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What is 4K? Next-generation resolution explained

As if LED and 3D TV weren't confusing enough, in the last few months we have seen a new HDTV technology called 4K, or its official name, Ultra HD. It's being heralded as the next high-def, and judging by the show floor at CES 2013, manufacturers are lining up to bring you a new array of products.

But just as was the case with 3D, it's the hardware chicken before the software egg: there's no consumer 4K content available. Still, if you listen to the industry, it'll tell you it's the last resolution you'll ever need. So what is 4K anyway, and what makes it different from high definition?

Editors' note: This was post was originally published January 23, 2012, and has been updated several times thereafter with expanded information, most recently on January 17, 2013.… Read more

Panasonic releases more Blu-ray players than anyone else

Most manufacturers have made a marked effort to pare down the number of different Blu-ray player models they make, but not Panasonic.

Panasonic announced six new Blu-ray models at CES 2012, with separate 3D and 2D lines, plus the ultraslim DMP-BBT01. Half of the models also feature Panasonic's new touch pad remote, which might make it easier to navigate online content.

Panasonic's line of 3D Blu-ray players breaks down as follows:… Read more

Samsung's flagship Blu-ray player switches HDMI inputs, stores your DVDs in the cloud

LAS VEGAS--There hasn't been much news at CES 2012 in the standalone Blu-ray player space, but Samsung's flagship BD-E6500 has a couple of legitimately new features.

The BD-E6500 has two HDMI inputs on the back, so you can switch between two devices. That could be an attractive feature for those who've run out of inputs on their HDTV (and don't have an HDMI-switching AV receiver), although I could see it causing problems for Harmony remotes not used to treating Blu-ray players as switchers.

The other big feature on the BD-E6500 is disc-to-digital, which enables you to "sync" your DVD collection in the cloud, making it accessible from any device which has the Flixster app.… Read more

Sony's portable Blu-ray player has less battery life than that of 2011 model

LAS VEGAS--You probably won't notice the improved image quality on the small screen, but portable Blu-ray players still serve those who want to watch their high-def disc collection on the go.

Keeping that niche of travelers in mind, Sony announced the BDP-SX910 portable Blu-ray player at CES 2012, available this spring. Like any Blu-ray player, it can handle both Blu-ray discs and DVDs. It has a 9-inch, high-resolution screen with a 180-degree swivel, utilizing the same "flip-screen" design virtually all portable Blu-ray players use.

Sony claims battery life of 4.5 hours, which should be enough to … Read more

Sony's Blu-ray lineup gets much-needed user interface redesign, much-unneeded 4K upscaling

LAS VEGAS--The first bullet point in Sony's Blu-ray press release is the one I wanted to see the most: the new Blu-ray players will feature a redesigned user interface.

That might not sound like much, but Sony's Blu-ray players have been consistently hamstrung by a subpar user interface (both at the and within apps), despite having one of the most complete suite of apps on the market. Sony's information mentions its new Blu-ray players will feature "Netflix, YouTube, Pandora, Hulu Plus, and more," and we're guessing they'll also include services that were available … Read more

Hardware makers ally with BitTorrent for European, Asian invasions

LAS VEGAS--A phalanx of deals involving the commanding general of torrent protocols, BitTorrent, and next-generation hardware marched into CES 2012 today, the unofficial Day Zero of the show. BitTorrent also announced that more than 150 million people used sibling programs BitTorrent and uTorrent last month, making them by far the most popular torrent clients around.

Following up on the announcement from CES 2011 that it would partner with hardware manufacturers to ship their devices with torrent support built in, BitTorrent revealed four companies based in Europe, Russia, and Asia that have prepared new hardware that automatically works with the current BitTorrent program. BitTorrent-certified devices from these companies will carry the BitTorrent logo. … Read more

LG's 2012 Blu-ray lineup looks a lot like 2011 lineup

LAS VEGAS--If you had the feeling that Blu-ray players have "peaked" as a product type, LG would tend to agree with you.

At least that's the feeling I get looking at LG's newly announced line of Blu-ray players at CES 2012. Not much has changed from last year's line, except that built-in Wi-Fi is no longer a premium feature, appearing on the nearly entry-level BP320. The chart above has most of the important details summarized, but the breakdown is essentially:

LG BP220: Smart TV (Ethernet-only) LG BP320: Smart TV + Wi-Fi LG BP520: Smart TV + 3D + … Read more

LG's Blu-ray home theater systems bet big on wireless rear speakers

LAS VEGAS--LG's latest batch of home theater systems will make it tough for other manufacturers to treat wireless rear speakers as a premium feature.

LG announced four new home Blu-ray theater systems this morning at CES 2012, with all but the entry-level BH6720S featuring wireless rear speakers. That's a big shift from years past, when wireless rear speakers were typically only available on the flagship model.

The major features break down like this:

LG BH6720S: Smart TV + Wi-Fi + 3D LG BH6820SW: Smart TV + Wi-Fi + 3D + wireless rear speakers LG BH9220BW: Smart TV + Wi-Fi + 3D + wireless rear speakers + Bluetooth + &… Read more

Getting a new Blu-ray player? Ignore these apps

If you're getting a new Blu-ray player this holiday season, chances are it's loaded with apps. And a lot of them aren't worth trying.

A broad selection of apps is theoretically great, but in reality there are entire genres of apps worth skipping on Blu-ray players. Sure, you could find that out the hard way by trial-and-error, but that's particularly frustrating on Blu-ray players where you often have to tediously enter in a log-in and password using an onscreen keyboard and a remote.

The big-screen experience just doesn't lend itself to all types of apps, … Read more