As summer winds down and both camps in the format war rev up for the holiday season more and more titles are being announced in both formats. August will see Lion's Gate release perennial demo favorite <I>Stargate</I> on Blu-ray, and Universal will release such diverse fare as <I>National Lampoon's Animal House</I>, <I>Army of Darkness</I>, and even <I>Fast Times at Ridgemont High</I> on HD DVD.
Exclusive Blu-ray Disc supporter Buena Vista Home Entertainment has announced its first wave of titles on the HD format. Hitting Stores on 9/19 from Walt Disney Pictures will be one time trade show demo favorite, <I>Dinosaur</I>, along with <I>Eight Below</I>. Rounding out this first small group are Miramax's <I>Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back</I> and <I>The Great Raid</I>.
<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/706isf.jpg" WIDTH=250 HEIGHT=190 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT>$30<BR>
The Imaging Science Foundation teamed up with Monster Cable for this setup DVD, which is designed to allow even novices to adjust and setup their HDTVs without fear of techno-intimidation. In other words, although the ISF is involved, this isn't a test disc made by and for ISF calibrators. It's a quick and easy to use tool for the average Joe to simply and easily take his TV as far as it can go short of a full ISF calibration. Educational, effective and relatively easy to use, even for non-techies who want to get the most out of their movie and TV watching at home.
<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/706dve.jpg" WIDTH=148 HEIGHT=198 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT>$25<BR>
The latest iteration of video expert Joe Kane's <I>Video Essentials</I>, the <I>DVE</I> DVD is already an industry standard. Revised and updated, <I>DVE</I> has everything you need to dial in your home theater, and more than a few patterns we use in our reviews at <I>UAV</I> to evaluate the performance capabilities of source components and displays. In addition to providing the test patterns, it also tells the less initiated how to go about making adjustments in a clear, concise fashion. For just $25 you can elevate the performance and accuracy of your entire system.
<UL CLASS="square">
<LI>$739</LI>
<LI>Digital Video Output: HDMI and DVI</LI>
<LI>Video Upconversion: 720p and 1080i</LI>
<LI>Audio Decoding: DD, DTS, DVD-Audio, SACD, HDCD, MP3, WMA</LI>
<LI>Ins and Outs: HDMI, DVI, component, composite and S-Video, coaxial and Toslink digital audio, two-channel and 5.1-channel analog audio </LI>
<LI>Feature Highlights: Universal player with HDMI and DVI outputs, Faroudja deinterlacing w/DCDi, 12-bit/216MHz video DACs, full bass management with delays for all formats except SACD </LI>
</UL>
<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/706denon2910.jpg" WIDTH=450 HEIGHT=247 BORDER=0>
<UL CLASS="square">
<LI>$999</LI>
<LI>Digital Video Output: No</LI>
<LI>Video Upconversion: No</LI>
<LI>Audio Decoding: CD, MP3 </LI>
<LI>Ins and Outs: Component, composite and S-Video, RGB/SCART, coaxial and Toslink digital audio, two-channel analog audio </LI>
<LI>Feature Highlights: CD performance designed to be on par with dedicated CD players</LI>
</UL>
<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/706arcamdv78.jpg" WIDTH=450 HEIGHT=167 BORDER=0>
<UL CLASS="square">
<LI>$6,500</LI>
<LI>Digital Video Output: DVI (video compatible with HDMI)</LI>
<LI>Video Upconversion: No</LI>
<LI>Audio Decoding: DD, DTS, DVD-Audio, SACD, MP3</LI>
<LI>Ins and Outs: DVI, component, composite and S-Video, optional SDI digital video, coaxial (one on RCA, one on BNC), Toslink and AES/EBU digital audio, two-channel and 5.1-channel analog audio </LI>
<LI>Feature Highlights: Universal player w/DVI output, Silicon Image deinterlacing, advanced switch mode power supply w/shielding and eight stages of regulation</LI>
</UL>
<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/706simmoonorbitor.jpg" WIDTH=450 HEIGHT=173 BORDER=0>
Warner Home Video has officially announced its first titles on the Blu-ray Disc format. On August 1st the studio will bow <I>Good Night and Good Luck</I>, <I>Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang</I>, <I> Rumor Has It</I> and <I>Training Day</I>.