New Sony Blu-ray players do 3D, WiFi, iPhone remote, more

Sony BDP-s770
Since releasing the initial Blu-ray players on the market years ago, Sony has been lagging a little behind in regards to features. Today that’s about to change as the top of the line BDP-S770 (pictured above) not only supports 3D, but also has built in WiFi, and iPhone/iPod Touch app for a remote (in addition to the standard remote) and plenty of streaming options like Netflix, Amazon and many others. The BDP-S570 also has built in WiFi, but unlike the 770, it will require a firmware update before DLNA works. The BDP-S370 brings the line home which is similar to its bigger brothers but requires an optional WiFi adapter if you need wireless.

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New Sony Blu-ray players do 3D, WiFi, iPhone remote, more originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony has some new Blu-ray home theater systems and yes, one does 3D

Sony BDV-HZ970W

And you thought that just because you are the home theater in a box type that you wouldn’t get to enjoy 3D — Sony announced a trio of Blu-ray home theater systems that feature wireless speakers and the same internet streaming features BRAVIA Internet Video, DNLA and the iPhone app remote that the stand-alone Blu-ray from Sony do. And the top of the line BDV-HZ970W (pictured above) also supports 3D Blu-ray Discs. The other two new systems, the BDV-E770W and BDV-E570, have most of the same features, but both lack 3D and the BDV-E570 doesn’t do DLNA. Check out the full release after the break if you are still left asking for more.

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Sony has some new Blu-ray home theater systems and yes, one does 3D originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic blows it out with 3D Blu-ray deck, HDTVs, channels and $21k camcorder

Had enough of the CES barrage? Nah. Panasonic just cut loose a few new releases of its own, with the highlight of the bunch being the planet’s first integrated Full HD 3D camcorder. Dubbed a “professional” device, the camcorder won’t be available to order until April, and it’s expected to make the filming of 3D content easier due to having the camcorder itself, the lenses, camera head and a twin memory card recorder smashed together in a single body. Users will also find stereoscopic adjustment controls on the twin-lens, solid state-based system, and we’re told that it’ll automatically recalibrate itself sans the need for any external equipment. ‘Course, the $21,000 MSRP is apt to turn away most everyone not being financed by a movie house, but hey, at least we’re fairly certain it’ll be reduced to a few bills by 2012. In related news, Panny is also partnering with DirecTV to launch a trio of dedicated 3D channels starting in June, and the two are already in talked with AEG, CBS, Fox Sports, HDNet, MTV, NBC Universal and TBS to develop additional 3D programming that’ll debut between 2010 to 2011.

Oh, and you’ll obviously need a new setup to view said content, and that’s where Panny comes in (again). The outfit unleashed a new range of 3D-capable (thanks, RealD!) Viera plasma HDTVs and Blu-ray 3D players, and all it takes to enjoy mind-melting 3D content in the comfort of your abode is “a stylish and lightweight pair of active-shutter glasses.” Oh, joy. The complete line will be fleshed out later this Spring, with screen sizes ranging from 50- to 65-inches. In one of the most brilliant moves of the show, Panny’s also including just a single set of 3D glasses with its multi-thousand dollar televisions, which is sure to leave a bitter taste in the mouth of Sir Buyer who has to plop down an extra hundie or two to get specs for the whole family. At any rate, the DMP-BDT350 Blu-ray player will handle 1080p content in both the second and third dimension. The last bit is new partnerships with Netflix, Skype, Twitter and Pandora (among other outlets), all of which are being added to the Viera Cast library that’s accessible on select Blu-ray players and HDTVs. Catch the full rundown after the break… if you dare.

Continue reading Panasonic blows it out with 3D Blu-ray deck, HDTVs, channels and $21k camcorder

Panasonic blows it out with 3D Blu-ray deck, HDTVs, channels and $21k camcorder originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Netflix bends over, agrees to delay renting Warner DVDs

Oh sigh. We’d been hearing that Warner Brothers would be pushing for month-long rental delays for mail-order services in order to boost sales, and it looks like Netflix has been pushed into submission: under an agreement announced today, Warner Brother DVDs and Blu-rays won’t be available to Netflix subscribers for 28 days after they’re released for sale. What’s worse, Netflix says it expects to reach similar deals with the other major studios as time goes on. Why would Reed Hastings agree to a clear imposition on his company’s rights under the first-sale doctrine? We’re guessing this is the only way the studios would open up and allow more movies to hit Watch Instantly — and the AP says Netflix is also getting a discount on the actual discs. Yeah, it’s lame, but honestly we’d rather take more streaming content over new releases in the mail straight away, so let’s hope all this wheeling and dealing pays off.

Netflix bends over, agrees to delay renting Warner DVDs originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung’s 2010 Blu-ray players bring 3D, transparency & thinness

Samsung has unveiled its latest family of Blu-ray players for 2010 topped by the BD-C6900 (above), compatible with both the 3D Blu-ray standard and the company’s existing 3D displays. If your guests aren’t thrilled by Full HD 3D and funky glasses they can always peek through the transparent cover and watch the disc spin. Also coming this year are the BD-C6500 with a promised 15-second boot time and disc load time, a new slim blu-ray champ with the BD-C7500 (after the break) and the low end BD-C5500. No word on prices or dates, but we’re sure these should be appearing on shelves around the time the weather warms up.

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Samsung’s 2010 Blu-ray players bring 3D, transparency & thinness originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp’s BD-HP70U Blu-ray player adds a little red with Netflix support

Two new Blu-ray players straight from the brightly-lit, cemented halls of Sharp HQ. The BD-HP70U outputs at 1080p at 24 frames per second and boasts Wireless LAN with Netflix support (always a selling point). The BD-HP24U doesn’t boast online love, but both do feature Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio support. The latter is coming first quarter for $280, the former in Q2 for $500. We don’t have a picture of the player just yet, but really it’s not gonna be the casing that sets your heart aflame here, right? Press release is after the break.

Continue reading Sharp’s BD-HP70U Blu-ray player adds a little red with Netflix support

Sharp’s BD-HP70U Blu-ray player adds a little red with Netflix support originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba BDX3000 Blu-ray player does 3D, BDX2700 and BDX2500 do… other stuff

Toshiba’s going all-in on the Blu-ray front here at CES and launching three new connected Blu-ray players: the BDX2500, the BDX2700 and the 3D-ready BDX3000. All three models do online streaming through a new partnership with CinemaNow; the $199 BDX2500 has a USB port for a wireless dongle, while the $249 BDX2700 and as-yet-unpriced BDX3000 have built-in WiFi. Expect the 2D models in the spring, and the three-dee unit in Q3. Full PR after the break.

(That’s a pic of the current BDX2000, by the way — we’ll update with a new pic if the new ones look different.)

Continue reading Toshiba BDX3000 Blu-ray player does 3D, BDX2700 and BDX2500 do… other stuff

Toshiba BDX3000 Blu-ray player does 3D, BDX2700 and BDX2500 do… other stuff originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 13:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New LG BD590 Blu-ray player sports a 250GB hard drive

LG BD590 Blu-ray player

Like the LG BD390, the new LG Blu-ray player has WiFi, BD Live, VUDU and DLNA, what’s new is the 250GB hard drive. Now the first thing we thought of when we heard LG was including a hard drive was Managed Copy, but there’s no mention of it in the press release. What is in there though is the ability to download VUDU movies, pictures, music and more to it. This is especially useful if your Blu-ray player isn’t well connected since it allows you to sneaker net your content or to copy it over and play it back later. There’s no mention of price or availability, but this guy does have two little brothers, the BD550 and BD570, that feature many of the same internet features, but don’t have a hard drive.

Continue reading New LG BD590 Blu-ray player sports a 250GB hard drive

New LG BD590 Blu-ray player sports a 250GB hard drive originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VUDU comes to LG Blu-ray home theater systems

LG LHB975

If you are the home theater in a box type, but also want Blu-ray and VUDU movies streamed to your HDTV, then your wait is over. The new BD975 doesn’t have a price and we don’t know when it’ll be available, but what we do know is that when that day comes for you to part with your hard earned cash you’ll get a all the great internet features those who prefer to buy stand-alone Blu-ray players have enjoyed for years. You know, like VUDU, YouTube, Pandora, Picasa, AccuWeather, Netflix and CinemaNow — so yeah, just about everything. The DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD can be played back wirelessly to the speakers and there’s even a iPod dock drawer for your iPhone.

Continue reading VUDU comes to LG Blu-ray home theater systems

VUDU comes to LG Blu-ray home theater systems originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Consumers Spent More in Theaters than on DVDs in 2009

There was a lot of talk in the last year about the movie industry’s “recession proof” product. One has to wonder, however, if all of those box office returns came at the expense of movie ticket sales. 2009, after all, marked the first year since 2002 that US moviegoers spent more to see movies in theaters than at home.

In 2009, US consumers spent $9.87 billion in movie ticket sales–a 10 percent jump over the year before. Combined DVD and Blu-ray sales, meanwhile, dropped over that same time period by 13 percent, down to $8.73. The Wall Street Journal suggests that these numbers “underscor[e] the changing economics of Hollywood.”

Movie rentals rose, meanwhile–the amount of actual rentals was up 5.5 percent over last year. Thanks to plummeting prices, however, due to services like Redbox, actual spending on rentals increased by les than one percent.