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DirecTV & Comcast Will Offer Winter Olympics in 4K HDR & Dolby Atmos[teaser]Several TV providers are offering select Olympics coverage in 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos.[/teaser] Comcast Xfinity and DirectTV have both announced plans to offer next-day access to select events from the 2018 Winter Olympics in 4K HDR video and Dolby Atmos audio. Likewise, DISH is also offering 4K HDR coverage but has made no mention of Dolby Atmos support. The 2018 Winter Olympics are set to run from February 8 through February 25 in PyeongChang, South Korea, with the Opening Ceremony scheduled for Friday, February 9. Comcast Xfinity users with an X1 set-top box and compatible AV fear can access next-day 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos Olympics coverage on-demand. Events set to be available include the Opening Ceremony, ski jumping, figure skating, snowboard /Big Air and the Closing Ceremony. Meanwhile, DirecTV customers with a Genie HD DVR or 4K Genie Mini set-top box and the necessary AV gear can tune into channel 106 starting Friday, February 9 at 10 AM ET to see select next-day Olympic Games in 4K HDR with Dolby Atmos sound, including the Opening Ceremony, figure skating, short track, ski jump/big air, Closing Ceremony, and ice hockey. Finally, DISH subscribers with a Hopper 3 DVR and a compatible AV setup can watch select Olympic Games on a one-day delay in 4K HDR through channel 540. Events set to be featured include the Opening Ceremony, figure skating, hockey, short track speed skating, ski jumping and snowboard big air, along with PyeongChang scenics. 4K HDR coverage will begin on February 10 with up to three events from the previous days' schedule set to be offered daily through February 26. And for users looking to watch all the events in traditional HD, be sure to check out our rundown of broadcast and streaming viewing options for the Olympics here. Sources: Comcast, DISH, AT&TPosted Thu Feb 8, 2018 at 01:00 PM PST by: -
Sony Debuts First Teaser Trailer for 'Venom'[teaser]The Marvel comics villain tuned anti-hero is heading to theaters in October.[/teaser] Sony has released the first teaser trailer for Venom. The movie comes from director Ruben Fleischer and stars Tom Hardy as the title character. One of Marvel’s most enigmatic, complex and badass characters comes to the big screen, starring Academy Award nominated actor Tom Hardy as the lethal protector Venom. This film is not yet rated by the Motion Picture Association of America. Check out the teaser trailer below -- though fans hoping to catch their first glimpse of Hardy suited up in the symbiote will be sadly disappointed. Venom stars Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock / Venom, Michelle Williams as Anne Weying, and Riz Ahmed as Dr. Carlton Drake. The film comes from a script written by Scott Rosenberg, Kelly Marcel, and Jeff Pinkner. The character of Venom originated as a villain in the Spider-Man comic books, and previously made his big screen debut in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3 where he was played by actor Topher Grace. Though some rumors continue to hint otherwise, Sony has previously stated that this film will not be connected to Spider-Man: Homecoming or the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe. With that said, the studio does plan to use the movie to help kick off its own series of films based on supporting characters from the Spider-Man franchise, including Black Cat and Silver Sable. Venom is scheduled to premiere on October 5, 2018. Source: Sony (YouTube)Posted Thu Feb 8, 2018 at 08:15 AM PST by: -
How to Watch the 2018 Winter Olympics[teaser]Cord-cutters and traditional TV subscribers all have several options to watch the Winter Olympics this year.[/teaser] The 2018 Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang, South Korea are set to officially begin on Thursday, February 8, and will run through Sunday, February 25. Meanwhile, the Opening Ceremony will be held on Friday, February 9. And thankfully, fans have plenty of TV and streaming options to watch live and on-demand coverage of every event. TV Coverage Various Winter Olympics events will be shown across the networks of NBC Universal through OTA, cable, and satellite services when available. Participating channels will include NBC, NBCSN, USA, CNBC, and the Olympic Channel. For a full schedule of programming, click here. The Opening Ceremony itself is set to be broadcast on NBC, with live coverage scheduled for 6 AM ET and taped coverage set for 8 PM ET on Friday, February 9. Streaming Coverage Beyond traditional OTA, cable, and satellite, there are several streaming options for coverage of the Olympics on computers, mobile devices, media players, and connected TVs as well. The NBCOlympics.com website and the NBC Sports app are both set to stream every event live and on-demand, including the Opening Ceremony. Likewise, the website and app will both offer access to additional highlight clips and features. With that said, while limited content will be available for free to all viewers, to get full live and on-demand streaming access users will need to sign into the site or app with an authenticated pay-TV account. The NBC Sports app is available on the iTunes store, Google Play, the Windows app store, Roku devices, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Xbox, and Samsung smart TVs. Click here to access the full live streaming schedule. Finally, live internet TV platforms with access to NBC stations, including services like Sling TV, YouTube TV, PlayStation Vue, and Hulu, can all be used to catch coverage of the games too. Source: NBCPosted Wed Feb 7, 2018 at 10:30 PM PST by: -
Guillermo del Toro's 'The Shape of Water' Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Announced and Detailed[teaser]The Oscar-nominated film swims to both formats this March. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, 20th Century Fox says 'The Shape of Water' will be available on Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray on March 13. From master storyteller Guillermo del Toro comes The Shape of Water, an otherworldly fairy tale set against the backdrop of Cold War-era America circa 1962. In the hidden, high-security government laboratory where she works, lonely Elisa (Sally Hawkins) is trapped in a life of isolation. Elisa's life is changed forever when she and co-worker Zelda (Octavia Spencer) discover a secret classified experiment. Rounding out the cast are Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Michael Stuhlbarg and Doug Jones. Each release will feature a lossless 5.1 soundtrack and supplements include: A Fairy Tale for Troubled Times; Anatomy of a Scene: Prologue; Anatomy of a Scene: The Dance; Shaping the Waves: A Conversation with James Jean; Guillermo del Toro's Master Class; and Theatrical Trailers. You can find the latest specs for The Shape of Water linked from our Blu-ray and 4K Release Schedules, where it is indexed under March 13. Order the Blu-ray Order the 4K Blu-rayPosted Wed Feb 7, 2018 at 10:47 AM PST by: -
Samsung Unveils 3D Cinema LED Screen for Movie Theaters[teaser]A 3D version of the company's LED theater display tech has been demoed.[/teaser] Samsung has revealed a new 3D version of its Cinema LED Screen for movie theaters. The new tech made its debut this week during the ISE (Integrated Systems Europe) 2018 commercial display exhibition in Europe. The standard Cinema Screen uses direct-lit LED technology to produce a 34-foot 4K (4,096 x 2,160) resolution image with High Dynamic Range (HDR) support, a nearly infinity:1 contrast ratio, highly accurate color, and non-distorted visuals. Now incorporating 3D support into the equation, the new 3D Cinema Screen has been designed to offer an immersive 3D experience without sacrificing the impressive brightness and resolution performance found on the standard Cinema Screen. With that in mind, the 3D Cinema Screen is able to avoid the loss of brightness and resolution associated with traditional 3D movie projection, allowing the screen to maintain the 48 nits of the standard Cinema Screen even when viewers are wearing 3D glasses. Likewise, Samsung has worked to develop an algorithm to eliminate pesky crosstalk which can cause dizziness. "People say 'Seeing is Believing.' One might not believe until seeing something, but once seeing it, there's no denial. I think this applies to 3D Cinema LED, too. Before experiencing it, some might doubt whether there is an actual difference. But once they experience the new technology of ours, people will believe and understand that it is totally different. This year's ISE will be the first moment of that unique experience," said Dongsoo Koo, from Samsung Visual Display Division's Enterprise Product Planning Group. Commercial theaters set to use the new Samsung 3D Cinema LED Screen have not been announced yet. Source: SamsungPosted Wed Feb 7, 2018 at 08:50 AM PST by: -
20th Century Fox Releases New 'Deadpool 2' Trailer[teaser]The "Merc with a Mouth" will return to theaters in May.[/teaser] 20th Century Fox has released a new playfully meta teaser trailer for David Leitch's Deadpool 2, fully introducing viewers to Josh Brolin's Cable. The movie is now set to premiere on May 18, 2018, after being bumped up from its original June release. After surviving a near fatal bovine attack, a disfigured cafeteria chef (Wade Wilson) struggles to fulfill his dream of becoming Mayberry's hottest bartender while also learning to cope with his lost sense of taste. Searching to regain his spice for life, as well as a flux capacitor, Wade must battle ninjas, the yakuza, and a pack of sexually aggressive canines, as he journeys around the world to discover the importance of family, friendship, and flavor – finding a new taste for adventure and earning the coveted coffee mug title of World's Best Lover. Check out the trailer below! Deadpool 2 stars Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson / Deadpool, Morena Baccarin as Vanessa, Josh Brolin as Nathan Summers / Cable, Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead, T.J. Miller as Weasel, Zazie Beetz as Domino, and Stefan Kapicic as Colossus. The movie comes from director David Leitch with a script by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. Other upcoming movies in 20th Century Fox's X-Men franchise include Simon Kinberg's X-Men: Dark Phoenix starring James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Sophie Turner, and Jessica Chastain which is set for a November 2, 2018 release; and Josh Boone's The New Mutants starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Maisie Williams, and Alice Braga which is set for a February 22, 2019 release. Likewise, the studio's long in development Gambit film starring Channing Tatum is now due to arrive on June 7, 2019 -- though there is currently no new director signed on following the previous departures of Gore Verbinski, Rupert Wyatt, and Doug Liman. Source: 20th Century Fox (YouTube)Posted Wed Feb 7, 2018 at 08:00 AM PST by: -
'Game of Thrones' Creators Set to Develop New 'Star Wars' Films[teaser]Winter is coming to a galaxy far, far away.[/teaser] Disney and Lucasfilm have announced plans to create a new series of Star Wars movies with David Benioff and D.B. Weiss on board to serve as writers and producers. The pair are best known for creating HBO's Game of Thrones. "David and Dan are some of the best storytellers working today," said Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm. "Their command of complex characters, depth of story and richness of mythology will break new ground and boldly push Star Wars in ways I find incredibly exciting." Full details and release dates for the new films have not been announced yet, and it's not yet clear how many movies are planned for the series. With that said, Disney has stated that these spin-off movies will be separate from the episodic Skywalker saga and the upcoming trilogy from filmmaker Rian Johnson (Star Wars: The Last Jedi). "In the summer of 1977 we traveled to a galaxy far, far away, and we've been dreaming of it ever since," Benioff and Weiss said in a joint statement. "We are honored by the opportunity, a little terrified by the responsibility, and so excited to get started as soon as the final season of Game of Thrones is complete." Beyond the new films from David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, Disney is gearing up to release Solo: A Star Wars Story on May 25, 2018. Likewise, the studio is set to release Star Wars: Episode IX on December 20, 2019. The final entry in the trilogy will be directed by J.J. Abrams. In addition, filmmaker Rian Johnson is also developing an entirely new trilogy of Star Wars films separate from the episodic Skywalker saga. Source: StarWars.comPosted Tue Feb 6, 2018 at 01:25 PM PST by: -
Hands on First Look: Sonus faber Aida Floor-Standing SpeakersPart of the McIntosh Group of high-end audio brands, Italian manufacturer Sonus faber has a history of developing premium speakers well known for their beautiful wood work, elegant designs, and sophisticated sonics. And last week, High-Def Digest was invited to attend a special demo of the company's latest flagship speaker model: the all-new and improved Aida floor-standing loudspeaker. Held at the historic 5-story World of McIntosh Townhouse in New York City, the event allowed us to get up close and personal with the premium speakers while enjoying an intimate listening session fueled by an eclectic assortment of music selections. [teaser]Serving as a successor to the previously released 2011 model, the new Aida features the same elegant aesthetic as its predecessor along with a completely overhauled internal design[/teaser], blending gorgeous looks with improved drivers to deliver a truly premium product for an equally premium MSRP of $130,000 per pair. SPECS & DESIGN When it comes to looks, the new Aida "3 and 2/3 way" floor-standing loudspeaker is essentially the same as the previous edition, though there is a new Wenge wood finish option treated with maple wood inlay and the company's signature hand polishing process. The cabinet uses the same "lyra shape" design as before with dual-side curvature and special cross grained Okoumè plywood in a double thickness constriction layer damped configuration. The result? One very handsome yet very large speaker that should have no problem complementing a customer's high-end furniture set -- so long as you have enough room to fit it. Each unit measures 68"’x 19"’ x 31" and weighs in at about 364 pounds. Beyond general aesthetics, the cabinet features the company's "Anima Legata" system, "Tuned Mass Dampers," and "Bow suspension" with a "Zero Vibration Transmission" system. Put together, these design features basically all help to minimize unwanted resonance and vibration in the loudspeaker and the surrounding musical environment, helping the Aida to not only create quality sound but also a correct reproduction of silence, which Sonus faber calls "the canvas where music is painted." Meanwhile, when it comes to bass performance, the speaker utilizes the company's patented Stealth Ultraflex system. This tech enables superior bass extension in low frequencies compared to a traditional ported system while also minimizing THD (total harmonic distortion). Under the hood, the updated Aida features a completely new driver system, including a "D.A.D. Arrow Point" H28 XTR-04 tweeter and an M18 XTR-04 midrange enhanced with an avional-gunmetal basket. Together, the tweeter and midrange help to produce the "Voice of Sonus faber," which the company defines as its trademark warm and involving timbre. And to complete the driver array, the system also houses a W22 XTR-12 woofer with all-new Neodymium magnet motors and a SW32 XTR-08 infra-woofer with a Nano Carbon sandwich cone and long-throw 4’" voice-coils powered by a Neodymium magnet motor. Finally, the speaker includes Sound Field Shaper technology with an array of rear-facing drivers. This feature actually allows a user to adjust the depth of the soundstage through control of the speaker's direct/reverberant radiation ratio to suit one's desired preferences for a specific room. Of course, all the above technical jargon is meaningless if it doesn't translate into impressive real-world performance. And with that in mind, we actually got to put all those fancy specs to the test with a half-hour listening session. LISTENING DEMOS To demo the Aida speakers, Sonus faber escorted a small group of journalists and dealers into a cozy listening room located on one of the townhouse's upper levels. Powered by an Audio Research amp, the demonstration featured several CD tracks being played off of an Audio Research CD player. Kicking things off right, we listened to "Walking on the Moon" by the Yuri Honing Trio. The dynamic jazz piece proved to be a great introduction to the Aida's impressive tonal depth, range, and texture. Strumming bass notes carried a pleasing resonance, the moaning saxophone was nice and smooth, and the drum beat remained distinct and clean throughout. The track takes its time building to a robust middle section before gently petering off again, and the speakers really came alive during the vibrant halfway stretch, making it feel as if we were right there with the instruments during the recording session. Introducing vocals to the mix, the next track we demoed was Doug MacLeod's "Black Nights." The speakers produced a full and intimate soundstage marked by a wide sense of height and separation between the instruments and vocals, giving MacLeod's melancholy blues lyrics a spacious atmosphere. As a counterpoint, the next song, "Lester's Methadone Clinic" by Sonia Dada, perked things up considerably, spreading a funky and energetic R&B tune around the room. Filled with lively snaps, claps, gliding piano keys, and warm vocals, the song played through the speakers with a great sense of stereo imaging and overall fidelity, realizing all of the track's many layered tones with a precise yet very cohesive sound. Finally, to close out the demo we listened to "Le Temps Passe" by Michel Jonasz. The French track provided a powerful finale that left us wanting more -- even after its 11-minute runtime. With a steady, slow bass rhythm layered under deep, warm vocals, the song carried an almost haunting and ethereal quality -- all given a lush and natural presence thanks to the Aida's expansive and accurate soundfield. A few particularly deep bass notes pushed the speakers toward some of the lowest frequencies of the demo, creating an intense yet balanced kick. Taken as a whole, the demo session did a good job of conveying the Aida's versatility and rich fidelity, highlighting the speaker's fairly neutral profile. Rather than overly favor either the highs or lows, the speakers offered an engaging mid-range that was able to gradually and smoothly expand to the extremes of both ends, seamlessly transitioning through a wide and dynamic range of frequencies without any harshness, distortion, or exaggerated brightness/booming. Every element of each track was given ample room to breathe, bringing out little details and nuances while maintaining an overall balanced quality that blended distinct instrumentals, vocals, highs, mids, and lows into an impressively cohesive sound. Likewise, the vibration reduction features actually seemed to work quite well, as the speakers were able to render deep low frequencies without any unwanted rattling in the relatively small listening environment. Though the neutral sound didn't always have the punchiness that some might prefer, at their best, the Aidas often had the effect of transporting the listener right into a recording studio or a club, creating a startlingly intimate quality that made it seem like an actual band was only a few feet away. In fact, the level of audio detail was so impressive that I almost didn't recognize some of the demo tracks when I went to listen to them again on my own budget-level headphones and speakers at home. Without the Aida's expansive presentation, they just didn't sound the same. FINAL THOUGHTS With the new updated Aida speakers, Sonus faber has taken everything it's learned about audio design over the last few years and put it to the test, creating a truly premium listening experience with a beautiful external aesthetic. In other words, these things sound just as elegant as they look. Or is it, they look just as elegant as they sound? Either way, the results are genuinely impressive. The new Aida speakers are now available in the US, Europe, and Australia for an MSRP of $130,000 per pair. And while a product that expensive is only going to appeal to a limited selection of wealthy audiophiles, based on my brief demo, those with pockets deep enough to make the investment should get their money's worth. Sure, spending over 100 grand on speakers might seem excessive, but when the results are almost as good as having a live band on call 24/7 in your living room, that cost starts to seem a little more reasonable.Posted Mon Feb 5, 2018 at 06:25 PM PST by: -
Best Buy Set to Stop Selling Music CDs[teaser]The electronics retailer will no longer offer CDs in its stores.[/teaser] According to a report from Billboard, Best Buy has announced plans to stop selling music CDs at its retail locations. In addition, Target is also said to be reevaluating its approach to CD sales. Best Buy will begin removing any remaining CD inventory from its retail stores on July 1. With that said, the company does plan to continue to sell vinyl for the next two years to complement its inventory of turntables. The decision to terminate CD sales likely comes as a result of increased consumer interest in digital music streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music, and declining CD sales in the US. Though global CD sales remain fairly strong, the CD market was down 18.5% in the US last year and Billboard's sources indicate that CD sales only make about $40 million annually for Best Buy. Apparently those numbers just aren't enough to justify the price of stock and the shelf space needed to keep CDs in stores. Meanwhile, though they don't plan to completely pull CDs from shelves just yet, Target is also set to alter its approach to CD sales. The company has told music manufacturers that it wants to sell CDs on a consignment basis through scan-based trading. As of now, Target pays for any CDs the store is sent within 60 days. In addition, the store must pay to ship back any unsold CDs for credit. Under the proposed new system, however, Target would only have to pay for CDs after they have been scanned at the register and sold to customers, placing all of the risk on the music suppliers. The retailer is also pressuring movie studios to use the same system for DVD sales, and the music industry is reportedly waiting to see if DVD suppliers comply before agreeing to Target's new method. A deadline is set for April or May of this year, and if an agreement is not met, Target could be the next to pull CDs completely from its stores. Source: BillboardPosted Mon Feb 5, 2018 at 08:30 AM PST by: -
BenQ Details CineHome HT2050A 1080p Projector[teaser]A new Full HD projector has been revealed.[/teaser] BenQ has announced its latest CineHome Series projector. The new Full HD HT2050A serves as a successor to the award-winning HT2050. "Just because a space is small doesn't mean viewers should lose any part of the cinematic experience," said Jeffrey Hsieh, business manager at BenQ America Corp. "The BenQ CineHome HT2050A was engineered to provide a big-screen experience in small to medium media spaces for movie enthusiasts. From a captivating picture to immersive audio, video game modes, and installation flexibility, the HT2050A is a great choice for any home theater or entertainment room." The HT2050A offers support for full HD 1080p resolution. In addition, the device uses a 6X speed RGBRGB color wheel to achieve >96% Rec. 709 color gamut coverage. Likewise, the unit features BenQ's CinematicColor technology to deliver more refined color reproduction. A 10W CinemaMaster Audio+ 2 speaker is integrated as well, along with two digital HDMI ports (HDMIx1, HDMI/MHLx1) for connecting external devices like a Google Chromecast, Roku or Amazon FireTV. In addition, the HDMI/MHL port also allows users to stream full HD content from any MHL-enabled smartphone or tablet. 3D playback support is also offered and the projector offers a low 16.67ms input lag and a special Game Mod. Here's a full rundown of key specs and features per BenQ: - New 10W stereo speakers with BenQ CinemaMaster Audio+ 2 - Short-Throw Projection (100''@8.2ft) - Vertical lens shift with 1.3X big zoom for easy installation - Advanced Game Mode and low input lag for ultra-smooth gaming BenQ's HT2050A is available now for an MSRP of $749. Source: BenQPosted Mon Feb 5, 2018 at 07:30 AM PST by:
