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'Alpha and Omega' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The wolfpack animated adventure is slated for Blu-ray in January. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Lionsgate has planned 'Alpha and Omega' for Blu-ray on January 11. The film features the voices of Justin Long, Hayden Panettiere, Danny Glover, and Dennis Hopper and although the film was shown theatrically in 3D, a Blu-ray 3D version has yet to be announced. Specs have yet to be revealed, but the release appears to be a Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy combo pack and supplements include: Interactive Game: "Log Sliding", Wolves in the Wild: featurette, The Alpha of Animation, Voicing the Wolves, From Alpha to Omega, Personality Test: Are You an Alpha or an Omega?, and Animal Fun Facts Trivia. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is still undetermined at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'Alpha and Omega' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under January 11.Posted Tue Nov 9, 2010 at 12:00 PM PST by: -
Yamaha Adds Pandora to the neoHD Receiver Line[teaser]In addition to adding a new feature, Yamaha drops the price on both neoHD receivers. [/teaser] The Yamaha neoHD is anything but a traditional receiver from Yamaha. It's simple to use thanks to a robust graphical user interface, it supports both iPad and iPhone and it looks like nothing else on the market. Yamaha is hoping to make the line - which includes the YMC-500 and YMC-700 – more attractive to potential buyers by adding support for the Pandora internet music service. To add to that, Yamaha is going to introduce an app for the YMC-700 that will allow users to control any connected device via IR Control from their iPhone or iPad. Of course, that's not the only change, the price is dropping too. The YMC-500 will now retail for $299, while the 700 will run you $499. "We believe this news will appeal greatly to consumers who are looking to greatly simplify their home entertainment experience," says Yamaha president Tom Sumner, "while spending more time enjoying thrilling HD video and vibrant sound." Source: YamahaPosted Tue Nov 9, 2010 at 11:00 AM PST by: -
'Howl' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]James Franco stars as Beat Generation poet Allen Ginsberg on Blu-ray this January. [/teaser] Oscilloscope Pictures says 'Howl' co-starring David Strathairn and John Hamm is coming to high-definition on January 4. Directed by Academy Award-winning filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, 'Howl' premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and had a limited theatrical run a few months ago. Specs have yet to be revealed, but the Blu-ray/DVD combo pack will include: James Franco and directors commentary, Holy! Holy! Holy! Making of Howl, Original interviews with Ginsberg's friends and collaborators, Never-before-seen performance by Ginsberg in 1995 at NYC's Knitting Factory, and Audio feature: James Franco reads Howl, with Blu-ray exclusive Allen Ginsberg reads Sunflower Sutra and Pull My Daisy: never-before-seen footage from a performance in 1995 at the Knitting Factory in New York, and Q&A with filmmakers moderated by John Cameron Mitchell. Suggested list price for the Blu-rays is $34.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Howl' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under January 4.Posted Tue Nov 9, 2010 at 10:00 AM PST by: -
Time Warner Providing Immediate On Demand for New Shows[teaser]Don't have a DVR? Don't worry. Time Warner's new service lets you access your shows on demand for up to three days immediately after they air. [/teaser] You've almost certainly had an experience in the past where you've forgotten to set your DVR. Maybe your power went out, or the show you wanted to see got pushed back due to a scheduling conflict. In the past, you've had to wait until a rerun came on or – more likely – catch up on Hulu. Time Warner's new Look Back service aims to solve that problem and give people some of the convenience provided by internet streaming alternatives. Immediately after a show airs, you'll be able to access Look Back and watch it on demand. There are limitations of course, and only 48 channels (24 in SD, 24 in HD) are being offered right off the bat and the Look Back service isn't hitting all of Time Warner's subscribers yet. You also don't get the ability to fast forward. Source: EngadgetPosted Tue Nov 9, 2010 at 09:00 AM PST by: -
'Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]The legendary outspoken comedienne celebrates her 75th on Blu-ray this December! [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, MPI has revealed the documentary 'Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work' featuring Joan Rivers, Melissa Rivers, Kathy Griffin, Annie Duke, and Phyllis Diller is planned for Blu-ray on December 14. The film won the U.S. Documentary Editing Award at the Sundance Film Festival and is directed by Ricki Stern. Specs have yet to be detailed, but supplements include a commentary, deleted scenes, Sundance Q&A, and a trailer & TV spots. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $34.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under December 14.Posted Tue Nov 9, 2010 at 08:00 AM PST by: -
Peerless Releases the First Articulating Mount for the Samsung 9000[teaser]If you want to be able to move your fancy new TV away from the wall, it's the only option you've got. [/teaser] The Samsung 9000 is an amazing set. There's just no getting around it – it's at the top of the line when it comes to LED LCDs. The 9000 line has a problem though. It can't be used with normal wall mounts. "All of the Samsung electronics are located in a connection panel concealed beneath the stand," explains Peerless. "Standard mounts cannot fit over the panel housing, and the mounting kit provided by Samsung allows the display to be hung only in a fixed position." Up until now, you were stuck if you wanted to do something different with your set. The new mount from Peerless changes that, and extends, tilts, and swivels to meet your needs. You can pick up the SUAC9000 Ultra Slim Articulating Wall Mount, which fits both the 46 and 55 inch models, for $549. Source: PeerlessPosted Tue Nov 9, 2010 at 07:00 AM PST by: -
'Jack Goes Boating' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]Academy Award winner Philip Seymour Hoffman's directorial debut will be sailing to Blu-ray in January. [/teaser] In an announcement to retailers, Starz/Anchor Bay says 'Jack Goes Boating' starring Hoffman, Amy Ryan, and John Ortiz is coming to Blu-ray on January 18. The romantic comedy is based on the off-Broadway play of the same name by Bob Glaudini and premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. Specs have yet to be revealed, but supplements will include behind-the-scenes featurettes and deleted scenes. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray has been set at $39.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Jack Goes Boating' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under January 18.Posted Tue Nov 9, 2010 at 06:00 AM PST by: -
What Would You Ask 'Avatar' Producer Jon Landau?[teaser]Good evening, loyal HDD Readers and 'Avatar' fans. High-Def Digest is most likely getting a chance to interview James Cameron's producing partner, Jon Landau (again), about the 'Avatar' 3-Disc Extended Edition Blu-ray coming out November 16. So here's your chance to get answers directly from one of them men behind the biggest blockbusters ever made.[/teaser] If you could ask Jon Landau one question about 'Avatar' or any of its Blu-ray releases, what would it be? Hit up the forum below and let us know. All questions must be submitted by 2pm (Pacific Standard Time, United States) tomorrow, Tuesday, November 9. Not all questions will be used, and only respectfully written ones will be considered. Cheers.Posted Mon Nov 8, 2010 at 04:10 PM PST by: -
Least Shocking Announcement Ever...James Cameron Hearts Blu-rayby Michael S. Palmer [teaser]Though last year had our favorite Uncle Marty, Blu-Con 2010 featured filmmakers James Cameron and Jon Landau as keynote speakers (frankly, the whole day might as well have been called Cameron/Landau-Con 2010). [/teaser] Not only did these guys earn 20th Century Fox dumptrucks of cash, but they changed Hollywood's view on 3D forever (though sadly, not always for the better) and single handedly broke all previous Blu-ray sales records (one in five homes with a Blu-ray disc player owns a copy of 'Avatar'). In the least shocking announcement ever to be featured here on High-Def Digest... James Cameron loves Blu-ray. He loves its unparalleled picture and color qualities. And he loves how much information he and partner Jon Landau can squeeze onto the discs. 'Avatar' 3-Disc Extended Edition 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment President and subsequently Cameron's biggest fan, Mike Dunn, introduced the filmmakers with a short speech themed, "details matter." Of course 'Avatar' is all about detail in the Blu-ray resolution sense, but it's also a film with a completely fabricated language that took a USC professor three years to invent (the professor now gets fan mail written in Na'Vi). It's a film where a botanist slaved to create scientifically-based and accurate names for the fauna of a world that does not exist. It's a film that used revolutionary advancements in facial motion capture technology to capture the fully live performances from the actors involved. All of these things are among the many subjects to soon be featured on the 3-Disc 'Avatar: Extended Collectors Edition'. If you own the original 'Avatar' Blu-ray release, use its BD-Live section to check out an extended peak at what's on the 3-Disc edition. Obviously sensitive to the double-dipping trend, Cameron and Landau reiterated that this 3-Disc edition will be the last 2D version of 'Avatar' ever (there will of course be a 3D version available in December, but it's exclusive to Panasonic for a limited time). This is it. I know many High-Def Digest readers are frustrated about bare bones vs. special editions, but to be fair, this 3-Disc edition was announced before the original release so we could choose to wait (or rent). The real reason for the delay is that extended edition(s) footage needed to be fully rendered by WETA which takes 50-100 hours per frame to render 'Avatar' (which of course we have to multiply times two for 3D) at a cost of $1Million per minute (for finished product). Mr. Landau also pointed out that because of seamless branching, they were able to put all three versions of the movie (theatrical, special edition re-release, and extended edition exclusive to this Blu-ray) on one disc, and did not lower the bit-rate from the original release. On top of the 16 minutes of new footage (or 7 minutes if you've already seen the special edition) which includes a brand new 5 minute opening on a 'Blade Runner'-esc Earth, there will be 47 minutes worth of unfinished / low resolution deleted scenes, and viewers have the option of watching about 60 minutes of the film using a picture in picture mode where the actors on the motion-capture stage are next to their full-res digital counterparts. This is actually very engaging to watch, and proves that 'Avatar' isn't an animated film, but one with real actors embodying otherworldly characters. Here's an example (sorry about the blurry picture): "You don't just want the motion, you want the emotion" – Jon Landau Cameron and Landau also showed a clip entitled the "Sturmbeast Hunt." While I've seen this sequence before on the Special Edition re-release, I was more surprised how clear, and realistic everything looked on a (estimating here) 15-18 foot screen. For relative terms, the Blu-Con 2010 screens were akin a smaller theatrical screens, yet Blu-ray is essentially half the vertical resolution of a 2K projector. Definitely a score for the format (alas, I took a picture, but in the darkened room it came out too blurry to give anyone a proper example of the experience). Also, I don't know if this is included in any of the special features, but apparently during the film's preproduction, Cameron took actors Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana to Hawaii so they could get the sensory experience of a real rain forest. One day, Worthington was running around in makeup and a loin cloth while speaking Na'Vi when a man out walking his dog asked what they were all doing. Worthington said, "we're making a movie, mate. See that guy over there? That's James Cameron; he made 'Titanic'." To which the man with the dog replied, "Boy, he's really gone down hill." 3D "I haven't seen anything that didn't benefit from 3D. I watched the Masters and I hate golf. Why would I watch it? But I watched The Masters in 3D. It was really cool!" – James Cameron. No conversation with James Cameron is complete without his thoughts on 3D technology. He believes it's not a fad, but "we're only hitting the tip of the iceberg" (his words, not mine). The first 3D technology was good and we're already a few generations past that. We will need the glasses for 3d viewing for another 8-10 years. Apparently for displays to work without glasses, the displays will have to have much more resolution which is then split back down to master for the multiple viewing angles [If anyone actually knows how that might work, please drop us a line in the forums; I'm fascinated.]. Mr. Cameron said the key to 3D expansion is generating enough content. So it won't be movies. They take too long. 3D sports / video will be the biggest push. He likened the progression of 3D to the advancement of color film. Color films started in the 30s, but weren't a majority until the 60s because in make a network TV sale (this is before any other form of home entertainment, of course), filmmakers needed color movies for the latest craze, color television. Mr. Cameron surmises it'll work the same in the not-too-distant future. 3D will just be a standard. On the topic of good vs. bad 3D, his advice to all filmmakers and studios is the A) shoot in 3D, or B) spend the time and money to do post-conversion right. For this films need an extra six month built into the post-production schedules. When studios typically factor in the cost of post-conversion, they're not taking into consideration the time itself, and with all things considered, it's much easier to shoot in 3D. It's more natural and makes the medium fun. Cameron's goal, he says, for all 3D is to give people a premium product worth premium ticket or technology upgrade expenses. And they can't do that with sloppy conversions. Post-conversions, Cameron said, should be for classics like 'Jaws', 'E.T.', 'Close Encounters', (all Spielberg films, he admitted, but they're his favorites) and even 'Titanic' because there's no time machine available to go back and reshoot these films in 3D. What do you think, dear Readers? Is Cameron right? Let us know in the forums and keep your eyes out for the next Blu-Con 2010 article where we'll be focusing more specifically on 3D Blu-ray outside the Cameron universe. James Cameron and Producer Jon Landau talk about the AVATAR Special Edition at Blu-Con 2010 Part 1 from ColliderVideos on Vimeo. James Cameron and Producer Jon Landau talk about the AVATAR Special Edition at Blu-Con 2010 Part 2 from ColliderVideos on Vimeo.Posted Mon Nov 8, 2010 at 03:55 PM PST by: -
Amazon Talks Blu-ray's Ups and Downsby Michael S. Palmer [teaser]As our Blu-Con 2010 coverage continues, it's important to not only examine how well the format is doing, but also the missteps, mistakes, and over-complexities that continue to hold Blu-ray back despite a 20 percent adoption rate in the U.S.[/teaser] There's an old saying that the retail industry is the "last three feet" for any product being sold. Inventors, engineers, designers, and marketing teams can do one hell of a job inventing the Next Great Thing, but the face of these products becomes the floor employees or the telephone reps for local and online stores. And this is potentially terrifying for the consumer. We've all had bad customer service experiences when all we wanted was for That Thing to simply…work. Not really the highest expectations, yet sometimes this is an impossible request for one reason or another. Gadgets, gizmos, and technologies often live or die based on the store (real or virtual) experience. Earlier adopters? Well, I can generally trouble shoot things myself or with a short Google search. But my mom still can't use a VCR (though partly because it's now disconnected in favor of my brother's PlayStation 3…which she also can't use, but I'm off topic), and if she and/or anyone who doesn't inherently love these Next Best Things have a bad sales or customer service experience, well there's more lost customers, perhaps forever. Speaking as this year's retailer representative for Blu-Con 2010, Bill Carr, Vice President of Music and Video for Amazon, outlined what he and his fellow employees have been learning about Blu-ray on the front lines and in the last three feet. After taking us through what his customers love, he then outlined Amazon's strategy for ensuring maximized sales for Blu-ray discs and all related high-definition technologies. The Good Well, it's Blu-Con. Mr. Carr has to say how much people love Blu-ray. It's the whole point. He started with quotes from Amazon customers "Brother Bish" and "Video Guy." Video Guy was thrilled to update his 'Bourne Trilogy'. He said he's actually enjoying the movies more and can't quite understand why. Martin Scorsese discussed this phenomenon last year, but it comes down to detail and resolution providing the most cinema-like experience possible. Brother Bish purchased the original 'The Prisoner: Complete Series' and said this Blu-ray looked like it could have been filmed yesterday and is much better than the previous DVDs. To retail executives like Mr. Carr, this means consumers are starting to see a qualitative difference between high definition and standard definition (remember when idiots used to say, "M'eh, DVD's good enough?"). The bottom line, when tracking purchasing activity, is that spending on home video surges by nearly 400 percent (though half of these purchases are still DVD) after an Amazon.com customer buys his or her first Blu-ray. The Bad But other Amazon customers have worried about investing in the format. Is Blu-ray too niche? Is it the next LaserDisc? Part of this can be tracked to companies like Best Buy who are reducing physical media floor space before Christmas this year. Of course, this is mainly about DVDs and CDs, but walking my local rearranged Best Buy now feels less like a place to buy movies than before the reduction. Coincidentally or perhaps not, Best Buy spoke at last year's Blu-con 2.0, but did not this year. Another reason for consumer concern is, despite tracking almost as well as DVD's first five years in regards to hardware sales, there are only 3,000 Blu-ray titles available. After its first five years on the market, DVD had 20,000; today, there are 150,000. Many of the still-unreleased titles are fan favorites. Pricing is another big factor. For every 10 percent that a Blu-ray disc is priced higher than its day-and-date DVD sibling, the Blu-ray's sales will drop by 4 percent. This means with a $10 premium price over the DVD, the Blu-ray will get 50 percent of the volume mix. With a $5 premium, the Blu-ray will take 75 percent of the mix. And with a 0 percent premium, the Blu-ray will take 95 percent. Don't forget the hardware itself. Most Blu-ray-related technical service complaints, calls, and returns are due to firmware updates. Every month, Blu-rays debut with sparkling new features which immediately proceed to cripple (mostly older, and mostly temporarily) Blu-ray players across the country. And then there are interrupted firmware updates, whether caused by be a clueless owner or an outside issue, which can kill these expensive machines dead. DVD never had this problem. Sure some early-early discs wouldn't play on some machines, but most people used DVD players for a decade. Blu-ray started with maddeningly slow players that didn't have simple features like remembering where in the movie you were last watching. I personally purchased a PS3 as my second Blu-ray player and haven't looked back, but until recently, stand-alone players have been a headache. Lastly, though most Blu-ray players are internet-ready, connection rates are quite low. The reasoning here, of course, is that most of these players have Ethernet jacks, but no built-in WiFi. Yes, professional installers will advise hard-wiring your Blu-ray player for internet streaming because the signal is stronger and less likely to drop (which is important for services like Netflix, which measures your bandwidth before delivering you a resolution), but that isn't an option for most people whose internet router is most likely in another room. Hell, I still haven't connected my DirecTV DVR (which gives access to OnDemand) for just that reason; my router's in another room, and I didn't want to pay $75 for the wireless adapter kit. All of this means Blu-ray players aren't being used to their maximum capability and user-experience. It's SO much easier to update via an Ethernet / WiFi connection than it is to either painfully wait for a manufacturer firmware disc or download and burn a CD/DVD off the web (which of course is easy for jerks like me, but I'll reference my mom again). The Ugly Education In order to combat consumer frustrations and confusion, Amazon has developed a three-part strategy to make Blu-ray more appealing to current customers and the nearly 80 percent who have yet to adopt the format: selection, value, and customer experience. Selection: movies studios need to get off their asses and release more good movies. That's the only thing that will drive hardware sales (see 'Avatar'). If people can have their favorite, must-own movies, they will upgrade. Amazon is particularly lucky because they only have what's known a "virtual shelf space." Retailers like Walmart and Best Buy can only have so many movies in-store at any one time, but Amazon can feature any and all Blu-rays. Value: Blu-ray disc players need to come with built-in WiFi to make internet streaming more available and firmware updates easier. Further, Blu-ray disc price gouging needs to go away. There's little reason to have a Blu-ray cost more in the consumer's eyes than a DVD, unless there is added / perceived value. Catalogue titles and new releases should be packed with special features. Blu-ray+DVD+Digital Copy releases must become the norm -- it's content any where any time, not format. For example, the 'Snow White' combo pack (the most successful combo pack so far) sold 55 percent more than the average stand-alone Blu-ray disc. Speaking of which, do you all know about Amazon's "Buy Now, Watch Now" Disc + OnDemand service? Basically, when you buy one of 10,000 titles on Blu-ray or DVD for no extra charge, you'll also get a downloadable copy so you don't have to wait for shipping. Amazon On Demand titles can be played on Macs, PCs, and on any of the 200 HDTVs, set top boxes, and Blu-ray players fearing the Amazon On Demand app. Customer Service: not just about having polite people in store or on the phone to help when things go wrong. It's about education. Helping consumers know what they need before they buy so they're not surprised or not enjoying their equipment to its fullest. For example, Amazon.com customers are really excited about the advent of 3D HDTVS and 3D Blu-ray technology. They love the theatrical experience and have been wowed by in-store demos. But, they don't understand what it entails. New televisions? A new receiver? A new Blu-ray player? The answer is yes to all, of course, but it can be confusing even for technophiles on certain subjects (it took me forever to find out that my PS3 won't do 3D and lossless audio at the same time). In order to help you, the consumer, with your next purchase, online retailers like Amazon and Crutchfield have initiated helpful education portals on their websites with helpful FAQs and how-to guides. On Amazon, there's High-Def Headquarters and 3D 101. For another opinion, check out Crutchfield 3D. Bottom line We love Blu-ray, but we need more titles, more value in these titles as well as the hardware itself, and the whole experience needs to be simple and easy. Is that really too much to ask? Perhaps. Blu-ray is sophisticated soft/hardware that exists in a world where technology grows so fast that it will continuously be updated. But look at Apple; the easiest, most intuitive products around, but still evolving. Firmware is never going away, but it's up to the engineers and retailers and movie studios to make it seem invisible. Next up in our Blu-Con 2010 coverage, we'll hear to what James Cameron has to say about Blu-ray and 3D. Until then, dear readers, hit up the forum link below to tell us what you think would make Blu-ray discs, players, and the whole high-definition experience more enjoyable, user friendly, and would help you collect more films and television series.Posted Mon Nov 8, 2010 at 02:00 PM PST by:
