Blu-ray Disc Reporter

LG launches Blu-ray Home Cinema System

Tech Watch has taken a look at the LG HB354BS, a 2.1 channel system designed for those just starting to put together a home cinema set-up.

With a Blu-ray Disc player, iPod dock, MP3 player and a media streamer all included, the LG HB354BS packs many features into a relatively small package. To complement the Blu-ray player, two HDMI inputs ensure other high definition content can be viewed, while an Ethernet socket means that interactive features and online BD-Live content can also be easily accessed.

The speakers also promise to pack a punch with a subwoofer in tow. There’s also two digital audio inputs (one optical and one coaxial) and regular analogue stereo RCA jacks.

For more information on the system, click here.

BDA announces new European Promotion Committee Chairman

Published March 11, 2010 Industry / trade news Leave a Comment
Tags: BDA, Blu-ray, Graham Heaton, Warner Bros

Graham Heaton has today taken over from Niels Leibbrandt as the Chairman of the Blu-ray Disc Association’s European Promotion Committee. The move comes as Niels Leibbrandt leaves his roles within Sony and the BDA to pursue other interests.

Graham Heaton takes on the Chairman role with immediate effect, whilst continuing his position as International Media and Publicity Director for Warner Bros, from which he brings a wealth of experience in launching and promoting home entertainment products. He is also playing a key role in developing Warner Bros’ new digital distribution channels.

Any media interested in speaking to Graham should contact the press office.

Now is the perfect time for Blu-ray in Germany

Published March 10, 2010 Industry / trade news , Retail news Leave a Comment
Tags: Blu-ray, Blu-ray Group Germany, BVV Medien, futuresource consulting, Germany, Thilo Röhrig

Thilo Röhrig, chairman of the Blu-ray Group Germany, has used recent market statistics to underline why there has never been a better time for German consumers to make the jump to Blu-ray.

Hardware manufacturers sold four times as many Blu-ray Disc players in Germany in 2009 than they did in 2008, with Futuresource Consulting expecting further growth this year. Falling prices have also played a major role in the expansion of the market and the growth in the format’s popularity. “Blu-ray players and discs are so affordable now that the investment is worth it for anyone who enjoys movies,” said Röhrig. “With prices starting at €100, nobody need buy outdated technology anymore.”

Sales of discs have also increased as prices have fallen. According to BVV Medien, the average price of a Blu-ray Disc in Germany in 2009 was €19, 25 percent lower than the average in the previous year. “Demand for Blu-ray Discs reached a new dimension in 2009,” continues Röhrig. “6.2 million discs sold represents an increase of 274 percent compared to 2008.”

You can hear more from Thilo Röhrig in the German language press release.

The Hurt Locker becomes Lions Gate’s fastest-selling Blu-ray title to date

Published March 4, 2010 Entertainment , Movies , Sales figures 1 Comment
Tags: Anthony Mackie, BAFTAs, Blu-ray, Brian Geraghty, David Morse, DVD, Evangeline Lilly, Guy Pearce, Jeremy Renner, Kathryn Bigelow, Lionsgate, Mark Boal, Oscars, Ralph Fiennes, sales, The Hurt Locker

Kathryn Bigelow’s critically acclaimed The Hurt Locker, nominated for nine Academy Awards and already the recipient of six BAFTA awards, has continued its phenomenal success by becoming Lions Gate Home Entertainment’s fastest selling title ever on Blu-ray Disc.

Since its release on BD and DVD in late December, The Hurt Locker has notched up total sales of 310,000 units, 85,000 of which are Blu-ray Disc sales. Marie-Claire Benson, Marketing Director, Lions Gate Home Entertainment, said: “We are thrilled with the current success of The Hurt Locker to date. We took the decision to continue to promote the title on account of all the nominations and awards it has been receiving. The combination of intense drama, critical acclaim and the exceptional coverage it is garnering, has translated into strong sales on both DVD and Blu-ray. We are particularly pleased with the Blu-ray results, which have accounted for at least 25% of total sales each week since release.”

In addition to its awards success, The Hurt Locker has been named in over 250 top ten lists for 2009 in the US and UK media and has been honoured at several film festivals. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Mark Boal, The Hurt Locker stars Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Evangeline Lilly, Ralph Fiennes, David Morse and Guy Pearce.

For details on the special features available on the Hurt Locker Blu-ray, click here.

Blu-ray Disc is Where The Wild Things Are

Published March 2, 2010 Entertainment , Movies , New releases Leave a Comment
Tags: Blu-ray, Forest Whitaker, Maurice Sendak, Meryl Streep, New releases, Spike Jonze, US, Where The Wild Things Are

Blu-ray.com and BigPictureBigSound have both this week reviewed the much-anticipated Blu-ray Disc release of Spike Jonze’s Where The Wild Things Are.

The critically acclaimed film, based on the book by Maurice Sendak, is due to hit European shelves from May, but the early reviews give us a taste of what to expect on the BD.

In addition to the 1080p picture and 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio that you’d expect, Where The Wild Things Are also includes 10 featurettes, all presented in high definition. The pick of the extra features is a BD exclusive short film called Higglety Pigglety Pop! or There Must Be More to Life featuring Meryl Streep and Forest Whitaker. Also exclusive to the BD is the HBO First Look feature which delves into the production of the film and the transition from page to screen.

Look out for Where The Wild Things Are in Europe from May.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon rising on BD this March

Published February 25, 2010 Entertainment , Movies , New releases 1 Comment
Tags: Blu-ray, Kristen Stewart, New Moon, New releases, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Team Edward, Twilight, Twilight Saga

Vampire franchise phenomenon The Twilight Saga is set to continue its domination of the film world when the second film in the series, New Moon, is released on Blu-ray Disc in Europe from next month.

The film, which set theatrical box-office records last year, is due for release across Europe in March. Starring Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner, the film continues the epic tale of vampires and werewolves living secretly among us. The New Moon Blu-ray includes a six-part Making-Of documentary, music videos from artists including Muse and Death Cab For Cutie, and Q&As with the film’s stars.

The next film in the series, Eclipse, is due for theatrical release in July.

Panasonic demos DMP-BT300 3D Blu-ray player

Published February 24, 2010 3D , Industry / trade news , New releases , Player news , Technology Leave a Comment
Tags: 3D, Active Shutter, Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, Panasonic, Stuff

The UK’s Stuff magazine has had a sneak preview of Panasonic’s first 3D Blu-ray player, the DMP-BT300.

First shown at CES in January, the 3D player is expected to go on sale in Europe from May. Following the announcement of the final Blu-ray 3D specification, the player delivers a full HD image to both eyes, maintaining the pristine 1080p high definition picture quality that Blu-ray is famous for. The player was demonstrated in conjunction with one of Panasonic’s new Active Shutter 3D televisions.

In its write-up, Stuff reports that pictures were “crisp and sharp”, and while they’re not yet convinced that all films will benefit from a shift to the third dimension, certain demo footage, including scenic films and sports, was said to work “incredibly well”.

The news follows last week’s announcement from Sony on its first 3D players. Expect more news on Blu-ray 3D as the technology approaches its launch.

The Gadget Show on the BD experience: enough to set your heart racing

Published February 18, 2010 Entertainment , TV , Technology Leave a Comment
Tags: Blu-ray, DVD, Experiments, Life, The Gadget Show, UK

Last week, UK TV programme The Gadget Show carried out an interesting experiment to get a better idea of the emotional impact of the Blu-ray experience when compared with DVD.

It took a group of students from Aston University and hooked them up with equipment to monitor any changes in their heart rates. Half of the group then watched a sequence from the BBC’s nature documentary Life on Blu-ray Disc, while the other half watched the same scene on DVD.

As they watched, the team monitored changes in heart rate, with some startling results. The group watching the DVD saw an average increase in heart rate of 26.7%, but the Blu-ray group’s average increased by 39% – which is more than half as much again.

The experiment was a great way to demonstrate the added excitement and immersion that Blu-ray Discs can deliver. If you’d like to see it for yourself, click here to watch the segment online.

Sony announces details of its first two Blu-ray 3D Disc players

Published February 17, 2010 3D , Player news , Retail news , Technology 1 Comment
Tags: 3D, BD players, Blu-ray, sony, special features

Following its initial reveal of 3D players at CES, Sony has officially announced details of its first 3D-capable models to hit the market.

Firstly there is the affordable BDP-5470, which will become 3D-enabled courtesy of a firmware upgrade. Then there is the BDP-S570, which is 3D Ready out of the box.

In addition to 3D high definition display, these players can stream movies, videos and more from websites such as YouTube, direct to your TV. The S570 also includes IP content Noise Reduction which enhances the picture quality of internet videos. Further more, with DLNA technology, the S570 can ‘talk’ to your phone, laptop or music player and play back content on your TV.

Users with an iPhone or iPod Touch can also transform their device into a remote control with a free app downloadable from the App store, which is exclusive to Sony Blu-ray players and Home Cinema systems.

The European release date for these players is yet to be announced but it is expected to be this summer. To view the full press release, click here.