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'Game of Thrones: The Complete Fifth Season' Blu-ray Up for Pre-Order[teaser]The fifth season of the acclaimed fantasy series is up for Blu-ray preorders at Amazon. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, HBO will be releasing 'Game of Thrones: The Complete Fifth Season' on Blu-ray on March 15. Season Five of the hit HBO series stars Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister), Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister), Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen), Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister), Kit Harington (Jon Snow), Maisie Williams (Arya Stark), Aidan Gillen (Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish), Iain Glen (Jorah Mormont), Isaac Hempstead Wright (Bran Stark), Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark), Jack Gleeson (Joffrey Baratheon), Alfie Allen (Theon Greyjoy), Rory McCann (Sandor "The Hound" Clegane), Charles Dance (Tywin Lannister), Jerome Flynn (Bronn), Conleth Hill (Varys), John Bradley (Samwell Tarly), Gwendoline Christie (Brienne of Tarth), Stephen Dillane (Stannis Baratheon), Carice van Houten (Melisandre), Liam Cunningham (Davos Seaworth), Natalie Dormer (Margaery Tyrell), Ciarán Hinds (Mance Rayder), Michael McElhatton (Roose Bolton) and Iwan Rheon (Ramsay Snow). The 4-disc set will feature 1080p video, lossless 5.1 audio, and supplements include: Audio Commentaries – Twelve audio commentaries with cast and crew including David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, Kit Harington, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Iain Glen, Maisie Williams, Natalie Dormer, Gwendoline Christie and more; Anatomy of an Episode: Mother's Mercy – Details about the creation of "Mother's Mercy," from the writing table all the way through to visual effects; The Real History Behind Game of Thrones – In a two-part series, historians and George R.R. Martin discuss the era known as "The Wars of the Roses" and other historical events that served as inspiration for his novels; Deleted Scenes – 4 deleted scenes; A Day in the Life – Inside look at the production process of Season 5; and New Characters/New Locations – Explore the new societies, cultures and locations from Season 5. Blu-ray exclusives include: The Dance of Dragons – An in-depth look at the story behind the Targaryen civil war; In-Episode Guide – Provides background information about on-screen characters, locations, and relevant histories; and Histories and Lore – Explore the mythology of Westeros and Essos from character perspectives in 14 history pieces with feature illustrations. You can find the latest specs for 'Game of Thrones: The Complete Fifth Season' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under March 15. Order the Blu-rayPosted Thu Oct 8, 2015 at 01:30 PM PDT by: -
Netflix Raises Standard Streaming Plan Price to $10 Per Month for New Customers[teaser]The company has raised the price for its standard streaming plan. [/teaser] As reported by Bloomberg, Netflix has increased the price of its standard streaming plan by $1 per month. The standard plan was previously set at $9 per month but has now been raised to $10 per month. The company last raised its standard plan prices back in May 2014. Current customers who subscribed under the previous $9 per month fee will get to maintain their original pricing for one year. According to Netflix, the price increase is being made to help obtain more content and produce more original shows. The standard streaming plan offers HD playback for two screens. Meanwhile, the company's basic SD streaming plan remains set at $8 per month, and the premium Ultra HD streaming plan remains set at $12 per month. Netflix is currently available on a variety of smart TVs and media players, including the Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, Roku 3, Apple TV and Chromecast. The company also recently announced support for Virtual Reality headsets. Sources: Bloomberg, Engadget, NetflixPosted Thu Oct 8, 2015 at 12:45 PM PDT by: -
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Roku Adds HBO NOW to Streaming Channel Lineup[teaser]HBO's standalone streaming service is now available on Roku products. [/teaser] Roku has announced the addition of HBO NOW to its channel lineup. The premium streaming service initially launched exclusively on Apple devices. HBO NOW allows users to watch every episode of every season of HBO’s original programming, hit movies, documentaries, sports and exclusive comedy specials separate from a traditional cable or satellite subscription. The service offers more than 2,000 popular series and movies, including 'Game of Thrones,' 'True Detective,' 'Silicon Valley,' 'Girls,' 'Veep,' 'The Wire,' 'Divergent,' 'X-MEN: Days of Future Past,' 'Neighbors,' and 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.' Customers who own a Roku player or Roku TV can download HBO NOW from the channel store. An HBO Now subscription currently costs $15 per month and new users will receive a 30-day free trial offer. Source: RokuPosted Thu Oct 8, 2015 at 12:15 PM PDT by: -
LG Cuts OLED Ultra HD TV Prices by up to 45%, 4K Models Now as Low as $2,999 & HD Models Now as Low as $1,799![teaser]The company is offering big discounts on its OLED displays. [/teaser] LG has announced an aggressive price cut for its OLED TV lineup. In an effort to bring the technology to the mainstream market, the manufacturer is enacting a 30 - 45% price reduction for its flat EF9500 series and curved EG9600 series 4K Ultra HD OLED TVs. In addition, the company is also releasing the new 55EG9100 1080p curved-screen OLED for just $1,999! "OLED TV is not just a new TV — it's an entirely new category of television that delivers what experts and consumers alike are hailing as the best picture ever, a clear indication that OLED is here to stay," said William Cho, President and CEO, LG Electronics USA. "LG is the first and only manufacturer to deliver OLED TV to U.S. consumers, and our vision is to make this revolutionary technology more attainable by more consumers at prices comparable to many LED TV models on the market." OLED technology offers superior contrast, black levels, uniformity, and viewing angles over traditional LCD panels. Though the tech was once notorious for its high costs and low yield rates, LG has now made significant stride in manufacturing efficiency, allowing them to now price their sets comparably to many of today’s premium LCD/LED TVs. Here's a rundown of the current LG OLED pricing, including instant rebates which will remain in effect for the rest of the year: EF9500 Series: Flat OLED 4K Ultra HD TVs with HDR (Streaming & External) · 55-inch class 55EF9500 (New net price – $2,999) - Price move from $5,499 to $3,999, and a $1,000 instant rebate. · 65-inch class 65EF9500 (New net price – $4,999) - Price move from $6,999 to $5,999, and a $1,000 instant rebate. EG9600: Art Slim Curved OLED 4K TVs with HDR (Streaming) · 55-inch class 55EG9600 (New net price – $2,999) - Price move from $5,499 to $3,999 and a $1000 instant rebate. · 65-inch class 65EG9600 (New net price – $4,999) - Price move from $6,999 to $5,999 and a $1000 instant rebate. 55EG9100: Full HD Curved OLED TV · New 55-inch class 55EG9100 (Net price – $1,999) - Priced at $2,499, with an instant rebate of $500, starting week of Oct. 18. 55EC9300: Full HD Curved OLED TV · Current 55-inch class 55EC9300 is now available at the record-low price of $1,799 while supplies last. Source: LGPosted Thu Oct 8, 2015 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
The Truth is Out There: 'The X-Files: The Complete Series' Bound for Blu-ray![teaser]All nine original seasons will hit Blu-ray before the new episodes arrive on TV next year! [/teaser] According to FoxConnect, 20th Century Fox will be releasing 'The X-Files: The Complete Series' to Blu-ray, and the release will hit stores on December 8. The truth is out there…and now it can be found in its entirety when Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment exposes the complete world of “The X-Files” on Blu-ray for the first time – just ahead of the event series premiere Sunday, January 24, 2016. “THE X-FILES” THE COLLECTOR’S SET – featuring a slot for the upcoming six-episode event series – releases on December 8, giving fans the chance to own a piece of television history and one of the year’s must-have giftset collections. Fans can also purchase each season individually on Blu-ray on December 8. Now for the first time, all nine exhilarating, groundbreaking seasons of The X-Files, along with special features, can be yours to own on Blu-ray! Although they began as reluctant partners, FBI special agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully (Golden Globe winners David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson) ultimately form a powerful bond as they struggle to unravel deadly conspiracies and solve paranormal mysteries. (The set contains full seasons 1 - 9). “THE X-FILES” THE COLLECTOR’S SET features more than 23 hours of content across all nine seasons – perfect for catching up on the series before the new event series airs. Relive all the mythology, conspiracy theories with special features, including behind-the-scenes featurettes, and commentaries by executive producer Chris Carter (“Millennium,” “Harsh Realm”), R.W. Goodwin, Rob Bowman, Kim Manners, Frank Spotnitz, Robert Patrick and Rod Hardy. Fans can pre-order the collection and individual seasons at www.x-filesblu-ray.com. Since its inception in 1993, “The X-Files” has remained a worldwide phenomenon, garnering a loyal cult following, 16 Emmys® and five Golden Globes® Awards, including “Best Dramatic TV Series” during its nine-season run. THE X-FILES debuts with a special two-night event beginning Sunday, Jan. 24, 2016 (10:00-11:00 PM ET/7:00-8:00 PM PT), following the NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, and continuing with its time period premiere on Monday, Jan. 25 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). The upcoming event series will encompass a mixture of stand-alone episodes and those that further the original show's seminal mythology. In the opening episode, Mulder and Scully take on a case of a possible alien abductee. The all-new episodes will feature appearances by guest stars, including Joel McHale ("Community"), Robbie Amell ("The Flash"), Lauren Ambrose ("Dig," "Six Feet Under"), Annabeth Gish ("The Bridge"), Annet Mahendru ("The Americans"), Rhys Darby ("Flight of the Conchords"), Kumail Nanjiani ("Silicon Valley") and William B. Davis, who reprises his role as "Cigarette Smoking Man." Three of the episodes are written and directed by Chris Carter, with the remaining new episodes written and directed by original series veterans Glen Morgan, Darin Morgan and James Wong. You can find the latest specs for 'The X-Files: The Complete Series' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under December 8.Posted Thu Oct 8, 2015 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
Those Crazy 'Minions' Are Planning Their Big Return to Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D![teaser]The animated comedy will arrive on both formats in December. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Universal will be releasing 'Minions' on Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D on December 8. The story of Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment's Minions begins at the dawn of time. Starting as single-celled yellow organisms, Minions evolve through the ages, perpetually serving the most despicable of masters. Continuously unsuccessful at keeping these masters—from T. rex to Napoleon—the Minions find themselves without someone to serve and fall into a deep depression. But one Minion named Kevin has a plan, and he—alongside teenage rebel Stuart and lovable little Bob—ventures out into the world to find a new evil boss for his brethren to follow. The trio embark upon a thrilling journey that ultimately leads them to their next potential master, Scarlet Overkill (Academy Award-winner Sandra Bullock), the world's first-ever female super-villain. They travel from frigid Antarctica to 1960s New York City, ending in 'mod' London, where they must face their biggest challenge to date: saving all of Minionkind...from annihilation. The releases will feature 1080p video, Dolby Atmos audio, and supplements include: Three All New Original Mini-movies; Deleted Scene – Me, Myself And Stuart; Around The World Interactive Map; Behind The Goggles – The Illumination Story Of The Minions – Get a "behind the googles" look at the history and evolution of everyone's favorite yellow henchmen; Illumination Macguff Animation; Lighting, Layout and Effects - A look at the ways in which layout and lighting plays a big role in the emotion and motivation in the movie. Also see the ways in which they try to keep the 60's vintage look and the challenges they face with very technical shots, where one shot can take weeks; Jingle Bells Minion Style - This holiday favorite is brought to life in a merry-Minion way. Now you get to sing along to the beloved video that was the most shared piece of content on Facebook in 2014; and The Secret Life of Pets Theatrical Trailer. You can find the latest specs for 'Minions' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under December 8. Order the 2D Blu-ray Order the 3D Blu-rayPosted Thu Oct 8, 2015 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
Robert Gordon and Morgan Neville's 'Best of Enemies' Bound for Blu-ray[teaser]The documentary will hit Blu-ray in November. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Magnolia will be releasing 'Best of Enemies' on Blu-ray on November 3. In the summer of 1968 television news changed forever. Dead last in the ratings, ABC hired two towering public intellectuals to debate each other during the Democratic and Republican national conventions. William F. Buckley Jr. was a leading light of the new conservative movement. A Democrat and cousin to Jackie Onassis, Gore Vidal was a leftist novelist and polemicist. Armed with deep-seated distrust and enmity, Vidal and Buckley believed each other's political ideologies were dangerous for America. Like rounds in a heavyweight battle, they pummeled out policy and personal insult—their explosive exchanges devolving into vitriolic name-calling. Live and unscripted, they kept viewers riveted. Ratings for ABC News skyrocketed. And a new era in public discourse was born. Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but suggested list price is $29.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Best of Enemies' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under November 3. Order the Blu-rayPosted Thu Oct 8, 2015 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
Everything We Know About Ultra HD Blu-rayAudio-visual entertainment is evolving at a mind-boggling pace. DVD. Blu-ray. Streaming. Downloads. Full HD. Ultra HD. MP3. FLAC. Dolby Atmos. DTS:X. 3D. LED. OLED. Laser Projection. Some bemoan the death of physical media and movie theaters -- the next generation only watches content on phones! -- while Blu-ray / DVD sales generate over $6 Billion dollars annually, vinyl record sales explode, and theatre chains expand premium auditoriums with large format screens, leather recliners, and seat-side food service. What does that mean for us? Burger King, baby. We can have it our way. Hate going to the movies because of other people? No problem, build a home cinema. Have no room for physical media? No worries, welcome to VUDU and iTunes. Tired of paying for cable TV channels you never watch? No sweat, here's a Roku or Apple TV. The home entertainment universe is ours to build as we see it. However, no matter how fast your internet is, broadcast and streaming have never surpassed the overall quality and data rates offered by Blu-ray (especially on the surround sound front). And Blu-ray's about to get a lot better. Dubbed Ultra HD Blu-ray, this next generation optical disc format is currently in the licensing and early-product development phase of its roll out. What is Ultra HD Blu-ray exactly? How will it compare to 4K streaming and the original Blu-ray? [teaser]We have a lot of questions, which is why we were excited to join an online roundtable with the Blu-ray Disc Association hosted by BDA board members Benn Carr, from DTS, and Ron Martin, from Panasonic Hollywood Lab. [/teaser] Ben and Ron weren't able to comment on specific content or hardware, as those things are out of the BDA's control, but we learned a great deal. Hopefully this article will serve as a guide for anyone wondering what the heck the next evolution of Blu-ray will be like. Let's begin. VIDEO UHD Blu-ray video will be encoded in HEVC H.265 at up to 100Mbps (compared to 5-15Mbps for streaming). It supports up to the Ultra HD 3840 x 2160 resolution as well as Full HD 1920 x 1080 at 24p, 25p, 30p, and 60p. Meaning, much like Blu-ray, UHD Blu-ray is a container with support for resolutions lower than maximum capability, but still offers features impossible on Blu-ray Disc -- ie, one could release 1080p (High Frame Rate) content if one so chooses. Content resolution identification will continue on the back of disc packaging. Many home theatre enthusiasts question the visual benefits of "4K", which is why the BDA is quick to point out that Ultra HD Blu-ray is much more than a resolution bump. It also offers 10-bit SMPTE 2084 HDR (High Dynamic Range), 4.2.0 chroma sub-sampling, and an expanded color gamut. Current Blu-ray discs are 8-bit and limited to the BT.709 color space. Ultra HD Blu-rays can still be graded in BT.709, but now add P3 (the theatrical color space) and BT.2020 (also called Rec.2020) capabilities. In other words, while Blu-ray is unable to accurately reproduce "firetruck red" or "highway sign green" and uses as much as 95% of its signal to produce bright white (in BT.709), Ultra HD Blu-ray will show you more true and life-like colors than ever before while setting the color white at a 50% level, leaving much more headroom to reproduce highlights and spectrals (think explosions and fireworks). Dolby Vision and other HDR formats are possible on top of SMPTE 2084, but not required. Those technologies will also be tied into specific displays, something the BDA does not control. We can also officially confirm that Ultra HD Blu-ray does not support 3D -- Ultra HD Blu-ray discs are 2D-only. However, hardware manufactures remain free to build Ultra HD Blu-ray players also capable of supporting current generation Blu-ray 3D (stereo 1080p for both eyes). Perahps this isn't that big of a deal in the sense that current gen Ultra HD displays aleady drop down to 1080p for 3D anyways (ie, we're not sure if this comments directly on 3D's viability, or if its simply a technological hurdle). Lastly, all Ultra HD Blu-rays are equipped with HDCP 2.2, so keep that in mind in regards to your AV Receiver and display -- all of your other gear will also need to be HDCP 2.2 compliant or the signal won't pass through. AUDIO Unlike the video, which has seen a resolution bump while adding 10-bit HDR and wider color gamuts, Ultra HD Blu-ray audio specifications remain unchanged from the Blu-ray format. Meaning, all Ultra HD Blu-ray players must decode both Dolby and DTS codecs to stereo, as well as be able to bitstream them out to external decoders via HDMI. This means Ultra HD Blu-ray remains fully compatible with lossless codes like Dolby Atmos/True HD and DTS:X/HD-MA as well as 8-channel LPCM. Auro3D remains a bit of a question mark; it is not part of the UHD BD specifications, but may be possible via an LPCM encode. COPY & EXPORT Initially named Digital Bridge, Copy & Export allows users to transfer a bit-for-bit identical copy of the disc content (including lossless surround sound) to your UHD BD player's internal hard drive so you can create a personal, instantly accessible library. The Export feature is more like Digital HD Copy or Ultraviolet; access your content via third party apps on portable devices. How exactly this works is still up in the air (do you need to use physical discs like the early iteration of Digital Copy, or is it more like Ultraviolet where you redeem a code?). Also, third-party partners like iTunes, VUDU, Amazon, etc. have not been announced; it will be up to them, as studio partners, to decide whether or not they will join Ultra HD Blu-ray for this feature. UHD BD DISCS Ultra HD Blu-ray are the same diameter as Blu-ray, DVD, and CD optical discs, but are capable of storing up to 100GB. You will not need an internet-connection to play UHD Blu-ray Discs, but there is a mechanism in place for such a requirement if content producers want to use them (perhaps as an activation key for pre-release review discs), though implementation will likely be rare. Ultra HD Blu-rays remain as shareable and re-sellable as Blu-rays with one extra benefit. Kiss Region Coding goodbye -- all UHD Blu-rays are region free. TITLES 20th Century Fox is the only studio to have officially announced Ultra HD Blu-ray titles. The first batch includes 'Kingsman: The Secret Service,' 'Exodus: Gods and Kings,' 'Fantastic Four,' 'X-Men: Days of Future Past,' 'Life of Pi,' 'The Maze Runner' and 'Wild.' The BDA is hopeful more announcements will come by or at CES 2016 (January 6-9). Many have wondered what studios will do with content that was originally produced in 2K (ie, there are no 4K assets). The BDA pointed out that those titles are free to be released in a sub-4K resolution on Ultra HD Blu-ray, still benefitting from HDR and the wider color space. My personal guess is that native-2K content will be up-rezzed to 4K as part of an HDR remastering process. PLAYERS Samsung announced the world's first Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Player, the UBD-K8500, last month, but was mum on pricing, availability, and detailed specifications. Panasonic announced its first player, the DMR-UBZ1, this week. The UBZ1, intended for the Japanese market, will go on sale November 15, includes a 3TB internal HDD, and costs 400,000 yen ($3,327 USD). Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Players must support all of the specifications mentioned above, from resolution to color space to audio formats. They must also be backwards compatible to Blu-ray Disc and, while there is no mandate in the specification, many manufacturers will likely opt to include support for 4K streaming services, Blu-ray 3D, DVD, and CD along with numerous other digital file formats (please make sure to examine any player's technical specifications before purchasing). The BDA says first generation Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc players should not suffer from the slow loading times of early Blu-ray Discs players. Expect more hardware announcements at CES 2016. Ultra HD Blu-ray Specifications Codec: HEVC H.265 @ up to 100MbpsResolution: Up to 3840 x 2160Frame rate: Up to 60pHDR: 10-bit SMPTE 2084Dolby Vision: PossiblePhilips HDR: PossibleColor Space: BT.709, P3, BT.2020Chroma Subsampling: 4:2:0UHDBD Disc Storage: Up to 100GB3D: NoRegion Coding: NoHDCP 2.2: Yes8-Channel LPCM: YesDolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital: YesDTS:X, DTS-HD MA, DTS: YesAURO 3D: Maybe (if carried via LPCM)Posted Wed Oct 7, 2015 at 05:00 PM PDT by: -
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Tablets Up for Pre-Order, Prices Start at $899[teaser]The company's newest tablet has been detailed. [/teaser] Microsoft has announced the latest addition to its Surface Pro tablet lineup. The upcoming Surface Pro 4 uses Windows 10 Pro and is designed to be powerful enough to serve as a laptop replacement. The Surface Pro 4 is just 8.4 mm thin and features a 12.3-inch, 3:2 PixelTouch display with a resolution of 2736 x 1824 and 267ppi. Models will be available with 6th Gen Intel Core m3, i5, or i7 processors along with 4GB, 8GB, and 16GB RAM options. An 8MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera are integrated as well. Likewise, the tablet includes stereo speakers with Dolby audio, stereo microphones, and a Surface Pen. In addition, customers can also pick up the new Surface Pro 4 Type Cover, transforming the tablet into a laptop with a redesigned mechanical keyboard. The Microsoft Surface Pro 4 is now available for pre-order. Shipments are expected to go out on October 26. Here's a rundown of the listed models: Microsoft Surface Pro 4 (128 GB, 4 GB RAM, Intel Core M) - $899 Microsoft Surface Pro 4 (128 GB, 4 GB RAM, Intel Core i5) - $999 Microsoft Surface Pro 4 (256 GB, 8 GB RAM, Intel Core i5) - $1,299 Microsoft Surface Pro 4 (256 GB, 8 GB RAM, Intel Core i7e) - $1,599 Microsoft Surface Pro 4 (256 GB, 16 GB RAM, Intel Core i7e) - $1,799 Microsoft Surface Pro 4 (512 GB, 16 GB RAM, Intel Core i7e) - $2,199 Sources: Microsoft 1, Microsoft 2Posted Wed Oct 7, 2015 at 04:00 PM PDT by: -
Blu-ray Will 'Fear the Walking Dead' in December.[teaser]The first season of the 'Walking Dead' prequel is headed for Blu-ray in December.[/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Starz/Anchor Bay will be releasing 'Fear the Walking Dead: The Complete First Season' on Blu-ray on December 1. Living in the same universe as The Waling Dead, Fear the Walking Dead is a gritty drama that explores the onset of the undead apocalypse through the lens of a fractured family. Set in Los Angeles, a city where people come to escape, shield secrets, and bury their pasts, a mysterious outbreak threatens to disrupt what little stability high school guidance counselor Madison Clark (Kim Dickens) and English teacher Travis Manawa (Cliff Curtis) have managed to assemble. The everyday pressure of blending two families while dealing with resentful, escapist, and strung out children takes a back seat when society begins to break down. A forced evolution, a necessary survival of the fittest takes hold, and the dysfunctional family must either reinvent themselves or embrace their darker histories. The 2-disc set will feature 1080p video, lossless 5.1 audio, and supplements include: A Look at the Series and Character Bios. Note that a Special Edition release will be available sometime in 2016. You can find the latest specs for 'Fear the Walking Dead: The Complete First Season' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under December 1.Posted Wed Oct 7, 2015 at 12:00 PM PDT by:
