Just for something different, I looked around at gametrailers.com today and decided to post links to some of the cooler upcoming games they have HD previews for. So, here you go!
The PS3 has some great games coming out later this year. Combined with the always-improving firmware updates, the PS3 is shaping up to be quite the system.
Although not as cool sounding as the rumored 2.0 system update, Sony's new 1.8 update bring a myriad of oft-requested features to the PS3. Many of the features center around scaling capabilities and media playback capabilities.
Among the cooler updates:
Overall, this is probably the biggest PS3 system update yet, turning the PS3 into the ultimate media machine. Although the upscaling capabilities have been long rumored, the 24fps Blu-ray output and photo printing are a great surprise.
Later this weekend, I hope to post a guide on how to set-up the new DLNA media sharing capabilities, using either Windows Media Player 11 or Nero Media Home.
Every week Home Media Magazine reports the latest Nielson VideoScan numbers for the Blu-ray vs. HD DVD battle. They include three figures: Weekly, Year-to-date, and Since Inception. Weekly numbers examine discs sold at retail over the course of just the current week, the YTD numbers look at sales from the first week ending in 2007 to the present, and the since inception numbers show the relative performance of Blu-ray and HD DVD discs since the formats' respective births.
Source: Nielson VideoScan via http://www.homemediamagazine.com/
Weekly sales: Blu-ray leads HD DVD 62% to 38%, 100:61.3, or 1.63:1
YTD sales: Blu-ray leads HD DVD 68% to 32%, 100:47.1, or 2.13:1
Since Inception sales: Blu-ray leads HD DVD 57% to 43%, 100:75.4, or 1.33:1
Well, my preiction for the week was off. So few discs sold that neither the YTD or Since Inception numbers moved at all. No new big releases on Blu-ray or DVD makes this week mirror last week pretty consistantly.
Source: Nielson VideoScan via http://www.homemediamagazine.com/
To interpret this new chart, understand that for every 100 copies of the top title (rank 1) sold, stores sold the index number of the title you are comparing. So, this week, for every 100 copies of "Planet Earth" on HD DVD sold, 66.03 copies of "Planet Earth" on Blu-ray sold, etc.
So, for this week, 7 of out the Top 10 titles were Blu-ray, with only 3 being HD DVD. That said, "Planet Earth" on HD DVD remained the number 1 title across both formats, and no new release title on either format made the chart for the week.
NPD today released their console sales numbers for the U.S., for April, 2007. The next-gen console sales for the month were:
XBOX 360: 360,000
PS3: 82,000
Wii: 360,000
Another phenomenal month for the Wii, and the PS3 is finally starting to slip behind the tracking of the XBox 360 (sales per month since inception). Although it's important to note that these figures are just for the U.S. (Microsoft's home territory), the PS3's very weak sales numbers for April cannot be denied. I think that, dollar for dollar, the PS3 is already an excellent buy, videogame systems shouldn't be just toys for the rich. I admire Sony for going out on a limb to create a technically amazing system, but they need to focus on getting the price down as soon as possible. By this fall, a $100 or more price cut is a MUST -- and another price reduction in 2008 to bring the price to $399 would go a long way to getting the system into more homes.
Well, we now have six month numbers for all three systems in, and the numbers are:
Xbox 360: 1,504,343
PS3: 1,270,700
Wii: 2,470,200
In other words, for every 1 PS3 sold in its first six months, Microsoft sold 1.18 XBox 360's, and Nintendo sold an amazing 1.94 Wii's. The Wii hasn't started to show any of the post-hype slowdown many of us were predicting, and the release of excellent PS3 games hasn't boosted its sales, due either to the system's high price, or the related rumors of an upcoming price cut.
Obviously, the XBox 360 has been out considerably longer than the other consoles, so in the interests of fairness, here is a chart that shows the total sales of the consoles over their lifetimes.
As you can see, the XBox 360 obviously leads in total U.S. sales, but the breakaway success of the Wii means Nintendo will likely pass Microsoft's offering much sooner than anyone would have predicted. The PS3 definitely has its work cut out for it. Hopefully, given the drop in prices for Blu-ray laser components, the PS3 should be able to drop its price faster than is typical for a new console.
In any event, Sony needs to formally announce that there will be NO price cut this year, if that is the case, in order to quell the rumors, that are likely cutting into current sales. Hopefully, their silence speaks to the fact that the rumor is indeed true, and by this fall we'll be seeing more reasonably priced systems on store shelves.
Every week Home Media Magazine reports the latest Nielson VideoScan numbers for the Blu-ray vs. HD DVD battle. They include three figures: Weekly, Year-to-date, and Since Inception. Weekly numbers examine discs sold at retail over the course of just the current week, the YTD numbers look at sales from the first week ending in 2007 to the present, and the since inception numbers show the relative performance of Blu-ray and HD DVD discs since the formats' respective births.
Source: Nielson VideoScan via http://www.homemediamagazine.com/
Weekly sales: Blu-ray leads HD DVD 60% to 40%, 100:66.7, or 1.5:1
YTD sales: Blu-ray leads HD DVD 68% to 32%, 100:47.1, or 2.13:1
Since Inception sales: Blu-ray leads HD DVD 57% to 43%, 100:75.4, or 1.33:1
One thing worth mentioning is that while the weekly percentage was greater than the cumulative (since inception) percentage, yet the since inception percentage moved a point in HD DVD's favor. Since that isn't possible, there's something odd going on with the numbers. My guess is that the FirstAlert data that these graphs go by ended up being slightly off at some point and an adjustment was made to the data. Either that or Home Media Magazine can't figure out how to round percentages correctly from one week to the next.
Source: Nielson VideoScan via http://www.homemediamagazine.com/
To interpret this new chart, understand that for every 100 copies of the top title (rank 1) sold, stores sold the index number of the title you are comparing. So, this week, for every 100 copies of "Planet Earth" on HD DVD sold, 95.07 copies of "Planet Earth" on Blu-ray sold, etc.
HD DVD made a bit of a comeback this week, with several new titles in the Top 10 and 40% of the marketshare. This week, however, is an "off" week for the format, with no new titles being released, so I would expect next week's numbers to return Blu-ray to its earlier 2.5:1 or so ratios.
According to Heise Online, Pioneer representatives stated that Universal Pictures had already broken or ended their exclusive contract with HD DVD, opening the door for future Blu-ray releases. It has long been speculated that Universal, as HD DVDs sole exclusive studio (among the major Hollywood studios), has been receiving payments for their support of the format. If this news is true, then it seems very likely that Blu-ray releases would be soon to follow, given the formats greater sales this year.
Universal Studios has yet to confirm (or deny) this story at this point, so it very well may be a misunderstanding of some kind. "Industry insiders," however, have recently stated on online messageboards that Universal Pictures has started "experimenting" with Blu-ray workstations, so there may be more truth to this than many HD DVD proponents would like to believe.
UPDATE: Universal officially denies this news, saying the claims "are totally false". However, as Engadget puts it:
"...we can't help but feel like this is like the time the head coach was denying rumors of his star quarterback getting traded, right before the trade goes through."
Whatever happens now, I would be shocked if Universal Home Entertainment wasn't releasing Blu-ray discs by the end of Q1, 2008.
The impressive feature sets and lower prices of the second-generation Blu-ray players are going a long way toward bringing Blu-ray to the masses. With the Pioneer and Samsung second-gen players on store shelves now or by the end of the month, and the new Sony player set to hit this summer, the coming months are looking great for stand-alone player sales. The biggest push of stand-alone players, though, won't likely come until third-generation players with BDJ-1.1 (PIP capability) and BD-Live (internet connectivity) hit store shelves.
In a rather exhaustive 207 page report, video game industry analysts at Wedbush Morgan Securities laid out their predictions for the three next-generation consoles. (Shouldn't these really be the "current-generation" models by now?)
The report cites the impending Blu-ray victory over HD DVD as one of the major factors for the PS3's long-term success. It also claims that exclusive properties from the three manufacturers will play a key role in determining the eventual winner.
Excerpts:
"We expect the dominant console at the end of the next cycle to be the Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3), primarily due to our assessment that Sony will win the high definition DVD format war."
"Ultimately, we see Sony 'winning' the console war with 36% of the market, with Nintendo 'capturing' second place at 34% and Microsoft finishing third at 30%.
These estimates do not include market shares in Japan, which we expect to be dominated by Nintendo (51% through 2011) and Sony (44%)."
Granted, the prediction is for an overall tight race, with the PS3 edging out the MUCH lower priced Wii. Given that the report concludes with the numbers from 2009, I would expect that the PS3's staying power (as shown by the PS1 and PS2) will keep its sales growing long after Microsoft has released yet another console and the graphics limitations of Nintendo's Wii have made it look decidedly dated.
Every week Home Media Magazine reports the latest Nielson VideoScan numbers for the Blu-ray vs. HD DVD battle. They include three figures: Weekly, Year-to-date, and Since Inception. Weekly numbers examine discs sold at retail over the course of just the current week, the YTD numbers look at sales from the first week ending in 2007 to the present, and the since inception numbers show the relative performance of Blu-ray and HD DVD discs since the formats' respective births.
Source: Nielson VideoScan via http://www.homemediamagazine.com/
Weekly sales: Blu-ray leads HD DVD 71% to 29%, 100:40.8, or 2.45:1
YTD sales: Blu-ray leads HD DVD 68% to 32%, 100:47.1, or 2.13:1
Since Inception sales: Blu-ray leads HD DVD 58% to 42%, 100:72.4, or 1.38:1
Source: Nielson VideoScan via http://www.homemediamagazine.com/
To interpret this new chart, understand that for every 100 copies of the top title (rank 1) sold, the index number of the title you are comparing sold. So, this week, for every 100 copies of "Night at the Museum" on Blu-ray sold, 75.04 copies of "Deja Vu" on Blu-ray sold, etc.
Overall, this was a very good week for Blu-ray, outselling HD DVD nearly 2.5:1, and grabbing 8 of the top 10 discs. It's somewhat surprising to see older titles like "Black Hawk Down" and "The Departed" on Blu-ray outselling many of the new HD DVD releases. Hopefully, as the releases start to get pumped out again, the sales ratio will continue to grow.
The below lists contain (hopefully) all of the Blu-ray Discs released in the U.S. that offer special features only found on certain Blu-ray disc players, or include a second disc with a digital copy for use in a computer.
While all Blu-ray Disc players can play the main movie and the vast majority of special features found on Blu-ray disc releases, some new titles have features that make use of an internet connection or dual-stream audio and video decoders only found in select players. The titles that use those features are listed below.
These titles have some features that only work on BD-Live-capable players that are connected to the internet. At this time the PlayStation 3, the Panasonic BD50, Sony BDP-S250, Samsung BD-P1500 and BD-P2500, and some PC software players are the only players that can access these features. The upcoming Sony BDP-S550 and BDP-S5000ES, LG BD300, Pioneer Elite BDP-09FD, and Panasonic BD35 and BD55 should all be BD-Live capable when they are released.
Released BD-Live Titles
In addition to the above currently-released titles, all future titles released by Sony will contain BD-Live features.
These titles make use of the dual-stream audio and video decoders found in BonusView capable players to allow for Picture-in-picture type features (such as video commentary) while watching the movie. A number of other Blu-ray titles have similar features, but use alternative methods (dual encodes, seamless branching) to accomplish the same goal, which allows the feature on those titles to work on ALL players. All newly certified Blu-ray player models must support BonusView, but there are still a number of players available in stores (primarily Sony BSP-S300, BDP-S500, and BDP-S2000ES players and Samsung's home-theatre-in-a-box units) that were certified before the new rules went into effect and cannot play the special feature on these titles.
Released BonusView Titles
| Title | Studio | Release Date |
| The 40-Year-Old Virgin | Universal | 9/30/2008 |
| Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem | Fox | 4/15/2008 |
| American Gangster | Universal | 10/14/2008 |
| Batman Begins | Warner | 7/8/2008 |
| Blow | New Line | 9/23/2008 |
| Casino | Universal | 10/14/2008 |
| Casino Royale (Collector's Edition) | Sony | 10/21/2008 |
| Constantine | Warner | 10/14/2008 |
| Dawn of the Dead | Universal | 9/30/2008 |
| Dead Space | Starz | 10/28/2008 |
| Doomsday (2008) | Universal | 7/29/2008 |
| Eastern Promises | Universal | 10/14/2008 |
| Forbidden Kingdom | Lionsgate | 9/9/2008 |
| Forgetting Sarah Marshall | Universal | 9/30/2008 |
| The Happening | Fox | 10/7/2008 |
| Heroes: Season 1 | Universal | 8/26/2008 |
| Heroes: Season 2 | Universal | 8/26/2008 |
| Hulk (2003) | Universal | 9/16/2008 |
| The Incredible Hulk | Universal | 10/21/2008 |
| Jumper | Fox | 6/10/2008 |
| Knocked Up | Universal | 9/30/2008 |
| Land of the Dead | Universal | 9/30/2008 |
| Leatherheads | Universal | 9/23/2008 |
| Miami Vice | Universal | 8/26/2008 |
| The Mummy | Universal | 7/22/2008 |
| The Mummy Returns | Universal | 7/22/2008 |
| Nim's Island | Fox | 8/5/2008 |
| Prom Night | Sony | 8/19/2008 |
| Rambo | Lionsgate | 5/27/2008 |
| Resident Evil: Extinction | Sony | 1/1/2008 |
| Risky Business | Warner | 9/16/2008 |
| The Scorpion King | Universal | 7/22/2008 |
| Starship Troopers | Sony | 8/5/2008 |
| Starship Troopers Box-set | Sony | 8/5/2008 |
| Starship Troopers: Marauder | Sony | 8/5/2008 |
| The Strangers | Universal | 10/21/2008 |
| Street Kings | Fox | 8/19/2008 |
| Sunshine | Fox | 1/8/2008 |
| The Thing | Universal | 9/30/2008 |
| Transformers (2007) | Paramount | 9/2/2008 |
| U-571 | Universal | 8/26/2008 |
| The Ultimate Matrix Collection | Warner | 10/14/2008 |
| Untraceable | Sony | 5/13/2008 |
| V for Vendetta | Warner | 5/20/2008 |
| War (Jet Li) | Lionsgate | 1/1/2008 |
| You Don't Mess with the Zohan | Sony | 10/7/2008 |
| Young Frankenstein | Fox | 10/7/2008 |
As Blu-ray discs will only play in Blu-ray disc players, a number of consumers have requested a way to play movies they've purchased on other devices. Studios have taken notice and have started including a "Digital Copy" along with select Blu-ray releases. The copy is usually on a second DVD that will work in a computer. These discs don't require anything special in terms of Blu-ray player as they are designed to be used in a computer, with the digital files copyable to various portable media devices.
Released Digital Copy Titles
| Title | Studio | Release Date |
| 10,000 B.C. | Warmer | 6/24/2008 |
| Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem | Fox | 4/15/2008 |
| The Bank Job | Lionsgate | 7/15/2008 |
| Blow | New Line | 9/23/2008 |
| Constantine | Warner | 10/14/2008 |
| Dark City * | New Line | 7/29/2008 |
| The Eye | Lionsgate | 6/3/2008 |
| Forbidden Kingdom | Lionsgate | 9/9/2008 |
| Forgetting Sarah Marshall | Universal | 9/30/2008 |
| The Happening | Fox | 10/7/2008 |
| Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay * | New Line | 7/29/2008 |
| Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle * | New Line | 7/29/2008 |
| Hitman | Fox | 3/11/2008 |
| The Incredible Hulk | Universal | 10/21/2008 |
| Jumper | Fox | 6/10/2008 |
| Juno | Fox | 4/15/2008 |
| Lost Boys: The Tribe * | Warner | 7/29/2008 |
| The Love Guru | Paramount | 9/16/2008 |
| Meet the Browns | Lionsgate | 7/1/2008 |
| The Nightmare Before Christmas | Disney | 8/26/2008 |
| Rambo | Lionsgate | 5/27/2008 |
| Risky Business * | Warner | 9/16/2008 |
| Run Fatboy Run + | New Line | 9/23/2008 |
| Sex and the City: The Movie | Warner | 9/23/2008 |
| Speed Racer * | Warner | 9/16/2008 |
| Street Kings | Fox | 8/19/2008 |
| The Ultimate Matrix Collection | Warner | 10/14/2008 |
* Note: Titles with a * are NOT compatible with Mac computers or Ipod portable media players. They are "PlaysForSure" compatible-only.
- Note: Titles with a + contain a second disc containing a DVD copy of the movie, as opposed to a traditional digital copy.
Below are links to the various studios' Digital Copy websites, as well as direct links to the support contact forms for anyone missing their license code or experiencing problems transferring/downloading the files to their PC or media player:
Warner Brothers/New Line DC Site -- Contact Support
Fox DC Site -- Contact Support
Lionsgate DC Site -- Contact Support
Disney DC Site -- Support phone: 800-723-4763
Paramount DC Site -- Contact Support
With the success of IMAX 3D and Real D in cinemas and 2009 being billed as the "year of 3D," many studios are starting to look at bringing 3D features to home video. Since Blu-ray lacks a true 3D profile, and 3D monitors are still aways off for most consumers, the Blu-ray releases of 3D features have to be encoded using color anaglyphs to attempt to preserve the 3D effect. Such movies will play in all players, but the viewer will need to wear red/blue or red/cyan filtered glasses to see the 3D effect. This means that a loss of color information results and the end effect isn't nearly as engrossing as the effect of theatrical IMAX 3D or Real D movies. Still, it does allow for full compatibility with all players and HDTVs on the market, and if these titles are successful it might spur faster development of a true 3D Blu-ray profile and 3D-capable consumer monitors.
Released 3D Titles
| Title | Studio | Release date | 3D |
| Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert (3D) | Disney | 8/19/2008 | R/C |
| Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008; Limited Edition 3d) | Warner | 10/28/2008 | R/B? |
| The Polar Express (3D edition) | Warner | 10/28/2008 | R/B? |
R/C = Red/cyan anaglyph
R/B = Red/blue anaglyph
Note that while 3D Blu-ray releases include cheap cardboard anaglyph glasses with it, you can always use higher quality plastic or metal glasses, or clip-on filters for prescription glasses as well -- which may provide a better 3D experience. One store that specializes in selling these glasses can be found here. There are many different designs available. Be careful to order the correct anaglyph colors for the title or titles you want to watch. You may need to purchase two sets to cover both red/blue and red/cyan-type anaglyphs. They also sell circular polarized glasses that work with the Real D (aka Disney Digital 3D) thatrical system for anyone who dislikes the style of glasses given out by their local theatre.
Latest update: 10/28/08
This page contains information on all of the upcoming announced U.S. model Blu-ray A/V players. Use the Terms/Specs link above to view a detailed explanation of what all of the player specs mean.
Sharp Aquos BD-HP21 (Due in September -- MSRP: $349)
Sharp's second Blu-ray disc player improves on their first with BonusView features and bitstream audio output of all HD audio formats.
| Specs | Internal Decoding | ||
| Generation | 3 | Dolby TrueHD | Yes |
| BD Profile | 1.1 (BonusView) | DTS-HD HR | ? |
| 1080p24 Output | Yes | DTS-HD MA | ? |
| Analog Outputs | 5.1 channel | Bitstream Output | |
| Dolby TrueHD | Yes | ||
| Special Features | DTS-HD HR | Yes | |
| Quick Start | DTS-HD MA | Yes |
Sharp Aquos BD-HP50 (Due in September -- MSRP: $449)
The higher end sibling of the HP21, the BD-HP50 adds custom-install features such as RS232 and ir input, while maintaining the features found in the lower-priced sibling.
| Specs | Internal Decoding | ||
| Generation | 3 | Dolby TrueHD | Yes |
| BD Profile | 1.1 (BonusView) | DTS-HD HR | ? |
| 1080p24 Output | Yes | DTS-HD MA | ? |
| Analog Outputs | 5.1 channel | Bitstream Output | |
| Dolby TrueHD | Yes | ||
| Special Features | DTS-HD HR | Yes | |
| Quick Start | DTS-HD MA | Yes |
Sony BDP-S550 (Due in September -- Expected MSRP: $599)
The step-up model to the BDP-S350 adds in-player advanced audio decoding to the already fantastic feature list of its lower-end sibling.
| Specs | Internal Decoding | ||
| Generation | 3 | Dolby TrueHD | Yes |
| BD Profile | 2.0 (BD-Live) | DTS-HD HR | Yes |
| 1080p24 Output | Yes | DTS-HD MA | Yes |
| Analog Outputs | ??? | Bitstream Output | |
| Dolby TrueHD | Yes | ||
| Special Features | DTS-HD HR | Yes | |
| None | DTS-HD MA | Yes |
Sherwood Newcastle BDP-6003 (Due in September – MSRP: $499)
Sherwood releases their first Blu-ray Disc player aiming it at audio enthusiasts who need multi-channel analog outputs.
| Specs | Internal Decoding | ||
| Generation | 3 | Dolby TrueHD | Yes |
| BD Profile | 1.1 (BonusView) | DTS-HD HR | Yes |
| 1080p24 Output | Yes | DTS-HD MA | Yes |
| Analog Outputs | 5.1 | Bitstream Output | |
| Dolby TrueHD | Yes | ||
| Special Features | DTS-HD HR | Yes | |
| None | DTS-HD MA | Yes |
LG BD300 (Due in October – Expected MSRP: $399)
Like LGs earlier “combo” players, the BD300 isn’t content simply playing back Blu-ray disc movies… it has to do more, MORE. The latest iteration drops the no longer relevant HD DVD playback capability, and adds networked downloading of video rentals from Netflix.
| Specs | Internal Decoding | ||
| Generation | 3 | Dolby TrueHD | No |
| BD Profile | 2.0 (BD-Live) | DTS-HD HR | No |
| 1080p24 Output | Yes | DTS-HD MA | No |
| Analog Outputs | ??? | Bitstream Output | |
| Dolby TrueHD | Yes | ||
| Special Features | DTS-HD HR | Yes | |
| Playback of Netflix | online rentals | DTS-HD MA | Yes |
Denon DVD-1800BD (Due in October -- MSRP: $749)
With two Profile 1.1 Blu-ray disc players already on the market, Denon is leading the way among high-end equipment manufacturers. But given the rapidly expanding market, they are bringing out yet another player later this year, at a pricepoint lower than either of their existing models.
| Specs | Internal Decoding | ||
| Generation | 3 | Dolby TrueHD | No |
| BD Profile | 1.1 (BonusView) | DTS-HD HR | No |
| 1080p24 Output | Yes | DTS-HD MA | No |
| Analog Outputs | 2 channel ?? | Bitstream Output | |
| Dolby TrueHD | Yes | ||
| Special Features | DTS-HD HR | Yes | |
| None | DTS-HD MA | Yes |
Sherwood Newcastle BDP-5003 (Due in October – MSRP: $299)
Coming right on the heels of the BDP-6003, Sherwood will be releasing the BDP-5003 to a mass-market audience. The only featuring seemingly lacking compared to its older sibling is the multi-channel analog outputs, making the $200 price difference for the higher end model rather questionable.
| Specs | Internal Decoding | ||
| Generation | 3 | Dolby TrueHD | Yes |
| BD Profile | 1.1 (BonusView) | DTS-HD HR | Yes |
| 1080p24 Output | Yes | DTS-HD MA | Yes |
| Analog Outputs | 2.0 | Bitstream Output | |
| Dolby TrueHD | Yes | ||
| Special Features | DTS-HD HR | Yes | |
| None | DTS-HD MA | Yes |
Netlogic BDP810 -- (Due in October – Pricing unknown)
Another “value” player set to hit this fall, featuring BonusView capability and 5.1-channel analog outputs. More information to follow.
Pioneer Elite BDP-09FD (Due this fall – Expected MSRP: $2199)
Pioneer’s long-rumored “super player” has finally been officially announced, with a feature list and build quality to give Denon a run for the high-end consumer dollar. Featuring some of the best DACs on the market, a very high end video scaling solution, and 16-bit color upconversion, the BDP-09FD should make for an amazing machine.
| Specs | Internal Decoding | ||
| Generation | 3 | Dolby TrueHD | Yes |
| BD Profile | 2.0 (BD-Live) | DTS-HD HR | Yes |
| 1080p24 Output | Yes | DTS-HD MA | Yes |
| Analog Outputs | 7.1 channel | Bitstream Output | |
| Dolby TrueHD | Yes | ||
| Special Features | DTS-HD HR | Yes | |
| None | DTS-HD MA | Yes |
Samsung HT-BD2E Home-Theatre-in-a-Box (Due this fall – Expected MSRP: $799)
While Samsung deserves credit for getting the first BD HTIB out last year (the HT-BD2T) they should be completely ashamed of themselves for continuing to release this same Profile 1.0 BD player/receiver combo with different speaker systems. If you really must have an all-in-one device, get the Panasonic that is BonusView capable and has DTS-HD MA decoding, both lacking in the Samsung units.
| Specs | Internal Decoding | ||
| Generation | 2 | Dolby TrueHD | Yes |
| BD Profile | 1.0 | DTS-HD HR | Yes |
| 1080p24 Output | ??? | DTS-HD MA | No |
| Analog Outputs | N/A | Bitstream Output | |
| Dolby TrueHD | N/A | ||
| Special Features | DTS-HD HR | N/A | |
| Built in receiver | 5.1 channel speakers | DTS-HD MA | N/A |
Panasonic DMP-BD35 (Release date and pricing unknown)
Though the DMP-BD50 was only recently released, two successors have already been announced. The BD35 will be the new base model, though it lacks only in analog outputs versus its more expensive sibling.
| Specs | Internal Decoding | ||
| Generation | 3 | Dolby TrueHD | Yes |
| BD Profile | 2.0 (BD-Live) | DTS-HD HR | Yes |
| 1080p24 Output | Yes | DTS-HD MA | Yes |
| Analog Outputs | 2 channel | Bitstream Output | |
| Dolby TrueHD | Yes | ||
| Special Features | DTS-HD HR | Yes | |
| None | DTS-HD MA | Yes |
Panasonic DMP-BD55 (Release date and pricing unknown)
The older brother the the upcoming BD35, the BD55 adds full 7.1-channel analog outputs to the already VERY impressive feature set.
| Specs | Internal Decoding | ||
| Generation | 3 | Dolby TrueHD | Yes |
| BD Profile | 2.0 (BD-Live) | DTS-HD HR | Yes |
| 1080p24 Output | Yes | DTS-HD MA | Yes |
| Analog Outputs | 7.1 channel | Bitstream Output | |
| Dolby TrueHD | Yes | ||
| Special Features | DTS-HD HR | Yes | |
| None | DTS-HD MA | Yes |
Sony BDP-S5000ES (Release date and pricing unknown)
Sony’s latest ES-series Blu-ray disc player promises to provide some of the best audio, video, and build quality available. Of course, that will come at a price. The player is also set to be BD-Live ready out of the box. More information to follow.
Funai B1-M110 (Release date and pricing unknown)
More information to follow.
Sony BDV-IT1000 Home-theatre-in-a-box (Release date and pricing unknown)
Early word indicates full HD audio decoding, HDMI inputs, and BD-Live capability. Full specs to follow.
JVC NX-BD3 Home-theatre-in-a-box -- (Release date and pricing unknown)
Home theatre system featuring Bonus-view Blu-ray disc player and DNLA compatibility. Full specs to follow.
Oppo BDP-S83 -- (Release date and pricing unknown)
Oppo, best known for their very popular (among enthusiasts) line of upscaling DVD players, has started showing off prototypes of their upcoming BDP-S38 Blu-ray disc player. Oppo is promising BD-Live capability and audio decoding of all advanced codecs.
Sony Unnamed ES-series 400-disc Blu-ray / DVD / CD changer -- (Expected in Spring, 2009; pricing unknown)
Not much is known yet about Sony's upcoming mega-changer, though it sports a 400-disc changer mechanism, is Profile 2.0 compliant, and is part of Sony's higher-end ES series (meaning it likely will not be available for less than $1500-2000.
Cambridge Audio Unnamed Blu-ray Player -- (Expected in Spring, 2009; expected MSRP: $995)
Cambridge has announced their first Blu-ray player, a BD-Live capable model, with 7.1 channel analog outputs and support for decoding True HD and DTS HD HR (but not MA) soundtracks.
Latest Update: 9/7/08
