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

[4K2K]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Well, do SONY TVs support it?

There's your answer....

(Disclaimer: I have owned and recommended nothing but SONY TVs since 1988, so it's not a biggie to me)

With US Blu-ray players like the Samsung ones it doesn't matter whether or not someone's US TV supports 50hz. US Samsung players play 50hz content and convert it to 60hz, so it's playable on all US TVs. The PS3s firmware could be changed to add this option too, another option could be added to output directly in 50hz too for if your US TV or display accepts that - which some do.

50hz is part of the Blu-ray specification, and playback of 50hz content is supported by other US players like those I mentioned.

[Jeff Kleist]

Those wondering why US players don't support 50hz

It's a form of region coding for hardware. US decks are cheaper than their foreign counterparts. By disabling 50hz it helps prevent exporting them.

Hopefully PAL territories will stop using 50hz/25fps in the near future so the problem will go away on the software side.

[4K2K]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

Those wondering why US players don't support 50hz

It's a form of region coding for hardware. US decks are cheaper than their foreign counterparts. By disabling 50hz it helps prevent exporting them.

Hopefully PAL territories will stop using 50hz/25fps in the near future so the problem will go away on the software side.

Isn't 50hz part of the Blu-ray specification? Is there anywhere in the specification that says that playback of 50hz is optional for a player? Is the practice of disabling right? It's creating a lot more work for European studios. There will always be 50hz/25fps content - the existing content. I also see no mention by European broadcasters of changing from 25/50hz in the near future.

[jd213]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Well, do SONY TVs support it?

My Sony projector (purchased in Japan, another country that has had no 50hz content) certainly does.

[Esox50]

Happy "Braveheart day" today Penton!!!

EDIT: Holy cr@p, Penton. I'm watching it now. Paramount has hit a 500-foot walk off grand slam with this one. Catalog Blu of the year, no doubt. Possibly Blu-Ray of the year. Please be sure to pass along my sincerest thanks to those responsible at Paramount. Esox is one very happy camper today!!! WOW, WOW, WOW!!!! God, I can only hope that the same TLC (in co-ordination with Lucasfilm) will go into Indiana Jones next year and also on Jurassic Park (by Uni).

[Jeff Kleist]

I'd like to point out that you can get the excellent Gandhi Blu-ray for $11.99 right now on Amazon if you use the coupon code here

http://www.sonypictures.com/homevide...et_Amazon2.pdf

IF you want classic films on Blu-ray, this is a great way to support the cause if you don't have it already

[coolmilo]

Originally Posted by Esox50

Happy "Braveheart day" today Penton!!!

EDIT: Holy cr@p, Penton. I'm watching it now. Paramount has hit a 500-foot walk off grand slam with this one. Catalog Blu of the year, no doubt. Possibly Blu-Ray of the year. Please be sure to pass along my sincerest thanks to those responsible at Paramount. Esox is one very happy camper today!!! WOW, WOW, WOW!!!! God, I can only hope that the same TLC (in co-ordination with Lucasfilm) will go into Indiana Jones next year and also on Jurassic Park (by Uni).

I just wish that we were all singing the praises for Gladiator too. This may go down as one of the most disappointing BD's of the year and will ultimately leave a black mark on the Sapphire series. Well hopefully Paramount will do what Paidgeek did for The Fifth Element and fix the master and replace the product. Gladiator is one of my all time favorite films and I passed on purchasing it this week.

By the way, I complete agree with your enthusiasm for Braveheart. It's completely awesome!!!

[Alan Gordon]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

I'd like to point out that you can get the excellent Gandhi Blu-ray for $11.99 right now on Amazon if you use the coupon code here

http://www.sonypictures.com/homevide...et_Amazon2.pdf

IF you want classic films on Blu-ray, this is a great way to support the cause if you don't have it already

Believe it or not, Amazon.com had "Gandhi" on sale for $11.99 a couple of months back, and the coupon code made it $8.99. A deal I pounced on (along with several other Sony releases) as I was unable to get it when it was released earlier this year.

~Alan

[coolmilo]

Originally Posted by Alan Gordon

Believe it or not, Amazon.com had "Ghandi" on sale for $11.99 a couple of months back, and the coupon code made it $8.99. A deal I pounced on (along with several other Sony releases) as I was unable to get it when it was released earlier this year.

~Alan

I also pounced on that deal too. Then last week I pounced on "My Cousin Vinny" for $10.99. These two titles are strong contenders for the best Blu-ray deal of the year. Both are awesome movies and awesome BD's.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

Good afternoon Penton,

I received a number of Thank You emails this morning that I do not deserve. As only you were instrumental in correcting the PAL issue with the PS3, I would like to publicly thank you for your continuous support of our community. (The rest is in the PM).

Pro-B

Shucks, you're making me blush.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Esox50

Happy "Braveheart day" today Penton!!!

EDIT: Holy cr@p, Penton. I'm watching it now. Paramount has hit a 500-foot walk off grand slam with this one. Catalog Blu of the year, no doubt. Possibly Blu-Ray of the year. Please be sure to pass along my sincerest thanks to those responsible at Paramount. Esox is one very happy camper today!!! WOW, WOW, WOW!!!!.....

Esox – “we live in a crazy, mixed up world……..crazy, but oh so beautiful.”
Forewarned is forearmed.

[Alan Gordon]

Originally Posted by coolmilo

I also pounced on that deal too. Then last week I pounced on "My Cousin Vinny" for $10.99. These two titles are strong contenders for the best Blu-ray deal of the year. Both are awesome movies and awesome BD's.

Sadly, I missed MCV for $10.99 (still steamed about that too as I haven't seen that film in years), but I agree with you on "Gandhi" being a contender for best deal of the year. Great set.

"Lost: Season Two" for $28.99, "Star Trek: The Original Series: Season One" for $64.99, some recent WBShop deals where I ended up getting a lot of Blu-ray titles for $4 each, "Rome: The Complete Series" for $60+, and all of WB's recent/upcoming TV releases for prices cheaper than most retailers are selling the DVD for are definitely among the best deals I've gotten this year, and it's only September!

~Alan

[Bobby Henderson]

Braveheart is a pretty good looking disc. The BD was sold out at "Wally World" this evening. Had to go next door to Sam's Club. They didn't have any empty disc containers out on display, but had a few locked up in the shoplifter-proof cage. Pretty nice touch to have a $10 off mail in rebate coupon for previous DVD owners attached. That old DVD collecting dust on the movie rack will be good for something. That makes it a great looking $14 catalog title purchase. Lots better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

While walking around in Sam's Club I was pleasantly surprised by the number of Blu-ray players the store had in stock below the $200 price point. All were BD Live capable units no less. Additionally, a good number of the HP, Sony and Dell computers on shelves had Blu-ray combo drives. Even a couple had complete Blu-ray burners.

[4K2K]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

Good afternoon Penton,

I received a number of Thank You emails this morning that I do not deserve. As only you were instrumental in correcting the PAL issue with the PS3, I would like to publicly thank you for your continuous support of our community. (The rest is in the PM).


Pro-B

But there's still a PAL issue with the US PS3. It still won't play 'PAL' / 50hz Blu-ray content.

[Jeff Kleist]

Isn't 50hz part of the Blu-ray specification? Is there anywhere in the specification that says that playback of 50hz is optional for a player? Is the practice of disabling right? It's creating a lot more work for European studios. There will always be 50hz/25fps content - the existing content. I also see no mention by European broadcasters of changing from 25/50hz in the near future.

Yes, but it's not required. North American televisions don't support 50hz material outside of pro models and front projectors (I'm sure there's an exception here and there). So the only people making life hard on themselves is them, producing Blu-ray content at 50hz.

If you notice the only players that support it are the cheap LG and Samsung (really the same player, made by an outsourcing firm) and the junky chinese momitsu (don't let the name fool you) and the OPPO which is essentially a premium version of those players/enthusiast model.

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by Esox50

Happy "Braveheart day" today Penton!!!

EDIT: Holy cr@p, Penton. I'm watching it now. Paramount has hit a 500-foot walk off grand slam with this one. Catalog Blu of the year, no doubt. Possibly Blu-Ray of the year. Please be sure to pass along my sincerest thanks to those responsible at Paramount. Esox is one very happy camper today!!! WOW, WOW, WOW!!!! God, I can only hope that the same TLC (in co-ordination with Lucasfilm) will go into Indiana Jones next year and also on Jurassic Park (by Uni).

Video-wise it's absolutely awesome, my only complaint is the missing extras from the previous DVD editions, and Paramount's usually really good about that, and considering Gladiator has all its extras...

[micks_address]

apologies if this has been asked already but i wonder with the european release of Gladiator coming from Univeral - is there any chance that a different master would have been used for the disc? Its coming out this friday so i will be hard pressed not to pick it up..

Braveheart isnt out till November here but i guess its not that far off..

Originally Posted by coolmilo

I just wish that we were all singing the praises for Gladiator too. This may go down as one of the most disappointing BD's of the year and will ultimately leave a black mark on the Sapphire series. Well hopefully Paramount will do what Paidgeek did for The Fifth Element and fix the master and replace the product. Gladiator is one of my all time favorite films and I passed on purchasing it this week.

By the way, I complete agree with your enthusiasm for Braveheart. It's completely awesome!!!

[SquidPuppet]

Bruno on 3D project in MotoGP
Wednesday, 02 September 2009

John Bruno spoke to motogp.com about the 3D camera technology which has been trialed in MotoGP by digital systems specialists, Pace, recently in the U.S


Working with 3D and digital systems specialists, Pace, Dorna Sports undertook a successful trial of the latest high definition 3D Fusion camera systems during the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Laguna Seca in July, and a demonstration 3D video was screened to Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo, for the first time at Indianapolis.

Academy Award winner, John Bruno, and company founder, Vince Pace, were keen to get the feedback of the two MotoGP stars, with Bruno commenting after a conversation with Lorenzo, “I think he was very impressed and he wanted to see more footage of himself. Hopefully in the future we will be recording more great footage of all the riders.”

Underlining the advantages that the groundbreaking Pace 3D camera technology can produce, Bruno also stated, “The biggest improvement is the sharpness, depth and clarity and it’s all going to high def. When you double an image in stereo it is like what your eye sees naturally and it basically becomes very clear.”


It would sure be nice, since I can watch just about every other sport in HD.

[wallendo]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Bruno on 3D project in MotoGP
Wednesday, 02 September 2009

...

I was concerned about the "Bruno on 3D" part until I read the rest of the article. Some movies should just be left as they are. The possibilities of a Sacha Baron Cohen 3-D movie are frightening. I'm afraid of what might be coming our of the screen toward the audience.

[Penton-Man]

With these speakers…….
http://www.3d-summit.com/Default.asp...8-7cda2ae6e7e1

and this scheduled program…….
http://www.3d-summit.com/Default.asp...8-d7856d55df58

It should be an excellent Summit this year. ......unless, the fires move southwest.
Esp. interesting to home theater enthusiasts should be the contributions by Jim Bottoms and Michelle Abrahams regarding their market research concerning what is going to drive 3D into peoples’ homes and later Summit sessions on Thurs. afternoon.

I would expect Variety to be posting an article or two on the goings-on, so keep an eye pealed.