Archived: Insiders Thread

[phloyd]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

The branching footage travels along with the video you're watching, so instead of seeking for the still, then seeking back to the video, it just moves in the stream.

Has there been any confirmation or denial that the BD experience with this title is the same or different (better?) than the HD DVD experience?

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by fronn

Hi Paidgeek,

On the topic of canceling titles because of time/people limits...

How many BR titles can a studio typically work on at a time at this point? How many DVD titles? (use Sony as an example if you don't know other studios -- or is this information you can't give?)

Is the number of BR titles in the pipeline going to steadily increase next year so we can expect more than 1-2 release per week average (if we're lucky) from Sony (or any other studio for that matter)?

How quickly can we expect BR releases to number 10+ a week every week (total titles, even), consistently? (can we expect it middle of next year or is that something we can to wait for '09 for?)

We can scale our capacity to handle more releases than we are currently issuing, but you should not expect to see 10 titles a week. There is a finite amount of retail space out there and we would not get good exposure for our titles if we flooded the market with them.

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by GJN

Paidgeek, Will 20 Million Miles to Earth contain the original B&W version as well the colorized version? And if so, will the B&W version be in high definition as well? Is colorization done before or after the mastering. I'm just curious about the sequence and what it means for future releases of B&W films that someone decides to colorize . Thanks.

Both version are included in high definition. You should know that Ray Harryhausen was more interested in seeing the colorized version released than the BW version.

[Mericalis]

Originally Posted by kjack

You'd think there would be some type of contact info somewhere in case somebody has a question or suggestion...

I think they were tired of hearing consumers gripe because of the lack of updating to their website in the first place...I know I sent several emails about updating it to them and never heard a word from them or their webmaster. So, they probably yanked them so that emails would stop.

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by horseflesh

OK, understood.
Now.........I don't suppose you fancy picking a US PS3 up for me and making a trip to Dublin do you?? I'll make it worth your while with some delicious pints of Guinness

I have one more question also;
I have the Seinfeld Complete Series boxset pre-ordered (managed to sell my Season 1-8 boxsets leaving me only about $40 short).
Are there any plans to release Seinfeld on Blu-ray? If I knew it was coming in the next 6 months or so I'd hold off.
Actually, would Seinfeld benefit much from Blu-ray??

I don't think Seinfeld will be any funnier in HD, but it will come...

[RickD]

When studios convert old TV shows shot on film to HD, why don't they keep the correct framing? I was watching Knight Rider in HD and they cropped and zoomed in on the original 4:3 frame to make it 16:9. I think it looks terrible.

I hope when such series come to Blu-Ray in the future, they keep the correct 4:3 framing (or make it an option along with the 16:9 framing).

Rick

[WickyWoo]

When studios convert old TV shows shot on film to HD, why don't they keep the correct framing? I was watching Knight Rider in HD and they cropped and zoomed in on the original 4:3 frame to make it 16:9. I think it looks terrible.

See 17297 posts on this forum about movies filling their screens

Yes, I'm sure that on HD media they'll put the 4:3 image on, and allow for a center zoom. DVD was capable of the same thing. It could even "pan and scan", but it looked weird, and the instructions to include it were apparently hard to use and about as much trouble as a seperate P&S version.
EDIT: I just checked and my Panasonic already has a "how to treat 4:3 material. Pillarbox, stretch or zoom" option

I'd be shocked if Blu didn't have the same thing

[RickD]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

See 17297 posts on this forum about movies filling their screens

Yes, I'm sure that on HD media they'll put the 4:3 image on, and allow for a center zoom. DVD was capable of the same thing. It could even "pan and scan", but it looked weird, and the instructions to include it were apparently hard to use and about as much trouble as a seperate P&S version.

I'd be shocked if Blu didn't have the same thing

I figured if they were going to do both they would use two separate encodes. That way they would both have optimal resolution. Encoding twice would increase cost of course and that's why I was wondering if the studios have put any thought into this.

I was thinking of it because Paidgeek was talking about Seinfeld.

That DVD P&S 'feature' was doomed from the start since the boxes didn't have the processing power to do it smoothly.

Rick

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by paidgeek

We can scale our capacity to handle more releases than we are currently issuing, but you should not expect to see 10 titles a week. There is a finite amount of retail space out there and we would not get good exposure for our titles if we flooded the market with them.

paid - do you know who would be the best person I can talk to to find out whether or not the 40GB or 80GB models in NA are feasibly capable of outputting dts-ma and truehd as bitstream?

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by Dalese

Quick, we need to get someone to channel the exiled spirit of Amir here. We have a Blu-ray insider not talking about specifics due to some trivialities as a NDA. Where are those hot tongs?

Seriously, a big thank you to you and all the insiders who make this forum an informative source for the Blu-ray enthusiasts. I for one appreciate the information and insight you are all able to share without jeopordizing your jobs.


Paid - Has the language track specs for the US release of Paprika been finalized? From what I read the French release had an English language track and there is some speculation still if the US release will be anything other then Japanese. (I don't want to get into a dub vs. sub on anime sidetrack discussion but I'd hate to think the US release was going to be omit English on it)

The power of Blu-ray....


Japanese ORG 5.1 TrueHD
English DUB 5.1 TrueHD
Chinese (Cantonese) DUB 5.1 AC3
Chinese (Mandarin -Taiwan) DUB 5.1 AC3
French (Parisian) DUB 5.1 AC3
Portuguese (Brazil) DUB 5.1 AC3
Spanish (Latin Am) DUB 5.1 AC3
Thai DUB 5.1 AC3

[Deciazulado]

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by JBlacklow

Paidgeek,

Although the info we had previously indicated a DD track (possibly mono?), the back cover art says TrueHD 5.1:

http://dvd.themanroom.com/dvd-cover.php?did=3948

Could you confirm which it is? Thanks in advance.

5.1 English THD,
Mono Latin American Spanish AC3

[amillians]

Originally Posted by kjack

Anyone have a contact for the BD website?

You need to login as a member...there's a "New Products" form/link on the main page once logged in...click it, fill it out, then send it to Jorg or Frank at Philips.

But it could take awhile to get it up there...I'm still waiting on the minutes from TEG2-46.

[amillians]

Paid,

You mentioned limitations on font-based subtitles, specifically limits to what control you have with AA and outlining. Can you provide any specifics? I've never really seen much detail on Blu-ray's font-based subs, but I assume it's similar to what HD DVD does (e.g., OTF, etc.), so if true, everyone's in the same boat, which kind of sucks, since externalized text-based subs seems like such a winning concept.

In that vein, can you provide a brief explanation of the benefits of Sony's BND XML sub format for Blu-ray?

Thanks. If you can't spill the beans, I understand.

[Bombthroat]

Originally Posted by fitprod

I believe, even if this was created using "pop-up" menus, there would be about the same delay. Logically, the only seamless part of the feature would be the complete un-cut version that you would watch.

When you make a choice, the player still has to find the footage you are going to watch. Too make this truely seemless, I think you would need enough memory on the player to essentially pre-load both sequence options. Even then, there is still access time.

fitprod

It would have been cool if you could go into a "direct the movie" type section and pre-select all the branch points and then seamlessly watch your "cut" of the movie without interruption.

That would have been awesome IMO! Insiders, feel free to pass this idea along.

[McBain]

Originally Posted by amillians

You need to login as a member...there's a "New Products" form/link on the main page once logged in...click it, fill it out, then send it to Jorg or Frank at Philips.

But it could take awhile to get it up there...I'm still waiting on the minutes from TEG2-46.

July 2006?

[JBlacklow]

Originally Posted by paidgeek

5.1 English THD,
Mono Latin American Spanish AC3

Thanks, paid. Sorry to ask another question, but what is the audio for the US CET3K Blu-ray?

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by Josh

Hmm... maybe it was because the film actually stops and waits for user input that causes the jump. I imagine that if it just kept playing, it would have been seamless. Too bad though; any comment, Penton?

The Blu-ray version is indeed seamless. When a decision point is reached, if no selection is made, the default branch will be played back without interuption. On the HD-DVD, the playback always pauses to wait for input. There are is also some branch points that do not require user input, these will be played back seamless on the BD, not on the HD-DVD.

[ErikR]

This is not an HD DVD bash... but, is Paramount secretly working with the BDA? I ask because of this....

"Please be advised that there are typographical errors on the packaging for the Jack Ryan Special Collector's Edition HD-DVD. The packaging inadvertently notes special features that are not on the HD-DVD.

As a result, this product is being recalled and street date is being delayed. We ask that you do not sell or rent this product to consumers and that you stop shipments to additional destinations. A Paramount Home Entertainment Representative will contact you with an RA number to facilitate sending the product back to Paramount Home Entertainment's manufacturing facility. Returned product should include any unit previously shipped to retailers or other destinations as well as your on-hand inventory. We will provide further information on the availability of new product shortly."

[theknub]

Originally Posted by ErikR

This is not an HD DVD bash... but, is Paramount secretly working with the BDA? I ask because of this....

not to muck up the insiders thread too much....

but i think you are proposing a conspiracy theory type scenario? if so, i think we'd be just grasping at straws.

edit: and max answers first ftw