Do people actually like BD-Live?

[krazeyeyez]

No interest although my current player does not have it so maybe one day. I will say it reminds me of one of the many features showcased on DVD that went no where.

Anyone remember angles lol, you were supposed to be able to stop a scene on a dvd and rotate full 360 degrees in the scene viewing from multiple angles. My first dvd player ($800 cough) had that feature and many early dvd's especially the ones still coming out in jewel cases always had the preview for this feature yet never utilized in any way that it would be fun to use.

[cathexist]

Haven't used it that much...however I LOVE the live commentaries that they have offered over BD-Live on a few releases.

I watched the Harry Potter one, and recently watched part of the Sherlock Holmes one (but they were having a lot of tech problems at the beginning).

So I do like BD-Live for that, but otherwise it has seemed entirely pointless.

[ZAR]

My player can't do BD-Live. It really doesn't sound all that great of a feature anyway.

[coolkev1701]

I would be a great feature if studios used it to it's full potential (extra featurettes, deleted scenes, etc.), rather than just movie trailers and what not that it has now.

[Dreemworx]

My BluRay player has BD-live amongst others like NetFlix etc...it's nothing I want a part of.

First off, it is barely working from my router which I use to run all my remote laptops.
Next...I just want to watch the movie I picked at the time...I can barely stand trailors and other 'warnings' etc.

BluRay has great behind scenes features which is plenty for me.

[steve_dave]

Originally Posted by coolkev1701

I would be a great feature if studios used it to it's full potential (extra featurettes, deleted scenes, etc.), rather than just movie trailers and what not that it has now.

Paramount/Dreamworks is the exception with:

- Transformers '07
- Tropic Thunder
- Kung Fu Panda

Then there is Warner's online chats/commentaries. Disney used to have good BD-Live options but that seems to have changed. Sony does use BD-Live for the MovieIQ, however, most of the other Sony BD-Live features are just trailers or promotional videos.

Also, Lionsgate is using BD-Live to correct an audio error on the Cabin Fever Blu-ray Disc.

[Steve]

I've never even tried it.

[coachD]

I have the feature on my BD player, but just never get around to using it.

I watch BD movies, stream Netflick & YouTube, but no BD Live yet!

[Petra_Kalbrain]

I've set up some community viewings with a couple of friends in different parts of the country. That was kinda fun. Aside from only being able to text one another it was like all being together again. they need to implement a voice chat feature within the community screening options for people using a PS3 who, most likely, already have a headset anyways for gaming.

[Mobe1969]

Originally Posted by mywhitenoise

To me it just comes off as spam, especially on the Universal Studios discs. It took about 3 or 4 minutes just to play "Drag Me To Hell" with all the FBI/DRM warnings, BD-Live connections, unskippable trailers and menus...and I'm using a PS3 which is one of the faster BD players.

Forgot to mention how you need to register a login name, and password for EVERY studio. Many of them have different requirements for usernames, so many of them are different from my usual username...which makes remembering names and passwords a lot harder.

Utter waste of time. Anything that makes watfching a movie more onerous, and playing TV series an utter joke (eg, no resume aility) is a waste of my time and everyone elses. Not to mention hiding documentaries as "interruptions to the main feature only" like Doomsday

[Tok]

BD Live seems to have gone no where fast.

Even with a fast internet connection there is too much handshaking going on between the servers and players. I suspect a big problem is the under power processors on most standalone players. They might support 10/100 ethernet, but they can't move the data on the player bus fast enough.

If it was faster, I kind of like the idea of an older film in my library starting up with newer trailers for films not yet released to the theaters or on disc. But the sloooooowwwww interface quickly has me losing interest in the feature.

The only thing I have really used BD Live for in the last year is to get my 100Sony Reward points for each Sony BD Live title I own.

[Magicdog]

Right now they use it more to promote other movies coming out. They put to many trailer on the disc. as it is without going on line to watch more of them. If they ever start putting really good content on it I might use it. But for now I'll skip it!

[Uxi]

I've always been ambivalent. Course, I still miss the Blu-ray we could have had but for the format war: high bitrate MPEG2 with PCM audio. just throw in the DVD extras disc for special crap I'm gonna mostly ignore.

[Marcus Wright]

Never used it. I dont care about any type of features on blu rays.

[LordoftheRings]

Nope, hate it!

[BillieCassin]

Originally Posted by blu_sharpy

I dont see it as 'spam,' I see it as a good idea that needs to be developed on. Right now, it is a very basic feature that doesnt offer much but if you think about the bigger picture and what could be done, I think it has real potential.

It's got potential, but it's also if they choose to use it or not. It kind of reminds me of "multi-viewing angles" on DVD, which in the early days they really pushed to consumers as a "feature" of DVD. I remember watching an early DVD infomercial about the benefits of upgrading that featured it heavily, but as we all know the feature was pretty much DOA and with a few exceptions in Special Features, remained entirely unused.

The only neat BD-Live stuff I've seen so far is the LOST UNIVERSITY on the Season 5 set (which I loved but haven't had time to keep up with), and the background on the Sleeping Beauty menu (which is dark or light based on the time of day).

It worries me when the only "feature" I hear it being talked about in the future are idiot studios who think we want to have updated forced trailers on BD's. "Now, instead of you having to watch the trailers we put at the beginning of the disc which no one likes, we'll be able to update them with more trailers no one likes".

It's got potential, as you said, but I think most people just want a well-encoded film and the included special features. So far, the only real benefit I have found from having my Blu-ray player hooked up to the Internet is easy updates.

[Crimson King]

So far I use it just to register my Sony blu's! I'll probably check out the goodies sometime, just have'nt had the time.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by BillyJack

So far I use it just to register my Sony blu's! I'll probably check out the goodies sometime, just have'nt had the time.

Just out of curiosity, is there any benefit to registering your BDs?

[liquidice]

I've used it once on Julie & Julia, but just to get the recipes emailed to me.

[Master Charles]

I haven't used it. What can you really do besides look at advertising?