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

[JadedRaverLA]

Originally Posted by CraigW

Bill,

On the issue of lossless audio one thing that has puzzled me is FOX encoding all their titles with dtsHDMA exclusively. The problem I have with it is very few players bitstream and none currently decode it. So in the end we are talking a very small minority of the BD install base being able to enjoy it.

I got slammed at AVS for suggesting that FOX drop dtsHDMA for PCM or better yet DolbyTrueHD. It seems to me that many don't understand that if both dtsHDMA and DolbyTrueHD are true lossless codecs, the end result is that they sound the same decoded.

More hardware supports DolbyTrueHD and even some of the profile 1.0 players had firmware updates to decode it internally. And the big issue whether diehard elistist BD supporters want to admit it or not, the PS3 is the most widely used BD player and it will be for some time especially considering it is so far the most future proof player. So why not use TrueHD since the PS3 supports it and it is the most common BD player.

I will probably get slammed here again by the dts zealots that think a $300 Monster HDMI cable smooths the electrons resulting in less noise than using a $30 Monoprice HDMI cable. Ahhh, the beauty of marketing.... you have to hand it to dts, they have convinced a certain percentage of users that their lossless is better than other lossless delivery methods.

Lossless is lossless. Fox should be using a codec that will satisfy a larger customer base.

I don't want to respond since this is Bill's "insider" thread... but since there isn't actually a question anywhere in there why not move the post to the "General discussion" area where it can actually be discussed. I have a strong opinion on this (that disagrees with yours), but all I'll say here is that I have no idea what dts and Monster cable have to do with one another, or why you keep making that comparison.

[elwaylite]

Guys, wrong place for the argument, move on.

[WickyWoo]

Moved DTS posts to another thread

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=34853

[micks_address]

Hi Bill -

it seems that HD DVD is at least taking a holding position in terms of sales of hardware and software at the moment - do you see the format getting much of a bounce from the super bowl add on Sunday?

After the Warner announcement and the huge swing in sales numbers i was hoping for a swift end to things.. but it looks like Toshiba arent going to go quietely into the night..


Cheers for taking your time to answer the questions

,
Mick

[micks_address]

i asked a question like this earlier in the thread but didnt get a response - basically i was asking why use DTS Master Audio or Dobly True HD at all and just use PCM all the time instead? That way would studios not avoid having to pay loyalties to Dolby and DTS for the use of their codecs and perhaps be able to produce lower priced discs?

Is DTS Master Audio one of the reasons the RRP on FOX's release are higher than most other studios? I have no doubt DTS Master audio sounds great.. but wouldnt (or shouldnt) PCM sound the same?

i've seen reference that seamless branching is difficult to do with PCM so maybe thats the reason Sony are releasing more titles with Dolby True HD

Cheers,
mick

Originally Posted by JadedRaverLA

I don't want to respond since this is Bill's "insider" thread... but since there isn't actually a question anywhere in there why not move the post to the "General discussion" area where it can actually be discussed. I have a strong opinion on this (that disagrees with yours), but all I'll say here is that I have no idea what dts and Monster cable have to do with one another, or why you keep making that comparison.

[Raikun]

Not exactly a question...just something I thought Bill might like to know, with his mention of Wal-Mart having clearances on A3's, and that fantastic article on the retailer's perspective on the format war.

Thanks to a bored overnight electronics guy here in the midwest, I got a photo of the screen of the inventory system listing the A3. (It's a Wal-Mart in Topeka, KS.)



And to sum the screen up -

$148.00 is what they're selling it for after the price drop. 13.85% is the profit margin Wal-Mart gets on it. (Doing the math off the top of my head, that's approximately $130 that Toshiba gets from Wal-Mart off each player.)

They have 13 in stock.
Zero being shipped.
Zero in the warehouse.
Zero on order.
Zero space allocated on the shelf for them.

And most importantly - Deleted. Means when it runs out, no more is going to come.

(By the way, these players were all shipped December 7th, with next to none sold.)

[MarekM]

Hello Bill,

any chance to check with your Warner contacts about final audio specs of I AM LEGEND ?

there are already two sites posted info - one with DD, and other one with DD+

http://www.dvdtown.com/moviedatabase...m-legend/23075

http://www.dvdreview.com/news/viewnews.asp?id=9926


It's hard to believe that this movie will not get DolbyTrueHD


thank you for any info,
Marek

[Rob Tomlin]

Originally Posted by Raikun

Not exactly a question...just something I thought Bill might like to know, with his mention of Wal-Mart having clearances on A3's, and that fantastic article on the retailer's perspective on the format war.

Thanks to a bored overnight electronics guy here in the midwest, I got a photo of the screen of the inventory system listing the A3. (It's a Wal-Mart in Topeka, KS.)



And to sum the screen up -

$148.00 is what they're selling it for after the price drop. 13.85% is the profit margin Wal-Mart gets on it. (Doing the math off the top of my head, that's approximately $130 that Toshiba gets from Wal-Mart off each player.)

They have 13 in stock.
Zero being shipped.
Zero in the warehouse.
Zero on order.
Zero space allocated on the shelf for them.

And most importantly - Deleted. Means when it runs out, no more is going to come.

(By the way, these players were all shipped December 7th, with next to none sold.)

Very interesting!

[Bill Hunt]

Originally Posted by DaViD Boulet

Just another note that this is probably one of the THE most important issues for serious blu-collectors right now: Warner's pathetic track-record with lossless audio. Most of us consider a BD without lossless to be like a DVD that's not anamorphic... only something you'd buy if you really loved the film and didn't have another title waiting to be added to your collection that month.

Please let the boys at WB know that EVERY SINGLE BLU-RAY DISC should have lossless audio. Period. Not "only the titles with really good soundtracks": ALL OF THEM.

Even old films like It's a Wonderful Life sound better in lossless than they do at Dolby 640. We care. Warner should too.

Will do.

[MerrickG]

Bill, this question is probably not something you can answer, but do you think that the BDA is now convincing these smaller studios to go blu in an effort to provide more pressure on Universal and Paramount, as well as Studio Canal to go neutral at least? So far they seem like they have been relatively defiant in their support of HD-DVD.

[Bill Hunt]

Originally Posted by bferr1

Hey Bill,

I noticed National Geographic went BD-exclusive today. Knowing that Mitsubishi and Samsung are now selling 3D-ready DLP televisions and that Mitsubishi is developing a 3D BD player for release this year, do you think it's at all possible that we might see packaged 3D material, in its native 3D form, released on BD? I think National Geographic dabbles in 3D IMAX movies, and they currently have a concert film from a certain Irish band that might push this format into a few homes if it were to happen.

I don't know about you, but I'd buy one.

Thanks for your time.

Regards,
Bryan

I do think you might see a few attempts at 3D on Blu-ray. I know that Panasonic has done some tests. I'm hoping U2 3D will come out that way. It's an obvious title to try it with, and reports are that the video version the filmmakers tested with looked great.

[Bill Hunt]

Originally Posted by Bullseye

Bill have you had a chance to get an early glimpse of "A Passage to India" which has just been announced by Sony.

No, but I've seen a little bit of Bridge on the River Kwai and Lawrence. Both looked pretty terrific.

[Bill Hunt]

Originally Posted by Seretur

I'd like to add to the chorus that clamors for the lossless audio on all releases.

Bill, you were instrumental in getting all DVDs to be anamorphic; now that the format war is winding down, here's a new torch for you to carry.

I'd do it for you, but I'm kinda far away.

Make us proud.

As I said, I'll give it the old college try...

[Bill Hunt]

Originally Posted by Blu As Hell

To hell with that new fangled series...how bout the old school one with Lindsey Wagner!!!!!

I believe there are rights issues blocking both Six Million Dollar Man and the original Bionic Woman from arriving on DVD in North America. The author who originally created the characters upon which the TV shows were based is, I believe, involved in a rights dispute with the studio.

[MerrickG]

Bill,

This is a question you actually might be able to answer, but I was wondering if Warner actually plans to enforce the 3 week delay for HD-DVD titles, considering that the Invasion showed up EVERYWHERE in my town. It would seem that Warner was hoping this 3 week would delay would convince retailers to not even bother with the HD-DVD version.

I really hope that ends up being the case for I am Legend.

[Bill Hunt]

Originally Posted by merrick97

I asked Max this same question, so I guess Ill ask you, too.

Bill,

Any word on when we might see some news on....well ANYTHING?

Its been awfully boring lately since Warner came over.

Maybe our expectations are too high and we have gotten spoiled.

Im not talking about Paramount or Universal news....just something worth debating and Im not asking for a when and what, just a when.

Bill, I will never be able to thank you enough for taking the time to post here!

There IS announcement news on the way. Watch the Bits Tuesday night and Wednesday morning for some. I expect more to follow in the next few weeks.

[Rob Tomlin]

Originally Posted by Bill Hunt

No, but I've seen a little bit of Bridge on the River Kwai and Lawrence. Both looked pretty terrific.

[Bill Hunt]

Originally Posted by micks_address

Hi Bill -

it seems that HD DVD is at least taking a holding position in terms of sales of hardware and software at the moment - do you see the format getting much of a bounce from the super bowl add on Sunday?

After the Warner announcement and the huge swing in sales numbers i was hoping for a swift end to things.. but it looks like Toshiba arent going to go quietely into the night..


Cheers for taking your time to answer the questions

,
Mick

No, I don't. Especially given that the ad was recycled, not in high-def and wasn't even seen in most markets. I think that tells you all you need to know about Toshiba's last-gasp hail mary pass. It was more about PR spin than anything else. The hype about the ad wasn't backed up with a decent showing, like so many of the HD-DVD camp's claims and predictions.

I expect most retailers are going to continue clearancing out their remaining HD-DVD hardware, most aren't going to be restocking anywhere but online, and both hardware and software sales will continue to stay low or decline. And then studios like Paramount are going to use those sales numbers (once there are a month or two of numbers - enough to call it a trend) to justify adding Blu-ray support again. The primary reason for the delays, I think, has to do with selling out current inventory of hardware and software. Because once they make announcements, they won't sell much HD-DVD product. So selling it now helps minimize the financial hit.

[MarekM]

hello Bill, it seems that it was false alarm with only DD5.1 on I am Legend,
in actual press release it's DolbyTrueHD

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...3&postcount=54

Marek

[Bill Hunt]

Originally Posted by Raikun

Not exactly a question...just something I thought Bill might like to know, with his mention of Wal-Mart having clearances on A3's, and that fantastic article on the retailer's perspective on the format war.

Thanks to a bored overnight electronics guy here in the midwest, I got a photo of the screen of the inventory system listing the A3. (It's a Wal-Mart in Topeka, KS.)



And to sum the screen up -

$148.00 is what they're selling it for after the price drop. 13.85% is the profit margin Wal-Mart gets on it. (Doing the math off the top of my head, that's approximately $130 that Toshiba gets from Wal-Mart off each player.)

They have 13 in stock.
Zero being shipped.
Zero in the warehouse.
Zero on order.
Zero space allocated on the shelf for them.

And most importantly - Deleted. Means when it runs out, no more is going to come.

(By the way, these players were all shipped December 7th, with next to none sold.)

Well done. I think that pretty much says it all.