Archived: Insiders Thread

[whippersnapper]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Somebody did snap a real photo of me during the Halloween party at the Bunny House………
http://www2.thekarmafoundation.com/P...9/Default.aspx
^
Click on “Kandy Halloween” (upper left), the pics just got posted recently.

Yikes, I haven’t checked all of them to see if they pass censorship standards (I hope they do), as some may get more and more risqué further on down the gallery.

P.S.
And no, I’ll tell you right now, I’m not the guy *carrying the Blu box* with the Blu bow on top.

Ahh ..... I think that looks like Amir in thin disguise - trying to join the Blu party with hopes of getting closer to some of Penton Man's Blu babes.

[Teazle]

Paid,

A recent interview with Terry Jones (yesterday on telegraph.co.uk) mentions the deleted "Otto" scene will be included on the new DVD. Is this planned for the BD release also, or if not, is it too late to put it in?

Many thanks in advance.

[hanser]

Originally Posted by paidgeek

I had my office confirm that the original English is 24bit THD. The Germand DTS HD MA and Dolby THD are 20 bit. What information do you have that is indicating otherwise?

Update: The German version indeed hast English in THD, as you said. Aforementioned site has updated:

http://www.cinefacts.de/news/news.php?newsid=9388

Für die Blu-ray-Edition von Steven Spielbergs Science Fiction-Klassiker "Unheimliche Begegnung der dritten Art" hatte Sony Pictures ursprünglich lediglich eine Dolby Digital-Tonspur in Englisch angekündigt (siehe Newsmeldung). Diese Angabe wurde nun, zur Freude aller Fans von Originalsprachen, korrigiert. Demnach wird die Blu-ray neben Dolby TrueHD und DTS HD in Deutsch über eine englische Tonspur in Dolby True HD verfügen.


Thank you!

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by richteer

Would it be possible to send a copy of the "Experience Blu" demo disk to registered PS3 owners? That way people can directly see the difference between SD and HD (especially with the split-screen shots).

We could send split screen material, but I have another idea we are working on. We will change the Easter egg test patterns around a little and include a frame of a very high resolution head shot. This means no matter what disc you buy from us, you will always have a very high quality image at the ready to impress your friends and to check you equipment. This is more reliable than a split screen where we cannot know or control the display or signal path the consumer is using.

[ckenisell]

Originally Posted by paidgeek

This would be a fine choice to be sure, but the Sony employee discounts are just barely better than what you can get when you buy from your favorite box house in N.Y. That display is really a statement piece from Sony, similar to the Panasonic 103" plasma.

Plus, the new 70" rear projection XBR5 (set to debut in Q1 '08) has a better picture anyway and it's $26,000 cheaper (US MSRP). Although I would recommend the LCD 46" and 52" LCD over the rear projection, I would get the 70" rear projection BEFORE I'd get the LCD 70". Even if I could afford the LCD version.

In fact, the 70" rear projection actually has a steel roll cage inside of it, making it a 150 lbs. set. It's a simply stunning display.

[johnnyd1]

Originally Posted by richteer

Would it be possible to send a copy of the "Experience Blu" demo disk to registered PS3 owners? That way people can directly see the difference between SD and HD (especially with the split-screen shots).

Hmmmm. Where did I hear that before ?

My original thought was , send a Blu Ray movie to all registered PS3 owners !

Include a note introducing Blu Ray to them with a % off coupon for another.

[ps3andlovinit]

Originally Posted by paidgeek

We could send split screen material, but I have another idea we are working on. We will change the Easter egg test patterns around a little and include a frame of a very high resolution head shot. This means no matter what disc you buy from us, you will always have a very high quality image at the ready to impress your friends and to check you equipment. This is more reliable than a split screen where we cannot know or control the display or signal path the consumer is using.

Paidgeek,

Part of this is a "marketing" issue not just a technical one. Having something downloadable from the PSN store that shows a split-screen difference is aimed at those PS3 owners that haven't made the jump..the disc approach is missing that market.

If you watch people at BB etc, the split-screen approach being used to show the *difference* is what makes people stop, look and think.

Would it be possible to have different resolution downloads like there currently is for trailers? That could help deal with the different resolution T.V.s etc... obviously you don't want to misrepresent the difference but neither do you want to miss an audience that can't easily see the difference.

It could be easily promoted in the new Information Board as well...

It's not an either/or situation.

It would be nice if we can get a Playstation representative on here as well .. instead of leaving it all up to you

[desmond]

Good point. Sony should step up BD marketing on PSN.

[unreal1080p]

To insiders: Can any shed some light on what's "really" going on with MGM?

Stories like this popping up are anoying:

http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/11/11...2007/#comments

Thanks.

[Logan00]

paidgeek, would it be possible for you to pass this suggestion on to those working on the PS3 and see if it can be done?

In relation to the PS3, would it be possible for Sony to allow users to prioritorize their audio preferences when it come sto movies?

For example I could list:
1. pcm
2. True HD
3. DTS-MA
etc.

This way once a Blu-ray is inserted, the audio is already selected for me and I can just start watching the movie.

[WickyWoo]

To insiders: Can any shed some light on what's "really" going on with MGM?

As I understand it, their biggest problem has been that their masters are simply not up to snuff for Blu, and they need to go back, retransfer and clean them up, and then resched them for a good marketing time (war movies for Father's day and such)

[frank_t]

Originally Posted by Logan00

paidgeek, would it be possible for you to pass this suggestion on to those working on the PS3 and see if it can be done?

In relation to the PS3, would it be possible for Sony to allow users to prioritorize their audio preferences when it come sto movies?

For example I could list:
1. pcm
2. True HD
3. DTS-MA
etc.

This way once a Blu-ray is inserted, the audio is already selected for me and I can just start watching the movie.

Agreed. Was just thinking about this last night when I popped in Cars. The audio defaults to 5.1 DD and I wanted the uncompressed audio.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by cjamescook

Penton-

Fun as the eye candy is, this really leads me to ask what I hope is construed as a (Hollywood) insider question: If cute girls are that plentiful in the land of film and entertainment, how does any one of them distinguish themself to make it in Hollywood?

Yes, beyond looks, are talent and brains that rare? Or is luck really more important than I would guess?

Cheers!
-Jim

The most beautiful (physically) women in Hollywood generally don’t make it to the elite actress ranks (There are, of course some notable exceptions).
It surely helps but, it guarantees nothing.
“Talent” means talent (acting ability for onscreen presence).

What differentiates the talented from each other is often perseverance and timing, i.e. being in the right place at the right time. The right agent can be beneficial with the latter.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Dogdvr

Penton

one for you
I'm drinking wine and eating cheese, and catching some rays, you know.


Hint

Mayor in real life

I know the movie ……Kelly’s Heroes.
I just don’t recall who actually said the line.

It sounds out of character for Clint Eastwood though given his *leadership* role in the film.
Just aint sure.

[Penton-Man]

My choice for hottest thread of the day …………..
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=14021

My choice for hottest forum of the day ……………
https://forum.blu-ray.com/forumdisplay.php?f=49

[NutsAboutPS3]

Can anyone tell me how the pay monthly postal disc rental services such as lovefilm here in the UK, or netflix in the US, pay the studios for the discs? Is there a payment to the studio for each occasion someone rents one of their discs?

[Penton-Man]

I'm outta here for today folks.
Busy, busy day for me.

[Dogdvr]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

I know the movie ……Kelly’s Heroes.
I just don’t recall who actually said the line.

It sounds out of character for Clint Eastwood though given his *leadership* role in the film.
Just aint sure.

It was,
Pfc Kelly

hence the title

[cjamescook]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

What differentiates the talented from each other is often perseverance and timing, i.e. being in the right place at the right time. The right agent can be beneficial with the latter.

A story (urban legend) I heard:
Someone did a survey of successful (business?) types, asking the importance of luck versus skill and knowledge. The results gave luck some importance. Ten years later, the survey was repeated again using the same people. Interestingly, respondants now give much higher marks to luck.

[cjamescook]

Paidgeek-

I think I have a couple questions that will help us understand the market forces and you can answer publically.

1. What are the production setup costs not including reproduction for BD vs DVD?
I mean, what is the cost to author (scan, program) a simple movie on a DVD with just a few simple menu choices? Now, suppose I was to do the same thing for a BD release (new scan, better soundtrack capture, but otherwise same content/programming). What is the BD cost?

2. How big does a movie have to be to make it worthwhile to come out on BD?
If it is a new movie, what is the minimum US boxoffice take? If an old film from the catalog library, what is the guideline? I realize an answer to this is probably somewhat fuzzy, but stuff comes to DVD all the time, so it must be possible to ballpark the DVD answer, then by extension, get a BD answer?


I'm trying to understand (for all) what are the current economics. Everything pretty much comes out on DVD these days, but not so for BD, hence why we all ask, "Is movie xyzzy coming to BD?" "When will independent films come to BD?" "Any plans for this back catalog title?" etc. which are all questions you can't answer. However, maybe you can answer the above so we can make our own guesses. I'm also hoping that these are the sort of questions you would receive from any potential customer, hence why it would be possible to answer in this forum.

Thanks in advance,
-Jim