Archived: Insiders Thread

[CAB]

Have BD player manufacturers considered distributing firmware updates on optical media using rental shops like Blockbuster, Hollywood or even Netflix? I could see the less geeky in the world paying a buck or two for quick access to updates.

[L or S of Perfect?]

The best way is to include all the firmware updates on the blu-rays themselves.

[WriteSimply]

Originally Posted by BTBuck1

you gotta crawl before you can walk

The difference between Profile 1.1 and Profile 2.0 is more persistent memory (from 256MB minimum to 1GB minimum) and network connectivity (Ethernet). The similarity is both profiles must be able to decode secondary audio and video.

So if secondary audio and video is enabled for the PS3, PS3 becomes a Profile 2.0 BD player.

paidgeek, besides RE:Extinction, any other BDs in 2008 slated with the PiP feature?


fuad

[Tekman]

Originally Posted by mattym

would work well if its a small file and one file fits each manufacturer group, but if you have to have 13 different firmwares it gets a bit.....complex

I would think the best way would be to add a USB port/card reader to all players. You downloa the file to a USB stick or SD card insert it to the player go to menu find the update option and click.

The PS3 has this option already.

[phloyd]

Insider Question (imagine that )

It looks like Bad Santa from BVHE will have two versions of the movie.

Can someone please look into it and let us know if this is more seamless branching?

Thanks!

[UltimateFighter]

Can any insider comment on New Line now releasing Pan's Labryinth on HD-DVD and Blu-Ray at the same time(Dec 26). Have we lost our time exclusivity with them? Was the whole region coding thing actually real? Thanks

[RickD]

Originally Posted by UltimateFighter

Can any insider comment on New Line now releasing Pan's Labryinth on HD-DVD and Blu-Ray at the same time(Dec 26). Have we lost our time exclusivity with them? Was the whole region coding thing actually real? Thanks

I would guess that Pan's Labryinth had finished it's worldwide theater run, so they don't need to region code it. That is my theory at least. Hopefully, an insider will know for sure.

Rick

[kjack]

Originally Posted by L or S of Perfect?

The best way is to include all the firmware updates on the blu-rays themselves.

I proposed this at one of the BDA meetings a long time ago and it got shot down. There is a mechanism to convey to a user where to get a firmware update and how to do it.

[kamiller42]

Another option is to have the Blu-ray player manufacturers provide a CD with the latest firmware updates for all of the players for pick-up at BB's, CC's, Fry's, etc. Overnight the latest to the stores. Or, maybe the stores can burn ISOs downloaded from a site. They all have tech departments that could do this as a customer service.

[FourToedStatue]

Insiders:

Sorry to beat this long dead horse and sorry to be a broken record but Warner's delay on releasing the missing blu rays is getting a bit silly. Lack of PiP didn't stop them from releasing 300 and Blood Diamond so why are Batman, Matrix, Constantine, etc still in limbo?

[WickyWoo]

Another option is to have the Blu-ray player manufacturers provide a CD with the latest firmware updates for all of the players for pick-up at BB's, CC's, Fry's, etc. Overnight the latest to the stores. Or, maybe the stores can burn ISOs downloaded from a site. They all have tech departments that could do this as a customer service.

Probably the best solution would be to have a computer at customer service who can do it, but the stores will want money to do it. The electricity to run the PC< the cost of the PC, and the 5min of employee time to do it.

If you're that tech illiterate, there's a kid on the block who will do it for you for $5 and install it for 10.

[Papi4baby]

Originally Posted by JackBauer24

Insiders:

Sorry to be this long dead horse and sorry to be a broken record but Warner's delay on releasing the the missing blu rays is getting a bit silly. Lack of PiP didn't stop them from releasing 300 and Blood Diamond so why are Batman, Matrix, Constantine, etc still in limbo?

Great question for the insiders.

[Bombthroat]

Any Blu-ray Insider,

Any comment from any insiders regarding getting SuperBit Blu-ray releases? Or other members interest in SuperBit Blu-ray releases?


On a completely separate subject, can you provide any hint as to whether there may still be a few more surprises in store for us in Q4 that haven't been announced yet?

[coolmilo]

Paid or Penton, please correct me if I am wrong.

I consider the issue with the new Fox titles (and Pirates titles a few months back) as a sign of progress and not a huge issue. Java is a “real” programming language and perhaps Fox is using the latest JDK to build their releases. Doing so means more features for their customers now and into the future. However, this also means that players will need to be upgraded to the latest firmware so that players will be able to play the disks with the latest features.

On the other hand, HD DVD is developed with a scripting language and therefore is not really sophisticated when compared to a real programming language such as Java. There are limits to what features can be built into HD DVD disks while the potential for Blu-ray is endless. Overall, Blu-ray is on the ground floor and the technology is only going to get better and better with time. Blu-ray customers will need to keep up with firmware and HD DVD will need to put up with combo disks and a limited technology.

Am I close?

[onanie]

I'd like to thank all the insiders who donate their time here. You are definitely a few classes above those who, despite their supposed job titles, have obviously been relegated to the task of hostile occupation of forums and negative campaigning - what a high class job indeed.

Nevertheless, I am hopeful that this site will continue to grow in stature to eventually sideline the problem. I am also hopeful (for the sake of humanity) that a product can be appreciated for its merits, and not merely for its pricetag or its earliness.

As a very occassional blu-ray "activist", i am just fatigued by this rubbish war. I am exasperated by those who attack with religious fervor (and yet have little good to say about their own side).

Thus I am curious about the sentiments of those who are behind the Blu-ray scene. Is it any different?

[jon s]

Originally Posted by Bombthroat

Any Blu-ray Insider,

Any comment from any insiders regarding getting SuperBit Blu-ray releases? Or other members interest in SuperBit Blu-ray releases?


On a completely separate subject, can you provide any hint as to whether there may still be a few more surprises in store for us in Q4 that haven't been announced yet?

why would there be a "superbit" blu-ray when the disc is already pushing 40+ mbs at high def? Superbit DVDs were released to maximize the image on a low res display and helps when upscaling to HD resolutions. But Blu-Ray is already hi-def and it is doubtful that you would see any improvement.

on the second note, studios will probably not announce too many titles in the pipeline now as it is too close to the year end. If it is not being worked on now, it's not going to make it out. Look at Master and Commander. Fox said that they have to re-author the disc and the earliest they can get it out is next february.

[qwer1304]

Hi,

I read on other forums that in 2002 Sony and Panasonic (co-creators of Blu-ray) approached Toshiba and Warner outside of the DVD Forum asking them if they would support bringing Blu-Ray into the DVD Forum for standardization as no other HD media disc format existed at the time.

Would any of the insiders confirm/deny this and provide more insight into why BR was not submitted/evaluated/considered by DVD Forum.

Thx,
D

[HDJK]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Not at all Grubert.

Yes it seems you originated that old thread but, you weren’t one of the guys that went on a personal crusade to prove their point against someone with 10-15 years of experience in the industry having attended comparison demonstrations with all sorts of source material to make a judgment.....who had no horse in the race, one way or another.

Don’t get me wrong, I applaud WB for doing 4K scanning of the Blade Runner (and I would love SPE to someday scan Lawrence of Arabia at even higher than 4K) but it’s my opinion that by the time this material gets laid off to a high-def optical disc – whether it was scanned at 2K or 4K aint gonna mean a helluva alot. In fact, I would venture a guess that if you made sure the prescription of your glasses was current and correct (if you do wear glasses) that would be more significant than the subtle differences you may note during your home theater viewing of this title esp. on screens smaller than 100 in.

The real benefit of the Blade Runner project that I think you will appreciate when you view this upcoming Blu-ray disc at home is that fact that it apparently got a good restoration……regardless of the 2K or 4K scanning aspect. The 4K scanning is great for the preservation of this classic, possible future Digital Cinema presentations and home theater enthusiasts that may benefit from the next magnitude resolution leap in their equipment.

At least that’s my opinion ……I hope Michel isn’t reading this.

He just might be:

See here

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by HDJK

He just might be:

See here

Thanks for the link.
For the record, Michel’s a good guy always searching for the truth and the best dang blacks offered from any front projector.
Also, second thanks because it helped me find the dang thread where Robert Harris, noted Film Archivist made his debut on Blu-ray.com

So, to give a hearty welcome to Robert Harris –
Insiders/Staff can contribute here……………
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=18669

Members and non-members can chime in here…………
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...667#post257667

This forum continues to attract the crème de la crème ……….Robert Harris, mhafner, etc.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by onanie

As a very occassional blu-ray "activist", i am just fatigued by this rubbish war. I am exasperated by those who attack with religious fervor (and yet have little good to say about their own side).

Thus I am curious about the sentiments of those who are behind the Blu-ray scene. Is it any different?

It depends on the individual and how closely they are linked to the day-to-day goings on of the format war.

Most have clearly defined job descriptions and are more attuned to achieving their personal goals and the expectations of their managers, figuring if they do that, everything else will work itself out in the long run.

Guys at the top of the totem pole generally are doing five things at once on slow days and don’t have the time to get exasperated.