Archived: Insiders Thread

[lokus]

Insiders,
Is there going to be any information publicly posted on how many Blu-ray players (both standalone and PS3) were sold during Black Friday? On highdefdigest.com, the HDDVD promotional group is touting 750,000 units sold during Black Friday. I think this is a considerable amount of player sales and would be interested in seeing how many units Blu-ray sold.

[NutsAboutPS3]

kjack, are you able to add any further comment to this article about Chinese made Blu-ray players heading to Europe?

You've talked about working with the Chinese in the past, can we expect to see more of this, in terms of more brands and players for markets such as North America?

[Croweyes1121]

My question is for Paidgeek. My apologies if this has been asked already. The 2.00 PS3 Firmware apparently had a function that allowed for DTS (or, if you weren't equipped for that, DD) on-the-fly decoding of the DSD multi-channel SACD signal via optical cable. The feature has since been removed on Firmware 2.01. Is there any way you can find out if this feature was added unintentionally or if it was removed unintentionally? If it isn't going to be re-added, I'm going to cry. I don't have an HDMI-ready receiver, and I don't particularly want to get rid of the one I have anytime soon, either, so that function would have been amazing for someone like me. I know it wouldn't be full SACD quality, but still, it would have been a terrific option to a new receiver and a means to at least hear the 5.1 mixes on the SACD's I currently own (I no longer have a standalone SACD player). Thanks, Paidgeek.

[Blu Titan]

Originally Posted by lokus

Insiders,
Is there going to be any information publicly posted on how many Blu-ray players (both standalone and PS3) were sold during Black Friday? On highdefdigest.com, the HDDVD promotional group is touting 750,000 units sold during Black Friday. I think this is a considerable amount of player sales and would be interested in seeing how many units Blu-ray sold.

That amount is TOTAL sales of hardware thus far, including Black Friday

[Ben]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Don’t you just love it when the world is in perfect harmony, i.e. I am responding to your query on p. 310 of this thread.

As Keanu Reeves would say... "Whoa!"

I really enjoyed both of these westerns, especially 3:10 to Yuma and I don’t want to say anything else to spoil the fun for people that haven’t seen it and are planning to, once it debuts on Blu-ray……just that, I highly recommend it.

I also enthusiastically recommend The Assassination of Jesse James to people that like the western genre.
The only downside to TAoJJ is its length which made it a tad tedious to sit through during the theatrical presentation but, that shouldn’t be a problem with the Blu-ray because home theater enthusiasts can just hit the pause on their remote and get a snack, drain the lizard or what not, if they get the urge.

What was it that someone once said? No Great Movie is ever too long and no bad movie is ever too short? I really enjoyed both flicks as well, Penton. It's really nice to see the western genre get some fresh blood pumped into it this year. I remember some pundits claiming that after Unforgiven had cleaned up at the Oscars, that there was no need for anymore westerns to be made - - that it was the pinnacle. Glad to see whoever said that be proven very, very wrong!

Roger Deakins was the lenser for TAoJJ (and coincidentally also on No Country for Old Men which is essentially a modern day western) and his shots of the landscape of Alberta (where Open Range was filmed) are truly stunning. Personally, I found it esp. satisfying as I’ve done the TransRockies mountain bike race a couple times and they run you thru Alberta during this event. Beautiful area of Canada

I'm a big fan of Roger Deakins... his work in The Man Who Wasn't There (A very underrated film, in my opinion) is nothing short of stunning.

Hasn't Canada served as a western backdrop in quite a few films as of late? Wasn't it also the setting for Brokeback Mountain?

I hope the reason filming is no-longer taking place on westerns in the US, isn't because our scenic western vistas are now too polluted and disgusting to be used...

BTW: Penton, have you head anything out of the WGA negotiations from yesterday? Any positive developments? Nikki Finke seems to think so...

[Elandyll]

Originally Posted by BlueNeon

That amount is TOTAL sales of hardware thus far, including Black Friday

I was going to say, if they are saying that (750k sold in one day), this is one giant FUD number

[darkprime]

To the insiders: do the major studios care about world-wide adoption/disc sales? It looks like Blu is on it's way to winning the world soon, with the US a bit of a ways off. Why would any studio want to support HD-DUD in the US when they would still have to support Blu-Ray around the world?

[BillCable]

Originally Posted by Ben

I hope the reason filming is no-longer taking place on westerns in the US, isn't because our scenic western vistas are now too polluted and disgusting to be used...

That's not it at all. It's just much cheaper to film in Canada.

[kamiller42]

There is an entry in Wikipedia that says AACS is mandatory for Blu-ray. Its source is this post. The post is one producer's experience and doesn't explain why he was "forced." Is there a reference in the spec that says it is mandatory? If so, why? If I was the copyright holder, can I decided whether to implement AACS or not? Is Richard Casey's experience, having to raise media prices to pay for copy protection, the general condition when producing Blu-rays? Do I ask a lot of questions? Maybe an insider producing discs or Richard himself could explain.

The root of my questioning is this article and one of its points.

[Joe Cain]

Originally Posted by richteer

And I'd prefer a high-def version of the original version of The Italian Job.

I'd prefer a hi-def version of Ladri di biciclette.

[Zinn]

Originally Posted by kamiller42

There is an entry in Wikipedia that says AACS is mandatory for Blu-ray. Its source is this post. The post is one producer's experience and doesn't explain why he was "forced." Is there a reference in the spec that says it is mandatory? If so, why? If I was the copyright holder, can I decided whether to implement AACS or not? Is Richard Casey's experience, having to raise media prices to pay for copy protection, the general condition when producing Blu-rays? Do I ask a lot of questions? Maybe an insider producing discs or Richard himself could explain.

The root of my questioning is this article and one of its points.

+1

[WickyWoo]

All 3-D to our spanky new thread please

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...light=question

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by ckenisell

I would much more prefer a better transfer of The Italian Job. This is the worst Blu-Ray disc in my library.

Do you really think that the studio that produced that haloed mess (and their main talking head of late being Allan Bell, C.T.O.) is interested in quality…………..or money ?

I was actually just using that title as a tie-in to the piazza home delivery quip.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

All 3-D to our spanky new thread please

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...light=question

Sorry WickyWoo,
I missed the branch to the new thread. Feel free to move all my posts commenting on 3D over to there, if you wish.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Nighthawk

Penton-Man,

The High Def 2.0 Conference is being held in LA on Tuesday, Dec. 4.

http://highdef.homemediaconferences....x.cvn?id=10006

Among the scheduled panelists are guys from BDA companies like Sony, Panasonic, & Pioneer.

Top names include:
Andy Parsons - Pioneer Electronics
Eisuke Tsuyuzaki - Panasonic Hollywood Labs

It's great to see so many Blu-ray guys attending this event - even Bill Hunt of The Digital Bits will be there.

Are you planning to attend? How about Paid?

What I find most interesting is the lack of any panelists from Toshiba or Microsoft - no A-man or even Kevin Collins.

LOL,
You do know-- whether I say yes or no, either way, that would add data to some observers as to what my identity is.

Therefore, no comment.

What the hell, I think Josh is doing some live thing for blu-ray.com at the upcoming CES, which means I just may have to wear that bag over my head again when I see somebody carrying a camera.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by daisuke149

u from atlanta man?? haha dude if theres ever a big blu-ray event here in atlanta u gotta get me or us from atlanta in thre.. and esp if there a part afterwards or somethign!

Not from originally but, lived there for a short stint.

[lch]

Originally Posted by kamiller42

There is an entry in Wikipedia that says AACS is mandatory for Blu-ray. Its source is this post. The post is one producer's experience and doesn't explain why he was "forced." Is there a reference in the spec that says it is mandatory? If so, why? If I was the copyright holder, can I decided whether to implement AACS or not? Is Richard Casey's experience, having to raise media prices to pay for copy protection, the general condition when producing Blu-rays? Do I ask a lot of questions? Maybe an insider producing discs or Richard himself could explain.

The root of my questioning is this article and one of its points.

imo mandatory is only for the hardware maker as they need to implement the necessary code/hw to decode/support the accs/bd+/bdj/dts/dd/pcm.
whether your disc use it is another matter.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Ben

BTW: Penton, have you heard anything out of the WGA negotiations from yesterday? Any positive developments? Nikki Finke seems to think so...

I haven’t kept up with the latest vibe on the matter.

Plus, I haven't read Nikki's column for awhile. Last time being, when she used the f-word during a commentary and it got me all aroused.

[Penton-Man]

Originally posted by Penton-Man………
So tell me, in regards to talkstr8t’s presence on AVS, is it as bad as this?............
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UiHulnGVlw

Originally Posted by JadedRaverLA

Talkstr8t should be so lucky as to only have to go through that. The reality is far FAR worse for the poor guy. Imagine a senate impeachment hearing... combined with a good old fashioned stoning...

Well, it’s always been quite obvious that 99% of the posts there are HD DVD ideological advertisements posed in a question form to get Talkstr8t to cave-in or slip-up so the HD DVD minions can grin, that they trapped an industry insider in a *gotcha trap*.

From what I recall, back when I read the AVS Insider's thread regularly….. few questions to paidgeek or Talkstr8t or even kjack were sincere questions by people asking for helpful information about the Blu-ray format.

If the AVS abuse continues, and Talkstr8t just can’t tolerate it anymore (kinda reminds me of when Bill Hunt made his last appearance on AVS and he was practically stoned to death )....... then we can always send Talk to another forum (for diversification of getting the Blu word out) where the administration appreciates the presence of insiders and apparently knows how to deal with antagonist red ants…..
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/...8&postcount=37

and their members actually watch movies at home rather than spend all evening thinking up ways to cross swords with an insider the next day on AVS.

[Cplhicks]

Originally Posted by lokus

Insiders,
Is there going to be any information publicly posted on how many Blu-ray players (both standalone and PS3) were sold during Black Friday? On highdefdigest.com, the HDDVD promotional group is touting 750,000 units sold during Black Friday. I think this is a considerable amount of player sales and would be interested in seeing how many units Blu-ray sold.

Originally Posted by BlueNeon

That amount is TOTAL sales of hardware thus far, including Black Friday

The best part, I thought, was where they decide to include Xbox 360 add-ons. Rather convenient, isn't it? For all we know, the number nearing 500,000 standalones didn't really increase at all over Black Friday. And since the HD group never wants to include the PS3 except for "attach rates," I just love the hypocrisy. I also have to assume this is worldwide numbers. I'd love to see a matching Blu-ray statement. What would that be, 4.5 million or so? Ha.