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

[Jeff Kleist]

OK, who told Chris about my lair?

[tvine2000]

Originally Posted by merrick97

Considering how long it took to get Indy 4 to the screen, I have my doubts that it will ever get made and Im not sure I want it either.

I just wonder if indy is done for blu-ray. I thought i saw some clips with the indy4 in special features. they had quick clips of the first3. I may be wrong but they looked hd to me.

[Jeff Kleist]

HD masters were done for the DVDs in 2003, cleanup on them was only done to 480p threshold. Any Blu-ray will be sourced from brand new masters, probably 4K scans like was done with SPR and Minority Report

[Bill Hunt]

On another subject, anyone have thoughts on the new HDBaseT connection/cabling standard that was recently announced? Pros and Cons?

http://www.hdbaset.org/

The specs look interesing, and I like the longer cable lengths. Am I correct in thinking that this will work with ANY Cat5e/6 LAN cable, thus potentially saving consumers a LOT of money?

http://www.hdbaset.org/files/HDBaseT...ble_Nereus.pdf

[Slec]

I think the tech is great. Would it lead the way for tv as computer terminal? Might give a bit more teeth to BD Live, although not all care for it. Everything I've read says it works with the ethernet standard that has been around for quite some time.

The only thing I haven't seen a whole lot on is the audio capabilities and flexibility. I'll scour through those links, thanks!

[Jeff Kleist]

The impression I get is that the interface is more for professional installations, many of which are already converting various kinds of video to CAT-5 cable for long runs through halls and churches and such. Projectors and other high end gear may be the exception for consumers

I don't think HDMI is going anywhere any time soon.

[MerrickG]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

You know, I banned sports talk here for a reason



No, no one is even thinking about launching a new system at this point in time. The economy plus the slow adoption of the new platforms. I will be shocked if you see any new consoles even teased before E3 2012

Works for me. I think the PS3 still has a lot of untapped potential still.

[MerrickG]

Originally Posted by Bill Hunt

I would be somewhat surprised if Indy appears this year. Lucas has THX-1138 coming out, there's the Clone Wars: Season 2 coming out. It's been talked about every year for the past couple, but it hasn't happened yet for one reason or another. Certainly it's possible, but I would be surprised if Indy were in the cards for this year. You never know. I'll be happy to be surprised.

Im ok with Indy not coming this year. All in all this fall/xmas looks pretty good:

Back to the Future trilogy
Fallout: New Vegas
Assassins Creed: Brotherhood (I have my concerns about this one, but AC2 was so good I want more)
Halo: Reach

and drumroll (yes Jeff and Bill and probably everyone else are probably sick of me saying this!):
Alien Anthology

If that is ALL I get for the holiday I will be happy.

I would like more though.

[MerrickG]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

The impression I get is that the interface is more for professional installations, many of which are already converting various kinds of video to CAT-5 cable for long runs through halls and churches and such. Projectors and other high end gear may be the exception for consumers

I don't think HDMI is going anywhere any time soon.

And it shouldn't. Its about as easy and perfect a cable there is.

[woodlandwolf]

Bill or Jeff, Was wonderin for the next South Park Season Blu, I know its a ways off, but what are the chances that the episodes 200,201 will be cleared in time on be on the set? Or could there be a chance we get a season but those epsiodes will be off? And last does it help to get that issue for airin that episode since it got a emmy nod for 200,201? Thanks for everything.

[Jeff Kleist]

There's no reason they won't be on there in the aired form. You won't see them uncensored sadly

This isn't a Penn and Teller situation where all memory of "The Vatican" episode has been purged completely, even from the website.

[Bill Hunt]

Originally Posted by woodlandwolf

Bill or Jeff, Was wonderin for the next South Park Season Blu, I know its a ways off, but what are the chances that the episodes 200,201 will be cleared in time on be on the set? Or could there be a chance we get a season but those epsiodes will be off? And last does it help to get that issue for airin that episode since it got a emmy nod for 200,201? Thanks for everything.

It's remotely possible they might have been able to make some kind of arrangement for the disc release - at least for the bleeped dialogue at the end of 201. I wouldn't count on it, but you never know. Or maybe we'll at least get one of those mini commentaries in which Trey and Matt reveal what the dialogue actually was.

[4K2K]

Originally Posted by Bill Hunt

On another subject, anyone have thoughts on the new HDBaseT connection/cabling standard that was recently announced? Pros and Cons?

From the table it doesn't look any better in bandwidth than HDMI 1.3/HDMI 1.4

It says "HDBaseT 1.0 - Up to 10.2 Gbps" - which is the same as HDMI 1.3/1.4 - but then it says "capable of scaling up to 20 Gbps". Does that mean a later version will be up to that? But if it will, even that won't be as high as the current version of DisplayPort 1.2.

Does that mean we will be limited to the same video formats as in HDMI 1.4 and it won't get any better?

[Esox50]

Originally Posted by Bill Hunt

I would be somewhat surprised if Indy appears this year. Lucas has THX-1138 coming out, there's the Clone Wars: Season 2 coming out. It's been talked about every year for the past couple, but it hasn't happened yet for one reason or another. Certainly it's possible, but I would be surprised if Indy were in the cards for this year. You never know. I'll be happy to be surprised.

If this is not coming this year, then it is truly a travesty & an outrage. I think people were expecting an announcement of this one at Comic Con.

The studios have been horrible this year. I have purchased just 6 Blu-Rays year to date (way, way down from previous years), and we're halfway through the year. It not because I don't want to (buy more), it's because the studios haven't released much or have botched *some* of what they have released.

All we need now is for the Jurassic Park series (November) to be canceled, and this year will have been basically a major bust with the exception of a few titles...

[Atreyu]

Hi, Jeff I read this forum a lot and have a question that I hope maybe you can shed some light upon.
It concerns the blu release of Dr. Giggles/Otis. Granted Giggles is a small film, but I love it and am puzzled about something.
I had the letterboxed laser years ago, released by Universal, and it was 2.35:1. Now the blu, released by Warner, is 1.85:1. Is there any particular reason for that? Now I know some films are shot full frame and matted to the desired aspect ratio, but to do a film in two different ARs is really puzzling me. Any info you may have would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Jeff Kleist]

I know absolutely nothing about Dr. Giggles.

IMDB says it was shot Super35, so it's possible that the director decided to open it up

[Vincent Pereira]

Originally Posted by Bill Hunt

It's remotely possible they might have been able to make some kind of arrangement for the disc release - at least for the bleeped dialogue at the end of 201. I wouldn't count on it, but you never know. Or maybe we'll at least get one of those mini commentaries in which Trey and Matt reveal what the dialogue actually was.

200 was available as a download on the Playstation store, but quickly disappeared. I was shocked that they had it up there then pulled it, and of course 201 has never been put up.

Vincent

[Jeff Kleist]

I did just check, 200,201 and even Super Best Friends aren't on the streaming site.

In that case, it sounds like there's some kind of power struggle behind the scenes. Matt and Trey's current contract gives them a lot of power and leverage, so who knows, maybe it IS a Penn and Teller situation where they're going to just throw them down the memory hole.

[kjacobs03]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

, maybe it IS a Penn and Teller situation where they're going to just throw them down the memory hole.

I watch Bull$hit but don't remember anything like that happening. Can you refresh me please?

and I'm glad I have those 3 SP episodes saved on my DVR.

[Jeff Kleist]

In the time between "The Vatican" episode airing and now (last year's season finale), Showtime has pulled all mention of it from its website, and it's absent from the season 7 DVDs. The episode vanished around the same time as the latest round of child abuse scandals, and aired a lot of dirty laundry. Bill Donohue called out a fatwa. I'm suprised he didn't challenge them to a boxing match in Madison Square Garden like he did will Bill Maher (oh wait, Penn's a lot bigger than he is).

Of course, perhaps he's extra mad because he was made to look like the buffoon he is in episode 305- Holier than thou that dealt with hero worship, and how even famous people who are supposed to be saints have quirks, literally and worse.