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Panasonic to unveil two new Blu-ray players

Debuting at CEDIA Expo 2008 will be the latest Blu-ray Disc players from Panasonic; The DMP-BD35 and the DMP-BD55.

Both players will feature BD2.0 BD-Live support. This is very welcome indeed. They will have the updated Panasonic Hollywood Labs (PHL) Reference Chroma Processor Plus for enhanced video clarity. An SD memory card slot is included to save BD-Live content as well as view photos and HD video.

The DMP-BD55 stands apart by including 7.1 analog outputs as well as on board decoding of advanced audio codecs. Additionally, a 96Hz Surround Re-Master feature will enhance Blu-ray soundtracks. The BD55 will also receive audiophile grade components and vibration absorbent feet. Clearly the BD55 is aimed at the consumer who finds audio quality as important as video.

Prices are not available on these players at this time. They will be in stores in time for the holiday season.

Sharp announces new Blu-ray player

CEDIA Expo 2008 is coming up beginning 3rd September, and already new product is being showcased in an effort to attract potential buyers.

Sharp will be showing the new AQUOS BDP-HP50U Blu-ray Disc player, as well as a new Special Edition line of LCD flat panel displays.

The details on the player are very limited at this point, but the full detais will be available at the Expo. What is known is it has a “slim profile,” features HDMI-CEC, outputs full 1080p, and decodes Dolby TrueHD and DTS:HD Master Audio.



It should be a BD2.0 BD-Live player as well, accessing additional content such as movie trailers, subtitles, and games.

Pricing is unavailable at this

Dish serves 100% HD service

I heard Dish Network was offering 1080p video a couple weeks ago and thought this was a compelling service. But then I heard conflicting information, so I decided to take a closer look.

The Dish Network TurboHD plan was announced 1st August with 1080p video - the first 1080p broadcast available. The initial announcements made it sound like the channels were all 1080p, but this is not the case. The channels are all in either 720p or 1080i, as they are with other services. The 1080p content is from their Video-on-Demand (VOD) service.

Another confusing part about the 1080p video is none of the current HD receivers from Dish output a 1080p signal, according to their product brochures. Maybe the brochures simply haven’t caught up with their programming availability.

The main goal of TurboHD is really that it is an HD-only service. All of the channels are in high-definition. This means you don’t have to pay for standard-definition channels you don’t watch. TurboHD can be added to a standard package, however, and your locals (which are $5.00 more per month) may not be available in high-def yet.

So at this point it’s just picking a package that has the channels you want and going with it. For me, the top-tier package still only has seven channels I watch, and the locals (networks such as NBC, ABC, Fox and CBS) aren’t in high-def in my area. I think I would rather have à la carte programming. But this is the ways of the world.

I’m also waiting to hear what XstreamHD is going to offer.

Blu-ray integrated HDTV’s on the way

According to Crunchgear, budget electronics manufacturer Funai plans to start offering Blu-ray integrated LCD HDTV’s in 2009.

Funai is a major supplier to the US electronics market, manufacturing products for prevalent brand names such as Sylvania, Symphonic, Emerson, Magnavox, Insignia (Bestbuy’s in house brand) and others.

Exact pricing and release dates on the new Funai devices are currently unknown, but a 42″ LCD HDTV Blu-ray combo could hit the streets at approximately $1,200, according to Crunchgear.

Personally, I don’t know why people would buy players integrated into their HDTV’s, as I prefer to keep the TV and player components separated. Nevertheless, a flood of Funai manufactured Blu-ray HDTV combos into the US market could appeal to budget minded consumers if the bundle offers some savings. The average Joe might also find an all-in-one HDTV and Blu-ray system to be more convenient, rather than shopping around for each component separately.

Earlier this year, Funai was responsible for introducing the lowest priced Blu-ray players available on the market; the Magnavox NB500MG9 at Walmart, the Sylvania NB500SL9 at Amazon.com (currently $279.99) and the Insignia NS-BRDVD at Bestbuy.

Photo source: Wikimedia

Panasonic expands Living in HD program

Panasonic is extending their Living in HD community from 30 families up to 60, eventually expanding all the way up to 100 families total.

So what is Living in HD? It is a Panasonic program that immerses participants in high definition technology. Selected applicants receive a complete suite of Panasonic HD products, including a 50″ HDTV, an HD video camera, WiFi enabled digital cameras, a Blu-ray player, Blu-ray movies, a laptop, a Nintendo Wii with games and more products. Professional installation, training and access to technical advisors are all included in the program.

How do you qualify?

“We’re looking for interesting and enthusiastic people throughout North America. Participants can be a family, a couple, a single person, a group of friends, co-workers or anyone who wants to become part of this special HD community. You don’t have to be an expert in technology, you just have to be willing to share your HD experiences.”

In order to be considered, you must fill out a questionaire, upload pictures of your family as well as your living room or the location where the HD equipment will be installed and explain why Panasonic should choose you. The deadline for this latest round is September 23rd, so get your application in now at the Panasonic website if you want to be considered.

Iron Man Blu-ray tops Amazon charts

Paramount studio’s action packed Iron Man Blu-ray clocked in as the #1 selling Blu-ray title this past weekend at Amazon.com as the product was made available for pre-order.

This Marvel Comics based film stars Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, who is a wealthy weapons company owner that develops a personal weaponry suit. I saw the film in theaters and I can assure you that it is an action-packed thrill ride chocked full of impressive special effects. Comic book and action fans alike will enjoy this film, especially in high definition.

The Iron Man Ultimate Edition Blu-ray can be pre-ordered now at Amazon for $27.95 (30% off MSRP) and will ship on September 30th. This film will most likely be one of the top selling Blu-ray films of 2008, although I do expect the “The Dark Knight” to surpass it, eventually taking the top Blu-ray spot overall for this year.

Xperinet shutters media server business

As a follow up to the latest article; it has been confirmed by CEPro that Xperinet has closed operations.

It all started on 1st August of this year when CEO John Cox sent out the quote previously posted to sales reps. Citing the downturn in the economy, Cox said they will be filing for bankruptcy unless they can find a buyer or receive $400,000 in investment.

But there is more to this story than just a bad economy. In August of 2007 the company announced a media client named the Tarpon which never shipped because they never received the software. Earlier this year they announced Blu-ray support which was incompatible with their Linux operating system so they switched to a Windows platform, but this also failed to come to market. They instead preloaded Blu-ray Disc movies to the server, but this limited the end user to loading DVDs only.

They are claiming on developing a new platform, but I wouldn’t hold my breath for this. The media server market is getting crowded and I wouldn’t be surprised if this happened to another company or two - or at least getting bought up by bigger companies.