-
Samsung Reveals New 4K Lineup and Demos its First UHD OLED TV[teaser]A curved screen 4K set and an Ultra HD OLED are among the company's new innovations on display at the IFA trade show. [/teaser] Samsung has unveiled several new Ultra HD televisions this week, offering larger sizes and updated designs. Joining its already available UN55F9000 and UN65F9000 55-inch and 65-inch sets, and its massive UN85S9 85-inch display, the company is adding even larger 4K options to its lineup with new 98-inch and 110-inch Ultra HD televisions. In addition, Samsung has also revealed the world's first curved screen Ultra HD display. Available in 55-inch and 65-inch models, the TVs promise to offer a more immersive experience, though this benefit does come at the cost of wall mounting capabilities. While they share a similar design, unlike the recently released curved-screen KN55S9C, these new models will likely be LCD displays, not OLED. With that said, the company is also demoing a proof of concept Ultra HD OLED TV that combines the benefits of 4K resolution with the superior contrast and color of an OLED. Both flat and curved screen 55-inch models are on display. Sony and Panasonic have demoed similar UHD OLED prototypes in the past, and like those previous sets, this new Samsung display is not planned for the consumer market at this time. There's no word yet on release dates or pricing for the new large screen and curved screen 4K sets, but Samsung has said that they will base availability on the evolving demands of the growing Ultra HD market. Source:Posted Thu Sep 5, 2013 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
'Magic City: The Complete Second Season' is Heading to Blu-ray[teaser]The second season of the Starz drama will hit Blu-ray in November. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Starz/Anchor Bay is preparing 'Magic City: The Complete Second Season' for Blu-ray on November 5. 'Magic City: The Complete Second Season' begins as Ike Evans risks everything in a life and death battle to rid his Miramar Playa Hotel of the mob and Ben "The Butcher" Diamond. Ike’s dangerous plan to defeat Ben takes Ike from Havana's glamorous casinos to dealings with a new devil – Ben's boss in the Chicago Outfit. Ike's wife Vera gets a second chance at her former dancing glory, while sons Stevie and Danny drift farther from Ike – Stevie toward the power and rewards of Ben's dark world, Danny into the moral righteousness of State's Attorney Jack Klein. Changes in Castro's Cuba ripple to the shores of Miami Beach, and a new world order begins to tear the Evans family apart. Even if Ike's long-shot gamble to take back his hotel succeeds, will the price of victory be too high? The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video and a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include: The Gamble For Havana; The Criminal Element; Tales From The Underbelly; Magic City Style; and The Music That Makes Magic. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $54.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Magic City: The Complete Second Season' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under November 5.Posted Thu Sep 5, 2013 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
'I Declare War' is Marching toward Blu-ray[teaser]Battlegrounds will be drawn on Blu-ray in November. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Image Entertainment is preparing 'I Declare War' for Blu-ray on November 12. A group of 13-year-old friends play an innocent game of Capture the Flag in the neighborhood woods, arming themselves with nothing more than sticks, their imagination and a simple set of rules. One afternoon the game takes on a more serious tone and the quest for victory pushes the boundaries of friendship, giving the would-be warriors a glimpse of the darker side of human nature as their imaginations take them beyond the rules of the game and into an adventure where fantasy blurs with reality. Specs have not been announced yet, but supplements will include: Audio Commentary with Directors Robert Wilson, Jason Lapeyre; Audio Commentary with Wilson, Lapeyre and Stars; Imagining I Declare War Featurette; and Trailer. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray/Digital Copy combo pack is $29.97. You can find the latest specs for 'I Declare War' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under November 12.Posted Thu Sep 5, 2013 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
'The Pom Pom Girls' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]The cult comedy is cartwheeling its way toward Blu-ray in November. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Scorpion Releasing is preparing 'The Pom Pom Girls' for Blu-ray on November 19. High school football player Johnnie is going to spend his senior year at Rosedale High School playing pranks and getting together with as many girls as possible. He and a buddy, along with two cheerleaders, are going to make their last year memorable. The Big Game with rival Hardin High School is approaching, and a prank war is about to rev into full swing. Cult diva Cheryl "Rainbeaux" Smith (The Swinging Cheerleaders) has a cameo appearance as, what else, a member of the cheerleading squad! Specs and supplements have not been announced yet, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $16.98. You can find the latest specs for 'The Pom Pom Girls' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under November 19.Posted Thu Sep 5, 2013 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
UK Television Channel Sky Broadcasts First Live 4K Content[teaser]The British television network has become the first English broadcaster to transmit a live Ultra HD feed. [/teaser] After conducting initial experiments with the technology back in October of last year, Sky has now become the first UK network to successfully broadcast live 4K video. The transmission in question featured Saturday's Premier League soccer game between West Ham and Stoke. Multiple cameras were used for the shoot and the full outside broadcast was entirely live using the network's usual chain of transmission. Up until now, previous 4K sports feeds in the UK have been prerecorded or played back on closed circuit channels. Despite the milestone, Sky doesn't have any current plans for full-fledged Ultra HD broadcast support. Instead, the network will wait to see how the 4K market evolves, and will continue with similar tests and research. Sources: Sky via EngadgetPosted Thu Sep 5, 2013 at 05:00 AM PDT by: -
'Red 2' Blu-ray Dated & Detailed[teaser]The action-packed and extremely dangerous comedy comes out of retirement this November. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Summit Entertainment has slated 'Red 2' for Blu-ray on November 26. Bruce Willis reprises his role as ex-CIA agent Frank Moses in this star-studded sequel to the action comedy based on D.C. Comics' cult graphic novel. Frank is brought out of retirement once again when he is asked to track down a nuclear device which has fallen into the wrong hands. In order to find out the device's location he must first speak to Edward Bailey (Hopkins), the scientist responsible for its creation, but to make matters worse his old partner Victoria (Helen Mirren) has been contracted to kill him with the help of a much renowned deadly assassin (Byung-hun Lee). The Blu-ray/DVD/Ultraviolet combo pack will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include: Audio Commentary with Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy and director Richard Linklater; Revisiting Jesse & Céline; and Q&A with Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy and Richard Linklater. The suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Red 2' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under November 26.Posted Wed Sep 4, 2013 at 01:00 PM PDT by: -
'Doctor Who: Series 1-7 Limited Edition Giftset' Dated for Blu-ray[teaser]Seven complete seasons of the British sci-fi hit will materialize on Blu-ray in November. [/teaser] As previously reported, BBC America is preparing 'Doctor Who: Series 1-7 Limited Edition Giftset' for Blu-ray. The release date has been announced for November 5. For the first time ever, BBC Home Entertainment is collecting the complete new Doctor Who together on Blu-ray plus an amazing assortment of additional items including the totally unique Doctor Who Universal Remote Control Sonic Screwdriver and more! The collection includes Series 1-4, featuring Ninth Doctor Christopher Eccleston and Tenth Doctor David Tennant, making their Blu-ray debut in newly remastered versions At full 1080p resolution, plus Series 5-7 featuring Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith, also on 1080p high definition Blu-ray. Catch up with the complete new Doctor Who in high definition just in time for the historic 50th Anniversary Special this fall. Specs and complete supplements have not been detailed yet, but Blu-ray exclusive special features will include: The Brit List's Ultimate Doctor Who List of Lists; The Best of the Christmas Specials; and Doctor Who at the Proms - Newly Remastered with 5.1 Surround. Suggested list price for the 29-disc Blu-ray giftset is $349.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Doctor Who: Series 1-7 Limited Edition Giftset' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under November 5.Posted Wed Sep 4, 2013 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
LG Officially Details its New G Pad 8.3-inch Tablet[teaser]After weeks of speculation, the company has finally unveiled its latest premium tablet. [/teaser] Set to debut at this week's IFA trade show in Berlin, LG's newest tablet has officially been revealed. The G Pad features the first full HD display on an 8-inch class tablet, and comes complete with a 1920x1200 WUXGA 8.3-inch screen with 273 ppi. The tablet is powered by a 1.7GHz Quad-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 Processor and a 4,600mAh battery running Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2. The device also features 2GB of ram, 16GB of storage space, a 5MP rear camera, and a 1.3MP front camera. LG's QPair app is included as well, allowing users to receive calls and messages from their smartphone on the tablet. Likewise, the device comes with enhancements for multitasking, including LG's Slide Aside for easily sliding open apps off the screen, and QSlide which enables support for control of up to three different apps at once on the same window. The LG G Pad will launch in North America, Europe, Asia, and other markets in the fourth quarter of 2013. Exact pricing will be announced then. Source: LGPosted Wed Sep 4, 2013 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
'R.I.P.D.' Announced for Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D[teaser]Prepare to see loads of dead people on Blu-ray in October. [/teaser] Universal Studios has announced the supernatural crime comedy 'R.I.P.D.' for Blu-ray on October 29. 'R.I.P.D. - 3D' will also be available on the same date. Veteran sheriff Roy Pulsifer (Jeff Bridges), who has spent his career with legendary police force R.I.P.D. tracking monstrous souls disguised among the living as ordinary people, is none-to-happy to be assigned former rising-star detective Nick Walker (Ryan Reynolds) as his partner. However, upon uncovering a plot that could end life as we know it, the new duo have to turn grudging respect into top-notch teamwork to restore the cosmic balance...or watch the tunnel to the afterlife spill angry souls onto Earth. The release will be a Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy combo pack with 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include: Alternate Scenes: Nick & Hayes to Raid, Julia Jogging & Made to My Skull; Deleted Scene: Roy's Partner Shot Him; Gag Reel; and Transfering R.I.P.D: A "Making Of" that focuses on the adaption of the original R.I.P.D. comic and the stellar cast that came to inhabit the characters. Exclusive to the Blu-ray will be: Two Alternate Openings; R.I.P.D. Motion Comics: Bringing the Avatars to Life; Nick's New Avatars: See the other Avatar contenders for Nick and Hayes (Kevin Bacon); Filming the Other Side: The cast and crew talk about Schwentke's unique filming technique; Walking Among Us: Deados & Avatars: Explore what a Deado is, what happens when they "pop" and the effects that went into creating these unique creatures; and Anatomy of a Shootout: The Production Designer and the VFX Supervisor provide an in-depth look at the cinematic shootout scene on the roof of the skyscraper. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray combo pack is $34.98 and $49.98 for the Blu-ray 3D combo pack. You can find the latest specs for 'R.I.P.D.' and 'R.I.P.D. - 3D' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under October 29.Posted Wed Sep 4, 2013 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
HDMI 2.0 Is Finalized at Long last[teaser]New features and backwards compatibility detailed by the HDMI forum. [/teaser] Better late than never, HDMI 2.0 has been finalized and announced. Not unlike its DisplayPort competitor, the new standard supports 2160p at 50 or 60 frames. (Signal Peter Jackson/James Cameron high five.) In addition to the necessary bandwidth uptick, there are some other new features, but more importantly there is a note on compatibility. HDMI 2.0 in backwards compatible with previous HDMI standards. Going from a HDMI 2.0 device to a HDMI 1.4 device will cost the user the HDMI 2.0 features, but will still work. Likewise, even HDMI 2.0 to 2.0 connections can use existing High Speed cables, meaning that no new cables or connectors are necessary to support the features. From the HDMI forum, "This latest HDMI Specification, the first to be developed by the HDMI Forum, offers a significant increase in bandwidth (up to 18Gbps) to support new features such as 4K@50/60 (2160p), which is 4 times the clarity of 1080p/60 video resolution; 32 audio channels; as well as dynamic auto lip-sync and extensions to CEC. The complete Version 2.0 of the HDMI Specification is available to Adopters on the HDMI Adopter Extranet." The HDMI forum has promised to elaborate on the new features in a discussion this Friday. As for the end consumer, the HDMI Forum has promised that the HDMI 2.0 Compliance Test Specification (CTS) is expected to be released before the end of the year. This new standard is a crucial component in the introduction of UHD, as it enables HDMI 4K playback at higher than frames per second, albeit with all new devices still to be introduced. Source: HDMI Author: Brian HossPosted Wed Sep 4, 2013 at 08:30 AM PDT by:
