Blu-ray disc production is up sharply over the past year. Within four more years it is expected to rise to billions of units.

Futuresource, a research firm, says that BD production is likely to hit 400 million discs in 2010, a 60 percent increase from 2009. By 2014, two billion discs are likely to be shipped worldwide.

The analysts say growing ownership of players and falling disc prices have both played a role in Blu-ray's current growth. They say 3D is likely to give it an additional boost. In particular, the expiration of Panasonic's Avatar exclusive in February 2012 will give the format a shot in the arm.

The Dish Network is going 3D, at least in a small way, with an initial round of movies in 3D 1080p from Dish Cinema On Demand.

December offerings will include Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore, The Last Airbender, A Christmas Carol, and Step Up 3D. In January Dish will dish out Despicable Me, Shrek Forever After, and Saw: The Final Chapter. Pricing will be $5.99-7.99, probably an improvement over your local 3D movie theater. Resolution will be 1080p but the announcement did not reveal the 3D format to be used.

Dish is also running a Home for the Holidays Sweepstakes through the end of this month. Rent a qualifying program and you may win a Sony 46-inch LED-backlit LCD TV, Sony sat nav, Sony Webbie HD camera, a Fox Family Price Pack, "and more."

Price: $1,500 At A Glance: Vibration-killing fifth foot and other refinements • HQV Vida video processing, DLNA certification • Proprietary YPAO auto setup and room correction

On the Right Foot

Surround aficionados often look at the front and back panels of an A/V receiver under consideration. But how often do we flip over the AVR and look at its bottom? If you do that with the Yamaha Aventage RX-A2000, you’ll see a total of five feet. The fifth foot, Yamaha’s press release explains, is there “to improve structural rigidity, reduce vibration, and improve sound.” Some Aventage models also include double-bottom construction and other improved parts. With all these changes, Yamaha is confident enough to add an extra year to the warranty, now three years for Aventage AVRs.

Another day, another Comcast story. While the cable giant has been attracting headlines over its controversial net-neutrality stance, it's also quietly trying out new things, one of which is a set-top box that handles both television and internet content.

The Xcalibur box can search live TV, on demand, and recorded material including web material. No, it doesn't offer the same broad selection of web video that you'd get on a PC or other browser-equipped device. But Comcast people say the selection will broaden over time as the device moves from the current testing stage to more widespread use.

The Wall Street Journal describes the interface as "fluid and graphical. A menu displays a strip of images representing recently watched channels and programs, which expand when selected. A redesigned 'guide' displays a cleaner grid of programs by network and airtime so that it's possible to watch TV on part of the screen while browsing."