"Club Penton" - Ask questions to Hollywood insider "Penton-Man"

[Alan Gordon]

Originally Posted by DenonCI

The problem is that some of their "non-critical" titles are day-and-date (Speed Racer) titles which would have shined with a TrueHD soundtrack!

Don't get me wrong, I'm extremely disappointed with the lack of HD audio on "Speed Racer", as well as disappointed by the lack of extras... particularly the "Go, Speed Racer, Go!" music video presented in 1080p that I downloaded off the internet and now keep permanently on my PS3... but "Speed Racer" was the first film I watched after getting my new HDTV, and it looked SUPERB!!

Hopefully, some odd years down the line, WB will redo "Speed Racer"... just think, there have been, what, three different DVD versions of "Waterworld" released?

BTW, the above was in no way defending WB's decision to release this title sans "lossless" audio, just stating that at least they did an incredible job with the PQ unlike some of their other titles...

~Alan

[coolmilo]

I too was dazzled by Speed Racer. I asked in Max's thread if the Japanese version will include lossless audio. Hopefully Warner will fix this problem and deliver us a Speed Racer with lossless audio to accompany the awesome picture. Heck, my Pio Kuro Elite is still trying to get over all those colors.

[DenonCI]

I agree it looked great but it could have sounded SO much better

[DenonCI]

Originally Posted by coolmilo

I too was dazzled by Speed Racer. I asked in Max's thread if the Japanese version will include lossless audio. Hopefully Warner will fix this problem and deliver us a Speed Racer with lossless audio to accompany the awesome picture. Heck, my Pio Kuro Elite is still trying to get over all those colors.

I went to the eye doctor and had my retinas replaced

[lgans316]

Originally Posted by coolmilo

I too was dazzled by Speed Racer. I asked in Max's thread if the Japanese version will include lossless audio. Hopefully Warner will fix this problem and deliver us a Speed Racer with lossless audio to accompany the awesome picture. Heck, my Pio Kuro Elite is still trying to get over all those colors.

FYI: No lossless audio on the Japanese version of Speed Racer.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Blaumann

Speaking of Thorsten Kaiser, it was refreshing to read his input in the controversial thread about the european Salo release in this thread here:
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...&postcount=100

"Screenshot science" as it should be, at least imo.

Well, Torsten has to have one of the best one-lines of November that he posted on AVS regarding his view of that forum……………..

Originally Posted by Torsten Kaiser

This (AVS) is a funny forum and cynics may even call it a funny farm. I would not go that far - but it is not that far away from it at the moment, either.

Perhaps this tidbit will help out Torsten and RAH as a further lead in their quest….. I believe that the BFI still uses these three mastering facilities for all of their work, namely Midnight Transfer, St Anne’s and Blue. The contact guy to call at BFI would probably be James White, head of technical delivery, or whatever his newest title is these days.

I myself, know nothing of the Salo project and haven’t even seen the Blu-ray, as I don’t think that NetFlix makes it available for viewers……..at least they didn’t the last time I tried to place it into my rental queue.

[PaulGo]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

It's not anything to do with using a BD25 or whatever, it is an internal decision at WB to make BDs to a "mass market" specification. That entails optimising PQ for 720p and using lossy audio on non-critical titles. The latter is changing, but too slowly. The former, well, there are many people working many angles, but none have been successful as of yet.

The simple fact is, if WB didn't have this stupid policy they would actually need BD50s, but at this time it would be a complete waste as half of the disc would go unused.

So Warner has become the "Comcast" of the Blu-ray movie industry. Comcast has lowered the bit rate of most HD channels because they feel most viewers will not notice. It seems Warner as a corporate policy tries to minimize HD since it does not even offer HD VOD on HBO. I guess they feel if the quality is too good they are giving away the family jewels. Hopfully competition will change their outlook and make them realize they will benefit by producing the best quality product that technology can provide.

About the Dark Knight - I still plan to purchase the title and to be fair most reviews state the quality of the transfer is pretty good. However with their attitude I will probably stay away most of thier other titles unlil they improve.

[BluDomain]

Originally Posted by PaulGo

.... It seems Warner as a corporate policy tries to minimize HD ........

I doubt if anyone here knows for a fact just what Warner has as a
corporate policy. Rumors, guesses or perceptions from lower echelon
technicians don't count. I'm surprised that some people aren't getting
another call from a lawyer or find they have a new job.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by coolmilo

I think it's silly to study screen captures like they do at AVSForum. However, I always notice that Warner titles lack the pop that Disney, Paramount, Fox, and Sony........

In-house baby (with regards to the bolded one ), with ultimate oversight by paidgeek………….another insider who abruptly left AVS permanently due to their behavioral problems, and never looked back.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by cjamescook

I know we are stepping beyond Penton's area of expertise (where's Paidgeek?)......

Headed to Japan as we currently speak.

Jeff should take him out for a beer (calories! ) as the guy is becoming too much of a lean, mean aerobic machine for other people in the company to keep up with.

[Nathan P]

Originally Posted by BluDomain

I doubt if anyone here knows for a fact just what Warner has as a
corporate policy. Rumors, guesses or perceptions from lower echelon
technicians don't count. I'm surprised that some people aren't getting
another call from a lawyer or find they have a new job.

This is the insiders thread(s), They know a hell of a lot - how much they can tell us is a different matter. Never doubt what penton, max, jeff, RAH, et al say, as it is always right

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

In-house baby (with regards to the bolded one ), with ultimate oversight by paidgeek………….another insider who abruptly left AVS permanently due to their behavioral problems, and never looked back.

Any reason why he hasn't been here for a while?

[Jeff Kleist]

Sent you a PM penton, have the geek get ahold of me and I'll fatten him up for you

I'll be down around Sony today, with a gigantically full schedule, but I'm sure i can squeeze some time in (thank god for night owl creative people )

[Michael.Schinke]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

It's not anything to do with using a BD25 or whatever, it is an internal decision at WB to make BDs to a "mass market" specification. That entails optimising PQ for 720p and using lossy audio on non-critical titles. The latter is changing, but too slowly. The former, well, there are many people working many angles, but none have been successful as of yet.

The simple fact is, if WB didn't have this stupid policy they would actually need BD50s, but at this time it would be a complete waste as half of the disc would go unused.

What I'm interested in knowing is the possible motivations behind this line of thinking. Is it an ideological schism between WB and the rest of the BD world, or is it based purely on financial considerations?

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Any reason why he hasn't been here for a while?

Sure, I know exactly the reason, and I posted an announcement as such, sometime I think, back in May/June-ish?
In a nutshell, he decided to devote all of his energy to his primary job responsibilities which were becoming increasingly time consuming.
Even when we go home folks, the work never ends because it is not uncommon to be listening to/participating in a teleconference from your personal study in your humble abode.

But fear not, if you check the main page - https://forum.blu-ray.com/
and scroll down to “Current Active Users”, once in a while you’ll see his handle listed…..along with several other SPE insiders which shall remain anonymous and nameless.

[Penton-Man]

^ P.S.
I guess we shouldn’t whine though, as compared to medical interns and residents, we don’t put in “punishing” 30hr.(or longer) shifts like some people do/did such as fellow Blu-ray.com member Brain Sturgeon, and others -
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/#28022811

Kinda keeps everything in perspective.

[Uxi]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

But fear not, if you check the main page - https://forum.blu-ray.com/
and scroll down to “Current Active Users”, once in a while you’ll see his handle listed…..along with several other SPE insiders which shall remain anonymous and nameless.

So just lurking then? At least they're here.

I must have missed whatever happened to the SCE insider. Same case? Too busy and/or not inclined to spend personal time discussing work? I know I wouldn't want to come home and chit chat TCP/IP all day after breathing that all day.

[Stacey Spears]

That entails optimising PQ for 720p

The compression folk, at GDMX, have been using TVLogic 1080p LCDs to QC for the last three years. They don't optimize anything for 720p.

The PCs used for QC can send both 1080/24 PSF over HD-SDI and 1080p60 over DVI. The same holds true for Deluxe, who does some WHV titles.

[kapitalisten]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

Not GDMX.

Management at TW. I would never criticise GDMX or Deluxe, I have plenty to say about the higher ups at TW though. None of it good...

Does Time Warner have an idea that people are not exactly too happy about their new releases? It seems like they are quite content with just shoveling rather smooth video and Dolby Digital soundtracks, and even though they claimed to have heard the general demand for lossles, and said they would change their way, it does not seem to have really impacted on new releases completely yet.

[Brain Sturgeon]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

^ P.S.
I guess we shouldn’t whine though, as compared to medical interns and residents, we don’t put in “punishing” 30hr.(or longer) shifts like some people do/did such as fellow Blu-ray.com member Brain Sturgeon, and others -
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/#28022811

Kinda keeps everything in perspective.

Thanks for your kind thought-- brings back some not-so-distant memories.

Man, during my General Surgery internship @ Barnes-Jewish, the chairman was Sam Wells, who was totally old school in regards to surgical training (i.e. you don't learn anything unless you're there, first hand, to see/experience it). I did q2 (every other day) call for 6 months, which amounted to 40 hours on, 8 hours off, and repeat ad non compos mentis.

Training programs are now "kindler and gentler" ever since the Libby Zion case in NY. The 80 hour work week is now firmly in place. It's weird that residents need to clock in and out now.

The interesting thing is that, in the studies that look at resident/physician performance in relation to work hours-- there is no clear relationship of an increase of medical errors to long work hours. The thing that did make a difference in performance was job satisfaction-- feeling that you were actively learning something at work or doing something worthwhile.

Personally, I think that there is something to be said for trainees spending time in the hospital taking care of patients. I was always of the mindset that you stay as long as it takes to take care of your patients, instead of keeping track of hours and leaving as soon as your scheduled shift it over. If you cut the training hours too short, you end up with doctors who are only versed in the basics and are less effective at what they do, instead of the genius, Sir William Osler types that everybody wants.