Ask questions to Sony Pictures Entertainment insider "paidgeek"

[Lambchop]

Welcome back Paid!

I wanted to thank you for your (& your colleagues) work on CE3K. Loved everything about the release from the covers to menus to audio options!

[reiella]

Welcome back!

Fun question since I've had it come up recently. Not really related to Blu-Ray though. If it's more appropiate to ask the SCE Insider, lemme know and I'm sorry .

What resolution are UMD Videos encoded? I've seen the claim of 720x480, but I'm really hesitant to believe that, especially with the first generation UMDs really only having the PSP's screen to work with.

[FFObsessed]

Welcome back Paidgeek.

I made a post about Close Encounters a few insiders threads ago, but I believe you were away busy at that time. Just thought I'd re-post it so you see it:

To Paidgeek,

Just received Close Encounters here in the UK and I just wanted to state that I am very pleased

Especially the packaging/presentation, it's just beautiful. As nice as the blue of the Blu-Ray cases are, Im often jealous when a DVD version of a movie get's a cool special edition package and we're stuck with just a normal Blu-Ray case. It's nice to see as much care taken over the packaging as there was over the transfer/special feature etc.

I look forward to seeing more Special Edition Blu-Ray releases as high quality as this in the future, and I would like to thank SPE for such a great release and at a very low price (£13.99).

Thank you.

http://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.ph...postcount=6637

I also have a couple of questions about Gattaca, which was recently re-announced, will the release be region free? And if not, is the UK release scheduled at the same time or soon after? I think I remember asking you about it when it was initially re-scheduled and you mentioned it was getting a brand new master, which I was pleased about...

Thank you.

[frank_t]

Originally Posted by paidgeek

Hi Darin,

It's no problem to put 4+ hours on a BD50. LOA will fit nicely.

FYI, I have been told that HD-NET will be showing the newest version in a couple of weeks. Let me know what you think of it... I think everyone will be pleased.

yep - saw the ad last night!

i've never seen this movie, but will do so, and in HD no less

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by paidgeek

Someone mentioned this to me last a couple of days ago and we need to find out more about it. I'll let you know...

I have some further information that the disc is fully spec compliant. The problem might be solvable with a player firmware update.

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by blindcat87

Welcome back.

I think we all feel fine about you attending to the day job, since that brings us great BD movies. We appreciate all the time you are able to give us.

I don't really have any questions yet, but I do want to send my thanks for Gattaca getting the SE treatment. The film really deserves the deluxe treatment and it will be a release day purchase for me. I look forward to replacing all of my Superbit DVDs with BD editions, but this one was very high on my list.

Chris

The new transfer of Gattaca is a big improvement over the previous one. You won't be disappointed.

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by paidgeek

I'm sorry for any inconvenience it might have caused that I have not been keeping up with the threads or posting lately.

Thank YOU for spending time answering questions here.

Originally Posted by paidgeek

I'll do my best to devote time to answering questions again, but I'm sure you will understand if I get tied up with the day job....the one that pays my mortgage...

And, in the end, helps to get us all what we really want, which are cool SPHE movies on Blu-ray.

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by danielpwnz

Hey Paid. Welcome back.

Anything you can do to get Marie Antoinette back on the schedule? The BD release was "postponed" a year ago now and I'm dying to upgrade my DVD copy.

Sorry, but I don't have any news for you about this title.

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by paidgeek

The new transfer of Gattaca is a big improvement over the previous one. You won't be disappointed.

Sweet!

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by HDJK

Welcome back

I'm sorry if I somehow missed this in the archived thread, but was there ever some kind of feedback to the PJ friendly subtitles on Immortal Beloved? Can we expect more movies with this feature?

Any info is greatly appreciated.

Thanks for the reminder. I have not seen much feedback on this, but will check into it. If you have a favorite widescreen title coming from our studio on Blu-ray, prod me and I will check on the possibility of making the in picture subs available.

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by dakota81

Welcome back.

We just passed up another Groundhog Day without a Blu-ray release, and I'm not just mentioning it because it was filmed where I live (in the midwest we take what we can get to be proud of our towns ), any chance of pushing for a release next year?


I picked up the Resident Evil Trilogy last month, hadn't seen them before, and was very impressed with them all, video games usually translate to movies very poorly. Surprisingly these were very entertaining. Are there any plans to create a 4th movie? I like where Extinction ends.


Also, on Sony's Blu-ray movies more than other studios, the pre-movie titles, such as the fbi warnings, alternate several times between 1080i and 1080p, and some times the previews and menus are different too. Could future Blu-ray releases have them all at 1080p? My new hdtv goes blank for 5 or 6 seconds every resolution change, which is an inconvenience.

The titles you mentioned are possible. You'll have to wait for them, but chances are good...

I'll check on the warning cards coding. I have not paid much attention to this, but I assumed that all of our cards were encoded as 1080p. If not, we should be able to do something about that....

[Blu Titan]

Welcome back sir! I have a question, most of the retailers in the South Florida area have been out ot stock on the Sony 300S and 500 BD players for the last three weeks. For example, Bestbuy has the Sony Blu-ray displays running, but no Hardware to sell (no Sony Blu-ray players at all in the store). Is Sony going to restock the stores soon? Is another model coming?

[sj001]

Paid, I hate mentioning movie releases, but in the past it was brought up that Ghostbusters was not a good candidate for a Hi-Def transfer due to the quality of the master. Can you elaborate? Is there a possibility this could see a really good restoration and release on BD sometime in the next year or so?

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by MOONPHASE

is cowboy bebop the movie in the works? it is from columbia tristar

I've seen notes about this title, but nothing in the very near future.

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by TwisTz

Welcome back Paid. I think Sony has been doing a fantastic job as of late so congrats on that front.

Just one question if I can... any idea if Southland Tales is going to be released on Blu?

The Sony DVD release date is sometime in March as far as I know.

I have not seen anything about this title.

I should say that we found the polls conducted on requested 80's and 90's titles really useful. If someone is passionate about a title and we get enough feedback, it might be possible to adjust a title in the schedule if it makes sense...

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by Stephie_is_a_dork

Welcome back paidgeek!

Thanks to the nice people at Sony who replaced my grainy copy of The Fifth Element with the remastered version! I know someone else already asked this, but I too think House of Flying Daggers needs the remastered treatment! We've all come to expect more from Blu-ray, and more from Sony. I mean that in a good way, you guys have a high reputation of quality to live up to!

Can you tell us anything about upcoming firmware updates for the PS3? More specifically, whether the internet browser will ever support Adobe Flash player? I use my PS3 for 'net surfing more than a computer, but there are SO many sites that don't work without flash!

Have you heard anything about Cowboy Bebop or any other 007 movies being released on Blu-ray? Thanks for your time!

-unpaidDork

I'm glad you liked the new version of "The Fifth Element".

It does not look like we will have an opportunity to make a big picture quality improvement in HOFD for reasons that have been covered here before.

I can't comment on PS3 firmware update specifics as we don't have regular information about this. Note that if you are having problems or are desperate for a feature, that this forum is read by some Sony Computer persons from time to time.

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by reiella

Welcome back!

Fun question since I've had it come up recently. Not really related to Blu-Ray though. If it's more appropiate to ask the SCE Insider, lemme know and I'm sorry .

What resolution are UMD Videos encoded? I've seen the claim of 720x480, but I'm really hesitant to believe that, especially with the first generation UMDs really only having the PSP's screen to work with.

It is correct that our UMD video titles have been encoded at 720 x 480 for worldwide release.

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by BlueNeon

Welcome back sir! I have a question, most of the retailers in the South Florida area have been out ot stock on the Sony 300S and 500 BD players for the last three weeks. For example, Bestbuy has the Sony Blu-ray displays running, but no Hardware to sell (no Sony Blu-ray players at all in the store). Is Sony going to restock the stores soon? Is another model coming?

I don't have an answer for you, but I will pass this on...

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by sj001

Paid, I hate mentioning movie releases, but in the past it was brought up that Ghostbusters was not a good candidate for a Hi-Def transfer due to the quality of the master. Can you elaborate? Is there a possibility this could see a really good restoration and release on BD sometime in the next year or so?

Lot's of money, time and added value going into this one. We are wringing everything out of it we can...

[martinstraka8282]

Any chance you can convince the SCEA insider to come back? I really need the ability to create folders and subfolders on the PS3. I replaced my 60gb hard drive with a 250gb, put all my 180+gb's of MP3's on my PS3, but with the limited organization options for the PS3 it is basically unuseable.

Oh and let me throw my name in the hat as someone who is really hoping we see the Bad Boys movies on Blu soon!