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'Short Circuit 2' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]After the Blu-ray release of the first film three years ago, Johnny Number Five is back on Blu-ray this April! [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Image Entertainment has revealed the 1988 comedy 'Short Circuit 2' will have a Blu-ray release on April 19. Upbeat Johnny's out for some "urban input," but some street hoods, a greedy banker and a gang of crooks see his naiveté as their high-tech ticket to easy street. Will Johnny survive the big bad city and its big, bad city slickers? Keep your wires crossed when you switch on this high voltage film. Specs, supplements, and suggested list price for the Blu-ray are still undetermined at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'Short Circuit 2' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under April 19.Posted Mon Jan 3, 2011 at 08:00 AM PST by: -
LG Announces the Smart TV Updater[teaser]The device upgrades your old set to the same capabilities as LG's current smart sets. [/teaser] We've seen plenty of set-top boxes like the Boxee Box, Revue and Roku. In that sense, LG's new ST600 is nothing new. It's not marketed in the traditional way though, with LG pushing it as an upgrade rather than a standalone device. The ST600, which will be officially unveiled at CES next week, lets you access all the content that a connected LG TV is capable of. It also gives users access to LG Apps which have a broad range from educational programs to games. LG hasn't named a price for the ST600 yet, though they have said they plan to make it affordable. Another mystery is whether or not the ST600 can be used with non-LG sets. From the press release it sounds like anyone will be able to use it. Source: eCousticsPosted Mon Jan 3, 2011 at 07:00 AM PST by: -
HDD Deal of the Week: 'Great Migrations' Blu-ray $22.49 at Amazon[teaser]Amazon's deal this week is the acclaimed documentary miniseries from National Geographic! [/teaser] The online retailer is now selling 'Great Migrations' for $22.49 (55% off suggested list price). Three years in the making, the documentary features breathtaking nature footage from around the globe by award-winning cinematographers and is narrated by Alec Baldwin. Click here to witness some of the most amazing natural spectacles on the planet in glorious high-definition! This offer is valid now thru January 8.Posted Mon Jan 3, 2011 at 06:00 AM PST by: -
The Absolute Best of Blu-ray: High-Def Digest's Definitive Guide for HD Newbies and Fanaticsby the High-Def Digest Writers Christmas is over. All the presents that were once under your tree have now been opened and are ready to be enjoyed. [teaser]If you're one of the many who received a brand spanking new Blu-ray player and want to know how to get the most out of it, have we got the list for you.[/teaser] Over the years, High-Def Digest has been meticulously putting together list after list of the best suggestions we can think of when it comes to filling out your Blu-ray collections. Since, going through Google is a pain to find each and every one of these extremely helpful articles (Trust us, we know), we've decided to bring them to you in one list. One giant list of post-holiday Blu-ray-buying goodness. With your new Blu-ray player, and perhaps your brand new high-def television, you'll be wanting to know exactly which discs to buy to get the best out of your new Christmas HD goodies. Follow along and we'll guide you to the very best that Blu-ray has to offer. 2008 Around Thanksgiving time of 2008 High-Def Digest compiled a comprehensive shopping list of some of the best titles to hit the format that year. This isn't a very in-depth article, instead it's an article that gives a simple run-down of the best Blu-ray had to offer that year. It also splits it all up into easy to navigate categories like Action on Blu-ray and TV on Blu-ray. Search through this list and you'll find quite a few gems ('Casino Royale,' 'Ratatouille,' and 'Band of Brothers' just to name a few) that you'll definitely want to add to your Blu-ray collection now that you've made the jump to HD entertainment. High-Def Digest's Holiday Cheat Sheet: Put Down the Turkey Leg, Pick Up This Shopping List As the year closed on 2008, former HDD writer/reviewer Kenneth Brown took the time to compile a Best of 2008 list. Still one of the “best of” lists we've had around here, because of the depth Brown goes into explaining his choices, and the extensive runners up category he provides. Listing great Blu-rays like 'Baraka' and 'No Country for Old Men,' Brown's list is a must see for anyone looking to get into Blu-ray for the first time. The Best Blu-rays of 2008 2009 As we roll into 2009 we find that HDD was compiling even more lists to help savvy Blu-ray shoppers pick out the best movies that would test the capabilities of our reader's top-of-the-line HD setups. In August Drew Taylor compiled a thorough list of Blu-rays that he felt were the top Blu-rays of 2009 up until the time he wrote the article. The Top 10 Blu-ray Releases So Far This Year For horror junkies it's never too early, or the wrong time of year to be thinking about what are the best horror Blu-rays. Which movies they should keep an eye out for, and which ones really aren't worth bothering with. Self-proclaimed resident HDD horror junkie M. Enois Duarte carefully stitched together a monstrous list of ghoulish frights to keep even the most hardcore horror fan satiated with blood and gore. The Top Horror Blu-rays for Halloween 2009 As time rolled onward in 2009, Thanksgiving and Black Friday came in a flash. In order to help our readers during the frenzy known as Black Friday and Cyber Monday we compiled a few shopping lists that would best help folks navigate the deals and find out which discs they should really pay attention to. Aaron Peck compiled a list specifically for the different family eccentric family members we find lurking in our families. Take a look at this list, because you may have one or two of these family members in your clan. Heck, you may even recognize yourself on this list. High-Def Digest's Holiday Gift Guide 2009: Blu-rays for the Folks Who Have...Issues Finally, when 2009 drew to a close Drew Taylor revisited his “best of” 2009 choices from his earlier article and added a few more titles that came out later that year. This was truly the best 2009 had to offer, and if you're starting a new Blu-ray collection with the pile of gift cards you got this holiday season, then this is a great place to get started. The Best Blu-rays of 2009 2010 With Blu-ray buying, and High-Def Digest swinging into full gear, 2010 saw more list creation than any other year. We were finally compiling more genre lists that would help specific types of movie fans find the best discs that related to their genre of choice. We had lists for the best action on Blu-ray, the best classics on Blu-ray, and even the best holiday movies on Blu-ray. High-Def Digest Picks the Top 10 Action Films High-Def Digest Holiday Gift Guide 2010: Best Action Blu-rays of the Year High-Def Digest Gift Guide 2010: The Top 10 Classic Titles on Blu-ray High-Def Digest Holiday Gift Guide 2010: The Essential Holiday Blu-rays More specific shopping guides started springing up. We have perfect lists for Mother's and Father's Day, which if you're a mother or father may apply to you. They also may help you with gift giving ideas when those parent-honoring days roll around once again. High-Def Digest Presents: A Mother's Day Shopping Guide Father's Day: HDD's Last Minute Blu-ray Shopping Guide! Nate Boss compiled one of the most comprehensive shopping lists we've ever seen. Giving us an idea of what Blu-rays to look for if we're shopping for a movie fanatic (the folks who already buy everything. If you're a movie fanatic yourself, then this is a list to pay attention to. It's full of rare discs, store exclusives, and imports. If you find that you have discerning taste when it comes to filling out your Blu-ray collection, this is most definitely the list for you! High-De f Digest Holiday Gift Guide 2010: Blu-rays for the Hard to Shop For Movie Fanatic Another edition of M. Enois Duarte's best horror discs was posted in time for Halloween 2010. Put this one and the list from 2009 together and you've got a fantastic beginning to a Blu-ray horror collection, full of scary movies that you'll not only love, but will provide decent eye and ear candy as you watch them with your new HD equipment. HDD Goodie Bag: Your Horror Blu-rays for Halloween 2010 During the year Drew Taylor put together another wonderful list for a quarterly report, documenting the best 2010 had to offer up until that point. The Quarterly Report: The Best Blu-rays of the Year So Far... As this year waswinding down, Drew put together a comprehensive list that covers nearly every wonderful release that we had in 2010. From 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,' to the 'Alien Anthology' it's all there to help you find the best discs for your new Blu-ray collection High-Def Digest Holiday Gift Guide 2010: The Best Blu-rays of the Year As you can see, over the years, we here at HDD have tried our hardest to point out the best and brightest Blu-ray has to offer. Not only are these discs that will give you top-notch audio and video presentations, they're all pretty darn incredible movies too. So, when you're looking to spend those holiday gift cards that are burning a hole in your pocket, take a look at these lists. They'll give you a great starting point. Thanks for joining us this year. We'll be back next year with even more lists and ideas on what discs will make great additions to your collection. From all of us here at High-Def Digest, we'd like to wish you a Happy New Year! Have fun spending your holiday cash on some much needed Blu-rays!Posted Sun Jan 2, 2011 at 04:00 PM PST by: -
'Hatchet II' Blu-ray Features Added[teaser]Supplements have been detailed for the slasher follow-up reviving the legend of Victor Crowley on Blu-ray this February. [/teaser] As previously reported, MPI says Adam Green's 'Hatchet II' will have a high-definition release on February 2. 'Hatchet' is already available on Blu-ray in an unrated director's cut. Specs have yet to be revealed, but supplements will include: Audio commentary by Green, cinematographer Will Barratt and makeup FX supervisor Robert Pendergraft; Audio commentary by Green and actors Hodder and Tony Todd; Hatchet II: Behind the Screams; Trailers and teaser; and TV and radio spots. The Blu-ray will also add the exclusives: First Look: Hatchet II and Meet the FX Team. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $34.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Hatchet II' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under February 2.Posted Thu Dec 30, 2010 at 12:00 PM PST by: -
HD Penetration Reaches 60 Percent, but 3DTVs Still Lukewarm[teaser]Despite the growing number of 3D televisions hitting shelves, interest is low. [/teaser] If you're still not excited about the prospect of 3D television you're not alone. A recent poll by the Leichtman Research Group revealed that only eight percent of respondents were at all interested in buying a 3D TV. HD penetration has shown marked improvement over the last five years though, coming to a total of 60 percent of homes in 2010. In fact, 26 percent of homes are equipped with multiple HD sets. A promising 18 percent of people said that they're planning on buying a new TV in the next year, which could be very good for 3D TV manufacturers if leveraged properly. "With modest consumer demand for 3D-capable TVs, the potential growth of 3DTV will rely on a continued push of 3DTV by manufacturers and retailers," says head researcher Bruce Leichtman. Source: Home Media MagazinePosted Thu Dec 30, 2010 at 11:00 AM PST by: -
'BMX Bandits' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The 1983 Australian crime drama is getting ready for Blu-ray this March. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Severin says 'BMX Bandits' will be released on Blu-ray on March 15. The cult adventure flick was nominated for four Australian Film Institute awards and features Nicole Kidman in one of her earliest roles. Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $24.98. You can find the latest specs for 'BMX Bandits' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under March 15.Posted Thu Dec 30, 2010 at 10:00 AM PST by: -
LG Launching a 65 Inch Passive Tech 3D TV[teaser]Vizio's not the only company with cinema style 3D. [/teaser] The first, and most obvious advantage to going with a 3D television that's equipped to work with the same passive glasses used in movie theaters is that the glasses themselves are dirt cheap. Twenty guys coming over for the Super Bowl? No problem. The other advantage that we're excited to test for ourselves is an apparent flicker free 3D image. The set has been certified by TUV and Intertek, but it's really the sort of thing you'll want to see for yourself. LG says the new set provides brighter and clearer images than the competition. "With the introduction of our innovative CINEMA 3D TV, LG is setting another standard for 3D entertainment," says Havis Kwan, president of LG's Home Entertainment division. "For consumers who want to enjoy cinema-quality 3D at home with their family and friends, LG is now making that possible. Source: eCousticsPosted Thu Dec 30, 2010 at 09:00 AM PST by: -
'Dead Awake' Blu-ray Bound[teaser]See a funeral parlor employee try to unlock a ten-year-old mystery on Blu-ray this March. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, First Look Studios is preparing 'Dead Awake' for a Blu-ray release on March 29. The film stars Nick Stahl, Rose McGowan and Amy Smart and is directed by Omar Naim ('The Final Cut'). Specs and supplements haven't been revealed yet, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $24.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Dead Awake' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under March 29.Posted Thu Dec 30, 2010 at 08:00 AM PST by: -
Netflix is the Most Popular Service on Connected TVs[teaser]The paid service is used far more frequently than even YouTube. [/teaser] Connected televisions are incredibly cool and provide users with myriad options for getting their content. Of course, out of all those options only one seems to be essential. While Blockbuster on Demand, Amazon on Demand and CinemaNow are present on a wide range of sets, it's Netflix that leads the way. A massive 57 percent of connected TV owners say that they're using Netflix on their connected TVs. What's particularly interesting is that the free video service YouTube is only utilized by 47 percent of connected TV owners. Music and photos were combined into one category for the poll and showed a 54 percent usage. "Manufacturers are underselling the Internet features of connected TV," says the NPD Group's Ross Rubin. "Broadband features unlock worlds of on-demand content; manufacturers should provide the key by integrating Wi-Fi." Source: Home Media MagazinePosted Thu Dec 30, 2010 at 07:00 AM PST by:
