Panasonic today introduced an expanded Blu-ray Disc Player lineup with two new Full HD 3D models – the DMP-BDT330, DMP-BDT230, and two 2D Blu-ray Disc Players – the DMP-BD89 and DMP-BD79.

The 3D-capable models include Panasonic’s proprietary IPTV platform, VIERA Connect1, while the 2D models feature IP VOD, a service that offers a limited selection of such sites as Netflix, HuluPlus, Amazon Instant Video, Vudu, CinemaNow and YouTube.

A new feature, Display Mirroring, takes into account the increased smartphone and tablet use while viewing programming on your TV.

Now simply with a flick of the hand, users can take content on their smartphone or tablet and view the same images, videos or games on a large screen to share with family and friends.

All 2013 Blu-ray Disc Players include built-in Wi-Fi with the exception of the BD79 which is wireless-ready, enabling users to access additional content and services through the internet without the need to tether your device.

Panasonic’s line of Blu-ray Players also features high-quality network audio (DLNA compatable) as well as 192kHz/32bit Audio DAC on the 3D-capable models (BDT500) and built-in 4K up-scaling (BDT330).

Additionally the BDT500, BBT01, BDT330 and BDT230 feature 2D-3D conversion for any content and the BDT500 and BDT330 models also include twin HDMI ports.

The two new 3D-capable Blu-ray models also include Miracast – a display mirroring feature which enables users to transfer their own photos and videos captured on Smartphone and Tablet devices to their HDTV screen with the swipe of a finger.

The 3D-capable Blu-ray models also feature a Web Browser with pointer cursor for easy maneuvering, while all models in the 2013 lineup also feature external HDD Playback and personalized menu options on the Blu-ray lineup.

CES 2012 is finally over and I am back home after a week in Las Vegas.

Highlights for Blu-ray Disc included a couple of innovations at the Sony booth with respect to players.

The first is the new top of the line player designed to upconvert 1080p Blu-ray content to 4K2K for the new higher resolution displays and projectors.

Perhaps more interesting was the Blu-ray player with Google TV, that featured a new remote with a touch pad navigation input, a full keyboard on the back and even a microphone for spoken word control.

Other innovations were more related to the recordable platform, with CMC from Taiwan showing BD-R media with extended archival life as well as BD-R with lenticular 3D printing on the face.

TDK and Memorex brands sported the new BDXL format extension with 100 GB and 128 GB capacity, and secure BD-R that can safely store content with a password key.

Corel was also showing off the latest WinDVD playback software for PCs that handles Blu-ray 3D, 2D to 3D conversion (for DVD only) and playback from BDXL media.

In a wider sense, for me the key products were new displays, including 55″ OLED displays from Samsung and LG, and Crystal LED from Sony.

Sony took things a step further though with their $25,000 4K2K projector hitting an 18 foot diagonal screen.

JVC was also showing a 4K2K projector using e-Shift technology to upconvert a 1080p projector to 4K2K, along with a 1080p 3D mode with one of the strongest 3D presentations you are likely to see.

With native contrast ratio as high as 120,000:1, the JVC projectors are also winning big in terms of contrast.

Panasonic also had 4K2K this year, though in an incredibly small 20″ display, with an IPS LCD pixel array at 216 dpi.

Perhaps in an effort to top them all, Sharp presented their 85″ 8K4K UHDTV capable display, showing UHSDTV footage in native 8K from NHK.

Well CES 2011 is finally over and I am almost back to normal.

There was certainly plenty to see there and the industry feels a little rejuvenated this year with 140,000 people attending the show.

Probably the biggest topic at the show was 3D, which showed up in many guises from capture to display.

Both Panasonic and Sony were showing off their professional rigs for 3D film production – Sony even had the car from The Green Hornet on display to demonstrate their system.

Both companies were also showing off their solutions for consumer 3D, with 3D camcorders on display and Sony showing 3D editing with their Vegas software package.

On the playback side, Sony was showing off a full resolution 3D capable VAIO laptop using active shutter technology.

Corel was also showing off their WinDVD software playing back Blu-ray 3D on an Acer laptop at the Showstoppers event.

Autostereopic displays, or ‘3D without glasses’, was also demonstrated in its infant form, with displays from relative unknowns like iPont through to the big boys like Toshiba and Sony.

Sony perhaps had the most convincing display, with a 4k2k display that probably had the best performance, but in all honesty I found that the experience tended to make me feel a little nauseous.

Sony was also demonstrating a portable Blu-ray 3D player prototype with no glasses needed to see the 3D effect on the little screen.

As for regular Blu-ray players, pretty much all of the future models are 3D capable players and companies like Samsung and LG are taking style to another level with the products on display.

Samsung was showing off their slick new Home Theater in a Box, and the wall mountable BD-D7500 Blu-ray3D player will look great with a nice new wall mounted flat screen display.

Blu-ray drives were not forgotten either, with Plextor demonstrating new 12x external drives with the new USB3 interface and Verbatim showing samples of the new 100 GB triple layer BDXL writable Blu-ray Discs.

This extra high capacity technology will not likely be compatible with older players, though we should be able to take advantage of the extra space for video once the players catch up.

LG was also showing an external Blu-ray drive that is compatible with this extension of the format, claiming writing capability for 100GB and 128GB discs.

This brings up an interesting point.

Blu-ray will probably be the last disc media, though with that said this media will likely be extended in capacity and speed, to handle higher bitrates, multiple streams as with for 3D and higher resolution like 4k2k images.

As we have seen with the roll out of picture in picture, BD Live networking and 3D capability, the Blu-ray format continues to evolve to dangle carrot after carrot to keep us hungry for a new player.

As such the format has a lot of life left in it yet, though as solid state memory gets cheaper, there will likely be a time where it just makes sense to abandon rotating media for good.

Watch for more CES related stories over the next few weeks.

Have you always wanted a portable Blu-ray Player but been shocked by the sticker price?

Right now Amazon has a great deal for you, with a Panasonic portable Blu-ray player for less than $180.

The unit is has an 8.9 inch screen with 1024×600 screen resolution.

While it seems a little lacking, is actually equivalent to tablets like the iPad for 16:9 ratio movies and Panasonic’s current 10 inch player has no more resolution.

In addition to playing back Blu-ray titles, the unit can also display AVCHD off discs or SDHC cards, so if you have a camera that shoots AVCHD, this player seems ideal.

On the downside, there are no connections for an external display, though it does come with a car charger for use on those long road trips.

No BD Live on this unit either, but it does support profile 1.1 picture in picture.

With a retail price of $499, the $179.44 pricing represents great savings!

Today at CES I spent an hour at the Panasonic booth where Fox and Panasonic presented a Director’s panel, discussing the benefits of Blu-ray Disc in home theater.

Directors Michael Mann, Oliver Stone and Baz Luhrmann were on hand to answer questions.

Topics included the benefits of Blu-ray Disc and other questions about their films.

Being a Fox presentation, clips were shown of The Last of the Mohicans, Wall Street and Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps as well as Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge!.

Michael Mann seemed to be pretty fixated on bitrate, saying that Blu-ray offers the highest quality of content delivery while Stone and Luhrmann both commented on the ability to see age old films in pristine condition, often as good as a film print can offer.

Luhrmann also commented on the opportunity to restore films and colour correct in ways that were not possible when the films were released theatrically, though he warned of over processing films to the point where they are not recognizable, perhaps referring to Digital Noise Reduction used on titles like Predator (Ultimate Hunter Edition).

All in all it was an excellent presentation and enjoyable discussion!

Panasonic has a great deal for anyone who has purchased a Panasonic 3D Viera HDTV.

Recognizing the demand for their new promotional title, Panasonic has announced a loyalty program where current owners of Panasonic 3D equipment can acquire their very own copy of Avatar in Blu-ray 3D format.

All you need to do is fill out the Loyalty Form here and submit it with copy of your receipt.

I will be sending in mine and will let you know how the Avatar Blu-ray 3D looks when I get it.

The disc is much like the original Blu-ray release, the theatrical cut only with no extras.

Expect a fuller Blu-ray 3D release at a later date which will be a general wide release.

One of the exciting new opportunities afforded by Blu-ray technology is the release of high quality 3D content in a format for home theater.

The DEG (Digital Entertainment Group), which represents the home entertainment industry, has announced an abundance of Blu-ray 3D titles arriving at retail for the holiday season.

The list includes 9 new titles hitting shelves next week, just in time for Black Friday.

The DEG has also announced 36 titles that will be available through the end of the year, and notes that there will also be dozens more Blu-ray 3D titles coming in 2011.

That said, a quick perusal of the Amazon Blu-ray 3D page shows 18 titles readily available through 2010, with most of the ‘missing titles’ being exclusives of some kind or other.

The 2010 releases include titles from AIX Records, DreamWorks Animation, Giant Screen Films, Image Entertainment, IMAX Corporation, Lionsgate, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Fox Home Entertainment, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment and Warner Home Video.

The combination of 3D-capable TVs and Blu-ray 3D players bring the 3D theatrical experience home, offering the highest quality full HD 3D in the home.

According to the Blu-ray Disc Association, Blu-ray 3D players currently account for nearly 25 percent of sales of all standalone Blu-ray Disc players in the U.S.

“We are excited to see so much industry support for bringing Blu-ray 3D home,” said Ron Sanders, President, Warner Home Video and President, DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group.

“And now, consumers buying 3D home entertainment systems over Black Friday weekend will have ample 3D programming to accompany them.”

While quite a number of the new titles are available for open sale, some of the titles are exclusive to certain consumer electronics manufactures.

Sony has partnered with Disney, Panasonic with Fox and Universal, and Samsung has pretty much got DreamWorks Animation tied up with exclusive hardware software bundles.

While not all of these bundled titles are especially compelling, it is certainly going to irk some consumers that Panasonic will have exclusive access to Avatar while Samsung holds the key to the Shrek franchise.

While I am sure that these deals are beneficial to the manufacturers, I see them as unfriendly to the customer, forcing them to expensive eBay auctions or other illegitimate means to acquire these titles.

Still, eventually these titles will become available to a wider audience as the user base increases in size.

In any case I am excited to see this technology have its day and am happy to have my own 3D display now to enjoy these new releases.

See the list of Blu-ray 3D titles the DEG announced through the end of the year after the break: (more…)

Panasonic has amped up their CES 3D demonstration this year with a presentation on a 152 inch 4k2k plasma display.

The demo covered a number of Panasonic technologies, including the new live 3D cameras and the improved plasma technology needed to work with their 120Hz shutter based 3D.

Panasonic also had a wide range of Blu-ray support elsewhere in their booth, showing their range of players including their portable model.

It is great to see Panasonic bringing so much innovation to their players and displays.

Be sure to follow Blu-rayStats on Twitter to see more CES news.

It has been a busy week with a lot to do as CES kicks off for another year.

I was thinking that this year would be the year for 3D and it seems that this will indeed be the case with both Panasonic and Samsung announcing Blu-ray players with 3D capability.

LG is heading in a different direction, adding a hard disk drive to their Blu-ray offering for mass storage of media, making the Blu-ray player more of a media center.

I will be catching a flight for Las Vegas myself soon and with any luck will spend some time with these new players in the flesh.

At Sony Style right now you can save $50 instantly on the Sony BDP-S360 Blu-ray Disc Player, now only $249.99.

This promotion starts July 19th and ends August 1st.

Alternatively you can also buy the at Sony BDP-S360 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player at Amazon for $217.99.

Prices on players are certainly coming down – right now you can get the  Panasonic DMP-BD60 1080p Blu-ray Player at Amazon for only $194.50.