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

[abintra]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

I will use this opportunity to say that I did talk about how dissapointed people in the US were with the lack of lossless on Ponyo with people who can place that into the dialog for Nausicaa and the future Ghibli discs. I cannot promise that there won't be various legal or copyright holder issues that might stop lossless Japanese on future discs. I can promise I've done my best to inject the desires of foreign consumers into the dialog where those decisions are made at multiple points in Japan, and the US side has already gotten an earful.

A huge thank you kindly for having that type of influence and doing what you can to attempt to improve things.

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

The point is changing the perception of the suits that make decisions based on those kinds of focus grouped opinions who aren't fans, and getting them to make a change from the top.

I'm sure there are those within the company that attempt to make those points all the time rather than just after the fact. Anything that can be done to increase the possibility that those voices in the chain are heard also?

[Jeff Kleist]

I'm sure there are those within the company that attempt to make those points all the time rather than just after the fact. Anything that can be done to increase the possibility that those voices in the chain are heard also?

99% of the time no one is aware there's an issue until it's too late

[abintra]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

99% of the time no one is aware there's an issue until it's too late

Is that fixable?

[Jeff Kleist]

Not unless all if asudden suits abandon the entertaient world and it's rum by artists and enthusiasts again

so no

[DaViD Boulet]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

I think the majority of people who care about lossless don't rent a lot anyway, and that the people who would be unaware of such things probably aren't set up to handle it anyway.

I'm sure blockbuster or netflxi would get mad if they put a trailer that amounted to "This rental copy is crippled, but if you buy it....."

But a consumer renting a *blu-ray* is a blu-ray consumer... who is more likely to care about AV quality than a typical DVD or downloading rental guy.

I can understand a studio wanting to save costs and go BD25, and I can even understand stripping special features. But the feature film should have transparent video compression and lossless sound... there have been several blu-ray discs I've rented myself and if I had gotten one in the mail (via netflix) that omitted lossless I'd have been royally pissed. I wonder if Netfix uses these "for rent" blu-rays or regular copies?

[Jeff Kleist]

Netflix uses the "for rent" copies. They have been for a long time

In fact they'd get 6 vanilla DVD-9s for Uni and WBs DVD-18 sets, making me really want to "lose" them

I was merely offering an opinion based on the scenario I'd been given, and what they might be thinking. There's still just a handful of renters who would even notice.

[DaViD Boulet]

Originally Posted by abintra

I'm sure there are those within the company that attempt to make those points all the time rather than just after the fact. Anything that can be done to increase the possibility that those voices in the chain are heard also?

The way to give those voices power is to review discs that back-up their convictions. Conversely, when a Blu-ray Disc comes to market that's sub-par, and well-respected review sites make light of the problems or dismiss them altogether, it just weakens the strength of the parties within the industry/studio pushing for optimal product.

For instance, if a title comes out without lossless audio, well-respected sites lamenting the fault (while giving praise where merited of course) goes a long way to helping the studio voices pushing for improved product to get more respect at the next department meeting. Review sites letting these things slide or worse, suggesting that nothing better could/should have been attempted, weaken the power of the voices for improved product immensely.

I've actually had insiders contact me after posting particular reviews telling me that my (appropriate) criticism of a particular disc gave them the leveredge they needed to help ensure that future titles were properly mastered, so I'm not hypothesizing about this important role that reviews can play.

one thing you can do as consumers is if you see a well respected reviewer you hold in high regard fall short in your opinion with a particular review such that you think a studio is being let off the hook too easily, write him/her a respectful email letting them know that you follow their work and respect their impressions, but explain how and why you feel that a particular review fell short of the goal of making clear the shortcomings of a disc effort along side the praise.

I've had readers do that for me many times and it's helped me improve my reviewing. In fact, it was an email like this that first educated me about edge-enhancement and DNR as the screen I had at the time presented too narrow a viewing angle to appreciate what front-projection viewers were seeing (after that I got a projector as soon as finances could afford).

A good writer/reviewer will appreciate a kindly worded email that's balanced and thoughtful, even if it contains some criticism. That helps the reviewer, and in turn it can help the studios get a more accurate picture painted for them about their product and how the enthusiast crowd perceives their mastering effort.

[DaViD Boulet]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

Netflix uses the "for rent" copies. They have been for a long time

In fact they'd get 6 vanilla DVD-9s for Uni and WBs DVD-18 sets, making me really want to "lose" them

I was merely offering an opinion based on the scenario I'd been given, and what they might be thinking. There's still just a handful of renters who would even notice.

Interesting. Good to know. I just hadn't been aware earlier that "for rent" blu-rays also at times involved compromises to AV quality versus sell-through authored discs. Good to know as I'll stick with buying and only rent when I can confirm AV presentation quality.

[Jeff Kleist]

Interesting. Good to know. I just hadn't been aware earlier that "for rent" blu-rays also at times involved compromises to AV quality versus sell-through authored discs. Good to know as I'll stick with buying and only rent when I can confirm AV presentation quality.

If you read through, you'd see that someone made an error, and that Sherlock was DTS MA. The only difference is the locked out extras

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by aygie

Blu-ray Discs expand to 128GB under new BDXL spec

Interesting news Jeff, will studios use this or will it be more for data, backup etc? Shame the PS3 won't be able to read them.

It is not intended to be used to encode/author Blu-ray movies. 50GB is plenty, even for 3D movies.....as long as you limit some of the added value or place it on a second disc in the package.

And the internet rumor floated several weeks ago concerning an increased 33-66 GB Blu-ray capacity disc supposedly being used for future BD movies, or even being considered for such use by the BDA is just plain hogwash…based upon an original story of no merit in that regard to begin with.

[Jeff Kleist]

And the internet rumor floated several weeks ago concerning an increased 33-66 GB Blu-ray capacity disc supposedly being used for future BD movies, or even being considered for such use by the BDA is just plain hogwash…based upon an original story of no merit in that regard to begin with.

It's been standard practice in the CD industry for the better part of a decade that if you want a little extra space you can "overburn" the disc slightly beyond the official barrier that will net you 80-ish minutes instead of 74. This is the Blu-ray equivalent. But if anyone thinks they'll go out that far they're nuts, 33 is pretty much the maximum they were able to do with any reliability whatsoever. 27-28GB maybe. 33? Nope.

[Scorxpion]

Hi Jeff,


Blu-ray discs released by Rotana Distributor in Middle East which holds rights for Disney and Fox movies are manufactured in Austria through Sony laboratory (Sony DADC). i thought of this hint maybe you can know the responsible persons dealing with prices and Distribution.Even Warner Bros titles go out from there.Sony Titles from UK and Universal from Europe.

Penton can help !!concerning Sony Titles.

Thanks,

[Jeff Kleist]

Penton doesn't work for Sony middle east, but no. I don't know anyone over there

[jaaguir]

Jeff, I just read the last news at the Bits. I guess there's no chance "The bionic woman" will be released on blu-ray? As I remember it the show was obviously shot on film, and since this was still in the 70's, maybe the post work was done on film too? So it wouldn't be that difficult (costly).

Thanks

[Jeff Kleist]

Finished on film? Yes

Likelyhood it will show up on Blu, without some massively good sales of the DVD, very low

[Musashi]

'Afternoon Jeff!

When's the next time Otakon will have an arena-level concert like the Larc-En-Ciel show of '04 or JAM Project after that?

Related note: just saw VGO with special guest Nobuo Uematsu last weekend.

[Jeff Kleist]

Sorry I am not at liberty to divulge anything I may be planning that isn't announced.

I can tell you that unless we have a major sponsor show up for it, like we did with L'arc, that something that big and awesome is unlikely to happen simply due to the costs involved. That show was REALLY expensive.

That however doesn't prevent arena size acts from coming and doing something more scaled down though. The biggest problem is that the bigger the act the busier they are, and the harder it is to get them here because Otakon typically falls at the start or right in the middle of summer touring season (and they won't miss something like A-Nation or Rock in Japan for us, those shows are just too big)

I had talks in Japan with a diverse range of musical talent, major acts, smaller acts, rookie acts, lables etc. We'll see what comes of it.

If you know someone with a spare $50 grand they don't need, it helps a lot to upgrade the arena to a concert sound system and lighting

I think I posted this before, but this was from my meeting at one of the offices. No this should not be taken as a hint

http://twitpic.com/1aemiv

There's Hiro Yura from Eminence on the right.

[Musashi]

Understandable on the planning/surprise subjects. I did see a couple of confirmed concerts; wasn't sure if their shows were going to be in the BCC or the 1MA.

I do know 1 or 2 ppl with 50 grand to spare, but they probly need it.

I've thought about picking up the 'Live in the USA' album; every time I see it on Amazon or at Dealer's rooms I look and think (or say out loud) 'I was there, and it was PHE-nomenal!'

[Jeff Kleist]

They're in the BCC main events area, which is plenty swanky on its own these days thanks to our great sound and lighting crew from DSL. Thanks for the complements on L'arc, that show including the groundwork I did on TMR is the better part of 2 years of my blood (among others). Totally worth it.

Home Made Kazoku and Yoshida Bros are no slouches BTW. Yoshidas rock and HMK is pretty exciting for me, bringing in a major hiphop act for the first time with a big anime pedigree (plus both MCs speak English, Kuro at near-native level I believe, so it should be a fun Q&A)

BTW there's only the DVD, if you're seeing a CD release it's a bootleg made from that

[Musashi]

Might've been a DVD I saw; appreciate the heads up.

I saw both Sunday concerts last year having little prior knowledge and still had a blast, so I might make time for this years' as well.

TM Revolution's concert was also good stuff. I actually discussed that experience elsewhere on the boards here: https://forum.blu-ray.com/music/1340...ml#post3058770