Warner BDs - Cropped!

[zombie]

http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/kisskissbangbang.html

Unfortunately, as noted in my Blu-ray review of 'Training Day', the cropping issue again has reared its ugly head. Like 'Training Day,' 'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang' on Blu-ray also suffers from a narrower aspect ratio, with some noticeable cropping on the sides of the picture.

[ProvenFlipper]

I wonder what the reason for this is... I didn't notice this, but I wasn't comparing the HD-DVD release directly against the BD.

[BTBuck1]

I think the samsung player is doing this.

Once again he states that the "WB" Blu Ray titles don't support DD+ which is B.S. here they are...

only his test disc is lacking, the retail version has it intact:

[PBracke]

Hey there --

This is Peter Bracke with High Def Digest. I didn't review test discs -- Warner only sends out final product for review. Our copies, including the packaging, indicate only Dolby 5.1, and the same is on the disc for all of the Blu-ray titles.

Very, very strange. We will be contacting Warner tomorrow to see what is up -- I've also got confirm from readers who have found early copies at retail, and they also do not have Dolby Digital Plus tracks.

[BTBuck1]

WOW, hey thanks for the prompt reply. This is very interesting. I WILL ONLY BUY THE DD+ discs tuesday when i pick up my own (if they really exist & this isn't a typ on packaging). the pic is of provenflippers discs he found early at fry's electronics.

thanks,
Brian

[BTBuck1]

Originally Posted by Chad Varnadore (quoted from avsforum.com)

I contacted our press contact with Warner about the discrepancy in packaging today. She replied that some discs were shiped with inaccurate packaging indicating DD+ when the discs actually support only DD 5.1. Apparently some retailers sold some of the recalled titles before Warner could get them all back. But, they assured me there is no DD+ soundtracks on any of these first wave discs. They also confirmed for our pending review that these first discs are indeed MPEG2 and not VC1.

Can you come back and verify this tomorrow? thanks!
this could also explain why as of sunday, Best Buy still had not received their WB Br's yet.

Also Chad states this:

Originally Posted by Chad Varnadore

I compared both at no overscan on a front projection display and was not able to duplicate any cropping or the brightness problemsthat Mr. Brack found, which the brightness thing is most likely an issue with his calibration not matched to the two devices. His and Bill Hunt's assertion that you need to use a component connection for a fair judgement has already been refutted as well. The only difference between the two discs video wise that I found was some minor blocking in the opening sunrise on the BD disc that wasn't there on the HD disc. I didn't notice this anywhere else on the disc though and think that the analog conversion may be aggravating the effect. If he's seeing it on the HD disc, I would surmise that the analog conversion may actually be generating it, as I couldn't see any blocking at all on the HD disc around 1/3 larger screen size.Unless Mr Bracke was referring to posterization, which is visible on both at the beginning but isn't necessarily a byproduct of compression.

__________________
Chad Varnadore
Senior Editor
Home Theater Spot