Ask questions to The Digital Bits team (Bill Hunt, Jeff Kleist et.al.)

[elwaylite]

Bill, anything to this?

http://forums.highdefdigest.com/show...d=1#post666260

[TJones8124]

Originally Posted by elwaylite

Bill, anything to this?

http://forums.highdefdigest.com/show...d=1#post666260

Amazon constantly puts up place holders for items that are not yet available. I wouldn't read anything into it. You know that eventually Paramount is going to go Blu, same with Universal...but this doesn't prove anything. Amazon has done this before with multiple Paramount titles.

[kiskiboy97]

Originally Posted by TJones8124

Amazon constantly puts up place holders for items that are not yet available. I wouldn't read anything into it. You know that eventually Paramount is going to go Blu, same with Universal...but this doesn't prove anything. Amazon has done this before with multiple Paramount titles.

THe difference is that those three titles have a release date listed and a link to actually put a pre-order in. Placeholders offer neither of those options. http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Tril...0936327&sr=8-1

I don't know what to make of this listing. Three catalogue comedy titles seems an odd way of getting back into the game. As much as I hate to say it, I am leaning towards misprint.

[PaulGo]

Originally Posted by kiskiboy97

THe difference is that those three titles have a release date listed and a link to actually put a pre-order in. Placeholders offer neither of those options. http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Tril...0936327&sr=8-1

I don't know what to make of this listing. Three catalogue comedy titles seems an odd way of getting back into the game. As much as I hate to say it, I am leaning towards misprint.

My guess is they were already mastered for Blu-ray before they went red and they could be released at a minimal cost.

[PaulGo]

Two more titles:

http://forums.highdefdigest.com/show...9&postcount=22

[patrick99]

What a way for Paramount news to break!

[makaveli21]

Originally Posted by PaulGo

Two more titles:

http://forums.highdefdigest.com/show...9&postcount=22

With the way news travels nowadays, I expect to this to be addressed either explicitly (some sort of announcement from Paramount and/or an apology from Amazon) or quietly (these listings just disappear) soon...

[atomik kinder]

Originally Posted by elwaylite

Bill, anything to this?

http://forums.highdefdigest.com/show...d=1#post666260

Remember last summer when a bunch of Fox titles started to appear for preorder on European websites? What happened then? It turned out not to be true. You would think that things that appear for preorder though, might be things like Blades of Glory since we all know that they already exist. I wouldn't get my hopes up.

[elwaylite]

I understand all this fellas, but thing to me is they weren't there last week according to the posters.

Why add movies for a format thats not even supported?

Im not getting excited, just would like to know what Bill thinks.

[elwaylite]

To further add, I have a distinct feeling(dont ask because Im not going to say why or how out of respect for someone else), that we are getting geared up for some good news.

*)AVS insider thread closed
*)Penton chose not to comment on the HDD thread about the UK paramount movies
*) Paramount movies have show up on Amazon UK for BD

[Croweyes1121]

Bill,

Could you please try and confirm for me if the 2/11 UK Blu-ray Disc release of Almost Famous is indeed the 162-minute Bootleg Cut version of the film?

This link says it's an "Extended Edition" and has included the cover art, but doesn't list a running length:
http://www.dvdactive.com/news/releas...d-edition.html

This one says it's the theatrical version only, and even goes out of the way to point out that the corresponding release in Japan will be the Bootleg Cut (scroll down to January 1st):
http://www.cameroncrowe.com/news/

This link has it listed as the "Extended Edition" once again, has the cover art, and even has the running time up as 161 mins (approx):
http://www.play.com/DVD/Blu-ray/4-/3.../Product.html#

Lastly, amazon.co.uk lists the release as 122 minutes (which is the theatrical running time):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Almost-Famou...0945021&sr=8-2

Any definitive word on this? I've got a PM in to PaidGeek and to Greg Mariotti over at cameroncrowe.com and have even started another thread on this question, but I haven't heard back yet from anyone on this.

[zipbags]

Bill,

Over at your "rumor mill" section. You say Universal will probably switch by year's end. I cannot believe they would wait another year (ok..11 months).

[Croweyes1121]

zipbags: +1, all the way. This prolonging of the inevitable is just ludicrously stupid at this point...another 11 months just seems absurd.

[JohnAlden]

Hey...Bill I have got some funny one liners that I thought up, here they are!

HD-DVD...The Next Generation of Mad Cow Disease.

HD-DVD...The Next Wave of Bird Flu.

[blindcat87]

I think that the timeline posted in the rumor mill section was not meant to be a statement of "this is when it is likely to happen by", but rather a way of getting the rumor on the page without getting anyone in trouble or leaking any sensitive information that might be out there. Remember that our insiders who had the scoop on the WB deal basically used the same technique last year, stating that the move would come in Warner's time but that it was most likely coming. Remember also that the gaffe by the LG exec leaking the WB info led to some complications and maybe even delay in the deal. We want it all to happen soon and we all want the scoop, but anyone who has more specific info would be wise to keep it to themselves except for very general statements.

I am personally very confident that it is going to happen sooner rather than later, but that is just my opinion since I have no information personally. If I did have any specific info and had contacts like Bill's I would play it exactly as he has. Leaking more than you have been cleared to can not only complicate things as with the LG debacle, it can burn a source that will no longer trust your discretion.

Note to clarify, I also have absolutely no knowledge of how much info Bill has on this topic, I am just stating that whether he is only theorizing and reading the industry which he does so well or if he has detailed specific knowledge from sources, it would be wise to report this exactly as he is reporting it.

Chris

Originally Posted by Croweyes1121

zipbags: +1, all the way. This prolonging of the inevitable is just ludicrously stupid at this point...another 11 months just seems absurd.

[DaViD Boulet]

Hey guys,

folks might want to take a break from asking Bill about title-release-schedules which he knows nothing about and instead go and check out his latest 2-cents and rumor mill today (21). Some interesting stuff.

[Slapper]

Originally Posted by DaViD Boulet

Hey guys,

folks might want to take a break from asking Bill about title-release-schedules which he knows nothing about and instead go and check out his latest 2-cents and rumor mill today (21). Some interesting stuff.

Indeed. I'm really interested about the part that says Universal encodes "aren't good enough". Hopefully, Mr. Hunt can expand on that here as I'm very interested to know a little bit more about this and where this "Word" came from. I'm just curious as to whether this info came from 'higher-ups" at Universal; someone from the Blu camp; or someone doing the actual encoding for Universal HD DVD discs.

Very interesting "rumor". Thank you Mr. Hunt!

[Esox50]

Originally Posted by DaViD Boulet

Hey guys,

folks might want to take a break from asking Bill about title-release-schedules which he knows nothing about

I disagree David, Bill Hunt has in the past come back from CES and trade shows with "rumored" title lists many times in the past.

In fact, since there were no official press releases from the Studios this year (as in the past), I was hoping Bill would be able to report some of the stuff he was told was in the pipeline for BD this year.

How about it Bill? Anything you can tell us in terms of "rumor mill" style release lists for BD for 2008?

[db2]

Originally Posted by blindcat87

I think that the timeline posted in the rumor mill section was not meant to be a statement of "this is when it is likely to happen by", but rather a way of getting the rumor on the page without getting anyone in trouble or leaking any sensitive information that might be out there.

Yep. Bill mentioned in his column as long ago as last spring that Universal has been looking at BD authoring facilities for if/when they go blu. Universal soliciting help from Sony transfering their content to BD is a bargaining ploy IMHO.

Can't wait for Bill's reply!

[DaViD Boulet]

I disagree David, Bill Hunt has in the past comes back from CES and trade shows with "rumored" title lists many times in the past.

Yes, but the handful of titles he *may* know about pales in comparison to the bombardment of title-requests he gets in this thread which more than likely target titles that he hasn't heard about. The Mods have already asked that folks use self-control in not hounding insiders (other than Paidgeek) about title requests. If Bill *does* know something about a specific title, he'll tell us: we don't even need to ask.

Indeed. I'm really interested about the part that says Universal encodes "aren't good enough".

Bill is likely referring to the *film transfers*, not specifically the HD DVD encodes.

Universal has been the worst offender of using out-dated HD masters off the shelf to save a buck no matter how bad those transfers look. There are actually threads on this at AVS by HD DVD enthusiasts who are pissed at the studio! Of course, since Universal has been the saving grace of HD DVD, many HD DVD fans have been slow to be too critical of the studio, though Universal's blatant disregard for the eyesight of their HDM consumers has pushed the issue too much too many times for lots of HD DVD fans who finally had to take a stand and call the studio out on their poor-quality catalog titles.

Keep in mind that doesn't affect all Universal titles: the only real problem has been with their catalog releases that have old HD transfers that the studio wants to recycle for HDM rather than doing a new and proper film transfer.

Decent HD film transfers cost $$, and so Universal is probably trying to work a deal with the BDA to help off set those costs. The reason why this is an issue now with BD but not HD DVD is not because of the formats themselves, it's because the consumer base for HD DVD tolerated Universal's lackluster product because they had no choice. However, the BD consumer who's been fed a steady diet of pristine HD transfers from the BD-producing studios would balk at the crappy picture if Universal simply tried to rehash their masters yet again on BD: we've grown acustomed to proper HDM presentations and we won't settle for crap.

Remember the flack that Sony took for the 5th Element and that Warner took for a few titles like the Fugitive? Imagine if every catalog release from Universal had problems like that... hard-coded edge-ringing in the transfer, lack of detail, electronic noise. That sort of thing. Personally, I view this as a good sign that Universal knows they need to improve their product and will do so on BD... if they're going to release on BD, they better do it right!