thebluview http://www.thebluview.com Blu Blu electric Blu, is the colour of my room where I shall live Mon, 14 Jun 2010 21:19:51 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 New XBOX still using 90′s technology http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1219 http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1219#comments Mon, 14 Jun 2010 21:12:48 +0000 admin http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1219
At E3 today in LA Microsoft announced a new slimmer version of the XBOX 360. While many will drool at the sleek black design and other new(ish) features including build-in Wi-Fi (about time) and larger 250GB hard disk
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At E3 today in LA Microsoft announced a new slimmer version of the XBOX 360. While many will drool at the sleek black design and other new(ish) features including build-in Wi-Fi (about time) and larger 250GB hard disk I can’t held but think that they missed a trick by not including at least one model with Blu-ray. Many PS3 machines are used for HD movie playback and the fact that the new XBOX is much quieter (long over due, my own original 360 sounds like a 747 after being on a few minutes) could have helped. Perhaps it’s due to the fact that Microsoft wants you to download it’s much lower quality (than Blu-Ray) movies from the online store and that they do not have a vested interest or directly make money in the same way as Sony who own their own movie studio from movie sales. It could also be the ‘not invented here’ syndrome or that they don’t want to be seen endorsing a Sony technology. What ever the reason it looks like an opportunity may have been missed for Microsoft to get embedded in your AV stack, at least you can copy lots of games from that old DVD technology to the bigger hard disk

]]> http://www.thebluview.com/?feed=rss2&p=1219 0 Is 3D failing before it starts? http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1216 http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1216#comments Sat, 12 Jun 2010 21:18:37 +0000 admin http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1216

Are we seeing 3D technology launching before its ready and causing its own demise before it gets off the ground. With no single company or association coordinating standards we are seeing manufacturers rush out 3D technology with no content and incompatibility. The other worrying aspect is that movie studios are happy to sign exclusive deals with hardware manufacturers for then to bundle their movies. While this may give the studios initial guaranteed sales it limits the library of titles visible to the public. We need to maximise the number if titles open to all, not buy a 3D TV from manufacturer A and get a specific movie or buy a different manufacturers TV and get movie B and have no access to movie A. If there is one thing that the industry should have learnt over the years its that software sells hardware. The recent victory of Blu-ray over HD DVD may have been influenced by the PlayStation 3 but this seems to have gone to the hardware manufacturers heads and they have forgotten that if we buy a 3D TV we want to watch 3D. Quite honestly if you purchase a 3D TV now your only asking for trouble when the content does become available. This Christmas don’t expect friends and family to be able to bring their own glasses with them when they visit, chances are that their glasses will not work with your TV and I for one will not be purchasing a new 3D TV and six pairs or glasses at over £100 each for the family and more pairs for grandparents, i would be looking at around £1,000 for the family to sit down to a 3D movie.
We have perhaps the biggest chance for the 3D industry to get behind an event right now in the football (soccer) world cup. We have Sony running 3D TV adds during the games and on the hoardings but there is no way of watching these games in 3D. In the UK ITV and BBC have the broadcast rights for the tournament but only Sky are currently broadcasting 3D but they don’t have rights for the world cup so they can’t broadcast the games that apparently Sony are recording in glorious 3D, perhaps Sony will compile the highlights on a 3D Blu-ray after the tournament but what are the chances you’ll have to buy a Sony TV to get it.
Our advice – hold off your 3D TV purchase until 2011, there may be more to watch and with any luck the manufacturers will have seen the light and sorted out some interoperability between their systems. If you need to replace your current 2D TV this year and are looking at a large high end screen at the top of a manufacturers range then you might as well get 3D as they appear to be good 2D TVs as well, just keep in mind that you may end us only using it for 2D in the future.

]]> http://www.thebluview.com/?feed=rss2&p=1216 0 Avatar Review http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1201 http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1201#comments Tue, 25 May 2010 20:16:44 +0000 admin http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1201

Late in the making but click the link for our Avatar review

]]> http://www.thebluview.com/?feed=rss2&p=1201 0 Win a 3D TV with Currys for the World Cup http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1198 http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1198#comments Tue, 18 May 2010 21:23:04 +0000 admin http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1198 If you in the UK now is the perfect time to pick up a new flat screen TV. with the football World Cut starting soon there are lots of great offers in the electronics stores and supermarkets. electronics store Curry’s is offering a online virtual football game where you can win a 46″ Samsung LDC 3D TV with two pairs of 3D specs.
Curry’s on-line game is part of their “Cash for Goals” promotion that offers £10 cash back for each goal that England score in the World Cup for those fans purchasing a TV over the value of £599.
for full details visit www.cashforgoals.co.uk/game/

]]> http://www.thebluview.com/?feed=rss2&p=1198 0 Pioneer to push updates http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1194 http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1194#comments Tue, 18 May 2010 20:49:08 +0000 admin http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1194

Good news for all those caught out by disk and player updates. Pioneer’s new BDP-LX53 and BDP-330 Blu-ray players will now automatically query Pioneers servers for firmware updates and prompt the user to install them. This is the way PC’s do updates so it’s about time your Blu-ray player did the same. In addition to wired internet connection both players can be upgraded to Wi-Fi wireless internet access.
Pioneer also announced that both players will be supported by their iControlAV iPod/iPhone app.

]]> http://www.thebluview.com/?feed=rss2&p=1194 0 Site News http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1190 http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1190#comments Tue, 18 May 2010 20:25:35 +0000 admin http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1190 Posts and reviews have been a little light of late. I’ll be working a lot more on the site and reviews now and am also looking at a site revamp

]]> http://www.thebluview.com/?feed=rss2&p=1190 0 Law Abiding Citizen review http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1168 http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1168#comments Sun, 11 Apr 2010 16:52:19 +0000 admin http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1168

Released tomorrow in the UK, follow the link for a review of Law Abiding Citizel on Blu-ray

]]> http://www.thebluview.com/?feed=rss2&p=1168 0 Zombieland review http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1156 http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1156#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:41:29 +0000 admin http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1156

Released today in the UK, follow the link for a review of Zombieland on Blu-ray

]]> http://www.thebluview.com/?feed=rss2&p=1156 0 Top stories from around the web http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1154 http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1154#comments Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:15:17 +0000 admin http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1154 Below are the top stories from around the internet.

LG 3D TV line to debut in May – The Register

Samsung to bundle glasses with 3D TVs – The Register - Only two pairs?

Samsung is betting big on 3D TV  – The Inquirer

Sharp Aquos LC-52LE700E 52in LED Backlit LCD TV Review – Trusted Reviews - Dam time to upgrade

Samsung SP-A600B DLP Projector Review – Trusted Reviews

]]> http://www.thebluview.com/?feed=rss2&p=1154 0 New Onkyo Receivers http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1150 http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1150#comments Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:03:01 +0000 admin http://www.thebluview.com/?p=1150 First of all I’ll admit to being a fan of Onkyo receivers, my own TX-SR806 has served me well and has great sound as well as it’s THX certification works well with my B&W speakers. Now Onkyo has released a new line of upgraded budget receivers topped off with the new TX-SR608 their first featuring HDMI 1.4 and able to transmit 3D HD video to a compatible 3D TV. For audio this receiver also features HD audio decoding and Dolby’s ProLogic IIz adding two height channels. Another new feature is an analogue RGB video input for connecting a media PC or laptop, however most users should still use one of the I connectors to keep the video digital (wither via HDMI on your PC or using a DVI to HDMI cable). The 608 also includes Audyssey room correction and DVD upscaling to full 1080p.

This is how the new line up looks
TX-SR608 – THX Select2-certified 7.2-channel HD home cinema receiver with 1080p upscaling, analogue RGB in, Dolby Pro Logic IIz/Audyssey DSX – £450
TX-SR508 – 7.1-channel HD home cinema receiver with Dolby Pro Logic IIz – £350
TX-SR308 – 5.1-channel HD home cinema receiver – £250

Also announced are new all-in-one packages and speakers. To partner the above is a new budget Blu-Ray player priced at £200.

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