Archived: Insiders Thread

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by HDJK

Paidgeek, o.k. I feel a little silly posting this, but it really bugs me. Since Immortal Beloved showed us that users can have an influence, I just give it a shot: is there any way, that Sony could stop using three security stickers for their BDs? I just received a couple of discs and 4 of them were Sony titles; well all 4 cases were destroyed during opening because of those stickers. I like to keep my things nice and clean and an ugly looking sticky case on a new movie is just a shame.
Since I'm not alone with my dislike I thought I bring it up. Warner for example only uses one sticker on the top.

Thanks for reading

I'm not sure what the first title in the stores will be, but I saw a sample of the new "The Fifth Element" and it has only one security label and that label has a more user friendly adhesive. I think you will be pleased..

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by ra1024

Edit: While on the topic of disc issues, can you comment on the recent mandatory movie previews on the Pirates discs? I find this very annoying to have to fast forward through all those advertisements every time we want to watch or show the disc to someone.

This is a studio by studio decision. Often you can chapter skip out of these things as well.

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by azure_blue

PaidGeek or any other insider,
In regards to the BD+ security features to be introduced
Blu-ray content protection agency certifies BD+
Will the PS3 require a firmware upgrade to play these new BD+ discs?
thanks

No, it should be good to go already. Be sure to use the latest firmware for good practice though.

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by hanser

Paidgeek and Penton-Man re trailers etc:

In general I would like to see the following implementation: you put in the disc, press play, and the movie starts. period. Any trailers, FBI warning etc can be attached after the movie and accessed via the menu. Do you think that could be established as a norm on BD? Because for movie fanatics it would be a big bonus not to wade through all this junk before the movie. E.G. for me it would be the deciding factor for chosing the BD version of a say Paramount movie over the HDDVD version (in case I had both players of course). I can´t tell you how much I miss the laserdisc days in this one respect!

I don't want to draw flames here, but I think the BD discs we sell are a really good value for the money. If we were to charge $x amount more compared with our competitors to stop promoting other properties up front would consumers pay it?

For legal reasons, the lawyers want the warnings to preceed the program, so that is not negotiable.

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by GoldenRedux

For paidgeek and/or kjack, a question in multiple parts :

1. Are there any BD production lines currently capable of producing BD/DVD single-sided hybrid discs if a studio were to request such a thing, or would they require being completely rebuilt/retooled?

2. If such BDs were manufactured, could they be a BD25/DVD, BD50/DVD, or both?

3. Would all BD players available today, including all first-gen players, be capable of playing such discs, meaning read all layers - BD and DVD - or would they require a firmware update to do so, or would they just not be able to play them at all?

Thanks for any insight you all may be able to give me into these matters.

As far as I know, there are no "production lines" for BD/DVD hybrid discs. All the capacity combinations are supposed to work, but I have not scene results of test discs to verify this. They should also work on the current players, but again, I have not seen a verification of this.

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by DaViD Boulet

I'm curious to know that the first (Sony I presume) BD+ title is that is about to be released.

Will BD+ projected discs make any sort of note on the pagacking? Like Java, will it require firmware updates for certain players or had BD+ been designed from the start to "self install" from the disc entirely so no consumer needs to take any added steps at all (regardless of hardware)?

The first disc will almost certainly come from Fox. I don't know what their intentions are, but I would be surprised if there was any indication on the package. The customer should be completely unaware that it is even present and no further player update should be required.

[Josh]

Paidgeek,

No birthday announcement from BDA? Seems like they don't even want to acknowledge it?

[WriteSimply]

Originally Posted by paidgeek

I don't want to draw flames here, but I think the BD discs we sell are a really good value for the money. If we were to charge $x amount more compared with our competitors to stop promoting other properties up front would consumers pay it?

For legal reasons, the lawyers want the warnings to preceed the program, so that is not negotiable.

My question is in a similar vein. I don't mind the warnings so long as it's skipable.

Here's a real whopper of questions: can BDs be authored in such a way that the disc checks to see if you want the movie to play automatically (with the warning preceeding it) or you want the disc menu to play first?

If the former is possible, can it be made in such a way that the disc knows which audio and subtitles options you want the movie to play with, to the extent that the disc downloads an unavailable audio or subtitles first before playback can start?

This seems to me like BD-Live territory. Thanks paidgeek. ($2)


fuad

[ra1024]

Originally Posted by WriteSimply

If the former is possible, can it be made in such a way that the disc knows which audio and subtitles options you want the movie to play with, to the extent that the disc downloads an unavailable audio or subtitles first before playback can start?

Thanks PG for all the answers. Along with what he's suggesting, would it be possible to store persistent information as to whether previews had been shown and not show them along with warnings if they've already been viewed?

Another hypothetical situation, what if I pay a small monthly fee so my player can skip the fbi warnings, those insulting piracy informercials, and previews? Another suggestion, what if my player downloads previews at night, I watch them, rate them, indicate whether I'll see the movie when it comes out, etc.. and in turn I get to skip the aforementioned nuisances?

[LembasBread]

Paidgeek,

What is your personal opinion of the new 'The Fifth Element' transfer especially when comparing it to the previous BD release? Is it leaps and bounds/night and day difference or is it marginal improvements that, apparently according to reviews, should have been there to begin with (I am one of the few who are actually satisfied with it; the LPCM audio was worth it alone)? Also, what is the the resolution of the Dolby TrueHD track included on this release?

[LeoneFan]

Paidgeek,

Do you have any information on "The Professionals" (with Burt Lancaster and Lee Marvin) that was supposed to come out a couple of months ago. Is it still in the pipeline? Thanks.

[PeterTHX]

Hi Paidgeek:

Anything on Air Force One? It never was rereleased on DVD except as a Superbit and it's a very early DVD transfer (1998). Buena Vista put it out on BD in Japan, anything stateside from Sony/Columbia?

Would LOVE to hear it in Dolby TrueHD!

[WickyWoo]

If the former is possible, can it be made in such a way that the disc knows which audio and subtitles options you want the movie to play with, to the extent that the disc downloads an unavailable audio or subtitles first before playback can start?

With the exception of the downloading part, vanilla DVD can detect your player preferences. Most do and you don't even know it (especially Disney discs, where many titles will go alt angle to provide you french credits or whatnot).

So as long as it knows where to look, there's no reason why it wouldn't be able to. Given the tiny size of subtitle tracks, and the expense of making different discs for different areas, I would think that they would include languages for everywhere they own the movie, and they would probably not legally be able to include languages that they don't own for.

Paidgeek please correct me if I'm wrong, and how bout that Lawrence of Arabia?

[The Don]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Hi Paidgeek:

Anything on Air Force One? It never was rereleased on DVD except as a Superbit and it's a very early DVD transfer (1998). Buena Vista put it out on BD in Japan, anything stateside from Sony/Columbia?

Would LOVE to hear it in Dolby TrueHD!

I've seen it on DVD...the other day actually..

[goodstuff]

Yep, there is an original Air Force One non-Superbit release. I have it as well

http://www.dvdempire.com/Exec/v4_ite...searchID=50769

[HDJK]

Originally Posted by benes

Its already been addressed

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...4&postcount=63

Originally Posted by paidgeek

I'm not sure what the first title in the stores will be, but I saw a sample of the new "The Fifth Element" and it has only one security label and that label has a more user friendly adhesive. I think you will be pleased..

Thanks for the good news

[HDJK]

Originally Posted by paidgeek

I don't want to draw flames here, but I think the BD discs we sell are a really good value for the money. If we were to charge $x amount more compared with our competitors to stop promoting other properties up front would consumers pay it?

Absolutely agree.

For legal reasons, the lawyers want the warnings to preceed the program, so that is not negotiable.

How come Warner shows them after the movie?

[whippersnapper]

Originally Posted by HDJK

Absolutely agree.



How come Warner shows them after the movie?

"How come Warner shows them after the movie?" Different lawyers.

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Hi Paidgeek:

Anything on Air Force One? It never was rereleased on DVD except as a Superbit and it's a very early DVD transfer (1998). Buena Vista put it out on BD in Japan, anything stateside from Sony/Columbia?

Would LOVE to hear it in Dolby TrueHD!

This title is definitely a good candidate for Dolby THD. It is not on the current schedule, but it will certainly be considered for BD release.

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by HDJK

Absolutely agree.



How come Warner shows them after the movie?

Our lawyers have a different sense of what is mandatory than WB's do. It's not unusual for lawyers from each studio to have a different read on this kind of issue.