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CyberLink Launches PowerDVD 19 Media Player Software with 8K & 4K HDR Support[teaser]The latest version of PowerDVD is now available.[/teaser] CyberLink has announced the release of PowerDVD 19 for Windows computers. The new media player software builds upon previous versions, offering 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray playback with HDR10 and newly added support for 8K video. "Being the World's No. 1 movie and media player, PowerDVD has a long history of delivering pioneering multimedia playback features, functions and support to our millions of users," said Dr. Jau Huang, CEO of CyberLink. "PowerDVD 19's support for 8K video playback welcomes the next generation in ultra high-definition home entertainment." In addition to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, HDR10, and 8K video capabilities, PowerDVD 19 also boasts an updated playback engine with native 64-bit support for Ultra HD 4K video upscaling via CyberLink's TrueTheater Color, Lighting, and HDR technologies. Likewise, the software offers 360-degree VR video support with spatial audio. A wireless streaming option is also provided, allowing users to cast PowerDVD to a TV via a Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, or Fire TV device. Finally, the software provides integrated access to YouTube and Vimeo, along with support for an extensive collection of video, image, and audio formats, including HEVC/H.265, HEIC, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD MA, FLAC, and DSD. PowerDVD 19 is now available for purchase from the CyberLink online store. Here's a full rundown of pricing: PowerDVD Live - $44.99/12 month or $14.99/3 month subscription PowerDVD 19 Ultra - $99.99 PowerDVD 19 Pro - $79.99 PowerDVD 19 Standard- $59.99 CLICK HERE for a breakdown of the differences between each version and CLICK HERE for a detailed rundown of system requirements. Source: CyberLinkPosted Tue Apr 16, 2019 at 11:55 AM PDT by: -
HELLBOY 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray & Blu-ray Up for Pre-Order[teaser]The Hellboy reboot is now available for pre-order.[/teaser] Lionsgate is prepping Hellboy (2019) for 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and Blu-ray. An exact release date has not been announced yet, but pre-orders are now live. Hellboy is back, and he's on fire. From the pages of Mike Mignola's seminal work, this action packed story sees the legendary half-demon superhero (David Harbour, Stranger Things) called to the English countryside to battle a trio of rampaging giants. There he discovers The Blood Queen, Nimue (Milla Jovovich, Resident Evil series), a resurrected ancient sorceress thirsting to avenge a past betrayal. Suddenly caught in a clash between the supernatural and the human, Hellboy is now hell-bent on stopping Nimue without triggering the end of the world. Specs and supplements have not been detailed yet. You can find the latest specs for Hellboy (2019) linked from our Blu-ray and 4K Release Schedules, where it is indexed under PENDING. Order the 4K Blu-ray Order the Blu-rayPosted Tue Apr 16, 2019 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
Coming Soon to Blu-ray: Criterion July 2019 Titles[teaser]Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing, Michael Radford's 1984, and more are all in the works for Blu-ray.[/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Criterion is preparing Do the Right Thing, 1984, The Baker's Wife, Klute, The BRD Trilogy, and Europa Europa for Blu-ray throughout the month of July. Europa Europa (July 9) - As World War II splits Europe, sixteen-year-old German Jew Salomon (Marco Hofschneider) is separated from his family after fleeing with them to Poland, and finds himself reluctantly assuming various ideological identities in order to hide the deadly secret of his Jewishness. He is bounced from a Soviet orphanage, where he plays a dutiful Stalinist, to the Russian front, where he hides in plain sight as an interpreter for the German army, and back to his home country, where he takes on his most dangerous role: a member of the Hitler Youth. Based on the real-life experiences of Salomon Perel, Agnieszka Holland’s wartime tour de force Europa Europa is a breathless survival story told with the verve of a comic adventure, an ironic refutation of the Nazi idea of racial purity, and a complex portrait of a young man caught up in shifting historical calamities and struggling to stay alive. New 2K digital restoration, supervised by director Agnieszka Holland, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray Audio commentary from 2008 featuring Holland New interviews with Holland and actor Marco Hofschneider New video essay by film scholar Annette Insdorf New English subtitle translation PLUS: An essay by critic Amy Taubin Order the Blu-ray The BRD Trilogy (July 9) - In 1977, German director Rainer Werner Fassbinder was thirty-two years old and had already directed more than twenty-five feature films. That summer, he embarked on a project to trace the postwar history of West Germany in a series of films told from the perspectives of three remarkable women. Fassbinder’s The Marriage of Maria Braun, Veronika Voss, and Lola—The BRD Trilogy—would garner him his greatest commercial success, both at home and abroad, and cement his position as one of the foremost figures of the New German Cinema. New 4K digital restorations of The Marriage of Maria Braun and Lola, with uncompressed monaural soundtracks High-definition digital restoration of Veronika Voss, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack Audio commentaries from 2003 featuring filmmaker Wim Wenders and cinematographer Michael Ballhaus (The Marriage of Maria Braun), film critic and author Tony Rayns (Veronika Voss), and film scholar Christian Braad Thomsen (Lola) Interviews with actors Hanna Schygulla, Rosel Zech, and Barbara Sukowa Interviews with cinematographer Xaver Schwarzenberger, screenwriter Peter Märthesheimer, and film scholar Eric Rentschler Life Stories: A Conversation with R. W. Fassbinder, an interview filmed for German television in 1978 I Don’t Just Want You to Love Me, a feature-length 1992 documentary on director Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s life and career Dance with Death, a program from 2000 about Ufa studios star Sybille Schmitz, Fassbinder’s inspiration for the character Veronika Voss Conversation between author and curator Laurence Kardish and film editor Juliane Lorenz Trailers PLUS: An essay by film critic Kent Jones and production histories by author Michael Töteberg (Rainer Werner Fassbinder) Order the Blu-ray Klute (July 16) - With her Oscar-winning turn in Klute, Jane Fonda arrived full-fledged as a new kind of movie star. Bringing nervy audacity and counterculture style to the role of Bree Daniels—a call girl and aspiring actor who becomes the focal point of a missing-person investigation when detective John Klute (Donald Sutherland) turns up at her door—Fonda made the film her own, putting an independent woman and escort on-screen with a frankness that had not yet been attempted in Hollywood. Suffused with paranoia by the conspiracy-thriller specialist Alan J. Pakula, and lensed by master cinematographer Gordon Willis, Klute is a character study thick with dread, capturing the mood of early-1970s New York and the predicament of a woman trying to find her own way on the fringes of society. New, restored 4K digital transfer, supervised by camera operator Michael Chapman, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray New conversation between actors Jane Fonda and Illeana Douglas New documentary about Klute and director Alan J. Pakula by filmmaker Matthew Miele, featuring scholars, filmmakers, and Pakula’s family and friends The Look of “Klute,” a new interview with writer Amy Fine Collins Archival interviews with Pakula and Fonda “Klute” in New York, a short documentary made during the shooting of the film PLUS: An essay by critic Mark Harris and excerpts from a 1972 interview with Pakula Order the Blu-ray The Baker's Wife (July 16) - The warmth and wit of celebrated playwright turned cinema auteur Marcel Pagnol shine in this enchanting slice-of-life comedy. Returning to the Provençal countryside he knew intimately, Pagnol draws a vivid portrait of a close-knit village where the marital woes of a sweetly deluded baker (the inimitable Raimu, praised by no less than Orson Welles as “the greatest actor who ever lived”) snowball into a scandal that engulfs the entire town. Marrying the director’s abiding concern for the experiences of ordinary people with an understated but superbly judged visual style, The Baker’s Wife is at once wonderfully droll and piercingly perceptive in its depiction of the complexities of human relationships. New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray Selected-scene audio commentary featuring Marcel Pagnol scholar Brett Bowles Introduction by Pagnol from 1967 Excerpt from a 1966 interview with Pagnol for the French television series Cinéastes de notre temps Short French news program from 1967 revisiting the village of Le Castellet, where the film was shot New English subtitle translation PLUS: An essay by film scholar Ginette Vincendeau Order the Blu-ray 1984 (July 23) - This masterly adaptation of George Orwell’s chilling parable about totalitarian oppression gives harrowing cinematic expression to the book’s bleak prophetic vision. In a rubble-strewn surveillance state where an endless overseas war props up the repressive regime of the all-seeing Big Brother, and all dissent is promptly squashed, a profoundly alienated citizen, Winston Smith (thrillingly played by John Hurt), risks everything for an illicit affair with the rebellious Julia (Suzanna Hamilton) in a defiant assertion of humanity in the face of soul-crushing conformity. Through vividly grim production design and expressionistically desaturated cinematography by Roger Deakins, Michael Radford’s 1984 conjures a dystopian vision of postwar Britain as fascistic nightmare—a world all too recognizable as our own. New 4K digital restoration, supervised by cinematographer Roger Deakins, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray New interviews with director Michael Radford and cinematographer Roger Deakins New interview with David Ryan, author of George Orwell on Screen Behind-the-scenes footage Trailer PLUS: An essay by writer and performer A. L. Kennedy Order the Blu-ray Do the Right Thing (July 23) - Set on one block of Brooklyn’s Bed-Stuy Do or Die neighborhood, at the height of summer, this 1989 masterpiece by Spike Lee confirmed him as a writer and filmmaker of peerless vision and passionate social engagement. Over the course of a single day, the easygoing interactions of a cast of unforgettable characters—Da Mayor, Mother Sister, Mister Señor Love Daddy, Tina, Sweet Dick Willie, Buggin Out, Radio Raheem, Sal, Pino, Vito, and Lee’s Mookie among them—give way to heated confrontations as tensions rise along racial fault lines, ultimately exploding into violence. Punctuated by the anthemic refrain of Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power,” Do the Right Thing is a landmark in American cinema, as politically and emotionally charged and as relevant now as when it first hit the big screen. New 4K digital restoration, approved by cinematographer Ernest Dickerson, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray Audio commentary from 1995 featuring director Spike Lee, Dickerson, production designer Wynn Thomas, and actor Joie Lee Introductions by Lee Making “Do the Right Thing,” a documentary from 1988 by St. Clair Bourne New interviews with costume designer Ruth E. Carter, camera assistant Darnell Martin, New York City Council Member Robert Cornegy Jr., and writer Nelson George Interview with editor Barry Alexander Brown from 2000 Programs from 2000 and 2009 featuring Lee and members of the cast and crew Music video for Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power,” directed by Lee, with remarks from rapper Chuck D Behind-the-scenes footage Cannes Film Festival press conference from 1989 Deleted and extended scenes Original storyboards, trailer, and TV spots PLUS: An essay by critic Vinson Cunningham, and (on the Blu-ray) extensive excerpts from the journal Lee kept during the preparation for and production of the film Order the Blu-ray You can find the latest specs for all of the titles listed above linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed throughout July.Posted Tue Apr 16, 2019 at 10:30 AM PDT by: -
Yamaha Announces Product Updates for AirPlay 2, Qobuz, Spotify Connect, eARC, and More[teaser]Several new and expanded features are coming to select Yamaha devices.[/teaser] Yamaha has detailed a series of upcoming firmware and app updates for a variety of home theater products. As part of the upgrades, select devices will receive AirPlay 2 support, Qobuz high-res streaming, expanded Spotify Connect capabilities, support for Actions on Google, and eARC capabilities. "Our line of home audio products features some of the most robust hardware in the industry. We've been meticulously focused on building on that foundation to enhance the value our customers derive from our latest products through a series of free firmware updates," said Alex Sadeghian, director, Consumer Audio, Yamaha Corporation of America. "With these firmware updates, we’re giving our customers more choices for how they enjoy their favorite music and audio content. Plus, they now have the option to use their favorite voice assistant, whether it’s Siri, the Google Assistant or Alexa, to control the experience throughout their homes." With AirPlay 2 support, compatible devices will be able to stream Apple Music and other music services from an iPhone, iPad, HomePod and Mac to multiple Yamaha products and other AirPlay 2-enabled speakers in sync and at the same time. Likewise, voice control will also be supported via separate Siri devices. Meanwhile, other updates include Qobuz high-resolution music streaming at up to 192 kHz / 24-bit; Spotify Connect support for free Spotify accounts; Actions on Google capabilities for voice control of compatible Yamaha devices through the Google Assistant; and eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel) for uncompressed audio formats like Dolby TrueHD and DTS- HD, Dolby Atmos, and DTS:X. Here's a full rundown of products set to receive each feature and when the updates are set to be available per Yamaha: Actions on Google April 16 - All MusicCast models since 2015. eARC Starting late April - RX-A 80 Series AV receivers, RX-A 70 Series AV receivers, RX-V 85 Series AV receivers, RX-V 83 Series AV receivers, RX-S602 Slimline AV receiver, TSR-7850 AV receiver, TSR-5830 AV receiver, CX-A5200 AV preamp/processor. AirPlay 2, Qobuz and Spotify Connect Starting late April - MusicCast 20 and MusicCast 50 wireless speakers, MusicCast BAR 400 sound bar, RX-A 80 Series AV receivers, RX-V 85 Series AV receivers, RX-S602 slimline AV receiver, ATS-4080 sound bar, TSR-7850 AV receiver, CX-A5200 AV preamp/processor, XDA-QS5400 MusicCast Multi-Room Streaming Amplifier. Second half of 2019 - MusicCast VINYL 500 turntable Source: YamahaPosted Tue Apr 16, 2019 at 08:55 AM PDT by: -
GAME OF THRONES: SEASON EIGHT 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray & Blu-ray Pre-Orders Live[teaser]The show's final season is heading to 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray later this year.[/teaser] HBO is prepping Game of Thrones: The Complete Eighth Season for 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and Blu-ray. Amazon's 4K listing currently indicates the Ultra HD release will be a SteelBook. Likewise, a 4K Blu-ray SteelBook is also listed on Best Buy, but it's not yet clear if the packages will differ at all. And beyond season eight, a Complete Collector's Set with all eight seasons is in the works for Blu-ray as well. Exact release dates have not been revealed yet, but pre-orders are now live. Summers span decades. Winters can last a lifetime. And the struggle for the Iron Throne begins. Based on the bestselling book series by George R.R. Martin and created by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. Specs and supplements for Game of Thrones: The Complete Eighth Season have not been detailed yet, but the Complete Collector's Set Blu-ray will include all 73 episodes the show, 15 hours of bonus content, and never-before-seen footage. You can find the latest specs for Game of Thrones: The Complete Eighth Season linked from our 4K and Blu-ray Release Schedules, where it is indexed under PENDING. Order the 4K Blu-ray (Amazon) Order the 4K Blu-ray (Best Buy) Order the Blu-ray Order the Blu-rayPosted Mon Apr 15, 2019 at 09:55 AM PDT by: -
Coming Soon to Streaming: LUCIFER, VERONICA MARS, and More[teaser]Netflix's resurrection of Lucifer and Hulu's continuation of Veronica Mars headline this week's crop of streaming trailers.[/teaser] Netflix, CBS All Access, and Hulu have all released new previews and info for several of their upcoming series and films. In addition, MotorTrend and the BBC has announced a new US Top Gear show for the MotorTrend app, and Redbox has revealed its first original title for Redbox On Demand. Here's a full rundown of streaming titles scheduled to arrive on each service: Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé (Netflix, April 17) - Presents an intimate look at Beyoncé’s historic 2018 Coachella performance that paid homage to America's historically black colleges and universities. Interspersed with candid footage and interviews detailing the preparation and powerful intent behind her vision, Homecoming traces the emotional road from creative concept to cultural movement. Brené Brown: The Call to Courage (Netflix, April 19) - With over 38 million views on one of the most viewed TED talks of all time, research professor and best-selling author Dr. Brené Brown presents an all-new take on courage in this hour-long Netflix original special. Featuring her trademark humor, honesty, and insight, Brown dispels the misconception that courage and vulnerability are mutually exclusive. She also discusses the origins of her TED talk and the insights she gleaned from the sudden visibility she gained following its outsized public reception. Filmed before a live audience at UCLA’s Royce Hall, Brené Brown: The Call to Courage challenges the viewer to show up, step into the arena, and answer their own call to courage. Lunatics (Netflix, April 19) - A Pet Psychologist to the stars, a Real Estate Entrepreneur, a cutting edge Fashion Designer, a budding Museum Owner, an arts and crafts Influencer, and the future Earl of Gayhurst. Lunatics: the story of six characters coming to terms with themselves and the world around them - be it a haunting past or a pressurising future, finding love or chasing dreams. Starring Chris Lilley, Chris Lilley, Chris Lilley, Chris Lilley, Chris Lilley, and Chris Lilley. The Last Summer (Netflix, May 3) - Featuring several intersecting stories, The Last Summer follows a group of recent high school graduates as they navigate their way through their final summer before taking off for college. As the youths wrestle with love lost and found, form friendships in unexpected circumstances, and take greater control in their relationships with parents, they ultimately decide who they will be and what they will do as they stand on the precipice of adulthood. Starring K.J. Apa, Maia Mitchell, Jacob Latimore, Halston Sage, Sosie Bacon, Wolfgang Novogratz, Gabrielle Anwar, Ed Quinn, Jacob McCarthy, Mario Revolori, Gage Golightly, Norman Johnson, Jr. and Tyler Posey. Lucifer (Netflix, May 8) - Reeling from the aftermath of Chloe seeing his devil face, Lucifer faces a new challenge: Eve, the original sinner herself, is back. Does she want revenge for when he tempted her out of Eden oh so many years ago… or something else entirely? Starring Tom Ellis, Lauren German, and Kevin Alejandro. The Twilight Zone (CBS All Access, April 18) - Episode 4, "A Traveler," stars Greg Kinnear and is hosted by Academy Award winner Jordan Peele. On Christmas Eve in Iglaak, Alaska, a mysterious traveler (Steven Yeun) wishes to be pardoned by Captain Lane Pendleton (Greg Kinnear). Veronica Mars Hulu, July 26) - Spring breakers are getting murdered in Neptune, thereby decimating the seaside town’s lifeblood tourist industry. After Mars Investigations is hired by the family of one of the victims to find their son’s killer, Veronica is drawn into an epic eight-episode mystery that pits the enclave’s wealthy elites, who would rather put an end to the month-long bacchanalia, against a working class that relies on the cash influx that comes with being the West Coast’s answer to Daytona Beach. MotorTrend Group and BBC Studios have announced a multi-year agreement to produce a brand new US format version of Top Gear. The new show is set to premiere exclusively through the MotorTrend app in fall 2019. In addition, the deal will also bring the complete Top Gear UK collection to the MotorTrend app in the US and Canada on June 4, including more than 200 episodes and specials, along with a commitment for future seasons. "The MotorTrend audience will soon get to enjoy the entertainment that TOP GEAR has been delivering to the world for decades. From amazing cars, to epic road trips and hysterical antics, viewers will get lost in their favorite mix of entertainment, comedy and cars," states Matt Forde, Managing Director of International Production & Formats, BBC Studios. "We look forward to working with the MotorTrend team to bring the new U.S. version to new and returning fans." Finally, Redbox has announced that Bob Saget's Benjamin will be the first Redbox Original title released on the company's Redbox On Demand service. The film will be available to stream or rent from kiosks on April 23. The movie stars Rob Corddry, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Kevin Pollak, Peri Gilpin, Dave Foley, Cheri Oteri, Max Burkholder, Clara Mamet, David Hull, Jonny Weston, and James Preston Rogers. Here's a synopsis per Redbox: A family calls in an intervention for their fifteen year old son who they think suffers from drug addiction. During the intervention process, it becomes apparent that the ones who confront Benjamin's addiction the most have many problems of their own. - A current Netflix subscription starts at $13 per month for HD streaming and $16 per month for Ultra HD streaming. - A current CBS All Access subscription costs $5.99 per month with reduced commercials or $9.99 per month for a commercial-free plan. - A current Hulu subscription starts at $6 per month with commercials. In addition, ad-free playback is available for $12 per month and Live TV bundle is available for $45. - A current MotorTrend subscription costs $5 per month. Sources: Netflix (YouTube), CBS All Access (YouTube), Hulu (YouTube), MotorTrend (YouTube), RedboxPosted Fri Apr 12, 2019 at 09:25 PM PDT by: -
New Trailer for VADER IMMORTAL: A STAR WARS VR SERIES Reveals Lightsaber Gameplay[teaser]Darth Vader is heading to Oculus' new VR system.[/teaser] ILMxLAB -- Lucasfilm's immersive entertainment division -- has released a new trailer for Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series. The upcoming three-part virtual reality series is set to debut on the Oculus Quest VR platform later this spring. "Oculus Quest unlocks new ways to create. It shifts the design paradigm by freeing creators from certain constraints, and the untethered form factor was one of the key reasons we partnered with the ILMxLAB team on this project" said Colum Slevin, Head of Media, AR/VR Experiences Group at Oculus. "What makes Vader Immortal so exciting is that this kind of story, this kind of moment in the Star Wars canon, can only happen in VR. You’ll see what I mean the moment you fire up a lightsaber and wield it in your hands." The VR series allows users to step into the role of a smuggler working near Mustafar, the lava-planet home of Darth Vader (as previously seen in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story). Fans will get to interact with Vader and wield a lightsaber throughout the story. The first episode runs about 45-60 minutes long depending on the decisions users make during the experience. And in addition to the narrative mode, the release will also include a Lightsaber Dojo for open-ended lightsaber play. Check out the new Vader Immortal trailer below! The voice cast includes Scott Lawrence (Star Wars Resistance, Battlefront II) as Darth Vader and actress May Rudolph (The Good Place, Bridesmaids) as a quick-witted droid co-pilot named ZOE3. Meanwhile, David S. Goyer (The Dark Knight, Secrets of the Empire) is on board as the writer and executive produce. "Much in the way Alan Tudyk did with K-2SO, we needed somebody for this role that could create a unique character using their improvisation and performance skills," said David Goyer. "Maya truly was the first person we thought of, right from the very beginning, and her contributions and sense of humor have guided ZOE3 every step of the way." Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series will be a launch title for the Oculus Quest. The upcoming all-in-one VR headset features six degrees of freedom and Touch controllers, and does not require a separate PC, wires, or any external sensors. Under the hood, the Oculus Quest uses the same optics as the Oculus Go with a display resolution of 1600x1440 per eye. Likewise, the system offers upgraded built-in audio with deeper bass. Meanwhile, the unit's new Oculus Insight technology is able to track a user's position in real time through the use of four integrated ultra wide-angle sensors and computer vision algorithms. Finally, the included Touch Controllers let players interact naturally with the VR worlds around them. The Oculus Quest is set to arrive in Spring 2019 for an MSRP of $399. Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series will also be available on the Oculus Rift family of headsets, including the Rift S. Source: ILMxLAB via EngadgetPosted Fri Apr 12, 2019 at 04:55 PM PDT by: -
First STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER Trailer Teases the End of the STAR WARS Saga[teaser]"We'll always be with you. No one's ever really gone."[/teaser] Disney has debuted the first trailer and official title for Stars Wars: Episode IX. The film will be called Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and is set to hit theaters on December 20, 2019. Though full plot details have not been revealed yet, the story is being billed as the final chapter in the Skywalker saga. Check out the teaser trailer below! The film's returning cast will include Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, and Billie Lourd, along with new additions Naomi Ackie, Richard E. Grant, Keri Russell, and Dominic Monaghan. Meanwhile, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, and Billy Dee Williams will all be featured as well. Likewise, Carrie Fisher will also make an appearance in the film as Leia Organa through the use of previously unreleased footage shot for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Beyond Episode IX, Disney is also developing a new trilogy of Star Wars films with director Rian Johnson. In addition, Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are also working on new films for the franchise. Meanwhile, a Star Wars: Rogue One prequel series starring Diego Luna and a show titled The Mandalorian from executive producer Jon Favreau are in development for the Disney+ streaming service. Source: Star Wars (YouTube)Posted Fri Apr 12, 2019 at 10:22 AM PDT by: -
Disney Reveals Pricing & Availability for Disney+ Streaming Service[teaser]Pricing and a launch date have been revealed for Disney's upcoming streaming service.[/teaser] Disney has officially unveiled its Disney+ streaming service. The platform is set to launch on November 12 for a monthly subscription price of $6.99 or an annual subscription price of $69.99. "Disney+ marks a bold step forward in an exciting new era for our company—one in which consumers will have a direct connection to the incredible array of creative content that is The Walt Disney Company’s hallmark. We are confident that the combination of our unrivaled storytelling, beloved brands, iconic franchises, and cutting-edge technology will make Disney+ a standout in the marketplace, and deliver significant value for consumers and shareholders alike," said Bob Iger, chairman and chief executive officer. The Disney+ interface offers a similar design to other streaming services, with rows of icons for recommended content, recently watched titles, newly added titles, and different genres. In addition, the platform also includes a top row of icons specifically dedicated to the company's major franchises and brands, including sections for Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic. Likewise, the service will support 4K HDR playback, individual profiles for different users in a household, parental controls, and downloads for offline viewing. (There are no specifics about HDR or audio formats at this time.) Disney+ is set to be available on a wide variety of devices, including smart TVs, tablets, smartphones, video game consoles, and the web. Though a full list of supported devices has not been announced, the company did confirm support for Roku and Sony products. Exclusive shows in development for Disney+ include Marvel series focused on Hawkeye, Loki, Scarlet Witch and Vision, and Falcon and Winter Solider; an animated Marvel show titled Marvel's What If…?; a Star Wars: Rogue One prequel series starring Diego Luna; a second Star Wars live-action show titled The Mandalorian; a Monsters, Inc. show titled Monsters at Work; and a new High School Musical show. Likewise, the service will be home to several original movies and is also expected to house Disney's complete vault of catalog films. And outside of Disney content, Disney+ will also feature several titles from National Geographic and 20th Century Fox, including all 30 seasons of The Simpsons. "We're extremely excited about our growing portfolio of direct-to-consumer offerings. As we demonstrated today, with Disney+ we will deliver extraordinary entertainment in innovative ways to audiences around the world," said Kevin Mayer, chairman, Direct-to-Consumer and International. "We’ll continue to enhance the user experience with a constant pipeline of high-quality programming, making the service even more appealing to consumers." Sources: Disney, Disney (Twitter) Bob Iger (Twitter), The VergePosted Thu Apr 11, 2019 at 05:10 PM PDT by: -
Fluance Details PA10 High Fidelity Phono Preamplifier[teaser]The new turntable preamp is available now.[/teaser] Fluance has announced the release of its PA10 High Fidelity Phono Preamplifier. The device is designed to pair with turntables in order to reproduce a cleaner audio signal. The PA10 is geared toward use with turntables that use Moving Magnet (MM) cartridges without a built-in preamp. Once connected, the preamp converts the turntable phono signal to line level for accurate playback with RIAA equalization. In addition, the device features a low noise power supply and low impedance output stage to provide low ±0.5 dB RIAA deviation, better gain performance, and ultra-low harmonic distortion. Meanwhile, a high pass filter is selectable as well. This option slowly rolls off the low end below 20Hz, minimizing resonant feedback and rumble at high volumes while also removing woofer pumping. Here's a full rundown of key specs per Fluance: Gain - 38 dB Audio Circuit Type - Passively Equalized RIAA Compatible Styli - MM RIAA equalisation accuracy (deviation) - 20 Hz - 20,000Hz +/- 0.5 dB Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) - <0.004% Noise Floor (unweighted) - < 220 uV Crosstalk (20-20000Hz)- > -86 dB S/N Ratio - > 90 dBA Dynamic Range - > 85 dB High Pass Filter Cut Off - 20 Hz Ground Terminal - Yes Phono Input Sensitivity - 30 mV Input Load Capacitance - 100 pF Input Impedance - 47 kohm Maximum Input @ 1 kHz - 100 mV Maximum Phono Stage Output - 125 mV Output Impedance - 100 ohms Output Voltage - 2.2 V Inputs - Gold Plated RCA L/R, unbalanced Outputs - Gold Plated RCA L/R, unbalanced The PA10 High Fidelity Phono Preamplifier is now available for $79.99. The unit is compatible with any turntable equipped with a Moving Magnet cartridge, including the Fluance RT80, RT81, RT82, RT83, RT84, and RT85 turntables. Source: FluancePosted Thu Apr 11, 2019 at 03:00 PM PDT by:
