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HD Advisor 5.1 SurroundEditor's Note: Each Friday, High-Def Digest's own HD Advisor will answer a new round of questions from our readers. If you have home theater questions you need answered, send an email to [email protected]. If you've already sent a question and don't see it answered yet, please be patient as we work our way through them. To browse through previously answered questions, visit the main HD Advisor page. Answers by Joshua Zyber 120 Hz without Frame Interpolation Q: I just read your HD Advisor 50 and have a question about your suggestion that frame interpolation can be turned off. If you turn it off, do you lose the advantage (e.g. reduced motion blur) of the faster refresh rate that 120 Hz TVs have? Is there then any need to buy a 120 Hz TV if you don't like that "camcorder" look? Or can you still have the increased refresh rate without frame interpolation? I have a 60 Hz 1080p TV, and I'm wondering if going to 120Hz has any advantage to me if I'm one of those people that hates that artificial video look. A: Yes, when you turn off the frame interpolation feature on a 120 Hz HDTV, you will still benefit from the fast refresh rate. A 120 Hz TV always runs at 120 Hz, and will automatically convert any input signal to that frame rate. It will not slow down its refresh rate to 60 Hz just because you've turned off frame interpolation. 120 Hz was chosen for these displays because it's an even multiple of 60 Hz (the common frame rate of NTSC and broadcast HD sources) and 24 Hz (the frame rate of 1080p content on Blu-ray). When frame interpolation is turned off, the TV will apply 2:2 Pulldown to all 60 Hz input signals. This means that each frame in the source is doubled and refreshed twice as fast, without any interpolation. The TV will also apply 5:5 Pulldown to 24 Hz sources, which duplicates each frame 5 times. A simple multiplication of the original frames will look seamless to your eye, but will reduce the motion blur inherent to LCD displays. When frame interpolation is applied, that does more than just multiply the original frames in the content. The TV uses pieces of the original frames to create brand new "in-between" frames. Those artificial frames are what makes the picture smeary and causes movies to look like they were shot on camcorder. 3-D Shutter Glasses Q: I have a shutter glasses that I purchased with my Samsung DLP 3-D ready TV. I was wondering if they will work with the new Samsung 3-D TVs that are coming out? A: As far as I'm aware, those shutter glasses will only work with the TVs they were made for. The type of 3-D that Samsung and Mitsubishi built into their previous "3-D ready" DLP TVs was an older format that only provided approximately 540p resolution to each eye. The new 3-D standard being released this year has been completely overhauled, and will now provide full 1080p resolution to each eye. Also, the old shutter glasses were designed to work at a standard 60 Hz refresh rate, while the new 3-D format requires a 120 Hz rate. That alone should prevent the old glasses from syncing with the new hardware. And, let's face it, even if the old glasses could be made to sync with the new TVs, the manufacturers want you to buy new glasses for your new TV anyway. I'm sure they'd change all the emitter frequencies just to prevent you from using the old glasses. Blu-ray Player with 2 HDMI Outputs Q: I am in the market to purchase a new Blu-ray player a little better than my PS3. One thing that I'm looking for is a player that actually bitstreams Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio instead of decoding internally. Another thing I'm looking for if possible is a player that has two HDMI ports (1 for video and 1 for audio) so I can be sure that I don't get any interference between the two signals passing through the same HDMI. The reason that I'm even looking for this is because I have noticed that certain movies that have gotten really good audio ratings in reviews I've felt were very underwhelming on my Onkyo system. So I'm questioning if I'm getting some interference on some discs. I had heard that they were coming out with players that have 2 ports. Is there such a player that has 2 HDMI ports. If so, are they worth it? A: Blu-ray players with separate HDMI outputs for video and audio do exist. These are generally high-end models targeted to the audiophile crowd, such as the Denon DVD-A1UDCI (MSRP $4,500). It so happens that Panasonic will be releasing a new 3-D Blu-ray player with two HDMI outputs, model DMP-BDT350, later this year. Because 3-D video requires an HDMI 1.4 connection, it may not be able to pass through existing A/V receivers that only have HDMI 1.3. A Blu-ray player with two HDMI outputs will allow users to route the video directly from player to TV by HDMI 1.4, while routing the audio to an HDMI 1.3 receiver separately. The more pertinent question here is whether you need to go to this effort in your specific circumstance. In my opinion, no. HDMI has more than enough bandwidth to accommodate carrying video and audio on the same cable. You will not get any interference between the two. These are digital data streams. The cable cannot "color" the end results of a digital transmission, as might happen with analog signals. If you've been disappointed by the sound quality of highly-reviewed Blu-ray discs, the HDMI output of your PS3 is just about the least likely culprit that might be causing it. Your speakers are the biggest determining factor in the sound quality that you hear. If your speakers can't reproduce the full frequency range of a Blu-ray soundtrack, replacing the Blu-ray player will do nothing for you. Upgrading your speakers will improve the sound quality of all sources you listen to. After the speakers, the next most important factor is your receiver, and the quality of its Digital-to-Analog Conversion and amplification. Again, if your receiver has poor DAC or amp components, those will limit the quality of anything that passes through them, no matter how pure the signal. It's also extremely important that you calibrate you speaker levels and bass crossover settings with a sound level meter and calibration disc, if you haven't already. Many receivers these days offer auto calibration tools such as Audyssey MultEQ, in which you place an included microphone at various points throughout your room and let the receiver calculate its own optimal settings. In my experience, these generally work pretty well for a quick-and-dirty calibration. However, you can probably fine-tune your results more accurately (or more to your own personal preferences) by doing your own measurements. Any of these things will have a more immediate and substantive impact on the sound quality of your system than your Blu-ray player's HDMI output. Homework Assignment: You Be the Advisor The HD Advisor knows many things, but he doesn't know everything. Some questions are best answered with a consensus of opinions from our readers. If you can help to answer the following question, please post your response in our forum thread linked at the end of this article. Your advice and opinions matter too! Resume Play Function on Java Discs Q: I know it's been mentioned that the "resume" function is not possible on a BD-Java enabled disc. What I would like to understand is why isn't it possible? With all the technological advances in multimedia, I cannot understand why it's not possible to fix this with a simple firmware update. Is the limitation the hardware? JZ: You've got me. It bothers me as well that such a seemingly-simple feature has been eliminated from a significant number of Blu-ray titles. Can any of our other readers shed some light on the real reasons (technical or otherwise) why Resume Play doesn't work on Java-enabled discs? Was this just an oversight in the format specs, or is there really an insurmountable hurdle that prevents it from working with Java? Check back soon for another round of answers. Keep those questions coming. Joshua Zyber's opinions are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of this site, its owners or employees.Posted Fri Mar 26, 2010 at 11:25 AM PDT by: -
'Poseidon' Announced and Detailed for Blu-ray[teaser]Wolfgang Petersen's other big-wave-movie will flip onto Blu-ray in April. [/teaser] Previously only released on HD DVD, Warner Brothers has finally announced 'Poseidon' starring Kurt Russell and Josh Lucas for a Blu-ray release on April 6. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include: In-movie experience: Josh Lucas leads you through the trials of creating visual effects, special effects and action on an upside-down, water-filled set; Poseidon: A Ship on a Soundstage: the complexities of making a modern adventure movie; A Shipmate's Diary: a film school intern's experiences on the set; Poseidon: Upside Down: a unique set design chronicle; and Rogue Waves (History Channel documentary): explore the mystery of this powerful phenomenon of nature. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray has been set at $24.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Poseidon' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under April 6.Posted Fri Mar 26, 2010 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
Mozaex Solo 1 is the World’s Most Affordable Blu-ray Server[teaser]The Solo 1 has up to 2TB of storage and can play 1080p video and 7.1 channel surround with the best of them. And, for a Blu-ray Server, it’s nice and inexpensive. [/teaser] Blu-ray servers aren’t for everyone. They’re expensive, they’re time consuming to setup, and they have limited functionality. The Mozaex Solo 1 is no exception, but it does strive to be the most practical one yet. The Solo 1 holds up to 2TB worth of Blu-ray content, which averages out to be around 25 movies. No matter what room of the house you’re in, you can watch content directly from the Solo 1. It’s a cool setup for sure. Of course, it plays a lot more than just backed up Blu-rays. Netflix and Pandora are both enabled on the Solo 1, and ripped CDs, DVDs , MP3s and other files all play back on the Solo 1 to any location in the house. It’s small, it’s quiet, and it’s the lightest Blu-ray server yet, at just over six pounds. It’s built especially for hanging out on server racks in homes or on yachts. The Mozaex Solo 1 is available now, but even as the most affordable Blu-ray server, it retails at “just under $4,300.” Source: Home ToysPosted Thu Mar 25, 2010 at 02:45 PM PDT by: -
HDD Spotlight Bargain: 'Marley and Me' Blu-ray $12.99 at Amazon[teaser]Lonely labrador retriever in need of home. Innocent and playful. Reeeeeally playful. Adopt today on Blu-ray for under $13![/teaser] The online retailer is selling the family feature film 'Marley and Me' starring Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson for just $12.99 (57% off suggested list price). If you're a dog lover, click here to order your copy of this Blu-ray/DVD combo today!Posted Thu Mar 25, 2010 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
Blockbuster Kiosks Get 28 Day Warner Brothers Delay[teaser]Blockbuster’s counting on their kiosks to help bring the struggling company out of the hole it’s, but the new agreement with WB puts them in the same boat as RedBox and Netflix. [/teaser] Now that Blockbuster has announced that bankruptcy is a possibility, the pressure’s on to innovate, or at least replicate someone else’s good ideas. The idea they’re pushing now is the Blockbuster Express kiosk, inspired by the unrivaled success of RedBox. So what advantage does a Blockbuster Express kiosk have to a RedBox kiosk? Up until now, they’ve had Warner Bros movies for rent on the same day they were available in stores. It’s nice to be able to rent something on the day of release, but it’s something Warner Brothers hasn’t been excited about. So, like RedBox and Netflix, Blockbuster has signed an agreement with Warner Bros to delay the rental of DVDs four weeks in their kiosks. It’s not an unexpected move, but it does set Blockbuster Express kiosks at the same level as other non-store rental alternatives. Source: BlockbusterPosted Thu Mar 25, 2010 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
'Crazy Heart' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The gripping drama about a faded country singer based on the novel by Thomas Cobb is coming to Blu-ray in April. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, 20th Century Fox is working on Scott Cooper's 'Crazy Heart,' starring Jeff Bridges (in his Oscar winning role), Maggie Gyllenhaal (in her Oscar nominated turn), and Colin Farrell, in preparation for a Blu-ray release on April 20. Specs and supplements haven't been revealed yet, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Crazy Heart' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under April 20.Posted Wed Mar 24, 2010 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
Blu Goes Green with 'Avatar' in April[teaser]20th Century Fox partners with the Earth Day network to plant one million trees and launch the interactive "Avatar Program" with the release of James Cameron's blockbuster. [/teaser] As previously rumored the mega hit 'Avatar' starring Sam Worthington and Sigourney Weaver is coming to DVD and Blu-ray on Earth Day (April 22). Inside the Blu-ray/DVD combo of the film will be a special code giving customers exclusive access to bonus materials and offers, including a coupon towards the purchase of the planned special edition release in November. Fox and the Earth Day Network will also plant one million trees in fifteen countries before the end of 2010, which fans will be able to adopt by registering at avatarmovie.com. In addition, there will be other digital initiatives including: “Pandorama” – Via a computer’s webcam users can immerse themselves into the world of Pandora, inserting themselves into different locations from the movie and interacting with the elements in each; users can snap postcards and share amongst friends only at www.pandorama.avatarmovie.com “Pandorapedia” – The official guide to the world of Pandora and James Cameron’s AVATAR, fans enter a world beyond imagination with hundreds of facts on Pandora that can be accessed online at www.pandorapedia.com “Immersive Trailer” – The first-ever interactive trailer allows fans to click on any part of the video to explore detail frame-by-frame and in-context “hot spots” that will offer meticulous information on characters, locations and more “Interactive Desktop Wallpaper” – Instant access to all things AVATAR including newsfeeds, videos, social network updates and exclusive content that is updated automatically right on your desktop The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and as previously mentioned this release won't have any supplements. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Avatar' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under April 22.Posted Wed Mar 24, 2010 at 11:30 AM PDT by: -
'Wild Things: Foursome' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]The direct-to-video thriller is headed for Blu-ray this June. [/teaser] Sony Pictures is bringing 'Wild Things: Foursome' to Blu-ray on June 1. Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $38.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Wild Things: Foursome' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under June 1.Posted Wed Mar 24, 2010 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
'The White Ribbon' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke's 2009 Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or winner and Academy Award nominee is planned for Blu-ray this June. [/teaser] Sony Pictures is bringing 'The White Ribbon' to Blu-ray on June 29. Specs have yet to be revealed, but supplements will include: Making of White Ribbon, My Life, and Cannes Film Festival Premiere. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $38.95. You can find the latest specs for 'The White Ribbon' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under June 29.Posted Wed Mar 24, 2010 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
'Cats & Dogs' Reign on Blu-ray[teaser]Cats rule, dogs drool! The canine vs. feline battle for supremacy spills over into high-definition this July! [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Warner Brothers is working on the family comedy 'Cats & Dogs,' starring Jeff Goldblum and Elizabeth Perkins, for a Blu-ray release on July 20. Specs haven't been revealed yet, but supplements will include: Commentary by actor Sean Hayes, director Lawrence Guterman, producer Chris DeFaria and production designer James Bissell; HBO First Look: Cats & Dogs; Teaching a New Dog New Tricks; Mr. Tinkles Audition Tape; Dogs Rule; Mr. Tinkles Speech; Storyboard comparisons; and Concept sketches. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is still undetermined at the time. You can find the latest specs for 'Cats & Dogs' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under July 20.Posted Wed Mar 24, 2010 at 06:00 AM PDT by:
