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Michael B. Jordan Trains for the Fight of His Life in Intense New CREED II Trailer[teaser]Adonis Creed will take on Viktor Drago in November.[/teaser] MGM has released the second official trailer for Creed II. The film comes from director Steven Caple Jr. and is set to hit theaters on November 21, 2018. Life has become a balancing act for Adonis Creed. Between personal obligations and training for his next big fight, he is up against the challenge of his life. Facing an opponent with ties to his family’s past only intensifies his impending battle in the ring. Rocky Balboa is there by his side through it all and, together, Rocky and Adonis will confront their shared legacy, question what’s worth fighting for, and discover that nothing’s more important than family. Creed II is about going back to basics to rediscover what made you a champion in the first place, and remembering that, no matter where you go, you can’t escape your history. Check out the trailer below! Creed II stars Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Creed and Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa, along with Tessa Thompson, Wood Harris, Russell Hornsby, Florian “Big Nasty” Munteanu, Andre Ward, Phylicia Rashad, and Dolph Lundgren. The film will be the eighth entry in the Rocky franchise and serves a direct sequel to 2015's Creed which was directed by Ryan Coogler (Black Panther). Though Coogler did not return to direct this installment, he still serves as an executive producer. The movie comes from a script written by Cheo Hodari Coker and Sylvester Stallone. Previous films in the Rocky series include Rocky, Rocky II, Rocky III, Rocky IV, Rocky V, Rocky Balboa, and Creed. Source: MGM (YouTube)Posted Wed Sep 26, 2018 at 11:30 AM PDT by: -
SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE Confirmed for 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray[teaser]Christopher Reeve's iconic portrayal of The Man of Steel soars to 4K Dolby Vision this November. [/teaser] As previously reported, Warner was rumored to be preparing Superman: The Movie for 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, and now it has officially been dated for November 6. You can pre-order the movie from BestBuy.com HERE. Academy Award winners Marlon Brando and Gene Hackman head an all-star cast in the fantastic, action-packed film that made Christopher Reeve an international star playing the greatest superhero of all time. From the doomed planet of Krypton, two parents launch a spaceship carrying their infant son to earth. Here he grows up to become Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter for the Metropolis Daily Planet. But with powers and abilities far beyond those of ordinary men, he battles for truth and justice as Superman. Superman was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Film Editing, Best Music (Original Score) and Best Sound. The film also received a Special Achievement Academy Award for Visual Effects. In 2017, Superman was inducted in to the Library of Congress National Film Registry. The 4K UHD will feature Dolby Vision HDR with Dolby Atmos audio and supplements include: • Commentary by Pierre Spengler and Ilya Salkind The Blu-ray contains the following previously released special features: • Commentary by Pierre Spengler and Ilya Salkind • The Making of Superman: The Movie 1978 TV Special • Superman and the Mole-Men • Cartoons • TV Spots and Trailers You can find the latest specs for Superman: The Movie - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray linked from our 4K Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under November 6.Posted Tue Sep 25, 2018 at 01:12 PM PDT by: -
Final FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD Trailer Teases an Epic Showdown[teaser]J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World returns to theaters in November.[/teaser] Warner Bros. has released the final trailer for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. The Harry Potter spin-off serves as a sequel to 2016's Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and is set to apparate into theaters on November 16, 2018. At the end of the first film, the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) was captured by MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), with the help of Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne). But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escaped custody and has set about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all non-magical beings. In an effort to thwart Grindelwald’s plans, Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) enlists his former student Newt Scamander, who agrees to help, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world. Check out the final trailer below! The movie comes from returning director David Yates and screenwriter J.K. Rowling. The Crimes of Grindelwald is the second of five planned films in the Fantastic Beasts series. Cast members include Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander, Johnny Depp as Gellert Grindelwald, Zoë Kravitz as Leta Lestrange, Katherine Waterston as Tina Goldstein, Ezra Miller as Credence Barebone, and Jude Law as a young Albus Dumbledore, along with Alison Sudol, Callum Turner, Claudia Kim, William Nadylam, Kevin Guthrie, Carmen Ejogo, and Poppy Corby-Tuech. Dumbledore was previously played by Richard Harris and Michael Gambon in the Harry Potter series. Source: Warner Bros. (YouTube)Posted Tue Sep 25, 2018 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
Is the Sony XBR-65A9F OLED Really the Best TV of 2018? Looking For a King at the 2018 Value Electronics TV ShootoutYes, it's that time of year again. The time to get holed up in a dark room for hours on end along with the industry's best TVs as they're pitted against each other in the ultimate 4K HDR cage match. And we got a front row seat. This past weekend, High-Def Digest was invited to participate on the panel of judges for the 2018 Value Electronics TV Shootout held in Scarsdale, New York.[teaser] The annual event placed the year's top displays side-by-side in order to choose the new "King of TV." [/teaser] The lineup of competing displays in this year's competition included four flagship premium 4K HDR TVs: LG’s OLED65E8PUA OLED TV Samsung’s QN65Q9FN LCD TV Sony’s XBR-65A9F OLED TV Sony’s XBR-65Z9F LCD TV In order to evaluate the displays, the Shootout mostly relied on real-world content and a couple of test patterns specially selected by the organizers to highlight various aspects of picture quality. Specific attributes were then scored by a panel of eight judges from 1 to 10 across three categories to determine the individual winners for each section. Likewise, the display with the most overall total points was then named the "King of TV." All of the TVs were visually matched to and evaluated against a Sony BMV-X300 30-inch OLED Reference Monitor used for professional color grading applications. And now that the dust has settled, here's a rundown of the winners in each category based on all the judges' scores: Best Overall "King of TV" - Sony XBR-65A9F OLED Best SDR Day Mode/Video Processing - Sony XBR-65A9F OLED Best SDR Reference Mode - Sony XBR-65A9F OLED Best HDR Reference Mode - Sony XBR-65A9F OLED & LG OLED65E8PUA OLED (tie) Below, I'll offer full details on the tests conducted in each category, along with my own impressions on how each TV fared during the competition and my general feelings on the winners. Let the shootout begin! (Note: Pictures included are from various demos throughout the event and do not necessarily correlate with the specific section heading) SDR Day Mode/Video Processing (Best Living Room TV) This category was designed to determine which display had the best SDR daytime viewing and processing for a living room setting with a high amount of ambient light. The judging criteria included scores for Motion Handling, Off-Axis Performance, Upscaling, and Peak Brightness. Three real-world demos were then used to evaluate all of these attributes. All three were played from a DirecTV HD feed and included clips from a football game, a hockey game, and a local news broadcast. All of the TVs were set to their brightest calibrated SDR mode with motion interpolation activated. Likewise, the blackout curtains were pulled back and the lights were turned on. Motion Handling - Though sports are typically a good showcase for motion, I didn't really feel like any of these clips were substantial enough to offer a particularly good example of each TV's motion handling. In fact, a specific test clip of a woman swinging on a hammock demoed after the judging was completed, provided a much better look at each panel's approach to motion. And even then, each TV offers a lot of leeway to fine-tune its motion handling, meaning that more fiddling with the settings would be necessary to see each at their best. With that in mind, based on the earlier clips this was mostly a toss-up between the four displays for me. Off-Axis Performance - As expected, the two OLED models fared much better than the two LCDs in this regard, with the LG E8 and Sony A9F OLEDs demonstrating relatively minor shifts in color at extreme angles. Meanwhile, the Sony Z9F LCD had a more pronounced shift in color and contrast, and the Samsung Q9FN had the most trouble maintaining accuracy from off-angle viewing. Upscaling - Due to the heavily compressed nature of the testing material, this section was also a bit difficult to judge precisely. In general, I didn't really think any of the TVs did a particularly good job with the low-grade content, and any differences were quite small. With that said, I did notice slightly smoother edges with less visible pixelation around text on the LG E8 OLED compared to the other TVs. Peak Brightness - Here's where the LCDs got a chance to really shine... literally. Though the two OLEDs had solid brightness in the well-lit room (and were essentially equal), the LCDs demonstrated a notable increase in light output -- with the Samsung Q9 edging out the Sony Z9F as the clear leader in this spot. TV Shootout Winner - Sony XBR-65A9F OLED (based on all the judges' scores) My Winner - LG OLED65E8PUA OLED (based on my scores) Final Thoughts - Based on the "Day Mode" designation of this category, I'm a bit torn about the results here (both the overall and my own). Off-Axis Viewing is what really ended up skewing the scores toward the OLEDs instead of the brighter LCDs. Of course, being able to have a good view from any seat on the couch is an important factor for a "Living Room TV" -- I'm just not sure it trumps higher luminance for bright room viewing. Best SDR Reference Mode (Best Home Theater TV) For this category, the focus was on which display had the best SDR dark room performance for a home theater. The judging criteria included scores for Black Level/Perceived Contrast, Shadow Detail, Color Accuracy/Skin Tones, and Near Black Uniformity. A mixture of real-world clips and test patterns were used for this section, and the scores were determined based on how well a display matched the same content on the professional BMV-X300 Reference Monitor. The blackout curtains were let back down and all of the lights were turned off in the store. Likewise, all of the TVs were calibrated to the SDR standard. Black Level/Perceived Contrast - A clip from the Bu-ray edition of Gravity was used for this section, with the disc being paused on an image of an astronaut against a large field of stars. The LG E8 OLED demonstrated the deepest blacks (they essentially disappeared in the darkened room) while still maintaining contrast in the bright whites of the astronaut's suit and the stars. Meanwhile, the blacks on the Sony A9F OLED were just a hair lighter while offering similar contrast. Thanks to its local dimming, the Sony Z9F LCD maintained solid blacks and contrast as well, but the astronaut appeared flatter and dimmer against the backdrop of space, and the blacks were not quite as deep as the OLEDs making the letterbox bars more visible. Finally, the Samsung Q9 LCD and its aggressive local dimming actually produced black levels that were just as deep and inky as the LG OLED, making the letterbox bars completely vanish while offering nice contrast between the astronaut and space. As a side effect, however, the algorithm made the starfield in the back look comparatively patchy, revealing the dimming zones while causing many stars that were visible on the other models to disappear. Shadow Detail - Here's where things might get a little controversial. For this section, the competition used a clip from the Blu-ray edition of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 where Voldemort and his followers invade Hogwarts at night. The sequence is very dimly lit and serves as a torture test for shadow delineation. The LG E8 OLED performed admirably, maintaining solid detail in the darkest portions of the picture, though I noticed that the top left corner of the screen actually tended to crush more than the Sony A9F OLED. Meanwhile, I thought that the Sony Z9F LCD actually did the best job of preserving small details in the dark portions of the screen, making it the closest to the Reference Monitor. Unfortunately, the Samsung Q9 LCD was an entirely different story. This sequence essentially broke the TV's local dimming algorithm, causing the contrast to fluctuate and vignette to the point that the panel was almost completely off during some of the scene, basically making it unwatchable. With that said, I reviewed this TV myself and I didn't encounter anything even close to this on anything I watched during my nearly three months with the display (though I never demoed this particular movie). It's clear that this was a weird anomaly rather than a good representation of how the Q9 typically performs. Of course, it's an anomaly that Samsung absolutely has to address and hopefully fix with a firmware update, but I still think that a different scene should have been used. In fact, the Gravity scene used for the black level section was a much more realistic depiction of the Q9's flaws in this regard. Color Accuracy/Skin Tones - A shot from the Blu-ray of Kingsman was paused on the screens for this section. The image featured the cast lined up side by side, offering a fairly neutral assortment of flesh-tones with a few more saturated hues on some of the characters' clothing. In general, I found that both OLEDs exhibited a cooler push while the LCDs had a warmer tinge. With that said, the OLEDs matched the color characteristics of the Reference Monitor more closely. The differences between the LG E8 and Sony A9F were very small, but I ultimately thought that the slight teal bias of the LG actually mirrored the Reference Monitor better. Near Black Uniformity - Banding in darker tones is a known issue for many OLED panels, and this test made that especially clear. A near black screen was displayed on all four panels and both of the OLEDs featured faint banding lines throughout the entire screen. In contrast, the Sony Z9F LCD and Samsung Q9 LCD were both much smoother and consistent, with the Z9F offering the most impressive uniformity of the bunch. TV Shootout Winner - Sony XBR-65A9F OLED My Winner - LG OLED65E8PUA OLED and Sony XBR-65Z9F LCD (tie) Final Thoughts - I can't really argue with the Sony OLED winning since it was essentially neck and neck with the LG and they both matched the Reference Monitor very closely. With that said, I actually think the Sony Z9F LCD did a better job with shadow detail and uniformity. I was also quite surprised by the amount of banding visible on the near black pattern on the OLEDs, though it's important to note that I never saw anything like that during the real world clips. And though I still think the Harry Potter scene was a clear local dimming anomaly rather than a realistic depiction of the Samsung Q9's shadow detail, the test did reveal a very serious problem for that display -- essentially disqualifying it in this category and basically pushing it out of the running. Best HDR Reference Mode (Best HDR TV) This category focused on which display had the best 4K HDR10 dark room performance for a home theater. The judging criteria included scores for Color Accuracy/Skin Tones, 4,000 Nit Tone Mapping, Wide Color Gamut, High Brightness HDR, and Perceived Sharpness. Several real-world clips from 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs were used for this section, and the scores were determined based on how well a display matched the same content on the professional Reference Monitor (except for one section). Again, the room was completely dark and the sets were calibrated for HDR WCG playback. Color Accuracy/Skin Tones - The same clip from Kingsman used for the SDR test was used for this section, but this time it was from the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray edition. Even in HDR WCG, the results were essentially the same, with the OLEDs matching the Reference Monitor better. Again, the differences between the LG E8 and Sony A9F were very small, but I ultimately thought the LG mirrored the Reference Monitor ever so slightly better. 4,000 Nit Tone Mapping - For this section, a shot from Pan was paused on all four TVs with an image of the sky and the sun partially covered by some clouds. The sequence was graded to 4,000 nits and the highlights actually clipped on the Reference Monitor. With that in mind, we were supposed to judge how well the displays maintained detail and luminance in the sun. I actually thought the LG E8 OLED did the best job of offering specular luminance while maintaining the best detail, allowing one to make out the complete shape of the sun and the nuances in the surrounding clouds. The Samsung Q9 LCD also did a very good job in this regard. In contrast, I thought a little more detail in the clouds and white of the sun were clipped away on the Sony A9F OLED, and a lot of the detail was clipped away on the Sony Z9F LCD, causing the sun to look more overexposed while making some of the clouds disappear. Wide Color Gamut - An extremely colorful scene from The Lego Batman Movie was used to highlight wide color gamut support. Though all of the displays looked vibrant, I found that the OLEDs were not quite as bold as the two LCD models which could better match the extreme reds, blues, and greens of the Reference Monitor. High Brightness HDR - For this section, we paused on a shot from The Lego Ninjago Movie where the characters sit on a beach with a volcano in the background. Again, while all of the displays looked great, the OLEDs' HDR performance was a little dimmer than the Reference Monitor. Meanwhile, though the Samsung Q9 LCD actually had the punchiest HDR output, it actually looked a little too bright compared to the Reference Monitor. Ultimately, the Sony Z9F LCD best matched the BMV-X300 best. Perceived Sharpness - A shot from the 4K Ultra HD Bu-ray of The Revenant was used here, focusing on the details in a close-up of one character's face. To be honest, I found this to be one of the closest tests, and I didn't really see any truly notable differences in detail between the panels. With that said, the Sony Z9F LCD looked just a hair less sharp to me than the other displays. TV Shootout Winner - Sony XBR-65A9F OLED and LG OLED65E8PUA OLED (tie) My Winner - LG OLED65E8PUA OLED Final Thoughts - While the LCDs did offer higher HDR brightness, the OLEDs matched the overall look of the Reference Monitor more closely. To be honest, though, I'm not sure I'd really say the OLEDs are "better" at HDR performance. It's really more about what picture quality attributes a user prioritizes. Conclusion The 2018 Value Electronics TV Shootout was an eye-opening and sometimes surprising competition. Getting to see these flagship sets side-by-side is the only real way to judge their individual pros and cons. And though I had a couple of issues with some of the choices made, in general, I thought that the evaluation process was executed fairly. Here's a ranking of the final total points for each TV based on all of the judges' scores: Sony’s XBR-65A9F OLED TV - 850 points LG’s OLED65E8PUA OLED TV - 845 points Sony’s XBR-65Z9F LCD TV - 832 points Samsung’s QN65Q9FN LCD TV - 715 points Though I can't argue with the results, the Shootout did further reinforce to me just how hard it is becoming to really crown a definitive "King of TV." As you can see by the totals, the competition was really close. In fact, scoring the differences between the competitors was often like splitting hairs, and each model revealed its own specific pros and cons that will vary in importance for different users. Based on the criteria provided here, however, the Sony XBR-65A9F OLED was definitely one of the closest to matching the BMV-X300 Reference Monitor for the majority of the tests. We'd like to extend a big thanks to Robert Zohn (President of Value Electronics) and the rest of the Shootout's dedicated team for hosting the event, inviting us to participate on the judges' panel, and for setting up all of the tests! Finally, for those interested in more details about the competition's specific process and equipment used, here's a complete rundown of the testing and calibration methodology used for the Shootout: The number one most-used professional calibration software, SpectraCal’s CalMAN®, and calibration hardware, procedures and workflow will be used. Konica/Minolta’s professional CS2000A spectroradiometer, Klein 10A meters and the new Konica/Minolta CA-410 color analyzer will all be used in the calibration process. The Klein 10A meters will be profiled using the CS2000A spectroradiometer for each TV. SDR, HDR and Dolby Vision patterns will be generated and fed from Murideo’s SIX-G 4K Pattern Generator and a preview selection from Stacey Spears upcoming HDR test disc. All of the cables and interconnects are Metra Home Theater Group Ethereal brand Velox True 24 Gbps passive cables with their Gigabit Accelerator the HDM-GA1. All of the TVs will be visually matched to the white point of Sony’s BMV-X300 professional color grading monitor. Sony’s BMV-X300 reference monitor will also be used as the reference for all TVs to be judged against. Well respected top professional calibrators will be tuning each TV to its best possible FHD/SDR and UHD/HDR performance. The calibrators are David Abrams, DeWayne Davis, and John Reformato, supervised by Tyler Pruitt. All tested panels will be concurrently fed through AVPro’s Edge for 18G Uncompressed professional HDMI distribution matrix switch from four Panasonic UB820 Blu-ray players, 1080 FHD/SDR for Cable/DIRECTV, 4K streaming, SDR and HDR test patterns. The televisions featured this year are the flagship 4K Ultra HD LCD/LEDs and OLEDs from the premium TV manufacturers. Video experts will then guide the attendees through the evaluation process and the panel of experts and all attendees will vote on each picture quality attribute. Attendees will be led through the different attributes of picture quality and will evaluate and judge the newest TVs from the leading consumer electronics manufacturers that are competing to be the" King of TV."Posted Tue Sep 25, 2018 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
PHILADELPHIA Planned for 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray[teaser]Jonathan Demme's 1993 drama starring Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington may be headed for 4K UHD in November. [/teaser] According to The Digital Bits, Sony is preparing Philadelphia for 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray on November 27. Hailed as a landmark film that dazzles with deep emotion and exceptional acting, Philadelphia starsTom Hanks and Denzel Washington as two competing lawyers who join forces to sue a prestigious law firm for AIDS discrimination. And as their unlikely friendship develops, their courage overcomes the prejudice and corruption of their powerful adversaries. No other details have been revealed at this time. You can find the latest specs for Philadelphia - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray linked from our 4K Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under November 27. Order the 4K Blu-rayPosted Tue Sep 25, 2018 at 08:32 AM PDT by: -
Roku Details New Premiere and Premiere+ 4K HDR Media Players[teaser]New Roku models have been revealed.[/teaser] Roku has announced the latest additions to its 4K HDR streaming media player lineup. The collection includes the new Roku Premiere ($40) and Roku Premiere+ ($50), which will replace the more expensive current gen versions. Likewise, an updated version of the Roku Ultra ($100) has also been detailed. "Roku Premiere and Roku Premiere+ are the easiest and most affordable way to stream in outstanding picture quality. Tens of millions of 4K TVs will be sold this year; we’re seeing more content, even live sports, produced and streamed in 4K and HDR as each week goes by," said Lloyd Klarke, director of product management, Roku. "At under $40, the new Roku Premiere is our lowest-priced 4K streaming player ever, and it’s going to give consumers the best picture quality their TV can handle. It is great for HDTV today and even better if they decide to get a 4K TV tomorrow." Both models feature low profile designs and offer support for 4K HDR10 streaming playback along with access to Roku's robust selection of apps and services, including the Roku Channel and 4K Spotlight Channel. In addition, the Premiere+ model adds a voice remote. Here's a full rundown of key features per Roku: Roku Premiere Clear, immersive picture quality in HD, 4K Ultra HD and 4K HDR Powerful quad-core processor Low profile form factor Includes Premium high-speed HDMI cable Easy to use remote with channel shortcut buttons 802.11 (b/g/n) Dolby® and DTS Digital Surround™ pass through over HDMI® Roku Premiere+ Includes everything Roku Premiere offers Voice remote with TV power & volume buttons And beyond the new Premiere models, Roku has also announced an updated version of its flagship Roku Ultra. The new package includes premium JBL headphones (valued at $39.95), and two new remote finder sounds: SportsCenter's Da-Da-Da from ESPN and HBO's Game of Thrones theme song. Here's a full rundown of key features per Roku: Premium JBL headphones for private listening ($39.95 value) The ultimate in connectivity offering both Ethernet 10/100 and 802.11ac MIMO dual-band wireless Enhanced voice remote with TV power and volume buttons, headphone jack for private listening, gaming buttons Lost remote finder button on the device now with SportsCenter’s DaDaDa from ESPN and HBO’s Game of Thrones theme song USB port for local media playback Dolby and DTS Digital Surround™ pass through over HDMI® Night listening mode The new Roku Premiere (pre-orders now live via Best Buy) and Roku Ultra will be available at all major retailers in early October. Meanwhile, the new Roku Premiere+ will be available exclusively at Walmart and Walmart.com in early October. Source: Roku via BusinessWirePosted Mon Sep 24, 2018 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
Sony XBR-65A9F OLED Wins 2018 Value Electronics TV Shootout[teaser]A new "King of TV" has been named![/teaser] Value Electronics has crowned its latest TV Shootout winner. The event was held earlier today and featured a head-to-head competition between some of the industry's top 4K Ultra HD displays. And now that the dust has settled, an overall winner has been named: the Sony XBR-65A9F OLED. I was honored to be on hand at the Shootout to represent High-Def Digest as one of the event's nine expert judges. I'll have a more detailed write-up on the contest with a breakdown of the different tests used and my own scores for each TV soon, but until then, here's a quick rundown of the winners in each category based on all the judges' scores: Best Overall TV - Sony XBR-65A9F OLED Best SDR Day Mode/Video Processing - Sony XBR-65A9F OLED Best SDR Reference Mode - Sony XBR-65A9F OLED Best HDR Reference Mode - Sony XBR-65A9F OLED & LG OLED65E8PUA OLED (tie) Here's a full list of the competitors featured in the Shootout: LG’s OLED65E8PUA Samsung’s QN65Q9FN Sony’s XBR-65A9F Sony’s XBR-65Z9F And here's a detailed rundown of the testing methodology used: The number one most-used professional calibration software, SpectraCal’s CalMAN®, and calibration hardware, procedures and workflow will be used. Konica/Minolta’s professional CS2000A spectroradiometer, Klein 10A meters and the new Konica/Minolta CA-410 color analyzer will all be used in the calibration process. The Klein 10A meters will be profiled using the CS2000A spectroradiometer for each TV. SDR, HDR and Dolby Vision patterns will be generated and fed from Murideo’s SIX-G 4K Pattern Generator and a preview selection from Stacey Spears upcoming HDR test disc. All of the cables and interconnects are Metra Home Theater Group Ethereal brand Velox True 24 Gbps passive cables with their Gigabit Accelerator the HDM-GA1. All of the TVs will be visually matched to the white point of Sony’s BMV-X300 professional color grading monitor. Sony’s BMV-X300 reference monitor will also be used as the reference for all TVs to be judged against. Well respected top professional calibrators will be tuning each TV to its best possible FHD/SDR and UHD/HDR performance. The calibrators are David Abrams, DeWayne Davis, and John Reformato, supervised by Tyler Pruitt. All tested panels will be concurrently fed through AVPro’s Edge for 18G Uncompressed professional HDMI distribution matrix switch from four Panasonic UB820 Blu-ray players, 1080 FHD/SDR for Cable/DIRECTV, 4K streaming, SDR and HDR test patterns. The televisions featured this year are the flagship 4K Ultra HD LCD/LEDs and OLEDs from the premium TV manufacturers. Video experts will then guide the attendees through the evaluation process and the panel of experts and all attendees will vote on each picture quality attribute. Attendees will be led through the different attributes of picture quality and will evaluate and judge the newest TVs from the leading consumer electronics manufacturers that are competing to be the" King of TV." Make sure to check back with High-Def Digest for a detailed breakdown of the 2018 Value Electronics TV Shootout soon! Source: Value ElectronicsPosted Sun Sep 23, 2018 at 05:30 PM PDT by: -
Rumor Mill: Disney's THE LION KING, THE LITTLE MERMAID, and More Heading to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray[teaser]Three Disney animated flicks are rumored for 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray.[/teaser] According to a report by The Digital Bits, Disney is likely prepping The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, and Wreck-It Ralph for 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray later this year. Though the studio has not yet confirmed the news, international retail listings point to a potential November or December release for the titles, which would coincide with the upcoming November 21 theatrical premiere of Ralph Breaks the Internet. The Lion King - Embark on an extraordinary coming-of-age adventure as Simba, a lion cub who cannot wait to be king, searches for his destiny in the great "Circle of Life." You will be thrilled by the breathtaking animation, unforgettable Academy Award winning music. The Little Mermaid - Venture under the sea where Ariel, a free-spirited mermaid princess; longs to be part of the human world. After bravely striking a bargain with Ursula, a sneaky sea witch, Ariel embarks on the adventure of a lifetime. With Flounder and Sebastian at her side, Ariel will need all of her courage and determination to make things right in both her worlds. Wreck it Ralph - For decades, Ralph has played the bad guy in his popular video game. In a bold move, he embarks on an action-packed adventure and sets out to prove to everyone that he is a true hero with a big heart. As he explores exciting new worlds, he teams up with some unlikely new friends including feisty misfit Vanellope von Schweetz. Then, when an evil army threatens their world, Ralph realizes he holds the fate of the entire arcade in his massive hands. No other details have been revealed at this time. You can find the latest specs for The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, and Wreck-It Ralph linked from our 4K Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they are indexed under PENDING. Source: The Digital BitsPosted Fri Sep 21, 2018 at 04:30 PM PDT by: -
Coming Soon to Streaming: DAREDEVIL, HOMECOMING, and More[teaser]The latest season of Daredevil and a new Amazon series starring Julia Roberts are among this week's crop of streaming trailers.[/teaser] Netflix and Amazon have released new previews and info for several of their upcoming programs and films. In addition, FilmStruck has announced its new September lineup of movies for the Criterion Channel. Likewise, the service is now the exclusive streaming home for Orson Welles' Citizen Kane. Here's a full rundown of titles scheduled to arrive on each service: Here's a full rundown of titles scheduled to arrive on each service: Chef's Table: Season 5 (Netflix, September 28) - For Season 5 of Chef’s Table, we dig past the surface of the fine-dining world to reveal remarkable chefs and cuisines whose stories have for too long been hidden. Featured chefs will include Cristina Martinez (Mexico & USA), Albert Adria (Spain), Musa Dağdeviren (Turkey), and Bo Songvisava (Thailand). Travels With My Father: Season 2 (Netflix, September 28) - Last year comedian Jack Whitehall and his father Michael embarked on a South East Asian odyssey, fulfilling Jack’s lifelong dream of a gap year. Against all odds they both survived! This year they’re back on the road in Europe, but now it’s Michael taking the lead – and he has very different ideas... Super Monsters: Season 2 (Netflix, September 28) - From acclaimed producer Avi Arad comes Super Monsters, an all-new animated series for kids following the adventures of six friends and their not-so traditional preschool experience. As preschoolers with super powers, Drac, Cleo, Lobo, Katya, Zoe and Frankie are students with dual identities: humans by day and magical monsters by night. Enrolled at the prestigious Pitchfork Pines Preschool, the group of friends work together under the leadership of their teachers, Igor and Esmie, as they attempt to master their seemingly untamable powers. Private Life (Netflix, October 5) - The new film from Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Tamara Jenkins (The Savages, Slums of Beverly Hills), PRIVATE LIFE is the bracingly funny and moving story of Richard (Academy Award-nominee Paul Giamatti) and Rachel (Kathryn Hahn), a couple in the throes of infertility who try to maintain their marriage as they descend deeper and deeper into the insular world of assisted reproduction and domestic adoption. After the emotional and economic upheaval of in vitro fertilization, they’re at the end of their middle-aged rope, but when Sadie (breakout newcomer Kayli Carter), a recent college drop out, re-enters their life, things begin to look up. YG Future Strategy Office (Netflix, October 5) - YG FSO stars Seungri as the head of YG’s newly formed department, The Future Strategy Office, where many of YG’s troublemakers have been sent. The sitcom series will follow Seungri and his team of misfits as they work to regain their place in the company. Big Mouth: Season 2 (Netflix, October 26) - A half-hour edgy adult animated comedy from real-life best friends Nick Kroll (Kroll Show, The League) and Andrew Goldberg (Family Guy) about the glorious nightmare that is teenaged puberty. Apostle (Netflix, October 12) - The year is 1905. Thomas Richardson travels to a remote island to rescue his sister after she’s kidnapped by a mysterious religious cult demanding a ransom for her safe return. It soon becomes clear that the cult will regret the day it baited this man, as he digs deeper and deeper into the secrets and lies upon which the commune is built. The Haunting of Hill House (Netflix, October 12) - A modern reimagining of Shirley Jackson’s legendary novel of the same name, about five siblings who grew up in the most famous haunted house in America. Now adults, they’re reunited by the suicide of their youngest sister, which forces them to finally confront the ghosts of their own pasts… some which lurk in their minds... and some which may really be lurking in the shadows of the iconic Hill House. Marvel’s Daredevil: Season 3 (Netflix, October 19) - Blinded as a young boy but imbued with extraordinary senses, Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) fights against injustice by day as a lawyer, and by night as the Super Hero “Daredevil” in modern day Hell's Kitchen, New York City. Lore - Season 2 (Prime Video, October 19) - From an executive producer of The Walking Dead and an executive producer of The Exorcist, this season of the critically acclaimed anthology series will explore real-life frightening and disturbing tales that give rise to modern-day myths and legends. Season two will feature new tales based on the award-winning podcast as well as original stories not yet available in podcast form. Homecoming Season 1 (Prime Video, November 2) - Heidi Bergman (Julia Roberts) is a caseworker at Homecoming, a Geist Group facility helping soldiers transition to civilian life. Years later she has started a new life, living with her mother and working as a waitress, when a Department of Defense auditor questions why she left the Homecoming facility. Heidi quickly realizes that there's a whole other story behind the story she's been telling herself. Meanwhile, Criterion has revealed its September lineup of films for the Criterion Channel on the FilmStruck streaming service. In addition, FilmStruck is now the exclusive streaming home for Orson Welles' Citizen Kane. Here's a full rundown of titles premiering in September: Cul-de-sac, Roman Polanski, 1966 (September 1) Kes, Ken Loach, 1970 (September 1) The Cage, Adrian Sitaru, 2010 (September 4) Dead Man, Jim Jarmusch, 1995 (September 5) Deer Boy, Katarzyna Gondek, 2017 (September 11) When We Lived in Miami, Amy Seimetz, 2013 (September 18) Clouds of Sils Maria, Olivier Assayas, 2014 (September 19) The Voice Thief, Adan Jodorowsky, 2013 (September 25) - A current Netflix subscription starts at $11 per month for HD streaming and $14 per month for Ultra HD streaming. - A current Amazon Prime subscription costs $119 per year or $13 per month. Likewise, Prime Instant Video is available as a standalone service for $9 per month. - A current FilmStruck Subscription starts at $7 per month. In addition, a FilmStruck + The Criterion Channel Subscription costs $11 per month, and customers can also opt for an annual Subscription for $99 per year. Sources: Netflix (YouTube), Amazon (YouTube), FilmStruckPosted Thu Sep 20, 2018 at 05:35 PM PDT by: -
Cary Joji Fukunaga Announced as New Director for JAMES BOND 25[teaser]A director has been announced for the latest James Bond flick.[/teaser] Michael G. Wilson, Barbara Broccoli, and Daniel Craig have announced that Cary Joji Fukunaga will direct the next installment in the James Bond franchise. The film is set to start shooting at Pinewood Studios on March 4, 2019 for a worldwide release on February 14, 2020. "We are delighted to be working with Cary. His versatility and innovation make him an excellent choice for our next James Bond adventure," said Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. Cary Joji Fukunaga is best known for directing the first season of HBO's True Detective starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, and Netflix's Beasts of No Nation starring Idris Elba. Likewise, he also directed the upcoming Netflix series Maniac starring Jonah Hill and Emma Stone, and is credited as one of the writers on Andy Muschietti's It. Fukunaga will be the first American born director to helm a James Bond movie. He replaces filmmaker Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting) who was previously attached to direct the movie before departing the project over creative differences. Star Daniel Craig will once again reprise his role as James Bond, marking his fifth appearance as 007 on the big screen following turns in Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, and Spectre. Though it's not yet clear if Craig will continue with the franchise beyond this upcoming installment, the movie does mark the end of his contract. Though plot details are unknown at this time, the script is being worked on by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade. MGM will distribute the movie in the US while Universal will handle international duties. Sources: 007.com, DeadlinePosted Thu Sep 20, 2018 at 03:10 PM PDT by:
