Commentary from the Insiders Thread

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

He was saying Warner, Starz and Lionsgate

I have no reason to believe that he has any better intel on the studios than anyone else.

Perhaps he has been told the press is on. But, he'd be quickly locked out of the loop if he's dropping credible info (refer to Penton-Man's issues not being able to even warn about Paramount).

We shall see. If nothing happens, then what?

[Fozziwig]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

It's not that it can or can't be done, it's simply that they're not going to prioritize them for this early in the game

Virtually all of which have had extensive restorations quite recently (many at Lowry)

Ghostbusters has not.

That makes a lot more sense. Those were the answers I thought I was going to hear the first time.

Cheers.

[WickyWoo]

I'm sure it would sell well on Blu

Do you know how many people have posted, called, sent emails on virtually every title they love? "I'm sure it'll sell well and make a fortune! The 40 people who visit my webpage would TOTALLY buy it!"

Ghostbusters will come out on Blu eventually, sooner rather than later probably but the next anniversary is 2009, so that would be a good target date, and give Sony time to put it through the cleanup it needs to shine in HD.

Labyrinth is currently doing a theatrical re-release, and anyone who sees it will know why it's not out in Blu-Ray.

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

I'd say Warner ain't happening, Lionsgate is super iffy, and Starz spent a long time sitting back and waiting

A lot of the speculation on them came from someone talkign to a PR guy that didn't know anything but how to spin

Super iffy which way? For or against neutrality?

Starz would be a possible neutral, although they made a big deal about being exclusive. To change before releasing anything would make the management look indecisive.

Gary

[mattym]

some folk have been saying pioneer to go dual at ces08, though i would find that a bit off, andy parsons of pioneer is the bda spokesdude isnt he? Disney have been going dual since last year, one 'respectable' member on avforums said he wouldnt be buying anymore disney material on BD months ago, i guess he must have forgotten about that..

[WickyWoo]

Super iffy which way? For or against neutrality?

some folk have been saying pioneer to go dual at ces08, though i would find that a bit off, andy parsons of pioneer is the bda spokesdude isnt he?

Yup.

Pioneer is highly highly unlikely go go neutral.

Super iffy which way? For or against neutrality?

Starz would be a possible neutral, although they made a big deal about being exclusive. To change before releasing anything would make the management look indecisive.

Against neutrality. Lionsgate's compressions aren't VC-1, and none of their stuff is easily portable, and LG is comperably small, and therefore can't afford to blow that money this early in the game.

[Razzy]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

Ghostbusters will come out on Blu eventually, sooner rather than later probably but the next anniversary is 2009, so that would be a good target date, and give Sony time to put it through the cleanup it needs to shine in HD.

I will do that. I, and many others would love to see a remastered version of Ghostbusters I'm sure.

[NutsAboutPS3]

Originally Posted by richteer

I'm not an insider (so I hope the Mods don't move my post!), but I think it's a reasonable bet that Sony is working hard on the Profile 1.1 update stuff for the PS3. Maybe Profile 1.1 support is what version 2.0 of the FW will bring us?

As to what's holding them back? No idea, but SW development is a non-trivial process. It could even be that Sony is ready to release the FW, but they're just waiting for November 1 (though I don't know why they'd do that), or conducting lots of thorough testing.

I think paidgeek's words in the past were along the lines of that it seems likely that the PS3 will be able to be upgraded to profile 1.1.

As to why it isn't here already, there's no point releasing such a firmware before there are discs that use it. The most likely sequence of events would be that Sony would get the 1.1 firmware ready, the first 1.1 disc would be tested against it, and the firmware would be released around the same time as the first 1.1 disc ships.

[Knight-Errant]

Originally Posted by Razzy

I will do that. I, and many others would love to see a remastered version of Ghostbusters I'm sure.

I'm a big fan of the movie and would love to see it get remastered and cleaned up by Lowry.

As others have said its just a case of prioritizing the movies that will look their best in the present. Remember all these movies were shown on the big screen warts and all so its not a question of them never being released in HD.

[blubb]

Originally Posted by NutsAboutPS3

As to why it isn't here already, there's no point releasing such a firmware before there are discs that use it. The most likely sequence of events would be that Sony would get the 1.1 firmware ready, the first 1.1 disc would be tested against it, and the firmware would be released around the same time as the first 1.1 disc ships.

A public statement from Sony that the PS3 will support 1.1 soon would show that about 90% of the current BD players will be fully 1.1/2.0 compliant and not all player would be "obsolete" (in the sense of not using all movie extras) as some say. That would also nullify the unfinished spec arguments.

[LeoneFan]

Originally Posted by gandley

Evidently 1 big exclusive manufactuer for BD is going to switch to producing HD DVD players, and 1 or 2 others will switch to being neutral.

supposed to be annouced at cedia according to one HD-DVD insider at AVS.
Any truth in this? or just FUD tactics

If this is true, then I'm going back to DVD for good. If the BDA can't keep it's crap together then I'm done.

[Jazar]

Originally Posted by drmpeg

For Penton-Man,

http://www.w6rz.net/timeforsomepepto.jpg

Ron

Hey I know that bar! Can't remember the name but i went a few times when I went to school in New Orleans.

[johnnyd1]

Originally Posted by LeoneFan

If this is true, then I'm going back to DVD for good. If the BDA can't keep it's crap together then I'm done.

Don't believe it till YOU see it !
A lot of BS posters from the dark side just try to start crap.

[LeoneFan]

Originally Posted by johnnyd1

Don't believe it till YOU see it !
A lot of BS posters from the dark side just try to start crap.

Well I did say IF. Seriously though, after the Paramount fiasco it's hard to have any faith in the BDA. So, I wouldn't be surprised if this whole thing just unravelled and went down the toilet and left us early adopters with thousands of dollars worth of equipment and discs in a useless format. You would think after countless format wars Sony and friends would be experienced in going for the win, but apparently they haven't learned jack shit from the past. Remember, it only took $150 million to bribe Paramount but the BDA just sat on their asses and let it happen. If Paramount had gone Blu, this war would be over right now.

[scragham]

Originally Posted by LeoneFan

Well I did say IF. Seriously though, after the Paramount fiasco it's hard to have any faith in the BDA. So, I wouldn't be surprised if this whole thing just unravelled and went down the toilet and left us early adopters with thousands of dollars worth of equipment and discs in a useless format. You would think after countless format wars Sony and friends would be experienced in going for the win, but apparently they haven't learned jack shit from the past. Remember, it only took $150 million to bribe Paramount but the BDA just sat on their asses and let it happen. If Paramount had gone Blu, this war would be over right now.

dude, relax.

regardless of how the HD DVD retards like to pretend that $150 mill isn't a lot, let's be realistic - $150 mill is a ****ton of money. it's enough to finance transformers 2 right there, for starters.

i'd be surprised if the "usual" incentives involve sums larger than $10-20 mill. these corporations aren't in the business of giving handouts to other corporations.

[LeoneFan]

Originally Posted by scragham

dude, relax.

regardless of how the HD DVD retards like to pretend that $150 mill isn't a lot, let's be realistic - $150 mill is a ****ton of money. it's enough to finance transformers 2 right there, for starters.

i'd be surprised if the "usual" incentives involve sums larger than $10-20 mill. these corporations aren't in the business of giving handouts to other corporations.

I'm sorry but $150 million is nothing to the BDA with all the companies involved. The royalties they would earn once they have won the format war will make $150 million look like pocket change. Again, I'm very angry and confused as to WHY the BDA thought Paramount was expendable and did absolutely nothing to at least keep them neutral?

[JTK]

Originally Posted by LeoneFan

I'm sorry but $150 million is nothing to the BDA with all the companies involved. The royalties they would earn once they have won the format war will make $150 million look like pocket change. Again, I'm very angry and confused as to WHY the BDA thought Paramount was expendable and did absolutely nothing to at least keep them neutral?

There's a lot that us folks out on the streets don't know about, but on the surface of it, I agree with you:

I have a hard time believing that all those big boys that are BDA stalwarts couldn't get together and beat $150 million of...whatever.

If you're really serious about winning format wars, you don't keep ALLOWING HD-DVD to find ways to stay alive.

This thing was done this Christmas and we all know it. MS knew it. Their allies knew it. The HD-DVD fanboys even knew it. Everyone knew it.

And now what...another 12 months? 18? 24?

Just shouldn't be. I'm tired of seeing things being ALLOWED to happen that keep this format war going and going...

[Jamh]

As Penton-Man already said by the time the BDA found out about what was going on the deal was done, I mean their own employees didn't know about it how were they supposed to? I doubt anyone over at Paramount was going to let them in on the fact that they were being courted by M$ and if they had contacted them they would've simply told them they were sticking to their plans of remaining neutral. We know for a fact that they have been actively pursuing Universal to go neutral which would've effectively ended the war right there, however while they were doing that M$ snuck under the radar and bought them off.

Some of you guys seem to really want to blame the BDA for something they had no control over. M$ offered the money, Paramount took it and that's the end of the story. I'm sure they don't count Paramount as expendable, however do you really think they could have outbid them? Seriously, calm down and think about this.

[gand41f]

Originally Posted by LeoneFan

If this is true, then I'm going back to DVD for good. If the BDA can't keep it's crap together then I'm done.

I ain't going back to DVD. It doesn't look good to me anymore. Do you remember that's why we are here in the first place?

Seriously, take a deep breath. None of your discs are going to be worthless any time soon. It will survive (at minimum) for 10 years as that's how long Sony will be supporting the PS3 (for reasons other than movies).

enjoy
gandalf

[Teazle]

Originally Posted by gand41f

I ain't going back to DVD. It doesn't look good to me anymore. Do you remember that's why we are here in the first place?

Seriously, take a deep breath. None of your discs are going to be worthless any time soon. It will survive (at minimum) for 10 years as that's how long Sony will be supporting the PS3 (for reasons other than movies).

enjoy
gandalf

And very probably the PS4.