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

[saprano]

Originally Posted by Kris Deering

If the 550 is the same as the 350 in regards to video processing, it will fall short as well depending on the content. Look for a new video testing criteria to premiere quite shortly in our mag for more. Should be interesting!

Your going to compare all the new players along with the ps3 right?

[Kris Deering]

Originally Posted by HeavyHitter

If the PS3 is as good as any unit at 1080p/24, why do you need the BD55?

I don't, but I still have to review it.

Besides, not all content is 1080p24, and I actually prefer to bitstream my audio. But I have a PS3 in my rack and it will continue to stay there. Great player, great speed and perfect for testing advanced features.

[Kris Deering]

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

The Star Wars movies must look amazing.

(That's a JOKE folks)

Unfortunately I only have those on HD DVD

(And that's not a JOKE folks)







(But they are only from the HBO broadcasts authored as HD DVDs )

[Kris Deering]

Originally Posted by saprano

Your going to compare all the new players along with the ps3 right?

Not quite. We are introducing our new testing regiment for all players going forward. The issue will include test examples that includes the PS3 along with a few others to give you an idea of how different players compare. From there on all BD player reviews will have this chart of the test results and people can decide based on THEIR needs what is or is not important to them in playback.

[CAB]

Originally Posted by Kris Deering

Not quite. We are introducing our new testing regiment for all players going forward. The issue will include test examples that includes the PS3 along with a few others to give you an idea of how different players compare. From there on all BD player reviews will have this chart of the test results and people can decide based on THEIR needs what is or is not important to them in playback.

Rockin! I'm in the market and will be paying close attention to the comparisons. Thank-you for adding player to player information.

[Rob Tomlin]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Although, it seems a heck of a lot of dem skunk helmet owners from over the decades showed up here for a reunion near Dalton…….(including Malcolm, for that matter).
Great fun to see and knock bars with a lot of old friends and competitors from different countries.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVGmC...eature=related

..

[dobyblue]

SO if you're watching one of the BMG titles that is 1080i60, you should change your output to 1080i and let your Pioneer Kuro deal with the de-interlacing?

[Kris Deering]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

Price and performance. The BD55 will be considerably more expensive than the base PS3 model. The BD35 will have the same video performance of the BD55, but be priced much lower.

There are other reasons to consider a player like this as well. Usability is one. Some people (older market) are intimidated by a PS3 as a player and honestly don't want all the extra features. Another is power. The idea of running a 200w player while watching a movie as opposed to 20w. That is a huge difference and a big reduction in heat output.

I haven't been given the firm price points on these players yet but the prices I was quoted as their targets don't make the 55 considerably more expensive at all, if they indeed release at the price I was given as a forcast.

[Kris Deering]

Originally Posted by dobyblue

SO if you're watching one of the BMG titles that is 1080i60, you should change your output to 1080i and let your Pioneer Kuro deal with the de-interlacing?

That would depend on the player in use, but I would say the majority of the time YES. Source Direct was one of the nicer features that the early Sony and Pioneer models had. Since those players could not de-interlace a 1080i signal properly you were better off having something else in the chain do it that was more capable. With Source Direct the player would just output the encoded resolution so you wouldn't have to fiddle with it.

It is my opinion that if a player cannot do the correct processing, it should have this mode to alleviate the burden on the end user. That way you're not stuck with incorrect processing or having to switch the output mode on a title by title basis.

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Scariest moment of the night ………….
hearing the prices floated around for some of the newest generation Kuro displays and seeing Chris Walker’s face blown up on a 50” plasma screen with no help from a digital colorist’s bag of tricks.

^ or v ?

Gary

[Alan Gordon]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

Cheers. I would have preferred to stay a lowly finance officer, but alas, I didn't want to wake up next to a horse's head...

LOL!!

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

I thought the BD35 had already been announced (lest I get an angry phone-call from an associate at Panasonic marketing!), I made sure to check the main page and it is listed!

I was referring to the comment regarding features and pricing.

I'm pleased with my PS3 right now, but I would like to relegate the PS3 to gaming sometime in the future... and I was planning on looking at the S550, but the BD35 (and BD55) may have made the list of players to keep an eye out for.

~Alan

[Penton-Man]

Oh Lord, does it never end ?
I was PM’ed this post and several on the same page from an outside camera forum.

To catch up to speed, this is the background information on the posters communicating with each other……..

“miha” – goes by a different handle on the weird science forum and is the OP of the infamous *DNR/EE thread* located there which sure seems to have a lot of vocal contributors with roots and prejudices from the past format war regarding the Blu-ray format.
“Tresch” – is the pro cinematographer that shot the short film in question shown at a film festival in Switzerland.

This is the post (and see the following response)………….
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthr...764#post266764
which I believe demonstrates two salient points……………….

1. There is certainly a disconnect between what the filmmakers are creating and presenting and that of what some online ‘analysts’ are viewing (and consider important) when they watch a movie--- whether it is presented theatrically (in this case), or for home entertainment.

2. It is unwise to make self-confident accusations as this topic (sharpening and digital noise reduction) is more complicated and multi-factorial than even the most knowledgeable online ‘analysts’ are aware.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

2. It is unwise to make self-confident accusations as this topic (sharpening and digital noise reduction) is more complicated and multi-factorial than even the most knowledgeable online ‘analysts’ are aware.

This all reminds me of the Home Media Expo from a couple months ago and Grover Crisp (Sony’s Senior Vice President of Asset Management, Film Restoration, and Digital Mastering), in which he candidly remarked about some online Blu-ray movie ‘analysts’.

When speaking about the visible presence of a halo seen around one of the riders in a scene from a boxed set of restored westerns coming out on Blu-ray in the future, he mentioned that he expects the halos to cause some ‘analysts’ to accuse SPE of applying sharpening – when in fact none was applied during restoration or the encoding step of the process.

Whether Grover’s expectations ultimately prove correct or incorrect, I think that his observations regarding his perceived notion of the technical inaccuracies posted by some online ‘analysts’, in reference to the hows, whys and wherefores of the picture quality of Blu-ray software media generally sums up the sentiment of all technical people at the major Hollywood studios that work with Blu-ray media on a daily basis.

And you think that haloing can be multi-factorial?
People, the application of digital grain/noise reduction can be even more complicated to identify, much less track down to its true origin. For instance, not all manufacturers’ compressors (encoding machines) or their implementations are created equal in terms of how they handle grain or noise, i.e. some do it better than others.

I remember a Uni person telling me back in the day that the challenging encoding of the extensive noise in the low-lite scenes of Miami Vice actually caused the software company to make changes to their VC-1 encoder.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Motocross des Nations is my Olympics ..................

Well, more accurately, the Motocross des Nations is termed the “Olympics of Motocross” (established in 1947?) whereas the ISDT is usually referred to as the “Olympics of Motorcycling”…….and was established in 1913.

Nevertheless, semantics aside , if you’ve never heard the story, I can relate to you an interesting tidbit (that few people know of) that involves who Malcolm Smith once described as “the toughest competitor I even knew” (and whom people consider the ‘father’ of enduro riding) and a few young Americans, i.e. Johnny O’Mara et.al. at a Motocross des Nations back in the day.

Interested ?

It demonstrates the commaradarie among motorcycle racers of all disciplines and all ages when it comes to their love of the off-road racing/riding in general , and more particularly when one is representing one’s own country.

P.S.
And what happens to an old Motorcycle Hall of Famer ?

Well, he goes on to become a multi-year National mountain bike champion and captain of the most prestiguous mountain bike racing team in Calif. where he can kick the arse of guys half his age every day of the week down in south Orange County or anywhere else in the country on weekends (didn’t make it to Mt. Snow Nationals this year though, due to illness)

http://team-shoair.com/team.asp?r=20

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

^ or v ?

Gary

^

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

Hmm, I saw their price projections for the BD50 a few months before it launched and lets just say Panasonic USA were somewhat optimistic on pricing. It was meant to launch at $500-550 but ended up launching at $699 to meet revenue targets set by Japan HQ.

If you bitstream audio the BD35 will be fine anyway, the improved audio performance of the BD55 is what Panasonic hope will merit any price differences.

Max is back from Devon.

[Deciazulado]

It will be a crisp lonesome ride.

[Kris Deering]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

Hmm, I saw their price projections for the BD50 a few months before it launched and lets just say Panasonic USA were somewhat optimistic on pricing. It was meant to launch at $500-550 but ended up launching at $699 to meet revenue targets set by Japan HQ.

If you bitstream audio the BD35 will be fine anyway, the improved audio performance of the BD55 is what Panasonic hope will merit any price differences.

I would say "improved audio features" not "improved audio performance" based on the design.

[kpkelley]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

When speaking about the visible presence of a halo seen around one of the riders in a scene from a boxed set of restored westerns coming out on Blu-ray in the future, he mentioned that he expects the halos to cause some ‘analysts’ to accuse SPE of applying sharpening – when in fact none was applied during restoration or the encoding step of the process.

Are we gonna get any hints as to what films these would be? I tried to see what western's were being released by Sony and didn't see any Box Sets or announcements for upcoming titles.

Is the P-man gonna drop us a line for old times sakes?

[horseflesh]

Originally Posted by kpkelley

Are we gonna get any hints as to what films these would be? I tried to see what western's were being released by Sony and didn't see any Box Sets or announcements for upcoming titles.

Is the P-man gonna drop us a line for old times sakes?

Hmmmm.....I'm wondering if my brother is going to be very happy with this news. I mean this year he's getting the BD boxset about the renegade San Francisco cop (I'm actually buying it for him for his birthday which is tomorrow) and next year the classic series of pasta-named Westerns featuring the same actor.....???