The Blu-ray disc association have settled on the codec it's going to use to display 3D Blu-ray, and with it comes great news for PS3 owners.

The codec agreed upon will be Multiview Video Coding, which will only need 50% more storage space per film over 2D, despite offering dual 1080p frames. All new 3D discs are going to be backwards compatible too, meaning the 2D versions of each film will be viewable on older hardware with the new 3D discs.

PS3 owners rejoice! Your PS3 WILL be fully compatible with the new 3D format. You'll still need a new 3D-capable TV with IR emitters and a set of 3D shutter shades, but at least PS3 owners wont have to upgrade to a pricey new blu-ray player.

Via: Engadget HD

Philips are set to launch their brand new Profile 2.0 Blu-ray player, the BDP7500

For just £249, Philips have been pretty generous with the amount of high-end features they are packing in. Featuring 1080p 24fps Full HD images, with support for 7.1 lossless formats Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio as well as 1GB of internal storage for BD-Live content, the BDP7500 is a budget player that gives more expensive options a real run for their money.

Lots of different file formats are compatible with the player too. DivX Ultra, H.264, VC-1, JPEG and MP3 are all supported, and can be accessed easily via a USB stick thanks to the player's front mounted USB drive.

It's not a bad looking bit of kit either. An aluminium build, it gives off a blue glow whilst in use and has illuminated, touch sensitive buttons.

All in, it looks a very attractive player for the money.

You can pick up the BDP7500 right now, direct from www.philips.co.uk .

Nvidia's PR manager for the UK and Northern Europe, Ben Berraondo, has announced that 3D Blu-ray movies may be availalbe from as early as summer 2010.

Berraondo confirmed that after months of heated talks, the Blu-ray Association had finally settled on "proper parameters [for] what constitutes a 3D Blu-ray" and said that movie fans would be able to purchase 3D films "towards the end of Summer 2010".

Nvidia's 3D Vision Technology will be capable of displaying the newly agreed upon standard, with Berraondo stating that bit rates of around 60Mbits will be used in the new flicks. HDMI 1.3 should be capable of smooth playback, with the MVC-AVC format used for encoding.

However, Berraonodo did suggest that most people may have to upgrade their existing hardware to be able to watch the new 3D flicks. Most HD TVs currently available run at a 60 Hz refresh rate, whilst a 120 Hz TV would be necessary to view the 3D films. A Blu-ray drive capable of reading at 2x speed will also be needed.

PS3 owners may be the best prepared for viewing 3D Blu-ray content. No costly add-ons here it seems; thanks to the console's discrete Nvidia GPU (based on the GeForce 7800), a mere firmware upgrade may be all that's necessary to go 3D with Sony's machine.

That said, everyone will still have to shell out for Nvidia's silly shutter glasses.

Via: PC Pro

Recent figures published by MyVoucherCodes.co.uk appear to reveal that this year's most sought after games console is the Xbox 360, outselling its nearest rival the PS3 by a ratio of 3:1.

But which machine really deserves to be crowned king of the console wars this Christmas; Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PS3 or Nintendo's Wii?

To decide which console is worthy of your cash, we'll be looking at seven key areas that need to be of the highest quality in order to warrant your attention: Games, Exclusive Titles, Media Options, Online Gaming, Extras, Future Features and of course Value For Money. We'll then tot up the results to see who comes out on top.

Games

A year ago this would have been an easy first point for the Xbox 360, with a massive range of quality titles. However it's been a superb year for games on the PS3, with its catalogue steadily growing. There is a fair bit of cross over between both gaming catalogues, with massive titles such as Assassins Creed 2, the Rock Band and Guitar Hero games, Modern Warfare 2, Left 4 Dead 2 and Batman: Arkham Asylum all available on both machines. It's a hard one to judge for now until you consider exclusive titles (which we'll be getting at next). The Xbox 360 and PS3 both boast HD gaming, becoming increasingly cinematic in scope and presentation. The Wii offers a far different experience; being a motion-gaming console, many titles such as Wii Sports Resort or Wii Fit offer pick-up-and-play fun that all the family can enjoy. However, other than first-party Nintendo titles, Wii games often lack the polish of those on the PS3 or 360.

Winner - Xbox 360 (for quantity alone over the PS3)

Exclusive Titles

If you're only going to be able to afford one console this Christmas, knowing which titles are exclusive to each is a massive consideration. Again, last year the Xbox 360 would have won this one hands down, but it's anyone's game this year. PS3 owners can pick up the excellent Uncharted 2, Killzone 2 and Little Big Planet, with God of War 3 and Gran Turismo 5 all on the horizon. Xbox 360 owners can enjoy Forza Motorsport 3, the Halo titles, Fable II, the Gears of War series and Mass Effect (also available on the PC), with its sequel not far off into the New Year. Wii owners can delight in the fact that they will be the only people with access to gaming legends such as Mario, Zelda and Samus Aran of Metroid, though ports of games available on other consoles are often of a poorer quality.

Winner - PS3 (because Uncharted 2 is ridiculously good, and for turning the AAA exclusive title drought around this year)

Media Options

Easy one this; the PS3, hands down. Not only does it throw in a top notch Blu-ray player, but compatibility with all sorts of media files is available. Both the PS3 and the Xbox 360 have media server capabilities, but the PS3's sleek Xross Media Bar UI and built in Wi-Fi make setting up these features very simple. The PS3 has also recently launched the Playstation Network Video Delivery service, allowing you to download or rent movies straight to your console. The Xbox 360 has DVD- playback and the option to download HD films too, but so far no Blu-ray option, despite constant rumours of an add-on in the pipeline. Both the PS3 and Xbox 360 have USB ports, and support many music files such as MP3's, which can then be integrated into the soundtracks of many games. The Wii is really weak here: no Blu-ray, DVD, no movie downloads, no nothing.

Winner- PS3

Online Gaming

There's no denying the Xbox 360 has a thriving online community. 2 million users were clocked using the service simultaneously the week Modern Warfare 2 came out. There's no dearth of competitors to take on, but be prepared to get regularly battered by seven year-olds from the states. Subscription fees apply to become an Xbox Live Gold member (£40 for 12 months), and you'll also need an add-on to go wireless that costs around £45, but you do get regular content updates, lots of affordable and high quality downloadable games and a good service for the money. PS3 and Wii owners can enjoy the luxury of going online for free, which is obviously ace. There aren't a huge number of players online on the Wii, but they do have access to some real gems from the Nintendo gaming back catalogue. The PS3 has a growing userbase, all keen to get online and play for free. Downloadable games content is similar to the Xbox 360, though smaller in range, but does feature some classic PS1 titles such as Metal Gear Solid.

Winner - Tied (Xbox 360 offers the best online service but is costly, the PS3 and Wii offerings are free and have some good content but, for the moment at least, are on a smaller scale than Microsoft)

Extras

The Wii and its channel set-up is a simple and easy to use portal to lots of features such as a web browser and BBC iPlayer, but it just cant compete with the PS3 and Xbox 360's offerings. PS3 users also have a web browser and dedicated iPlayer app, but also have access to Facebook too, with a whole slew of other add-ons on the way. Though it doesn't have an iPlayer, the Xbox 360 has everything else; Facebook, Twitter, Last FM, Sky Digital. Lots to be getting on with for 360 owners.

Winner - Xbox 360

Future Features

Both the PS3 and Xbox 360 look set to throw new attempts at motion gaming into the console mix next year. In fact, the Xbox 360's Natal motion-controller is claimed to be so revolutionary as to be a console changing device. Rumours still abound for a Wii HD, but this would come in the form of a brand new console, not a feature, so should be viewed perhaps as a mark against buying a current-generation Wii.

Winner - Xbox 360

Value For Money

The Xbox 360 budget Arcade machine will set you back around £150, but to get the most out of the console the £200 Elite version with 120GB hard drive is the best option. A basic Wii package will cost £100, but keep in mind it's pretty slim on content straight out of the box. The PS3 offers the best value for money; the PS3 Slim with 120GB hard drive costs around £250, but for that you're not only getting a gaming platform, but also a top-notch Blu-ray player, free online gaming, Wi-Fi straight out of the box and immediate access to features such as BBC iPlayer.

Winner - PS3

Overall Winner - PS3

It's a close run race, but if I had to pick an overall winner, I'd side with the PS3. The Xbox 360 performs well, particularly in the breadth of its available content, but is let down by its costly albeit excellent online service. Finally affordable at £250, the PS3 has had an excellent year for exclusive titles and add-ons. The built in Blu-ray and free online gaming represent excellent value for money, and there are some hot titles lined-up for the New Year. I know which console I'd want Santa to leave under my tree.

MSI are ready to launch two new gaming notebook models, the GT740 and GT640.

Coming in 15.4 inch widescreen for the GT640 model and 17 inch widescreen for the GT740, the machines house Core i7 quad-core processors and nVIDA GeForce GTS 250M 3D graphics cards. In angry-looking red and black casing, both notebooks will also hold a 640GB SATA HDD.

Both will also feature Eco Engine power management tools to get the most out of battery life during a long gaming session, and dedicated movie playback Cinema Pro technology for enhanced video quality.

Sound fidelity looks to be a high priority with both notebooks, unsurprising considering they are both very capable Blu-ray packing movie players. The GT740 squeezes in five SRS premium sound speakers, one of which is a sub woofer, while the cheaper GT640 opts for two discrete high definition speakers.

They're a bit pricey at £1399 and £1349 for the GT740 and GT640 models respectively, but the notebooks appear to be cramming in a lot of gaming muscle for their size.

Dell today are launching their brand new Inspiron Zino HD mini PC range.

The Zino HD can pack quite a punch for its diminutive size. Measuring up at just 197mm square and 89mm tall, the Zino HD can manage to fit in a Blu-ray player, up to 1TB of storage space and an AMD X2 6850E 1.8GHz 512k processor and ATI Radeon™ HD 4330 512MB graphics card on the high-end models. Its small size and customisable faceplates make it a nifty addition to any home cinema solution.

If you're looking for just a little PC to sit on your desktop without any HD bells and whistles, the Zino HD also ships with Windows 7 Home Premium to handle any word processing, emailing or internet browsing you may need to do.

"The Inspiron Zino HD proves again that great things can really come in small packages," said David Clifton, Director of Consumer Marketing, Dell Europe. "It is a fashionable and functional computer that is small enough to fit almost anywhere in the home and can be personalised for the style-minded."

Prices start from £299 for the most basic model. Click here to browse the Dell shop.

Here's a quick spec sheet:

• Ultra-small form factor designed to fit almost anywhere.
• Easy personalisation with 6 colour choices and 3 pattern choices for Inspiron Zino HD.
• Choice of AMD Athlon processors.
• Up to 8GB dual channel DDR 2 memory.
• Up to 1TB internal hard disk storage.
• Combo DVD/CD RW drive with optional Blu-ray Disc combo.
• Integrated 10/100/1000 networking with wireless option.
• Optional wireless keyboard and mouse.
• Built in 2.1 high-definition audio and 4-in-1 media card reader.
• Integrated ATI graphics adapter with standard HDMI and VGA video connections, and optional 512MB discrete graphics card.
• Four USB ports (2 front/2 rear); two eSATA ports (rear).
• Energy-Star 5.0 compliant.

French rumour mill Logic Sunrise have reportedly got their hands on a leaked Wii 2 specifications sheet.
The details are all a bit shaky, though according to a "very stable" Nintendo source, they are listing:

• Blu-ray support, with its primary function being to discourage piracy
• 720p and 1080p output, for both games and video content
• A simultaneous worldwide 2010 launch

With massive price drops on the Xbox 360, and Sony launching the affordable PS3 Slim, Nintendo has seen sales of its Wii console slide dramatically. The announcement of motion-sensing technology coming to both the Sony and Microsoft consoles also leaves the Wii's unique selling point on the back-foot.

The move to introduce high-definition would see Nintendo u-turning on its next-gen policy of accessibility over technical fireworks.

Yesterday we reported that Microsoft's Steve Ballmer let slip plans for a possible Xbox 360 Blu-Ray drive.

The comment by the HD-DVD backing company had 360 owners laughing in the faces of smug PS3 owners, who already have built in Blu-Ray support.

However, 360 owners' joy is to be short lived it would seem, with Microsoft "clarifying" and back-tracking on Ballmer's initial statement.

Here's the company line from Xbox 360 main-man Major Nelson:

"During an interview yesterday, Steve Ballmer was asked about Blu-Ray and the Xbox 360. I wanted to clear something up. Steve was referring to Blu-Ray accessories for the PC. As we have said in the past, we have no plans to introduce a Blu-Ray drive for the Xbox 360."

Microsoft instead seem to be pushing the benefits of downloadable HD content, with the Xbox 360 soon to offer 1080p streamed HD movies.

So, the rumours have been squashed again. We'd put money on this not being the last time they rear their heads though...

Microsoft didn't quite have their finger on the pulse when they added HD-DVD format support to the Xbox 360. But Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has let slip that a Blu-Ray drive could soon be heading to the console's growing list of accessories.

Speaking to Gizmodo, Ballmer mentioned that "you'll be able to get Blu-ray drives as accessories" for the Xbox 360 in the future.

Microsoft's PR have since played down the comment, but if Ballmer has said it, Blu-Ray support for the 360 may not just be a pipe-dream after all.

UPDATE: Nope, Microsoft have changed their tune again it would seem http://www.techdigest.tv/2009/10/update_-_micros.html

Ok, so the recession might not officially be over, but even the most miserable of British papers are now noting not just green shoots but proper beanstalks too. And with people feeling a tad more confident about their financial future that means it is time once again to splurge on consumer electronics goods.

But what are we going to be spending our money on this Christmas? Futuresource Consulting, which conducts regular research into our gadget buying habits, is predicting a bonanza for flat screen TV manufacturers and good news for Netbook companies too.

Here is the company's findings

Flat Panel TVs

The UK is apparently the biggest market for flats screen TVs in Europe and Futuresource thinks it will stay that way with demand for the sets fuelled by the World cup next year, the Olympics in 2012 and the digital switch off. LCD will continue to outpunch Plasma and take up to 90% of the market, with many of the new sets now ending up in bedrooms and studies.

Blu-ray Players

The Blu-ray market is apparently maturing in the UK with sales of standalone players topping 250k last year. Futuresource anticipates the UK market will grow to around 700k units during this calendar year, with most consumers continuing to opt for a standalone player rather than invest in a Blu-ray Home-Theatre-in-a-Box system or a Blu-ray Disc recorder.

Pocket Video Cameras

Futuresource thinks that after several stagnant years the camcorder market will be back with a bang with younger, IT-savvy 'YouTube generation' types snapping up models like the Flip. However Future source warns that thee cameras 'are exploiting a window of opportunity while mobile phones still need to catch up in terms of offering improved video capture, 3 and 3.5G connectivity direct to websites such as YouTube and Flickr, improved battery life and embedded/bundled storage capacities exceeding 1GB.'

Netbooks

Futuresource is expecting a huge growth in sales of netbooks this year with 2.5 million units sold in the UK, which represents a year-on-year growth of more than 70%. According to Futuresource a 'large swathe of the market being attracted by newer, cheaper netbooks offering increased functionality.'

There has been awful lot written about 3DTV over the last year or so. You may remember that Sky has been hyping the new format promising that it will have the same kind of impact as HDTV and that the BBC has been experimenting with the format.

Well the 3D format received a major shot in the arm today with the news that the Blu-Ray Disc Association is backing the format.

"The BDA intends to take full advantage of the format's high bandwidth and capacity to achieve the very highest possible quality 3D experience," said Victor Matsuda, Blu-ray Disc Association Global Promotions Committee Chair. "Just as Blu-ray Disc has paved the way for next generation, high definition home entertainment, it will also set the standard for 3D home viewing in the future."

What today's announcement means is that the film studio, IT companies, disc manufacturers and all the other members of the BDA are now working to ensure consistent delivery of 3D content across the Blu-ray Disc Platform. So for example the 3D discs will have resolution of 1080p and will be backwards compatible with both 2D discs and players.

It is clear that there is appetite for 3D at the cinemas - but will this translate to the home? Bob Chapek, President, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment thinks so. "The 3D theatrical market has been very successful this year. We are just now seeing all of the true capabilities of 3D and with Blu-ray Disc's superior technical characteristics, as well as the broad industry support of the format, it makes it the ideal packaged media platform for 3D home entertainment."

A couple of questions though

Will the Blu-ray 3D TV system be the same as Sky and the BBC?

Will we need two sets of glasses for the two systems?

Definitely one to watch. Maybe we'll all be donning those glasses soon.

Related posts

JVC's 3D TV in action

It has been rumoured for a while, bit Toshiba finally confirmed this morning that it is joining the Blu-ray Disc Association. Applying for membership means that it can now take its place alongside Sony, Philips et al as makers of Blu-ray players and drives for PCs.

Toshiba said: "In light of recent growth in digital devices supporting the Blu-ray format, combined with market demand from consumers and retailers alike, Toshiba has decided to join the BDA."

For Tosh this involves in chomping on a rather large pile of humble pie. It invented and developed Blu-ray's competitor HD-DVD format which for a while actually outsold its rival.

Of course there is an argument that says this is too little too late and that discs of any variety are doomed.

LG has announced that the HR400 will be available at the end of this month. The HR400 is a Blu-ray DVD player, a Freeview receiver with recording onto a built-in HDD and it also streams YouTube videos without the need for a PC.

The Blu-ray is 1080p full HD and will also upscale your old DVDs. The Freeview element includes a 160GB HDD.

This really does do the job of two separate boxes and the YouTube feature is just a nice little bonus.

It will cost around £350 - which is fairly cheap considering the functionality. Find out more from LG.

(via T3)

Related posts: LG to launch 15-inch OLED in 2010 | REVIEW: LG 42LH5000 - 200Hz 42-inch LCD TV

If you've got a spare £5,500 lying about then you can think about buying the Marantz's UD9004 Blu-ray and SACD player. If you haven't, well, join the club.

So what exactly can you expect from your £5,500? Well, the UD9004 is a fusion of the flagship SA-7S1 Super Audio CD player and the very best of the company's Blu-ray technology.

In other words, this is an absolute beast of a Blu-ray / SACD player. It has a Silicon Optix Realta chip that offers the very finest broadcast quality video processing, including pixel-by-pixel conversion, 1080p upscaling by a 10bit process for standard definition images, detail enhancement, digital noise reduction and high-end analogue video output. You can even run the audio and video via separate HDMI connections just for that extra bit of quality.

For audiophiles there is 32-bit floating point type Analog Devices DSP for the purist audio imaginable with four separate circuit boards and a pure direct mode that shuts down the video playing elements to deliver exceptional, focused audio output.

The machine is built like a tank which will reduce mechanical distortion. The
extensively braced chassis has a thick bottom plate with machine milled copper feet, sustaining mechanical stability and therefore sound quality. It weighs an incredible 19.2kg.

So, if you've read this post to its conclusion you're obviously still interested. Go get yourself one from Marantz. If you're feeling particularly flush - and let's face it, you should be if you're about to shell out over five grand for a Blu-ray player - order me one too.

Denon has announced the latest addition to their Blu-ray line-up: The DBP-2010.

I want to call it a high-end Blu-ray player but it isn't really. Not compared to some of Denon's other Blu-ray machines. Mind you, this one costs £599 and not £3,300 like the VD-A1UD.

That's not to say that the DBP-2010 isn't a good bit of kit because, a quick look at the spec, will show you that it is.

It has Profile 2.0 capability with built in BD-Live and Bonus View via the ethernet port. It can play multiple formats - pretty much any shiny circular disc you can imagine - and it has 10-bit video processing for both HD and SD viewing. It also offers upconversion and IP scaling up to 1080p.

Sound wise it features 7.1 analogue outputs with full decoding of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. For music via CD it has a dedicated two-channel analogue audio output. The DBP-2010 also supports DivxHD and AVCHD playback from HD camcorders.

It's out this month and, as mentioned, it's going to set you back £599. You can get it in either black or silver. Interested? If so, check availability via Denon.

We took a look at the Panasonic Everything range of three HD Freesat recorders when they were launched a while back and only feared how much such high spec, high end recorders can cost. Well, the wait is over today and the answer is that they're reassuringly expense.

I don't often think "sexy" when I look at a Blu-ray player but there's something about the Philips BDP7300 that's got that kind of Naim/NAD utility chic about it. It's the minimal black design. Shame they didn't go the whole hog with the angle cut corners and matte finish but you can't have it all, I suppose.

Still, what counts with these things is the insides and there the BDP7300 doesn't disappoint. Again, there's a minimal feel to what Philips has on offer but what there is, is solid.

It seems that every other month someone's coming out with the prototype of a disc that can store X times more than a DVD/Blu-ray. I was actually thinking of making one myself with a stack of blank BDs and some blu-tac but then GE put together a method of storing 500GB using holographic disc storage which is much more interesting.

Instead of etching 2D patterns into the surface, holographic technology uses a three dimensional process with the disc acting like a maze of microscopic mirrors giving a depth to the optical layer where all the data is stored. GE expects them to be introduced by 2012 but the real key is, of course, how expense they will be.

Blu-rays began as $1 per GB when they first came out dropping to something closer to half that today. GE hopes these holographic discs will be 10 cents per GB, so a much more affordable $5 for the whole thing.

The thing I can't help wondering, though, is whether there's really a viable future in optical storage? Between SSDs and cloud computing, I was hoping to rid myself of discs by 2012.

(via NYT)

Aware that the Blu-ray market still hasn't really taken off, Warner Bros are getting a little desperate, and they're waving an olive branch of peace at people who bought HD-DVDs. They're going to let people mail the original box art for any HD-DVDs that they bought and swap them for the same title on Blu-ray.

It's not quite free, they're charging $4.95 per disc for the service, plus $6.95 shipping, but it's still much cheaper than buying all the new discs yourself. It might even be worth scanning the local bargain bins for the old HD-DVDs to send off, then flog the replacements you get sent. You won't be able to make a mint, though. It's limited to 25 swaps per household.

(via Den of Geek and @stuart_coles)

When Sony announces a low end Blu-ray player without offering a price it does make me wonder exactly how low end they're talking. This is, after all, the nearest company to Apple the AV market has.

That aside, the BDS360 does sound like an excellent piece of kit and just the ticket if you're searching for some HD content for your newly bought LCD. It's both DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD compatible and will upgrade all your DVDs to some kind of simulated 1080p.