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'Transformers' To Open One Night EarlyEarlier in the month, Paramount released 'Super 8' one day early on IMAX, XD, and other premium screens to create a pre-opening buzz from positive word-of-mouth. While 'Super 8' was only expected to open with a soft $25-$30 million gross, because of the pre-opening showings, it ended up passing expectations by pulling in $37 million. [teaser]On Tuesday, June 28, Paramount will follow a similar pre-release opening with 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' - but it's common knowledge that 'Transformers' is one franchise that doesn't need help creating buzz.[/teaser] While 'Dark of the Moon' is set to open nationwide on Wednesday, June 29, fans will now have the opportunity to see it one night early on Tuesday, June 28. Unlike the 'Super 8' showings that went on throughout the day before it's wide release, 'Dark of the Moon' will start showing at 9PM exclusively on 3D and IMAX screens. 'Dark of the Moon' is the first 'Transformers' movie to be shot in 3D. Early footage has been said to exhibit some of the best-looking 3D to hit the big screen since 'Avatar.' Paramount Vice Chairman Rob Moore says, “Michael Bay has created an incredibly engaging and immersive 3D experience with this latest movie, one that will undoubtedly be among the most entertaining movie going experiences of the summer. Providing fans an opportunity to see it early in 3D is a great way to kick off the movie’s opening.” The official 'Transformers' web site links you to ticketing sites (like Fandango) so that you can secure your seat to the early showings now, but the ticket retailers do not have the 9PM showings listed. Check the official sites of theaters near you to purchase your 9PM tickets now.Posted Tue Jun 21, 2011 at 01:15 PM PDT by: -
Latest PS3 model to be Slightly Lighter and Greener[teaser]Continuing its evolution in the form of model number "CECH-3000B," an updated version of the PlayStation 3 will start shipping as soon as the current sock is depleted (according to Sony, beginning as early as this month).[/teaser] Though pricing should remain unchanged, the charcoal black, 320 Gb CECH-3000B will see a reduction in both power consumption (230W to 200W) and weight (3.0kg to 2.6kg). Though detailed pictures have yet to surface, there have been rumors that there could be some minor exterior modifications as well to this updated PS3 Slim. Those include removing LED lamps and adjustments to certain external buttons such as Power and Eject. We'll have to keep our eyes peeled so see if these changes are actually noticeable. If any of you find yourselves with a CECH-3000B (or later) model PS3 in the next few months, hit up the forums and let us know what you think! Sources: Sony, AndriasangPosted Tue Jun 21, 2011 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
HD in the Clouds: A Streaming State of the UnionBy Michael S. Palmer Let it be said that, as of the summer of 2011, there is no greater home theater medium to watch high definition film and television content than Blu-ray. And yes, I'm especially serious about the television part. Anyone who has fired up 'Lost' or 'Breaking Bad' or 'Sons of Anarchy' in true 1080p HD with lossless or uncompressed sound knows the limitations of broadcast/satellite/cable television make for some pretty meager "HD." Blu-ray remains the King of Bandwidth and the holy grail of home entertainment quality. All of that aside, Blu-ray won't be king forever. Gone are the days where the masses would migrate from one format to the next (VHS to Laserdics to DVD to Blu-ray); we live in a world where platform and format are secondary to Content. And our HD content of the future, if we trust in Steve Jobs and this guy, will likely live in "The Cloud." [teaser]Downloads and Streaming and VOD (Video On Demand) are, as you all know, already available, but, what's particularly frustrating is that one service doesn't simply provide everything. Each service listed below has strengths and weaknesses in terms of overall quality, content availability, and subjective-to-each-user value. As such, we here at High-Def Digest thought it might be time for a quick refresher course. [/teaser] Hopefully, it'll add some clarity to first timers or to those who are trying to figure out what's best for them. While none of these services approach the bandwidth capabilities of Blu-ray disc and are therefore lesser, more compressed forms of HD, I have broken down each service by maximum resolution available. My apologies if I've made any mistakes in these categories. Hit up the forums to let me know, and I'll fix it post haste. Enjoy! 1080p (or BUST!) Vudu We begin our Streaming tour with a service that offers both 720p HD as well as its proprietary 1080p "HDX" service. Josh Zyber reviewed the service a couple years ago. You can read his review right here. Simply put, and from what I've seen, Vudu's HDX with 5.1 Dolby Digital Plus is the next best thing to Blu-ray. As for convenience, Vudu is available on many devices, including the Playstation 3, a number of Blu-ray players and HDTVs, and Boxxee. The user interface is simple to use, and movies generally release day-and-date with their Blu-ray counterparts. The two caveats here are pricing (it's $5.99 per new release HDX movie for a 24 hour rental) and bandwidth requirements (4.5Mbps or more for HDX). With my fast-as-they-sell-at-AT&T DSL, I just barely make the cut, but it's so, so worth it for those who appreciate quality. Cable / Satellite OnDemand. In my case, DIRECTV CINEMA Next, we have our Satellite and Cable providers On Demand services. Unfortunately, I can't be hugely specific on pricing and picture/audio quality for every cable provider. What I will say is that movies here also often premier day-and-date with their Blu-ray counterparts. Pricing ranges from $3.99 to $7.99 per film. Expect to pay at least $4.99 for HD movies. Cable subscribers, you're generally in a better position to watch any of your movies instantly with no lag. I happen to be a DirecTV subscriber (which isn't always pleasant, but I have to have the NFL package, and the HD-DVR is much better than any cable DVR I have ever used). For us, it requires patching my HD-DVR into a broadband internet source, and when selecting a film, it will start downloading and eventually prompt you to watch it. I recently enjoyed the Magnet Films release of 'Troll Hunter' (which debuted day-and-date with its limited theatrical U.S. distribution) in 1080p and 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound. Compared to how "HD" cable channels like FX look on DirecTV, my DirecTV CINEMA rental was clear and generally artifact-free. It cost $7.99 (because the movie is still in theaters), but was well worth it at less than half of my wife and I actually going to the cinema. The best part about cable or satellite On Demand is there's not extra "set-top box" to purchase. If you have an HD-DVR, you're already ready to rock n' roll. Zune / Xbox 360 While the Zune service itself includes music and works on many different devices, Zune on Xbox 360's Xbox LIVE is a full freight 1080p / 5.1 surround sound service with brand new HD movies and TV series available to buy and/or rent. What's really cool about here is the recently introduced Kinect functionality. Meaning, you can control and search for content using voice and hand gesture commands. Just keep in mind that HD streaming will require a broadband connection capable of 4-7Mbps, and in addition to the $6 you'll be spending on the movie rentals, you also have to buy an Xbox LIVE Gold membership, which will run you about $50 for a year. Since I don't own an Xbox 360, I have no idea, personally, how good the Zune content looks and sounds. Hit up the forums to let me know. Sony Playstation Store Movies are also available for purchase or rental on PS3s via the Playstation Network in full 1080p. Earlier this year, I rented the film 'Monsters' long before it came out on Blu-ray. The picture was sparkling, and because I had downloaded the whole film in advance, there was no lag or buffering time. 'Monsters' was another $7.99 rental (also still in cinemas), but HD movie content will generally run you around $4.99. The two big hurtles I find with the PS3 system: 1) two-channel audio only (it's been a while since I check, perhaps this has changed?), and 2) super-slow downloading time. As I've said, I can handle running Vudu HDX streaming service, but it took my PS3 over 8 hours to download 'Monsters', which was so long, I almost wasn't in the mood to watch the film anymore. Maybe you've had a better experience than me, but for now, I don’t think this is the service for me. Netflix Netflix HD Streaming remains a subscription based service, with plans (in the US) starting at $7.99 for unlimited streaming. Toss in one or two Blu-rays out at time, and it'll cost you $11.99 or $17.99 per month, respectively. With each passing week, Netflix material is looking more like real "HD". At the same time, better content is being added; next year, for example, Netflix will start exclusive distribution David Fincher's 'House of Cards', a television series starring Kevin Spacey. However, quantity doesn't always mean quality or New for that matter; if you want a new release, you won't find it on Netflix (though this may be changing, or differ for independent distribution companies). They do have some new-ish titles, thanks to their Starz Network deal (most movies or TV shows on Starz can be found on Netflix Streaming), but the Starz movies are all in smudgy standard definition. And SD streaming on large HDTVs looks hideous. Netflix is available on many devices, including TVs, Blu-ray Players, Game Consoles, mobile phones and tablets, and PC and Macs. It should also be said that Netflix's 1080p streaming capabilities is, for now, limited to the Playstation 3, with other services capable of providing 1080i HD. 720p iTunes / Apple TV Taking a step down into H.264 720p, there are two ways to enjoy "HD" content from the iTunes store. 1) you can buy or rent HD content directly from your PC or Mac (should it meet all of Apple's requirements), or 2) you can rent HD content on the Apple TV, which in its latest incarnation is a streaming-only device. HD movies typically debut day-and-date on iTunes; and HD TV shows generally appear within 24 hours of their initial TV broadcast. HD movie purchases cost around $17.99-19.99 and come with 5.1 surround Sound; HD rentals are $4.99. HD television show seasons run from $32.99-$38.99(and up), while individual episodes will cost around $2.99. Mac/PC purchases and rentals sometimes include "iTunes Extras", along the lines of Blu-ray special features, but these don't appear to work with on newer Apple TVs. In terms of quality, I've only ever rented a few things to view on my laptop. Generally, the quality was good, but prone to macro-blocking. How have your experiences been? Hulu Plus While Hulu Plus has some movies available, this subscription service is mostly known for its access to new TV shows, with content debuting the morning after a show's initial broadcast. At $7.99/month, you get access to HD content from Fox, ABC, NBC, Comedy Central, and a few others. Check here to see if you have a capable device. Like Netflix, you have the option to watch Hulu Plus from TV-enabled devices as well as mobile phones, tablets, gaming consoles, and of course, any computer. Much like iTunes, my Hulu experience is limited to the computer environment, but all available content here is in 720p and, if I'm not mistaken, stereo sound. MLB.tv Want to stick it to your cable or satellite provider, Baseball Fans? Here's what I just realized. The MLB Extra Innings package costs around $200/season from the DirecTVs and TimeWarnerCables of the world. Granted, this is 1080i with 5.1 surround sound, but for half that price -- $99.99 for a year -- you can get MLB.tv Premium (available on these devices), which allows you to not only watch any baseball game in 720p HD on your TV, but also on any Mac or PC. I haven't gotten a chance to check this out personally on my PS3, but the reviews have been so enthusiastic, I may have to consider how necessary 5.1 really is to my baseball watching. I say to those of us who can, let's call our cable networks and tell them we'll only pay $100 to watch or baseball! Agitation aside, MLB.tv is also available for $19.99-$24.99/month, or for $79.99/year for the non-Premium version of the service. HD playback requires your broadband network to be running 3Mbps or more. Have any of you used MLB.tv on the PS3 or any other device? Hit the forums and let me know how it is. Amazon Instant Video / Amazon Video On Demand Amazon Instant Video is an interesting mix of Netflix meets iTunes or Vudu. It requires a $79/year subscription to Amazon Prime, which gives subscribers perks like two-day shipping, and includes some free HD content. However, newer movies that come out day-and-date, or a few weeks after the Blu-ray release will still run you an extra $3-$5 each. Click here to check out how to watch Amazon Instant Video. This is the only service I've never used -- all I know is that the HD content is rated to 720p and 5.1 audio is available on some titles . So Amazon Prime members, please let me know what you think of this service. The only thing I wanted to address is that, on my computer searching side of things, it was a little cumbersome trying to figure out what movie titles were actually in HD and/or included 5.1 sound (the TV content was well marked). With each title, you'll need to scroll down underneath the product details to find a box like this: It's my understanding, however, that when you're actually using Amazon Instant Video from a set-top device like a TiVo, it's quite easy to see which titles are available in HD. Not HD, but hopefully someday Other services I was excited to talk about include Best Buy's CinemaNow (available devices listed here), Blockbuster OnDemand, Sony's Crackle (available on these devices) and even YouTube. They all stream movies from around $3.00 (actually, Crackle content is ad-supported / free), but alas, I was unable to find any HD movies available. If I've missed something, if these companies offer HD, be sure to hit up the forums, and I'll be happy to adjust. *** There we have it. The current state of the HD Streaming Union. It's a giant mess of options out there, with strengths of quality verses available content verses pricing all vying to grab our attentions. The good news is that so many of our modern home theater gadgets come with multiple versions of these services built-in, so you can pick and choose as needed. Now it's your turn, if you wish. What's your favorite streaming service? What would make it better? Also, please let me know if I've missed a service you love; I'll be happy to add it.Posted Mon Jun 20, 2011 at 12:40 PM PDT by: -
Sony Announces a New 3D SXRD Projector[teaser]It's the first from Sony to be priced affordably at $3,700. [/teaser] One of the very cool things of the ever advancing state of technology is that prices tend to go down very quickly. Last year, Sony put out a 3D capable SXRD projector at a price of around $10,000. This year's model will run you just $3,799. The VPL-HW30ES offers support for the usual assortment of 3D formats and even gives you the option to make 3D video out of 2D content. It offers a contrast of 70,000:1 and an output of 1300 lumens. The new projector also includes video processing technologies from Sony, like Dark Frame Insertion and Mosquito Noise Reduction. You won't get glasses with the VPL-HW30ES, but Sony has released the new TDG-PJ1 3D glasses to go with it. They're about 75 percent of the weight of Sony's other 3D glasses and they can handle up to 30 hours of viewing on a 30 minute charge. The projector itself will be available for $3,699 in July. The glasses will run you $129 and the 3D transmitter required if you're going 3D is $79. Source: eCousticsPosted Mon Jun 20, 2011 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
Bill to Make Streaming of Copyrighted Content Illegal Clears Senate[teaser]What this means for sites like YouTube is anyone's guess. [/teaser] There has been a lot of focus on illegal downloads in the last few years, but streaming really hasn't been touched. Sure, some people will have their YouTube videos taken down and some sites will have their content pulled, but that's about it. The newest bill to pass through the senate takes an incredibly harsh stance on illegal streaming. Those breaking the law could face up to five years in jail. Just what constitutes an offense? Any website that streams copyrighted content 10 or more times within 180 days is up for grabs. Seems a little harsh, doesn't it? "Make no mistake: the illegal streaming of content for commercial or financial gain is a crime," writes the anti-piracy group PROTECT IP, "and the Commercial Felony Streaming Act places the appropriate criminal label on the activity." Source: Home Media MagazinePosted Mon Jun 20, 2011 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
The Wii U Will Not Play Blu-rays or DVDs[teaser]Nintendo says there are enough devices that serve that purpose already. [/teaser] Microsoft and Sony have some big plans for their systems. Sony packed Blu-ray capabilities into the PS3 and added 3D support, while Microsoft was the first to add Netflix streaming and may even allow customers to watch TV on their systems. Both companies see their consoles as all-in-one devices that you can use for all of your entertainment needs. Nintendo is different. They were the last to add Netflix, and though you can hack your Wii to play DVDs, it doesn't do so out of the box. The Wii U will be no different - Nintendo's new high-def system won't play Blu-rays or DVDs. "The reason for that is that we feel that enough people already have devices that are capable of playing DVDs and Blu-ray," says Nintendo. "It didn't warrant the cost involved to build that functionality into the Wii U console because of the patents related to those technologies." Source:Posted Fri Jun 17, 2011 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
Warner is the First to Offer VODs in China[teaser]Warner is the first to tap into the market in China with YOU On Demand. [/teaser] China is a weird market to enter for any business. With lax enforcement of copyright and piracy laws, China can be a bit of a risky venture, but Warner Bros is going in with a new video on demand service called YOU On Demand. YOU On Demand will bring the VOD viewing option to millions of households, and Warner estimates that up to three million will have access this summer. "Our distribution agreement with Warner Bros. marks a historic milestone for our company," says YOU On Demand CEO Shane McMahon - yes wrestling fans, it's that Shane McMahon. "I’m excited for the millions of Chinese consumers that will be able to experience and enjoy the very best content that Hollywood has to offer through the YOU On Demand platform." Source: Home Media MagazinePosted Fri Jun 17, 2011 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
LG Unveils New Passive 3D Televisions[teaser]They also boast HD recording, which means that, sadly, we probably won't be seeing them in the U.S. [/teaser] Alright, so it's apparently official - every manufacturer using passive tech and polarized glasses is going to be calling their version of the tech something along the lines of "Cinema 3D." Not the best name, but people don't seem to dig the word "passive" so that's what we get. LG has revealed a few new Cinema 3D sets for those that don't want to have to shell out for expensive glasses and deal with charging batteries. They range in size from 32 inches on up to 47 inches, so they'll fit nicely in the living room or in smaller rooms. The big downside to the new LW5700 sets is that it doesn't seem like something that's going to come stateside. They support USB hard drive recording, which tends to be something specific to sets released in Japan. LG could surprise us, of course, or simply disable the functionality for the U.S. versions. Source: EngadgetPosted Fri Jun 17, 2011 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
5 Films You Might Not Realize Were Directed by Martin Campbellby Luke Hickman New Zealand-born director Martin Campbell returns to theaters this week with the comic book adaptation of 'Green Lantern.' Starring Ryan Reynolds ('X-Men Origins: Wolverine') and Blake Lively ('The Town'), Campbell's latest film tells the story of a fighter pilot who is chosen by a supernatural force to be a protective guardian with unreal superpowers. [teaser]Just as we did last week with 'Super 8' director J.J. Abrams, this week we're going to highlight some of Campbell's past films that you may not realize are his.[/teaser] While the majority of his work lies in television series - mostly on the BBC - Campbell has plenty of theatrically released credits under his belt, and the majority of them are pretty damn good. 'GoldenEye' (1995) Campbell's first whack at the James Bond series was awesome. I will never forget the opening base-jumping sequence off the face of a 720-foot dam. 'GoldenEye' was Pierce Brosnan's first 'Bond' film, and - if I may say so - his best 'Bond' film. This was also when Judi Dench took over the role of James Bond's boss, M. 'GoldenEye' was unique for the series because it was the first 'Bond' not based on an Ian Fleming novel or short story. The previous 16 'Bond' films were all based on his books. The modernized take on 'Bond' was well received by critics (it holds an 80 percent Rotten Tomatoes rating), and Campbell's later bout with 'Bond,' eleven years later, was rated even higher. On a spin-off note, since I was a teenager when 'GoldenEye' opened, the only thing that held more esteem than the movie was its accompanying Nintendo 64 game. The game's multi-player mode struck video gaming gold. With over eight million copies sold, 'GoldenEye 007' held the record of highest selling game for over a decade until 'Halo 3' passed it in 2007. 'The Mask of Zorro' (1998) Say what you want - I've always considered 'The Mask of Zorro' a fine action flick. It capitalized on Antonia Banderas during his peak and Catherine Zeta-Jones pretty much owes her career to Campbell for casting her as Zorro's feisty romantic interest. When Robert Rodriguez dropped out from directing 'Zorro,' Campbell turned down directing 'Tomorrow Never Dies' to take over the Steven Spielberg-produced production. While 'The Mask of Zorro' went on to earn an 82 percent Rotten Tomatoes rating, it's a shame that Campbell felt the need to return to the franchise in 2005 with the family-friendly 'Legend of Zorro', which earned a rotten 26 percent. For his sub-par merits on 'The Legend of Zorro', Campbell very well could have been featured in our Bonus View Roundtable "Bad Movies From Good Directors." 'Vertical Limit' (2000) There's only one thing I remember from 'Vertical Limit' - the opening rock climbing family outing. While I recall thinking that intense scene was awesome and (obviously) unforgettable, the rest of the movie was forgettable. Even as I read the plot synopsis on IMDB, none of it is coming back to me. Even though my memory has 'Vertical Limit' pegged as being a sub par film, it received a 48 percent Rotten Tomatoes rating, which isn't as terrible compared to 'The Legend of Zorro'. An interesting note about 'Vertical Limit' is that portions of the movie were shot on location on K2, the Karakoram Mountain Range in Pakistan. All politics aside, can you image a Hollywood blockbuster being shot in Pakistan nowadays? 'Casino Royale' (2006) Returning to direct 'Bond 21,' Campbell earned his highest Rotten Tomatoes rating (94 percent) with 'Casino Royale'. Not only did Campbell direct Pierce Brosnan's first 'Bond' film, he also directed Daniel Craig's first. Telling the early story of James Bond just after reaching double-'O' status and obtaining his "license to kill", it's easy to mistake 'Casino Royale' for prequel, when in reality it's essentially a reboot. 'Casino Royale' brought everything expected from a 'Bond' movie to the table - the "Bond girls," the action, the dry humor - but it upped the quality with heightened intensity, real danger, emotional connections and completely solid story telling. In fact, the plot of 'Casino Royale' was so strong that it warranted the first-ever true "sequel" to a Bond film. 2008's follow-up 'Quantum of Solace' continued the story begun in 'Casino Royale,' picking up less than one hour after the film's closing scene. There have been plenty of great 'Bond' movies, but it's definitely not a coincidence that Campbell was at the helm for two of the greats. 'Edge of Darkness' (2010) I hate the term "celebrity," and the non-stop paparazzi coverage that the news media gives actors and musicians these days. When Mel Gibson's fights with his girlfriend are covered on the primetime evening "news," I get angry. But that's just my opinion. Many want to know every detail of this garbage and base their movie going and listening experiences on the talents' personal lives and not on the art at hand. Most people did not see 'Edge of Darkness' for this reason. I'm not saying it's a brilliant piece of art; it just deserves more love than it receives. In 'Edge of Darkness', Gibson plays a single, almost-retired homicide detective, whose child is gunned down on his front porch and dies in his arms. Completely alone, he follows his only notable skill set - investigating homicides - and sets off to find his daughter's killer. What most American's don't know is that 'Edge of Darkness' is a feature-length adaptation (courtesy of 'The Departed' screenwriter William Monahan) of a 1985 BBC mini-series that was also directed by Campbell. Watching Gibson's character obsess over finding his daughter's killer is mesmerizing, especially once he (spoiler alert) starts seeing and talking to her. No, he doesn't see her in a 'Sixth Sense' fashion - he merely goes down the 'Black Swan' bat-shit crazy route. And it's captivating. If you haven't seen 'Edge of Darkness,' hide away those judgmental thoughts of Mel, replace them with positive ones - think back to 'Braveheart', 'The Passion of the Christ,' 'Signs', 'Payback' and 'Mad Max' - and see one of Campbell's most insanely great films to date.Posted Thu Jun 16, 2011 at 11:30 AM PDT by: -
Skype Comes to Comcast Cable Boxes[teaser]Skype features will also be coming to Comcast's Xfinity apps. [/teaser] Remember a year or two ago when Netflix was the must have app for internet connected devices? This year is all about Skype, and Comcast is the latest to add the capabilities. If you have Comcast cable you won't need to get a Smart TV or set-top box - you can use Skype right on your cable box. Of course, you'll still need a few things to make it all work. A camera is required, but you probably could have guessed that. Comcast says you'll also need an adaptor box and a specially designed remote control that makes it simple to enter text. "Our unique relationship with Skype not only will change how our customers interact with their TV, but also will create new and meaningful ways to bring our customers closer to the people they care about," says Comcast president Neil Smit. "TV has evolved into a social experience, and Comcast and Skype will be delivering a product that personalizes the TV experience even more, and brings friends and family together through the biggest screen in their homes." Source: EngadgetPosted Thu Jun 16, 2011 at 09:00 AM PDT by:
