Web Buzz » blu-ray player

Lovefilm, Disney UK deal brings ABC content across the pond

admin — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 23:42:00 +0000

If you're living across the pond and hankering for ABC's content, it's en route. In what could be considered a response to Netflix's expansion to the UK market, Lovefilm has joined forces with Disney UK to offer members on-demand streaming access to ABC Studios' content. Available titles include Castle, Lost, Desperate Housewives, Happy Endings, Grey's Anatomy and the Ghost Whisperer, with all episodes available after their first run in the UK market. Compatible streamers include the PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, iPad, smart TV's and Blu-ray players and the service itself starts at £4.99 ($7.65) per month. Still no news as to when the Camo Snuggie will make its European debut.

Continue reading Lovefilm, Disney UK deal brings ABC content across the pond

Lovefilm, Disney UK deal brings ABC content across the pond originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | BusinessWire | Email this | Comments

Vizio tops accessories off with two Google TV-powered players

admin — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:41:00 +0000

It turns out Vizio's plans for Android don't stop at just tablets and TVs, as it's list of accessories being announced for 2012 are two Google TV powered set-top boxes. The VAP430 Stream player picks up where the Revue left off (and directly competes with Sony's NSZ-GS7 network player) adding the Google TV experience and access ot streaming media in any existing setup. Meanwhile, the VBR430 Blu-ray player adds discs to the mix of a VIA platform (standard and Plus) that stands to benefit from a new VOD app, M-Go from Technicolor that should bring first-run movies streaming directly to TVs. There's a few other add-ons mentioned in the PR (after the break) including a Skype webcam, iPad dock and soundbar, but all of those are available now. Like the other products Vizio has announced at CES, shipping dates and prices are still TBD.

Continue reading Vizio tops accessories off with two Google TV-powered players

Vizio tops accessories off with two Google TV-powered players originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Sony’s second try at Google TV brings Blu-ray player, streaming box and a new remote (Update: hands-on!)

admin — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:32:00 +0000

Interestingly, despite a Sony execs saying that its Google TV model was meeting sales expectations, for the second round it's focusing on two add-on boxes. The NSZ-GP9 Blu-ray player and NSZ-GS7 network media player (pictured above) will ship in North America and Europe in early summer, and are expect to roll out in other regions afterwards as Google TV expands its reach. Common to both boxes is a completely reimagined remote, featuring a backlit QWERTY keyboard, touchpad and motion control for gaming. We're not hearing anything about IR blasters up front this time around, but it can work as a universal remote to control other devices with "basic" control of Sony's 2012 HDTVs as well, while the Blu-ray player supports voice search as well. Unspecified at this time are the provenance of the internals, although the switch away from its Intel predecessors should yield cheaper, cooler running units. There's no price or expected ship date available currently, check back for more info and hands-on with these as well as the other new Sony hardware shortly.

Update: We got our hands all over the new hardware and our first impression is: it's tiny. The network streamer is still bigger than a Roku, but compared to say, a Revue, the switch to ARM has clearly had a slimming effect on Google TV. The Blu-ray player is similarly shrunken, with its footprint down to merely what a normal player would occupy. The remote is conveniently backlit this time around, and dual sided. It certainly has an improved feel this time around, but is it good enough to satisfy the masses? We'll know better after we've spent more time with it. Check the pics in the gallery to see for yourself.

Gallery: Sony Google TV Blu-ray player, network player & remote hands-on

Continue reading Sony's second try at Google TV brings Blu-ray player, streaming box and a new remote (Update: hands-on!)

Sony's second try at Google TV brings Blu-ray player, streaming box and a new remote (Update: hands-on!) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Engadget’s holiday gift guide 2011: HDTV and home theater

admin — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the Engadget Holiday Gift Guide! We're well aware of the heartbreaking difficulties surrounding the seasonal shopping experience, so we're here to help you sort out this year's tech treasures. Below is today's bevy of curated picks, and you can head back to the Gift Guide hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the holiday season.

For a crowd-pleasing holiday gift, it's hard to do better than a TV (or something that plays on or plugs into a TV), so naturally we're here to help you out once again. Of course, this is an ever-changing industry segment, but we've got you covered -- regardless of whether you need a flat panel or a projector. If you're out shopping for someone that has (or wants to) cut the cable, or someone that has every channel, there's something for you. Of course, we'd also recommend keeping a close eye on the tablet and gaming categories too, but companies like Roku, Samsung and Ceton are making sure you have all kinds of options dedicated purely to video. Give them a look after the break.

Continue reading Engadget's holiday gift guide 2011: HDTV and home theater

Engadget's holiday gift guide 2011: HDTV and home theater originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Sony’s new internet TV box, projector and Blu-ray player make an appearance at IFA

admin — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 01:03:00 +0000

They didn't earn highlights during Sony's IFA 2011 keynote, but it did slip out a few more pieces of home theater hardware that are more likely to end up in your living room than its outlandish 3D helmet. The SMP-N200 replaces the earlier Netbox that debuted last year with a refreshed design and support for HD and 3D. Unsurprisingly, this Blu-ray player (without the Blu-ray) also supports DLNA "throwing" of content, making it a natural Apple TV-style tie-in for the Tablet S and Tablet P once they launch. Moving on, the VPL-VW95ES is a proper replacement for last year's VPL-VW90ES that we'll probably get more properly acquainted with later this week at CEDIA. For 2011 it's been refreshed with 3D conversion capabilities, an integrated 3D emitter to sync the glasses and the ability to set and memorize different lens positions to switch seamlessly between 16:9 and ultrawidescreen projecting. Finally, the BDP-S185 Blu-ray player was announced, with compact size and power consumption that Sony claims is 47 percent less than the previous year's models as its most notable features. All should start shipping in October, no specific word on pricing yet.

Continue reading Sony's new internet TV box, projector and Blu-ray player make an appearance at IFA

Sony's new internet TV box, projector and Blu-ray player make an appearance at IFA originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 04 Sep 2011 21:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Sony 3D Experience brings free on-demand movie trailers, sports clips to Bravia TVs

admin — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 15:07:00 +0000

HDTV manufacturers have used a variety of tactics to attract customers to the 3D segment, bundling free glasses, discounting Blu-ray players, and nearly eliminating unsightly bezels, but with content selection still incredibly limited, there's been little incentive for consumers to shell out extra cash for a 3D set. Sony's new 3D Experience sets out to expand those content offerings, streaming on-demand sports highlights and select movie trailers to Bravia LCD TVs, and eventually Blu-ray players and home theater systems. The Experience launches with just 30 clips in the US, Canada, France, Germany, and the UK today, but will eventually grow to include more movie, music, sports, and documentary titles. There's no word on whether or not we can expect full-length films (or anything else we may actually be interested in watching) in the future, but with a commitment from Samsung to launch paid content later this year, we imagine Sony won't follow too far behind.

Sony 3D Experience brings free on-demand movie trailers, sports clips to Bravia TVs originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Pocket Lint | Sony Europe | Email this | Comments

Wii U will not play DVDs or Blu-ray, Iwata says

admin — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 12:20:00 +0000

Planning to replace that aging Blu-ray player with a Wii U? Not so fast. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata says the gaming console won't play DVD or Blu-ray discs, due to patent licensing fees.

Wii U does not have DVD or Blu-ray playback capabilities. The reason for that is that we feel that enough people already have devices that are capable of playing DVDs and Blu-ray, such that it didn't warrant the cost involved to build that functionality into the Wii U console because of the patents related to those technologies.

So there you have it. Iwata doesn't want to hand over a bag of cash for baby Blu's "bag of hurt." By the time the Wii U hits store shelves in 2012, we may be buying Blu-ray players just for their Netflix capabilities, so here's to hoping the console at least carries over that functionality from its predecessor.

Wii U will not play DVDs or Blu-ray, Iwata says originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Jun 2011 08:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Kotaku | Nintendo | Email this | Comments

Plextor PL-LB950UE Blu-ray burner lands in the US with heady mix of USB 3.0 speed and double-layer storage

admin — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 11:42:00 +0000

Europeans have been able to bag this speedy external writer for a few months now, but it's only just received its Green Card -- turning up in the US with a suitcase full of dreams and a price tag of $239.99. A quick check of its CV resume reveals a choice of either USB 3.0 or eSATA connectivity, 12x write speed, and the ability to burn up to 50GB of data on a dual-layer disc. The drive is being pitched as an "all-in-one Blu-ray device" because it also handles 3D playback and has a low vibration system for quieter operation. Admittedly, it only offers half as much storage as BDXL writers, but those burn slower and onto judderingly expensive media. Closer competition comes from Buffalo, which arrived early to the USB 3.0 table, but whose current MediaStation model omits the eSATA option.

Continue reading Plextor PL-LB950UE Blu-ray burner lands in the US with heady mix of USB 3.0 speed and double-layer storage

Plextor PL-LB950UE Blu-ray burner lands in the US with heady mix of USB 3.0 speed and double-layer storage originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 07:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | CrunchGear | Email this | Comments

Mitsubishi Blu-ray players have BDXL, 3D support, and a two-faced remote

admin — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 15:01:00 +0000

We don't want to slight these three new Blu-ray players from Mitsubishi -- they've got all the latest features that the kids are clamoring for, like 3D Blu-ray, BDXL, AVCREC, and VOD support. However, sometimes accessories are the most fascinating part of a product, as seems the case with this dual-faced remote -- not entirely unlike the ones we've seen from Samsung and Boxee. One side controls the TV and the other does the DVR, while a built-in sensor lets the system know which side you're using. The DVR-BZ450, DVR-BZ350, and DVR-BZ250 are pretty much identical, save for internal storage, which ranges from 500GB to 2TB. All are due out in Japan on May 31st -- no word on when the rest of the world will be able to get our hands on the latest technology for losing two remotes at the same time.

Mitsubishi Blu-ray players have BDXL, 3D support, and a two-faced remote originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 11:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Akihabara News | Mitsubishi Japan | Email this | Comments

Crackle starts streaming all of its free movies to Roku, PS3, Sony TVs and Blu-ray players

admin — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 02:34:00 +0000

Sony's Crackle has had a more successful life so far than its previous iteration as Grouper, streaming movies, TV shows and shorts to various devices since launching back in '07 and announced today its full library will be streaming to the PS3, Roku boxes, Sony Blu-ray players and Bravia TVs. Expanding full access from just the Google TV (there's also an Android app that currently streams some of the items) it's taking credit as the only provider offering free full length flicks including Ghostbusters, Bad Boys, A Few Good Men and more for free on these platforms. The drawbacks are video that tops out at 480p standard definition and Hulu-style commercial interruptions but if you absolutely must watch Weekend at Bernies II without spending any money it is an option -- at least, as long as the PS3 browser doesn't crash with an out of memory error like it did for us. It did work better on more capable platforms, so check out the full details in the press release after the break.

Continue reading Crackle starts streaming all of its free movies to Roku, PS3, Sony TVs and Blu-ray players

Crackle starts streaming all of its free movies to Roku, PS3, Sony TVs and Blu-ray players originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments