Archived: Insiders Thread

[darinp2]

paidgeek,

This is a request. If you end up in a situation where you can influence it and hear that MGM isn't planning on bringing Rescue Dawn to Blu-ray, please encourage them to release that one (when the DVD comes out of course). I haven't seen it yet, but from the reviews and what I've heard it sounds like this is a title Blu-ray owners could get behind if it is done right, much like Apacolypto. I'm afraid that the box office results might discourage them from spending the money to bring it to Blu-ray, but looks like one that could overachieve for sales on Blu-ray to me.

--Darin

[WriteSimply]

To paidgeek,

After an expansive discussion with Deci (props!), I think that the implementation of shifting subtitles within the frame should be a standard feature, especially on movies wider than 16x9/1.85:1. With users and their constant height screens, this is much needed.

Questions: How much harder is it to code this shifting procedure?

Can you also code it so that the size can be variable? A standard size for constant height users will obscure the frame too much, I would think.

Thanks paidgeek. Your efforts and discussions here are well appreciated.


fuad

[coolmilo]

Paidgeek,

I wanted to express my thanks for a job well done. Tonight I watched the remastered Fifth Element and I was blown away (both PQ/SQ). This is one of my favorite movies and I thought SPE did an excellent job remastering this title.

[phloyd]

Originally Posted by WriteSimply

Two more questions: are you satisfied with the seamless branching feature on the CE3K? Will other SPHE movies going to come out with this, especially movies with director's cut and theatrical cut? Spider-man 2 theatrical and expanded version comes to mind.

I think that seamless branching should be used as much as possible.

Conceptually it is in the HD DVD spec but next to impossible to implement for HD DVD it would seem.

Further use of this feature would demonstrate the capability for Blu-ray to support this crucial feature well, and also help to demonstrate that HD DVD simply falls short of its own specification in this case. Specs really don't mean much if you can actually implement the feature.

Plus it would be fun for to see Amir say that seamless branching is one of those 'old hat' features that DVD had like frame forward and jump to time code that are way to boring and old to actually bother using in such an incredibly modern highly interactive format like HD DVD...!

[desmond]

Originally Posted by darinp2

paidgeek,

This is a request. If you end up in a situation where you can influence it and hear that MGM isn't planning on bringing Rescue Dawn to Blu-ray, please encourage them to release that one (when the DVD comes out of course). I haven't seen it yet, but from the reviews and what I've heard it sounds like this is a title Blu-ray owners could get behind if it is done right, much like Apacolypto. I'm afraid that the box office results might discourage them from spending the money to bring it to Blu-ray, but looks like one that could overachieve for sales on Blu-ray to me.

--Darin

i second that, i saw it recently and it is a great movie, acting is outstanding by bale and zahn.

[hyperdine]

Paidgeek

Great news on Close Encounters. Definitely looking forward to that one. I'm assuming that at some point in the process, Steven himself is going to want to review the final product before it hits store shelves. If you happen to hear what he says about it and the format in general, I would love to hear about it...even if you can't give us too many details

Also, what are the chances that we might see Lawrence of Arabia this year? Is it about 50/50?

BTW, I'm probably in the minority here, but I don't get all the fuss about PiP (much less HD-PiP). As long as you guys keep giving us the best picture and audio quality possible, that's all I care about. Just my two cents.

[Rob Tomlin]

Originally Posted by AlaskaDon

Paidgeek,

I just wanted to take a minute to thank SPHE for the great job with the Fifth Element exchange program. I was figuring that it would be a good while before my replacement showed up, and I can't tell you how happy I was when it was waiting at my door yesterday after work. Thanks for some GREAT customer service, and please pass this along to everyone involved

I didn't use the exchange program, but I would definitely like to take the opportunity to thank Sony for instituting this exchange for TFE and, more importantly, for the INCREDIBLE job that they did on the remaster! Simply a fantastic looking (and sounding) disc!

[goodstuff]

Yes, cheers to SPHE for the TFE remaster and quick replacement shipping.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Smackos

for PaidGeek:

Also, just to say thanks to you guys for all your hard work not just in helping answering our questions but also in what your doing in your line of work to get us some absolutely fantastic Blu-ray films out there.. your kicking asse..

He is the consummate professional and I hope you all can appreciate the difference in quality when carefully comparing his online postings to his main HD-VD protagonist, the A-man, who seems to spend as much time talking about Blu-ray, Sony, etc. as he does about the format that he purportedly supports while waiting……. for HD-lite digital downloads to become the next greatest thing.

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by thebluemax

How about the other Warner Titles that have been released on hh-dvd and not BLU-RAY yet? "V for Ven...", "Casablanca" etc etc?????

AFAIK they will not be out this year.

[cjamescook]

Originally Posted by Deciazulado

...
On audio (LPs CDs etc), the "original master" of a recording is the stereo or mono mixdown master tape (now these days there might be multichannel mixdowns too) ...

This is getting a bit afield, but I'll venture forth:
The terminology with material originally issued on LP gets a bit messy. For instance, if you visit www.wendycarlos.com, you will see that the "master" tape of "Switched-On Bach" she provided to Columbia was relabeled a "sub-master", then a new master was produced from it with limiting (left/right in particular as well as an RIAA equalization curve) to allow the LP stamping master to be cut.

(we now return you to your regularly-scheduled BD Insider's thread.)

[gandley]

Insiders, heard any rumbles about weistein company going Blu.?

evidently at comic-con some of there reps seemed to think they will be going blu with the first title being grindhouse late 2007. any legs to this rumour, would be nice to steal one of HD-DVDs last exclusives.

[thebluemax]

Originally Posted by dobyblue

AFAIK they will not be out this year.

I appreciate the info, does Warner even plan to ever to release these back titles?

Thanks Much!

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by gandley

Insiders, heard any rumbles about weistein company going Blu.?

Their parent company, Genius Products LLC, is neutral, and the Weinstein Company gave their blessing to the inclusion of the Blu-ray Disc HD version of "Hard Boiled" on the "Stranglehold" SE PS3 game.

So they've been "Blu" more or less, just haven't gotten around to releasing anything.

[WickyWoo]

Doby is that a "won't be out this year but definately coming 1 or 2Q 2008" or a "not even on the schedule" not this year

[MrBogey]

I was curious if there was any grumblings about distributors exporting titles to locations they don't hold the rights to distribute to? It seems to me that considering past incidents (Li-Sang, for example) Sony and other legal distributors would be acting on this.

[WickyWoo]

It's only the game divisions that seem to really care about such things

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

Doby is that a "won't be out this year but definately coming 1 or 2Q 2008" or a "not even on the schedule" not this year

I'm afraid the only titles I've heard about are The Matrix, Terminator 3, Batman Begins and of course Troy.

I don't doubt that Q1/08 will provide more of the back catalogue not yet released on Blu-ray.

[DaViD Boulet]

While some posters may be tired of the conversation about PIP and other BD-J spec functionality, it's important to realize that these early days of BD-J specs are absolutely critical. MUCH MORE IMPORTANT than asking Paidgeek if your favorite movie title will be coming out in the next few months on Blu-ray.

We've got a whole format-life-cycle to get all our titles on BD. But we only have a short window to make sure that the format specs get established the way that they should to ensure a strong future for their use on Blu-ray Disc.

Let's not get short sighted and quit asking the important questions now while we have the opportuntity to make a difference.

[ReduxInflux]

QUESTION:

HD-DVD made an announcement that it will be hitting myspace - the home of millions of potential consumers.
It has also stepped up its advertising campaign. Is Blu-Ray making any such efforts to do the same?