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Bonus View Digest - July 7, 2011[Teaser]The weeks seem to just fly by here at The Bonus View. It's hard to believe that the Fourth of July has come and gone and now we're heading into the dead of summer. If the summer heat has got you down, we've got a whole load of posts on the official High-Def Digest Blog to cheer you up. [/Teaser] Blu-ray News Not many posts in the way of actual Blu-ray news, but Josh did provide us with a list of titles hitting store shelves this week and his recommendations on what to buy. Even though it was a light week in terms of day-and-date releases, we recommend you pick up '13 Assassins'. It's well worth it. We ran one of our many contests this week for a chance to win 'Sucker Punch' on Blu-ray. Congratulations to Bonus View reader James L. for writing the funniest caption. We're running contests all the time so keep an eye on the blog for your chance to win. Theatrical News Whew! We got ended up getting through one of the most controversial posts on the blog to date. This time we talked about Michael Bay reusing footage from 'The Island' in 'Transformers 3' and if it was a big deal or not. With 79 comments, the thread got a little heated as people fell on one side or the other. It's still open for debate so head on over and put in your two cents if you feel like you want to. HDD reviewer M. Enois Duarte joined us at The Bonus View as a regular contributor. He'll be taking on the subject of movie trailers in his recurring feature Trailer Park. Check it out, and see what you think about the newest trailers for upcoming movies. Finally, Luke Hickman provided us with theatrical reviews of 'Zookeeper,' and ''Horrible Bosses' while keeping us up-to-date with the happenings at the American box office. 'Transformers 3' destroyed Fourth of July records. TV Recaps As always we bring you a bevy of TV show recaps where we discuss the latest episode of popular TV shows airing new episodes this summer. We have recaps of 'True Blood,' 'Burn Notice,' 'Wilfred,' 'Suits,' 'Necessary Roughness, and 'Covert Affairs. In the Mid-Week Poll Josh asked what TV shows are you watching this summer. Head on over to vote. Special Features The Weekend Roundtable us writers took on the task of discussing what our favorite gangster movies were, with the exception of 'The Godfather' or 'Goodfellas.' And M. Enois Duarte gave a heartfelt farewell to his well-used, but now defunct HD DVD player. Goodbye brave player. You will be missed. To get your fill of all things high-def join us at The Bonus View where we talk about everything that goes on in the HD world. It's a place where you comments count, and we try and tailor our posts to our readers' needs. We hope to see you there. Have a great weekend.Posted Fri Jul 8, 2011 at 02:00 PM PDT by: -
The Boxee Remote Comes to PC and Mac[teaser]HTPC users are finally catching up to the folks that picked up the Boxee Box. [/teaser] Folks that use Boxee software on their PCs and Macs have been largely ignored since the launch of the Boxee Box. It makes sense of course, since Boxee software is free and the Boxee Box brings in the cash. With their newest release, the folks at D-Link and Boxee have found a way to please PC users and turn the free version into a profitable business for themselves. That product is a Boxee remote control that can be used on Mac and PC. "The Boxee Remote Control was one of the most talked about advances with the Boxee Box by D-Link," says Boxee's Andrew Kippen. "We're excited to bring it to all of the Boxee users who've built customized home media centers and want to get even more out of their Boxee software." You can pick up the Boxee Remote Control now on Amazon and various other online retailers. Source: EngadgetPosted Fri Jul 8, 2011 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
Netflix Announces Streaming to Latin America[teaser]Later this year, Central America, South America and the Caribbean are getting Netflix Streaming. [/teaser] Netflix has, up until recently, been one of those things that only Americans get to enjoy. The streaming service expanded to Canada earlier this year and last week Puerto Rico finally got their hands on Netflix streaming. Later this year, according to an announcement on the Netflix Blog, Mexico, Central American countries, South American countries and the Caribbean will all be getting access to Netflix streaming. In all, that's 43 different countries that will soon be able to enjoy streaming video. There's no set date for the Netflix expansion, but if you're located in one of the countries that will be getting the service later on this year, you can sign up to be notified on Netflix.com Source: Netflix BlogPosted Fri Jul 8, 2011 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
3DTV Sales Slowing, Price Drop Expected[teaser]Though connected TVs are selling in greater numbers, 3D set sales are expected to decline. [/teaser] There are some big problems facing 3D television makers. Content is lacking, prices are still fairly high and there's still no universally accepted standard for what a 3D television should be. All of those issues combine to make a product that consumers are wary to get into. Analysts at SNL Kagan say that this unstable state of affairs means 3D television sales will slow this year when combined with a decreased interest in 3D movies theatrically. The folks over at Retrevo conducted a similar study and found that price was among the highest deterrents for consumers. As a result, they expect the 3D television premium to drop to as little as $150 this holiday season. Source: RetrevoPosted Tue Jul 5, 2011 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
Netflix Starts Streaming to Puerto Rico[teaser]Other US territories should be able to access the service as well. [/teaser] The question of US territories is always a strange one for businesses. They're a part of the US, certainly, but complications like shipping costs mean that they miss out on a lot of what's available to those in the continental US. As of today, it seems that their troubles are over when it comes to Netflix streaming video. The folks over at Netflix sent out emails to customers living in territories like Puerto Rico indicating that they are now able to use the Watch Instantly service. "This event," writes William-Jose Velez of the Puerto Rico Statehood Students Association, "represents the end of a discriminatory policy that with no good reason, prevented Puerto Rico’s and other US territories' residents from accessing the full service of this company, even when they paid full price." Source: EngadgetPosted Tue Jul 5, 2011 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
Marantz Introduces Two New Receivers to Replace Last Year's Flagship[teaser]Both offer AirPlay functionality, internet radio streaming and more. [/teaser] The two newest receivers from Marantz - the SR5006 and the SR6006 - are designed as replacements to last year's flagship SR7005. They both boast the definitive Marantz design and Ethernet connectivity that allows you to stream music from online radio stations. They also include AirPlay functionality right out of the box, so hooking up to your iPhone, iPod or iPad is simple. The 6006 is at the top of the line and it offers quite a bit. You'll get 7.1 channels at 110 watts per channel. It offers Audyssey Dynamic Volume to keep the sound from spiking and the Marantz Dynamic Expander to take those MP3 files from you iPod and make them sound like uncompressed audio files. As you might expect, it also upscales content from SD to 1080p. Marantz put plenty into the 5006 as well, though it loses 10 watts per channel and features only six HDMI inputs, instead of the seven inputs on the 6006. Both receivers will be available in mid-July. The 6006 carries an MSRP of $1,199 while the 5006 comes in at $799 Source: eCousticsPosted Fri Jul 1, 2011 at 10:15 AM PDT by: -
Mohu Leaf HD Antenna Hitting Retail Stores This Summer[teaser]The inexpensive and unobtrusive antenna is available online now, and at retail later this season. [/teaser] HD antennas have had a fairly small user base, but with cable cutting gaining in popularity, they could soon be seen as much more than a niche product. Those getting their entertainment through Netflix and Hulu can still get HD television at an incredibly low price. The Leaf is Mohu's darling. It's an antenna that's slim and can hide just about anywhere. Mohu says that it's perfect for those that prefer to get their entertainment online but still need traditional television for certain things, like sports. "As an NFL fan, and [previous] longtime HD box cable user, there is no way I am using anything other than the Leaf and over-the-air HD to watch games this fall," says Mohu's Brian Baucom. "It's really a small price to pay to vastly improve my picture quality and cut back on cable bills." The Leaf is available now on Amazon at a price of $44. Source: MohuPosted Fri Jul 1, 2011 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
HDD Learns About DVD and Blu-ray Liquidation: Physical Media Still Winningby Michael S. Palmer Last week, we took a few minutes to explore current state of high definition streaming video, collectively known in the industry as Video On Demand. Basically, it was time to see how far we've come and if The Cloud is really a viable option for everyone. Forum Members had some great insights about limitations and personal experiences; for example, I had little experience with how expensive broadband (and therefore HD streaming) can be in Canada. After talking to a few of you, and during the process of researching what was available, these early years of The Cloud seem more like a first draft. Some of the services are better than others, some are even super convenient, but bandwidth is the current limitation linchpin for all video content (for some, it's too expensive, or too time consuming, or not available). On the flipside, we have physical media like Blu-ray Disc. Still King in terms of bandwidth, and perhaps more important to consider, still King in terms of what matters most to movie studios sales. Is it smart to plan for a future where the disc has gone the way of the dodo as sales figures for physical media continue to drop? Of course, but for now, each and every week, most people still buy (or rent) DVDs and Blu-rays. This is no real surprise to regular High-Def Digest readers, as we gather to talk about the week's latest and greatest (and most controversial) Blu-ray releases. We are known to race out each week for brand new, hot-off-the-presses, super-mega collector's editions. But have you ever given a moment's thought to what happens to a DVD or a Blu-ray if it doesn't immediately fly off the shelf of your local big box store? [teaser]High-Def Digest recently got a chance for a quick chat with Ryan Kugler, the president of DVA (Distribution Video and Audio), a liquidation and wholesale company that has been specializing in home entertainment products for over 20 years. Ryan's company specializes in buying up older Blu-rays and DVDs, and reselling them; for him, the physical media business has never been better.[/teaser] WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR HOME VIDEO VOLUME IS BLU-RAY? I think it's turning more and more into Blu-ray. The studios are trying to phase out DVD because Blu-ray is the new medium, and they're really trying to say, when a movie comes out, they prefer it to come out on Blu-ray. Period. As Blu-ray takes over the market, we're buying more and more, and it's growing many percentage points month to month. But as far as our overall Blu-ray versus DVD purchases, in terms of our inventory, I would say it's about 25 percent Blu-ray. AS MORE OF A BEHIND-THE-SCENES PLAYER IN THE HOME ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY, COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHAT IT IS DVA DOES BY TAKING US THROUGH YOUR WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTION PROCESS. When a movie comes out on DVD and Blu-ray, it goes to Target and Best Buy and whatever's left of Blockbuster, and other major retailers like Walmart, Kmart, Sears, Toys R Us, etc. Once it's done its run for a few months, retailers [call DVA] and say, "Hey we have some excess inventory of the DVD or the Blu-ray." Or sometimes the studio calls about product that did not sell because the movie didn't sell as many as they had hoped. Or the retailer wants to change out for another movie. And then they would call us (the retailer, the distributor, or the studio) and say, "Hey we have this excess inventory of this particular product, are you interested in buying it?" Our company buys that inventory from anywhere on the food chain -- from the producer, studio, manufacturer, to the distributor, retailers, to the secondary retailer. We then bring it into our warehouse and put it in inventory. We then turn around and make assortments for other retailers. Discount dollar stores, flea markets, truck stops, where when you walk into a retail location, you see a bin in the front of the store or near the cash register that says "$4.99 Movies" and it's a mixture of movies, not in alphabetical order. It's just kind of like a treasure hunt type value bin where you go through it. Our business is really supplying those value bins to the retailer. So one of your readers might have bought a movie from us, indirectly, through one of those value bins. A retailer will usually have their section of New Releases and A-Z Movies, but they'll also have another section of this area where you can just sort through stuff. DO YOU SELL MANY BLU-RAY VALUE BINS? No, we really haven't. When we buy Blu-ray and we re-sell it, it's for a customer specifically looking for it, whether it's a video store or a retailer who is looking to do a special section of Blu-ray or to fill some inventory. Internet Retailers is another big area that we sell to. They're basically people who sell on different "marketplaces," like Amazon and eBay and Half.com. They buy the product, turn around, and sell it on another person's site called a marketplace, or they sell it on their own site. THE DWINDLING DVD MARKET SEEMS TO BE HURTING MOST BUSINESS MODELS, BUT DVA IS EXPANDING. HOW DOES THAT WORK? Well, we actually started expanding because of the dwindling CD market. We do CD music as well, and we do books. All CDs, DVDs, and books can be downloaded now. CDs, obviously, are going a little quicker because you can download a CD in 30 seconds and, as an example, I just downloaded a movie yesterday for my son because we're going to be getting on a plane, and it took three freakin' hours. So the downloading of digital [movies] isn't going to be as broad as the CD world because it's still easier just to go to a store and buy it. It's basically as long as it takes to watch it, it takes to download it. So we're expanding into other areas buying excess inventory. Those areas include buying actual Blu-ray players, DVD players, iPods, TVs. WHAT'S THE FUTURE OF PHYSICAL MEDIA? HOW LONG WILL IT BE A PART OF YOUR BUSINESS MODEL? I've been doing this for about 20 years, and when I started 20 years ago, I remember hearing, at the time it was called the Super Highway which we now call the Internet, there was threat of the movie business going away to the Super Highway. So I've been hearing this for 20 years that the movie business was going to go away due to people just downloading it. Currently, the downloading of movies is less than 10 percent of movie consumption, whereas the downloading of CD music is actually right around 50 percent. So physical media is still bought and sold, still needed, still used, and I think to a certain extent, there will always be something physical that you can buy to get a movie, book, or CD on. Whether it's a disc that we've been using for, what, the last 30-something years, that'll probably change to who knows, a chip, a pen, a watch. But I think there will be physically something that you can always buy to get what you want. And we will always be distributing that product. My father always said this line, "the Buggy Whip business isn't as big as it was 150 years ago, but there's still one company selling Buggy Whips." So if we're the last company selling DVDs, then so be it and I look forward to it. I HEARD YOU WERE AT E3 THIS YEAR; CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR APPEARANCE THERE? We were at E3. We are in the video game business. Anything entertainment related, that's pretty much what we buy. The video game business is doing very well. The video game business can, again, be done online, but physical sales are much greater than online sales, and we've been doing it for probably around 10 years now, maybe 15. If you look at Xbox or NDS or whatever, you have all these different physical formats, and with what Wii is doing with their new console, there's ever-changing formats. So anytime the game business changes and goes through an evolution, we can tag along on the new format, but when retailers are done distributing the old physical format, there's still some retailers that want it. Small Mom N Pop chains or dollar discount chains out in Middle America where the demographics aren't as up-to-date with new change and therefore there's always one retailer -- like there's someone always selling Buggy Whips -- that wants to sell that product that's no longer widespread, or known, or used. Any time a format goes away, we take the last leg of it. WHAT'S NEXT FOR DVA? Small electronics. We've been doing a lot of iPods, a lot of TVs. Anything that emits or transmits or is the next phase of entertainment, we'll go with. It's a fun business, and it's been good to us. We've grown in the last couple years despite the recession -- up about $5 million in sales, so it's been going good for us. THANKS TO RYAN FOR TAKING A FEW MINUTES TO TALK TO US ABOUT DVA AND THE CURRENT STRENGTH OF PHYSICAL MEDIA. FEEL FREE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT DVA BY HEADING OVER TO THEIR WEBSITE, WHICH HAS DIFFERENT SECTIONS FOR CONSUMERS, RETAILERS, AND DISTRIBUTORS. AND AS ALWAYS, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE CURRENT STATE OF PHYSICAL MEDIA? I KNOW MANY OF YOU ARE DIE HARD PHYSICAL-FANS, BUT HOW LONG WILL IT LAST? ALSO, I KNOW MANY OF YOU ARE HIGH-DEF JUNKIES (AS AM I), DO YOU STILL HIT UP THE DVD VALUE BINS, OR IS EVERYTHING NOW "1080P OR BUST?" HIT UP THE FORUMS TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS.Posted Wed Jun 29, 2011 at 12:45 PM PDT by: -
Vizio Showcases 2011 Televisions - Including 21:9 Sets[teaser]And yes, they really should be factored down to 7:3 but that just doesn't sound as cool now, does it? [/teaser] Vizio has a lot up its sleeve for the 2011 holiday season, but the biggest - or at least the most interesting - addition to the company's lineup is the new Cinemawide series. Two Cinemawide sets, in 50 and 58 inch sizes, will be available later this year at a price yet to be set. They offer a 21:9 aspect ratio, which means you'll be able to watch 2.35:1 movies that fill the screen instead of having to deal with black bars on the top and bottom. Vizio is also launching XVT sets that boast 160 zones of LED backlighting and smart dimming technology. These are expected to launch in December. Last but not least, the M series of passive 3D sets will be launching later this year. Each TV will come with four sets of glasses and will play nice with the glasses you take home from the theater. And admit it, you do take them home. Source: TWICEPosted Wed Jun 29, 2011 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
80 Percent of People Pick Passive TVs, According to LG[teaser]The company's study shows a very strong preference towards passive technology. [/teaser] According to a study arranged by LG and carried out by market research firm Morpace, there is an incredibly strong consumer slant towards passive 3D technology. The test compared a few different sets from Sony and Samsung with a Cinema 3D passive television from LG. The results favored LG's set strongly. Around 80 percent of respondents chose the LG over either the Samsung or Sony. "We developed LG Cinema 3D to solve the problems consumers were experiencing with active 3D and to provide the best 3D experience in the home," says LG CEO Wayne Park. "With its outstanding picture quality, affordability, and easy-to-use and share glasses, it's no surprise that LG Cinema 3D technology is preferred by four out of five of consumers." You can check out the full test at LG's site. Keep in mind, LG organized the test and picked the TVs used for it, so things may not be all that they seem. Source: TWICEPosted Wed Jun 29, 2011 at 09:00 AM PDT by:
