Upon moving into the run-down Spiderwick Estate with their mother, twin brothers Jared and Simon Grace, along with their sister Mallory, find themselves pulled into an alternate world full of faeries and other creatures.

Buy The Spiderwick Chronicles Blu-ray here!

Popularity: 7% [?]

In the fascist Spain of 1944, the bookish young stepdaughter of a sadistic army officer escapes into an eerie but captivating fantasy world.

Order your copy of Pan’s Labyrinth here!

Popularity: 7% [?]

A marksman (Wahlberg) living in exile is coaxed back into action after learning of a plot to kill the president. Ultimately double-crossed and framed for the attempt, he goes on the run to track the real killer and find out who exactly set him up, and why.

Click here to get the Shooter!

Popularity: 7% [?]

Pioneer announced details, including (European) releasing info, on 4 new Blu-ray players!

• BDP-LX91: LX Line Reference Blu-ray disc player (BD-Live / Profile 2.0)
• BDP-LX08: LX Line ‘Designer’ Blu-ray disc player (BonusView / Profile 1.1)
• BDP-LX71: LX Line Blu-ray disc player (BonusView / Profile 1.1)
• BDP-51FD: Blu-ray disc player (BonusView / Profile 1.1)

Although we already knew of the BDP-LX71, we had no specifics but now we know that the BDP-LX71 will be available in September. The BDP-51FD and the BDP-LX08 will arrive in October; the BDP-LX91 later on in winter.

All four players feature 1080p/24, HDMI-12-Bit Deep Color, KURO Link, 7.1 analog output, and are compatible with DTS-HD Master Audio / Dolby True HD. No pricing is available yet.

Specifications

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Out of the four BD players mentioned, the one we want more details is the BDP-LX91, mainly because it will be Pioneer’s first 2.0 player, so as soon as we get more information we will post it here.

Popularity: 38% [?]

I wouldn’t cancel my Blockbuster subscription yet but Sony has promised that they will start offering full movie downloads on their Playstation Network this summer. Yes, this summer! The new movie for PlayStation 3 home console will start in the U.S. and later in Europe and Japan! Kazuo Hirai, who heads Sony Corp.’s video game unit, mentioned all this on Thursday but said that more detials will only be available next month, possibly at E3.

Hirai said the company will strengthen its network services and further cut costs to achieve profitability in the Sony gaming business in the current fiscal year ending March 2009.

This is great news! We just hope they have moderate prices!

Popularity: 22% [?]

Warner is catch up with other studios that already started releasing BD-Live titles earlier this year. On a During the keynote address at the Entertainment Supply Chain Academy conference, president of Warner Bros. Technical Operations Darcy Antonellis mentioned that they are working on the first web-enabled Blu-ray titles, which should be ready for release by the end of 2008.

They have bold plans for their BD-Live title going as far as competing with other big names of the internet such as MySpace and YouTube for the consumers time and attention on the net.

“I think it has the ability to compete [with MySpace and YouTube] for a user’s time because you are taking them online and you’re able to create a community that we have never been able to do before,” Ms. Antonellis said. “That’s huge for us.”

Heck yeah, that’s huge! But they better create something very innovative and new with the BD-Live feature if they intend to steer traffic from MySpace and YouTube. I am sorry to be pessimistic here but I don’t think they will pull it off…

Popularity: 19% [?]

Whether you have or are planing on buying a Samsung Blu-ray player, we have some good news for you! Samsung launched a new website dedicated to their Blu-ray products. The site is divided in two areas “Blu-ray Owners” and “Looking to Buy”, consumers visiting the site will easily be able to access the information pertinent to their Blu-ray needs. Samsung offers FAQs, new product and firmware introductions, as well as the opportunity to chat live with a Samsung Blu-ray support specialist. Also, every week they will start a new “Topic” on the site to provide Samsung’s opinion on current Blu-ray product issues and to further educate consumers on the advantages of Blu-ray. This week’s topic is: How do I get the most out of my Blu-ray player?

“Now that Blu-ray is the future of HD, Samsung recognized the need to develop a single online location where current Blu-ray owners and those seeking more information can go to address their Blu-ray needs,” said Reid Sullivan, Vice President of Audio/Video & Digital Imaging at Samsung Electronics America. “With answers to nearly every Blu-ray question and access to trained Samsung tech support, we believe the Blu-ray Resource Center will help consumers maximize the performance of their Samsung Blu-ray player, pre or post sale.”

As far as Blu-ray is concerned Samsung always seems be a little ahead of the competition, releasing the first player, releasing the first HD-DVD/Blu-ray combo players and now this “Resource Center” website… They do a good job!

Popularity: 16% [?]

These are the first 6x recordable BD media and Panasonic got a head start! The LM-BR25MD and LM-BR50MD will be released in Japan in July,  at this time we do not have a estimated release date for Euroupe or US. The new discs will be available in two versions, 25GB (single sided/single layer) at a price of $15 and  $37 for the 50GB (single sided/dual layer) version. They will provide a data transfer speed of 216Mbps.

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You can find the full press release bellow:

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PANASONIC INTRODUCES WORLD’S FIRST 6X WRITE-ONCE BLU-RAY DISC MEDIA*

Secaucus, NJ (June 18, 2008) – Panasonic today announced that it has developed the world’s first Write-Once Blu-ray Discs (BD-R) with 6X writing speed*. The new discs will be available in both 25GB** and 50GB capacities.

Panasonic, which introduced the world’s first dual-layer 1X BD-RE Blu-ray Disc in 2004***, 2X BD-R/RE Discs in 2006, and 4X BD-R Disc in 2007, is now launching the first 6X BD-R to meet consumer demand to read and write large amounts of data at higher speeds. The new 6X discs have a maximum data transfer speed of an amazingly fast 216Mbps. This transfer speed, along with the discs’ high capacity, allows consumers to use these discs for a variety of applications such as storing high-definition video or backing up PC data.

The new discs feature a wide power margin at any writing speed from 1X to 6X. This enables high-quality recording, even if the drive’s laser power fluctuates, resulting in greater overall drive compatibility.

Panasonic’s adoption of newly-developed disc technology produces extremely level and well-balanced discs with highly precise signal grooves. This improves servo characteristics and enables the laser beam to focus to the right position even when the disc is rotating with 6X high speed, thus providing optimum reading and writing performance.

Specifications

6X BD-R

Format Name: Blu-ray Disc Recordable Format Ver. 1.3
Model Number: LM-BR25MDE, LM-BR50MDE
Data Capacity: 25GB, 50GB
Layer Constitution: Single Sided/Single Layer, Single Sided/Dual Layer
Recording Format: Phase Change Recordable
Laser Wavelength: 405nm ?Blue-violet Laser?
Objective Lens Numerical Aperture (NA): 0.85
Disc Diameter/Thickness: 120mm x 1.2mm
Track Pitch: 0.32 ?m
Minimum Mark Length: 0.149?m
Data Transfer Speed: 216Mbps(Max.)
Hard Coating

*As of June 18, 2008

**The capacity of Blu-ray discs is expressed in units of 1GB=1 billion bytes, but the capacity is slightly below that after formatting, so that the actual amount area that can be used will be less.

***Introduced in Japanese market only

See more details on the chart bellow:

Popularity: 11% [?]

Even though we still do not have a 8x Blu-ray recorder on the market many companies are already getting things ready for it! One of them is the chip SCOMBO/UM2A, which will be one of the components that will make it possible. Current NEC drives can only burn Blu-ray at 5x, and many other commercially-available models are slower still, or don’t have Blu-ray burning at all. Bellow is a excerpt from TechOn, a Japanese technology blog that always has the lastest news:

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NEC Electronics Corp announced June 18, 2008, that it started shipping samples of SCOMBO/UM2A, an SoC chip designed for use in Blu-ray Disc (BD) systems that support 8x recording and playback, in Japan.

The company integrated the analog signal processing circuit, which controls an optical pickup unit, and the digital signal processing circuit, which performs data modulation and demodulation as well as error correction, into a single chip. The chip is targeted for use in personal computers and audio-visual equipment.

The company’s existing SoC chip, namely SCOMBO/UM, is only compatible with 5x recording and playback. In addition, SCOMBO/UM has the analog and digital signal processing circuits that are provided in separate chips.

This time, NEC Electronics employed a wideband analog signal processing circuit in order to support Blu-ray 8x recording and playback. The circuit was originally developed for use in 20x DVD systems. Furthermore, the company adopted the CMOS technology to produce the analog circuit, instead of using the BiCMOS technology.

As a result, the analog circuit can be integrated with the digital signal processing unit in a single chip. Compared with the company’s existing product, the footprint of the latest chip is 20% smaller, and the power consumption was reduced by 33% to 1.8W.

Along with the SCOMBO/UM2A, the company started shipping samples of the SCOMBO/UM2P, which only provides the Blu-ray playback function. SCOMBO/UM2P supports 5x recording and playback, instead of 8x. The sample price of SCOMBO/UM2A is ¥2,000 (US$18.54, price may vary depending on country), while SCOMBO/UM2P is priced at ¥1,500. Both models are manufactured based on the 0.15?m process technology at NEC Kumamoto Plant in Japan.

The company plans to expand the mass-production scale from 300,000 units per month in the first half of fiscal 2008 to one million units per month by the end of fiscal 2008. The company hopes to increase its share (in terms of units) of SoC chips for BD systems from 40% in fiscal 2007 to 50% in fiscal 2008.

While enhancing recording and playback speeds, as well as reducing power consumption, NEC Electronics intends to promote the integration of the read-only chip and the company’s proprietary image processing SoC chip “EMMA.” It is reportedly under development and will be unveiled shortly although the company did not reveal the shipment schedule. The next-generation chip “supports 12-16x recording and playback in theory,” the company said.

Integrating analog and digital signal processing circuits into a single chip

Via: TechOn

Popularity: 18% [?]

Heroes has been a major TV success since its first season debut in 2006 and thanks to the great fan base Universal announced the release of Seasons 1 and 2 on Blu-ray a few months back. The release is scheduled for the end of August, just before the start of season 3 on NBC. We now have more details and have a pretty good idea of what the Blu-rays will include. Heroes: Season One will have five BD-50 dual-layer discs (MSRP $69.98) and Heroes: Season Two, a shorter season because of the writter’s strike, has only four discs (MSRP $49.98).

Supplements on ‘Season One’ will match the previous HD DVD release, with a bevy of extras including the 73-minute Premiere Episode (with optional audio commentary by show creator Tim Kring), four featurettes (”Making Of,” “Special Effects,” “The Stunts,” “Profile of Artist Tim Sale”), an artwork presentation, and deleted scenes.

‘Season Two’ will include five featurettes ( “Heroes Season 2: A New Beginning,” “Takezo Kensei: Sword Saint,” “Genetics of a Scene,” “The Drucker Files,” “Generations After”), a series of additional NBC.com featurettes, deleted scenes, and a still gallery.

Here is the full specs:

Video Resolution

• 1080p

Aspect Ratio(s)

• 1.78:1

Audio Formats

• English DTS-HD Lossless
• Master Audio 5.1 Surround

Subtitles/Captions

• English SDH

Heroes: Season One

Disc 1

• Artwork Presentation; Hero Connections
• 73-Minute Premiere Episode with Audio Commentary by Show Creator Tim Kring
• BD-Live Enabled
• Making Of
• Special Effects
• The Stunts
• Profile of Artist Tim Sale
• The Score
• Deleted Scenes

Disc 2

• Artwork Presentation, Hero Connections
• Deleted Scenes

Disc 3

• Artwork Presentation, Hero Connection
• PIP Cast Video Commentaries
• Deleted Scenes

Disc 4

• Artwork Presentation, Hero Connection
• PIP Cast Video Commentaries
• Deleted Scenes

Disc 5

• Artwork Presentation, Hero Connection
• PIP Cast Video Commentaries
• Deleted Scenes

Heroes: Season Two

Disc 1

• Hero Connections - Bios, PIP Cast & Crew Commentaries
• Heroes Season 2 “A New Beginning”
• Takezo Kensei: Sword Saint
• BD-Live Enabled
• Hero Connections: Network
• My Scenes
• Deleted Scenes

Disc 2

• Hero Connections - Bios, PIP Cast & Crew Commentaries
• Genetics of a Scene
• Hero Connections - Network
• The Drucker Files
• My Scenes
• Deleted Scenes

Disc 3

• Hero Connections - Bios, PIP Cast & Crew Commentaries
• Tim Sale Gallery of Screen Art
• Hero Connections - Network
• My Scenes
• Deleted Scenes

Disc 4

• Hero Connecions - Bios, PIP Cast & Crew Commentaries
• Generations Alternate Ending
• Inside the Alternate Ending of Generations
• Hero Connections - Network
• My Scenes
• NBC.com Featurettes

Popularity: 12% [?]