Home Media Magazine - April 27 - May 3, 2008 - (Page 12) HIGH-DEF www.homemediamagazine.com Sony Mulling PS3 Video Distribution By Erik Gruenwedel ublished reports suggest Sony Corp. is working with studios to deliver movies via its PlayStation 3 game system — possibly beginning this summer. The Los Angeles Times, citing studio sources, said the initial service will include movies and TV shows. An Associated Press story cited similar BRIEFS I BD LIVE SOFTWARE DEBUTS San Francisco-based software developer Related Content Database (RCDb) formally launched its BD Live Platform software that enables studios and consumer electronics manufacturers to interact directly with consumers via Blu-ray movies and Internet-enabled players. Connectivity between the consumer, studios and content creators remains one of the cornerstones of Blu-ray technology, in addition to improved resolution, audio and disc capacity. BD Live Platform was showcased in January at CES featuring an interactive video game developed for 20th Century Fox’s April 15 Blu-ray release Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem. The feature lets two BD Live players anywhere in the world play a game superimposed on top of the film as it runs – Erik Gruenwedel on both players. Sonic’s Scenarist 4.5 software, the authoring software suite for Blu-ray, debuted April 17 at the National Association of Broadcasters show in Las Vegas and includes enhancements to creating BD Live features, as well as new security tools for – Chris Tribbey BD Live. P sources and the Times story. Sony’s previous attempts at movie and music distribution via the Web included partnerships in Movielink, which was sold last year to Blockbuster Inc., and music download service Sony Connect, which shuttered last month. Naturally, studio and Sony representatives aren’t talking on the re- cord, but Sony executive Peter Dille indicated as much on his PlayStation blog. “Ultimately the goal of the PlayStation Network service will be to break through the overwhelming clutter of digital media to give you the TV, movies and gaming content you want,” Dille wrote. I FOX HAS BLU-RAY TITLES FOR DAD ON FATHER’S DAY 20th Century Fox is taking aim at hightech dads. As a Father’s Day promotion, the studio is releasing five classic war movies on Blu-ray Disc and pitching them as an ideal gift for dad. Three of the films are from Fox, while the other two are from MGM. The Fox group: The Longest Day (1962), Patton (1970) and The Sand Pebbles (1966). From MGM’s vaults come Battle of Britain (1969) and A Bridge Too Far (1977). – Thomas K. Arnold SONY’S ‘VANTAGE POINT’ BLU-RAY WILL HAVE MORE EXTRAS By Chris Tribbey Blu-ray Mandatory Managed Copy May Not Be So Mandatory After All By Chris Tribbey anaged Copy, the highly touted digital feature for Blu-ray Disc, may not be included in the final specifications of the Advanced Access Content System (AACS) content protection system used on the discs. Consumer Electronics Daily reported the technology, which would let Blu-ray Disc owners download their movie for back-up purposes or watch it on other devices, will not be included in finalized AACS specifications. Final specifications are expected this summer, the news service reported. Calls to AACS licensing administrator officials for comment were not returned by press time. ony Pictures Home Entertainment will offer a different Vantage Point for those who buy the film on Bluray Disc July 1 (prebook May 29). Among the Blu-ray exclusive special features is a Vantage View: GPS Tracker option, which lets viewers track the on-screen movements of every character throughout the movie’s overlapping timeline. The Blu-ray and the two-DVD special edition will include interviews with the cast and crew, a deleted scene and a commentary. The two-DVD set includes a digital copy. Sony also will street day-and-date a bare-bones single-DVD version and a UMD version. S M Content licensing problems were stopping AACS from including Managed Copy, which had been considered mandatory for both HD DVD and Blu-ray in the final specifications, the news service reported. However, Andy Parsons, marketing director of the Blu-ray Disc Association, said that while Managed Copy is an “understandably complex effort,” he did not believe AACS or the studios have given up on it. A digital copy of Hitman was included with the Blu-ray Disc from 20th Century Fox, and Lionsgate will include an iTunes digital copy on the May 27 Rambo Blu-ray. Several studios have included digital copies of movies on DVD releases. I MEDIA-TECH EXPO TO DEMO BLU-RAY DISC ROADSHOW Sony DADC’s Blu-ray Disc Roadshow will be front and center May 6-8 at the Media-Tech Expo in Frankfurt, Germany. The educational demonstrations will offer a side-by-side comparison of standard DVD vs. Blu-ray, and a look at the interac– Chris Tribbey tive features of Blu-ray. I ASTROLOGY.COM TO DISTRIBUTE H2V SERIES Astrology.com will distribute H2V Media’s documentary series Astro 12: The Collection & Other Esoteric Traditions in fall 2008. The release marks the first Blu-ray documentary series to investigate personal growth and spiritual evolution, according to H2V Media. The series will be available in five languages and will offer 12 episodes (in both standard and high-definition), five music CDs, a book, downloadable wireless content, and other products that will be available on Astrology.com. – Ruby Cardenas I SONIC, SONY PARTNER ON AUTHORING SOFTWARE Sonic Solutions and Sony have teamed to streamline authoring software that enables BD Live features on Blu-ray Discs. TOP 10 HIGH-DEF SELLERS H IG H -D EF SELLER S Week ended April 20, 2008 FORMAT LABEL INDEX TOP 10 HIGH-DEF SELLERS HI GH- DE F S E L L E RS Aggregate by Title Week ended April 20, 2008 FORMAT LABEL INDEX TITLE TITLE The Golden Compass H I G H -D E F C O M I NG U P STREETING The Golden Compass Blu-ray New Line Street Date: 4/29 Mozart: Die Zauberflote Blu-ray BBC/Opus Arte Street Date: 4/29 Saawariya Blu-ray Sony Pictures Street Date: 5/6 Shall We Dance? Blu-ray Disney Street Date: 5/6 PREBOOKING Semi-Pro Blu-ray New Line Pre: 4/29, Street: 6/3 The Bucket List Blu-ray Warner Pre: 5/6, Street: 6/10 Meet the Spartans Blu-ray Fox Pre: 5/7, Street: 6/3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem Juno I Am Legend Predator Aliens vs. Predator: Unrated 2-Pack No Country for Old Men Over America Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead 300 Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story Blu-ray Blu-ray Blu-ray Blu-ray Blu-ray Blu-ray Blu-ray Blu-ray Blu-ray Blu-ray Fox Fox Warner Fox Fox Disney/Miramax Topics Image Warner Sony Pictures 100.00 81.71 35.89 22.91 20.18 16.95 15.18 12.72 11.86 10.92 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem Juno I Am Legend Predator Aliens vs. Predator: Unrated 2-Pack No Country for Old Men Over America Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead 300 Blade Runner: Collector’s Edition Blu-ray Fox Blu-ray Fox BD; HD DVD/DVD Warner Blu-ray Fox Blu-ray Fox Blu-ray Disney/Miramax Blu-ray Topics Blu-ray Image BD; HD DVD/DVD Warner BD; HD DVD Warner 100.00 81.71 42.23 22.91 20.18 16.95 15.18 12.72 12.16 11.02 Source: Nielsen VideoScan First Alert data Source: Nielsen VideoScan First Alert data TOP 5 HIGH-DEF BLU-R AY D ISC Week ended April 20, 2008 LABEL INDEX TOP 5 HIGH-DEF HD DVD Week ended April 20, 2008 LABEL INDEX TITLE TITLE 1 2 3 4 5 Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem Juno I Am Legend Predator Aliens vs. Predator: Unrated 2-Pack Fox Fox Warner Fox Fox 100.00 81.71 35.89 22.91 20.18 1 2 3 4 5 I Am Legend Planet Earth: The Complete Series Transformers Appleseed: Ex Machina Batman Begins Warner 100.00 BBC Video 25.81 Para./DreamWorks 23.18 Warner 18.22 Warner 17.85 Source: Nielsen VideoScan First Alert data Source: Nielsen VideoScan First Alert data 12 Home Media Magazine April 27–May 3, 2008 http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://ASTROLOGY.COM http://Astrology.com http://Astrology.com
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