Toshiba announced today that it is officially pulling the plug on their HD-DVD format. Citing "recent major changes in the market"--specifically announcements from Wal-Mart, Netflix, and Best Buy last week in support of Blu-ray--Toshiba has chosen to stop manufacturing and selling HD-DVD players.

From an article in TWICE magazine:

"We carefully assessed the long-term impact of
continuing the so-called 'next-generation format war' and concluded
that a swift decision will best help the market develop," stated
Atsutoshi Nishida, Toshiba president and CEO. "While we are disappointed for the company and more importantly, for
the consumer, the real mass market opportunity for high definition
content remains untapped and Toshiba is both able and determined to use our talent, technology and intellectual property to make digital convergence a reality."

Nishida said that Toshiba will continue to produce some HD-DVD drives for laptops and PC according to customer demand and will provide support for existing units, but will now focus largely on computer hardware and peripherals such as "flash memory, small form factor hard disk drives, next
generation CPUs, visual processing, and wireless and encryption
technologies.”

So Sony's Blu-ray has come out on top, and we can all breathe a sigh of relief that the format war is over.

(EDIT:  Looks like Amazon Screening Room beat me by a few minutes...)

--Aric A.

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Watch an Amazon.com exclusive deleted scene from Walk Hard - The Dewey Cox Story. You can also watch clips and exclusive character interviews, get free downloads, listen to sound bites and more on the Walk Hard microsite.

Brooke

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Courtesy of MovieWeb, you can sample a three-minute segment of an upcoming-sometime-in-the-future animated series called Wolverine and the X-Men. Looks good, though we'll have to wait and see whether it's different and better than previous X-Men animated series like X-Men Evolution. --David

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Universal announced today that they will switch from HD DVD to Blu-ray shortly after Toshiba's official announcement to discontinue manufacturing HD DVD players and recorders.

Per Craig Kornblau, President, Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Universal Pictures Digital Platforms: "The path for widespread adoption of the next-generation platform has finally become clear."

There has been no official statement made by other HD DVD supporters (e.g., Paramount Pictures) at this time, but we will continue to update our High-Def 101 page with the latest information as it becomes available. With Blu-ray the remaining high-definition disc format, today's announcements have brought a welcome clarity for those waiting to convert to high-definition. --The Amazon.com High-Def Team

Related News Links:

Reuters

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A few days ago, CBS finally announced that Jericho would air its final episode this Tuesday. It's getting canceled, AGAIN, due to bad ratings. Our trusty Stephanie Reid-Simmons was on the ball (as usual), and blogged the announcement immediately. Well, now I'm here to gripe about it!

A lot of shows come and go, but I was truly rootin' for Jericho. Not only was it one of the best shows to hit network TV in a long time, it has some of the most diehard and dedicated fans I've ever seen. For those who don't know the scoop, this show had already been canceled before. That's right--but the fans united to bring back their beloved post-apocalyptic town! Together, they sent over 20 tons of peanuts to CBS headquarters. CBS folks must like their legumes because, acknowledging that this was the largest ever protest over a show cancellation, they brought it back for a second season. Why nuts? Well, you'll just have to watch the season one finale to find that out.

CBS minded their business P's and Q's though. They filmed seven new episodes that promised to wrap up the series, but left open the possibility for an extension if the season got good ratings. They even filmed two versions of the season finale--one that would bring the series to a close, and one that would end with a cliff-hanger.

Well, the second season opened up to great reviews, but with the worst ratings yet.

I'm honestly thankful to CBS for at least bringing the show back for a second season to wrap things up. The first season ends with a true cliff-hanger, and I (along with millions of others) would have gone literally insane without some closure. Sure, the second season seems a little rushed, and it definitely doesn't have the magic of to first 22 episodes. One can't really complain when the writers are attempting to wrap up such a complex plot. But I'll be glued to the TV this Tuesday night to discover the fate of those folks from Jericho.

But wait! A glimmer of hope! Rumor has it that Jericho could come back as a cable series. Showtime? The Sci-Fi Channel (which already airs re-runs of the first season)?

I'm inclined to think that this isn't very likely, but I'm going to hold my breath. I really want this story to continue...

--Jordan Thompson

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Who said the Star Wars spoof went out with Spaceballs and Thumb Wars? (OK, nobody said that, but anyway....) The sub-subgenre appears to be live and well with Family Guy: Blue Harvest and Robot Chicken: Star Wars, both of which you can sample below.  --David

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First there was Appleseed , a 1988 anime feature based on the futuristic post-war manga series by Masamune Shirow (Ghost in the Shell). Then in 2004 came a motion-capture CG remake. New for 2008 is Appleseed Ex Machina, which our Amazon reviewer describes as "the most elaborate, stylish, and violent of the three adaptations."  Below you can watch a clip with bits from the movie as well as some info on the history of the anime genre.  Appleseed Ex Machina was produced by action master John Woo, so I can't wait to see if the characters will be diving sideways with guns blazing. --David

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When the nominees are announced, you always wait for an upset... and this year's crop boasted a good number of them. You can see our complete list of nominations here and visit Oscar Central for past winners and features (video, actor essentials, etc.) on this year's honorees.

Among the highlights this morning:

-Michael Clayton makes a power showing, taking nominations in many of the top categories including picture, director (Tony Gilroy), screenplay (also Gilroy), actor (George Clooney), supporting actor (Tom Wilkinson) and supporting actress (Tilda Swinton).

-Sean Penn's Into the Wild, however, turns up with nothing but a nod for supporting actor Hal Holbrook and film editing. This is especially surprising considering it was on many critics' top 10 lists, made a strong showing at the Screen Actors Guild and that the Academy loves actors who direct.

-Atonement came into awards season as the movie to beat, but it mostly came away nods in the smaller categories as well as Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay and Supporting Actress (Saorise Ronan). Guess the Academy decided to favor dark and violent (There Will be Blood and No Country for Old Men led all films with eight noms apiece) over epic beauty. Joe Wright, along with Penn, also sees his Best Director slot go to Michael Clayton's Tony Gilroy and Juno's Jason Reitman.

-Everyone said he deserved it, but Tommy Lee Jones' performance in the little-seen In the Valley of Elah has been largely ignored until now. The actor who turned in two amazing performances (the other in No Country for Old Men) got his props in the Best Actor category.

-Cate Blanchett pulled a double nomination, for her portrayals of Bob Dylan (in I'm Not There) and Queen Elizabeth I (Elizabeth - The Golden Age). She's since been nominated five times; four of them in the last four years; she won in 2005 for The Aviator.

-Laura Linney, who was sorely missing from previous award shortlists, turned up a Best Actress nod for The Savages, her third nomination. Linney and Blanchett's showing meant nada for expected nominees Angelina Jolie (A Mighty Heart) and Keira Knightley (Atonement).

-Surf's Up instead of Beowulf or Bee Movie for Best Animated Film? Penguins still rule!

--Ellen

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So there will be an Oscar telecast. If Producers Guild, Director's Guild and Writers Guild awards are any indication, No Country for Old Men is poised to take it all. So there's nothing new to report there.

Instead, Entertainment Weekly is taking a look back at the 100 Worst Oscar Snubs Ever. (That's people who weren't nominated, but should have been) They've unveiled their 100-51 so far. See how many of these past performances you remember, decide if you agree, and stay tuned for their top 50. -- Ellen

<--100. MOLLY RINGWALD, Sixteen Candles (1984)

99. LAUREN BACALL, To Have and Have Not (1944)

98. CHRISTOPHER WALKEN, Pennies From Heaven (1981)

97. HARRY BELAFONTE, Kansas City (1996)

96. SEAN CONNERY , From Russia With Love (1963)

95. NICK NOLTE, North Dallas Forty (1979)

94. CATHERINE O'HARA, For Your Consideration (2006)

93. STEVE MARTIN, All of Me (1984)

92. RALPH FIENNES, Quiz Show (1994)

91. LAURENCE FISHBURNE, Boyz N the Hood (1991)

90. GILLIAN ANDERSON, The House of Mirth (2000) -->

89. MICHAEL CAINE, The Man Who Would Be King (1975)

88. MIEKO HARADA, Ran (1985)

87. ANGELA BASSETT, Waiting to Exhale (1995)

86. MATT DAMON, The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)

85. LIV ULLMANN, Scenes From a Marriage (1974)

84. LIONEL BARRYMORE, It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

83. ERIC ROBERTS, Star 80 (1983)

82. JOHN MALKOVICH, Being John Malkovich (1999)

81. FAYE DUNAWAY, Mommie Dearest (1981)

<-- 80. CHRISTINA RICCI, The Opposite of Sex (1998)

79. MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL, Sherrybaby (2006)

78. KATE WINSLET, Heavenly Creatures (1994)

77. JOANNE WOODWARD, The Glass Menagerie (1987)

76. JOSEPH COTTEN, Shadow of a Doubt (1943)

75. BILL MURRAY, Groundhog Day (1993)

74. MAUREEN O'HARA, The Quiet Man (1952)

73. ALFRE WOODARD, Crooklyn (1994)

72. NAOMI WATTS, Mulholland Drive (2001)

71. ROBERT WALKER, Strangers on a Train (1951)

70. VINCENT D'ONOFRIO, Full Metal Jacket (1987) -->

69. FALCONETTI, The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)

68. RICHARD PRYOR, Blue Collar (1978)

67. BUSTER KEATON, The General (1927)

66. TONY CURTIS, Sweet Smell of Success (1957)

65. ALAN RICKMAN, Die Hard (1988)

64. JEAN-PIERRE LEAUD, The 400 Blows (1959)

63. ALEC GUINNESS, Kind Hearts and Coronets (1950)

62. JOHNNY DEPP, Ed Wood (1994)

61. EWAN McGREGOR, Moulin Rouge (2001)

<--60. SISSY SPACEK, Badlands (1973)

59. ROBERT MITCHUM, The Night of the Hunter (1955)

58. CHER, Mask (1985)

57. ERROL FLYNN, Gentleman Jim (1942)

56. MARLENE DIETRICH, Witness for the Prosecution (1957)

55. PETER SELLERS, The Pink Panther (1964)

54. BORIS KARLOFF, Frankenstein (1931)

53. GENE WILDER, Young Frankenstein (1974)

52. DYLAN BAKER, Happiness (1998)

51. ED HARRIS, The Right Stuff (1983)

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Justice League: The New Frontier is the second animated movie from the new DC Universe (following Superman: Doomsday), based on Darwyn Cooke's popular graphic novel that resets the Justice League during the cold war. (If you're interested in reading it, by the way, Cooke's retro style looks great in the Absolute Edition.) Here's a clip about one of the characters, Green Lantern, that also shows some bits from the movie. --David

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Having trouble with your high-def disc player? Will certain movies
just not play? Before you return the player to the store, you might
want to check its firmware. That’s the term for the software and
programming inside of your movie player, and all high-def disc players
(both Blu-ray and HD DVD) can receive updates to this firmware. Though
some past updates have added new software features, the usual reason
for a firmware update is to fix a technical problem.

Rest
assured, if your player works fine, you can safely choose not to update
its firmware--unless specified by the manufacturer, such updates do not
usually add bells and whistles to your player. However, once problems
start popping up (significant delays in playing titles, some not
playing at all), a firmware update will often do the trick. The process
is meant to be simple and do-it-yourself, and it will not void your
warranty, but be sure to follow every single instruction to the letter
to avoid harming your player; you may want to allow up to 30 minutes of
time to complete the update.

There are several ways to get updated firmware depending on your player manufacturer and model number.

Request a CD-ROM With New Firmware From the Manufacturer

Some
manufacturers supply a postcard with their players, allowing you to
sign up to receive new firmware update discs by mail. Others provide
them when you call their customer service centers to request one. The
upside about getting firmware updates this way is that it requires the
least amount of technical work on your part; simply put the
manufacturer’s disc in your player, and it should automate the process.
The downside is the delay in waiting for the disc in the mail.

Download a Firmware Update and Burn to Disc

Most
manufacturers do a good job of putting firmware updates on their web
site in a timely manner. In order to load this firmware into your
player, you will need to download it and burn it to a disc. Make sure
you follow the burning and installation instructions exactly, as there
are very specific steps that have to be done. The upside of getting
firmware this way is you don’t have to wait for a disc to arrive in the
mail; the downside is you need to make the disc yourself, which can
prove difficult if you do not have experience with burning discs on
your computer.

Download a Firmware Update Directly to Your Ethernet Equipped Player

If
your high-def disc player has an Ethernet port, connecting it directly
to the Internet is the most streamlined way to check for and install
updates--though this requires that you connect an Ethernet cable from
your Internet connection to your high-def movie player, which may prove
difficult depending on your setup. Since every player is different,
refer to your owners’ manual for instructions on how to connect your
player to the internet and how to update the firmware. With some
players, you may have to power cycle the player after changing network
settings before you can download firmware.

For your convenience, we have compiled an extensive list of links to manufacturers' sites with firmware information for most every Blu-ray and HD DVD player on the market. Click here for the list. --Adam

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There are a number of film titles that I store in the My Movies section of IMDB that have inexplicably not been published on DVD, and I use the list to periodically check to see if they've finally surfaced. And it looks like I've got an inkling of hope of marking some titles off of my list, thanks to movie studios looking to the long tail to counter falling DVD sales. This week, Sony (which owns such studios as Columbia, Tri-Star, and Screen Gems) announced that it would license older DVD titles not currently released for production and distribution through HP's manufactured-on-demand service. As Studio Briefing notes:

The deal will allow consumers to order movies that ordinarily would not be stocked by dealers because they are too obscure or too old. HP indicated that it expects to sign similar deals with other studios. "We're hoping this provides another option to make available products that wouldn't necessarily garner widespread retail shelf space," Jason Spivak, head of strategic development at Sony Home Entertainment, told the Times. Added Doug Warner, head of HP's digital content business, "If studios can sell more catalog than previously, they can generate more money."

Sadly, this won't help me with the lost movie that's at the top of my list--The Big Fix, which starred Richard Dreyfuss as a 1970s gumshoe--as Universal Studios owns that property (and it's been frustratingly available only on VHS for years... c'mon, it's Richard Dreyfuss!). But if this venture is successful, hopefully we'll see other studios move to production-on-demand.

In other optical disc news, it seems that Warner Bros. announcement that it was moving exclusively to the Blu-ray high-definition disc format is pretty much killing off the HD DVD format. Noting sales for the week after the announcement just before CES, Electronista writes that Home Media Magazine found that "83 percent of movie sales were for Blu-ray versions of movies, leaving the remaining 17 percent to HD DVD."

~Agen G.N. Schmitz

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Before you go Googling, take a guess. (Hint: It's an Oscar-winning actor, so, no, not Eddie Murphy.)  He's starring in a remake of the horror classic The Wolf Man, makeup courtesy of reigning prosthetics king Rick Baker. Click here to find out who it is, see more pictures, and read an interview with Baker on the upcoming film. -- Ellen

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Courtesy of MovieWeb, you can sample a three-minute segment of an upcoming-sometime-in-the-future animated series called Wolverine and the X-Men. Looks good, though we'll have to wait and see whether it's different and better than previous X-Men animated series like X-Men Evolution. --David

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You should ... My favorite fanboys and girls are practically hyperventilating over it, justifiably. And though some aren't sold on Shia LaBeouf, but I've been a fan of his since Holes. The only bummer about this preview? A blink-and-miss-it Marion!!! We've been waiting a long time to enjoy having Karen Allen back in the franchise, and I guess we'll have to wait a little longer. Find high-res versions of the Indy preview here. -- Stephanie Reid-Simons, Unbox TV Freak (and Indy fan)

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This week on Amazon Wire we're talking to Hollywood actor and action hero Jason Statham about his new movie Revolver.

Thanks for listening!

Podcast Listening Options
*Stream above with Flash player
* Download the podcast
* Explore more podcasts

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Last time I covered when and why to use HDMI and some issues
to be aware of. This final installment
will explain the different versions of HDMI, then cover some purchasing
considerations.

HDMI Versions

Much like USB connections on your computer, multiple
versions of HDMI have been rolled out over the years. And just like USB, they’re
all compatible with each other, reducing to the lowest version sensed on either
side, so for essential functionality, you shouldn’t run into trouble if
anything in your home theater system doesn’t “match up.”

Newer HDMI versions add additional, optional features, and
manufacturers actually are not required to incorporate any features in HDMI 1.1
or higher, even if they are ranked as newer. Just because your new source
device says it has HDMI 1.3 doesn’t mean that it supports any of the features
listed below for 1.3, so make sure its box confirms support for a specific
feature that you may be interested in. Also, some features (like lip sync)
require that multiple devices in the HDMI chain have the same chipset and
feature support to use them.

Here is a list of the different HDMI versions and the
optional features they can support:

HDMI 1.0 (December 2002) Initial standard supports 1080p
video and multichannel audio (up to 8 channels of 192kHz, 24-bit)


HDMI 1.1 (May 2004) Added support for DVD-Audio


HDMI 1.2 (August 2005) Added additional support for PC
applications and SACD


HDMI 1.2a (December 2005) Added support for Consumer
Electronic Control (CEC) which allows components to communicate; when you power
on your high-def disc player, the connected receiver and display power on and
change to the correct input.


HDMI 1.3 (June 2006) Added support for additional bandwidth
to support future applications including Deep Color, Broader color space
(x.v.Color), Lip Sync, and HD lossless audio bit stream support.

Purchasing Considerations

While each installation or system is different, there are
some basics to consider before you purchase HDMI components. Look for products that support the HDMI
options you need, and don’t worry about the ones that don’t. When it comes to purchasing cables, I
recommend buying ones that are HDMI-certified.
Any cable bearing the HDMI logo is supposed to have been tested and
certified. There are two certification
levels for cables: Standard and High Speed.
Cables tested and certified as Standard must perform at speeds of 75Mhz
(the equivalent of 1080i video). Cables
tested and certified as High Speed must perform at 340Mhz which is the highest
supported HDMI speed. High Speed cables
are designed for 1080p and beyond.
Before you go hunting for High Speed certified cables, be aware that
almost all Standard certified cables will work fine with 1080p signals when you
keep your cables under 10 feet, and some will go further, so feel free to use
standard cables to connect your gear. If
you are installing an HDMI cable in the wall that is longer than 10 feet, I
recommend that you get one certified for High Speed. Since HDMI is digital, it either works or it
doesn’t. If you see “sparkles”, blinking
lines or no picture, try using another cable.

Most importantly, do not equate cable certification with
cost. Despite what some manufacturers
and retailers claim, you do not need to spend a lot of money on HDMI
cables. Some premium cable manufacturers
use their own speed ratings and marketing terms to justify premium pricing, but
there is no need to spend more money for an expensive, name-brand HDMI cable
when any HDMI-certified cable will do. --Adam

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I was a fan of the Clone Wars animated series that aired on Cartoon Network and was released on DVD a few years ago. Today came the announcement that a new Clone Wars feature film will play in theaters beginning on August 15, 2008 and be followed by a TV series on Cartoon Network and TNT. George Lucas said, "I felt there were a lot more Star Wars stories left to tell. I was eager to start telling some of them through animation and, at the same time, push the art of animation forward." Go to starwars.com to watch an introduction to the series.  --David

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Toshiba has just announced that it will discontinue its HD DVD players and recorders, and expects to be out of the HD DVD business by the end of March 2008. Future availability of HD DVD discs is unknown, although this news follows the Warner Bros. decision in January to stop producing HD DVDs as of May 31, 2008. HD DVD players will continue to play HD DVD discs and upconvert standard DVD discs

On the subject of HD disk drives, the company
said it "plans to end volume production of HD DVD disk drives for such
applications as PCs and games in the same timeframe, yet will continue to make
efforts to meet customer requirements. The company will continue to assess the
position of notebook PCs with integrated HD DVD drives within the overall PC
business relative to future market demand."

The company also noted that it plans to continue to "provide full
product support and after-sales service for all owners of Toshiba HD DVD
products."

 
Blu-ray is now the remaining high-definition disc format,
and this change in the market means that those who've been waiting to jump into
high def have a clear path to follow. Over the next few days, we'll be updating
our High-Def 101 page with the latest information on the high definition player
landscape.  --The Amazon.com High-Def Team

 

Related News Links:

 

Toshiba investor relations

PC World

Engadget

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 Last week's top releases were no surprise: I Am Legend, Enchanted, and Battlestar Galactica season 3. What was the surprise was that the #1-ranked seller was the I Am Legend Blu-ray, not the two-disc special edition DVD (ranked in the top 10, which is good but still below the Blu-ray). There could be a number of factors: a movie that appeals directly to the tech-savvy audience, a big-screen blockbuster that looks great in high definition, a competitive price, and the recent settling of matters on the high-definition-format front. (Will the combo HD DVD, which is also selling well, become the Last HD DVD on Earth?)  I'm not ready to jump to any conclusions on how people buy high definition vs. standard definition, but I do notice the sales rankings of the new Rambo movie: Blu-ray #482, Blu-ray three-pack #403, two-disc DVD #1711. --David

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Our high-def team has prepped Amazon.com's High-Def 101 section with tips about setting up a home theater, but the one thing I believe is missing from every page in our guide is the following sentence in all-caps, bold, and italic text, repeated over and over: Make sure that your HDTV is receiving high-def content.

We don't do that, of course, as to not be rude, but it's still among the most common problems in HDTV setup. There are many reasons why people aren't actually watching their favorite shows and programs in high def, whether they've connected the wrong cables, forgotten to upgrade their set-top boxes, or merely chosen the wrong channel. Depending on what you watch, you might not even notice, especially if your favorite programs aren't on high-def-capable channels. But a resounding number of American households are in for a serious high-def test this weekend--this Sunday, come to think of it.

So whether you're a football fan who finally upgraded for Sunday's big game, or an HDTV pro who is watching the game on a buddy's brand-new 4,000-inch screen, chances are you might run into a set that isn't actually receiving the game (and its zillions of commercials) in high def. In either case, I recommend printing off this handy game-day high-def guide at Engadget HD, which will help you ensure that what you're watching, wherever you're watching it, looks as crisp and clear as possible come Sunday evening. And once the game's over, don't forget to fine-tune your entire home theater with the tips and guides at Amazon's High-Def 101--though, sadly, our guides won't help you figure out what to do with all of those uneaten game-day Funyuns. --Sam

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With the success of Transformers you can bet hyper directors started jumping through their toy bins to find the next '80s franchise to turn into a movie. Hence: G.I. Joe, the Movie.
Paramount is producing the flick, due summer 2009 and directed by The Mummy's Stephen Sommers. Ray Park, best known as Darth Maul in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace and Toad in X-Men, will play Snake Eyes (left, a sneak peek at his look).



Here's the rest of the cast:

Channing Tatum (Step Up) as Duke
Dennis Quaid as General Hawk
Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Brick) as Cobra Commander

Sienna Miller as the Baroness

Christopher Eccleston (Doctor Who, Heroes) as Destro

Rachel Nichols (Alias) as Scarlett

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Lost) as Heavy Duty
Arnold Vosloo (The Mummy) as Zartan

Marlon Wayans as Ripcord

Saïd Taghmaoui (The Kite Runner) as Breaker

Karolina Kurkova (supermodel) as Cover Girl

What do you think of the casting? Is G.I. Joe a good idea for a movie? --Ellen

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This last holiday weekend, while visiting my Mom at her retirement community in Portland, I was asked by her and a couple other folks we hung out with about the coming national transition from analog to digital television transmissions. The main worry was that new HDTVs had to be purchased to continue the steady stream of Frontline investigations and Rick Steves travel adventures, and the folks who were querying me were visibly adrift in a sea of techno-babble (HDMI, component versus composite, LCD versus plasma).

While everyone from Ben Bernanke to Jeff Bezos would love to have every old-school analog TV owner buy a shiny new HDTV this year, I'm here to throw a spanner in the works (and possibly get myself booted from this blog): you don't need to buy a new telly. The transition that will take place at midnight on February 17, 2009 will cut over-the-air (OTA) transmission of analog TV signals (NTSC), with the digital signal (ATSC) continuing as the sole method of OTA transmission. This means, if your old analog set is pulling down programming through rabbit-ear antennas (which, according to this AP article, affects 13 million or so U.S. households), then you'll have some work to do.

You can certainly upgrade your TV and enjoy the crisper colors and improved audio of digital TV. Or, you can buy a digital-to-analog converter box that will enable your analog TV to view the digital signals. If you choose the latter, the federal government is offering a coupon to help you purchase a converter (with each household eligible for two coupons). The AfterDawn site has a complete list of available converters, as well as list of those converters that are eligible for the government coupon. How do you know whether you have an analog TV that will need a converter? This article from ABC News helps to spell it out:

If you bought your TV before the fall of 1998, it's definitely analog. But if you purchased it after that date, there are other ways to find out.

If you don't have the set's owner's manual, you can sometimes tell by the TV's shape. If it's rectangular, not square, it's most likely digital. Or, go through the TV's set up menu with the remote, selecting "search for channels." If you see an option for digital channels, you have a digital set.

If you do have a manual, check out the page that lists the set's specs. It will say if it has an ATSC (Advanced TV Systems Committee) tuner or an NTSC (National TV Standards Committee) one. ATSC tuners are digital; NTSC tuners are analog.

But, if you're like my Mom and her neighbors and you get your TV programming piped in via a cable or satellite service, then you've got no worries. PC Magazine explains:

Satellite television subscribers will be the least impacted by the transition to digital terrestrial broadcasting as absolutely nothing will change from the perspective of the subscriber. Satellite subscribers will continue to receive programming from the "closed" system of signals that are transmitted from orbiting satellites to compatible dish-style antennas and receiver boxes. Satellite subscribers can continue to utilize whatever TV they wish as the satellite receiver hardware will handle the decoding of the incoming signal as well as provide the necessary A/V (audio/video) connections for the TV.

Cable television subscribers will find the transition to digital (terrestrial) broadcasting almost as uneventful as their satellite counterparts. Digital cable subscribers that utilize set-top box or CableCARD hardware to tune channels are also part of a closed video delivery system that has nothing to do with analog or digital terrestrial television broadcasting. And like a satellite receiver, digital cable boxes can be connected to any type of television including the old school standard definition tube TVs as well as the latest high-definition flat-panel displays. For cable subscribers who have opted for a basic plan that doesn't require the use of a set-top box, chances are that cable providers will continue to support these "analog only" customers for the foreseeable future--cable providers are not required to transition to a fully digital video system.

Now, if you are interested in taking the next step to high-definition viewing (and I'd like to remind my Mom that PBS offers loads of great digital programming), check out Amazon's High-Def 101 primer, which very helpfully breaks down all the specs and cable tangle into a nicely understandable guide.

~Agen G.N. Schmitz

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Normally we don't use our blog to say things like "save big!" but we on the high-def team are kind of excited to have our first ever Gold Box Deal of the Day for a Blu-ray title: Lost--The Complete Third Season. According the product description for this set, the "lines between good and evil are blurred," but fortunately, with high definition, the picture won't be. We have plenty more jokes in this vein but we will spare you, as quantities are limited we're sure some of you are eager to pick up Dr. Jack Shephard--59% off. --Leah, Movies & TV Editor

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Magazines are trying to--and let's be honest, have to--find their internet voice.  Declining newsstand sales and ever-dwindling advertising dollars are combining to force the hand of even the most out-of-touch publishing dinosaurs.  Have website, will survive, seems to be the new credo.

Which is why it's good to see someone getting this whole magazine-on-the-internet thing so right.  As a long-time subscriber to Entertainment Weekly, I've enjoyed watching that magazine's internet presence flourish and thrive.  Gone are the days when you needed to enter your subscription information to access the best content; savvy entertainment worshippers now go to EW.com first to find reviews, previews, blogs, and feature articles. 

Case in point, all you "Lost" fans: the frequent, informed columns from Jeff "Doc" Jensen, which are keeping pace with the show's excellent fourth season, positing theories from all over the world of physics and beyond.  By making Doc Jensen a go-to "insider" for the world of "Lost," EW has given themselves a surefire entree into the hearts and minds of "Lost" fans around the globe, bringing the brand in front of customers old and new, and giving those fans a reason to repeatedly visit the site--and drive those all-important ad dollars. 

This is merely my favorite example, being a "Lost" fan myself.  But it's heartening to a webophile like me that magazines like these are making their brands global on the internet, putting themselves into the fray and keeping their brands alive.  Like surviving on an island with a smoke monster and "hostiles."  Whatever they are.

-- Noelle

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This week, I explained what HDMI is and how it works with
content protection.  Let's continue with more on the appropriate times to use HDMI and how to overcome issues with older HDMI implementations.

When and Why to Use HDMI

From a practical standpoint, one inexpensive HDMI cable can
replace several expensive analog connections on a single device. In some cases,
a single device could require up to 11 cables for multi-channel audio and
high-resolution video; HDMI replaces them all as an efficient, unified
solution. More importantly, if you have a non-CRT digital television like an
LCD, DLP or LCoS set, using HDMI avoids several analog-to-digital
conversions.  When you use an analog
component connection between your digital source and digital display, the data
on the DVD is converted to analog and sent via component cable to the display,
which then converts the analog component signal back to digital so you can view
it.  But with a digital HDMI connection,
the information on the DVD is sent unchanged to your digital display for
viewing. While some people may not notice the conversions, you want to avoid
them where possible.

From a content standpoint, HD DVD and Blu-ray players have
to look for an Image Constraint Token (ICT) on all discs.  If the disc is equipped with an ICT and the
player isn’t connected to a HDCP capable display, it will down convert the
video from 1080p to 540p.  No titles
currently invoke the ICT, but the studios can start using it on a title by
title basis at any time.  The main reason
they haven’t used it yet is because so many people have older HDTVs that don’t
support HDCP.  Also, upconverting DVD
players with HDMI aren’t supposed to output higher than a 480p signal over
component video, and will only output an upconverted signal over HDMI (these
same rules apply to HD DVD and Blu-ray players when they are playing back
DVDs).

And from a resolution standpoint, HDMI maxes out at 1080p resolution, which makes it essential for larger TVs that support that maximum. Not all content supports 1080p, but for game systems and high-def disc players, HDMI is your best bet for transferring 1080p content to your screen.

HDMI Issues

While it seems like using HDMI should be as simple as
plugging in a wire and turning on your equipment, it doesn’t always work that
way.  While most new HDMI devices don’t
have interface problems,  some early
devices (mostly cable and satellite set top boxes) didn’t fully support the
standard.  They would work great when an
HDMI cable connected them directly to your display but wouldn’t work when you
connected them to a repeating device (like an A/V receiver).  If you have one of these boxes, try
contacting your cable or satellite provider to see if there is a software
update, if not a free hardware replacement. 
If not, I recommend that you try to use a digital audio cable to connect
the box to your receiver. In some cases this won’t work, and you may need to
resort to using an analog component video connection. Fortunately, many
receivers that support HDMI will allow you to convert component signals to
HDMI, so you can still connect a single cable from the receiver to the display. 

Another issue happens (also typically with early devices) when
users connect their source to their display using HDMI, and then run a digital
audio connection to their non-HDMI receiver for surround sound.  Since most displays can only support a two-channel
stereo signal, your source can limit the audio-out to stereo output or even
shutdown the digital connection to the receiver.  If you are using this configuration and are
only getting two channels sent to your receiver, look for an option in the
setup menu of your display or the source device to turn HDMI audio off.  Some issues can be easily remedied by checking
that all settings match up in your source, receiver, and display (which will
vary based on the make and model of each component).  If you are having problems, check your
owners’ manuals for specific settings and instructions on how to change
them.  Other issues may require firmware
updates from the manufacturer—a process that can be painful but will sometimes save
you from shipping the device back to the manufacturer.  In some rare instances, there may be no
workarounds due to limitations in how HDMI was implemented in your components,
and you may be forced to use component video.

If you are having problems and are using a HDMI switch,
repeater, or some type of booster, make sure you are using one that has an
external power supply.  Any product that derives
its power directly from an HDMI cable does more harm than good.

In the next installment, I’ll talk about the different
versions of HDMI, the optional features they support, and some purchasing
considerations. --Adam

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The Amazon High Def Team is asked a lot of questions about
HDMI, so I thought it would be a good idea to explain and explore the cabling format in a three-part series.  In this post, I’ll give
some background information about HDMI along with its association with content
protection.

What is HDMI and how does it work?

HDMI stands for High Definition Multimedia Interface.  It uses a single bi-direction cable with 19
conductors that can carry both high-definition digital video and high-resolution
audio. Since the signal is bi-directional, all devices in the chain can
communicate their current status and capabilities. HDMI devices (TVs, high-def
disc players, etc.) can tell when HDMI cables are attached and detached, when
components are powered on and off, when inputs are switched, and so on.

All HDMI equipped displays are required to have an Extended
Display Identification Data (EDID) chip. 
The EDID includes information about the display such as make, model, and
serial number.  It also includes
important information about the capabilities of the display like audio
capabilities, supported video resolutions, and color depths.  This information exchanged between the
devices makes sure that the source device doesn’t send a signal to the display
that it can’t handle.  For example, if
you have an LCD TV that will accept 720p and 1080i video and will only take two-channel (left and right) audio, your HDMI-connected playback source won’t send
1080p video or multi-channel audio even if it is set to, since the intelligence
built into HDMI knows that your display can’t handle it based on what the EDID
reported.  While this normally works
great, it can cause some issues depending upon how your equipment manufacturer
implemented HDMI.  Additional
authenticating needs to take place when you are viewing content-protected
media.

Content Protection

HDMI uses the High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection
(HDCP) standard for copy protection. 
All HDMI playback devices, including cable and satellite set-top boxes,
upconverting DVD players, and high-def disc players, are required to use
HDCP.  When HDCP-equipped source devices
are first powered on, they use HDMI to “handshake” with receiving devices. All devices, including the source, receiver,
and display, need to authenticate and verify that they are HDCP-authorized by exchanging
a unique key with each other.  Once the
devices are authenticated, the source device starts encrypting and transmitting
the audio and video signal.  The
encryption is random and changes approximately every two seconds when the
source re-authenticates with the receiving device.  If the authentication ever fails, the source
will stop transmitting or reduce the quality of the signal.

HDCP is only used for high-definition copy-protected
content like HD DVD, Blu-ray and high-def pay-per-view. 
It is not used for high-definition over-the-air broadcast signals, or
any standard definition sources like DVD (unless they are upconverted).  It is also not used for non-commercial
content like HD home movies.  Some
monitors equipped with DVI do not support HDCP, so using an HDMI-to-DVI adapter
will not allow you to watch copy-protected content on these monitors. You will get either no picture or a standard-definition
picture.  It’s important to remember that
all devices connected through HDMI must support HDCP if you are watching copy-protected
HD content.

In the next post, I’ll talk about when and why
to use HDMI and some issues to be aware of when you do.  A future post will cover the different
versions of HDMI, the optional features they support, and purchasing
considerations. --Adam

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Italian artist/provocateur Graziano Cecchini, who previously colored the waters Rome's Trevi Fountain blood-red last October, committed another public art attack. This time he unleashed 500,000 colored plastic balls (the same kind you find in the McDonald's play area) down the Spanish Steps. Here's some video footage of the stunt (I'd love to translate how the policewoman at the 2:15 point called in this art attack):

And here's a bit about what inspired Cecchini to embark on this stunt, as well as what happened next:

Mr Cecchini later stated that the protest was staged to raise the profile of Burma and the Karen people. Arranging the protest had cost him some £15,000 and a handsome fine we're sure.

Jean Leonard Touadi, Rome's head of security wasn't amused. He stated that getting publicity at the expense of the city just wasn't funny, a feeling that the large number of police officers required to clean up the mess probably shared.

But gadgetophiles might look at this and find something very familiar about it. Mr. Cecchini seems to have also taken some inspirado from this Web ad for Sony Bravia HDTVs (which features one of my faves, Jose Gonzalez, on the soundtrack of the ad) from a couple years back.

One wonders what he might be able to do with the most recent Bravia ad:

~Agen G.N. Schmitz

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Sony isn't the only company showing off their new OLED tech. Samsung is close on their heels with their 14" and 31" prototypes. They sport the same razor sharp detail and extraordinary color intensity, but they are quoted as being slightly thicker at "less than 2cm". Still, that's pretty darned skinny, and it looks just as good. And by good, I mean incredible. There are no official release dates or prices for either model, so for now Sony is your only choice if you absolutely have to own one right this moment.




Back in the realm of current technology, Samsung has unveiled their new Ultra Slim LCD television. They have reduced the thickness of their 1080p screen to only 4cm. To do so, they have had to do away with on-board speakers though. It does still have the tuner, so it is a true television and not just a monitor. This set should be available in early 2009.




Samsung is also revolutionizing plasma technology. Their new 3-D plasma system incorporates a special plasma television that runs at 120Hz, the 3-D conversion unit, and a set of glasses. The conversion unit hooks into a media PC that is then connected to the TV. The included software will convert any DVD in your media PC to 3-D. It will also convert compatible video games into 3-D as well. (Of course, you always have the option of playing everything in 2-D.) The whole system works by interlacing frames and synchronizing them with the glasses. Video remains smooth, since the television runs at double the regular 60Hz framerate. This system is slated to be released Q1 of this year.

-- Jon D.

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First impressions of upcoming movies, based on trailer (Click on the title to watch the trailer: You may need QuickTime for most). Release dates are subject to change.

Jumper (dir. Doug Liman) I don't know what's more exciting: a Jedi-less Hayden Christensen teleporting through walls, Jamie Bell all grown up and smarmy, Doug Liman (Swingers, The Bourne Identity, Mr. & Mrs. Smith) directing, or Samuel L. Jackson's Demolition Man-'fro. (OK, maybe that last one not so much) Rachel Bilson even pops in as Christensen's girlfriend, and the visual effects (People jumping! Jumping everywhere!) are nifty. (Feb. 15)






Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (dir. Tim Burton) If Tim Burton had to direct a musical starring Johnny Depp (looking like Edward Scissorhands' Bizarro twin), there's none more apropos than Sweeney Todd, about an unjustly imprisoned man who returns as a ... barber, blade in hand, leering, "I will guarantee you the closest shave you've ever known." Gulp. With Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman and Sacha Baron Cohen. (That's right, Borat and Jack Sparrow in the same movie!) A blood-filled song-and-dance just in time for the holiday season. Hey, at least it's an alternative to The Nutcracker. (Dec. 21)

Grace is Gone (dir. James Strouse) A big hit at Sundance, and John Cusack's best contention for an Oscar nominee yet is this intimate drama about an Army husband who learns his sergeant wife has been killed in the line of duty and decides to take his two young daughters on a final-moments-of-innocence impromptu road trip to an amusement park before he has to break the news that their mother has died. Are you crying yet? (Dec. 9)





The Bucket List (dir. Rob Reiner) Why was Jack Nicholson bald at the Oscars? He was filming this buddy comedy about two terminally ill patients who decide to accomplish their wish list before they kick the bucket (hence the title). Nicholson plays a billionaire able to take fellow patient Morgan Freeman skydiving and to the Taj Mahal. So what does Freeman, as a working-class mechanic, contribute? Wisdom and sentiment, of course (Did you expect any less from Morgan Freeman?). (Dec. 25)






No Country for Old Men (dir. Coen Brothers) Why is Javier Bardem sporting Peter Tork's hairstyle? Why does he flip coins before killing people? There may not be answers in this adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's novel, a huge hit at Cannes and Oscar contender (particularly for Tommy Lee Jones' aging sheriff). Josh Brolin, in probably the best role he'll ever have, stumbles upon a truck with dead bodies, loads of drugs and million in cash. As soon as he picks up the bag, trouble's a'lookin' for him, particularly in the form of Bardem's mysterious baddie. (Nov. 9)
--Ellen

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“Hulk Smash!” Hulk grammar is particularly forgiving,
requiring only a noun and verb. Well, occasionally an adjective, as in, “Hulk angry!” And as we all know, you do not want to be around the Incredible Hulk
when he is angry. Like a steroid-ridden lineman, he will smash whatever is in
his way. Of course, the steroids in this case are replaced by gamma radiation
from an unfortunate explosion at his day job as world-renown scientist Bruce
Banner.

You see, Banner was testing a gamma bomb, and when a wayward
kid ended up on the test site, he ran to save him, taking in more than a bit of
the aforementioned radiation. This left banner with an unfortunate Jekyll
and Hyde predicament, a transformation to a lumbering green monster triggered
by anger (interestingly, it was at first more of a werewolf predicament,
triggered by sundown). As for the Hulk’s green skin, an interesting side note
is that it was originally gray. Printers had trouble getting a consistent
shade, and the green Hulk was born. Yep.
 
Despite the fact that he is not a vigilante and does not
wear tights, Hulk has been as prone to media expansion as other superheros over
the years. Most notable is the 1978-82 television series, The Incredible Hulk, which featured bodybuilder Lou
Ferrigno as our green friend (in his present-day role as himself on TV series King
of Queens, he is still subjected to Hulk jokes). There was also the ‘80s
animated series, appearances in video games on nearly every console the world
has witnessed, and Ang Lee’s 2003 feature film, which
serendipitously featured a guy named Bana playing a guy named Banner (not to
mention wildman Nick Nolte as Banner’s pops). And who could forget John
Belushi’s hilarious interpretation? Not me.

Of course, none of these items would have existed
without the comic book series, which GIT Corp collects on its Incredible Hulk the Complete Comic Collection. Here we have 535
complete issues of the first volume in PDF format, including annuals, articles,
and advertisements, spanning four decades (1962-2006). A marvel-ous gift for
the large green person in your life.

~Jason

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This week on Amazon Wire we're talking to Ridley Scott about the new Blade Runner: Ultimate Collector's Edition.

Thanks for listening!

Podcast Listening Options
*Stream above with Flash player
* Download the podcast
* Explore more podcasts

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Certainly, you folks have seen the news from this week's Consumer Electronics Show about Warner Bros.
siding with Blu-ray, but the real name of CES is hardware--which Blu-ray has made
its own splashes in as well. But while pouring over countless player
announcements this week, it’s easy to get confused--BD Live? High-def audio codecs? Why do these
players seem to be so wildly different from each other?

For the most part, the difference is in audio. Though all
Blu-ray discs and players support surround sound, players do not all come with
internal support for advanced audio codecs like Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby
TrueHD, and DTS HD.  These features usually aren’t found on less expensive
players. But the higher picture quality of Blu-ray is only one of the advantages
over standard DVD; these optional audio features increase surround sound
capabilities from 5.1 to 7.1, and some add the benefit of lossless
(uncompressed) surround sound. What’s more, these formats typically require an
HDMI 1.3 connection.

If you buy a player that only delivers bitstream (optical,
coaxial) output, you may not always be able to take advantage of superior audio
codecs, unless you have a high-end receiver that supports the decoding of the
bitstream.  Even if you have a receiver that can handle the decoding, if
you plan on watching the picture-in-picture features that the new players
support, the bitstream--only players deliver standard- quality Dolby Digital or
DTS when PIP is activated.  Players with internal decoding can still
output high resolution audio during PIP. In the end, the right Blu-ray player
for you will match up with your surround sound setup and accompanying receiver.
If this all sounds Greek to you, stick with a lower-tier player, but to make
the most of your surround sound investment, read your player’s specs and make
sure they match your living room’s setup.

All of this year’s new players (and any other new ones going
forward) support Bonus View, also known as Final Standard Profile or Profile
1.1.  This means that they can support PIP. The only Blu-ray players on
the market that support this right now are the Sony PlayStation 3, the
Panasonic DMP-BD30, and the Samsung BD-UP5000 combo player.  If you want to
have full feature support for the new titles, make sure you buy one of these
players, or wait for one of this year’s many new models from the likes of
Philips, Sharp and others. Otherwise, newer movies will still work by default
on an older player, but some of their bonus features may not play. BD Live,
meanwhile, is yet another spec of Blu-ray (also known as Profile 2.0). This
spec requires more memory and a mandatory Internet connection--designed to
allow you to download special, movie-specific content to your player--but it
has yet to see much support from either movies or hardware. In other words, don't fret over BD Live. --Adam

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With last week's Spirit Award noms, the indie Gotham Awards and today's National Board of Review announcements, the Oscar season has officially begun (starter gun noise).

No Country for Old Men, the Coen brothers' violent, sprawling drama starring Josh Brolin, Tommy Lee Jones and Javier Bardem, took top honors this year for best picture. It also earned honors for the Coens in the
adapted-screenplay category and for best ensemble cast. Roger Deakins,
the Coens' longtime cinematographer, will receive a career achievement
award from the group.

The Board of Review is always one of the first to name their top picks of the year, and many of them make it all the way into the Oscar nominations list. Here's the list of their winners:

Best Picture: No Country for Old Men
Best Director: Tim Burton, Sweeney Todd
Best Actor: George Clooney, Michael Clayton
Best Actress: Julie Christie, Away from Her
Best Supporting Actor: Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Best Supporting Actress: Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
Best Filmmaking Debut: Ben Affleck, Gone Baby Gone
Breakthrough Actor: Emile Hirsch, Into the Wild
Breakthrough Actress: Ellen Page, Juno
Best Original Screenplay: Diablo Cody, Juno, and Nancy Oliver, Lars and the Real Girl (tie)
Best Adapted Screenplay: Joel and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men
Best Foreign-Language Film: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Best Animated Film: Ratatouille
Best Documentary: Body of War

The rest of the Board of Review's Top Ten movies of the year (in alphabetical order)
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Atonement
The Bourne Ultimatum
The Bucket List
Into the Wild
Juno
The Kite Runner
Lars and the Real Girl
Michael Clayton
Sweeney Todd

--Ellen

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We don't normally blog about a single new release, but  Battlestar Galactica: Season Three was by far our most requested DVD not yet released, so we figured it was newsworthy. It  has finally been announced, and even though it doesn't come out until March, you can pre-order your copy today.  So you BSG fans finally have another whole season to look forward to on DVD. Enjoy.  --Dan

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Not every new product shown at this week's Consumer Electronics Show is as spectacular as the
new 150-inch Panasonic plasma TV (or the hole you would need in the side of
your house to get it inside).  While I
doubt that any of us will contemplate purchasing such a set, plenty of other new
products announced at CES look to improve home theaters--and easily fit through the front door
to boot. I couldn’t help but point out two of my top picks from this year’s
showcase, which winds up today in Las Vegas.

One of my favorite new products is the Video Transfer by
Pinnacle. If you’ve ever wanted to backup your home videos onto a digital
format, you might have struggled with the conversion process—install a special
card to your computer, install software to process and decode the video, add a
larger hard drive to handle the data, etc. This one-inch-thick box, about the
size of a card deck, simplifies the process to a ridiculous degree: hook your
analog audio/video input into one end, then hook any USB storage device to the
other. The device processes the video, compresses it into the convenient MPEG-4
format, then spits it out via USB onto your computer, flash drive, or even iPod
and PSP. And, yes, that means you can avoid using your computer entirely to pull this off if you so choose. Though the device certainly makes sense with old VHS home movies, you
can use any standard-def video source, as long as it isn’t copy protected, and
transfer its content as well--should be interesting to see how this works with DVR
units. The Video Transfer is expected to be available on January 15th
with an MSRP of 9.

My other favorite was actually a reintroduction of something
cool from CES 2006: Mitsubishi’s Laser TV. Most rear-projection HDTVs (DLP,
LCOS, etc.) use light bulbs, which have issues like relatively short lives,
power consumption, start-up delays, and rare on-screen flashes of color. Mitsubishi’s
laser technology addresses all four of these flaws directly, which could help
rear-projection HDTVs gain traction in the coming year. I'm hopeful that the first laser-equipped
TVs will reach stores by this November, but don’t expect to find them on sale on Black Friday; they
will carry a premium over bulb sets. --Adam

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Atonement was one of the major movies of 2007 having its big North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last September, and I was fortunate enough to be able to attend. After the film had its premiere showing at the Elgin theater,


a lavish affair was put on at the Rosewater Supper Club where the film's star, James McAvoy, circulated quickly around the room to heavy congratulations by just about everyone in the room. The poor guy couldn't talk to anyone for more than 5 seconds before someone else was in his face or whisking him away to talk to someone else. He was nice enough to give me a few seconds of his time where I asked him how many takes it took to get that incredible shot of the Dunkirk scene. "Three takes, one day," he said with animated gestures to make sure I heard him clearly above the din of the crowd (or maybe so that I didn't misunderstand his strong brogue). Then he turned around and went to chat with Harvey Weinstein (hey, no problem, I know where I rank in that pecking order).




To the left, James McAvoy, Keira Knightley, and Joe Wright at the Atonement Premiere in Toronto.



Also hanging out at the party were director Joe Wright, Jessica Alba, and Simon Pegg, fresh of off Hot Fuzz  fame, who was in Toronto to promote Run Fatboy Run, his new movie directed by David Schwimmer. I never did see Keira Knightley at the party.

As this was one of the most anticipated films showing at the festival this year, I asked most of the partygoers for their thoughts. Naturally those involved in the making of the film were very pleased with the results and the very positive reception it received. But the buzz around the room, and the next day around the city, was that the film was a huge success and the first reviews were very positive, and it wasn't too soon for the word "Oscar" to start getting thrown around. You can read my interview with Screenwriter Christopher Hampton here to learn more about the production and the effort he and director Joe Wright put into staying faithful to the novel.

Check out our Atonement page for more clips and exclusives from the film.
 --Dan

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We had the pleasure of talking with Jason Statham (The Transporter, Snatch, The Italian Job) about Revolver, his new film with director Guy Ritchie. Here’s a taste of what he had to say, and you can hear more in the February edition of the Amazon Wire Podcast.

Describe Revolver for people who have yet to see the film:

I would say it’s a movie that’s not to be confused with the likes of Lock Stock or Snatch if you have ever seen any of the previous Guy Ritchie movies, it’s not to be confused with that kind of a film. It’s a little bit more of a serious sort of psychological thriller… about being able to smash what controls you, but at the same time it’s all set within a world of ya know, violence, ya know that sexy shiny world that Guy Ritchie creates.

Do you see comparisons between Lock Stock, Snatch and this film as a good thing or a bad thing?

Well look, he’s made two terrific films, two great black comedies, do you want him to go and make another one as well? Sometimes you have to do something a little bit different… you can’t please everyone.

You’ve carried a lot of other movies, action movies, where there’s explosions and fast cars, but this film is really held together by your presence, and it’s a totally different mood. Did you you feel a lot of pressure on your performance as Jake to carry the picture?

Um, I mean, no, it’s best not to try and focus on that really. But obviously if you haven’t got your usual bells and whistles to rely upon, then you have to try and dig it out from somewhere else.

What did you draw from your own experiences in preparing for this movie?

You might know from reading other stuff that I used to work on street corners hustling, or conning people if you like, so I understood the psychology of that and what you need to do to make somebody sort of bend over and succumb to your will, it’s a very simple set of rules… there’s so many ways that you can be sort of lured down a certain road and it’s all about making decisions, and if you’re aware of what is leading you, you can make the right decision at the right time.

Revolver comes out on DVD March 18, you can pre-order your copy now.

--Rachel, Amazon Movies & TV

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We are now one step closer to wireless high-def television. The WirelessHD Consortium--composed of Sony, Samsung, Toshiba, LG, Panasonic, NEC, Intel, and chipmaker SiBeam--announced it has completed development of its specification for uncompressed high-definition video transmission without cables.




While this news might not sound earth-shattering to everyone, there are some really neat things that are going to come out of this. This protocol allows manufacturers to begin development of set-top boxes, DVRs, next-gen DVD players, game consoles and camcorders that can wirelessly stream true, uncompressed 1080p signals through the room. This will give much greater flexibility in where you place your components, plus you don't have to worry about stringing wires across your room or snaking them through your walls. It even provides a new standard for universal remotes that will be able to function with all your WirelessHD equipment right out of the box.




WirelessHD works by using the unlicensed 60Ghz band to broadcast 4Gbps of bandwidth up to 33 feet away. This bandwidth pipe is more than enough to accommodate an uncompressed 1080p signal, which only uses 3 gigabytes-per-second. It will also support two simultaneous 1080i signals or multiple 480p connections, along with multiple audio channels. You won't be able to watch your neighbor's DVDs though. Oxygen in the air and exterior building walls quickly reduce the power of the 60Ghz signal, limiting it to in-room use only.



It appears that WirelessHD will be a broadly adopted industry standard. Look for members of the consortium to demo this technology at next week's Consumer Electronics Show.



--Jon D.

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