Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Sony BDP-S550 Blu-ray Player








Sony BDP-S550 Blu-ray Player


Video

Video resolution: 1080p/24p
DVD upscaling: 1080p

Audio Audio

HDMI output: 7.1
Analog output: 7.1

Other Other

HDMI version: TBA
Ethernet: Yes

Media Media

Blu-ray / DVD

source :http://www.blu-ray.com/players/players.php?id=63








Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Transformers (Two-Disc Special Edition) [HD DVD] (2007)


Transformers (Two-Disc Special Edition) [HD DVD] (2007)


Product Details

  • Actors: Shia LaBeouf, Tyrese Gibson, Josh Duhamel, Anthony Anderson, Megan Fox
  • Directors: Michael Bay
  • Format: Anamorphic, Color, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen
  • Language: English, French, Spanish
  • Subtitles: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese
  • Region: All Regions
  • Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
  • Number of discs: 2
  • Rating:
  • Studio: Dreamworks Home Entertainment
  • DVD Release Date: October 16, 2007
  • Run Time: 143 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (822 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B000NU2NJ8
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,359 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

    Popular in this category:

    #6 in Movies & TV > HD DVD




Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
"I bought a car. Turned out to be an alien robot. Who knew?" deadpans Sam Witwicky, hero and human heart of Michael Bay's rollicking robot-smackdown fest, Transformers. Witwicky (the sweetly nerdy Shia LaBeouf, channeling a young John Cusack) is the perfect counterpoint to the nearly nonstop exhilarating action. The plot is simple: an alien civil war (the Autobots vs. the evil Decepticons) has spilled onto Earth, and young Sam is caught in the fray by his newly purchased souped-up Camaro. Which has a mind--and identity, as a noble-warrior robot named Bumblebee--of its own. The effects, especially the mind-blowing transformations of the robots into their earthly forms and back again, are stellar.

Fans of the earlier film and TV series will be thrilled at this cutting-edge incarnation, but this version should please all fans of high-adrenaline action. Director Bay gleefully salts the movie with homages to pop-culture touchstones like Raiders of the Lost Ark, King Kong, and the early technothriller WarGames. The actors, though clearly all supporting those kickass robots, are uniformly on-target, including the dashing Josh Duhamel as a U.S. Army sergeant fighting an enemy he never anticipated; Jon Voight, as a tough yet sympathetic Secretary of Defense in over his head; and John Turturro, whose special agent manages to be confidently unctuous, even stripped to his undies. But the film belongs to Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, and the dastardly Megatron--and the wicked stunts they collide in all over the globe. Long live Transformers! --A.T. Hurley

http://www.amazon.com/Transformers-Two-Disc-Special-HD-DVD/dp/B000NU2NJ8/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1222162273&sr=1-8


Godfather Collection, The [The Coppola Restoration Blu-ray Collection]



The Godfather - The Coppola Restoration Giftset (The Godfather / The Godfather Part II / The Godfather Part III) [Blu-ray] (1990)






Editorial Reviews

Product Description
THE GODFATHER: Popularly viewed as one of the best American films ever made, the multi-generational crime saga The Godfather (1972) is a touchstone of cinema: one of the most widely imitated, quoted, and lampooned movies of all time. Marlon Brando and Al Pacino star as Vito Corleone and his youngest son, Michael, respectively. It is the late 1940s in New York and Corleone is, in the parlance of organized crime, a "godfather" or "don," the head of a Mafia family. Michael, a free thinker who defied his father by enlisting in the Marines to fight in World War II, has returned a captain and a war hero. Having long ago rejected the family business, Michael shows up at the wedding of his sister, Connie (Talia Shire), with his non-Italian girlfriend, Kay (Diane Keaton), who learns for the first time about the family "business." A few months later at Christmas time, the don barely survives being shot by gunmen in the employ of a drug-trafficking rival whose request for aid from the Corleones' political connections was rejected. After saving his father from a second assassination attempt, Michael persuades his hotheaded eldest brother, Sonny (James Caan), and family advisors Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall) and Sal Tessio (Abe Vigoda) that he should be the one to exact revenge on the men responsible. After murdering a corrupt police captain and the drug trafficker, Michael hides out in Sicily while a gang war erupts at home. Falling in love with a local girl, Michael marries her, but she is later slain by Corleone enemies in an attempt on Michael's life. Sonny is also butchered, having been betrayed by Connie's husband. As Michael returns home and convinces Kay to marry him, his father recovers and makes peace with his rivals, realizing that another powerful don was pulling the strings behind the narcotics endeavor that began the gang warfare. Once Michael has been groomed as the new don, he leads the family to a new era of prosperity, then launches a campaign of murderous revenge against those who once tried to wipe out the Corleones, consolidating his family's power and completing his own moral downfall. Nominated for 11 Academy Awards and winning for Best Picture, Best Actor (Marlon Brando), and Best Adapted Screenplay, The Godfather was followed by a pair of sequels.

THE GODFATHER PART II: This brilliant companion piece to the original The Godfather continues the saga of two generations of successive power within the Corleone family. Coppola tells two stories in Part II: the roots and rise of a young Don Vito, played with uncanny ability by Robert De Niro, and the ascension of Michael (Al Pacino) as the new Don. Reassembling many of the talents who helped make The Godfather, Coppola has produced a movie of staggering magnitude and vision, and undeniably the best sequel ever made. Robert De Niro won an Oscar®; the film received six Academy Awards, including Best Picture of 1974.

THE GODFATHER PART III: One of the greatest sagas in movie history continues! In this third film in the epic Corleone trilogy, Al Pacino reprises the role of powerful family leader Michael Corleone. Now in his 60's, Michael is dominated by two passions: freeing his family from crime and finding a suitable successor. That successor could be fiery Vincent (Andy Garcia)... but he may also be the spark that turns Michael's hope of business legitimacy into an inferno of mob violence. Francis Ford Coppola directs Pacino, Garcia, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Eli Wallach, Sofia Coppola, Joe Montegna and others in this exciting, long-awaited film that masterfully explores the themes of power, tradition, revenge and love. Seven Academy Award® nominations, including Best Picture.


http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000NTPDSW/imdb-button/













Blu-ray vs HD DVD










image from :
www.grandhaventribune.com/blog/tech/?cat=2


Blu-ray vs HD DVD

Capacity
Blu-Ray
HD DVD
ROM single layer:
ROM dual layer:
RW single layer:
RW dual layer:
Highest test:
Theoretical limit:
23.3 / 25GB
46.6 / 50GB
23.3 / 25 / 27GB
46.6 / 50 / 54GB
100GB
200GB
Single layer:
Dual layer:
-
-
Highest test:
Theoretical limit:
15GB
30GB
-
-
45GB
60GB

Codecs
Blu-RayHD DVD
MPEG-2
Microsoft Video Codec 1 (aka VC1, WMV HD, etc.)
H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC
Dolby Digital AC-3, DTS, linear PCM
Optional: Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS HD
MPEG-2
Microsoft Video Codec 1 (aka VC1, WMV HD, etc.)
H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC
Dolby Digital AC-3, DTS, linear PCM, Dolby Digital EX, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD
Optional: DTS HD

Security
Blu-RayHD DVD
Mandatory HDCP encrypted output
ROM-Mark watermarking technology
BD+ dynamic crypto (physical layer)
Advanced Access Content System (AACS)
Mandatory HDCP encrypted output (for HD)
Volume identifier (physical layer)
Advanced Access Content System (AACS)


Movie studio support
Blu-RayHD DVD
20th Century Fox
Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Hollywood Pictures
Lions Gate
Miramax Entertainment
MGM Studios
New Line Cinema
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Touchstone Entertainment
The Walt Disney Company
Vivendi Universal Games
Warner Bros.
Dreamworks
Paramount Pictures
Universal Studios


Major movie rental outlets
*Still awaiting final confirmation
Blu-RayHD DVD
Blockbuster
Netflix
Movie Gallery / Hollywood Video*
Movie Gallery / Hollywood Video*





Nationwide retail and major online support
Blu-RayHD DVD
Amazon
Best Buy
Circuit City
Costco
K-Mart
Target (said to be mostly Blu)
Wal-Mart
Amazon
Circuit City
Costco
K-Mart
Target


Format founders
Blu-RayHD DVD
Sony Corporation
Royal Philips Electronics
Toshiba Corporation
Hitachi Corporation

Companies listed as Members of the Board or Managing Members
Blu-RayHD DVD
Apple, Inc.
Dell, Inc.
Hewlett Packard Company
Hitachi, Ltd.
LG Electronics Inc.
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
Panasonic (Matsushita Electric)
Pioneer Corporation
Royal Philips Electronics
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Sharp Corporation
Sony Corporation
Sun Microsystems
TDK Corporation
Thomson
Twentieth Century Fox
Walt Disney Pictures and Television WarnerBros.
Memory-Tech Corporation
NEC Corporation
Sanyo Electric Co.
Toshiba Corporation

Companies listed as Members, Associate Members, or Contributors
(may include duplicates and/or subsidiaries)
Blu-RayHD DVD
1K Studios, LLC
Acer Incorporated
Adobe Systems
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
Allion Test Labs, Inc.
Almedio Inc.
Alpine Electronics Inc.
Alticast
Aplix Corporation
ArcSoft, Inc.
Arima Devices Corporation
ashampoo GmbH & Co. KG
ASV Corp.
AudioDev AB
Avid Development GmbH
B&W Group
B.H.A. Corporation
BASF AG
BluFocus Inc.
Bose Corporation
Brickbox Digital Media
Broadcom Corporation
Canon Inc.
Cheertek Inc.
China Hualu Group Co., Ltd.
Cinram Manufacturing Inc.
CMC Magnetics Corporation
Corel Corporation
Cryptography Research Inc.
Custom Technology Inc.
CustomFlix Labs, Inc.
CyberLink Corp.
D&M holdings, Inc.
D-Box Technologies Inc.
Daewoo Electronics Corporation
Daikin Industries, Ltd.
DATARIUS Technologies GmbH
Daxon Technology Inc.
DCA Inc.
Deluxe Media Services Inc.
Dolby Laboratories Inc.
Dr. Schwab Inspection Technology GmbH
Dreamer Co., Ltd.
DTS, Inc.
Eclipse Data Technologies
Elpida Memory, Inc.
Esmertec
Expert Magnetics Corp.
Falcon Technologies International
FUJIFILM Corporation
Fujitsu Ltd.
Fujitsu Ten Ltd.
Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
GalleryPlayer Media Networks
Gear Software
General Members
Gibson Guitar Corp.
Global Machinery Co., Ltd.
Gowell Electronic Limited
Hie Electronics, Inc.
Hoei Sangyo Co., Ltd
Horizon Semiconductor.
IMAGICA Corp.
Imation Corp.
Info Source Multi Media Ltd.
INFODISC Technology Co., Ltd.
Infomedia Inc.
Intersil Corporation
Iwatsu Test Instruments
Kenwood Corporation
Kobe Steel Co. Ltd.
Konica Minolta Opto Inc.
Lauda Co. Ltd.
Lead Data Inc.
LEADER ELECTRONICS CORP
Lenovo
LINTEC Corporation
Lionsgate Entertainment
LITE-ON IT Corporation
Macrovision Corp.
Magnum Semiconductor, Inc.
MainConcept AG
MediaTek Inc.
Meridian Audio Ltd.
MIT Technology Co., Ltd.
Mitsubishi Kagaku Media Co.Ltd.
Mitsui Chemicals Inc.
Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd.
Monster Cable Products
Moser Baer India Limited
MoSys Incorporated
Must Technology Co., Ltd.
MX Production Services
NEC Electronics Corporation
NEC Personal Products Ltd.
Nero
Netflix Inc.
Newtech Infosystems Inc.
NexWave Solutions
NHK Technical Services, Inc.
Nichia Corporation
Nikkatsu Corporation
NTT Electronics Corporation
nVidia Corporation
OC Oerlikon Balzer AG
Omnibus Japan Inc.
Onkyo Corporation
Online Media Technologies Ltd.
Ono Sokki Co., Ltd.
OPT Corporation
Optodisc Technology Corporation
Origin Electric Co., Ltd.
Osmosys SA
Pico House
Pixela Corporation
Plannet Associates
PoINT Software & Systems GmbH
Pony Canyon Enterprise
Primera Technology, Inc.
Prodisc Technology Inc.
Pulstec Industrial Co., Ltd.
Q-TEC, Inc.
Quanta Storage Inc.
Quantized Systems
Realtek Semiconductors
Ricoh Co., Ltd.
Rimage Corporation
Ritek Corporation
Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
ShibaSoku Co. Ltd.
Sigma Designs Inc.
Silicon Integrated Systems Corporation
Singulus Technologies
Sonic Solutions
Sony BMG Music Entertainment
ST Microelectronics
Sunext
Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd.,
Targray Technology International Inc.
TEAC Corporation
Teijin Chemicals Ltd.
Texas Instruments, Inc.
The Cannery
THX Ltd.
Toei Video Company Ltd.
Toho Company, Ltd.
Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.
TOPTICA Photonics AG
Trailer Park
UmeDisc Ltd.
Universal Music Group, Inc.
Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
VideACE Inc.
Visionare Corporation
Yamaha Corporation
Yokogawa Electric Corporation
Zentek Technology Japan, Inc.
ZOOtech Ltd.
Zoran Corporation
Acer Inc.
ACSES Co.,Ltd.
Ad Seeds Co.,Ltd
Allion Test Labs, Inc.
Almedio Inc.
Alpine Electronics, Inc.
Altech Ads Co.
ArcSoft, Inc
AudioDev AB
B.H.A Corporation
Bandai Visual Co.
BEKO Elektronik
Broadcom Corporation
Canon Inc.
CDN Corporation
Clariant Japan
CMC Magnetics Corporation
Corel Corporation
CyberLink Corp
D&M Holdings Inc.
Daikin Industries
Daiko.co,ltd.
Daxon Technology Inc.
Dedicated Devices, Inc.
DigiOn, Inc.
Digital Site Corporation
Disc Labo Corp.
Dolby Labs, Japan
Dr. Schwab Inspection Technology GmbH
DT Japan, Inc.
DTS, Inc.
Ebistrade, Inc.
Entertainment Network Inc.
Exa International
Expert Magnetics Corp.
Finepack . Co.,LTD
Flag,Inc.
Fuji Photo Film Co.
Fuji Plastic Co.
Fuji Seiki Co.
Fujitsu Limited.
Funai Electric Co.
Gear Software, Inc
Gibson Musical Instruments
GM Records
Hamamatsu Metrix co.,ltd.
Hitachi Corporation
Hitachi Maxell, Ltd.
Hoei Sangyo Co.
IDE-AVA
IMAGICA Corp.
Imation Corp
Info Source Multi Media Korea Ltd.
Infodisc Technology Co.
Intel Corporation
Itri
Jp Co., Ltd
Justsystem Corporation
Kadokawa Holdings, Inc.
Kaleidescape, Inc.
Kenwood Corporation
Kinyosha Printing Co.
Konica Minolta Opto, Inc.
Lenovo Japan
McRay Corporation
Megan Media Holdings Bhd
Microsoft Corporation
Mitomo Co., Ltd
Mitsubishi Kagaku Media Co., Ltd. / Verbatim
Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.
Moser Baer India Ltd
MPO INTERNATIONAL
Nero AG
NetBlender, Inc.
NHK Technical Services, INC.
Nichia Corporation
Nihonvtr Inc.
Nikkatsu Corporation
nixbu Entertainment GmbH & Co. KG
Oerlikon Japan Co., Ltd.
Omnibus Japan
Onken Corporation
Onkyo Corporation
Online Media Technologies Ltd.
Origin Electric Co.
Outpost FX (AB) International
Paramount Home Entertainment
Pegasys, Inc.
Pico House Co.,Ltd
Pixela Corporation
Plasmon OMS Sarl
Pony Canyon Inc.
PonyCanyon Enterprise INC.
Proboxx, Inc
Prodisc Technology Inc.
Protron Digital Inc.
Pryaid Records Inc.
Pulstec Industrial Co.
Q-Tec,Inc.
Query inc
Ricoh Co.
Ritek Corporation
Sanken Media Product Co., Ltd.
Shibaura Mechatronics Corporation
Sonic Solutions
Sonopress GmbH
Sumitomo Heavy Industries. Ltd
Super Vision, Inc.
Taiyo Yuden Co.
Teac Corporation
Teijin Chemicals Ltd.
Toei Video Co.
Toemi Media Solutions Limited
Toho Company, Limited.
tokyo laboratory ltd.
Toppan Printing Co.
Toptica Photonics AG
Toyo Recording Co.
Transmix Co.
Trendy Corporation
U-Tech Media Corp.
Ulead Systems, Inc.
Universal Pictures
Vap Inc.
Visionare Corporation
Warner Home Video Inc.

Other interesting facts:

  • The Nichi Corporation, who holds the design patents to the Blu-ray's laser system, sits as an associate member of the HD DVD Promotion Group.

  • Even though Apple sits on the Blu-ray Board of Directors, its DVD Studio Pro software supports authoring HD DVD media.

  • Blu-ray, unlike HD DVD, requires a hard coating on its discs because it's 0.5m closer to the surface. The polymer coating it uses, called Durabis, was developed by TDK and is supposedly extremely resilient and fingerprint resistant.


  • The Java platform is mandatory on Blu-ray as it's the standard for menus/multimedia (i.e. all Blu-ray systems must support JVM).

  • Microsoft, of course, did eventually side with HD DVD -- not surprising, given its number of long-standing IP cross-licensing deals with Toshiba. HD DVD systems continue to run Windows CE.

  • The first consumer Blu-ray device in the US market wound up being the Samsung BD-P1000, and not the PlayStation 3 as expected.


http://www.engadget.com/2005/09/19/blu-ray-vs-hd-dvd-state-of-the-s-union-s-division/