Hitachi has announced the release of its third generation Blu-ray camcorder. The DZ-BD10H camcorder will record 1080p video to Blu-ray discs or built-in 30GB hard drive. Additionally, an optional 32GB SDHC memory card will store up to five hours of video in 1920×1080 AVCHD resolution. Other specs include an improved CMOS sensor, 6.2 Megapixel still-shot resolution, 2.7 inch LCD, and a 10x optical zoom.
The Hitachi DZ-BD10H camcorder will hit shelves on August 9 in Japan for $1,500. No US availability has been announced yet.
Tags: Blu-ray Camcorders, DZ-BD10H, Hitachi, Hitachi DZ-BD10H
Having seen a release on DVD and HD-DVD, Warner Brothers is bringing The Ultimate Matrix Collection to Blu-ray with an October 14th release date. This collector’s set will have an MSRP of $129.95 an will include extras not found on the HD-DVD version. New to Blu-ray will be The Animatrix in a 1080p presentation along with a digital copy of The Matrix. The rest of the supplemental material will be the same as the HD-DVD version.
Tags: Blu-ray Movies, Blu-ray Upcoming Releases, Warner Bros
Dell on Tuesday announced their new line of mini PCs, the Studio Hybrid. Available in various colors, the stylish Studio Hybrid is an 8-inch mini PC that can be stored either vertically or horizontally and is small enough to fit nearly anywhere. It is 80 percent smaller than a standard desktop, consumes 70 percent less power, and comes with a system recycling kit for the environmentally aware.
The Studio Hybrid is powered by an Intel Pentium Dual Core processor, comes with 1GB of DDR2 memory, and Intel’s integrated Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 in its standard form. The PC also comes with a 160GB 5400rpm hard drive and 8x slot load CD/DVD writer. Optional features include a 6x slot load Blu-ray/CD/DVD combo drive, Intel Core 2 Duo processor, up to 4GB of memory, and 320GB of storage.
The Dell Studio Hybrid price starts at $499 in the configuration mentioned above. It is available via the Dell Studio Hybrid website and is expected to hit selected retailers this fall.
[Dell]
Tags: Blu-ray News, Dell, Dell Studio Hybrid, Studio Hybrid
Buffalo has announced the release of two Blu-ray burners that record at 8x speed. The external BR-816U2 and the internal, Serial ATA-based BR-816FBS are theoretically capable of recording 50GB dual-layer discs in as little as 15 minutes, while burning at 2x for dual-layer BD-R, BD-RE, and LTH BD-R. We say ‘theoretically’ capable of recording at 8x speed because BDA-approved media maxes out at 6x.
Each drive is bundled with Cyberlink’s PowerDVD 7 suite and are priced at ¥46,700 ($435) for the BR-816SU2 external drive or ¥41,000 ($380) for the BR-816FBS internal iteration when they release in Japan in August. An international release is likely, although nothing has officially been announced.
[TechGadgets.in]
Tags: Blu-ray Burners, BR-816FBS, BR-816SU2, Buffalo
In a recent article by Forbes, details are given on the moves that Sony took to ensure they’d win the format war. Among the things that triggered ’sheer and utter panic’ for Sony, was the announcement last August that Paramount was choosing HD-DVD over Blu-ray. The $150 million deal that Toshiba struck along with $99 HD-DVD players they began to offer motivated all division of Sony to begin working together. Looking to push sales Sony offered to help pay for Best Buy ads in Sunday newspapers nationwide as well as pay for Blu-ray store displays. Among the things Sony did, that we know about, was drop the price of the PS3 and offer free Blu-ray movies with the PS3.
Looks like Toshiba really had Sony scrambling to stay ahead. Interestingly, it seems like Toshiba’s deal with Paramount is what caused Sony to react and do enough to eventually win the format war.
Read the full article by following the link below.
[Forbes] via [EngadgetHD]
Tags: Blu-ray News, HD-DVD, Playstation 3, PS3, Sony
Samsung was the first to offer a home-theater-in-a-box (HTIB) system with Blu-ray with their HT-BD2T system which retailed at $1,500. Samsung has now announced a more affordable HTIB system, the HT-BD2E, for only $800.
Keeping in mind that this is a budget system, the HT-BD2E is a Profile 1.0 player, which means no support for Profile 1.1 nor Profile 2.0 online interactive features. What you will find however is a 5.1 channel system with 800 watts of total power. Also included is HDMI output for Blu-ray, 1080p upconversion for DVDs, two optical digital audio inputs, and onboard decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD High Resolution.
The HT-BD2E will be available August for $800. We’ll be sure to bring you a review as soon as it is available.
[Crave]
Tags: Blu-ray HTiB, Blu-ray News, HT-BD2E, Samsung, Samsung HT-BD2E
Looks like a good week for Blu-ray with a total of 30 titles being released. Some brand new releases include Harold & Kumar: Escape From Guantanamo Bay and Never Back Down. Indie fans get a choice between The Band’s Visit, Perhaps Love and The Tiger Blade. We also get a couple of IMAX releases, Bears and Wolves, in full HD glory. Among the catalog titles we get Jack Ryan titles The Hunt For Red October, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, and The Sum Of All Fears. All in all a good variety to choose from.
Here’s the full list:
- The Band’s Visit
- Bears (IMAX)
- Beer League/The Big White
- Beowulf
- The Big White
- Clear and Present Danger
- Dark City (Director’s Cut)
- Doomsday
- Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay
- Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (Unrated)
- Hotel Babylon - Series 1
- Human Body: Pushing the Limits
- The Hunt for Red October
- The Last Sentinel/Final Days of Planet Earth
- The Lost Boys
- Lost Boys: The Tribe
- Mortuary
- Never Back Down
- Patriot Games
- Perhaps Love
- Salvage
- Salvage/Mortuary
- Shine a Light
- Stargate - Continuum
- Stargaze HD: Universal Beauty
- The Sum of All Fears
- The Tiger Blade
- Top Gun
- Vengeance
- Wolves (IMAX)
Tags: Blu-ray Movies, Blu-ray New Releases
As Netflix had previously promised, they will start testing higher prices for Blu-ray movies ‘very shortly’ according to CEO Reed Hastings. Although no specifics were mentioned, the new pricing will be applied across its subscriber base of 8.4 million people ‘depending on how those tests go’. Additionally, Hastings says that Blu-ray rentals make up a ‘very low’ percentage of rentals, but those figures should increase with cheaper players showing up this holiday season.
[SiliconAlleyInsider]
Tags: Blu-ray News, Netflix
It’s no secret that retailers, such as Wal-mart, Best Buy, and Target, have played a significant role in the success of the Blu-ray format. Minneapolis, Minn.-based Best Buy stocks the largest selection of Blu-ray movies for sale by a retailer. In keeping with its support for Blu-ray, Best Buy last week cut $20 from the price of its house brand Insignia Blu-ray player.
Home Media Magazine interviewed Jill Hamburger, VP of entertainment for Best Buy, on Blu-ray and what the retail giant plans to do to further push the format. In the interview she mentions how Blu-ray will be the hot gift this holiday season and how they can now focus on Blu-ray without the distraction of a format war. Hamburger says her ‘Blue Shirt’ sales staff is their best tool to reach costumers and how she wants to make sure they are ‘trained and ready to help people who are interested or curious about Blu-ray’. Although DVD continues to be a ’strong category’ for Best Buy, she says that ‘people are usually inspired by the difference that Blu-ray makes once they get a look at the picture and hear the sound’.
Read the full interview by clicking on the link below.
[HomeMediaMagazine]
Tags: Best Buy, Blu-ray News
According to DigiTimes, Shanghai United Optical Disc has set up its first production line for CBHD (China Blue High-definition Disc). CBHD, formerly known as CH DVD, is China’s self-developed high-definition optical disc format and will start production in the fourth quarter of 2008. Initially the format will only serve the Chinese market, but will expand worldwide if it proves to be successful. Part of the push behind CBHD is that a production line for DVDs can reportedly be re-fitted to produce CBHD discs for only $800,000, compared to $3 million needed for a Blu-ray production line. Licensing fees to produce CBHD players at $8.10 would be much lower compared to BD licensing rates as well.
Not surprisingly, Taiwan-based drive makers believe CBHD faces a tough time against Blu-ray according to industry sources.
[Digitimes]
Tags: Blu-ray News, CBHD, HD-DVD
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