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Top Sales and Rentals: Week Ending April 8th, 2012[teaser]Blu-ray takes a 25% share of the market with strong performance in the top 10. [/teaser] The week of February 8th wasn't exactly the biggest in terms of releases. The most popular new movie on disc was 'War Horse' and it still took second place to 'Hop.' 'We Bought a Zoo' also came out, taking the fourth place spot in terms of total disc sales. In the world of rentals, 'War Horse' took the number one slot, just over 'Immortals.' Blu-ray specific sales are a bit of a different story, with 'War Horse' edging out 'Hop' by a very small margin. In third place is 'The Muppets,' which is similarly close to 'We Bought a Zoo.' Most of the top 10 titles came out in either April or March, but 'Puss in Boots' holds on to the number six slot despite a February release date. Blu-ray shares are at 31% for the animated feature, which earns it an eighth place finish in terms of Blu-ray sellers. Source: Home Media MagazinePosted Thu Apr 19, 2012 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
Hulu Plus is up to 2 Million Subscribers[teaser]The service added 500,000 subscribers in the first quarter of 2012. [/teaser] Hulu Plus may not be a dominant force in the streaming game, but the TV streaming service is doing pretty well for itself. In the first quarter of the year, 500,000 new people joined Hulu Plus, bringing the total number to above 2 million. Of course, just how many people watch without a subscription would be a very interesting revelation indeed. Comparing Hulu Plus to Netflix reveals that the subscriber base, while impressive, is far short of what it could be. The folks at Netflix are able to boast 23 million total subscribers, 2 million of which are outside of the US. Source: Home Media MagazinePosted Thu Apr 19, 2012 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
Dolby Teams with Philips for Glasses-Free 3D[teaser]The tech offers 26 different viewing angles and can be adjusted to fit your distance from the TV. [/teaser] Glasses-free 3D is a technology that has a great deal of potential, though no one has perfected it yet. Dolby and Philips are hoping to take it a step further with their new prototype that combines a 4K display with a sheet of undulated plastic that allows for 3D to be viewed from 26 different viewing angles. Hands on experiences seem positive so far. "Viewing angles were particularly impressive: even from far off to the side, the 3D effect was still present, writes David Pierce of The Verge. "The picture was so crisp and clean that it almost took a minute to realize we were looking at 3D footage." Source: The VergePosted Wed Apr 18, 2012 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
Dreamworks Movies Come to Walmart Disc-to-Digital[teaser]Both current and catalog titles will be available for use with the service. [/teaser] Walmart Disc-to-Digital just got a little more animated thanks to the addition of both current and catalog Dreamworks titles. Starting today you can bring your DVDs and Blu-rays into any participating Walmart and shell out for a Vudu version of the movie. As will all of the movies on the service, you'll pay $2 for an SD copy of a DVD or an HD copy of a Blu-ray, while an upgrade from SD to HD will run you $5. "Walmart is breaking new ground in helping consumers understand the opportunities of new technologies amid the changing digital landscape," says Dreamworks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg. Source: Home Media MagazinePosted Tue Apr 17, 2012 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
Epson Launches an Inexpensive 720p Home Theater Projector[teaser]$650 gets you up to 120 inches of 3LCD powered video. [/teaser] The new Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 710HD isn't designed to be the best of the best. Nor is it made to be the kind of projector you sit at home and drool over. It's an entry-level projector that aims to give as much quality as possible at a nice, low price. The 710HD is a 3LCD projector which means you won't have to deal with the much hated rainbow effect. It offers up 2,800 lumens brightness and flexible positioning from 3.5 feet out to 35 feet. It doesn't do Full HD though – you'll be sitting at 720p. Of course, sacrificing that resolution means a huge savings. You can pick up the 710HD now for just $649. Source: eCousticsPosted Tue Apr 17, 2012 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
IKEA's New TV Stand Includes Built-In TV, Blu-ray Player and Speakers[teaser]You don't have to worry about dangling wires or a less than perfect fit, as long as you're okay with the TV that IKEA includes with the stand. [/teaser] The folks at IKEA have revealed a very cool new TV stand that should make dorm rooms and apartments look just that much slicker. It's called the Uppleva, and it's a TV stand with the TV built right in. It's also got a Blu-ray player and speakers integrated into the shelf, with a wireless subwoofer finishing things up. The immediate appeal, of course, is that you don't have to worry about where all those wires are going. IKEA's stand hides them all. The remote goes right through the front drawers too, so you don't even have to have the thing open to make it work. The set comes from Chinese manufacturer TCL and actually seems to be pretty decently equipped. It's Full HD, uses LED backlighting, offers a pair of USB ports, four HDMI inputs and smart TV features. As is the usual with IKEA, you can choose from a variety of sizes and colors for your TV and stand. Sizes for the set haven't been revealed, but we do know that pricing starts at around $1,000. Source: EngadgetPosted Tue Apr 17, 2012 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
Check HDD Out on Facebook and Let Your Friends Know That You "LIKE us" like us![teaser]Have you visited the High-Def Digest Facebook page lately? If not, why not swing by and let your friends know that you like us? In return, we'll make sure you never miss a great review or exciting HD news story. [/teaser] Please check out the High-Def Digest Page on Facebook, click "like," and spread the word, so you and your friends can always find the best Blu-ray and High-Def news and reviews online. Our Facebook page is still going strong and we'd love you to join in the fun. In addition to our reviews, highlights from The Bonus View, and priceless witticisms, we use the page as one more way of spreading the word about the best high-def releases on the market. If you haven't joined the fun yet, you can check it out here. Hope to see you there soon!Posted Mon Apr 16, 2012 at 12:30 PM PDT by: -
RED Reveals Info on a 4K Laser Projector and REDRay Player[teaser]RED says that you'll be able to pick up the projector for under $10,000[/teaser] The folks at RED are all about cameras, but now the company is moving into projectors and content players. The RED laser projector is an interesting proposition. It offers up the ability to show 3D using passive technology at up to 120 frames per second and can handle a screen up to 15 feet. Oh, and if it wasn't abundantly clear from the RED name, this thing handles a 4K resolution. All that for under $10,000. The REDRay player is one way to get 4K video to your projector. Despite the name, it's not a new disc format – simply a digital media player that can handle a 4K resolution at 120fps. RED hasn't stated a price estimate for the REDRay player at this time. Source: EngadgetPosted Mon Apr 16, 2012 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
Samsung is Taking its Super OLED to IFA[teaser]Hopefully we'll get a little more information on the impressive new set.[/teaser] Not too many companies are still seriously pursuing large screen OLED sets, but Samsung seems to be pretty dedicated to the idea. The company brought a TV to CES that they're calling Super OLED and we've been dying to know more since. The 55 inch Super OLED set will be shown off at the upcoming IFA event and we're hoping to get just a bit more information on it. Specifically, a price and release date would be helpful, especially since LG's 55EM9600 is set to retail at $7900 next month. Source: Big Picture Big SoundPosted Mon Apr 16, 2012 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
LG Launches a Store for 3D Content[teaser]All 2011 and 2012 LG Cinema 3D Smart TVs will be able to access the new source of 3D video.[/teaser] The folks at LG have just announced a brand new service for their Smart TVs that should please fans of 3D content. It's called 3D World and it's a hub for 3D content that you can rent directly through your TV. LG hasn't specified just what we can expect to see from 3D World, only that you'll be able to watch "high quality 3D content across numerous content categories such as entertainment, sports, documentary, kids, and lifestyle." They've also mentioned cooking shows, which could prove fairly interesting. If you have a 2011 LG Cinema 3D Smart TV, you'll have to download the 3D World app. If you're the owner of a 2012 model, you can access it directly from the dashboard. Source: EngadgetPosted Mon Apr 16, 2012 at 07:00 AM PDT by:
