Author Topic: Blu-ray News (Read 161239 times)

jackryan · « **Reply #690 on:** Jan 11, 2008 at 10:25 PM »

I got both... but just like any early adopters we know that the day comes that a single standard will have an upperhand... looksl like blue-ray will be "it"...

darkwing · « **Reply #691 on:** Jan 12, 2008 at 05:36 AM »

sa US lang to, sa Europe is nearly 3 to 1, sa Japan its 9 to 1 in favor of BD

Mouldingo · « **Reply #692 on:** Jan 12, 2008 at 08:24 AM »

Warner Outlines HD DVD Separation Plan; Delays 'Invasion,' 'Jesse James' HD DVDs

Formalizing the first step in its HD DVD separation plan, Warner has pushed back the previously-announced HD DVD releases of 'The Invasion' and 'The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.'

As we first reported late last week, Warner stated in their original Blu-ray exclusivity announcement that although they would continue to support HD DVD through May, their HD DVD releases would now follow their Blu-ray release by "a short window."

The studio has now confirmed the first titles to be affected by the transition, announcing a three-week-delay for the HD DVD/DVD combo versions of 'The Invasion' (now February 19, previously January 29), and 'The Assassination of Jesse James' (which will shift from February 26 to March 18).

Street dates for the previously Blu-ray and standard DVD versions of both titles remain as originally scheduled.

The studio has told us to expect a three-week delay for all of its remaining HD DVD/DVD combo titles through the May 2008 cut-off, but that they will officially announce the new dates over the next several weeks.

At presstime, all Warner HD DVD catalog titles remain unaffected by the transition, and are still set to street as originally announced (including such highly-anticipated titles as 'Bonnie & Clyde' and 'Twister').

Tech specs and special features for both 'Invasion' and 'Jesse James' remain intact, and Warner says future delays will also not see any changes in specs.

As always, you'll find disc details for 'Invasion' and 'The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford' linked from our HD DVD Release Schedule, indexed under their new dates.
source

Mouldingo · « **Reply #693 on:** Jan 12, 2008 at 08:27 AM »

Disney Sets Date for 'Enchanted' Blu-ray

Confirming an earlier pre-announcement, Disney has officially set a March Blu-ray arrival for the surprise blockbuster 'Enchanted.'

As we've previously reported, word of a Blu-ray release for the $100 million sleeper smash first emerged last month when Disney outlined plans for a Easter-timed arrival for 'Enchanted,' though the studio stopped short of issuing an actual street date at that time.

Now, as a capper to this year's CES, the studio has confirmed that the Amy Adams-starrer will hit Blu-ray on March 18, day-and-date with the standard DVD.

Extras announced so far include a suite of three making-of featurettes, deleted scenes and outtakes. Exclusive to the next-gen version will be the interactive BD-Java game "D-Files."

Tech specs have yet to be revealed, but Disney tells us that the full press release is due in the coming days. We'll keep you posted.

As previously announced, retail for the Blu-ray is $34.98.

viperkid · « **Reply #694 on:** Jan 13, 2008 at 06:05 PM »

Still waiting Weinstein to release new HD-DVDs.

Marl☆1 · « **Reply #695 on:** Jan 14, 2008 at 11:55 AM »

50 Percent off Select Blu-ray, HD DVD Discs at Amazon
Sun Jan 13, 2008 at 01:00 PM ET
Source High-Def Digest

In what may be the biggest high-def disc sale yet, Amazon is offering up to 57% off select Blu-ray and HD DVD discs. Both promos were launched this weekend by the web merchant, and includes hundreds of popular titles on both high-def disc formats.

Among the 229 Blu-ray discs included are such A-list titles as 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind,' 'Spider-Man - The High Definition Trilogy,' 'Superbad' and 'Casino Royale' (view complete list of Blu-ray titles).

The list of 84 HD DVD titles includes such fan favorites as 'Transformers,' 'Stardust' and 'Serenity' (view complete list of HD DVD titles).

At press time there was no word on how long either deal would be offered by Amazon, though both are being billed as limited time offers. For a full list of eligible titles and more information, click the links to Amazon below.

As always, you'll find up-to-the-minute information on these and other sales spotted in-store and online in the Blu-ray bargains and HD DVD bargains areas of our forums.

Let her rip guys!!!

Blu Ray Promo click HERE

HD-DVD Promo click HERE

Marl☆1 · « **Reply #696 on:** Jan 14, 2008 at 12:36 PM »

Hmmm... 9 pages of promoted discs for BD and only 3 for HD-DVD... I was expecting the red camp to really pour it on. Aside from the arguably better title selection in BDs sale, there were more 50% offs for them vs. the proliferation of 44% cut backs on HD-DVDs selection base. $:-\$

NeilNo · « **Reply #697 on:** Jan 14, 2008 at 09:50 PM »

Quote from: Marl_1 on Jan 14, 2008 at 11:55 AM

50 Percent off Select Blu-ray, HD DVD Discs at Amazon
Sun Jan 13, 2008 at 01:00 PM ET
Source High-Def Digest

In what may be the biggest high-def disc sale yet, Amazon is offering up to 57% off select Blu-ray and HD DVD discs. Both promos were launched this weekend by the web merchant, and includes hundreds of popular titles on both high-def disc formats.

Among the 229 Blu-ray discs included are such A-list titles as 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind,' 'Spider-Man - The High Definition Trilogy,' 'Superbad' and 'Casino Royale' (view complete list of Blu-ray titles).

The list of 84 HD DVD titles includes such fan favorites as 'Transformers,' 'Stardust' and 'Serenity' (view complete list of HD DVD titles).

At press time there was no word on how long either deal would be offered by Amazon, though both are being billed as limited time offers. For a full list of eligible titles and more information, click the links to Amazon below.

As always, you'll find up-to-the-minute information on these and other sales spotted in-store and online in the Blu-ray bargains and HD DVD bargains areas of our forums.

Let her rip guys!!!

Blu Ray Promo click HERE

HD-DVD Promo click HERE

This should be the price of all HD media = $14.99 - $22.49

I hope they keep this permanent at this price levels.

Marl☆1 · « **Reply #698 on:** Jan 15, 2008 at 01:20 AM »

Quote from: NeilNo on Jan 14, 2008 at 09:50 PM

This should be the price of all HD media = $14.99 - $22.49

I hope they keep this permanent at this price levels.

Hehe, I'll second that bro. This is proving to be a really popular and strategic price point as evidenced by their BOGO successes. This is the median pricing level where value meets affordability.

And, keeping it at this level (or lower

) would allow them take a crack at the current king of the hill - the massive DVD market

That's right HD, sacrifice some margin at the outset why don't you - it'll be easy to make money once they have the volumes already. A tried-and-tested marketing strategy across industries.

Mouldingo · « **Reply #699 on:** Jan 15, 2008 at 05:28 PM »

Quote from: Marl_1 on Jan 14, 2008 at 12:36 PM

Hmmm... 9 pages of promoted discs for BD and only 3 for HD-DVD... I was expecting the red camp to really pour it on. Aside from the arguably better title selection in BDs sale, there were more 50% offs for them vs. the proliferation of 44% cut backs on HD-DVDs selection base. $:-\$

That has been the argument from the very start of this HD war. HD DVD lacks titles and studio support.

SirLaw11 · « **Reply #700 on:** Jan 16, 2008 at 06:53 AM »

I am Legend coming to HD DVD.

http://www.dvdtown.com/news/i-am-legend-on-dvd-hd-dvd-and-blu-ray/5129

pchin · « **Reply #701 on:** Jan 16, 2008 at 08:51 AM »

Quote from: Mouldingo on Jan 15, 2008 at 05:28 PM

That has been the argument from the very start of this HD war. HD DVD lacks titles and studio support.

Yes, as studios believe Blu-ray has higher capacity & better security feature. Tho in reality, producing HD DVD is cost effective & the technology is "mature" from day one without all the hicups faced by Blu.

Marl☆1 · « **Reply #702 on:** Jan 17, 2008 at 01:54 AM »

JLA on both HD formats but Warner stands pat on the its mandated 3-week delay on the HD-DVD release. They reasoned out that this was still part of the 1st stage of their HD DVD separation plan. Hmmm... very shallow rationale IMHO - to spite the Red camp and not be found in 'breach.'

Final Specs in for 'Justice League' Blu-ray, HD DVD
Wed Jan 16, 2008 at 09:00 AM ET

Warner has unveiled final specs (and an HD DVD delay) for its high-def release of the direct-to-video 'Justice League: The New Frontier.'

As we've previously reported, 'Justice League' will mark the first high definition release from Warner and DC Comics, bringing together Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and a host of other DC Comics heroes in a direct-to-video tale that explores the origins of legendary superteam.

Originally announced for both formats day and date with the standard DVD release on February 26, Warner now says the HD DVD edition will be delayed until March 18. (This move is consistent with the studio's plans to delay all of its previously announced HD DVD titles by three weeks as the first step in its HD DVD separation plan.)

The Blu-ray and standard DVD editions of 'Justice League: The New Frontier' remain on target for Feb 26.

Among the extras shared across all versions are two audio commentaries (the first with the filmmaking team, the second a solo track with comic book writer Darwyn Cooke), the documentaries "The Legion of Doom: The Pathology of the Super Villain," "Comic Book Commentary: Homage to the New Frontier" and "Super Heroes United!: The Complete Justice League History," three bonus episodes of the 'Justice League Unlimited' series ("Dark Heart," "To Another Shore" and "Task Force X"), and a special sneak peek at the upcoming "Batman: Gotham Knight" direct-to-video premiere.

Tech specs include identical 1080p/VC-1 encodes (at 1.78:1) on both the Blu-ray and HD DVD, plus standard Dolby 5.1 Surround tracks (at 640kbps).

Finally, here's a first look at the cover art for the two high-def versions:

Source: High-Def Digest

darkwing · « **Reply #703 on:** Jan 17, 2008 at 02:32 AM »

Blu-rays made Warner Bros. $63 million more than HD-DVDs last year.

http://tigerweekly.com/article/01-16-2008/7339

SirLaw11 · « **Reply #704 on:** Jan 17, 2008 at 09:25 AM »

Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD Player Wins Sound & Vision Editors' Choice Award

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/01-16-2008/0004737568&EDATE=

For 2nd Gen models 2.8 firmware to follow with force 1080p24. Good job to Toshiba for the continued support.

darkwing · « **Reply #705 on:** Jan 17, 2008 at 02:55 PM »

HD DVD still kickin' with new releases with 85:15 ratio(US Market), for the week of Jan. 13

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/home_entertainment/news/e3ie7d46e37694ce94168882debd8437313

"Net HD DVD sales, according to Nielsen, constituted only 15% of hi-def disc sales last week. And the top HD DVD seller, "The Kingdom," sold just 10% as many copies as the top Blu-ray Disc release, "3:10 to Yuma."

darkwing · « **Reply #706 on:** Jan 17, 2008 at 03:16 PM »

Germany's Senator Entertainment follows Constantin, goes Blu-ray only

http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/01/16/germanys-senator-entertainment-follows-constantin-goes-blu-ray/

NeilNo · « **Reply #707 on:** Jan 18, 2008 at 01:43 AM »

DreamWorks Unveils Specs, Box Art for 'Beowulf' HD DVD

Confirming earlier retailer reports, DreamWorks has officially unveiled a March arrival and full specs for 'Beowulf,' which will hit HD DVD in a new Director's Cut version with hours of added bonus content.

As we first reported late last year, Paramount had alerted retailers to a February 26 debut for the Robert Zemeckis-directed 'Beowulf on HD DVD, day-and-date with the standard DVD.

They've now confirmed the release and issued full specs, which include two-discs of extras. In addition to a never-before-seen Director's Cut, the set includes a 16-part documentary "The Making of 'Beowulf,'" plus a dozen Deleted & Alternate Scenes. All of the bonus content will also be presented in full HD.

Exclusive to the HD DVD will be additional web-enabled content still to be announced.

Tech specs boast 1080p/VC-1 video and Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround audio, plus optional Dolby Digital-Plus 5.1 Surround dubs and subtitles in English, French and Spanish.

http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/DreamWorks/High-Def_Disc_Packaging/Disc_Announcements/DreamWorks_Unveils_Specs,_Box_Art_for_Beowulf_HD_DVD/1381

DonKB · « **Reply #708 on:** Jan 18, 2008 at 03:14 AM »

Pornographic Film Industry Still Firmly Behind HD DVD

Quote

Despite all the talk regarding Blu-ray Disc's momentum after Warner Bros. gave its support exclusively to the format, the high-definition format war is far from over. With the overall high-definition market barely a drop in the bucket when compared to DVD sales, there is still a lot of ground still to be claimed.

Analysts looked early to the adult industry as a strong decider of the format war. The adult industry is often credited with giving VHS its support, helping the format to edge out Betamax – and some believe that history may repeat itself with the HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc battle.

Digital Playground founder and director Joone originally backed HD DVD, but at this year’s Adult Entertainment Expo he reportedly told German publication Heise Online that his company will be shifting its support to Blu-ray Disc by the end of the year. Joone also said that Blu-ray Disc movies were selling better than HD DVD, a fact that he attributes to the PlayStation 3.

When reached for comment regarding the report, Digital Playground media relations denied its validity, saying, “This is not accurate. We are currently supporting both formats, HD and Blu-ray.”

Read the complete article here:
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=10369

Marl☆1 · « **Reply #709 on:** Jan 18, 2008 at 04:50 PM »

Blu-ray Dominates Disc Sales Chart Post-Warner Announcement
Thu Jan 17, 2008 at 03:00 PM ET

The Blu-ray camp took a decisive lead in disc sales for the week ending January 13th, the first full week following Warner's announcement that it would abandon its HD DVD support.

Though Blu-ray has outsold HD DVD in overall disc sales by a factor of nearly 2:1 since the start of 2007, last week saw the largest gulf between the two rival formats yet, with Blu-ray commanding an 85% share of all high-def discs sold.

Read the full article HERE.

darkwing · « **Reply #710 on:** Jan 19, 2008 at 04:08 AM »

DaSilva · « **Reply #711 on:** Jan 19, 2008 at 08:03 AM »

i think that, going forward, the comparison we're going to pay attention to is blu-ray and standard dvd sales -- to see if high-def really is hitting its inflection point.

oReOsHaKe · « **Reply #712 on:** Jan 19, 2008 at 08:08 AM »

Quote from: DaSilva on Jan 19, 2008 at 08:03 AM

i think that, going forward, the comparison we're going to pay attention to is blu-ray and standard dvd sales -- to see if high-def really is hitting its inflection point.

Don't expect that Blu-ray will outrun SD-DVD soon in terms of sale, just like SD-DVD did not outrun VCD overnight before.. It's just a matter of educating people about HD and dropping prices of HD softwares and hardwares..

Mouldingo · « **Reply #713 on:** Jan 19, 2008 at 08:19 AM »

Or the major studios halting SD DVD releases and going HD only... $:-\$ $:-\$ $:-\$

DaSilva · « **Reply #714 on:** Jan 19, 2008 at 08:22 AM »

"inflection point" doesn't mean that high-def will overtake standard def right away, it points to a change in the curve indicating the start of a long-term trend.

lithium_deuteride · « **Reply #715 on:** Jan 19, 2008 at 11:47 AM »

Quote from: DaSilva on Jan 19, 2008 at 08:22 AM

"inflection point" doesn't mean that high-def will overtake standard def right away, it points to a change in the curve indicating the start of a long-term trend.

You need to review your calculus guys..

Marl☆1 · « **Reply #716 on:** Jan 19, 2008 at 01:31 PM »

Hmmm, I smell a impending OT 'repartee.'

To stifle that and get back on-track check out this +1 on HD-DVD.

Universal Sets 'American Gangster' HD DVD Date
Fri Jan 18, 2008 at 01:00 PM ET

After teasing us with early specs, Universal has finally announced a February arrival for the Denzel Washington blockbuster 'American Gangster.'

Exclusive to the HD DVD is a U-Control picture-in-picture video commentary featuring Scott, Zaillan and stars Washington and Russell Crowe. Web-enabled content includes a bonus deleted scene "Frank & Eva's Wedding," the ability to share your favorite MyScenes selections with other online users, interactive polling and access to movie trailers for other Universal HD DVD titles.

Read more HERE.

http://mathworld.wolfram.com/InflectionPoint.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflection_point
http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861692446/inflection_point.html
http://www.ask.com/reference/dictionary/ahdict/37965/inflection+point
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/inflection%20point
http://www.mirriamwebster.com/dictionary/inflection%20point

oReOsHaKe · « **Reply #717 on:** Jan 19, 2008 at 05:33 PM »

Quote from: lithium_deuteride on Jan 19, 2008 at 11:47 AM

You need to review your calculus guys..

Oo nga.. hehehe..

Marl☆1 · « **Reply #718 on:** Jan 21, 2008 at 01:22 PM »

Fire 'em up guys, positive news again from Amazon!
Source: High Def Digest

Up to 53 Percent Off Blu-ray, HD DVD "Drama Hits" at Amazon
Sun Jan 20, 2008 at 01:28 PM ET

In their latest high-def disc sale, Amazon is offering up to 53% off a selection of dramatic titles from Warner Home Video.

The new promo, which launched this weekend, includes two dozen titles on both Blu-ray and HD DVD.

Among the titles being discounted on both formats are 'GoodFellas,' 'Blood Diamond,' 'The Searchers' and 'The Phantom of the Opera' (for a complete list, click the links below).

At press time there was no word on how this deal would be offered by Amazon, though Amazon is billing this one as a limited time offer.

As always, you'll find up-to-the-minute information on these and other sales spotted in-store and online in the Blu-ray bargains and HD DVD bargains areas of our forums.

53% off Bluray Drama Hits
53% off HD-DVD Drama Hits

sweetmisery · « **Reply #719 on:** Jan 21, 2008 at 10:15 PM »

Quote from: Marl_1 on Jan 21, 2008 at 01:22 PM

Fire 'em up guys, positive news again from Amazon!
Source: High Def Digest

Up to 53 Percent Off Blu-ray, HD DVD "Drama Hits" at Amazon
Sun Jan 20, 2008 at 01:28 PM ET

In their latest high-def disc sale, Amazon is offering up to 53% off a selection of dramatic titles from Warner Home Video.

The new promo, which launched this weekend, includes two dozen titles on both Blu-ray and HD DVD.

Among the titles being discounted on both formats are 'GoodFellas,' 'Blood Diamond,' 'The Searchers' and 'The Phantom of the Opera' (for a complete list, click the links below).

At press time there was no word on how this deal would be offered by Amazon, though Amazon is billing this one as a limited time offer.

As always, you'll find up-to-the-minute information on these and other sales spotted in-store and online in the Blu-ray bargains and HD DVD bargains areas of our forums.

53% off Bluray Drama Hits
53% off HD-DVD Drama Hits

Wow. So soon after their last promo ended(which was last Sat.)... good to know. Hopefully they do so on Blockbusters.