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'Daddy's Home 2' Announced and Detailed for Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray[teaser]The comedy sequel starring Mark Walberg and Will Ferrell heads to both formats in February. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Paramount says 'Daddy's Home 2' will be available on Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray on February 20. When it comes to raising their kids, Dusty (Mark Wahlberg) and Brad (Will Ferrell) finally have this co-parenting thing down. That is, until Dusty's macho dad (Mel Gibson) and Brad's sweet-natured father (John Lithgow) come to town, throwing the whole family into complete chaos. As old rivalries create new problems, Dusty and Brad's partnership is put to the ultimate test in this hilarious and heartwarming comedy that gives new meaning to the term 'blended family'. Each release will feature a Dolby Atmos soundtrack and supplements include: Making a SequelLook Who's BackCo-Dads: Will & MarkThe New Dads in Town: Mel & JohnCaptain SullyDeleted/Extended/Alternate ScenesGag Reel You can find the latest specs for Daddy's Home 2 linked from our Blu-ray and 4K Release Schedules, where it is indexed under February 20. Order the Blu-ray Order the 4K Blu-rayPosted Fri Jan 5, 2018 at 07:02 AM PST by: -
LG Unveils Compact 4K UHD Projector with HDR Support[teaser]The new projector will make its debut at CES 2018.[/teaser] LG has announced its first 4K UHD projector model. The upcoming HU80K has already earned a CES 2018 Best of Innovation award, and will be on hand at the show next week. "LG's first-ever 4K UHD projector represents the pinnacle of innovation in the portable entertainment market," said Tim Alessi, head of product marketing at LG Electronics USA. "Offering superb brightness coupled with a design that offers true versatility, the new HU80KA will lead the way in changing how consumers enjoy 4K content in their home and on the go." The new compact projector was designed with quality 4K performance and portability in mind, allowing users to bring their UHD entertainment to any room in the house. The device can project a 150-inch image with 2,500 lumens of brightness and uses a mirrorless I-shaped engine. This helps to enable the projector's compact form factor and upright design, allowing the unit to display images whether it's placed on the floor, wall-mounted, or hanging from the ceiling. In addition, the HU80K also supports high dynamic range content using the HDR10 format. Two 7W speakers are included as well, but users can opt to connect external speakers or a sound bar through the projector's optical output, HDMI port, or Bluetooth wireless instead. Meanwhile, LG has also integrated its webOS 3.5 smart TV interface, offering access to several streaming services. Installation has been made flexible as well thanks to the projector's carrying handle and Auto Cord feature. Exact pricing and availability for the HU80K 4K UHD projector have not been annouced yet, but the device will be demoed at the company's booth during CES 2018 in Las Vegas from January 9-12. And beyond the new 4K model, LG will also be showing off its latest Full HD MiniBeam Projector (model PF50K) with webOS 3.5. Source: LGPosted Thu Jan 4, 2018 at 06:30 PM PST by: -
Samsung Details New QLED Curved Monitor with Thunderbolt 3 Support[teaser]The upcoming display will be the first curved monitor to include Thunderbolt 3 connectivity.[/teaser] Samsung has revealed its latest QLED curved monitor. The 34-inch CJ791 will offer Thunderbolt 3 support and is set to make its debut at CES 2018 in Las Vegas next week. "As the pioneer of the curved monitor industry, Samsung continues to seek new ways to refine our displays and exceed consumers' expectations on heightened performance and presentation," said Seog-gi Kim, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. "The CJ791 aligns Thunderbolt 3 connectivity with our best-in-class curvature and QLED picture quality to captivate and engage users, while also promoting improved organization and productivity. We are thrilled to demonstrate the full capabilities of our innovative new display to CES 2018 attendees.” The CJ791 features a 34-inch QLED LCD panel with an ultra-wide 21:9 aspect ratio, a 1,500R curvature, a 178-degree viewing angle, and a QHD resolution of 3440×1440. In addition, the display offers support for 125 percent of the sRGB color spectrum. Likewise, the monitor is the first curved model to include Thunderbolt 3 which supports processing speeds of up to 40 Gigabits per second (Gbps) for connectivity across an array of docks, displays, and peripherals like Macs, USB type-C laptops, storage drives, and external graphics cards. Up to 85 watts (W) of laptop charging power can also be enabled via the Thunderbolt 3 connection. Finally, the screen also offers a few features geared toward gamers, including a four milliseconds (ms) response time, and a Game Mode with a dynamic gamma setting. Pricing and availability for the Samsung CJ791 have not been announced yet, but the monitor will be on hand at the company's booth at CES 2018 in Las Vegas from January 9-12. Source: SamsungPosted Thu Jan 4, 2018 at 05:00 PM PST by: -
Optoma Announces New High Brightness ProAV Projectors[teaser]Two new projectors designed for professional and commercial use have been revealed.[/teaser] Optoma has detailed the latest additions to its ProScene projector lineup. The new WU615T and EH615T are both geared toward corporate and house of worship use. "As the brightest, most affordable WUXGA and 1080p fixed lens projectors in the market, the Optoma ProScene WU615T and EH615T are packed with cutting-edge DLP imaging technology along with installation features that make them an ideal choice for corporate and house of worship environments," said Brian Soto, head of product management, Optoma Technology. "With this new line of innovative ProScene projectors we're offering a new level of flexibility and choice for ProAV environments." The ProScene WU615T features a WUXGA resolution of 1920 x 1200 with 6,500 ANSI lumens of brightness. Meanwhile, the ProScene EH615T features a full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 with 6,200 ANSI lumens of brightness. Both models offer a 1.8x zoom, 360-degree and portrait mode operation, four corner geometric correction, vertical and horizontal lens shifts, and keystone correction. Two HDMI ports, HDBaseT, and built-in MHL connectivity are included as well. Finally, both units incorporate an Eco+ lamp power management mode for improved energy efficiency. Here's a rundown of additional specs and features per Optoma: - Contrast Ratio: 10,000:1 - Displayable Colors: 1.07 Billion - Throw Ratio: 1.2 – 2.16:1 - Optical Zoom: 1.8x - Audio: Two 10W speakers The Optoma ProScene WU615T (ESP $2,999) and the Optoma ProScene EH615T (ESP $2,799) are now available from authorized dealers. And beyond the new projector models, Optoma has also announced two new ProScene projector lenses: the BX-CTADOME dedicated dome projection lens (ESP $6,999) and the BX-CTA16 ultra-short throw projection lens (ESP $7,999). Both lenses are compatible with the ZU850, and the BX-CTADOME is also compatible with the ZU650+. Source: OptomaPosted Thu Jan 4, 2018 at 03:00 PM PST by: -
Select DTS Play-Fi Wireless Speakers Add "Works with Amazon Alexa" Support[teaser]Three wireless speakers with DTS Play-Fi now offer "Works with Amazon Alexa" capabilities.[/teaser] DTS has announced the arrival of "Works with Amazon Alexa" support for several DTS Play-Fi enabled speakers. The initial lineup includes the Phorus PS10 wireless speaker (MSRP $249), the Onkyo Smart Speaker P3, and Pioneer Elite Smart Speaker F4 (MSRP $200). In addition, the feature is set to be added to other DTS Play-Fi devices like the Klipsch Stream wireless multi-room audio lineup, and products from McIntosh Laboratories, MartinLogan, and THIEL Audio by the end of Q1 2018. "We continue to expand our range of Alexa voice control solutions available to licensees, making DTS Play-Fi the first open wireless multi-room audio platform to offer both integrated Alexa Voice Services (AVS) and Works with Amazon Alexa," said Dannie Lau, general manager, DTS Play-Fi, at Xperi. "We look forward to continuing to forge a strong relationship with Amazon, the most widely recognized and adopted voice service on the market." Owners of the Phorus PS10, Onkyo P3, or Pioneer F4 can now enable the new feature through the "Works with Amazon Alexa" over-the-air firmware update. Once enabled, the upgrade will allow users to control audio playback on their speaker from another room via voice commands through an Amazon Echo, Amazon Dot, or Amazon Show. In addition, all three models also feature their own integrated far-field microphone systems in order to support the Alexa Voice Service. Meanwhile, the speakers incorporate DTS Play-Fit tech as well, enabling customers to wirelessly play high quality lossless music from smartphones and tablets over an existing Wi-Fi network throughout the home. The tech can synchronize playback of a single source to multiple speakers; can stream different sources to different speakers simultaneously from the same mobile device; and can support individual music streams to separate speakers from different devices at the same time. Likewise, Play-Fi is not brand exclusive. This means that Play-Fi audio products from different manufacturers can actually work together seamlessly. "We're thrilled to offer the Pioneer Elite Smart Speaker F4 and Onkyo Smart Speaker P3 as the first speakers in the DTS Play-Fi ecosystem that can be controlled via Amazon Alexa," Nobuaki Okuda, director and CTO, Onkyo Corporation and president, Onkyo and Pioneer Technology Corporation. "With this update, consumers can not only control their whole-home music system using their voice with our speakers, but using a third party voice control product as well." Source: DTSPosted Thu Jan 4, 2018 at 12:50 PM PST by: -
Everything You Need to Know About the Insidious Universe Before Watching The Last Key***SPOILER WARNING about the first three Insidious films*** This weekend will see horror-hounds flock to screens for a fourth installment in the Insidious franchise. However, the series of sequels and prequels can be a bit complicated due to creators James Wan and Leigh Whannell course-correcting the franchise after they killed the first movie's best character, the haunted and troubled parapsychologist Elise Rainier (played wonderfully by Lin Shaye). But no worries, we've got you covered. [Teaser] Here's everything you need to know about the Insidious universe -- and a recap of the first three entries -- before you watch The Last Key [/Teaser]where Elise rediscovers her gifts and embraces them while investigating a haunting in her childhood home. Insidious The first movie in the franchise starts with the familiar template of a happy suburban couple, Josh (Patrick Wilson) and Renai (Rose Byrne), moving into their new home. But this idyllic portrait of suburbia rips at the seams when they experience unusual disturbances, creepy noises, disturbing figures loitering about the house and their son Dalton (Ty Simpkins) suddenly falling into a coma, which is actually code for being trapped in the ghostly world known as The Further. With her bickering assistants (Leigh Whannell and Angus Sampson), demonologists Elise Reiner (Lin Shaye) travels into this creepy plane of existence to save Dalton from the Red-Faced Demon, a creature Elise knows from her past, adding some mystery to the character. Unfortunately, the story ends in a tragic twist when the terrifying ghost The Bride in Black crosses over and possesses Josh, and in return, thanks Elise by killing her. Insidious: Chapter 2 Creators James Wan and Leigh Whannell return for more hair-raising scares, picking up just minutes after the first movie with police asking questions about Elise's death. And with Josh (Wilson) now possessed by the Bride in Black, Renai (Byrne) is alone to deal with a self-playing piano and Josh's mom (Barbara Hershey) suffers the toying of a woman in a white dress haunting the halls. Meanwhile, the real Josh is trapped wandering the eerily atmospheric The Further, and Elise's goofy assistants now work with her former colleague Carl (Steve Coulter) in an effort to make contact with him. However, the only person capable of saving Josh is Elise, who makes an expected return to the series, and tells her friends to investigate the Bride in Black's background, discovering she was once a crazed serial killer. At the same time, the possessed Josh becomes a growing threat to the Lambert family, so it falls on Dalton to guide his father back to the real world while Elise plays paranormal investigator once again with her trusty goofy assistants. Insidious: Chapter 3 In Chapter 3, Wan decides to work in the background as producer while handing directorial duties to his long-time collaborator Whannell, who made his debut as director. Whannell, who also wrote the script, refocuses our attention on Lin Shaye's Elise, taking the franchise back a few years before the first movie when she was in hiding, scared of using her gifts. But when the young Quinn (Stefanie Scott), still mourning the loss of her mother, begs for help with sad, doe-eye pleas, Elise begins to reconsider. Feeling defeated by the experience and now recovering from an accident that broke both legs, Quinn begins suffering strange noises and sinister visions of the creepy Man Who Can't Breathe, and her spirit is eventually kidnapped by the twisted, sinister ghost. With the help of her desperate father Sean (Dermot Mulroney) and a pair of goofy paranormal investigators, Elise comes out of retirement to save the girl. And it ends with our demonologist heroine encountering the Red-Faced Demon for the first time. And there you have it! The three movies leading up to the latest installment in the Insidious franchise: The Last Key. It's a fun ride through the ghostly world of The Further with many hair-raising, spine-chilling moments, but at least, we have the experienced guidance of Lin Shaye's Elise to protect audiences from those dark, malevolent spirits and sinister demons. Be sure to check out Philip Brown's thoughts on the movie HERE.Posted Thu Jan 4, 2018 at 12:31 PM PST by: -
Warner Bros. Names New President for DC Films[teaser]A new president has been appointed to manage the development of DC Comics-based movies.[/teaser] According to a report from The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. has found a new President for its DC Films division. Walter Hamada has been tapped for the job, placing him in charge of overseeing the studio's development of DC Comics-based movies. Hamada previously worked as an executive for Warner's New Line division, where he helped bring It and The Conjuring franchise to the big screen. Hamada will be stepping in for Jon Berg who left his role as the head of DC Films in December. The promotion is said to be in part based on Hamada's recent work on Shazam!, the only upcoming DC film that falls under the New Line banner, which apparently impressed Toby Emmerich, the president and chief content officer of Warner Bros. In a statement to the Hollywood Reporter, Emmerich said, "Walter is creative, resourceful, and committed to excellence, and will bring those qualities to his oversight of our superhero films. He's a terrific production executive and served as an executive producer on two of the summer's most popular films, New Line's It and Annabelle: Creation. I'm confident Walter and Geoff, working with our filmmaking partners, will deliver films that will resonate with both broad global audiences as well as DC fanboys and fangirls. Walter's a great addition to the Warner Bros. Pictures team, and I look forward to working with him in his new post." The first DC film set to open following Hamada's promotion is James Wan's Aquaman which is due to hit theaters on December 21, 2018. Other upcoming DC movies in various stages of development include Shazam!, The Flash, Suicide Squad 2, Wonder Woman 2, The Batman, Cyborg, Batgirl, Black Adam, Green Lantern Corps, and Justice League Dark -- though that potential lineup will likely evolve as Hamada takes the reins. Source: The Hollywood ReporterPosted Thu Jan 4, 2018 at 11:45 AM PST by: -
'Lady and the Tramp: The Signature Collection' Blu-ray Announced and Detailed[teaser]The sixth film to join the Walt Disney Signature Collection arrives on Blu-ray this February. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Disney/Buena Vista says 'Lady and the Tramp: The Signature Collection' is coming to Blu-ray on February 27. Generations of fans have fallen in love with Disney's 15th animated masterpiece -- an irresistible song-filled adventure about Lady, a lovingly pampered cocker spaniel, and Tramp, a roguish mutt from across the tracks. When Aunt Sarah moves in with her devious felines Si and Am to baby-sit, the very protective Lady soon finds herself being fitted for the unthinkable -- a muzzle! In her bid for freedom, she meets and is charmed by Tramp, dog-about-town. Together with friends Jock, Trusty, and Peg, they share thrilling adventures on an enchanting evening as Lady learns what it means to be footloose and leash-free. The Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy combo pack will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 soundtrack, and there will be three film modes: Original Theatrical Edition – Enjoy this cherished Disney classic that captivates audiences of all ages.Sing-Along Mode – Sing along with all your favorite songs as you watch the movie.Inside Walt’s Story Meetings – As you view the film, hear reenactments of Walt’s story sessions with animators and see how their ideas were realized on-screen. Supplements include: SongsDeleted Scenes Trailers Diane Disney Miller: Remembering Dad – Walt’s daughter shares memories of her father and Disneyland’s early days, as well as a look at his apartment above the firehouse. Never-Recorded Song - “I’m Free as the Breeze” – Take a listen to a song originally meant to be sung by Tramp. Walt & His Dogs – Through archival recordings and photos, hear the tales of the dogs Walt Disney owned and loved over his lifetime. (NEW) Stories from Walt’s Office – Take a tour of Walt’s office suite on the Studio lot, carefully re-created to look just as it did when he occupied it. (NEW) How to Make a Meatball and Other Fun Facts About “Lady and The Tramp” – Watch a delicious lesson on how to make perfect meatballs with teen chef Amber Kelley and Oh My Disney Show Host Alexys Gabrielle. (NEW) You can find the latest specs for 'Lady and the Tramp: The Signature Collection' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under February 27.Posted Thu Jan 4, 2018 at 10:50 AM PST by: -
Amazon Extends 3 for $50 Deal on Select 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays[teaser]The promotion currently includes a selection of 50 titles.[/teaser] Amazon has extended its limited time promotion on select 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays. Though the initial deal was set to last until November 30, 2017, the new deal will be live until April 30, 2018. As part of the promotion, customers can purchase any three featured 4K titles for a total of $50, which equates to a price of about $16.66 each. The selection currently includes about 50 eligible titles with current individual price tags as high as $32. With that said, some of the featured discs are already listed for individual prices below $16.66, so customers might have to mix and match some items with higher priced titles to make the most out of the deal. Some popular Ultra HD Blu-ray discs eligible for the promotion include titles like: Order the 4K Blu-ray Order the 4K Blu-ray Order the 4K Blu-ray Order the 4K Blu-ray Order the 4K Blu-ray And be sure to click here for a full list of featured movies. The 3 for $50 Ultra HD Blu-ray disc deal will only be active until April 30 while supplies last. Make sure to stay tuned to High-Def Digest for more sales and special promotions!Posted Wed Jan 3, 2018 at 02:25 PM PST by: -
Hisense Preps Amazon Alexa Support for Select 2018 4K Ultra HD TVs[teaser]Alexa voice support will be included on some 2018 4K TVs.[/teaser] Hisense has announced plans to integrate Amazon Alexa capabilities into select display models in its 2018 4K Ultra HD TV lineup. Though a full list of supported sets has not been announced yet, the collection will include Hisense's 100" 4K Ultra HD Smart Laser TV. "We are thrilled to bring Alexa voice technology to our Smart TVs," said Mark Viken, Hisense USA Vice President of Marketing. "While content providers and other TV manufacturers tend to focus on quantity of content, Hisense recognizes that the future is all about simplicity, making it easy for consumers to find and watch their favorite content, play music, control their smart home and more." With Alexa support for Hisense smart TVs, customers will be able to take advantage of voice control features, enabling them to use Alex voice commands for certain primary functions. Likewise, Alexa is compatible with music services like iHeartRadio and Pandora, along with thousands of Alexa skills offering options for shopping, ordering food, and more. In addition, Alexa can also connect to other smart home products, allowing customers to control compatible lights and other IoT devices and appliances. "We're excited that Hisense is bringing Alexa to televisions," said Steve Rabuchin, Vice President, Amazon Alexa. "Hisense has a history of building Alexa integrations for smart home products. Now, with Alexa on select Hisense Smart TVs, they're bringing Alexa directly to customers' living rooms. This means customers can do things like turn the volume up, control their smart home, get a movie recommendation or even order dinner on select models – with just their voice." Full details on Hisense's 2018 4K Ultra HD TV lineup will be announced at CES 2018 which is being held in Las Vegas on January 9-12. Source: HisensePosted Wed Jan 3, 2018 at 10:00 AM PST by:
