Physical & Digital EST: The Future of Home Video Discussion Thread

[Lee A Stewart]

Originally Posted by Vilya

Just speculating, but as theaters download movies from satellite connections to their own local servers what is to prevent a dishonest employee from stealing a copy of that file and selling it or making bootlegs from it themselves? You only need one copy of that file to be stolen one time for it to be replicated endlessly.

They are formatted for JPEG2000.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by zarquon

Anything is possible, but it seems like that would be exceedingly difficult, plus I think they're usually delivered on special hard drives, and not transferred electronically.

https://thedcpmaster.com/dcp-digital-cinema-print/

With the right tools and know-how, any hard drive can be cloned or the files on it copied.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

They are formatted for JPEG2000.

File types can be converted. Free software that does just that can be downloaded easily.

[Cevolution]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Is this going to be a pissing contest? You have hundreds of 4K titles so you are better qualified?

You opened the door to it by making reference to your qualifications, and disregarding JohnAV's qualifications. To answer your question though, I have no doubt that my experience and knowledge comparing different versions of titles on disc and other content, greatly surpasses yours. If you want to demonstrate some of your expertise that you claim to have with regards to this, you have the UK version of Midsommar listed in your collection here, so make your way over to the Midsommar UK thread... I asked a question in that thread weeks ago regarding banding on the UK disc, no one has awswered it yet, perhaps you could answer it (I own the Australian and U.S Blu-ray's of Midsommar, and there is a substantial difference in quality between the two, there is quite a bit more banding in places on the U.S. disc compared to the Australian disc, and am interested to know where the UK version falls with this).

[Lee A Stewart]

Originally Posted by Vilya

With the right tools and know-how, any hard drive can be cloned or the files on it copied.

Ever since the DCI began converting theaters from film to digital they have been using the special hard drives. But now all of a sudden they are at risk? That makes no sense at all.

The SAT to theater system was designed by Boeing. It isn't used AFAIK.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Cevolution

You opened the door to it by making reference to your qualifications, and disregarding JohnAV's qualifications. To answer your question though, I have no doubt that my experience and knowledge comparing different versions of titles on disc and other content, greatly surpasses yours. If you want to demonstrate some of your expertise that you claim to have with regards to this, you have the UK version of Midsommar listed in your collection here, so make your way over to the Midsommar UK thread... I asked a question in that thread weeks ago regarding banding on the UK disc, no one has awswered it yet, perhaps you could answer it.

It has banding in several shots. But why bring up a film that isn’t authored very well when there are hundreds that are? All things being equal, disc pisses all over streaming.

Expertise? Well, it’s possible you may be more knowledge than me but then again, my grandfather was a projectionist and incredibly informed on all things Cinema which he passed on, so in that area..............

Anyway, I don’t like your tone (and haven’t done for some time now) so I’m skipping this one. Best we just leave it there because like our last encounter, it won’t end well.

[gotmule]

Originally Posted by Vilya

I own an external mod for my Oppo and I elected to put it on my Oppo 93 and just leave it set to Region B most of the time. I used the well known software solution, the Oppo Superdisk as it is called, to make it permanently region free for DVDs.

I only have to select different regions when playing blu-rays; with DVD it is now automatic. The command is simply to press "Dimmer, Dimmer, Dimmer, Mute then either 1 for region A, 2 for region B, or 3 for region C. These buttons must be pressed within 20 seconds of beginning the sequence. Turn the player off, wait 10 seconds, and then restart. The region just selected will now be in effect.

With my mod kit, it is recommended to disable the "Auto resume" feature in the player's settings. It is also interesting to note that all "models" of this mod kit work with all Oppos from 93/95 thru 203/205. On ebay the ones specifically listed as working with the 203/205 cost more, but they are in fact identical. Mine claims to be for the Oppo 103/105, yet I use it on my Oppo 93 and other members in the Oppo 203 thread reported that it also worked fine on their 203s.

Great info. Thanks! No issues switching between regions?

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

Ever since the DCI began converting theaters from film to digital they have been using the special hard drives. But now all of a sudden they are at risk? That makes no sense at all.

The SAT to theater system was designed by Boeing. It isn't used AFAIK.

I base my contention on what my software engineer friend has told me. Hard drives can be hacked, cloned, and files copied from them. "Special" just means that it is more difficult to do, not impossible.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by gotmule

Great info. Thanks! No issues switching between regions?

You just got to get the buttons pressed within 20 seconds and do the restart. I switch from region A to B back and forth as I mostly use my Oppo 93 for 3D playback. I have never even seen a region C disc.

The external connection plugs into the player's RS232 and USB port #2; very easy to do..and to undo if desired.

[Vilya]

Specifically, this is the one that I have:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/OPPO-DIGITA....c100903.m5276

It has doubled in price since I bought mine.

[Lee A Stewart]

Originally Posted by Vilya

I base my contention on what my software engineer friend has told me. Hard drives can be hacked, cloned, and files copied from them. "Special" just means that it is more difficult to do, not impossible.

So how many movies have fallen prey to your idea?

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

So how many movies have fallen prey to your idea?

It is not "my idea." I do not do such things.

I can't say the same for him, tho. I know that he has seen movies that were still in theaters without having attended the theater. He said that what he has viewed were excellent in quality, so they are not sourced from handheld camera recordings, either.

I don't know how he accesses this stuff and I do not ask to know. He has rationalized this behavior beyond any reproach that I can make. People are funny like that.

[Vilya]

I was planning to start viewing the documentary series 500 Nations tonight, but I hear thunder, so I will likely have to power down all of my toys for awhile.

[Cevolution]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

It has banding in several shots

Well that was really helpful, thanks... Some specifics would be great, you shouldn't have any problem being able to provide that with all of your hands on comparing experience that you have.

I'll make it easy for you, here are two shots from Midsommar of the same frame taken with my phone (obviously it's not a proper screen grab, however they should be enough to give you an idea), one is from the U.S. disc and the other from the Australian disc, both versions do have banding, however it is worse on the U.S. disc... Point to which image the UK discs are closer to?

U.S.:

IMG20200626110826.jpg

Australian:

IMG20200626110636.jpg

Originally Posted by Steedeel

But why bring up a film that isn’t authored very well when there are hundreds that are? All things being equal, disc pisses all over streaming.

Obviously you missed the point of my first post in this thread today... I'm a loyal physical media guy too, but the difference between me and you is, that your bias affects your credibility.

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Expertise? Well, it’s possible you may be more knowledge than me but then again, my grandfather was a projectionist and incredibly informed on all things Cinema which he passed on, so in that area..............

My grandfather was a professional boxer in his younger years, and had the opportunity to represent New Zealand (I was born in New Zealand) at the Olympics (he turned it down because my nan was pregnant with my dad), so I guess that qualifies me as being a pro boxer too.

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Anyway, I don’t like your tone (and haven’t done for some time now) so I’m skipping this one. Best we just leave it there because like our last encounter, it won’t end well.

So the tone that you use with people in this thread, such as with JohnAV today, is ok, but mine isn't when I address you in the same way?

[Vilya]

I got nothing watched tonight. After I logged off, my phone alerted me that I was under a tornado warning. Shortly after that, the local siren began to wail. A tense 30 minutes followed before the warning was downgraded to a watch. A very dramatic half hour, but no damage resulted near me.

Lightning was near constant for the last couple of hours. I decided it best to unplug everything and only now have I got everything up and running again, but it feels too late to start my documentary now. I guess I can play video games for awhile.

I have that UK import of Midsommar on blu-ray, but I have not watched it yet, so I can't comment upon it except to say that I have it.

[cheez avenger]

I was going to re-watch 2001 in HDR (my first viewing was the DV), but will probably wait until tomorrow. I started reading a book - The Richest Man in Babylon. It's a short read - about 100 pages or so.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Vilya

I got nothing watched tonight. After I logged off, my phone alerted me that I was under a tornado warning. Shortly after that, the local siren began to wail. A tense 30 minutes followed before the warning was downgraded to a watch. A very dramatic half hour, but no damage resulted near me.

Lightning was near constant for the last couple of hours. I decided it best to unplug everything and only now have I got everything up and running again, but it feels too late to start my documentary now. I guess I can play video games for awhile.

I have that UK import of Midsommar on blu-ray, but I have not watched it yet, so I can't comment upon it except to say that I have it.

Midsommar was one of my favourite films from last year. Then again, The Wicker Man is in my top 10. I love stuff to do with cults, pagans etc. Especially when it relates to horror.

[bhampton]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Midsommar was one of my favourite films from last year. Then again, The Wicker Man is in my top 10. I love stuff to do with cults, pagans etc. Especially when it relates to horror.

It was lovely and horrible in equal measure. Definitely wouldn’t be in my own top 100 but I enjoyed most of it.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by bhampton

It was lovely and horrible in equal measure. Definitely wouldn’t be in my own top 100 but I enjoyed most of it.

It was right up my street. The only film I enjoyed more last year was Climax.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by gotmule

Thanks Wendell. Good info there. Without a macro involved, it does seem to be some hoops to jump through to get it to switch regions.

Its just a button push sequence that you have to do in a certain amount of time. On my remote I put those in a macro including power off, a wait time then power back on.

I used to print out on paper media info, technical reference, diagrams, etc. but with stuff always changing I started printing all that info to PDF files (Corel Fusion). These files are then transferred to my 10" tablet that has a 64GB micro SD card inserted.

Please post what you do in regards to your region mod.