Emannikcufesin

I disagree. The Oppo is a nice player, but the lack of Wi-Fi certaintly knocks it out of contention for BEST Blu Ray player. DVD-A and SACD support are interesting but mean nothing to 99% of the market. Wi-Fi is a relevent feature that everyone can benefit from. The Oppo does have decent load times but they still fall behind the feature rich LG BD390. Two strikes against the Oppo. I'm sure their next player will correct these flaws and reign supreme until that day this round goes to LG.

LG BD390 - fastest loading times (beats PS3 and Oppo), analog outputs, Wi-Fi, Netflix, Vudu, You Tube, doubles as a Media Server for your PC, and did I mention amazing picture and sound quality?

I disagree, this game is great fun. While the graphics and sounds are definately 8-bit. The gameplay is pure Sonic. Now I have to confess I was a diehard SMS user back in the day and for find it a real treat to play Sonic The Hedgehog 2 on the system (Wii VC) for the first time, as it was never released on the SMS in the States. I downloaded it immediately and have been sucked into this game for hours now.

On the merit of the originality of the game, some Sonic fans will find this version has more replay value than the more famous Genesis verison.

Can't wait for more SMS titles to hit the VC: Phantasy Star, Kenseidien, Lord of the Sword, Rastan, Wonder Boy in Monsterland, Wonder Boy 3 - The Dragons Trap, Psycho Fox, Shinobi, Golvellius, Shadow of the Beast, Zillion 2 - The TriFormation, Mickey Mouse, ahhh the list and memories go on and on.

Considering it's been close to a year since the close of the format war, I have been looking forward to purchasing my first Blu Ray player. However this article gives me pause. According to their criteria My HD-A35 loads movies in under 30 seconds, which is considerably quicker than the PS3...which they rate as the fastest Blu Ray player on the market at 43 seconds.

Have load times increased on any of these BD players after firmware upgrades, or are all the players a case of "it is what it is" in regards to load times?

My requirements for a Blu Ray player, which no current BD player has satisfied:

1) Profile 2.0
2) 7.1 analog outputs
3) Wi-Fi
4) load times under 30 seconds

Here is the outcome I would like to see. Paramount and Universal are free to release on both formats. Toshiba continues to support HD DVD, as the install base grows and more money is to be made on the format, other studios should be given incentives to also produce titles on HD DVD. I do not believe holding studios hostage is the right way to do business for either format. Ultimately it destroys customer choice. However, to turn the back on an install base of 1,000,000 user is ludicrous. Just remember Laserdiscs were in production from 1978 - 2001.

Laserdiscs were produced between 1978 and 2001. So why would Toshiba throw in the towel after less than 2 years on a million users? It doesn't make sense.

Engadget?! I submit some positive news for HD DVD and you completely ignore it. The minute you get anything negative to post about HD DVD you don't miss a beat. Are you hell bent against the format these days? It appears that way. So, since you won't post it, I will. As many of you know Studio Canal supports HD DVD in Europe so the following news is a pretty big deal for the format.

StudioCanal acquires Kinowelt
By Rebecca Leffler and Scott Roxborough

Jan 18, 2008

French movie powerhouse StudioCanal has officially bought up 100% of German independent distributor Kinowelt, the companies said Thursday.

The move makes StudioCanal the largest pan-European film distribution company with operations in the continent's three largest markets: France, Germany and the U.K., after the Gallic company bought Optimum Releasing in 2006.

"We're the only European company to have such a direct presence in the top three markets, "StudioCanal's chairman and CEO Olivier Courson told The Hollywood Reporter. With a stake in these three top territories, StudioCanal will control a market worth 3 billion euros ($4.4 billion) in boxoffice receipts and 7 billion euros ($10.2 billion) in home video sales. StudioCanal will add Kinowelt's 7,000-plus library titles to its already 5,000-strong catalog.

"Our priority is to develop our strategy in each of these three countries and band them together to create a European network," Courson said. StudioCanal is hoping to not only profit from Kinowelt's massive library of DVD rights and distribution benefits, but also aggressively develop the company's international production activities.

StudioCanal plans to invest 200 million euros ($292.2 million) per year in both local and international film production, over 30 million euros ($43.8 million) more than the group's current investment. "We're in a great position to develop international production. We want to be the choice for a European co-producer," Courson said.


He added: "We're going to partner more and more with the U.S. majors and take advantage of remake rights. This is our new strategy, and we're going to amplify it with the acquisition of Kinowelt." StudioCanal wholly funded Wong Kar Wai's "My Blueberry Nights" in 2006 and already has a slew of international co-productions in the works including Johnny To's next film featuring an international cast and a confidential "U.S. studio partner" and a prequel/remake of John Carpenter's "Escape From New York."

Kinowelt has been distributing StudioCanal's films in Germany for years, and the companies plan to extend their strong professional relationship. Michael and Rainer Kolmel will remain in their positions as senior advisers to Kinowelt, Michael for strategy and Rainer for acquisitions.

Both companies refused to comment on the price tag of the merger, rumored to be in the 70 million euro ($103 million) range.

The deal, signed late Wednesday night, will be officially set in motion "as quickly as possible," according to StudioCanal, which hopes to see the acquisition in place by the end of February or beginning of March.

Count me in!

I would consider it, if it supported HD DVD as well.

No Blu Ray player is worth $513.