Built in Blu-Ray

Sharp debuting an LCD high definition television with a Blu-ray burner all in one handy dandy device.  While it may not appeal to all users, it would be ideal for those looking for a clean install, like on a wall.  At the time, it was available in Japan only so those stateside were not included.

Now, some further details are emerging.  Indeed it will come in both 32 and 42 inch sizes, with the larger one a full 1080p resolution (theoretically the 32" model should be 720p but this is unconfirmed).  The expected price on the larger set will be $2000, and no price yet on is baby brother.  Apparently the LCD sets with built in Blu-ray are already sold in Japan in sizes up to 52", and there are also plans to bring these sets into some European markets next year as well.

Best Buy holds two-day 30% off PS3, Blu-Ray sale

Best Buy Co. Inc. stores on Fri. began offering a two-day sale that discounts game titles for Sony Corp.'s Playstation 3 and Blu-ray disc titles by 30 percent.

PS3 titles discounted to $37.99 include Rock Band 2, Guitar Hero: World Tour, Far Cry 2, Madden NFL 09, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, Grand Theft Auto IV, NBA 2K9 and FIFA Soccer 09.

Discounted Blu-ray disc titles include The Ultimate Matrix Trilogy at $69.99, Planet Earth at $55.99, The Ocean's Trilogy at $48.99, Get Smart at $20.99 and Speed Racer at $20.99.

Retailers have began offering aggressive price cuts to high-definition products to spur adoption.  Best Buy Co. Inc. stores in Dec. began offering a discounted PS3, HDTV bundle to customers.  Wal-Mart Stores Inc. on Black Friday price cut a Magnavox Blu-ray player to $128 in a doorbuster deal. Amazon.com is offering 20 percent off Sony Blu-ray movies with the purchase of an eligible PS3 title.  It is also offering a new $12.99 and up Blu-ray sale.  Finally, it is offering a free Blu-ray disc player by Sharp Corp. with the purchase of a select Sharp Aquos HDTV.

Sony in Nov. released the 160GB PS3 SKU. The bundle includes a new 160GB PS3, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, PAIN downloadable game voucher, and a Dualshock 3 controller for $499. Additionally, it sells an 80GB model for $399.99.

Blu-ray Adoption Less than VHS in Japan

You might think that the only two viable formats in the hotbed of technology that is Japan when it comes to entertainment are DVD and Blu-ray. VHS is a dead format in the US, but according to new statistics Japanese movie fans still like old-fashioned VHS tapes.

The most popular home entertainment format according to a recent study was VHS according to 68% of those surveyed. DVD was very close with 66.4% of the vote.

By comparison, a mere 6.3% of those polled said they had a Blu-Ray Player including those who owned a PS3 console. 45% of those polled also said they had a hard drive recorder.

Blu-ray price cuts hurt OEM manufacturers

According to industry sources in Taiwan, OEM Blu-Ray manufacturers have been hit with "seriously stagnant sales" due to Sony, Samsung and Sharp's decision to drop prices of standalone Blu-ray players to under $200 USD. 

The manufacturers began shipping players out in October and November aimed "at the $199 to $299 price range" which became nearly impossible to sell at profit after the bigger brand name companies began selling the players at under $200. 

The companies should be okay now however, as brand name Blu-ray player prices have crept up to their average prices before the special holiday cuts. 

Digitimes noted that U.S. buyers bought almost exclusively from big name companies such as Samsung and Sony during the holiday season, leaving less reputable OEM brands out to dry. 

GotBlu? Top 5 Blu-Ray Movies of 2008

1. The Dark Knight - All Hail the Dark Knight! This action packed flick never lets down and saw amazing sales numbers on release day and continues to see great success.  Easily our number one pick of 2008

2. Ironman - 2008 The year of superhero shows us that people still love comic book super heros.

3. Band of Brothers - This epic HBO series captured the hearts of America in its original run on HBO.  Now we can enjoy it in all of its high definition glory!  They really did a great job in the re-release of this box set, and I can say I'm now the proud owner of both the DVD and Blu-Ray versions.

4. Planet Earth  - What more can be said.  This movie is one of the most beautiful videos in history.  The amazing film work by the crew to capture some of the greatest wild life moments ever caught on film.  On top of that it looks amazing in high def.

5. Wall-E - CG films always look great in High Definition and to go along with a great story Wall-E's 3 disc collectors edition rounds out our top 5 Blu-Ray movies of 2008.

Coming Soon: January 6, 2009

Dexter: The Complete First Season (Blu-ray)   Paramount Pictures | 2006 | 576 mins | Not rated | Jan 06, 2009 Dexter is a crime drama about Dexter Morgan, a man who leads a double life as an incredibly likeable forensics expert for the Miami Police Department and as an emotionless vigilante serial killer. Taught by his foster father to...

Disaster Movie (Blu-ray)   Lionsgate Films | 2008 | 90 mins | Unrated | Jan 06, 2009 In 'Disaster Movie', the filmmaking team behind the hits 'Scary Movie', 'Date Movie', 'Epic Movie' and 'Meet The Spartans' puts this time its unique, inimitable stamp on one of the biggest and most bloated movie genres of all..

Eden Lake (Blu-ray)   Weinstein Company | 2008 | 91 mins | Not rated | Jan 06, 2009 A couple on a weekend away are terrorized by a gang of feral kids.

Friday Night Lights (Blu-ray)   Universal Studios | 2004 | 118 mins | Rated PG-13 | Jan 06, 2009 As darkness descends over the flatlands of West Texas, every Friday evening, from September through December, a dazzling, disorienting glow, visible on the stark horizon for miles around, ignites the blackened sky. Looming...

The Hitcher (Import) (Blu-ray)   101 DISTRIBUTION | 2007 | 84 mins | Rated R | Jan 06, 2009 Grace Andrews and Jim Halsey are a collegiate couple who are tormented by the mysterious hitchhiker John Ryder, a.k.a. The Hitcher. The young couple hit the road in a 1970 Oldsmobile 442, en route to spring break. But their...

The Last Emperor - Criterion Collection (Blu-ray)   Criterion | 1987 | 165 mins | Rated PG-13 | Jan 06, 2009 Bernardo Bertolucci's The Last Emperor won nine Academy Awards, unexpectedly sweeping every category in which it was nominated. The power and scope of the film was, and remains, undeniable—the life of Emperor Pu Yi, who took...

The Last Legion (Import) (Blu-ray)   101 DISTRIBUTION | 2007 | 102 mins | Rated PG-13 | Jan 06, 2009 Rome, 476 AD. The Roman Empire, a mighty force for almost 500 years, is being threatened. On the eve of twelve-year-old Romulus Augustus' crowning ceremony to become the new emperor, Barbarian general Odoacer arrives in Rome to...

Life Gamble (Sheng si dou) (Blu-ray)   Navarre Corporation | 1979 | 96 mins | Not rated | Jan 06, 2009 No synopsis for this title.

Miss Potter (Import) (Blu-ray)   101 DISTRIBUTION | 2006 | 92 mins | Rated PG | Jan 06, 2009 Inspired by a true story set in Victorian England, a tale charting the life of Beatrix Potter--a literary phenomenon of the early 20th century. At a time when most young women of her class aimed only to make a good marriage,...

Opium & The Kung Fu Master (Hung kuen dai see) (Blu-ray)   Navarre Corporation | 1984 | 90 mins | Not rated | Jan 06, 2009 No synopsis for this title.

Pineapple Express (Blu-ray)   Sony Pictures | 2008 | 111 mins | Unrated | Jan 06, 2009 A new comedy from the creative genius of Judd Apatow (40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Talladega Nights) follows a pair of druggie losers as they reach the top of the hit-list when one witnesses a mob murder and drags his buddy...

Ping Pong Playa (Blu-ray)   Image Entertainment | 2007 | 96 mins | Rated PG-13 | Jan 06, 2009 Christopher "C-dub" Wang is a Chinese-American gangsta-rapper wannabe with outrageous, and unlikely, dreams of becoming a pro basketball star. When his ping pong champion brother gets hurt, it's up to C-dub to pick up the paddle...

Righteous Kill (Blu-ray)   Starz / Anchor Bay | 2008 | 103 mins | Rated R | Jan 06, 2009 A pair of veteran New York City police detectives are on the trail of a vigilante serial killer. After 30 years as partners in the pressure cooker environment of the NYPD, highly decorated Detectives David Fisk and Thomas...

The Wackness (Blu-ray)   Sony Pictures | 2007 | 99 mins | Rated R | Jan 06, 2009 New York, summer 1994, the greatest year in hip-hop, a troubled teenage drug dealer trades pot for therapy sessions with a drug-addled psychiatrist intent on living his life to the fullest. The two form an unlikely...

Coming Soon: January 5, 2009

The Flock(Import) A hyper vigilant federal agent, while training his young female replacement, must track down a missing girl who he is convinced is connected to a paroled sex offender he is investigating.

Hellraiser Coming to Blu-Ray in April

Fansite Fangoria has been alerted by Anchor Bay Home Entertainment that they will bring Hellraiser to Blu-ray as a 20th Anniversary Edition this April. Originally scheduled to come out before the end of the year, no reason was given for the delay. Supplemental features are expected to match the 20th Anniversary DVD, which was released last year. 

Extras for the DVD release include: 

• Actress From Hell - An Interview with Star Ashley Laurence
• Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Clive Barker and Ashley Laurence. Moderated by Screenwriter Peter Atkins
• Hellcomposer - An Interview with Composer Christopher Young
• HELLRAISER: Resurrection
• Mr. Cotton, I Presume? - An Interview with Star Andrew Robinson
• Screenplays
• Under The Skin: Doug Bradley on HELLRAISER

Ghandi Blu-Ray Details

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has announced the technical specs and special features for the upcoming Blu-ray release of the 25th Anniversary release of Ghandi, which is due to hit store shelves on February 17th. For this two disc set, video will be presented in 2.40:1 1080p AVC accompanied by a 5.1 Dolby TrueHD soundtrack. 

Extras for this release include: 

Disc One
• Gandhi's Legacy – A Picture-in-Picture Graphics Track (BD Exclusive)
• Introduction by Sir Richard Attenborough
• Director's Commentary 
  
  Disc Two
• Vintage Newsreel Footage
• Sir Ben Kingsley Talks about Gandhi
• In Search of Gandhi Featurette - Lord Attenborough discusses the various hurdles he faced in getting the film made, from the genesis of the project in the '60s through to the start of production
• Reflections on Ben Featurette - Cast and crew reflect on Ben Kinsley as he prepared for the role and memories of him during production
• Madeleine Slade: An Englishwoman Abroad Featurette - Lord Richard Attenborough and Geraldine James discuss Madeleine Slade (Meerabahen), who became one of Gandhi's most committed followers
• The Funeral Featurette - Cast and crew discuss the recreation and filming of Gandhi's Funeral. This scene holds the record for containing more extras than any other in film history (in excess of 250,000 people!)
• Shooting an Epic in India Featurette - Cast and crew discuss working in India and the challenges they faced as the production progressed
• Looking Back Featurette - Cast and crew look back at the film. This featurette includes material about the success of the film, the impact it had on release and the Academy Award ceremony
• Designing Gandhi - 3 mini featurettes - Stuart Craig talks about three different elements of Set & Design:
  • Building the Ashram
  • The Tent
  • Finding Trains
• From the Director's Chair - 2 mini featurettes - Lord Attenborough shares his views on two areas of the production:
  • On Casting
  • On Music
• The Words of Muhatma Gandhi
• The Making of Gandhi – A photo montage of behind-the-scenes stills

More Companies Going Blu-Ray

MediaTek and Sunplus Technology have announced that they are in the process of getting Blu-ray chipsets certified, with potential clients to begin shipments beginning in the second quarter of next year. They hope to join the ranks of Broadcom and Sigma as major players in the Blu-ray Disc player chipset market. 

Additionally, Hitachi and Sanyo will both begin production of Blu-ray pick-up heads (PUH) early next year. Currently, Sony and Sharp are the major producers, but with the market demand exceeding production capability, these new players will help add to the available supply.

European Blu-Ray Sales Topple Expectations

According to recent reports, sales of Blu-ray titles in the United Kingdom reached 462,500 units in November, an increase of 165% over the previous month. Final December numbers won't be available until sometime next month, but initial data is promising, with the Blu-ray release of 'The Dark Knight' selling 513,000 units in one day. 

A total of 6.5 Million units have been sold in Europe to date (up 320%), with the market share expected to double next year to 6%. So far, roughly 800,000 stand-alone Blu-ray Disc players have been sold in Europe, but that number is expected to triple for next year, up to 2.5 Million. 

Jim Bottoms, Managing Director, Corporate Development, at Futuresource, commented, "The Blu-ray disc format offers an unparalleled home entertainment experience, something all those involved with this technology have always known. Once people see the benefits of Blu-ray for themselves, they soon realize the difference it can make. Seeing is believing after all! We fully expect Blu-ray to keep on bucking the current economic trend and continue its rapid growth over the next few months and beyond, stimulated by falling prices and even more bundling deals with large screen TVs."

Death Race Costs Universal $750,000

In a recent interview with Eclipse Magazine, British director Paul W. S. Anderson was asked about the upcoming Blu-ray release of his film Death Race, which was released yesterday. One interesting note was that a feature special exclusive to the Blu-ray release cost Universal $750,000 to produce. 

The feature allows viewers to re-cut a scene from the movie as they see fit. The scene was filmed using seven cameras, and the footage is available to the viewers for the feature. After the scene is re-composed, viewers can upload their scene using BD-Live for online contest. 

So if you were ever doubtful about Universal's commitment to the format (and you never had any reason to be), this should set your mind at ease. Click on the source to read more about Anderson's love of the Blu-ray format.

The Robe Gets Detailed

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has announced the technical specs and special features for the upcoming Blu-ray release of The Robe, which is due to hit store shelves on March 17th, day-and-date with the DVD re-release. Coming on a BD-50, video will be presented in 2.55:1 1080p AVC accompanied by a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack. 

Extras for this release include: 

• Introduction by Martin Scorsese (HD)
• Commentary with Film Composer David Newman and Film Historians Jon Burlingame, Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman
• The Making of The Robe featurette
• The Music of The Robe: Alfred Newman's Score isolated music track
• Still Galleries
• Interactive Pressbook
• Vintage Celebrity Introductions by Richard Widmark, Susan Hayworth, Robert Wagner, Clifton Webb and Dan Dailey (BD Exclusive)
• The CinemaScope Story featurette (BD Exclusive)
• From Scripture to Script: The Bible and Hollywood featurette (BD Exclusive)
• BONUSVIEW picture-in-picture mode (BD Exclusive):
  • The Robe Times Two: A Comparison of Widescreen and Standard Versions
  • A Seamless Faith: The Real-Life Search for The Robe featurettes
• Audio Interview with Screenwriter Philip Dunne (1969) (BD Exclusive)
• Movietone News (BD Exclusive)
• Trailers / TV Spots (BD Exclusive)
• Poster Gallery / Lobby Cards (BD Exclusive)

Zogby Polls Finds Blu-ray Popularity High

Zogby International released a new poll on Friday which indicated that Blu-ray Disc players are one of the most wanted holiday gifts this season for HDTV owners. Coming in second to only a second HDTV, Blu-ray players received 30% of the vote, beating out other popular gifts such as GPS systems, Nintendo Wii, and MP3 players. 

The results come from an online poll conducted between December 2-4 which polled 1,726 HDTV owners asking them which gift they would like to receive this holiday season. Of those who responded, 66% indicated they would be purchasing titles for themselves, and 55% responded that they would be purchasing titles for friends and family who owned Blu-ray Disc players. 

Taiwan Unwilling to Support CBHD

According to reports, manufacturers based in Taiwan have decided to not support the rival CBHD format in China. Citing failures of previous China-based optical disc technologies (EVD) and non-Hollywood supported technology (FVD), they have decided to stick with only supporting Blu-ray, leaving questions as to how long the proprietary format will last. 

The technology, which is based off the now defunct HD DVD format, was meant to be a rival high definition format that was owned by China. Since it launched, no Hollywood studios have supported the format, severly limiting the amount of titles available. Additionally, players retail for over $400, meaning that they cost significantly more that similarly featured Blu-ray players. 

In other words, manufacturers aren't expecting a format war to break out in China.