Just in case you were wondering whether Sony would get down and dirty with the low-priced rabble this year, word from its community blog is the company predictably held its premium brand mantle high, proclaiming during a recent industry analyst meeting that it wouldn't be launching a value-priced Blu-ray player. Still, after turning around and selling TVs bearing its name at Wal-mart of all places, we would be surprised to see Sony flip on this policy and offer price-conscious shoppers a Vizio alternative sooner rather than later.

Ruh roh. In a move that will undoubtedly cause an incredibly raucous stir, only to fade away as movie renters realize that Netflix is still the best deal going, America's most adored by-mail rental service is hiking the price of Blu-ray rentals once again. If you'll recall, Netflix already implemented a $1 per month fee for Blu-ray customers back in October, and now it's looking to push that premium higher by around 20 percent across its pricing tiers. The company asserts that the increase (slated to hit April 27th and only applicable to BD customers) is due to it buying more titles on BD to "accommodate the increasing number of Netflix members who prefer renting movies on Blu-ray." In fact, nearly 10 percent of all Netflix customers are choosing BD now, and obviously these platters cost quite a bit more for anyone (even Netflix) to procure. Head past the break to see how big of a hardship this will be on you.

General Electric came clean with its intentions to delve into the wide world of HDTVs last September... and then the economy, as well as GE itself, fell apart. Earlier this year, we were actually clued in on some of the details surrounding the Tatung-built sets, but now we're hearing that the company is pushing everything back by around three months. GE maintains that the setback is due to "marketing rather than operational or manufacturing issues," though we all know right about now isn't the greatest time to introduce new high-end televisions. We also get the idea that GE may use the time to better implement connected HDTV features given just how prevalent those were at CES, but again, we're really just shooting in the dark here. Oh, we forgot to even ask -- does anyone care that GE's getting back into the TV biz, let alone that its forthcoming sets are delayed?

We had every reason to believe that these channels were coming, but now Cablevision itself has stepped forward with a confirmation. Starting right about now (and continuing over a three-day period), customers of the carrier with HD set-top-boxes can find 15 new premium movie channels in high-def. Yep, the whole lot consists of HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, Starz and Encore variants, and while it's certainly not admitted, we have all ideas that these were added after the removal of the 15 VOOM HD networks a few months prior. Regardless of the motives, we better not hear a single complaint from movie buffs who happen to get their pay-TV from this carrier.

[Image courtesy of Reuben]

It's true -- the inevitable has happened. We learned in August that Netflix would be tacking on a $1 surcharge per month for unlimited access to Blu-ray titles, and now a flood of users are receiving e-mails confirming the fee. Starting on November 5th, the $1 charge will be added on each month so long as you're craving BD content, though we have a sneaking suspicion that won't force you back into the less detailed world of DVD. Gotta pay to play, they say. Check the full text of the e-mail after the break.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

We already knew full well that Netflix was getting antsy to throw a "Blu-ray premium" onto accounts, but it looks like "very soon" may really mean "within the next month." According to a tipster who just today signed up for a new account and added Blu-ray access, a message popped up at the completion of the transaction notifying him that a $1 per month charge (plus applicable taxes) would be added once his free trial concluded. Just a wild guess here, but we don't reckon you're bailing out on your rental plan over this, right?

[Image courtesy of Homotron, thanks Wesley]

Update: We're hearing that some folks are seeing a $2 per month charge. Selective pricing, hmm?

Netflix taketh away, and Netflix giveth. Netflix is about to taketh once more (this time from your wallet), with CEO Reed Hastings noting on a recent conference call that the promised Blu-ray premium would be instituted "very shortly." Specifics weren't mentioned, but we are hearing that the new pricing will be applied across its entire subscriber base "based on how the tests go." Hastings did note that BD rentals still make up a "very low" percentage of rentals, but of course, that will obviously change as time progresses. Any guesses as to how much said "premium" will be?

[Image courtesy of WorkItMom, thanks Dan]

Moving beyond day-and-date releases via internet and HD video-on-demand, movie studios may be ready to move towards regularly putting movies online ahead of the DVD release date for a premium price -- that surveys say some of us are willing to pay -- but prepare to have your analog hole plugged again. The MPAA petitioned the FCC earlier this month to lift the existing ban preventing cable and satellite providers from remotely disabling analog outputs on their set-top boxes via selectable output controls (SOC). In a bit of ICT redux, the movie studios haven't said definitively that they will use the technology, but insist on having the ability to force anyone wanting to view high definition movies to only see them through an HDCP-protected HDMI output to a compatible TV. The failure of AACS and BD+ to prevent high quality copies isn't a deterrent to the MPAA's push, so while ICT has gone unused on Blu-ray and HD DVD, we're still too fond of our component outs, switchers and homemade cables -- and too wary of a future change in policy -- to support any changes in the law.

Whoa boy, we can't imagine this going over well with the Blu-ray junkies in attendance. On a conference call held earlier today, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings made mention that it planned on instituting a "modest monthly premium" to its normal subscription rate for folks who rented BDs. Of course, the move only makes perfect sense -- after all, the discs do cost more, and according to Mr. Hastings, "consumers are used to paying more for high-definition content." Unfortunately, we're not sure if the price hike (exactly how much has yet to be disclosed) will apply flatly to every single Blu-ray renter or if the premium will be applied in a tiered fashion based on how heavily you rent HD media versus traditional DVDs. With the change slated to occur "later this year," though, we won't be wondering for long.

[Via CNET, image courtesy of WorkItMom]

Proton's no stranger to taking the wraps off new products in lively Las Vegas, and this year it looks like a few 1080p gems will be showing their stuff alongside the LED-backlit versions we've been hearing about. Dubbed the first two sets in the company's "premier" lineup, the 42-inch P42D5 and 47-inch P47D5 both sport a newly designed aluminum enclosure, 176-degree viewing angle, and a "Puriti" processing engine that purportedly helps to eliminate jaggies among other color enhancements. Aside from the full blown 1080p support, built-in digital / analog tuners, PIP, and HDMI inputs on both sets, the P47D5 also features a 1200:1 contrast ratio, 500 cd/m2 brightness, 8-millisecond response time, and a pair of integrated 5-watt speakers. Both sets should be on display at next month's CES, and while the 42-incher will sell for $1,999, the flagship 47-inch model will demand $2,999.