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Panasonic in-dash HD nav system & Blu-ray player ready to ship, are you ready for the price?

by Richard Lawler posted Aug 20th 2009 at 9:04AM


Don't think you can sell the kids short anymore, keeping the Blu-ray copy at home and taking DVD rips on the road, now that Panasonic is ready to deliver its in-dash Blu-ray player and 7-inch HD screen packing nav unit in September. We got a good peek at these back in April and the specs haven't changed, with the Profile 1.1 Bonus View compatible CY-BB1000D taking care of Blu-ray duties and featuring the same UniPhier guts as the company's line of living room Blu-ray players. The CN-HX3000D is a WXGA 1280x720p 7-inch LED backlit widescreen display ready to play back media via standard HDMI, iPod connector, SD card or its digital TV tuner, powered by Windows Automotive with navigation duties assisted by Google Maps and Yahoo! Japan. The CY-BB1000D is ¥99,750 ($1,057) and the CN-HX3000D is ¥365,400 ($3,872), and both arrive September 10 in Japan. We'll let you decide if around 5 grand is a good price for the in car HD experience (might want to look at custom mounting a DMP-B15, $800 and you can take it with you.)

Read - CYBB1000D
Read - CN-HX3000D

300: The Complete Experience double dips on Blu-ray July 21

by Richard Lawler posted May 14th 2009 at 11:41PM


It appears Warner has finally gotten around to this double dip, with the (re)release of 300: The Complete Experience. For fans (who will probably be in stores at launch July 21 picking up Zack Snyder's Watchmen: Director's Cut) there should be plenty to make up for the extras left out last time around. Besides the formerly HD DVD-only blue screen picture-in-picture video track, there's three new Blu-ray exclusive PiP features: Creating a Legend, Bringing the legend to Life and The History Behind the Myth. No word on price, but the three disc set will include a digital copy DVD, BD-Live My Community Screening and My WB Commentary support, all the old extras included with previous releases, a Dolby TrueHD soundtrack and 50 page collectible booklet. That enough to get you to buy again?

Gallery: 300: The Complete Experience

Denon outs 2009 line of Blu-ray players, AV receivers and headphones

by Darren Murph posted May 11th 2009 at 2:30PM


Ready for loads of succulent new audio / video equipment that you can likely only afford in your wildest dreams? Fantastic. Today in NYC, Denon has decided to introduce a whole fleet of new kit, so we'll get right down to the nitty gritty. Oh, and we're on hand at the premiere, so expect some hands-on shots shortly.
  • DBP-2010CI ($699; shipping in July) - Profile 2.0 Blu-ray player, onboard Ethernet, BD-Live / BonusView support, DivX HD playback, support for AVCHD, Anchor Bay Technologies VRS processing, upconversion and IP scaling to 1080p/24, RS-232c support, HDMI / component / composite video outputs
  • DBP-1610CI ($499; shipping in July) - Same as above sans Anchor Bay chip and RS-232c
  • Nine new AV receivers, priced from $379 at the low-end to $1,999 at the high; shipping between May and July 2009
  • ASD-51W ($299.99) and ASD-51N ($249.99) network-enabled iPod docks, both shipping in August. Both items also allow for Rhapsody streaming, Internet Radio streaming and Napster support.
  • AH-NC600 ($199), AH-C710 ($149) and AH-C360 ($49) in-ear headphones, all of which will ship by July
Full press releases and details for each are posted just past the break, and yes, it's overwhelming.

Gallery: Denon outs 2009 line of Blu-ray players, AV receivers and headphones


Gallery: Hands-on with Denon's new lineup

Continue reading Denon outs 2009 line of Blu-ray players, AV receivers and headphones

Sin City Recut, Extended and Unrated Blu-ray special features previewed

by Richard Lawler posted Apr 20th 2009 at 11:39AM

A highly stylized flick like Sin City is sure to look great in high definition, so you're probably already planning to grab when it the
Recut, Extended and Unrated version hits Blu-ray this week. For those who can't wait or are on the fence, MovieWeb has this quick snippet (embedded after the break) of Cine-Explore Bonus View special footage from the home version that shows off how the special effects were done while the movie plays on in the background. Other than that, the disc packs a couple commentary tracks, a 5.1 audio track including audience reaction (apparently so you can pretend you're at one of those movie theaters you no longer go to) and an interactive comic book.

Continue reading Sin City Recut, Extended and Unrated Blu-ray special features previewed

Sherwood delivers its BDP-5003 Blu-ray deck

by Steven Kim posted Nov 25th 2008 at 3:34PM

Sherwood BDP-5003 Blu-ray player
Who knew that the trials and tribulations of Sherwood's BDP-5003 Blu-ray player could mirror the drama of the movies it plays? First shown off at CEDIA, then delayed and most recently threatened with the axe, but now Sherwood has brought its $300, Profile 1.1 Blu-ray player to the market, just in time for the holidays. Sure, it's probably a competent enough player, but we just don't see the value proposition of this next to entry-level models from other brands. Perhaps last-minute shoppers looking to jump on the Blu-ray wagon this holiday will grab one when Netflix-enabled (a little more money), Profile 2.0 (a few more features), or better-known brands (a tad more comfy) disappear from retailer shelves; but if that's the plan, maybe giving this model the axe would have been a better approach.

Sherwood BDP-5003 Blu-ray player delayed until November

by Richard Lawler posted Oct 14th 2008 at 10:43PM


All those eagerly awaiting the Sherwood's lower end Blu-ray offering, the BDP-5003, must readjust their October launch expectations by one month. Unfortunately, at $299, a pretty standard Bonus View equipped player doesn't really scream "value" to us -- unless compared to similar high price marques like the Integra DBS-6.9, but with a LG BD300 for only $50 more and the Panasonic DMP-BD35 at the same price, it's hard to justify. The 5.1-analog packing big brother BDP-6003 failed to impress at CEDIA, but if 1080p24, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA output via HDMI have you interested, punch the read link (warning: PDF) and let us know if we missed anything.

Memorex intros $269 MVBD-2510 Blu-ray player

by Darren Murph posted Sep 18th 2008 at 8:42AM


Right, so we're pretty stoked about having one more option in the sub-$300 Blu-ray deck club, but the lack of Profile 2.0 (which is only the latest, most up-to-date Profile, you know) is a real bummer. That aside, the BonusView-enabled MVBD-2510 doesn't seem like a half bad attempt from Memorex. It features audio decoding for Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, and DTS-HD High Resolution along with Master Audio bitstream output. You'll also find 5.1 analog audio outputs, a white LED display and a few brushed metal accents to jazz it up externally. Look for it this November beside a whole host of new Memorex cleaning supplies.

I Am Legend Ultimate Collectors Edition Blu-ray double-dips December 9

by Richard Lawler posted Sep 2nd 2008 at 7:13PM


Ready for even more double dipping? Warner is returning December 9 with the I Am Legend Ultimate collectors Edition in a 2-disc Blu-ray set with a $59.99 MSRP. Exclusive on Blu-ray are picture-in-picture Focus Points that let you watch the making of during the movie on a Bonus View-capable player. As pictured above, the box packs in a 44-page sketch book, art cards and more. That's quite a spread for one movie (and yes, the alternate ending is included in this release also), enough to make you go back for more?

Sherwood bringing two new Blu-ray players to CEDIA

by Richard Lawler posted Aug 27th 2008 at 11:47AM

Sherwood's been known mainly for its audio, but TWICE has the details on two new Blu-ray players on the way at CEDIA. Consisting of the high end $499 MSRP BDP-6003 and the mass market-targeted $299 BDP-5003 are both Bonus View Profile 1.1 players that upscale all content to 1080p and decode all Blu-ray audio formats, with the 6003 including 5.1 analog out, while the 5003 makes do with just stereo. Front mounted USB ports, DivX, JPEG and MP3 playback, HDMI 1.3 and Ethernet ports are consistent across both players, but we'll wait for a hands-on next week to see if analog surround sound is enough to bring this hardware on a level with the competition.

Philips Profile 1.1-compliant BDP7200 Blu-ray player reviewed

by Darren Murph posted Apr 30th 2008 at 6:43PM


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

by Darren Murph posted Mar 28th 2008 at 6:21PM


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!

Samsung's BD-P1500 Blu-ray player release pushed up to April - UPDATE

by Richard Lawler posted Mar 3rd 2008 at 9:38AM


Samsung's fourth-generation Blu-ray player will be hitting store shelves slightly sooner than expected elsewhere, as the company announced during its CeBIT press conference that worldwide release will happen in April, rather May as previously announced at CES. The BD-P1500 updates the well-received BD-P1400 player with Profile 1.1 / Bonus View goodness, as well as 7.1 PCM, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, and DTS-HD MA audio support for $399. Pick up one of these up next month, or wait for the BD-Live enabled DMP-BD50 or BDP-S550? For those in need of legacy HD DVD support, still word whether the BD-UP5500 combo player's release date has been affected by Samsung's "focus" on Blu-ray.

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

by Richard Lawler posted Jan 31st 2008 at 2:53PM

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]

Resident Evil: Extinction's Bonus View gets tested

by Darren Murph posted Dec 19th 2007 at 1:34PM


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?

by Thomas Ricker posted Dec 7th 2007 at 7:20AM


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.]




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