Blu-Ray Releases (Official Thread)

[Peter Oberth]

http://www.shakefire.com/articles/stock/bluraybay.jpg

For those of you that haven't discovered it yet, I started a new article a few weeks back called BLU-RAY BAY, all about, you guessed it, blu-ray DVDs. As I believe blu-ray will eventually stand alone as the only HD title, I will not be including HD DVDs in this article. Wehn I received HD DVDs, I will review those separately (see my review of the Ultimate Matrix Collection on HD DVD (http://www.shakefire.com/reviews/hd-theultimatematrixcollection.html)). I just finished my fourth installment of Blu-Ray Bay features Curse of the Golden Flower, The Messengers, Apocalypto, Pirates of the Caribbean 1 & 2 and Rescue Me: Season 3. Check out the newest article and the past three:

VOLUME 1 (http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay1.html) | VOLUME 2 (http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay2.html) | VOLUME 3 (http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay3.html) | VOLUME 4 (http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay4.html) | VOLUME 5 (http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay5.html) | VOLUME 6 (http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay6.html) | VOLUME 7 (http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay7.html) | VOLUME 8 (http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay8.html)

[Toasty]

I am holding off on getting one format or the other but I really liked Apocalypto one of the top movies of last year IMO. It must be freaking sweet to watch it in HD. BTW what TV do you have are you able to watch in 1080p?

[Peter Oberth]

I am holding off on getting one format or the other but I really liked Apocalypto one of the top movies of last year IMO. It must be freaking sweet to watch it in HD. BTW what TV do you have are you able to watch in 1080p?

Blu-Ray is a better technology, MUCH better.

I have a 52" Samsung 1080p LCD:

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/41AAPG2XXQL._AA280_.jpg

I use Monster HDMI cords with a Sony 7.1 1200W surround system.

[Toasty]

I have a 52" Samsung 1080p LCD:


Toasty looks at his 37" that only goes to 720p :(



I HATE YOU :p

[Peter Oberth]

Toasty looks at his 37" that only goes to 720p :(



I HATE YOU :p

lol, that's still a nice TV thought. I think you can squeeze 1080i HD TV out of it.

[majiesto]

Majiesto looks at 26" ancient tv from the stone-age that doesn't even have HD.

I HATE ALL OF YOU...

just kidding, hopefully I will be getting an HDTV soon. Just looking for a good bargain.

[Toasty]

Majiesto looks at 26" ancient tv from the stone-age that doesn't even have HD.

I HATE ALL OF YOU...

just kidding, hopefully I will be getting an HDTV soon. Just looking for a good bargain.

If you lived closer I could give you a deal on a Samsung 26" HDTV that I upgraded from :p Oh and Peter my 37" does do 1080i but 720p looks better IMO

[majiesto]

If you lived closer I could give you a deal on a Samsung 26" HDTV that I upgraded from :p Oh and Peter my 37" does do 1080i but 720p looks better IMO

Thanks though, it's the thought that counts. By the way, how is Samsung. I was looking into them and they seem pretty good?

[Toasty]

They are freakin amazing, nothing comes close I have had two tvs by them and 5 computer screens...All have been top notch quality in build as well as picture wise. The blacks actually show up as blacks on the LCDs and they have very good viewing angles. They are just very well built TVs or computer LCDs. I highly recommend them. :)

[majiesto]

Sweet, thanks. That's what I'll be getting then.

[madcowjm]

weird .. i have that tv too .. but not with any real research just a matter of it was on sale, the cheapest tv in brandsmart AND it came with 10months free HD cable subscription! :)

[Peter Oberth]

They are freakin amazing, nothing comes close I have had two tvs by them and 5 computer screens...All have been top notch quality in build as well as picture wise. The blacks actually show up as blacks on the LCDs and they have very good viewing angles. They are just very well built TVs or computer LCDs. I highly recommend them. :)

I agree. And the WHITES will almost literally blind you. I've actually had to look away on Blu-Ray DVDs when the screen is just white.

By the way, my new Blu-Ray Bay article is launching today featuring:

-Seven Years in Tibet
-Bridge to Terabithia
-Ghost Rider
-Hellboy
-Primeval
-Cruel Intentions

http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay5.html

[madcowjm]

So ... stupid question ... do you think people will really latch onto this? Or will it go the way of the zipdrive? As people try to design a dvd player that uses flashdrives instead of actual disks

[nemesis9092]

I think eventually everyone is going to have one these players, but is not going to happend until the price for each of these machines goes down.:rocks:

[Peter Oberth]

my opinion? I think HD DVD will eventually go out of business and merge into Blu-Ray. Then, blu-Ray will become the new standard. Speaking from experience, BD is so much better quality than DVD that it is worth the upgrade. HD DVD is a lesser echnology than BD and there is no reason that it will win out. HD DVD players are cheaper than Blu-Ray players for now but Toshibahas a Blu-Ray player coming soon that will be a couple hundred dollars so it will be even.

As for flash drives? I don't see that happening any time soon. You can't really get a flash drive over 8gb now and, for an HD film to fit on a flash drive, it would have to be 50gb. Plus, what kind of cases are they going to be in? Cheap plastic cases like those old multi-cassette holders? Or are we just going to throw them all in a bin and sift through them? Downloadable movies will take off well before flash drives will.

[madcowjm]

Download and store? So like the ppv on demand, just now you can own it? Yeah, i'm looking forward to that ... def. Cause I got way too many dvds hanging around the house. Just that would make me not want to make the switch because I do have so many dvds in one format .. or can those blueray players play both?

[redbomber0]

hey peter, i think BBC agrees with you. check out this recent article:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6762621.stm

[eldar the great]

how i see it, by the time blu-ray replaces DVD's, there will be another way of watching movies and soforth that will be way better

[Peter Oberth]

Download and store? So like the ppv on demand, just now you can own it? Yeah, i'm looking forward to that ... def. Cause I got way too many dvds hanging around the house. Just that would make me not want to make the switch because I do have so many dvds in one format .. or can those blueray players play both?

Blu-Ray and HD players are both backward compatible.

[redbomber0]

Blu-Ray and HD players are both backward compatible.

i heard somewhere that mp4s are becoming the next big electronic format, is that true?

[majiesto]

I think mp4 has been around for a while. I've seen some stuff in mp4 and it doesn't look like anything special. I think iPod videos are in mp4 format as well.

[Peter Oberth]

I think mp4 has been around for a while. I've seen some stuff in mp4 and it doesn't look like anything special. I think iPod videos are in mp4 format as well.

yeah, most portable video sources are in mp4. it's a great compressions technology and you can get a relatively decent picture for a low amount of space but it definetely isn't capable of hi-def.

[redbomber0]

yeah, most portable video sources are in mp4. it's a great compressions technology and you can get a relatively decent picture for a low amount of space but it definetely isn't capable of hi-def.

then is the good compression why it is becoming a more popular format? and yeah, i remember seeing it around a while back, so i know it's not new, but i am seeing it pop up more and more.

[majiesto]

I guess it's probably because more people are getting into portable viewing devices (such as iPod, PSP, cell phones with video capabilities, etc.). Now that there are more people using the format, it is being talked about more.

[Peter Oberth]

latest BLU-RAY article is live featuring:

-Premonition
-Blood & Chocolate
-The Patriot: Extended Cut
-Flatliners
-Wild Things: Unrated Edition

Check it out!
http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay6.html

[Peter Oberth]

Major Hollywood Studios and Consumer

Electronics Manufacturers Announce

Blu-Ray Summer Promotion

Summer-Long Consumer Promotion Ties Into The Growing Momentum For The Blu-ray Disc® Format

Campaign supported by major print and online media campaigns
Los Angeles, CA. (06/27/07) – Seven of the major Hollywood studios and six top consumer electronics manufacturers today announced the launch of the Blu-ray Disc Promotion, a summer-long promotional program intended to encourage customers to experience the unparalleled high-definition experience that Blu-ray™ provides. The promotion gives consumers the opportunity to jump-start their high definition library by receiving five free Blu-ray Discs from a list of over 20 of the most popular titles offered by participating studios when they purchase qualifying Blu-ray players between July 1 and September 30, 2007.

Participating studios include Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Lionsgate Home Entertainment, MGM Home Entertainment, Paramount Home Entertainment, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and Warner Home Video. Hardware manufacturers include Panasonic Consumer Electronics, Phillips Electronics, Pioneer, Samsung, Sony Electronics and Sony Computer Entertainment.

Consumers who purchase any one of the many qualifying Blu-ray players from participating hardware companies will be able to select five of the following Blu-ray titles, which include new releases and fan favorites. Among the 21 titles in this mail-in offer are: Babel, Black Rain, Blazing Saddles, Chicken Little, The Corpse Bride, The Devil's Rejects, The Guardian, Hart's War, Invincible, The Italian Job, Kiss of the Dragon, The Last Waltz, The Omen [2006], Pearl Harbor, The Phantom of the Opera, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, Species, Stealth, Stir of Echoes, The Transporter 2 and Underworld: Evolution.

The promotion will kick off on July 1, 2007 and will be supported by a major print and online media campaign that will also launch in July. This campaign will be seen in such popular print publications as Maxim, GQ, Rolling Stone and online sites such as CNET and Google among others.

The Blu-ray Disc technology has quickly become a leader in the high definition marketplace and is supported by over 170 companies spanning consumer electronics, computers, gaming, music and movie studios. It represents many of the major brands that consumers have grown to love and trust. Brands such as Sony, Panasonic, Samsung, Pioneer, Phillips, Warner Bros., Paramount, Disney, Fox, MGM and Lionsgate are just a few that are supporting this revolutionary technology.

For more information on Blu-ray Disc, visit www.blu-raydisc.com. Details on the Summer Blu-ray Disc Promotion will be available starting July 1 at www.bluraysavings.com or www.blu-raydisc.com.

[redbomber0]

thst promotion may start to signify the end for hd-dvd...

[SFjosh]

thst promotion may start to signify the end for hd-dvd...

we can all hope so

[nuudles]

I think VHS is due for a comeback any day now.

[majiesto]

The more competition the better. In the end, we get the best deals.

[NfoRcErX]

I love when companies make programs like this to "jump-start" the lack of purchases, and in the end, screw over the early adopters. I have my ps3 and 28 Blu-ray Movies, and an HD-DVD drive for my 360, and 27 HD-DVD movies, but no matter what happens, I am unable to get any freebies because I bought early on!

Bah Humbug, I want free movies...

[madcowjm]

Here's a question. For the people who do some online flick purchasing (through ruckus or whatever) will it be possible for these people to download in said "blu ray" format? What's tempting those people to switch over?

[majiesto]

Here's a question. For the people who do some online flick purchasing (through ruckus or whatever) will it be possible for these people to download in said "blu ray" format? What's tempting those people to switch over?

I know there are already Blu-Ray players in computers so I would assume that eventually they would allow for downloadable Blu-Ray movies. Probably not for a while though.

Oh and I love your new pic madcow!

[madcowjm]

I know there are already Blu-Ray players in computers so I would assume that eventually they would allow for downloadable Blu-Ray movies. Probably not for a while though.

Oh and I love your new pic madcow!

thanks!
and
thanks!

love futbol! HUGE! cristiano fan ... you should check out my myspace page :)

[redbomber0]

thanks!
and
thanks!

love futbol! HUGE! cristiano fan ... you should check out my myspace page :)

....enh, he's not too bad...

i personally hope that when i buy my second laptop in about 3-5 years, it has a blu-ray drive so i can burn tons of info onto one disc.

[madcowjm]

....enh, he's not too bad...

i personally hope that when i buy my second laptop in about 3-5 years, it has a blu-ray drive so i can burn tons of info onto one disc.

So you're not in the "I will have Cristiano Ronaldo's baby" fan club on facebook then?

Why though? In 3-5 years you can store 30G of info on a flashdrive.

[majiesto]

So you're not in the "I will have Cristiano Ronaldo's baby" fan club on facebook then?

Why though? In 3-5 years you can store 30G of info on a flashdrive.

What about a dual layer disk? That 50G! Can you fit that onto a flashdrive? I think not.

[madcowjm]

What about a dual layer disk? That 50G! Can you fit that onto a flashdrive? I think not.

think long term .. long term ... in 5 years we went from that gigantic "cellphone" zack morris had in his back pocket in saved by the bell to the smaller nokias.... and in 5 years we went from that to the razor. So I figure 5 years to get a flash drive to store 30-50G might not be so unrealistic.

[redbomber0]

What about a dual layer disk? That 50G! Can you fit that onto a flashdrive? I think not.

exactly!! and don't forget that some people believe Blu-Ray may eventually get up to 3 or even 4 layers

*Edit: "Also behind closed doors at CES 2007, Ritek has revealed that they had successfully developed a High Definition optical disc process that extends the disc capacity of both competing formats to 10 layers. That increases the capacity of the discs to 250 GB for Blu-ray compared to 150 GB for HD DVD using the same process. However, they noted that the major obstacle is that current reader and writer technology does not support the additional layers.[3]"
-From Wikipedia.org (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blu-ray_disc#Laser_and_optics)

[majiesto]

Major Hollywood Studios and Consumer

Electronics Manufacturers Announce

Blu-Ray Summer Promotion

Summer-Long Consumer Promotion Ties Into The Growing Momentum For The Blu-ray Disc® Format

Campaign supported by major print and online media campaigns

Los Angeles, CA. (06/27/07) – Seven of the major Hollywood studios and six top consumer electronics manufacturers today announced the launch of the Blu-ray Disc Promotion, a summer-long promotional program intended to encourage customers to experience the unparalleled high-definition experience that Blu-ray™ provides. The promotion gives consumers the opportunity to jump-start their high definition library by receiving five free Blu-ray Discs from a list of over 20 of the most popular titles offered by participating studios when they purchase qualifying Blu-ray players between July 1 and September 30, 2007.

Participating studios include Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Lionsgate Home Entertainment, MGM Home Entertainment, Paramount Home Entertainment, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and Warner Home Video. Hardware manufacturers include Panasonic Consumer Electronics, Phillips Electronics, Pioneer, Samsung, Sony Electronics and Sony Computer Entertainment.

Consumers who purchase any one of the many qualifying Blu-ray players from participating hardware companies will be able to select five of the following Blu-ray titles, which include new releases and fan favorites. Among the 21 titles in this mail-in offer are: Babel, Black Rain, Blazing Saddles, Chicken Little, The Corpse Bride, The Devil's Rejects, The Guardian, Hart's War, Invincible, The Italian Job, Kiss of the Dragon, The Last Waltz, The Omen [2006], Pearl Harbor, The Phantom of the Opera, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, Species, Stealth, Stir of Echoes, The Transporter 2 and Underworld: Evolution.

The promotion will kick off on July 1, 2007 and will be supported by a major print and online media campaign that will also launch in July. This campaign will be seen in such popular print publications as Maxim, GQ, Rolling Stone and online sites such as CNET and Google among others.

The Blu-ray Disc technology has quickly become a leader in the high definition marketplace and is supported by over 170 companies spanning consumer electronics, computers, gaming, music and movie studios. It represents many of the major brands that consumers have grown to love and trust. Brands such as Sony, Panasonic, Samsung, Pioneer, Phillips, Warner Bros., Paramount, Disney, Fox, MGM and Lionsgate are just a few that are supporting this revolutionary technology.

For more information on Blu-ray Disc, visit www.blu-raydisc.com (http://www.blu-raydisc.com). Details on the Summer Blu-ray Disc Promotion will be available starting July 1 at www.bluraysavings.com (http://www.bluraysavings.com) or www.blu-raydisc.com (http://www.blu-raydisc.com).



Oh and I found out that if you buy a Playstation 3, 2 games, and an extra controller through any local Sony Style store you get a $50 gift card. Just another incentive to sell the system.

[Peter Oberth]

Oh and I found out that if you buy a Playstation 3, 2 games, and an extra controller through any local Sony Style store you get a $50 gift card. Just another incentive to sell the system.

another incentive would be to just lower the price of the PS3 and make it smaller than a refrigerator.

[redbomber0]

another incentive would be to just lower the price of the PS3 and make it smaller than a refrigerator.
come on...it's not that big...

sizewise, how does it compare to the 360?

[Peter Oberth]

come on...it's not that big...

sizewise, how does it compare to the 360?

it's a LOT heavier for one. It's similar in size, although the PS3 is a bit larger, but (as with the PS2), the PS3 isn't very sleek looking and is just more bulky looking than 360.

[redbomber0]

it's a LOT heavier for one. It's similar in size, although the PS3 is a bit larger, but (as with the PS2), the PS3 isn't very sleek looking and is just more bulky looking than 360.
wow...so the picture lied to me....
what's the controller like?

[NfoRcErX]

wow...so the picture lied to me....
what's the controller like?

The controller is basically the exact same controller as the PS2 Dual Shock except that Sony lost their lawsuit to Immersion technologies over the Dual Rumble Motor Patent, so they couldn't put rumble into their controllers. So, basically, the ps3 controllers are gamepads that weigh less than 1/4th of a pound and feel REALLY cheap, but cost 50 bucks... I'm a sucker and have 3 of them right now.

I personally like the sixaxis shape, but as far as the no rumble, it feels way to light for my likings. My favorite gamepad of all time (as far as feel goes, not looks) would be the original Xbox controller! I loved that thing and regret that they released the S and discontinued the old one. The 360 one is ok, but the original was my favorite!

Back on topic, Just a month or two ago, Sony and Immersion patched things up (AKA Sony paid Immersion a lot of money) and supposedly Rumble Six Axis controllers are in the works... If thats the case, I will again find out why it sucks to be an early adopter (who buys 3 controllers at launch :shootmyse )

[NfoRcErX]

i personally hope that when i buy my second laptop in about 3-5 years, it has a blu-ray drive so i can burn tons of info onto one disc.

If you think that 50gb BRD's are a big deal then you need to go google Holographic Versatile Discs and look forward to them! 4Tb (Terrabyte disks!) capacity on one disk... that is 3x what I have in my pc right now!

*Edit* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holographic_Versatile_Disc

Theres a wiki for what I was talkin about

[redbomber0]

dude, i read about those in popular mechanics about a year ago, and i am so ready for them...

[majiesto]

another incentive would be to just lower the price of the PS3 and make it smaller than a refrigerator.

Well the just did. It's been lowered to $499. You can check it out on Sony's official blog. I'm afraid it's still the same size though.

http://blog.us.playstation.com/

[madcowjm]

Well the just did. It's been lowered to $499. You can check it out on Sony's official blog. I'm afraid it's still the same size though.

http://blog.us.playstation.com/

I was hoping for a 100% off sale.

[redbomber0]

I was hoping for a 100% off sale.
lol, maybe in 10 years. me, i'm gonna wait about 3-4 years, get a used ps3, get it modded, and i'm set.

[NfoRcErX]

lol, maybe in 10 years. me, i'm gonna wait about 3-4 years, get a used ps3, get it modded, and i'm set.

There is no need to Mod a PS3 unless you are going to partake in piracy. The system supports OSes right off the bat and on top of that you can swap out the hard drive with any other 5400rpm Laptop SATA drive from any brick and mortar or online retailer. It has all the media features, all the online features, Linux/Ubuntu support, and more!

[madcowjm]

There is no need to Mod a PS3 unless you are going to partake in piracy ....

Go ahead and reveal the boys plan why dont ya?

[majiesto]

You know, I think NfoRcErX is a spy for Sony. He wants to get into our heads and steal our thoughts...RUN AWAY!!!!

[redbomber0]

The system supports OSes right off the bat and on top of that you can swap out the hard drive with any other 5400rpm Laptop SATA drive from any brick and mortar or online retailer. It has all the media features, all the online features, Linux/Ubuntu support, and more!

hmm...i didn't realize that.............................................. ..........
so who else wants a disc that actual is a hologram!!

[NfoRcErX]

You know, I think NfoRcErX is a spy for Sony. He wants to get into our heads and steal our thoughts...RUN AWAY!!!!

You can never run away! MUHAHAHAHAHAHA...

I mean.. no i'm not :eyebrow:

[da turkey]

Blu-Ray is a better technology, MUCH better.

I have a 52" Samsung 1080p LCD:

I use Monster HDMI cords with a Sony 7.1 1200W surround system.

Oh no... Peter....you actually bought over-priced over-hyped Monster HDMI cables? Check all the net blogs and forums about cables. Check AVS forum and Monoprice for cables.

[Peter Oberth]

Oh no... Peter....you actually bought over-priced over-hyped Monster HDMI cables? Check all the net blogs and forums about cables. Check AVS forum and Monoprice for cables.

i didn't buy them, i stole them.

[da turkey]

Ok, well ..whew...5 finger discount works too.

[madcowjm]

Ok, well ..whew...5 finger discount works too.

5 finger discount ... hmmm ... i only hear that from a small group of people ... where yah from turkey?

[da turkey]

5 finger discount ... hmmm ... i only hear that from a small group of people ... where yah from turkey?

Georgia native. Where you from Maddie?

[pyropat2323]

5 finger discount ... hmmm ... i only hear that from a small group of people ... where yah from turkey?

I think that is a pretty common term... or at least I have always been familiar with it.

[NfoRcErX]

Just thought I would tell everyone that my local walmart had an ok selection of blu-ray movies (roughly 15-20) and I was able to pick up the Untouchables for $18.98! I was surprised they had more than 5 or so, and the selection they did have was priced quite well for a retail store.

If you want some cheap movies without ordering online, check out walmart!

[redbomber0]

what is 5 finger discount? i mean, i'm pretty sure what it is, but i'm gonna play dumb.

[pyropat2323]

what is 5 finger discount? i mean, i'm pretty sure what it is, but i'm gonna play dumb.

It means to steal.

[redbomber0]

It means to steal.

lol, thanks.

[majiesto]

I have a Samsung LNT5265F 52" 1080p LCD HDTV, a Samsung BD-P1000 Blu-Ray Disc Player connected with Audioquest HDMI-1/PVC 15.0M Digital Audio/Video Cable and a Bose Lifestyle 48 Series II Surround Sound System...

Peter, I am officially jealous!

[pyropat2323]

Peter, I am officially jealous!

Yeah... I think if I ever saw your home theater Peter I would have to fall to my knees in praise.

[Peter Oberth]

new article is up featuring:

-Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within
-Perfect Stranger
-Disturbia
-Immortal Beloved
-Roving Mars
-Are We Done Yet?
BONUS HD DVD REVIEW: Blue Planet

http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay7.html

[redbomber0]

new article is up featuring:

-Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within
-Perfect Stranger
-Disturbia
-Immortal Beloved
-Roving Mars
-Are We Done Yet?
BONUS HD DVD REVIEW: Blue Planet

http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay7.html

which one was the spirits within?

[Peter Oberth]

which one was the spirits within?

it was the American theatrical version. also, remember, I am grading on the quality of the presentation, not the quality of the movie itself.

[redbomber0]

it was the American theatrical version. also, remember, I am grading on the quality of the presentation, not the quality of the movie itself.
lol, i saw that. it was really that amazing-looking?

[Peter Oberth]

Yes, to counteract Paramount/DreamWorks Animation's decision to drop their blu-ray altogether for HD...



FOX AND MGM UNVEIL BLU-RAY EXCLUSIVE WORLDWIDE RELEASES FOR 2007

29 Titles To Debut Packed With Soon-to-Be-Announced BD Industry ‘Firsts’ - PLUS – Fox’s First TV Title ‘PRISON BREAK’

FANTASTIC FOUR: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER And
LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD and Other Titles
To Debut Day-and-Date on BD/DVD

-- Blu-ray Out-Performing HD DVD 2-to-1 At Retail in 2007 --

LOS ANGELES – August 20, 2007 -- Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (TCFHE) today unveiled an aggressive global Blu-ray Disc release strategy including 29 new release and “must-have” catalog titles that runs through the end of the 2007 calendar year. Among the many highlights of the impressive worldwide slate are six day & date BD/DVD new theatrical releases from Fox including the $241 million box-office family favorite FANTASTIC FOUR: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER and the $335 million box-office action powerhouse LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD, four day & date BD/DVD (U.S. only) new theatrical releases from MGM, 19 ‘must-have on BD’ films from the two studios’ libraries, Fox’s first-ever TV release on BD – PRISON BREAK -- and Fox’s intention to release at least one state-of-the-art title per month featuring numerous BD ‘firsts.’

The only high-definition packaged media universally supported by the film, music, gaming and computer industries, BD is the #1 selling high-definition packaged media. In fact, on a worldwide basis, BD is averaging nearly 70% market-share per week of all high definition titles sold this year and, in the U.S., it is out-performing HD DVD by a margin of 115%.

“Given that Blu-ray has consistently outsold HD DVD all year, and this is the case for any titles released by any studio in both formats, we believe that the time is right for us to accelerate our activities and help convert the nearly 60 million high definition households worldwide into Blu-ray households,” noted Mike Dunn, President Worldwide, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. “By the end of this calendar year there will be expansive availability of technically vibrant releases featuring never-before-seen, advanced BD-J interactivity as well as a broad offering of playback devices at attractive prices that will prove to any doubting consumers once and for all that Blu-ray is the only way.”

“And as Blu-ray continues to grows stronger, it has become survival of the fittest which is most apparent in the retail landscape where our eager and growing global Blu-ray consumer base has caused a shift that is forcing the allocation of more space to the format that is selling the best. And, in many recent instances of note, top retailers in North America are choosing to promote the Blu-ray format exclusively in their stores,” continued Dunn.

Among the BD industry ‘firsts’ from the Studios’ upcoming global release slate are picture in picture capability, enhanced viewing and surround sound modes with the ability to mix and match picture and sound, direct access to in-movie features through one of the four colored buttons on the BD remote and the most technically vibrant BD-Java interactive multi-player challenge and trivia games to date. The Studios’ slate also takes full advantage of BD-Live functionality this fourth quarter. Internet-connected consumers will enjoy unique, title specific “web-enabled” interactive features and games and “web-exclusive” downloadable content with the ability to connect and interact with other broadband BD users worldwide.

Cementing its leadership position within the industry - previous BD releases NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM and X-MEN THE LAST STAND rank in the Top 20 best-sellers - the vast majority of the Studios’ upcoming global slate will be presented on 50 GB dual-layer discs with advanced BD-J interactivity and feature numerous Blu-ray exclusive high-definition bonus materials that further realizes BD’s incredible potential. Consumers will enjoy the superior video and audio elements of AVC encoding and Lossless HD audio on many of the coming titles as well as enhanced and integrated menus, personal scene selections, search indexing, trivia and other title specific games and high-definition bonus materials.

Upcoming BD-J features exclusive to priority catalogue titles from Fox and MGM include an "Alien Scavenger Hunt" (INDEPENDENCE DAY) that challenges players to earn points by identifying the correct number of aliens in select scenes to unlock additional bonus features; a “Global Warming Trivia Track” (THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW) where users must correctly answer questions about global warming to keep the Earth’s temperature from rising and being destroyed; and a historical and geographical pop-up map (MASTER & COMMANDER) that tracks the location of Captain "Lucky" Jack Aubrey and his enemies.

EXCLUSIDING theatrical day and date titles...
OCTOBER 2:
-Master & Commander
-The Day After Tomorrow

OCTOBER 9:
-From Hell
-The Fly (1986)
-Edward Scissorhands
-28 Days Later
-Robocop
-Amityville Horror (1979)

NOVEMBER 6:
-Battle of Britain
-A Bridge Too Far

NOVEMBER 13:
-I, Robot

NOVEMBER:
-Die Hard
-Die Hard 2: Die Harder
-Die Hard With a Vengeance
-Red Dawn

DECEMBER 4:
-Mrs. and Mrs. Smith
-Independence Day
-Cast Away
-Ronin

[thecerealpoet]

Yes, to counteract Paramount/DreamWorks Animation's decision to drop their blu-ray altogether for HD...
Peter, you glossed over the original, bigger announcement. . .


From Times Online August 20, 2007
Paramount dumps Sony's Blu-ray format (http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/media/article2295565.ece)

Viacom-owned studio opts for Toshiba's "affordable" HD-DVD technology, dumping Sony's Blu-ray discs

Rhy Blakely

Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Animation have dropped support for Sony’s Blu-ray next generation DVD format in a shock move that will see the two studios exclusively use Toshiba’s rival HD-DVD system.
Paramount, which is owned by Viacom, the media giant, previously released movies in both Blu-ray and HD-DVD. Significantly, it cited HD-DVD's cheaper costs as a decisive factor behind its decision to back it.
The latest development is a blow for Sony, which has invested heavily in Blu-ray. The battle between Blu-ray and HD-DVD is widely being seen as a re-run of that in the 1970s and 1980s between Sony’s Betamax video format and VHS - a cheaper rival - a fight that Sony lost.
The move is also likely to prolong the confusion among consumers, who cannot be sure of buying a next-generation DVD system that does not become defunct after being beaten by an incompatible rival.
function

Sony plans £4bn float of financial services unit (http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article2260541.ece)
Sony stays in the game as profits double (http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article2144298.ece)


Analysts have consistently suggested that confusion over the formats is likely to seriously stymie demand for both Blu-ray and HD-DVD until a clear winner emerges.
Blu-ray still leads HD-DVD in terms of Hollywood support, having won the exclusive backing of five studios: Sony, Walt Disney, Twentieth Century Fox, Lions Gate Entertainment and MGM.
By contrast, before today only Universal had opted to back HD DVD exclusively. Paramount and Warner Bros had been making films available on both formats.
However, Sony last month took another hit when it emerged that Europe’s competition watchdog had launched a fresh probe into allegations of possible market rigging in the formats war, thought to centre on exclusivity deals linked to the Blu-ray format.
The European Commission sent requests for information to “several major Hollywood studios” in the second half of June. It is searching for any hints that talks between the studios and the groups behind the formats have given rise to arrangements that could be obstacles to free competition and illegal under European law.
Today’s announcement affects the upcoming DVD release of the blockbuster Shrek the Third and all movies distributed by Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Nickelodeon Movies and MTV Films, as well as movies from DreamWorks Animation, which are distributed exclusively by Paramount Home Entertainment.
Brad Grey, chairman and chief executive of Paramount Pictures, said: “Part of our vision is to aggressively extend our movies beyond the theatre and deliver the quality and features that appeal to our audience.”
He added: “I believe HD DVD is not only the affordable high-quality choice for consumers, but also the smart choice for Paramount.”

[majiesto]

I am just extremely pissed that Transformers will not be on Blu-Ray. Granted I will most likely get Live Free or Die Hard when that comes but I was really looking forward to Transformers :(

[NikkiSixx]

Peter, you glossed over the original, bigger announcement. . .


I guess HDDVD is fighting hard to stay in the game. I was hoping this format war would end by the end of the year.

[nuudles]

Check this out:

http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2299

Michael Bay responds to Paramount's abandonment of Blu-ray

[majiesto]

Actually created a new thread for it here:

http://www.shakefire.com/boards/showthread.php?t=10021

Oh and this is interesting as well:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/21/technology/21disney.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Closer to the bottom is this:
"The two studios may have left themselves wiggle room, however. Paramount’s agreement to use only HD DVD is limited to only 18 months."

[Peter Oberth]

here is issue number 8:

http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay8.html

featuring:

-Wild Hogs
-The Lookout
-Vacancy
-Arlington Road
-300
-The Lives of Others

[Peter Oberth]

here is my latest article, BLU-RAY BAY 9+:

http://shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay9.html

featuring:
-A Few Good Men
-Underworld
-Memoirs of a Geisha
-Remember the Titans
-The Replacement Killers
-Black Book
-Tekkonkinkreet
-Surf's Up
-Bram Stoker's Dracula
-HD DVD BONUS REVIEW: Next

[nuudles]

here is my latest article, BLU-RAY BAY 9+:

http://shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay9.html

featuring:
-A Few Good Men
-Underworld
-Memoirs of a Geisha
-Remember the Titans
-The Replacement Killers
-Black Book
-Tekkonkinkreet
-Surf's Up
-Bram Stoker's Dracula
-HD DVD BONUS REVIEW: Next

Welcome back, Peter!

[Peter Oberth]

Welcome back, Peter!

well, thank you.

[Peter Oberth]

WALT DISNEY STUDIOS MAGICAL BLU-RAY™ TOUR, SPONSORED BY PANASONIC, BRINGS HIGH-DEFINITION HOME ENTERTAINMENT TO WESTFIELD TOPANGA MALL

Consumers To Experience Exciting High-Definition Blu-Ray Disc® Technology, Interactive Games and First Look At Upcoming Cars and Meet the Robinsons Blu-Ray Releases

WHAT: Disney’s Magical Blu-Ray Tour, sponsored by Panasonic, provides local shoppers at the Lenox Square Mall with a first hands on experience of Blu-ray technology. The interactive exhibit is designed to educate consumers about the features and benefits of Blu-ray high-definition home entertainment technology.

The Magical Blu-ray Tour consists of several interactive stations that allow consumers to experience the picture perfect audio and video quality of high-definition Blu-ray technology and other special features such as integrated menus, personal scene selections, title specific games and high-definition bonus materials. Consumers will also get first-hand experience playing the interactive “Liar’s Dice” game from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest and preview upcoming Blu-ray disc titles, Disney/Pixar’s Cars and Disney’s Meet the Robinsons. A highlight of the tour is a special mini-theater hosting hourly live presentations on Blu-ray technology and high-definition.

WHEN:
10 a.m. to 9 p.m. - Friday, November 30th
10 a.m. to 10 p.m. - Saturday, December 1st
12 a.m. to 7 p.m. - Sunday, December 2nd

WHERE: Lenox Square Mall - 3393 Peachtree Road NE Atlanta, GA 30326

WHY: The Blu-ray Disc format is currently the leading high-definition packaged media supported by the foremost entertainment companies in film, music, gaming and computer industries. Blu-ray discs deliver a truly unique high-definition viewing experience that showcases picture quality at six times the resolution of standard DVDs and theater quality uncompressed audio in addition to enhanced menus, games and high-definition bonus materials. Disney’s Magical Blu-ray Tour is devoted to providing clarity to the growing number of consumers confused by high-definition home entertainment technology.

[Peter Oberth]

my latest BLU-RAY BAY went live today and it's a huge one!

http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay10.html

featuring the BLU-RAY titles:

-Hollow Man (Unrated)
-The Company (2-Disc)
-The Invisible
-Reign Over Me
-Scary Movie
-Hostel (Unrated)
-Hostel: Part II (Unrated)
-Meet the Robinsons
-Spider-Man Trilogy (4-Disc):
----Spider-Man
----Spider-Man 2/Spider-Man 2.1
----Spider-Man 3 (2-Disc)

AND the following HD titles:
-Transformers (2-Disc)
-A Mighty Heart
-Top Gun
-The Jack Ryan Collection (4-Disc):
----The Hunt for the Red October
----Patriot Games
----Clear and Present Danger
----The Sum of All Fears)
-Smallville: Season 6 (5-Disc)

Check it out and let me know your thoughts! (http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay10.html)

[majiesto]

Hey Peter, for the Spider Man Trilogy, you talk about the break-out release of the first Spider Man. Care to explain what you mean by that?

[Peter Oberth]

Hey Peter, for the Spider Man Trilogy, you talk about the break-out release of the first Spider Man. Care to explain what you mean by that?

Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2/2.1 on blu-ray will both be exclusive to this box set when it comes out. Spider-Man 3 will come out on it's own the same day as the box set. For the time being, Sony is not releasing the first two to buy separately but they will be in the future. When they do, they call it a "break-out" meaning that it is breaking out from the box set for the first time.

[Peter Oberth]

new BLU-RAY BAY ARTICLE (Number 11) is NOW LIVE!

http://shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay11.html

Featuring:

-Dragonball Z: Broly Double Feature
-Oldboy (2-Disc)
-Disney/Pixar's Cars
-Pixar Short Film Collection
-The Twilight Zone
-Disney/Pixar's Ratatouille

BONUS HD-DVD REVIEWS:
-Return to House On Haunted Hill
-Face/Off (2-Disc)

Let me know what you think and I hope you enjoy!

[thecerealpoet]

I was surprised to read this one:

Sony CEO Sees 'Stalemate' in Disc Fight (http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iSSf4xA77eWwRXXF8SovYH6kRhRAD8SPU1BG0)
NEW YORK (AP) — The head of Sony Corp., Howard Stringer, said Thursday that the Blu-ray disc format the company has developed as the successor to the DVD is in a "stalemate" with the competing HD DVD format, chiefly backed by Toshiba Corp. and Microsoft Corp.
. . .
"We were trying to win on the merits, which we were doing for a while, until Paramount changed sides," Stringer said.


At the same time, he played down the importance of the battle, saying it was mostly a matter of prestige whose format wins out in the end.
"It doesn't mean as much as all that," Stringer said. He added that he believed there was an opportunity of uniting the two camps under one format before he became CEO, and he wishes he could travel back in time to make that happen.
. . .

[Peter Oberth]

2 in one week! Here's an advance look at my new BLU-RAY BAY 12 that goes live Monday featuring:

BLU-RAY:
-Close Encounters of the Third Kind (2-Disc Box Set)
-I Know Who Killed Me
-Hairspray (2-Disc)
-Paprika

HD-DVD:
-Shrek the Third
-Star Trek (The Original Series): Season One (10-Disc Box Set)

http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay12.html

[garcia5]

Just bought the Hary Potter Years 1-5 limited edition Blu Ray pack off of the Shakefire amazon store. I don't have the blu ray player yet but I'm set on getting one. I also took a survey at the blu ray website and they are sending me a free copy of The Prestige. I can't wait til Febuary.

[thecerealpoet]

Just bought the Hary Potter Years 1-5 limited edition Blu Ray pack off of the Shakefire amazon store. I don't have the blu ray player yet but I'm set on getting one. I also took a survey at the blu ray website and they are sending me a free copy of The Prestige. I can't wait til Febuary.
Are you going to get a PS3?

You can get one for $400, now.

[garcia5]

I've heard that the PS3 Blu Ray isn't as reliable as an actual blu ray though I have been wrong before. I'll probably stick with just getting a player. I'm not a big gamer.

[thecerealpoet]

I've heard that the PS3 Blu Ray isn't as reliable as an actual blu ray though I have been wrong before.
Generally, multipurpose devices like that aren't.

[majiesto]

I have a PS3 and have had no problems with it whatsoever. I play both Blu-Ray disks and games and everything seems fine.

[thecerealpoet]

I have a PS3 and have had no problems with it whatsoever. I play both Blu-Ray disks and games and everything seems fine.
It's a little surprising that the Blu-Ray aspect of the PS3 hasn't helped it more. Perhaps now that the price has been cut the sales will take off.(Also not going to hurt: Uncharted & Ratchet & Clank.)

[thecerealpoet]

I have a PS3 and have had no problems with it whatsoever. I play both Blu-Ray disks and games and everything seems fine.

Garcia, I don't know if you've looked into the quality of the PS3 as a Blu-Ray player since Maj's endorsement of it (I'd be interested to hear any criticism/complements that you find), but if you're considering it at all, Best Buy is having a good sale on the PS3 this weekend. They throw in Blu-Ray disks for Spider-man 3 and Open Season as well as the NBA '08 game. I think you can still get the 5-free-Blu-Ray-disks-through-the-mail deal as well. So, that's pretty sweet for $400.

[NfoRcErX]

Just a heads up, Consumer Reports did a comparison between a lot of HD-DVD players and Blu-ray including the Gaming Console ones (PS3 and Xbox360 HD-DVD drive) and came to the conclusion that both formats are practically the same and all of the players ranging from 97 bucks to 1500 bucks had the same quality (other than the low end models that had 1080i instead of p).

I've been using my PS3 as a blu-ray and DVD player since launch last year and I have yet to have any reliability problems.

[Peter Oberth]

new article (another one coming later in the week with LOST: Season 3 and more!):

BLU-RAY BAY 13:

-Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
-Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
-Superbad
-Bad Santa
-HD: Hot Rod
-HD: Anchorman
-HD: Old School

check it out:

http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay13.html

[majiesto]

new article (another one coming later in the week with LOST: Season 3 and more!):

BLU-RAY BAY 13:

-Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
-Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
-Superbad
-Bad Santa
-HD: Hot Rod
-HD: Anchorman
-HD: Old School

check it out:

http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay13.html

Sweet review Peter. I already have Superbad coming to me in the mail. Can't wait!

[garcia5]

I am jazzed at seeing potential blu-ray versions for both the Star Wars trilogy's and a blu-ray edition of Firefly. No word on if it will happen anytime soon but the fact that they are slotted as blu-ray releases is awesome.

[Peter Oberth]

I'm changing the name of this thread because this week's BLU-RAY BAY will be the final one. The reason is because we have been getting tons of high def titles in lately so they will now start to be reviewed individually. So, look out for the final Blu-Ray Bay this week. In the meantime, here are 3 new HD-DVD reviews and a Blu-Ray Review:

Battlestar Galactica: Season One
http://www.shakefire.com/reviews/hd-battlestargalacticaseason1.html

Balls of Fury
http://www.shakefire.com/reviews/hd-ballsoffury.html

The Bourne Ultimatum
http://www.shakefire.com/reviews/hd-thebourneultimatum.html

BLU-RAY:
Lost: The Complete Third Season
http://www.shakefire.com/reviews/bluray-lostseason3.html

[NfoRcErX]

Go Dual Format Support! :D

I liked reading the blu-ray bay but I honestly like it 2x as much now that HD-DVD is added in!

[Peter Oberth]

here is the final Blu-Ray Bay. Consisting of:

BLU-RAY:
-Die Hard Collection
-Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
-High School Musical 2
-Masters of Horror: Season 1, Volume 4
-The Simpsons Movie
-The Legend of Zorro
-Cast Away
-Mr. & Mrs. Smith

BONUS HD-DVD Reviews:
-Stardust
-The Heartbreak Kid

http://shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay14.html

Enjoy!

[garcia5]

Pirates of the Caribbean Replacement Program


Posted December 17, 2007 by Josh

http://www.blu-ray.com/images/news/icons/disney.gif Many months after the Blu-ray release of 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl', an error was discovered in the framing of some scenes. To rectify this issue, Disney is offering a replacement disc with the framing corrected. Simply call their customer service line at 1-800-723-4763 (US) and you will need to provide them with your contact information. Have your copy in front of you as well, if possible.

For Canadian customers, a phone line is being set up at 1-800-877-2843, but it may not be up yet.

Edit: Disney is now asking that you email them at disneyinfo@disneyhelp.com (disneyinfo@disneyhelp.com) with your full name, address, disc UPC #, and phone number.

[NikkiSixx]

What are the chances of this format war ending in 2008? I'm tried of waiting for a winner.

[Peter Oberth]

pretty good now. As I predicted last year, Warner Bros. has announced that they will stop manufacturing HD-DVDs for an exclusive Blu-Ray deal.

My other predictions are yet to come true (that being Weinstein Company announcing exclusive Blu-Ray in light of partner Blockbuster's exclusive Blu-Ray renting and selling and then Paramount not renewing their exclusive HD-DVD deal that ends in the Fall). Time will tell and I will keep my fingers crossed :)

source: http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6517192.html?nid=2705

[majiesto]

That is awesome news. I'm glad that Blu-Ray is improving it's lead over HD-DVD. I also just read two interesting articles, one was how the PS3 is better than the only other BD Profile 1.1 Blu-Ray player on the market.

http://gizmodo.com/340402/first-blu+ray-bd-profile-11-review-verdict-is-that-all

The other was on Sony's new HDTV's. They are OLED and have a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio :eek: They are on sale in Japan and will be heading to the US soon hopefully. It's like $1,700 for an 11-inch tv.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/22399288/

[NfoRcErX]

I'm somewhat disappointed in Warner's decision. It's speculated they were paid between 500 and 1,500 million dollars to switch, which sounds rediculous, but isn't totally inconceivable. For me, most of the movies I wanted were on HD-DVD and still are going to be available. I won't jump ship until I can no longer use it or the new 2k and 4k TVs and media come out :D.

[Peter Oberth]

I'm somewhat disappointed in Warner's decision. It's speculated they were paid between 500 and 1,500 million dollars to switch, which sounds rediculous, but isn't totally inconceivable. For me, most of the movies I wanted were on HD-DVD and still are going to be available. I won't jump ship until I can no longer use it or the new 2k and 4k TVs and media come out :D.

Actuallly, it worked differently. Warner Bros. bought a large stake in Blu-Ray at about half the price that it should actually cost becoming a partner in the technology. Counting indie companies and large studios, sports, etc, there are now 67 companies either releasing or promising release of Blu-Ray only and only 2 (Universal and Paramount/Dreamworks) that are releasing HD-only. Paramount has no ties to either other than their 1 year contract which ends this coming Fall. Universal owns in on HD but only at 2%. I think Paramount will not renew their HD-only contract and will see that it is more cost-effective to release Blu-Ray. Once that happens, it will be the final nail in the coffin as it will not be worth Universal's 2% stake to be the lone manufacturer of the product. The largest owner of HD-DVD technology is Microsoft (has has allocated $0 dollars toward marketing) and Toshiba (who announced that they will be releasing a combo player this Christmas!). Blu-Ray is still outselling HD-DVDs nearly 3-1 in America and 22-1 overseas (22-1!). Sound and picture quality-wise, they are very similar, but technology-wise, Blu-Ray is a much better technology with a lot more room ont he disc than HD allowing for improvements in sound and picture in the near future.

At this point, it would be MUCH harder for things to sway toward HD-DVD to be the winner and it would just pretty much take one move (by Paramount who already has the technology for BD since they were releasing them last year) and HD-DVD is all but dead. Once that happens, the players and DVDs themselves will come down drastically in price so they can start pushing out standard definition.

Also, with Warner Bros. now on board, they will stop manufacturing HD-DVDs in May. Harry Potter will be exclusively on Blu-Ray (including the final two movies) which is the biggest money making franchise of all time on DVD and in theatres. Now, Blu-Ray exclusively has future releases for Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, James Bond, Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, Star Wars, Pixar movies and a ton of others with New Line, Warner Bros, Fox, Sony, Lionsgate, MGM, Disney and a slew of others on board exclusively.

[NfoRcErX]

I know the gist of what is going on and why so many people are devistated by Warner's move (especially with "breach of contract" flying around). Honestly, blu-ray will be better than HD one day, but just like the PS3 it will take many firmware updates to make that a possibility.

Also, Microsoft doesn't care who wins because they own the rights to the VC-1 codec and since that is the best looking HDM codec out right now, they win no matter if it's on blu-ray or HD-DVD. Many speculate they went HD-DVD just to raise the stakes and make their codec more prominent than MPEG2 (which honestly shouldn't have ever been used on blu-ray... it looks like udder shit in comparison). I don't doubt that blu-ray could end up "winning out" but I'm still gonna keep my HD-DVD stuff :).

[Peter Oberth]

I know the gist of what is going on and why so many people are devistated by Warner's move (especially with "breach of contract" flying around). Honestly, blu-ray will be better than HD one day, but just like the PS3 it will take many firmware updates to make that a possibility.

Also, Microsoft doesn't care who wins because they own the rights to the VC-1 codec and since that is the best looking HDM codec out right now, they win no matter if it's on blu-ray or HD-DVD. Many speculate they went HD-DVD just to raise the stakes and make their codec more prominent than MPEG2 (which honestly shouldn't have ever been used on blu-ray... it looks like udder shit in comparison). I don't doubt that blu-ray could end up "winning out" but I'm still gonna keep my HD-DVD stuff :).

that's fine, I still have an 8-track player :rolleyes:

[thecerealpoet]

So the most obvious question is: how long until Blu-Ray makes it into the average home?

But let's not just focus on that; I think a more important question is: how long will this format last?

NTSC Color lasted for over 50 years, and CDs are still standing after 25. How long does a format have to survive for the average person to find it worthwhile?

[Neuromorph]

i give blue-ray 7 years from the 2006/7 launch.

Several reasons for the long term adoption by Joe Neighbor.

1) You need a High Def tv to use
2) Rise of second or third tier player manufacturers are needed to compete with the big-4 panasonic, sony, MS (xbox), samsung
3) Studios need to move away from traditional film for making movies/ tv shows. Even with HD technology, some of its media is grainy and has drag poroblems. This is because converting film media to HD doesnt reach max resolution in the end. Once entertainment media is all digital, there will be a clear difference in DVD and BR quality.


It will take a long time for number 1 and 2 to happen. Thats why we wont see BR in everyones home for a while. That is unless....

...the porn industry starts pumping out titles within the next few months. Cut 3 years from the prediction if BR/HD porn becomes mass produced

[majiesto]

pretty good now. As I predicted last year, Warner Bros. has announced that they will stop manufacturing HD-DVDs for an exclusive Blu-Ray deal.

My other predictions are yet to come true (that being Weinstein Company announcing exclusive Blu-Ray in light of partner Blockbuster's exclusive Blu-Ray renting and selling and then Paramount not renewing their exclusive HD-DVD deal that ends in the Fall). Time will tell and I will keep my fingers crossed :)

source: http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6517192.html?nid=2705

I think one of your predictions may come sooner than expected.

3 days ago upon hearing that Warner Brothers was siding with Blu-ray, I wrote:


"When Paramount - one of the two big guns of the majors signed on to an exclusive deal with HD-DVD - sees this, expect them to start looking into ways of getting out of their deal"
And today we find that very prediction could be materializing. The Financial Times is reporting that Paramount is "poised to drop its support of HD-DVD" by utilizing an opt-out clause that was built-in to their exclusivity deal with HD-DVD in the event that Warner Brothers went to Blu-ray. This reminds me of a star athlete signing a deal with a team and having the opt-out clause if they feel the team isn't doing everything in its power to stay competitive.

While Warner Brothers going to Blu-ray was a major blow to HD-DVD likely signaling the eventual end of the war by the end of this year - Paramount now doing the same thing would be a much quicker fatal blow with HD-DVD possibly even ceasing to exist as early as May 2008 when Warner Brothers stops making HD-DVDs.

The story also notes that HD-DVD's now apparently lone gunman, Universal, declined to comment on their situation - but as I said in my previous post, if everyone else is on board, you can be sure they won't be left behind.

Nice knowing you HD-DVD.

http://www.parislemon.com/2008/01/paramount-to-opt-out-of-their-hd-dvd.html

[thecerealpoet]

I think one of your predictions may come sooner than expected.


http://www.parislemon.com/2008/01/paramount-to-opt-out-of-their-hd-dvd.html

Not yet. . .


Paramount: 'We’re Sticking With HD-DVD' (http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8555&Itemid=2)
Updated: Tuesday, 08 January 2008

Paramount Pictures has denied it is set to follow in Warner Brothers’ footsteps by dropping its support of the Microsoft backed HD-DVD format in favor of Sony’s Blu-ray technology.

[thecerealpoet]

I thought this was interesting, especially in light of all of the anti-copy-right infringement steps Sony has taken for the PSP.



Sony Demos Copying From Blu-ray Disc (http://blogs.pcworld.com/staffblog/archives/006194.html)



LAS VEGAS -- The concept of copying a lower-resolution version of a film from a packaged media disc to a portable device is not new--in fact, late last year, Fox and Warner released the first standard definition titles to offer this capability (on Live Free, Die Hard and Harry Potter: The Order of the Phoenix, respectively).

Sony today demonstrated the next level of disc copying. At the company's booth at CES, Sony demonstrated how you could put a Blu-ray Disc movie into a Playstation 3 and copy the film to a Playstation Portable or a Memory Stick. "This way, you can have a portable copy you can take with you," explains David Bishop, president of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

. . .

[NikkiSixx]

pretty good now. As I predicted last year, Warner Bros. has announced that they will stop manufacturing HD-DVDs for an exclusive Blu-Ray deal.

My other predictions are yet to come true (that being Weinstein Company announcing exclusive Blu-Ray in light of partner Blockbuster's exclusive Blu-Ray renting and selling and then Paramount not renewing their exclusive HD-DVD deal that ends in the Fall). Time will tell and I will keep my fingers crossed :)

source: http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6517192.html?nid=2705


Good call Pete. I'm officially on the Blu-Ray( NOT BLUE :p ) bandwagon. I'm getting my HD TV next month and I'll be picking up a Blu-Ray player as well. I will be sure to listen to your future predictions.....

[DrewSki]

Still riding on the Blu-ray wagon ever since I got those 10 free Blu's from W*Mart and the one in the mail. Waiting for taxes to get a PS3 and I'm set.

[Peter Oberth]

FYI - An "anonymous" source has informed me that PHE (Paramount Home Entertainment) may be switching over exclusively to Blu-Ray and sooner than everyone thinks. Their one-year HD-exclusive contract ends in the fall but there was a clause in the contract saying that if Warner Bros. ever went exclusive Blu-Ray before the contract was over then they could opt-out of it with no penalties. So, we are now just waiting on official word from Paramount of an official switch back to BD only. The signs are already there as the release of INTO THE WILD (the first title that they have yet to manufacture an HD-DVD version of) was pushed back to March from February. I'll let you know when I hear!

[garcia5]

The Girls Gone Wild franchise is released on Blu-ray. Kind of dissapointed in that. Hopefully when the war is over they'll scrap that trash into the garbage where it belongs.

[thecerealpoet]

The Girls Gone Wild franchise is released on Blu-ray. Kind of dissapointed in that. Hopefully when the war is over they'll scrap that trash into the garbage where it belongs.
I always liked the Arrested Development spoof on that:


http://the-op.com/images/shop/gwlse2.jpg


Curses, I can't seem to link directly to the cover of the DVD, but the title is "Girls With Low Self-Esteem."

[thecerealpoet]

For what it's worth:

TECHSHOW-Retailers see high-def DVD format war dragging on (http://www.reuters.com/article/technology-media-telco-SP-A/idUSN027579720080110?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0)
While the announcement was seen as tipping the balance of power in favor of the Blu-ray format, retailers at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week did not see the announcement as a definitive sign of a clear winner.

"'I don't think we're in a position to go out and declare a winner," said Steve Eastman, Target Corp's vice president of consumer electronics, in an interview.

As long as there are two standards competing in public, consumers will stay away, he added.

"Until it settles completely I think we're going to continue to see consumers sitting on the sidelines," Eastman said.


Though, the same article notes that:

Amid the plethora of products, some retailers chose to make a decision and support a single format.

Target decided to sell only Blu-ray disc players in its stores, although it offered both formats on its Web site.

Now, in terms of things that must be covered in black:

This article: Porn Providers Rethinking Next-Gen DVD Plans (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2704,2247595,00.asp)
quotes "Jeff Thill, director of video operations for the Hustler Video Group" as saying that there's "an important base in the gaming world"

Which is something I'd never considered, but it makes since in a Venn Diagram sort of way.

[garcia5]

Looks like weeks after making the announcement that Warner Brothers will back Blu-Ray exclusively plans for a HD DVD of I Am Legend have been announced. Could be they were already further along in production before they made thier annoucement so who knows how many HD DVD's WB will put out before they cut the rope.

[NfoRcErX]

Looks like weeks after making the announcement that Warner Brothers will back Blu-Ray exclusively plans for a HD DVD of I Am Legend have been announced. Could be they were already further along in production before they made thier annoucement so who knows how many HD DVD's WB will put out before they cut the rope.

No... they made remarks saying they are going exclusive after May 2008. Any titles scheduled for release on optical formats up to that point will be released on hd and blu-ray because they don't want to miss out on the last few folks staying around with HD-DVD :)

[Peter Oberth]

ok, so it wasn't my last one. I got slammed with so many releases during the holidays that there was no way I could do each on individually so here is another (most LIKELY the last):

BLU-RAY BAY 15 (http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay15.html) featuring:
-Damages: Season 1
-Resident Evil
-Resident Evil: Apocalypse
-3:10 to Yuma
-20 Million Miles to Earth
-Mr. Woodcock
-War
-Underdog
-Con Air
-The Rock
-Daddy Day Camp
-Man On Fire
-Sunshine
-Monty Python's Life of Brian
-Rent

Check it out here! (http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay15.html)

[NikkiSixx]

ok, so it wasn't my last one. I got slammed with so many releases during the holidays that there was no way I could do each on individually so here is another (most LIKELY the last):

BLU-RAY BAY 15 (http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay15.html) featuring:
-Damages: Season 1
-Resident Evil
-Resident Evil: Apocalypse
-3:10 to Yuma
-20 Million Miles to Earth
-Mr. Woodcock
-War
-Underdog
-Con Air
-The Rock
-Daddy Day Camp
-Man On Fire
-Sunshine
-Monty Python's Life of Brian
-Rent

Check it out here! (http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay15.html)


It's too bad these are going away. I know I can get reviews anywhere in web, but I like how you got right down to point of it when it comes to the quality. You got me really intrested in that Con Air.

[Peter Oberth]

It's too bad these are going away. I know I can get reviews anywhere in web, but I like how you got right down to point of it when it comes to the quality. You got me really intrested in that Con Air.

well, I will still be doing the Blu-Ray reviews, they will just be individually and I will post them here. I guiess I won't say that I am retiring it because I might get backed up again and need to do it. We'll see :) I will have reviews of Across the Universe, Wall Street and Me, Myself & Irene in a few days...

[garcia5]

EGM (Electronic Gaming Magazine) have declared the format war to be over and the winner is.......you guessed it, Blu Ray. Ater the initial shock of Warner Brothers declaring their allegiance to Blu Ray only Universal has seemingly left Paramount the final studio to vow backing HD DVD alone. Universal has said they will now officially carry both HD DVD and Blu Ray. Microsoft, the financial backbone of the war has declared in somewhat of a weak statement that its going to be up to the consumers weather or not they dump HD DVD and back Blu Ray. The Microsoft suit in charge says his words were misconstrued but it sounds like the ship is going down for the HD DVD team.

[Peter Oberth]

Netflix has just announced that they will exclusively purchase Blu-ray DVDs instead of HD DVDs for their hi def rental option. While the company had formerly supported both formats, their stock of HD DVDs will be phased out completely by the end of this year. Netflix clearly agrees with everyone else that HD DVD is dead, and disco is happy to finally have some company.

Source: Gizmodo (http://gizmodo.com/354890/netflix-goes-blu+ray)

[garcia5]

Wow Bestbuy announced they will stop selling HD DVD and HD DVD Players and focus only on Blu Ray. The CEO says that they feel Blu Ray is the best choice for their customers and puts an end to the confusion. I like this. Someone needs to send Paramount/Universal a memo and tell them ther boy has been voted off the island and its time to rethink their strategy.

[Peter Oberth]

and now Wal-Mart...

National discount retailer Wal-Mart announced Friday that it had decided to only sell Sony's Blu-ray hi-definition movie discs, and will phase out Toshiba's competing HD-DVD formatted discs over the next several months.

Wal-Mart said that by June, its 4,000 Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores would sell only Blu-ray discs and Blu-ray hardware players. Blu-ray and Toshiba's HD-DVD format are not compatible.

"We've listened to our customers, who are showing a clear preference toward Blu-ray products and movies with their purchases," said Gary Severson, Wal-Mart's Senior Vice President of Home Entertainment in a statement.

Apple TV vs. Blu-ray: How do they stack up?
Wal-Mart said it would continue selling HD-DVD products, but over the next 30 days, customers will see a significant shift in emphasis to Blu-ray in both brick-and-mortar stores and online. The retailer said it will continue to sell DVDs and standard-definition hardware.

Wal-Mart is the latest movie vendor to choose Blu-ray over HD-DVD. Earlier this week, online movie rental company Netflix (NFLX) announced its support for Blu-ray, and said it would phase out HD-DVD as well. Video publishers Walt Disney (DIS, Fortune 500), Sony's Sony Pictures, News Corp.'s (NWS, Fortune 500) Twentieth Century Fox, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer have all endorsed Blu-ray.

In a rivalry that mirrors the Betamax-VHS dispute of the 1970s, Sony (SNE) and Toshiba have been battling each other to define the industry's hi-definition video standard. The winner will see a boost in the sale of hardware needed to play the hi-definition discs.


source; CNNMoney

[Mixxychick23]

my roommates got a Blu-Ray thingy and I have yet to watch a movie on it I want to though!

[garcia5]

Watch Crank. That flick looks really good on Blu Ray.

[garcia5]

Toshiba To Throw In the Towel?
Trade publications and tech websites began spreading the word Thursday that Toshiba was about to throw in the towel in the fight between its HD DVD high-definition home-video system and Sony's Blu-ray system. The Hollywood Reporter said that an announcement from Toshiba could come "in a matter of weeks." Officially, Toshiba spokeswoman Jodi Sally (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2641720/) repeated the company's standard response to such reports, saying that it continues "to believe HD DVD is the best format for consumers, given the value and consistent quality inherent in our player offerings." However, she seemed to acknowledge that the company might be reassessing its position based on "market developments in the past month."

[NikkiSixx]

my roommates got a Blu-Ray thingy and I have yet to watch a movie on it I want to though!


All movies look really good on blu-ray..... the technolgy is freaking amazing, especially if you have a good 1080p T.V.

[thecerealpoet]

Toshiba To Throw In the Towel?
Trade publications and tech websites began spreading the word Thursday that Toshiba was about to throw in the towel in the fight between its HD DVD high-definition home-video system and Sony's Blu-ray system. The Hollywood Reporter said that an announcement from Toshiba could come "in a matter of weeks." Officially, Toshiba spokeswoman Jodi Sally (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2641720/) repeated the company's standard response to such reports, saying that it continues "to believe HD DVD is the best format for consumers, given the value and consistent quality inherent in our player offerings." However, she seemed to acknowledge that the company might be reassessing its position based on "market developments in the past month."
Still not quite official, but:

Toshiba to give up on HD DVD, end format war: source (http://www.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idUSL1637974620080216)

[garcia5]

As much as I back Blu Ray I have to say that the older movies do not look as sharp as the newer ones. Stargate for example was a terrible looking film and sadly it did not come with all of the special features from the regular version DVD. I've seen a bunch of newer films but Crank seems to be the best looking, probably due to the way it was filmed. The latest Harry POtter as well is so cool looking especially the Voldie Dumbledore fight.

[majiesto]

It is now official. Toshiba has given up on HD-DVD


San Francisco - Toshiba will discontinue its HD DVD products, it said Tuesday, handing victory to rival high definition disc format Blu-ray Disc.
ADVERTISEMENT

The company will no longer develop, manufacture, and market HD DVD players and recorders.

It will reduce shipments of HD DVD players and recorders to retail markets and aims to cease the businesses altogether by the end of March.

But the Japanese electronics giant pledged to provide full product support and after-sales service for owners of Toshiba HD DVD products.

Recent changes in the market prompted the decision, Toshiba said. Early this year, Warner Bros. said it would stop issuing movies on HD DVD in the coming months and rely exclusively on Blu-ray Disc. The Hollywood studio was one of three major studios remaining in the HD DVD camp, and its defection created widespread belief that the battle between HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc was now over.

More recently, major U.S. retail chain Wal-Mart announced it would phase out the sale of HD DVD products, moving to exclusivity with Blu-ray Disc. Electronics retailer Best Buy also said it would back Blu-ray Disc, but it did not say it would stop offering HD DVD.

Warner made its decision based on consumer confusion and indifference to high definition movies, an indifference that cost Hollywood in lost revenue, it said. Wal-Mart said U.S. customers preferred Blu-ray Disc movies and hardware. Blu-ray Disc is the high definition disc format championed by Sony.

"This once again shows why incompatible and mutually exclusive formats should be avoided at all cost by the industry," said Carl Gressum, a senior analyst at Ovum. "It reduces profitability and delays customer adoption."

"The big question is, however, the impacts on Toshiba as an electronics company," he added. "It has after all bet its disc media business on HD DVD, as well as gone for HD DVD integration into some of its laptop PCs. The channel has inventory to clear, and demands from owners of HD DVD players."

Toshiba said its decision came after careful analysis of the long-term impact of continuing the format war, and said a swift decision was called for to help the high definition market develop.

The company also pledged to remain a player in the high definition market. Developing HD DVD created many assets for Toshiba and its partners, which include Microsoft, Intel, HP, and Universal Studios, the company said. Toshiba plans to work with these companies to seek future business opportunities.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/infoworld/20080219/tc_infoworld/95410;_ylt=AjhZu3Zf4aMLbTJxgWHv44IjtBAF

[thecerealpoet]

/cues taps

http://www.mclwrv141.com/Young_Marine_GySgt._Mackenzie_Godbout_Playing_Taps _-_Funeral_of_LCpl._Philip_Johnson.jpg

[garcia5]

I'm a freak when it comes to films. I don't buy on impulse as much as I used to. With the new Blu Ray technology I'm picky about what movies I buy. Some are not worth it but effects films kick butt and action films do as well.

[garcia5]

Universal Says It Will Switch to Blu-ray; Paramount Silent
Only hours after Toshiba tossed in the towel in its battle with Sony over consumer high-definition video systems, Universal announced that it will begin releasing both new and catalog titles in the Blu-ray format. Universal and Paramount/DreamWorks had been the last-ditch holdouts in the format war, having committed themselves to Toshiba's HD DVD technology. "The path for widespread adoption of the next-generation platform has finally become clear," Universal said in a statement. "While Universal values the close partnership we have shared with Toshiba, it is time to turn our focus to releasing new and catalog titles on Blu-ray." The decision apparently clears the way for both hold-out studios to begin releasing films by Steven Spielberg, who has insisted that they be released only in the Blu-ray format. Paramount has yet to issue a statement regarding Toshiba's decision.

[Tomcat]

I think Microsoft should stop selling the Xbox 360 with the HD DVD drive.
:chinscrat

Microsoft: HD DVD demise won't hurt Xbox 360
Wed Feb 20, 9:03 AM ET

Toshiba's announcement to end production of HD DVD players and recorders will not affect the Xbox 360, even though Microsoft offers an optional stand-alone HD DVD drive for the game console, Microsoft said in a statement Tuesday.

"We do not believe Toshiba's announcement about HD DVD will have any material impact on the Xbox 360 platform or our position in the marketplace," Microsoft said. The gaming function of the console is its main attraction, the company added.

The company did not say whether or not it will stop manufacturing the HD DVD drive for the Xbox 360.

Earlier Tuesday, Toshiba formally announced an end to its support of HD DVD, a high-definition optical disc format meant to replace DVDs. Toshiba was the developer and main backer of HD DVD, and its capitulation handed victory to rival format Blu-ray Disc, which has been championed by Sony.

Toshiba said its decision came after careful analysis of the long-term impact of continuing the format war, and said a swift decision was called for to help the high-definition market develop.

For game consoles, high-definition discs are growing in importance. Sony put Blu-ray Disc drives in the PlayStation 3 as a way to spread popularity of the high-definition discs. PlayStation 3 owners can play HD movies on the drives as well as advanced games. Blu-ray discs can hold far more data than conventional DVDs, and they give players high-definition graphics on games.

At a recent game show in Taipei, Sony showed off a display of more than 100 game titles created using Blu-ray Disc. A nearby Xbox 360 booth displayed the HD DVD logo and showed movies and just a few games made for the format.

Recent changes in the market prompted Toshiba's decision to phase out HD DVD. Early this year, Warner Bros. said it would stop issuing movies on HD DVD in the coming months and rely exclusively on Blu-ray Disc. The Hollywood studio was one of three major studios remaining in the HD DVD camp, and its defection created widespread belief that the battle between HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc was now over.

More recently, major U.S. retail chain Wal-Mart announced it would phase out the sale of HD DVD products, moving to exclusivity with Blu-ray Disc. Electronics retailer Best Buy also said it would back Blu-ray Disc, but it did not say it would stop offering HD DVD.

[garcia5]

I hope Paramount hurries the frack up and starts doing blu ray disc. I want my Godfather 1 & 2 films on blu ray. I mean if you think about it where wlese could they possibly go. If they deny the public demand for Blu Ray it might put them even further in the toilet. I also want Dreamworks to get on the ball, not sure if its an off shoot of Paramount but they offer a lot of really good kids titles like Flushed Away and Over The Hedge.

[majiesto]

Well Garcia, you just got your wish!

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ic60f3f2e7077b9b8dc969933f25fc601

[bsossamon]

Geez, Now what do i do with all these darn HD DvD's. I knew i should have bought that PS3

[garcia5]

Yes. Now I can see James Caan getting riddled with bullets in High Def lol. Hopefully they release The Godfather Saga and just skip putting out 1 & 2. That would be friggin sweet. I'd even buy the box set if they included it as its own disc along with 1-3.

[garcia5]

Had my first hiccup with my player today. I was all ready to watch 30 Days of Night but my player stated that it couldn't play the disc. Firmware update right? No CD-R's no transpo. As luck would have it I had to order a copy of firmware 3.70 yesterday from the blu ray website for the same reason but I don't expect it to be here anytime soon. That sucks but I guess whatever. Its the price you pay to have the best friggin picture possible.

[garcia5]

Netflix was amazing. I reported the disc problem and within the same day they had mailed out a replacement copy. Got it in the mail today and low and behold it wasn't a firmware issue at all. The first disc must have gotten warped or something. I put the new one in and its ready to go but I didn't watch it today so I could watch Robson Arms which is a pretty good show. So anyway Blu ray is off the hook lol.

[Tomcat]

Sony intoduces new Blu-ray player this summer. My next question is, will Blu-ray be available in laptops soon? That would awesome.

-----------------------------------------------------------
Sony To Unveil Web-Enabled Blu-Ray
Disc Player That Can Download Trailers And Games From The Internet Will Debut This Summer

(AP) Sony Corp.'s first Blu-ray disc player that can download bonus materials like trailers and games from the Internet will debut this summer, the company announced Tuesday.

It will be the first new player from Sony, the inventor of Blu-ray, since the format beat out the other technology that vied to become the high-definition replacement for the DVD.

Toshiba Corp. announced last week that it would stop making players for the HD DVD, the disc it invented, mainly because Warner Bros. Entertainment said it would drop the format to focus on Blu-ray discs.

The BDP-S350 player Sony plans to introduce this summer for "about $400" will be the company's first to feature an Ethernet port, allowing it to connect to a home broadband connection. However, it won't be able to access Internet content when it ships a software upgrade will be available later to enable that feature, known as BD-Live.

A second player, the BDP-S550, will be available this fall for "about $500" and will be BD-Live-capable when it ships.

Both players can show picture-in-picture content and will be the first Sony Blu-ray players to do so, apart from the PlayStation 3 game console, which gained this feature via software update last year.

The picture-in-picture feature, called Bonus View, can be used to show director or actor commentary in a small window while the movie plays.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., the parent of the Panasonic brand, introduced a Bonus View player late last year and has announced it will ship a BD-Live player this spring.

In these respects, Blu-ray players are playing catch-up to HD DVD players, which have had Internet- and picture-in-picture capabilities since they first came out in 2006.

[crazy mama]

I'm still waiting on it to come down in price which now that a format is picked, may just happen soon enough.

Oh and Peter, you called it!!

[asiancee]

All I have to say is, thank god I bought a PS3 and returned a Xbox 360 HD-DVD drive ages ago. Something told me Blu-Ray would prevail.

[SFjohnny]

here is Peter's latest BLU-RAY BAY article, featuring:

-Run Lola Run
-August Rush
-Appleseed: Ex Machina
-No Country for Old Men
-Dan in Real Life
-Dogma
-Gattaca
-Gone Baby Gone
-We Own the Night
-30 Days of Night
-Across the Universe
-Me, Myself & Irene
-Wall Street
-The Jane Austen Book Club
-Becoming Jane
-Crimson Tide
-Saw IV
-Good Luck Chuck

Check it out here: http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay16.html

[NfoRcErX]

here is Peter's latest BLU-RAY BAY article, featuring:


-August Rush
-Appleseed: Ex Machina
-No Country for Old Men
-Dogma



I definitely wanted to get these 4, so I'm glad to hear that they are all in good quality, ESPECIALLY dogma! Love Kevin Smith movies, and this one is my favorite :)

[garcia5]

Just read an interesting review over at amazon about the Blu Ray version of The Fifth Element. Don't quote me because I have no idea if this is true but it seems their first attampt at the film was somewhat lacking so they Remastered the film on Blu Ray to make it better. The review at amazon claims that if you bought the original Fifth Element on Blu Ray that you can exchange it for the newly Remastered version. If thats true then Sony has really bumped their customer service level to a new high. This is the contact info that was posted for exchanges. I know that the original Pirates of the Carribbean had some issues when it first came to Blu Ray such as the picture being off in a few scenes and they offered an exchange there as well so it could be true.

Phone: (800) 860-2878
Email: consumer@sphecustomersupport.sony.com

[somipp]

i can confirm that...they are offering an exchange for those that had the original copy.

[majiesto]

Sony Computer Entertainment has announced that they will issue a firmware update later this month that will enable the PlayStation 3 (PS3) to playback BD-Live (Profile v2.0) Blu-ray movie discs. BD-Live allows your Blu-ray player (in this case, a PS3) to access additional content via an Internet connection. Some already revealed BD-Live features include downloading related movie trailers, sending a ringtone to your cellphone, and playing interactive online games.

Scott A. Steinberg, vice president, product marketing, SCEA commented, "With Blu-ray established as the high-definition optical disc standard, more consumers are ready to jump in and take advantage of everything the format offers. Whether you want to download movie extras, send ringtones to your phone, or play interactive games, BD-LIVE will offer exciting new ways to enjoy a Blu-ray movie. With these regular firmware updates and future-proofed technology, SCEA is making the 10-year lifecycle of PS3 possible."

In conjunction with the release of this BD-Live upgrade, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will release 'Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story' and 'The 6th Day', both of which will feature exclusive BD-Live content to show off the potential of the upgrade. Additionally, films such as Lionsgate's 'War' and 'Saw IV', which were released earlier this year, already have BD-Live features right on the disc.

With this upgrade, the PS3 will become the first available BD-Live Blu-ray player on the market, living up to its position as the ultimate home entertainment system. The first standalone BD-Live Blu-ray player will be the Panasonic DMP-BD50, which is expected to be released this May.

Full Upgrade Details
BD-Live (Profile v2.0) Upgrade
"Resume play" will enable PS3 system to start playing a Blu-ray disc and DVD at the point it was stopped, even if the disc had been removed. (*1)
"Audio Output Device" will be a new Remote Play setting, enabling PSP to serve as a remote control for music played through PS3.
PS3 system's Internet browser will be enhanced: Video files directly linked from a Web page will be able to be streamed, and the browser's view speed will be improved.
DivX and WMV format videos that are larger than 2GB will be playable.
"Mosquito Noise Reduction" will be added as an AV setting in the control panel of the DVD/BD player for improved movie playback. (*2)


*1 BD-J format disc is not supported.
*2 BD discs recorded with BDMV format are not supported.


The update for the PS3 was released last night.

[garcia5]

So its been atleast two and a half months since I mailed in for my 5 free BD's and nothing. I went on an investigation to find out how I could get into contact with the folks that run the program and found nothing. No phone number or email address on the old forms. I had to bounce around random forums to find a lead and was given the BVHV email address. I emailed them and they told me that it was not their program but gave me a phone number to call. I called them up and they asked my info and then said they mailed the package out on the 14th of this month. Kind of weird but whatever. I should get it in two weeks. Anyway in my investigations its obvious that a lot of people have been waiting a long time for their BD's so I thought I'd post the # you need to call to see about your selections. If you did not purchase a Blu Ray and fill out the deal before 1-30-08 then please do not call.

Please contact the Marketing Company directly at 800-598-9671, Monday - Friday 7:00 A.M.-11:00 P.M., Saturday and Sunday 7:00 A.M-4:00 P.M. CST.

[Peter Oberth]

hey everyone. new BLU-RAY BAY is up featuring:

-Juno
-Commando
-Coyote Ugly
-Unbreakable
-Hidalgo
-The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep
-Predator
-Alvin & The Chipmunks
-I Am Legend
-The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
-AVP: Requiem
-Hitman
-Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
-Enchanted
-Independence Day
-The Rookie
-I, Robot
-Ice Age

Check it out here: http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay17.html

a little late on some of these, sorry!

[majiesto]

Wow, I would have expected Juno to be better. I might pick up a few of those though. Good review Peter :)

[Peter Oberth]

BUY 2 BLU-RAYS GET 1 FREE on AMAZON throug our affiliate store:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/?docId=1000214241&tag=shakefire05-20

[Peter Oberth]

Ok, PLEASE have a Blu-Ray player or do not claim this one!!!

Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix BLU-RAY DVD anyone?

post a picture of Hermione with Ron

[NfoRcErX]

dibs

[Mixxychick23]

yeah

[thecerealpoet]

Ok, PLEASE have a Blu-Ray player or do not claim this one!!!

Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix BLU-RAY DVD anyone?

post a picture of Hermione with Ron
pass

[majiesto]

I do

[NfoRcErX]

http://www.slashfilm.com/wp/wp-content/images/order10.jpg

[Peter Oberth]

then do what I says :)

[Hiryuu]

http://www.geocities.com/%7Eno-quarter/potter/hermione_and_ron.jpg

[civicryder3]

go hiryuu!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mixxychick23]

good one Hir!

[Peter Oberth]

..snip..

you got it. go get ready for the final prize peeps...

[NfoRcErX]

you got it. go get ready for the final prize peeps...

Can I participate even though I know I can't win? :)

[garcia5]

Awesome. That HP movie has super high clarity especially during the Voldie Dumbledore battle. Best of luck to you.

[garcia5]

Batman Begins comes to Blu Ray July 8, 2008. Amazon is taking pre-orders for $19.95 right now.

It also appears there will be a Limited Edition Gift Set on Blu Ray as well which comes out the same day at the cost of $34.95

[johanna]

http://www.geocities.com/%7Eno-quarter/potter/hermione_and_ron.jpg

Ron and Hermoine back in the day of the 1st Harry Potter movie. They were so young then. Look at them now.

I am thinking about purchasing a Blu-Ray player and wanted an opinion on what is the better buy, a PS3 or a stand-alone Blu-Ray player? Thanks so much.

[garcia5]

I've read that the PS3 has the more superior blu-ray player then the stand alone. Not sure if its afct but my research came up with that hypothosis from reading other consumers opinions and checking out the forum at bluray.com.

[majiesto]

I've read that the PS3 has the more superior blu-ray player then the stand alone. Not sure if its afct but my research came up with that hypothosis from reading other consumers opinions and checking out the forum at bluray.com.

Yeah, I have a PS3 and it's great. What makes it so superior is its ability for future upgrades and such. I think currently, the PS3 is one of the few (if not only) Blu-Ray players with BD Live, which syncs online with the disk for extra content and such. It's also has profile 2.0 which requires internet connection, something not all Blu-Ray players have. Plus it plays video games so it's a win-win situation :D

[Peter Oberth]

I am thinking about purchasing a Blu-Ray player and wanted an opinion on what is the better buy, a PS3 or a stand-alone Blu-Ray player? Thanks so much.

depends on what you are wanting to spend. If you are wanting to spend $4-500, then the PS3 is your best option. If price is not an issue, I would go with the Sony ES BDP-S2000ES. It runs abour $1299 but it's far superior in quality to the PS3.

[johanna]

depends on what you are wanting to spend. If you are wanting to spend $4-500, then the PS3 is your best option. If price is not an issue, I would go with the Sony ES BDP-S2000ES. It runs abour $1299 but it's far superior in quality to the PS3.


I was thinking about spending $400-500. Thanks for the information.

[Peter Oberth]

new Blu-Ray Bay, some of these are a few weeks old:

-Twister
-Shinobi: Heart Under Blade
-A Passage to India
-Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
-National Treasure
-National Treasure 2
-Mrs. Doubtfire
-Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
-The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe
-Shall We Dance?
-27 Dresses
-The Golden Compass
-First Knight
-Sharkwater

http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay18.html

Enjoy!

[da turkey]

depends on what you are wanting to spend. If you are wanting to spend $4-500, then the PS3 is your best option. If price is not an issue, I would go with the Sony ES BDP-S2000ES. It runs abour $1299 but it's far superior in quality to the PS3.

That may be true. But I would still rec. holding off on buying a stand alone Blu-Ray player until the spec 2.0 machines come out. I think the PS3 may be the only one capable of it, currently (thru firmware update).

[welccm]

with all the major studios supporting Blu-Ray I would think there would be a plethera of players hitting the market soon -- with 2.0 level of technology

Supporting studios
Blu-ray studio support
Disney (Buena Vista)
DreamWorks
Fox
HBO
Lionsgate
MGM
New Line Cinema
Paramount
Sony Pictures
Universal Studios
Warner Bros.
Weinstein Company

the SONY BDP-S1 gets high marks as well @ about $350

[garcia5]

Last I read the surge of Blu Ray player purchases has gone down for specified reasons such as; now that the format war if over between HD DVD and BluRay people have all at once purchased their Blu Ray players knocking out supply at most retailers which leaves a gap for restocking. I use to work Retail stocking and unloading shipments and I can recall Christmas times where the hot toy would be sold out in a couple of days and then the manufacturer holding off on orders for one reason or another but I don't see why any company would hold off shipping more stock, especially in a time when people are so eager to get their hands on the technology.

[NfoRcErX]

Last I read the surge of Blu Ray player purchases has gone down for specified reasons such as; now that the format war if over between HD DVD and BluRay people have all at once purchased their Blu Ray players knocking out supply at most retailers which leaves a gap for restocking. I use to work Retail stocking and unloading shipments and I can recall Christmas times where the hot toy would be sold out in a couple of days and then the manufacturer holding off on orders for one reason or another but I don't see why any company would hold off shipping more stock, especially in a time when people are so eager to get their hands on the technology.

The problem isn't that Blu-ray won because it is the format that everyone was adopting, it won because of it's inclusion in the PS3. Standalone players are still quite a ripoff (any audio/videophile that has done comparisons has said that the PS3 has the same if not better image quality than ANY blu-ray exclusive box no matter what price point) and are extremely easy to find whether its at target, best buy, sams club, wherever. The PS3 is that much easier to find (the Savannah best buy has had at LEAST 40 on stock every time I've gone in, I know because they keep them in the rafters by the checkout line, and you need something to do while waiting, so why not count on hand ps3s!).

I think blu-rays a great product, but honestly, It isn't going to have nearly the long run that VHS had or even DVD simply because optical media was starting to die before Blu-ray or HD-DVD officially launched.

To say that Blu-ray is so hot it can't stay in stock is quite hilarious to think of seeing as I still can count other blu-ray owners that I personally know on less than two hands (and all of them are PS3 owners). Blu-ray is not gonna be near the market share they hope for (they wanted 50% against DVDs by this christmas) anytimes soon if consumer trends are to be believed.

Would you be surprised if I told you that more of America has over the air antenna TV broadcast as opposed to cable or satelite? Here in 2008, that statistic still holds true, and while it might not be for movie licensing (because when you buy a movie, you don't own the movie, you own the right to watch it under certain circumstances), Most of America doesn't care about Blu-ray and HD.

Blu-ray is a great thing to have, but it requires too much equipment to experience it correctly that most people don't have or want to need. I will keep on using my Blu-ray and HD-dvd stuff because I am already set up for it and I already have over 100 discs, but were I not a hardcore gamer/tech nerd, I would surely have skipped on the Blu-ray trend like everyone else I know!

[garcia5]

Just got finished watching I, Robot on Blu Ray and I have to say that it was the most consistant quality Blu Ray I've seen so far. In some cases the blacks in some Blu Ray discs come out with a white hue to them, almost gray pixelated blemishes, rarely, but often enough for me to notice in the lower quality BD's which keep me from renting darker films. I, Robot, the picture clarity was superb, like looking out of a window even in dark scenes. The sound quality was just as excellent. The BD really puts that theater sound in your home with the help of a DTS decoder and a good speaker system. The only thing that I thought was falliable about the disc was that the clarity was so acute that green screen shots and CGI sometimes were too defined so that it looked faker then it did on regular DVD. I had heard that this was the best quality BD for the BLu Ray system thus far and to be safe before I bought it I rented it from Netflix and I have to agree. This is one for the collection and a real positive light on what BD's should look like everytime. Unfortunatly they don't all look this great.

[Peter Oberth]

sorry, it's been a while but things got busy. Here is BLU-RAY BAY 19 featuring:

-Batman Begins: Limited Edition Giftset
-Point Break
-Men in Black
-Semi-Pro
-Cloverfield
-Persepolis
-10,000 B.C.
-Mad Men: Season One
-The Recruit
-Be Kind Rewind
-The Other Boleyn Girl
-Jumper

Check it out here: http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay19.html

Thanks!

[somipp]

Let's not forget that in order to MAXIMIZE the Blu-Ray movie-watching experience YOU NEED TO HAVE ALL the necessary complementary equipments - a high-quality 7.1 sound system, a high-quality HIGH-DEFINITION (large) screen, high-quality cables, etc.

:rocks::rocks::rocks:

7.1 is an extrapolated techonology from Dolby 5.1. Anything above 5.1 is not a true proprietary technology. Dolby Digital 5.1 is all you need.

[somipp]

5.1 dolby digital is all you need. anything above that is just overkill and a waste of money.

[NfoRcErX]

5.1 dolby digital is all you need. anything above that is just overkill and a waste of money.

Actually in the case of Blu-ray, they actually do 7.1 master mixes for their releases, and therefore it isn't extrapolated or unnecessary because it actually lends to better sound design with exact sound placement in a 3d environment.

Is it necessary? No. But it also isn't the same as comparing Dolby Digital 5.1 to Dolby Pro Logic where the rear speakers are just delayed softened versions of what is playing in the front speakers.

Were we to talk about video games, that is where 7.1 surround is a waste. Supposedly there is only 1 ps3 game on the market right now that actually uses 7.1 technology and that is the original Resistance:Fall of Man for Playstation 3. Every other game uses realtime Dolby Digital 5.1 encoding and any additional channels (be it 6.1 or 7.1) are created on the fly.

[garcia5]

The Godfather 1-3 are coming out on Blu Ray in the next couple of months.

[NfoRcErX]

I am quite excited to see these movies in Blu-ray! I picked up the box trilogy on DVD and saw the first two movies 2 years ago, but have yet to see number 3. With the new blu-ray version, they will be using a newly remastered video track that was mastered using Warner Brother's 4k clean-up process. The clean-up is supposedly amazing, Francis Ford Coppola sat in on multiple sessions and directed how the colors should look etc. In the end he said that it looked just as good as it did on the night of the movie premiere! I'm so excited for it!

Here's a link detailing the 4k restoration process with a few compare images (if only they released 4k images to compare ;) )

http://www.ascmag.com/magazine_dynamic/May2008/PostFocus/page1.php#

Quite a few sites did rundowns on the process, I just found this one but haven't read it yet. The one I read was on c|net, but I couldn't find it again.

[Peter Oberth]

here are my latest reviews for BLU-RAY BAY #20!

http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay20.html

>>Dark City
>>Stargate Continuum
>>Shine a Light
>>Beowulf
>>The Hunt for the Red October
>>Patriot Games
>>Clear and Present Danger
>>The Sum of All Fears
>>Doomsday
>>The Mummy
>>The Mummy Returns
>>The Scorpion King
>>In the Line of Fire
>>The Ruins
>>Meet the Browns
>>21
>>Shutter
>>I Know What You Did Last Summer
>>College Road Trip
>>Urban Legend

Check them out here:
http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay20.html

[majiesto]

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children is scheduled for a March 2009 Blu-Ray release in Japan. Included is 30 minutes of extended scenes as well as a PS3 demo of Final Fantasy XIII and trailers. With the US and Japan being in the same region for Blu-Ray's, you will be able to import it. No word on a US release date.

[Peter Oberth]

here is the latest Blu-Ray Bay article (21!) featuring:

-Heroes: Season 1
-Heroes: Season 2
-Afro Samurai: Season 1
-The Scorpion King 2
-Then She Found Me
-Street Kings
-Nim's Island
-CJ7
-Dude, Where's My Car?
-U-571
-Transformers
-Prison Break: Season Three
-Justice League: Season One

[Peter Oberth]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Announces Expansive Slate of Upcoming PLATINUM EDITIONS

Pinocchio * Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs * Fantasia * Fantasia 2000 * Beauty and the Beast

Each Available For the first time on Blu-rayTM Hi-Def

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Launching Disney’s New BD Live Network - Worldwide – Fall 2009!

Berlin, Germany, August 28, 2008—Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (WDSHE) proudly unveils five additions to the celebrated Platinum Collection of animated features to be released on DVD and for the first time ever on Disney Blu-ray Hi-Def. These include some of Disney’s most beloved classics Pinocchio, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Fantasia, Fantasia 2000 and Beauty and the Beast. Each will be available for a limited time only, in new multi-disc sets featuring rarely seen footage and an array of new bonus features.

Fittingly the one that started it all for Walt Disney, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the first feature length animated film ever made, will be the title that will mark a new era in home entertainment around the world, launching Disney’s worldwide BD-Live Network, a revolutionary technological breakthrough in home entertainment that will connect family and friends, allowing unprecedented interactivity and ease, from anywhere in the world.

Disney’s BD-Live Network will be initially launched in the U.S. only, with the first Platinum Edition Blu-ray release, Sleeping Beauty 50th Anniversary Platinum Edition, available on October 7, 2008.

Bob Chapek, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Worldwide President, commented, ”We are excited to announce a magical slate of Platinum titles for the first time on Blu-ray high definition, this celebrated collection of animated features demonstrates Disney’s commitment to deliver great content.”

“The landscape for the Blu-ray format is very healthy, and we believe that the enhanced movie experiences that the format provides, such as Disney’s BD-Live network, offer consumers the chance to reinvent the experience of watching movies in their homes, and the interactivity and connectivity that is being provided will truly make the family room relevant again,” continues Mr. Chapek.

Gordon Ho is Executive Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (WDSHE) adds, “Disney’s BD-Live experience will enrich and deepen the overall consumer experience, and we are delighted that, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will be the one that will launch Disney’s BD-Live network worldwide.”

The Platinum release roll-out will be:

Pinocchio, the beloved story of a wooden puppet who wants to become a real boy, comes to Platinum Edition DVD and Disney Blu-ray in spring 2009. Disney's second full-length animated movie, Pinocchio won two Oscars®, one for Best Score and another for the unforgettable song "When You Wish upon a Star.” It returns for the first time since 2002.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, honored with a special Academy Award® for screen innovation this movie has been unavailable since 2001. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Platinum Edition will be released in the fall of 2009.

Walt Disney’s experimental masterpiece Fantasia won two honorary Oscars for its innovative use of animation and music. Most recently released in 2000, the restored and remastered Fantasia Platinum Edition will be available in 2010. Alongside this release, a newly restored and remastered Fantasia 2000 Platinum Edition, will be available. Fantasia 2000 begins where its predecessor, Fantasia, left off, with seven completely new segments and the return of the popular “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”, featuring breathtaking images coupled with classical music favorites.

In conjunction with these releases, Destino, the unfinished animated feature film created by Walt Disney and famed surrealist painter Salvador Dali will release. Begun in 1946, it was rediscovered in 2003 and completed by Walt’s nephew, Roy E. Disney. The collaboration between these two legendary artists will be available to own for the first time along with an all-new feature-length documentary that examines the surprising partnership between Dali and Disney.

Beauty and the Beast, the only animated film ever nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Picture, earned a breathtaking six Academy Award® nominations and won two Oscars®. Beauty in the Beast Platinum Edition will be available in fall 2010.

[wolfgang38]

[QUOTE=NfoRcErX;259876]Actually in the case of Blu-ray, they actually do 7.1 master mixes for their releases, and therefore it isn't extrapolated or unnecessary because it actually lends to better sound design with exact sound placement in a 3d environment.

Is it necessary? No. But it also isn't the same as comparing Dolby Digital 5.1 to Dolby Pro Logic where the rear speakers are just delayed softened versions of what is playing in the front speakers.

Were we to talk about video games, that is where 7.1 surround is a waste. Supposedly there is only 1 ps3 game on the market right now that actually uses 7.1 technology and that is the original Resistance:Fall of Man for Playstation 3. Every other game uses realtime Dolby Digital 5.1 encoding and any additional channels (be it 6.1 or 7.1) are created on the fly.[/QUOTE

I have to agree with you on this..My uncle just recently finished his Theater in house and he has 7.1 and sounds so much better than my 5.1, even during the playing of Wii games its amazing...

[Peter Oberth]

here is the latest BLU-RAY BAY, and another coming next week!

http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay22.html

Featuring:
-The Godfather BOX SET
-Forbidden Kingdom
-Baby Mama
-Another Cinderella Story
-Rest Stop: Don’t Look Back
-Daredevil: Director’s Cut
-Leatherheads
-The Love Guru
-Madagascar
-Shrek the Third
-Pushing Daisies: The Complete First Season
-Jethro Tull: Live at Montreux 2003
-Night Watch/Day Watch
-Married Life
-Kill Bill, Vol. 1/ Kill Bill, Vol. 2
-Smallville: The Complete Seventh Season
-End of Days
-The Nightmare Before Christmas
-1408
-Grey’s Anatomy: Season Four
-Pirates of the Caribbean: Trilogy Box Set

[NfoRcErX]

Glad to see the Godfather Restorations were liked so much. I think I'm gonna get this tuesday as I've been waiting for it for a LONG time.

I loved the first and second, but still have yet to see the third as everyone gives it such a harsh review =/ This is easily one of my most anticipated blu-ray releases of the year! :)

[Peter Oberth]

http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay23.html

here is the latest BLU-RAY BAY, featuring:

>>Tinker Bell
>>Indiana Jones 4
>>Beetlejuice
>>The Omen Collection
>>When We Left Earth
>>Jewel
>>Dragonball Z
>>Forgetting Sarah Marshall
>>Halloween
>>Diary of the Dead
>>Stuck
>>The Strangers
>>Young Frankenstein
>>The Incredible Hulk
>>Sleeping Beauty
>>Iron Man
>>Made of Honor
>>Sex and the City
>>The Happening
>>Jerry Maguire
>>Casino
>>Sweeney Todd
>>The Amityville Horror
>>Standard Operating Procedure
>>Postal
>>Maximum Risk

http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay23.html

[Peter Oberth]

http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay24.html

here is the latest BLU-RAY BAY, and it's ALL James Bond featuring:

>>Die Another Day
>>Live and Let Die
>>For Your Eyes Only
>>Dr. No
>>From Russia With Love
>>Thunderball

http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay24.html

[bcd1222]

So pumped to see the new Bond movie...buying the old ones on Blu Ray is a must!!

[Peter Oberth]

http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay25.html

here is the latest BLU-RAY BAY:

-Planet of the Apes: 40-Year Evolution
-Star Wars: The Clone Wars
-Firefly: The Complete Series
-Hellboy II: The Golden Army
-Futurama: Bender's Game
-Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter
-Vexille
-Supernatural: The Complete Third Season
-Blackalicious: 4/20 Live in Seattle
-Universal Soldier
-Sukiyaki Western Django
-Southland Tales
-Cannibal Taboo
-Mirrormask
-Dragonball Z: Cooler’s Revenge/The Return of Cooler
-Chuck: The Complete First Season
-Hell Ride
-Monster's Ball
-Transsiberian
-This Christmas

http://www.shakefire.com/articles/bluraybay25.html

[dclevenger3]

cant wait to watch bond on blue ray be awesome

[nickgtgt]

I can't wait to see bond in theaters. I had to re-watch the first one again on blue-ray the other day to get ready. I'm really pumped for it.