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

[Marine Mike]

Any word if The Army of Darkness: Screwhead Edition has been delayed? If so, any ETA?

Thank you!

[FourToedStatue]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

Friends already has HD masters, Simpsons will almost certainly never see an upgrade. Too many seasons, too much material, and who knows if they even still have the film (don't count on it). Plus something like the last decade is 480 only due to computer post production

I wouldn't exactly be for this but do you see them just upscaling SD shows later on like they did with 28 Days Later? I feel if a full on upgrade is out of the question I'd still take the BD-Menus, Sound and the space saved on BD "port" over plain DVD.

[NoQuestion]

Originally Posted by FourToedStatue

I wouldn't exactly be for this but do you see them just upscaling SD shows later on like they did with 28 Days Later? I feel if a full on upgrade is out of the question I'd still take the BD-Menus, Sound and the space saved on BD "port" over plain DVD.

28 days later was not just an upscaling of the DVD

[Objectivity]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

If the Buffy movie actually happens (looking good actually, but I wouldn't expect it out before 2011), then I could see them putting that out.

Does that delay, if you could even call it that at this stage, factor in Sarah Michelle Gellar's pregnancy? I assume everything hinges on her and efforts to give her film career a boost.

[cembros]

friends was shot on film, so the hd masters will not just be upscaled sd

[Jeff Kleist]

I'd like to see at least an SD-DVD redo of The Simpsons, if not in Blu, due to poorly mastered seasons like Season 3. I was watching episodes from that recently and was astounded by the poor picture quality. Really ugly and embarrassing work.

That's just the way it is, Without going back to the film, there' only so much that can be done

Hmm don't supposed there's any chance of getting SD on Blu-ray? I'd love to have the whole Simpsons season on a single BD-50 for example.

Highly unlikely you'll ever see SD collections on Blu-ray, unless it's some kind of special boxset. What Merrick said, and they want to push that Blu=HD

What is the possibility of the new HD seasons of The Simpsons coming to blu-ray? Also, when might we be expecting Friends?. It's been hinted at for quite some time. Thanks.

When it's their time around, very likely (see you in what, 4-5 years?) Friends couldn't say, might be sooner, might be later

Does that delay, if you could even call it that at this stage, factor in Sarah Michelle Gellar's pregnancy? I assume everything hinges on her and efforts to give her film career a boost.

Yes, and Joss's commitment to Dollhouse which WILL GET A SECOND SEASON (damnit)

I had a lot of meetings in NYC today, and managed to scoot in to The Colbert Report at the last minute, I don't know if you can see me, but I did see my hand on the monitor during the cheering

Guess I'll find out in the morning when I watch the ep

[JJ]

Originally Posted by FourToedStatue

but do you see them just upscaling SD shows later on like they did with 28 Days Later?

Woah, someone needs to teach him about this little mistake real quick. It was the limitations of the camera used during filming - 576i (or was it p?) - it will never look better than that. Director's intent was to make it look gritty and grainy.

[Doctorossi]

Guys, this is just out of curiosity, but...

All the Warner slate press materials over the last year or so have featured Gone With the Wind, The Wizard of Oz and North By Northwest together. These three were first announced at the same time and have appeared together in promo materials ever since.

Cut to a month ago, when Gone With the Wind and The Wizard of Oz appear as placeholders on Amazon. Quickly, we are given dates, prices and other details for them.

Where's North By Northwest?

We've had some press releases since, which still mention NXNW as slated for the 4th quarter, but that's all we get.

Any idea why NXNW was 'de-coupled' from the others for promo purposes? Any idea why we haven't seen packaging, pricing or timing info for it yet? Are they less confident it'll make the schedule? Is it a lower priority?

Any insight?

[Braktastic]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

Yes, and Joss's commitment to Dollhouse which WILL GET A SECOND SEASON (damnit)

Whoa. Dollhouse is getting a second season?

What's wrong with Dollhouse? Last week's episode aside, I've found it to be pretty good lately.

[SBrooks1]

Bill and Jeff, looks like there's gonna be some questions that need answering in regards to the Star Trek Blu-ray's in regards to DNR...

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...0#post16356340

[blokhed]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

That's just the way it is, Without going back to the film, there' only so much that can be done

Does that include stuff like compression artifacts, pixelated edges and the like? My knowledge on the process is very limited, but the problems I saw on the discs seemed like the sorts of things that could be fixed by giving the video more space on the disc, a higher bitrate.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Doctorossi

Guys, this is just out of curiosity, but...

All the Warner slate press materials over the last year or so have featured Gone With the Wind, The Wizard of Oz and North By Northwest together. These three were first announced at the same time and have appeared together in promo materials ever since.

Cut to a month ago, when Gone With the Wind and The Wizard of Oz appear as placeholders on Amazon. Quickly, we are given dates, prices and other details for them.

Where's North By Northwest?

We've had some press releases since, which still mention NXNW as slated for the 4th quarter, but that's all we get.

Any idea why NXNW was 'de-coupled' from the others for promo purposes? Any idea why we haven't seen packaging, pricing or timing info for it yet? Are they less confident it'll make the schedule? Is it a lower priority?

Any insight?

Dude, do you ever sleep?

Seriously, North by Northwest is definitely streeting later this year and before Christmas (which is as specific as I can get).

It is still being worked on as we speak.

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Dude, do you ever sleep?

Naah... waste of time.

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Seriously, North by Northwest is definitely streeting later this year and before Christmas (which is as specific as I can get).

It is still being worked on as we speak.

I have no reason to disbelieve (though I thank you for the reassurance, anyway). I'm really just curious what's behind the seeming change in marketing/communications.

In other news, Salt's been shooting here for a couple weeks now. Should I go pester the DP about their 4k plans?

[Jeff Kleist]

Whoa. Dollhouse is getting a second season?

Power of positive thinking only, hence (damnit)

Bill and Jeff, looks like there's gonna be some questions that need answering in regards to the Star Trek Blu-ray's in regards to DNR...

I'm only looking at this on a netbook, but the Trek3 shots aren't showing any EE artifacts. These people are idiots, and they've proven time and again they have no idea what they're talking about. None of the review copies have gone out yet, and they aren't in the Paramount warehouse, so I'm really curious how they even got their hands on them

Does that include stuff like compression artifacts, pixelated edges and the like? My knowledge on the process is very limited, but the problems I saw on the discs seemed like the sorts of things that could be fixed by giving the video more space on the disc, a higher bitrate.

The gains would be minimal, and not worth the price involved in doing so. A lot of that stuff is present on the master tape, and simply takes that form when compressed. Seriously, it's diminishing returns.

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

I'm only looking at this on a netbook, but the Trek3 shots aren't showing any EE artifacts. These people are idiots, and they've proven time and again they have no idea what they're talking about. None of the review copies have gone out yet, and they aren't in the Paramount warehouse, so I'm really curious how they even got their hands on them

Oh, come on, Jeff! Before you call them idiots, at least read what they're saying. DNR is the big issue here, not EE. If you look at the screenshots (especially of ST:VI), it's pretty severe. Also, if you read the thread, you'll see that these early copies are coming from Europe, where the release date is a couple weeks earlier than North America.

[Jeff Kleist]

Oh, come on, Jeff! Before you call them idiots, at least read what they're saying. DNR is the big issue here, not EE. If you look at the screenshots (especially of ST:VI), it's pretty severe. Also, if you read the thread, you'll see that these early copies are coming from Europe, where the release date is a couple weeks earlier than North America.

DNR and EE go together like bacon and eggs.

As I said, I haven't seen them in motion, and I'm looking on a netbook, hardly the best device to ascertain anything

What I'm seeing is characteristic of the time period and other artifacts in general. I won't be home until tomorrow, so until then I have nothing bigger than 8 inch LCD to look on. The Trek films were soft filtered as well, in order to help hide the low budget sets. I've put questions in to the right people, but I'll tell you flat out that Paramount has standards and policies on such things.

I'm honestly shocked I haven't seen them howling about DNR on TOS

However, the point still stands that the AVS people are longtime proven idiots when it comes to these things, so their analysis should be defaulted to wrong until proven right.

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

DNR and EE go together like bacon and eggs.

Okay, but the post you replied to specifically referred to DNR which is quite clearly apparent in the linked thread- probably even on an 8" netbook.

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

However, the point still stands that the AVS people are longtime proven idiots when it comes to these things, so their analysis should be defaulted to wrong until proven right.

Yeah, but all you have to do to see that the people in this thread aren't being idiots is to look at the link you were provided.

What's more, that's an awfully broad statement. There are a lot of people over there. I know there's kind of a gang of "usual suspects" with the screenshots, etc., but calling them idiots without looking at what they're saying...

"When you assume, it makes an ass out of u and me."

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

the AVS people are longtime proven idiots when it comes to these things, so their analysis should be defaulted to wrong until proven right.

LOL

[Doctorossi]

I know that "Consider the source." applies here, but regardless of the source, the evidence is right there.


Q: Fox News says the sky is blue.

A: Oh, those idiots...

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

However, the point still stands that the AVS people are longtime proven idiots when it comes to these things, so their analysis should be defaulted to wrong until proven right.

Jeff, with talk like that, you and the Digital Bits will become a persona non grata over there on *science*…… of course, the last time Bill Hunt dropped in there to answer questions, they all nearly tarred and feathered him, so I guess things couldn’t get much worse for you guys.

Whereas I, on the other hand, have always walked the diplomatic straight and narrow and I think they continue to love me for it.