Blade Runner Extras SD - Timing??

[Croweyes1121]

From thedigitalbits:

"Okay... we've got a little bit more news for you, starting with some follow-up on the high-def versions of Blade Runner. We've confirmed with Warner that both the Blu-ray Disc and HD-DVD editions will feature ALL FIVE VERSIONS of the film in actual 1080p video, but the extras (the documentary, deleted scenes, etc) will all be in standard definition. The reason for this has nothing to do with disc space on either format, but rather timing. Work is still ongoing on some of the extras (it's a big job as you can imagine from the list of specs). Given that, I'm told that even if high-def compression were to start today on the all the extras, there'd be no way to get the high-def versions of the set completed in time to street this year, which is the film's anniversary. That said, even though the extras will be standard def, they're going to be compressed at a very high bitrate and, with upscaling, they should look plenty good. So that's that".

So what they're telling us is that the extras won't be in HD because there's just not enough TIME to do that?? Uh...exactly how long have we been waiting for this release? lol Just curious. I'm not *****ing because this set is going to rock regardless, but what a ridiculous excuse.

[WriteSimply]

Originally Posted by Croweyes1121

So what they're telling us is that the extras won't be in HD because there's just not enough TIME to do that?? Uh...exactly how long have we been waiting for this release? lol Just curious. I'm not *****ing because this set is going to rock regardless, but what a ridiculous excuse.

The excuse is simple and it is caused by TWO factors.

a) The encoding will be done by the crack team lead by Amir. Since they are doing the encoding for Universal and Warner, they just don't have the time to do all of that work and continue with their release schedule.

b) Putting everything in HD would cause a capacity issue with HD-DVD. On BD, they can just put it on BD50.


fuad

[WickyWoo]

The problem is that even if they started today, they would not have the time to do the compression on all the extras and still make their replication date, which is likely sometime in the late Sept/Oct timeframe.

Given that VC-1 takes 4-6 passes at about 25% real time, with the amount of stuff in there, PLUS all the other titles that are booked at the authoring houses, you can see where the problem comes in.

[Deciazulado]

Because they don't have time.
So coding the extras in 480 (at 9 Mb/s?) will look good enough and be a better solution and look better than just coding extras in 1080 in 20-40Mb/s VC-1 automatic? Heh.

1984


Might as well said that the extras didn't exist in HD so they would have to create new ones so they're just using old ones.

[dialog_gvf]

Why do they need five discs for HD if the extras are SD?

Whatever the reason for why they didn't do HD extras, does this mean these are actually the "Almost Complete" and the "Penultimate" 5-disc releases on HD?

Gary

[Croweyes1121]

My point is, they have had YEARS to do this, people!!! It's not like they've had their backs up against the wall on this...come on!

[WickyWoo]

Why do they need five discs for HD if the extras are SD?

Whatever the reason for why they didn't do HD extras, does this mean these are actually the "Almost Complete" and the "Penultimate" 5-disc releases on HD?

Going to guess that the extras discs are standard DVDs, and not blu. Remember, getting a place on the line for Xmas is very difficult, especially with the comperably limited blu-Ray lines in existance.

My point is, they have had YEARS to do this, people

While materials have been gathered on and off for years, as the project was off and on, Warner did not give the full green light until last year when they signed a long term rights deal on the film.

People have other projects to do, they have to eat and can't just sit around waiting for the money to show up.

In terms of content, they're still 100% great. I'm sure there'll be a future reissue with HD extras, but the price is right and I'm buying, because the movie is what it needs to be

[Croweyes1121]

While materials have been gathered on and off for years, as the project was off and on, Warner did not give the full green light until last year when they signed a long term rights deal on the film.

People have other projects to do, they have to eat and can't just sit around waiting for the money to show up.

Well, I still say they may as well have taken the time to do everything in HD after all the waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and WAITING they've done putting this out in a decent edition. But I guess I digress.

In terms of content, they're still 100% great. I'm sure there'll be a future reissue with HD extras, but the price is right and I'm buying, because the movie is what it needs to be

I realize this...hence:

I'm not *****ing because this set is going to rock regardless

I just thought it was a silly thing to say (that there wasn't enough time) considering how MUCH time it's taken to bring this release to us. That said...all I really care about is the film and, as you said, that's being done right. And the price is INCREDIBLY great. I was just sayin'...

[Banjo]

and the special features probably won't be subtitled.

[GreenMotion]

Sounds like a candidate for a "double dip".

Coming out next year ... "The FINAL Ultimate Collectors Edition" .... :P

[Croweyes1121]

Actually, they'll release the double-dip in 2019. LMAO Blade Runner: Tech Noir Edition (commentary by James Cameron for no reason other than loving the subtitle).

[radagast]

Originally Posted by WriteSimply

The excuse is simple and it is caused by TWO factors.

a) The encoding will be done by the crack team lead by Amir. Since they are doing the encoding for Universal and Warner, they just don't have the time to do all of that work and continue with their release schedule.

b) Putting everything in HD would cause a capacity issue with HD-DVD. On BD, they can just put it on BD50.


fuad

In other words: Blu-ray will suffer because of its "special needs" half-brother HD-dvd.

[Freis968]

I don't get it...I thought this movie really SUCKED! Why is everyone going apeshit over it?

I guess it is just one of those English Patient kind of movies, whereby you either really loved it or really thought it SUCKED!

[cueman98]

Originally Posted by Freis968

I don't get it...I thought this movie really SUCKED! Why is everyone going apeshit over it?

I guess it is just one of those English Patient kind of movies, whereby you either really loved it or really thought it SUCKED!

Maybe you just saw the first version, with the monotone zombie-like narration and stupid happy ending.

If so, yes, that version REALLY SUCKED.

[radagast]

Originally Posted by cueman98

Maybe you just saw the first version, with the monotone zombie-like narration and stupid happy ending.

If so, yes, that version REALLY SUCKED.

I disagree. The happy ending made sense when you considered earlier events in the movie. The "unicorn" dream in the director's cut is what was silly.

The idea of Deckerd being a replicant is ridiculous. He is supposed to be a blade runner but he can't even take down a female replicant without barely escaping with his life. That should have been easy if he was a replicant. And the male replicants should have been scared of him if he was a replicant. They weren't.

[WickyWoo]

Sounds like a candidate for a "double dip".

Any movie that's popular is going to get double, triple, quadruple and everything else dipped

You'd figure most people noticed back in the DVD era that this is a standard practice in the industry, and stopped complaining about it.

[WriteSimply]

Originally Posted by Croweyes1121

Well, I still say they may as well have taken the time to do everything in HD after all the waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and WAITING they've done putting this out in a decent edition.

If the extras are all in HD, it doesn't mean that they can automatically put the stuff into a BD/HD-DVD.

It has to be fed into the encoder's HDD, include the various audio tracks and subtitle, become part of the features of the disc menu and STILL make it fit into the disc's capacity and the overall design content of the disc.

Encoding suites is not being used by any one film constantly. If the release is delayed indefinitely, which it did for Blade Runner, they have to take the content off-line to free up the HDD. Similarly, once the disc is done all the encoded content is deleted and the encoding suites move on for other films.


fuad

[WickyWoo]

For a single major special edition like this one, you can have literally HUNDREDS of hours of interview, film and archival clips. I've seen the systems they edit on. We're talking a Terabyte or 2 of high-speed drives, GIGANTIC, the size of a washing machine give or take when you include all the boards and the fans and everything.