Archived: Insiders Thread

[Deciazulado]

This is a thread for members to converse with and ask questions to insiders.

Please conduct your inquiries to them in a professional manner. Insiders do this out of their free time and to try to keep us informed to their best abilities, and therefore are to be treated with respect and courtesy.

Please keep the conversation focused and don't let it drift into off topic subjects, as posts that do will ultimately be split away from the thread into other areas of the forum.

[Josh]

Insiders:

drmpeg - Compression Engineer
Fox Executive - Fox
kjack - Sigma Designs - Intro
Maxpower1987 - Finance
paidgeek - Sony Pictures Entertainment - Intro
Penton-Man - Hollywood
RBFilms - R&B Films, Ltd
Robert Harris - Motion Picture Archivist
Sir Terrence - Sound/Audio
TalkStr8t - Unspecified - Intro

[paidgeek]

Thanks for the encouragement to join your forum. I will do my best to answer questions, but please don't feel disrespected if there is a delay. My family objects to my spending so much time online.

I am an engineer for Sony Pictures and have been with the company for about 11 years. I have had the good fortune of working with many good people across many companies on the Blu-ray movie format. That said, I am not an expert on every topic and will have to research answers from time to time.

I do think the Blu-ray format is better than HD-DVD in key areas and especially for Europe, so you can expect me to be pro BD in my comments. That said, I don't do spin well and if there is a weakness or mistake to be owned up to, I'll do so.

Sincerely,

Paidgeek

[dialog_gvf]

Welcome paidgeek!

Do know how many BD50 compatible replication lines are now installed at Sony DADC and elsewhere?

Gary

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

Welcome paidgeek!

Do know how many BD50 compatible replication lines are now installed at Sony DADC and elsewhere?

Gary

I believe there are 6 in operation at the moment just in our U.S. facility. I'm not sure how many being operated in Japan. At least 6 more lines will be installed soon.

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

Will Sony follow Panasonic's lead and introduce advanced audio decoding on the S1 standalone with a firmware upgrade, or will the company wait for the next generation?

I don't have a firm answer on this and if I did, it would be a problem to disclose as it really needs to come from Sony Electronics.

[mbslrm]

As of now, how many BD players (including PC drives and PS3s) have been sold in all the markets?

[phloyd]

Thanks for coming and talking with us - I think most here will not be concerned about any BD bias

Do you have any information about the PiP feature. Word is that PiP on Bluray so far has been two versions of the movie on one disc. I don't have an issue with this - if the space is there, why not - but this won't work on the longer films, etc.

Is there any word on when we will see 'real' dual stream PiP features and if there is any issue with the current line of players with respect to compatibilty with this feature?

Thanks again for spending time with us.

[mbslrm]

Do you any details on the portable movie file BD might ship with in the future?

[Banjo]

When can we expect Sony to start subtitling the special features in English for the deaf and hard-of-hearing? It's quite frustrating that I have to deal with this on a frequent basis.

Paramount/DreamWorks always does while Sony, Fox, Warner Bros. and Lionsgate continue to neglect them. I've noticed that Buena Vista has subtitled a good number of their BD titles while they never subtitle their DVD titles. Strange, eh?

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by mbslrm

As of now, how many BD players (including PC drives and PS3s) have been sold in all the markets?

I don't have reliable numbers for the set-top players, but PS3 has crossed 1 million units. Another 5 - 10% is my best approximation for the set top units.

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by phloyd

Thanks for coming and talking with us - I think most here will not be concerned about any BD bias

Do you have any information about the PiP feature. Word is that PiP on Bluray so far has been two versions of the movie on one disc. I don't have an issue with this - if the space is there, why not - but this won't work on the longer films, etc.

Is there any word on when we will see 'real' dual stream PiP features and if there is any issue with the current line of players with respect to compatibilty with this feature?

Thanks again for spending time with us.

We are discussing this feature regularly. I would expect to be able to demonstrate it by this summer using dual stream decoding, possibly sooner using a PC based player.

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by mbslrm

Do you any details on the portable movie file BD might ship with in the future?

As you would expect, we think we can make something that works well on PSP as a first step. The schedule is not fixed yet, but it would be interesting to know how the members here feel about how attractive a feature this is.

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by Banjo

When can we expect Sony to start subtitling the special features in English for the deaf and hard-of-hearing? It's quite frustrating that I have to deal with this on a frequent basis.

Paramount/DreamWorks always does while Sony, Fox, Warner Bros. and Lionsgate continue to neglect them. I've noticed that Buena Vista has subtitled a good number of their BD titles while they never subtitle their DVD titles. Strange, eh?

I was just screening a title with this feature, "Open Season" if I am not mistaken. I'll pass your request along, it may already be planned for future titles.

[Zinn]

Welcome paidgeek!

Will Casino Royale be 50GB, AVC and PCM?? and will Layer Cake be the same?

Thanks in advance

EDIT: One more Will we ever see Layer Cake with this cover instead of the one with Daniel Craigs face on??

[Jonalan34]

Originally Posted by paidgeek

I was just screening a title with this feature, "Open Season" if I am not mistaken. I'll pass your request along, it may already be planned for future titles.

Thanks. That will be helpful for me to watch special feature with subtitle since I am deaf.

[mbslrm]

Will there ever be a WalkMan-branded portable player anytime soon?

[mbslrm]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

I think it would be great, as long as it is free with the disc, I don't mind if it DRM'd to only play on a PSP/iPod Video but I would not want to pay for a low-res version of a movie that I already have, hence my general resistance to UMD.

Making it compatible with iPods as well as PSPs would be cool too, and as they both use AVC would that be feasible?

I like the idea too. But, I hope it won't be limited to just specific video players.

[paidgeek]

Originally Posted by Zinn

Welcome paidgeek!

Will Casino Royale be 50GB, AVC and PCM?? and will Layer Cake be the same?

Thanks in advance

EDIT: One more Will we ever see Layer Cake with this cover instead of the one with Daniel Craigs face on??

I don't have any info on LC, but Casino Royale is AVC and BD50. PCM will be used for North America. I don't think we have finalized the audio codec for the European version.

[Banjo]

Originally Posted by paidgeek

I was just screening a title with this feature, "Open Season" if I am not mistaken. I'll pass your request along, it may already be planned for future titles.

Thank you.