GadgetReview

Later this month marks the release of the Sony PlayTV, a Tivo-esque HDTV recorder that hooks to your PS3 and records television to the PS3’s hard drive.  They’ll be asking $169.95, at least in Australia, and can actually be used to record TV while the Playstation is actually playing games or Blu-ray discs.

Even more interesting, the PSP will work like a remote for the system, similar to how Apple uses the iPod touch or iPhone as a remote on its own stuff.

This has actually been something of a bit of vaporware for the Aussies, who’ve been waiting on this one since the start of 2009, but Sony made a bit of a splash when they put the announcement that this would come out in the second half of 2009 in writing.  Will it actually make it to market?  Time will tell, but not much of it.

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On to some not so exciting news.  JVC kicked out a new entry level Blu-ray player today, the JVC XV-BP11.  For $200 you get HD playback, AVCHD compatibility (what some HD camcorders record in) and a USB input.  Yup, far from exciting, but hey, it’s entry level.

JVC XV-BP11 Features

• Playable Discs: BD-Rom, BD-R/RE, DVD-Video, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, Audio CD, CD-R/RW
• Playable Formats: AVCHD, WMV, JPEG, MP3, WMA, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital plus, Dolby True HD, DTS, DTS HD Master Audio/Essential
• Connections:
  • Video: HDMI V1.3, composite
  • Audio: Analog L/R, coaxial, HDMI V1.3
  • USB Host (front panel)
• Convenience Features: Quick loading, cinema zoom (x16), parental lock, slim design

…Continue reading: JVC’s XV-BP11 Is An Entry Level Blu-ray Player, No Doubt About It

While the idea might be cooler than the product to some, just announced is the God of War 3 demo will be on the District 9 Blu-Ray when it releases on December 29th.  This is another example we’re seeing now in regards to what can and should be done with Blu-Ray discs.

Play through the God of War 3 Demo and gain access to the making-of featurette once the game releases.

Earlier this year we ran posts about the Watchmen Movie/Game Combo and the possibility of other synergistic implementations but I have yet to see this idea really fleshed to what it could be.

We’re getting there I guess…

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If the Xbox 360 is going to make it to 2015, Microsoft better have definite plans to get Blu-Ray compatibility on board on the ASAP.  In a recent interview with Gizmodo, Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer is quoted saying that we will “soon” be able to watch Blu-Ray movies on the Xbox 360.

The CEO had expressed that an external Blu-Ray drive would be the best way to get the format on the 360.  I bet it looks identical to ill fated HD DVD drive from a few years back.

At the moment however, Ballmer seems to think that there is enough HD content via streaming sources (NetFlix and the upcoming Zune Video) to keep the masses happy.  Are we happy?

How about that web browser?

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In a move that is entirely all things Sony,  some featured Blu-Ray releases will contain a free digital copy for your PSP.  The catch is that you will need a PS3 to do the transfer.

For example, Sony Films will be releasing the Blu-Ray version of Godzilla on November 3rd that will be bundled with a separate DVD-ROM that provides access to the digital copy.  From there you just jam the disc into your PS3 and download the digital version of the Godzilla.  After that all you have to do is transfer it to your PSP via USB and you are good to go.

Essentially you will have all this Sony stuff to make this a worthwhile deal.  But do you really care anyway?  If you are going out and actually buying Godzilla on Blu-Ray do you really need to watch it again on your PSP?

Again, another nice move by Sony but will it go largely unnoticed?

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Sharp has recently developed a new technique that has allowed them to stretch the capacity of a Blu-Ray Disc to 75 and 100Gb’s.  Pretty cool eh?  Through changing the way the discs are manufactured and improvements made upon the laser, Sharp is waiting for approval from the Blu-Ray Disc Association.

In an attempt to explain the tech specs in basic jargon,  Sharp has pioneered a new laser that reads a new aluminum oxynitride film (dielectric is the old one) coating that allows the disc to have up to three and four layers instead of the current two, allowing for more storage. …Continue reading: Blu-Ray Disc Capacity Now Maxes Out At 100GB

As the Tokyo Game Show approaches, chatter involving a 250GB PS3 has begun to surface.  Talk about future proof.  Sources indicate that this ‘beefcake’ version of that PS3 could be part of a new movie bundle that would include the Sony Blu-Ray remote, a Blu-Ray movie, and Sony’s new PlayTV attachment, which turns a PS3 into fully functional freeview TV recorder.

The Tokyo Game Show starts on September 24th so we’ll hopefully get some solid answers then.

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Sounds

I’m about one short and curly away from pulling the trigger on a blu-ray player.  And just when I think I’ve found the one, the Sony BDP-N460, it falls short of the everything mark by leaving out the always quintessential WiFi.  That’s right, you’ll have to buy a separate WiFi dongle from Linkys (WET610N) to get this bad boy up and running on the Net with no wires.

But despite that one short coming, the BDP-N460 does offer a plethora of features that includes BD-Live, USB input, DVD upscaling, all the latest audio codecs and the ability to stream media from the BRAVIA Internet Video platform including thousands of movies, TV programs, and music from YouTube, Slacker, and, later this fall, Netflix.

The BDP-N460 will launch this fall and retail for $250.  Or you can just grab a Sony PS3, which includes WiFi but lacks Netflix integration.

Full release after the ‘leap’ …Continue reading: Sony’s BDP-N460 Blu-ray Player Does It All But WiFi

Think about it.  The PS2 had a lengthy lifespan that spawned several quality franchises such as:  Metal Gear Solid, Splinter Cell, GTA3, Silent Hill, Resident Evil, Brothers in Arms, and more.  All these titles are totally still playable beyond a nostalgic standpoint and could have new life breathed into them if bundled together and re-released on the PS3 via Blu-Ray disc.

With the recent news of a God of War collection being re-released on Blu-Ray with a framerate increase, resolution upscaling and trophies, some rumblings have other publishers agreeing to the coolness factor of this idea, but not confirming anything.  The storage capacity of a Blu-Ray disc alone could make this a very possible scenario for down the line.  Sweet!

I think this is a great idea especially if you are a fan of a particular series and want to catch up on past story lines before you play the current title.   Hopefully we’ll here more about this sometime soon.

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My roommate just watched a 3-D version of Coraline in standard definition.  I can only imagine how nice it would have looked if it were in 3-D on Blu-Ray.  Soon enough perhaps as the Blu-Ray Disc Association (BDA) is working on the technical specifications to bring 3-D to a higher resolution.  In case you don’t know, the BDA is comprised of major movie studios executives, consumer electronics companies, and IT firms.

Some of those specifications include the need for the Blu-Ray disc to be backwards compatible so it plays in 2-D as well as 3-D on the same disc.  The other big specification is that a resolution of 1080p would have to reach each eye, presumably through a pair of 3-D glasses.

The BDA has offered no such time line as to when the consumer might see 3-D on Blu-Ray but I’m sure the results will be well worth the wait.

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