Archived: Ask the Insiders: Judgment Day Edition

[cooper1010]

Originally Posted by JasonS

It obviously is not "available now" on Blu-ray at least in the states. I fully expect that it will be officially announced at CES. Being that they would only have about 5 months before it would hit stores if it's right before the Dark Knight.

i know it's not available now, but if that's a video that is to be shown at ces, then maybe they'll be announcing its availability at ces. nice song in the video, too...

[Mystery Clock]

+1 +1 +1 +1



Hopefully they'll show the same attention to detail in their eventual HD-media releases as they have with LD and DVD before. Restored and re-transferred master elements, mega-high-bitrate video and audio encodes (like RBFilms), separate discs for extras, etc.

-John

Originally Posted by horseflesh

To any insider.....

Do any of you now if there is any movement from Criterion?
I know the market isn't mature enough for them yet, but if Warner go Blu and then that's obviously the way the market goes, are they likely to move quicker?
Have they been actively "courted" by the BDA?

[Rich Peterson]

Originally Posted by OokieSpookie

Just figure that I will throw this out there since reds are making a big deal out of it...
Is it at all unusual that the hd presentation at CES is 2 hours and ours is 1?

I know you intended this question to be addressed to insiders, but I wanted to clarify that the HD presentation is more than likely not actually two hours long. They are planning a presentation followed by a cocktail reception in the "HD DVD lounge" as part of their press event. They did the same thing last year and (if I recall correctly) the presentation was less than one hour.

[Beta-guy]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Well folks, I’m not banned………..I’m just busy with bidness this week so kjack please get your butt in here and take up the slack.
Meanwhile, if people have any questions to talkstr8t and desire to post them, I’ll see if I can entice him to carry his share of the load also.

Problem is though, talkstr8t is more of a bug killer type guy (like Men in Black) and we don’t have an infestation. He may perhaps have some worthwhile tidbits, I don't know.
We’ll see.

Later.

well HDD could use more like him, the HD-DVD crowd grows stronger there...

Agent J: Yo! People! We got a bug in the electrical system!
[Jeff bites off a large portion of the subway car, and the passengers start running to the front]
Agent J: Yeah, now y'all runnin'! Now y'all- no, no, no, come on, sit down, sit down! It's only a 600 foot worm!
http://imdb.com/title/tt0120912/quotes

[darkblueme]

Originally Posted by Mystery Clock

+1 +1 +1 +1



Hopefully [Criterion] will show the same attention to detail in their eventual HD-media releases as they have with LD and DVD before. Restored and re-transferred master elements, mega-high-bitrate video and audio encodes (like RBFilms), separate discs for extras, etc.

-John

I am also eagerly anticipating news about Criterion releasing on Blu-Ray. I read an article awhile back about them doing a high def test of one of their movies on Blu, but I haven't heard anything sense. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[kjack]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

I’m just busy with bidness this week so kjack please get your butt in here and take up the slack.

What slack?

[JAGUAR1977]

I guess this format war is clearly coming to a rapid conclusion when so called insiders have to resort to school yard tactics, FUD and spin to keep their restless supporters in line.

Thankgod some insiders wish to retain their credibility.

Originally Posted by Crackbone
Dude, I started that thread really as just an FYI to all of the more reasonable HD DVD supporters. Before you know it it's blossomed into what I believe is the largest thread that's ever been seen on HDD. Mind you, that's in less than 72 hours. (1,288 posts and over 33,000 views)

Amir, Kosty and HD NOW (Rdjam) have now infiltrated the thread and it's gone from the initial debate to replication, etc. Yes, it's official, the Red Ant colony has taken to swarming and their new home is HDD.

But still THIS forum, and THESE insiders, are the ones everyone listens to, even on the HD-DVD side.

[monkyman]

Alright Kjack, spill your guts about everthing you know!!

Seriously, anything you can tell us about new BD players at CES?

[milou6]

Second that on the players -- any with 8 channel analog and master audio?

Originally Posted by monkyman

Seriously, anything you can tell us about new BD players at CES?

[Hassoon]

Originally Posted by merrick97

I expect an announcement to come this friday
BEFORE CES.

Oh that would be niiiiiiice .

As long as I'm posting, I might as well ask a question:

Dear Penton man/other insiders: Is there any indication that Warner will do special video encodes that take advantage of Blu-ray's higher bit-rate capacity?

Apologies if the question is a little..."un-answerable" at the moment .

[shug7272]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

Got a very angry e-mail this morning (still can't actually go into work, the Tube isn't the most forgiving place for people on crutches) from the boss-man. The stuff I said about Amir was out of line, and I realise that now, so I apologise to him and anyone else who may have been effected by it.

The consequences of my little stint on AVS have been made perfectly clear, I will no longer be allowed to post there until further notice and I will be serving a two day posting ban over here imposed by work.

I suppose all actions have their consequences...

This isnt a question but a comment. Delete if need be but I hope Max reads it before you delete it.

GOOD FOR YOU MAX!! I am VERY proud you can take it like a man, admit it and let us know. You did not have to post that here and the fact that you did shows what kind of man you are. I hope your boss understands you were antagonized, and while that may be an "excuse" it must count for something.

[JadedRaverLA]

Originally Posted by horseflesh

To any insider.....

Do any of you now if there is any movement from Criterion?
I know the market isn't mature enough for them yet, but if Warner go Blu and then that's obviously the way the market goes, are they likely to move quicker?
Have they been actively "courted" by the BDA?

I don't want to come across as an insider (and hopefully an insider has some better information on Criterion than I do), but I can pass along some info from them that I've gotten from email conversations with a few people there.

They have done tests of Blu-ray encodes. They are impressed by the quality but aren't eager to jump in with a format war in effect (especially as their customer base is still split, and when you're a smaller producer you REALLY don't want to piss off 1/3 of your customers). If this war comes to fast **cough "Warner exclusivity" cough** conclusion, then Criterion is ready to move into HD.

Unfortunately, there will be rights issues with a number of the titles they've released in past, however, so don't expect a Blu-ray release of "West Side Story" from them.

[JasonS]

Originally Posted by JadedRaverLA

I don't want to come across as an insider (and hopefully an insider has some better information on Criterion than I do), but I can pass along some info from them that I've gotten from email conversations with a few people there.

They have done tests of Blu-ray encodes. They are impressed by the quality but aren't eager to jump in with a format war in effect (especially as their customer base is still split, and when you're a smaller producer you REALLY don't want to piss off 1/3 of your customers). If this war comes to fast **cough "Warner exclusivity" cough** conclusion, then Criterion is ready to move into HD.

Unfortunately, there will be rights issues with a number of the titles they've released in past, however, so don't expect a Blu-ray release of "West Side Story" from them.

I think going off from this, I would be curious to see how many studios / releases are going to completely miss hi-def even with one format. I mean there are millions of Standard DVD titles on the market after a decade. How willing / how much profit would there really be to reauthor and re-release tons and tons of catalog titles?

[MerrickG]

Originally Posted by JasonS

I think going off from this, I would be curious to see how many studios / releases are going to completely miss hi-def even with one format. I mean there are millions of Standard DVD titles on the market after a decade. How willing / how much profit would there really be to reauthor and re-release tons and tons of catalog titles?

This is a good point, because unlike VHS dvd doesnt degrade and this gives people one less reason to make the jump.
HDM has no chance of being as successful as DVD. It was the perfect format at the perfect time. HDM is more evolutionary to DVD, while DVD was revolutionary to VHS.

[JasonS]

Originally Posted by merrick97

This is a good point, because unlike VHS dvd doesnt degrade and this gives people one less reason to make the jump.
HDM has no chance of being as successful as DVD. It was the perfect format at the perfect time. HDM is more evolutionary to DVD, while DVD was revolutionary to VHS.

Especially with the great upconverters we have available now too. There's some new films that I bet only true videophiles could really pick apart and tell a huge difference between a Blu-ray disc and a great upconvert. I'd be curious to hear from Insider's on studios long term goals for the format even if it wins and there is only one format.

[mystiksuicide]

Originally Posted by bassbone57

And we are stuck, left in the dark without the pictures?



-K

Don't worry if everythings works out right you will see some pics of me with the blu-ray bomber jacket! Now if I could only bomb hd dvd too.

[LynxFX]

Originally Posted by JasonS

How willing / how much profit would there really be to reauthor and re-release tons and tons of catalog titles?

At this point, probably none. If the war concludes and HDM continues to slowly gain traction in the mainstream then there will come a point when it will be profitable for small groups to put out titles. DVD wasn't always profitable either but it just became so darn cheap to produce. Plus you'll have a whole new generation of consumers that might not have a DVD collection already that is 'good enough' for them. It is just going to take time.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by JAGUAR1977

But still THIS forum, and THESE insiders, are the ones everyone listens to, even on the HD-DVD side.

You got that right.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/...19f26a8a231ee1

Come here first then get the "official" news ^ later.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by monkyman

Alright Kjack, spill your guts about everthing you know!!

Seriously, anything you can tell us about new BD players at CES?

Otherwise, give the folks an extensive lecture on some obscure subject.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by mystiksuicide

Don't worry if everythings works out right you will see some pics of me with the blu-ray bomber jacket! Now if I could only bomb hd dvd too.

Hi mystik.

Gotta run folks.