The bidding war between Toshiba and Microsoft vs. Sony is finally over. You can officially breathe a sigh of relief and plan to purchase that new Sony Blue Ray player. The fact that 75% of all major motion picture companies have agreed to release new films only in the Blu Ray disc format may be enough to get many consumers buying the PlayStation 3, which includes the Blu Ray technology for less than the cost of a stand alone BR Disc player. Just as DVDs and Dolby Digital Surround Sound were a whole new experience, so is the Blu Ray disc compared to HD-DVD.As movie fanatics, all we really crave is the ultimate experience: audio so loud and precise it sounds like the action is happening all around us, and with colors so vivid and details so pronounced we feel the people and places are just in front of us. We want to be immersed in another world for one hundred and twenty minutes. When new DVD players first came out, we were glad we didn’t have to rewind anymore and manufacturers rewarded our open-mindedness by packing the HD DVDs with bonus features, previews and extra sound options. Now, with the advent of Blu Ray disc technology, we’re asked to make another upgrade, but this time in the name of larger storage capabilities, bolder high-definition colors, advanced 7.0 sound and better quality encoding. As a reward, we’ll get more interactive features, not to mention a stunning home theater experience with the new Blu Ray media.
If you’re looking to start your Blu Ray disc collection, then you may want to consider some of the latest Blu Ray titles to come out in this new format. The added features are expected to improve as time goes on and filmmakers create BD DVDs with the interactivity in mind, but there are a few titles that promise to impress new buyers. For instance, the Men In Black Blu Ray release has an interactive trivia game and Disney/Pixar’s Cars Bluray DVD includes a “count-the-cars” game. Alien vs. Predator puts your photo into the game, allowing you to choose your character from marines, aliens or predators and play against friends. The new DVD for Saw 4 in Blu Ray comes with a “Molog” feature, which is short for “Movie-Log” and allows viewers to write and share their comments in a blog. Upcoming BD-J features include: an “Alien Scavenger Hunt” game with Independence Day, a “Global Warming Trivia” quiz with The Day After Tomorrow, and a historical geographical map tracking the characters’ voyage with Master & Commander.
The futures bright, the futures Blu Ray and if you want to how off your new HDTV you are going to want a Blu Ray disc player. Before you go spending your money though, there is an alternative and that’s to buy a Playstation 3 that comes with a Blu Ray player built in. The Playstation makes full use of its Blu Ray capabilities with stunning graphics within its game play so why not get a new games console to go with the new HDTV?
Are you one of the unfortunate ones who invested in HD DVDs last year? If so, then it might comfort you to know that Best Buy and Circuit City feel at least a little bad for misleading you into thinking HD DVD was “the next best thing.” Who knew that all the major players would side with Blu Ray so early on in the high-definition format bidding war? In March, Best Buy announced that it would mail a $50 gift card to any customers who purchased an HD DVD machine before February 23rd. Following suit, Circuit City offered to accept returns of the discontinued Toshiba HD DVD player, in exchange for a store credit toward the Blu Ray disc gear or whatever else the customer would like to choose from the store.
Tags: Movies Television Media