports BonusView (picture-in-picture), but curiously enough, Sony mentions that "a firmware update enabling BD-Live is planned [for] later this year." You'll also find full 1080p output, 7.1-channel Dolby TrueHD / DTS-HD Master Audio support and a promise to suck down 21% less power in playback compared to the BDP-S300. All yours for $400 (give or take a few pennies).
Pioneer reveals new Blu-ray players in Europe
Remember how your curiosity level shot through the roof when Pioneer abruptly discontinued the BDP-LX70A Blu-ray player in the UK? We're willing to bet this is why. Announced over on Pioneer's European website, we're being treated to three fresh faces -- the Profile 2.0-compliant BDP-LX91, Designer BDP-LX08 and BDP-LX71 -- along with one familiar face (the BDP-51FD). All of the new units will feature 1080p24 support, HDMI 12-Bit Deep Color support, KURO LINK, DTS-HD Master Audio / Dolby True HD compatibility and professional-quality Wolfson Digital Audio Converters (DACs). As for pricing and availability other than Europe, your guess is as good as ours, but we are told to expect the BDP-LX71 in September, the BDP-51FD / BDP-LX08 in October and the BDP-LX91 "later on in the winter."
Pioneer introduces Elite BDP-05FD / BDP-51FD Blu-ray players

Philips Profile 1.1-compliant BDP7200 Blu-ray player reviewed
It's no shock that Profile 1.1 players have lost their luster with Profile 2.0 being all the rage, but we figured it prudent to pass along CNET's recent review of the CES-announced BDP7200 just in case. Philips' BD player features a fresh, attractive design, supports Dolby TrueHD / DTS-HD Master Audio in bit-stream format and performed excellently in 1080p24. So, what's the problem, you ask? Unfortunately, there's no onboard decoding of the previously mentioned audio codecs, no Ethernet port for firmware upgrades, an inability to understand Profile 2.0 and "subpar image quality in standard 1080p mode." All in all, the 6.4 out of 10 rating screams "mixed bag" to us, and while this particular device may actually be right for some, we'd certainly take a gander at the review linked below before diving on in.
Forthcoming BD-Live rollout gets inspected
Our favorite database of Blu-ray statistics has gone above and beyond the call of logging data and has detailed the forthcoming rollout of BD-Live titles. Granted, we already knew of -- and played with -- some BD-Live-enabled films, but this list goes beyond Saw IV and War and touches on flicks landing anywhere between next week and later this summer. Let's just hope designers come up with something a touch more riveting than Yakuza Fighter. Hit the read link and dig in!
WinDVD 9 Plus Blu-ray finally supports TrueHD and DTS-HD
The format that some say isn't done, just got one step closer for those with media PCs, as the latest version of WinDVD 9 Plus Blu-ray -- despite the new name, HD DVD is still supported -- finally includes support for the latest audio codecs Blu-ray has to offer. But improved audio support isn't all it has to offer, as BonusView is now supported, as well as support for the latest HD video camera codec, AVCHD. We had a chance to play around with it early, but unfortunately we weren't able to unlock TrueHD or DTS-HD -- still waiting to hear back from support. We also had a few HDCP errors despite the fact that PowerDVD plays just fine with our Radeon 2600HD video card. Either way, maybe you'll have better luck, and it'll only cost you $99 to find out -- or $69 if you are upgrading.**Update** Thanks to support we got TrueHD and DTS-HD working by messing with the sound card settings, but the HDCP issue is still bugging us.
Samsung's BD-P1500 Blu-ray player release pushed up to April - UPDATE

Update 3/11: Samsung PR dropped us a line that the BD-P1500 is still officially expected in the May/June timeframe. We'll keep you posted on any further updates.
CyberLink's PowerDVD Ultra Blu-ray Profile 1.1 update now available
Being Bonus View (or Profile 1.1 like we used to call it back in the old days) enabled has gone from theoretical to actual for users of Cyberlink's PowerDVD Ultra. Also enhancing BD-J compatibility with certain movies, the 71.8mb download brings users to build 3730 and should provide the seamless PiP quality observed at CES -- if your PC can handle it of course. No charge for supporting more of Blu-ray's features, so get to downloading.[Thanks, François]
Philips launches BDP7200 BonusView-enabled Blu-ray player
Philips has announced the second generation in its line of Blu-ray players with the BDP7200, sporting 1080p/24 and Deep Color support, and BonusView (aka Profile 1.1) picture-in-picture capability. The player can also upscale DVDs to 1080p, and control connected devices using the EasyLink HDMI Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) protocols. Philips will release the BDP7200 in April for a $349 price, putting it towards the low end on the Blu-ray player price list, but the one thing we wish Philips had let us know was the level of audio codec support, with no mention at all of DTS or Dolby's high-end audio formats.[Update: Also see our hands-on with the BDP7200.]
Click on for a couple more photos
Resident Evil: Extinction's Bonus View gets tested
Back in October, we noticed that LG's BH200 wouldn't really be able to take advantage of its snazzy Profile 1.1 features until Resident Evil: Extinction landed in 2008, but due to a little magic, Blu-ray.com managed to secure a screener copy of the flick and give us all a look at what's in store. Utilizing a recently updated PlayStation 3, we're able to see exactly how Bonus View will change the way we experience films, as various PIP displays emerged in varying corners of the screen to showcase video commentary, storyboard comparisons and behind-the-scenes footage while the movie itself rolled along behind it. It was also noted that a non-Profile 1.1 player (Panasonic's DMP-BD10, to be exact) played back the title just fine, but of course, there was simply no option to watch the PIP content. Hit the read link for a few more shots of RE:E's Bonus View in action.
First Blu-ray Disc with PiP profile 1.1 announced -- players please?
That's it, you're looking at a screenshot from the world's first Blu-ray profile 1.1 disc. The title is Neues vom Wixxer, available in Germany on December 10th. Ok, not exactly a global blockbuster but a first's a first. As such, it supports the "Bonus View" profile which adds decoders for secondary PiP video and audio. This disc in particular, takes advantage of the profile by integrating video commentary from the film's makers and actors. Unfortunately for our dear German readers, Michael Becker, CEO of Imagion AG authoring studio laments that, "no Profile 1.1 players will be available on the [German] market" when it's released. Conversely, the US has a profile 1.1 player (and whispers of another) and no 1.1 media. Sigh. That tittering you hear is the sound of HD DVD fanboys who've had this functionality since day one.
[Thanks Tim W. and Michael B.]
[Thanks Tim W. and Michael B.]
Blu-ray standards: Profile 1.0 vs. 1.1 vs. 2.0
Since we first heard the words "full profile", trying to decipher what Blu-ray players will have which features has been a surprisingly complicated affair. CNet took a minute to break down the differences between Profile 1.0, Profile 1.1 (aka Final Standard Profile or Bonus View) and Profile 2.0 (aka BD-Live). Profile 1.1 players with picture in picture capability (and movies to watch on them) are finally in sight, but we're still waiting to see when internet connectivity is available for the Blu-ray camp.





















