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

[AnimeOnBlu]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

You know I kinda am in the mood for another poll.
Anyone up for that VC-1 vs AVC video poll I alluded to back a couple weeks ago?

Or do folks think, so to speak, that the horse has already left the barn with that.

If it is the one I am thinking of, yes please do

[Scorxpion]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

You know I kinda am in the mood for another poll.
Anyone up for that VC-1 vs AVC video poll I alluded to back a couple weeks ago?

Or do folks think, so to speak, that the horse has already left the barn with that.

YES i think of it and i bet from now AVC will be a winner

[Bobby Henderson]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

DVD vs Blu-ray in the eyes of J6P is a much smaller jump Remember huge numbers of people claim they can't even see a difference (they're blind but....)

From my own experience the change from DVD to Blu-ray was a bigger change than the switch from VHS and Laserdisc to DVD. I watched DVDs on a regular standard definition TV set. When I bought my 80GB PS3 I also bought a new 52" HDTV set the same day.

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

You have to have name-brand Blu-ray players at $79.99 before you're going to see the start of a DVD purge.

The arrival of $79 or lower priced Blu-ray players will happen sooner than many think. The $99 level has already been touched by an off brand model. I'm certain we'll see a few name brand BD players offered at or below the $99 price level this coming holiday season. By the end of 2010, I think the biggest BD player manufacturers will have at least a couple models priced under $100. At those levels, major retailers from Best Buy to Sears will stock far less in the way of DVD players. Currently those stores are devoting roughly half their movie player shelf space to Blu-ray. And BD players are just going to keep eating up more and more of that shelf space until there's no room left for DVD.

Originally Posted by merrick97

Is it really a good idea for all these studios to be moving to DTS-HD MA? I mean many of the first gen players cant decode or bitstream it.

Any Blu-ray player can internally decode the data lossy core of a DTS-HD Master Audio track and output it as 2 channel analog (as well as send the DTS 5.1 data over a optical or coaxial digital cable). Basic Dolby Digital and DTS functions are mandatory as part of Blu-ray specifications. No one is going to be stuck with a Blu-ray movie playing the audio silenced -at least not unless the end user has his home theater settings goofed up.

[Jeff Kleist]

Hello Jeff, Paramount is going to release Transformers 2 with DTSHD master audio in Europe and middle east like it's release in North America.

Paramount typically does one disc for the world

A VC-1 vs AVC poll is a dead issue. Enthusiasts like AVC, and everyone is moving in that direction anyway. AVC is evolving and VC-1 is stuck in the mud in terms of development. I know that there are several VC-1 houses actively looking at moving to AVC exclusively because it creates a more efficient workflow. Faster and better encodes= less production time=more discs=more profit

The arrival of $79 or lower priced Blu-ray players will happen sooner than many think. The $99 level has already been touched by an off brand model. I'm certain we'll see a few name brand BD players offered at or below the $99 price level this coming holiday season. By the end of 2010, I think the biggest BD player manufacturers will have at least a couple models priced under $100. At those levels, major retailers from Best Buy to Sears will stock far less in the way of DVD players. Currently those stores are devoting roughly half their movie player shelf space to Blu-ray. And BD players are just going to keep eating up more and more of that shelf space until there's no room left for DVD.

I'm talking a name-brand $79.99 day-one retail price player. Not a lossleader. While they may have clearance players hitting $100 this year. It has to be an every day thing. You can buy a DVD player for $30 on a regular basis, and $60 is standard for a name-brand. In order to purge the DVD players from the rack, you have to be able to compete with those prices day to day.

Any Blu-ray player can internally decode the data lossy core of a DTS-HD Master Audio track and output it as 2 channel analog (as well as send the DTS 5.1 data over a optical or coaxial digital cable). Basic Dolby Digital and DTS functions are mandatory as part of Blu-ray specifications. No one is going to be stuck with a Blu-ray movie playing the audio silenced -at least not unless the end user has his home theater settings goofed up.

Completely true, unfortunatley the last part is the important one

I did like what I saw on the BD80 where they had a simplified setup that runs on first boot. However, I do think that to help idiot proof you really need to have a good long explanation in there They're working on it and it's a step in the right direction because as we all know, people don't read bloody manuals.

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by Bobby Henderson

Any Blu-ray player can internally decode the data lossy core of a DTS-HD Master Audio track and output it as 2 channel analog (as well as send the DTS 5.1 data over a optical or coaxial digital cable). Basic Dolby Digital and DTS functions are mandatory as part of Blu-ray specifications. No one is going to be stuck with a Blu-ray movie playing the audio silenced -at least not unless the end user has his home theater settings goofed up.

But a lot of those players can decode TrueHD.

[Scorxpion]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

But a lot of those players can decode TrueHD.

OK tell me what are they doing with FOX,MGM,Universal and Lionsgate ,how do they listen to DTSHD master audio i'm sure most of them have a second player at least or planning to buy one now.i'm positive most of the first generation players were PS3 or you can say the majority.let's back and face it the decision has been made somewhere and New Line Cinema is switching back.

[Jeff Kleist]

Let's take the DTS war back to the other three threads shall we?

[Scorxpion]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

Let's take the DTS war back to the other three threads shall we?

Ok

[Batman1980]

So Jeff, how's it going today? Anything exciting in your part of the world? Not really in a movie mood today, there are a bunch of movies in theatres I want to see though.

[Alan Gordon]

Originally Posted by Wolverine1980

Jeff, how long will it be till we start seeing new blu-ray releases coming out on day one for lower than DVD prices

I've purchased MANY Blu-ray releases on day one cheaper than the DVD prices. They are few and far between, but it happens.

~Alan

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by Alan Gordon

I've purchased MANY Blu-ray releases on day one cheaper than the DVD prices. They are few and far between, but it happens.

Seems to happen with Criterion titles at online retailers fairly regularly.

[Alan Gordon]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

None of the WB stuff will probably show until on or around Sept 1

Originally Posted by Alan Gordon

"Smallville" is being released next Tuesday, and "Supernatural" the week after that ("Fringe" of course being the week after that). I'm not very optimistic, but I will continue to hold out hope that at least one of these titles' rear cover art is incorrect, and they will contain a "lossless" track.

"Smallville" was confirmed by PM to me to be "lossy" by a reviewer who has had it since last week. They expected "Supernatural" in the mail yesterday, so no word on it or "Fringe" yet. Nimoy's voice deserves "lossless" audio, so I'm holding out hope for "Fringe" at least.

Originally Posted by Alan Gordon

I've purchased MANY Blu-ray releases on day one cheaper than the DVD prices. They are few and far between, but it happens.

Originally Posted by Doctorossi

Seems to happen with Criterion titles at online retailers fairly regularly.

True, I did order "Repulsion" for $19.99 on release date, but I was referring to more "mainstream" releases.

"The Water Horse: Legend Of The Deep", "I Am Legend", and multiple other titles.

Of course, while I don't count them due to more unusual circumstances, Columbia House has had multiple B1G1 sales in the past which I have taken advantage of... which has given me titles, occasionally cheaper than DVD, and on many occasions, at least on par with DVD prices. WBShop has also given me cheaper than DVD prices on many titles. As Wolverine previously mentioned, Disney does $10 coupons on their new releases ("Bolt", "Bedtime Stories", "Race To Witch Mountain", "Hannah Montana: The Movie", and hopefully "Adventureland", Up!", etc...), though they also give $5 DVD coupons which means the Blu-ray isn't usually cheaper than the DVD.

As Blu-ray becomes more popular, I'd expect to see more pricing like IAL, TWH:LotD, etc...

~Alan

[Bobby Henderson]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

I'm talking a name-brand $79.99 day-one retail price player. Not a lossleader. While they may have clearance players hitting $100 this year. It has to be an every day thing. You can buy a DVD player for $30 on a regular basis, and $60 is standard for a name-brand. In order to purge the DVD players from the rack, you have to be able to compete with those prices day to day.

First of all, most DVD players cost more than $30. I was in Sears yesterday paying off my Discover card and noticed what they had in stock in terms of DVD and Blu-ray players. I saw only a couple of DVD player models under $50. Most cost more, and Sears was stocking more in the way of DVD recorders, DVD/VHS combo players, etc. -basically products that might have at least some tiny profit margin. They had plenty of Blu-ray players, including a Blu-ray/VHS combo player. Strange.

The last DVD player I bought (A Sony DVP-NS77H in November of 2007) cost me $85. I had to get that particular model because I wanted one that had S-Video and optical-based digital audio outputs. The less expensive models (which ranged in the $40-$70 range) were lacking one or both of those output options. For $30 you get a truly bare bones DVD player, not something with a full range of outputs and functions.

That Sony DVD player replaced a Pioneer 5-disc changer I bought in 2001 for $250. I bought the Pioneer player in 2001 because the Sony S530D DVD player I bought in 1999 for $450 was glitching out like I couldn't believe. It completely froze at the layer change in the Criterion version of The Rock.

Blu-ray player prices are actually dropping at a faster rate than DVD players did over the same period of time. That is especially true if you factor in current dollar inflation versus the value of the dollar a decade ago.

The funny thing is so many people apply current DVD player prices as if DVD players have always been that cheap. Of course we know that simply is not true. Even in the early years of this decade when the first APEX player was defining new lows in pricing for DVD players, many of the bigger brands were staying well above $100 and $200 price levels until the middle years of this decade.

With DVD sales clearly in a trajectory of decline I can't see stores like Wal-Mart offering the player hardware as loss leader items for too much longer. They basically have little to no appeal. Everybody has at least one or more working DVD players and probably another one, two or more broken units gathering dust in a closet or garage.

Within the next couple of years the situation will finally take place where anyone looking to replace a broken DVD player will likely be stuck with buying a "DVD player" that happens to also play Blu-ray discs. This is inevitable.

[NL197]

Originally Posted by Bobby Henderson

They had plenty of Blu-ray players, including a Blu-ray/VHS combo player. Strange.

It may seem strange, but it does make complete sense because with such a device all your bases are covered.

[Blu Titan]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

You know I kinda am in the mood for another poll.
Anyone up for that VC-1 vs AVC video poll I alluded to back a couple weeks ago?

Or do folks think, so to speak, that the horse has already left the barn with that.

That debate pretty much ended when Amir retired from Microsoft to Mod in AVS. Whichever one he used to prop, I want the other one.

[Jeff Kleist]

First of all, most DVD players cost more than $30. I was in Sears yesterday paying off my Discover card and noticed what they had in stock in terms of DVD and Blu-ray players. I saw only a couple of DVD player models under $50. Most cost more, and Sears was stocking more in the way of DVD recorders, DVD/VHS combo players, etc. -basically products that might have at least some tiny profit margin. They had plenty of Blu-ray players, including a Blu-ray/VHS combo player. Strange.

Yeah, the BD70. The DVD/VHS combos do a lot better than the DVD recorders actually. That's why they produced that model for the US. I can buy a crap brand DVD player for $30 at my local supermarket. JoeSixpack doesn't usually care about having a full range of functions

he funny thing is so many people apply current DVD player prices as if DVD players have always been that cheap. Of course we know that simply is not true. Even in the early years of this decade when the first APEX player was defining new lows in pricing for DVD players, many of the bigger brands were staying well above $100 and $200 price levels until the middle years of this decade.

APEX came in and used the fact they had a bunch of chinese people hand tracing boards (seriously, if you have an Apex 600A, open it up) and didn't pay their royalties. Of course they could undercut everyone $129-$149 was common until 2004-5 you're right.

Within the next couple of years the situation will finally take place where anyone looking to replace a broken DVD player will likely be stuck with buying a "DVD player" that happens to also play Blu-ray discs. This is inevitable.

That's basically the plan. Once they're low enough they stop making DVD players

[FourToedStatue]

Hey Jeff Lionsgate just announced The Gate on DVD for October 6th, Is a blu-ray also planned?

[MerrickG]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

I don't think you need a poll!

It would surprise me if SPE ever used VC-1 though, with the amount of IP Sony has in AVC and considering Sony's own encoding solution are all AVC based...

Wouldn't make sense to use VC-1, definitely not for SPE anyhow.

I still dont get why MS stopped development of VC1. All bias aside, it is a pretty damn good codec and I think it could have rivaled AVC.

Right now though, AVC has closed the gap (if there ever was one).

[MerrickG]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

Didn't own enough of the IP for it to be worth it.

Sony, Panasonic and Thompson (the three largest stakeholders in AVC) turned out to be the largest IP holders in VC-1. For MS to continue development on an encoder for a codec which is majority owned by direct competitors makes little sense.

I would be like Sony or Nintendo making games exclusively for the Xbox...

It is all irrelevant, though. AVC is pretty fantastic.

Btw, do we expect Warner and Universal to move to AVC anytime soon?

[aygie]

Originally Posted by merrick97

It is all irrelevant, though. AVC is pretty fantastic.

Btw, do we expect Warner and Universal to move to AVC anytime soon?

I think Uni has dabbled with AVC but i've never seen a Warner AVC. Waiting for the day....