Ask questions to The Digital Bits team (Bill Hunt, Jeff Kleist et.al.)

[UltimateFighter]

Hey Bill!!! Welcome aboard! Love your columns.

First off...Are you a Mac guy or a PC guy?

What did you think of Macworld today and do you think Apple will support Blu-Ray or go the way of MS and push downloads more?

Thanks!

[Bill Hunt]

Originally Posted by Banjo

Myself, I want to see the audio commentaries, visual commentaries, PIP experiences and all special features subtitled for the deaf and hard of hearing.

That's a good idea certainly, and I'll be sure to pass it on to the studios whenever I can.

[doctorD]

Originally Posted by Bill Hunt

I can't speak for other sites or journalists. I tend to trust those I've known for a long time, with a history of getting it right. We've been covering the home video industry for more than ten years now. The guys who I've known that have been around (with us) since the beginning of DVD are getting it right - not just online but the print and industry trade press as well. Some of the newcomers online, not so much. The way the Internet works these days, anyone can post a blog and have an opinion. That's fine, but it's hard for the average reader to sort the good from the bad. Plus, seemingly everyone on a forum now likes to talk about having "sources." And the fact is, there are paid representatives on both sides in this format war that have been taking advantage of the discussion groups to stir up FUD and get enthusiasts to fight their battles for them. It's sad, but true.

Thanks Bill for answering my questions!

[hyperdine]

Bill- Any plans on doing another book (once this whole format war is 100% over)? I'm sure you could fill volumes with all the behind-the-scenes stuff related to the format war that perhaps never made the light of day.

Sorry, to my fellow Blu-Ray.com folks. Don't mean to hog up all of Bill's time. Last question from me (at least for tonight )

[starlightpress]

Hi Bill! Fan of your writing here...

I saw this Youtube video posted online.. and it had a great tribute to the digital bits and you... was wondering if you have seen it yet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=friS4OOcdgQ

Any comments?

[UltimateFighter]

Originally Posted by starlightpress

Hi Bill! Fan of your writing here...

I saw this Youtube video posted online.. and it had a great tribute to the digital bits and you... was wondering if you have seen it yet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=friS4OOcdgQ

Any comments?

Yep he posted about it on his 2 cents today

[Bill Hunt]

Originally Posted by UltimateFighter

Hey Bill!!! Welcome aboard! Love your columns.

First off...Are you a Mac guy or a PC guy?

What did you think of Macworld today and do you think Apple will support Blu-Ray or go the way of MS and push downloads more?

Thanks!

I'd like to think I'm cool like Justin Long, but I know deep down I'm more John Hodgman at heart. I'm a PC guy, who looks longingly at the ease and simplicity of Macs, but just can't let the PC go. I've built nearly every one of the computers I've ever owned. My wife uses a Mac. Nearly all of my Hollywood friends use Macs. They forgive me such eccentricities.

I think you'll see Blu-ray drives in Apples sooner rather than later, at least as an option or add-on. I just recently bought a high-def video camera, and I'd love to be able to export family videos onto Blu-ray after editing them. I suspect there are a lot of indie filmmakers that have the same need. Everyone is certainly going to push downloads, but think of it this way... after all these years of talking about MP3 and music downloading, the record industry is hoping - HOPING mind you - that downloading will get to represent 10% of all music sales by 2010. And video files present a much bigger problem due to filesize, bandwith, etc. So downloading still has a long way to go.

[Bill Hunt]

Originally Posted by hyperdine

Bill- Any plans on doing another book (once this whole format war is 100% over)? I'm sure you could fill volumes with all the behind-the-scenes stuff related to the format war that perhaps never made the light of day.

It's a great idea, but I could never get away with printing even half the stuff I've seen, heard or been told about this format war. I'd be run out of town on a rail! So if I (and Todd) ever write another book, it'll probably be fiction or something completely non-DVD/high-def related.

[Bill Hunt]

Originally Posted by starlightpress

Hi Bill! Fan of your writing here...

I saw this Youtube video posted online.. and it had a great tribute to the digital bits and you... was wondering if you have seen it yet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=friS4OOcdgQ

Any comments?

I have, and we got a laugh out of it. I commented on this in another thead today (and in today's early column at The Bits).



Okay, guys... it's been great but I've got to call it a night. I'll try to check back again in the next day or so. Best to all of you!

[GreenScar]

Bill, nice to see you here (and welcome). I remember reading your column, probably in the early days, when I first got into DVD.

I've got a question for you about Fox's Man on Fire. They just released it on Blu-ray and the reviews it's getting on AQ/PQ are stellar. But there were no extras included on the release (while there's a special edition dvd out with loads of extras). In your opinion why would they not port over at least commentaries or something for the Blu-ray? I'm wondering if I should pick this up or wait for another future release.

Thanks

[mystiksuicide]

Welcome Bill to the forum. I really enjoy your articles, especially when you report good news to us. So please keep them coming.

[quetzalcoatl]

Welcome to the forum Bill.
Thanks for all the hard work and keep the great stuff coming.

[Anthony P]

Hi Bill. As someone that has been foolowing DVD from the start, how does BD's ~5M in 2007 disk sales compare to DVD disk sales in the same relative time frame?

[Bizdady]

Wow I get home and what great surprise I find. Bill as many here before have stated I too just recently stumbled on to your website through my friends here at Blu-ray.com. I now find myself reading every bit of information I can during my down time at work. Its great to see a long time supporter, unlike these other HD-DVD biased "blogs" recently converted Bluray afficionados lol Keep up the great work and look forward to you future insight on the pending war.

[blindcat87]

Welcome Bill. I've been reading the Bits since someone on alt.video.dvd posted about this new site covering the early days of what we felt then was the best of two new formats. Glad to be able to continue reading through the early days of another great new format. Doubly glad now that you will be stopping in here.

Chris

[matthewrounds]

Originally Posted by Bill Hunt

How I wish I could say! It was a very cool experience, and you guys will ALL get to experience it for yourselves eventually, rest assured. It wasn't Star Wars, but I can't say anything more than that. As soon as the proper folks tell me that it can be discussed, I'll discuss it. Mum's the word til then.

LOTR??? I think everyone in the forum would jump for joy if that were announced! Its nice to see you at the forum.

[scoobiesnackarff]

Greetings Bill,

Just wanted to say like many others how you are much appreciated here. Its great to have such a wonderful cast of leaders both here on this forum and throughout the industry, you know, trustworthy men and women who are more concerned with the best technology for the customer than the pocket book for the corporate cast. Also, on a sidenote, can you tell us that is if you heard, what was the reaction when the Toshiba/HD DVD crew first found out about Warner? Just curious

Alan

[tofur69]

Heeeellloooo Bill. It is awesome to have you here. I have been reading your site since day one and the DVD / DIVX war. This question is a bit off topic from Blu-ray but it does pertain to the home video market.

[rant]
Why do studios insist on using poorly made photoshopped images for their video covers? Why cannot they use the original poster art? Are they trying to give some up-and-coming paint monkey a job?

A great example of this would be the vote that was put forward recently by Sony for the upcoming BARON MUNCHAUSEN cover. The majority of the voters went after that hideous yellow cover, but that was better than the other bad photoshops they had. The original poster art captured the majic the movie had. I just want to know why the studios waste their time and money on this.

A few months ago I was dragged into a survey for CHILDEN OF MEN. They showed me the cover art with the closeup of Clive on it. It showed nothing of the movie or how it "felt"...just his face behind the door. The poster art was brilliant with the embryo. I politely bashed the new cover and told the man conducting the survey it was horrible and they should not use it. As you can see my single voice did not sway the powers that be.

Of my respectible movie collection, I have slipped in the cases the original art on quite a few titles.
[/rant]


Any insight would be wonderful.

[Bullseye]

Bill do you think that HDM in general can afford to let 2008 slip by without declaring a winner? I know we all hope and think BD is going to win with the WB announcement but to have to wait the entire year of 2008 would be extremely bad news as its another year gone by.

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by Bill Hunt

I tend to trust those I've known for a long time, with a history of getting it right.

Then perhaps you remember...

Welcome to the forum, Bill.

Dr.A