Blu-ray, in General

Discuss North American DVDs and Blu-rays or other DVD and Blu-ray-related topics.
Post Reply
Message
Author
two mules
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 12:01 pm
Location: London, England

#1 Post by two mules » Fri Dec 17, 2004 7:41 am

I was just remembering how happy I was exactly a year ago when my ALIEN QUADRILOGY boxset arrived, and felt a bit gloomy that I'd never be that happy with a DVD release again.

Then I realised I can buy it all over again on HD-DVD in a few years' time. Great!

User avatar
DDillaman
Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2004 5:56 pm
Contact:

#2 Post by DDillaman » Fri Dec 17, 2004 7:51 am

I'd love to see their faces when they buy up all these fullscreen DVDs then when they do get a widescreen TV find to their shock that the fullscreen DVD only fills up the middie of there TV. I'd love to be there so I can go I told you so!
Or they'll just do like my dad does with fullscreen television programming, and stretch it to widescreen, and not notice or care much.
and I'm sure one day I will find Boa Vs. Python in there!
God bless your soul if you do. I can't think of a better way to spend $6.88 - that is entertainment VALUE, I tells ya.

User avatar
Andre Jurieu
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:38 pm
Location: Back in Milan (Ind.)

#3 Post by Andre Jurieu » Fri Jan 07, 2005 7:30 pm

Luckily most of these films suck ass...
davisdvd wrote:Paramount HD-DVD

Paramount Home Entertainment announced today at the 2005 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas a list of HD-DVD titles planned for the format's launch later this year. Titles will include: Black Rain, Braveheart, Coach Carter, Elizabethtown, Forrest Gump, Ghost, Grease, The Italian Job, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, The Manchurian Candidate, Mission Impossible 2, Save the Last Dance, School of Rock, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Sleepy Hollow, The SpongeBob Squarepants Movie, Star Trek: First Contact, U2 Rattle & Hum, Vanilla Sky and We Were Soldiers. Look for the next-generation HD-DVD discs to begin rolling out in the fourth quarter.
...and...
davisdvd wrote:Warner Home Video to Release Over 50 Film Titles on HD DVD

Home Video Leader Plans Release of New and Catalog Titles Beginning Q4 2005

Burbank, Ca (January 6, 2005) - Warner Home Video (WHV), which distributes the largest film library of any studio, will announce today at a press conference at CES 2005 that it plans to release over 50 new and catalog titles, including selections from New Line Home Entertainment and HBO Video, during the launch of HD DVD, the next generation digital video format, commencing in the fourth quarter of 2005.
"We're proud to continue our longstanding tradition of innovation and leadership in home video by debuting an exciting selection of new releases on HD DVD that will be accompanied by time tested favorites from our extensive library," said Jim Cardwell, President, Warner Home Video. "HD DVD is the future of home entertainment and is the format that will lead us into the high definition entertainment era. It will create new and exciting opportunities for consumers to enjoy their favorite movies, TV series, sports programming, children's entertainment, documentaries and other specialized titles with unprecedented picture and sound quality, advanced navigation and interactivity and increased security."

The press conference will feature a dazzling demonstration of HD DVD highlighted by an exclusive first look of clips from Warner Bros. Pictures pre-theatrical releases to be issued by Warner Home Video on HD DVD. These HD DVD clips will include footage of Christian Bale in Batman Begins, Keanu Reeves in Constantine and Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka in Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

"Warner Home Video's endorsement creates a deep and diverse base of content support for HD DVD," said Marsha King, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Warner Home Video. "It ensures that consumers will be able to enjoy an impressive collection of their favorite movies, TV series and other entertainment as they have never seen them before -- in high definition and with HD DVDs rich features."

Planned HD DVD releases from the extensive Warner Home Video library include such recent theatrical releases as Ocean's Twelve, The Polar Express, and The Phantom of the Opera as well as titles from the hugely successful Matrix and Harry Potter franchises.

New Line Home Entertainment and HBO Video, owners of such esteemed motion picture and television titles as Rush Hour series and The Sopranos respectively, also plan to issue releases in conjunction with their distribution partner Warner Home Video in support of the launch of HD DVD.

"New Line Home Entertainment has always been at the forefront of industry innovation, and our involvement in the launch of HD DVD signals our continued commitment to the evolution of home entertainment," said Stephen Einhorn, President and Chief Operation Officer, New Line Entertainment. "In support of HD DVD and to provide consumers with a compelling new entertainment experience, we're planning to issue a selection of our most exciting films in the format including such titles as Se7en, Blade, Rush Hour and Austin Powers."

"HD DVD represents an exciting new development that will significantly enhance the consumer's home entertainment experience," said Henry McGee, President, HBO Video. "We are backing the launch of HD DVD with a line-up of releases from HBO's highly acclaimed programming including the first season of The Sopranos and the miniseries Angels in America and From the Earth to the Moon."

Warner Bros. boasts the largest library of any motion picture studio with over 6,500 feature films, 40,000 TV episodes and 14,000 animated titles (with over 1,500 classic animated shorts). The library includes such world-renowned franchises as Superman, Batman, Friends, E.R. and The West Wing, as well as such contemporary theatrical hits as Oceans Eleven, Mystic River and The Last Samurai. The studio is expected to announce the release of an increasing amount of its content on HD DVD as its involvement with the format continues.

ABOUT WARNER HOME VIDEO

With operations in 89 international territories, Warner Home Video commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video's film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment Company, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Video and New Line Home Entertainment.

ABOUT NEW LINE HOME ENTERTAINMENT

New Line Home Entertainment markets New Line Cinema and Fine Line Features theatrical films on DVD and VHS, including the premium DVD brand infinifilm(TM). The Company also distributes feature films and non-theatrical programs acquired or produced by New Line Home Entertainment and New Line Television. Founded in 1967, New Line Cinema is the leading independent producer and distributor of theatrical films, such as The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy, the Blade series and the Austin Powers franchise. New Line Cinema licenses its programming to ancillary markets, including cable and broadcast television, as well as in all international markets. New Line Cinema is a Time Warner Company.

ABOUT HBO VIDEO

HBO Video markets an extensive array of programs ranging from HBO's critically acclaimed and groundbreaking series The Sopranos and Sex and the City to theatrical features such as My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the number one romantic comedy of all time. The company catalog contains hundreds of titles including the multiple Emmy Award winning miniseries Band of Brothers, children's programs like I Spy, based on the best-selling book series, and innovative movies from HBO films including Elephant, winner of Palm D'Or, and Sundance Festival award winners American Splendor and Real Women Have Curves.

PLANNED WARNER HOME VIDEO HD DVD LAUNCH TITLES

-- Above the Law
-- Alexander
-- Angels in America (HBO)
-- Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (New Line)
-- Batman Begins
-- Blade (New Line)
-- Catwoman
-- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
-- Constantine
-- Contact
-- Dark City (New Line)
-- The Dukes of Hazzard
-- Eraser
-- Executive Decision
-- Final Destination (New Line)
-- Friday (New Line)
-- From the Earth to the Moon (HBO)
-- The Fugitive
-- Gothika
-- Hard to Kill
-- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
-- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
-- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
-- House of Wax (2005)
-- The Last Samurai
-- The Mask (New Line)
-- The Matrix
-- The Matrix Reloaded
-- The Matrix Revolutions
-- Maverick
-- Million Dollar Baby
-- The Music Man
-- Mystic River
-- Next of Kin
-- North by Northwest
-- Ocean's Eleven
-- Ocean's Twelve
-- Passenger 57
-- The Perfect Storm
-- The Phantom of the Opera (2004)
-- The Player (New Line)
-- The Polar Express
-- Red Planet
-- Rush Hour (New Line)
-- Se7en (New Line)
-- Soldier
-- The Sopranos (HBO)
-- Spawn (New Line)
-- Swordfish
-- Troy
-- Under Siege
-- U.S. Marshals
-- Wild Wild West

User avatar
Jun-Dai
監督
Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2004 4:34 am
Location: London, UK
Contact:

#4 Post by Jun-Dai » Fri Jan 07, 2005 7:54 pm

Nothing but Great films, I see.

User avatar
Kristoffer4
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2004 6:55 pm
Location: Aarhus DK

#5 Post by Kristoffer4 » Fri Jan 07, 2005 8:14 pm

I will take Seven i HD thank you!
I would rather have seen it on BD though,,,

User avatar
godardslave
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 4:44 pm
Location: Confusing and open ended = high art.

#6 Post by godardslave » Thu Apr 20, 2006 7:10 pm

it will be a niche product for high-end experts for at least the next 2-3 years.
i personally dont give a fuck about HD-DVD and BLU-RAY. :)
that is all.
Last edited by godardslave on Thu Apr 20, 2006 8:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Gigi M.
Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2005 5:09 pm
Location: Santo Domingo, Dominican Rep

#7 Post by Gigi M. » Thu Apr 20, 2006 7:59 pm

Critics Unimpressed with HD DVD

Consumer electronics writers have begun to weigh in on the new HD DVD players distributed by Toshiba this week, and most are unimpressed. Several cite an intolerably long boot-up period, a confusing menu system, and incompatible sound. But nearly all express disappointment in the picture. On smaller sets, the writers agree, the difference between HD DVD and a conventional DVD is virtually undetectable. "Bottom line is that HD DVD is great, but will you notice?" asks Ben Drawbaugh on HDBeat.com. Writing in the Los Angeles Times David Colker remarked that on larger screens he could detect a subtle difference. He added: "I tested my perceptions by switching between the two formats. I asked a colleague to close his eyes while I chose a version, then had him open them and guess: DVD or HD DVD? He got it right only about 75% of the time. So, yes, it's better. But don't expect the dramatic leap in quality that came with the transition from VHS to DVDs in the 1990s."
Some reviews from the first wave:

The Last Samurai

Serenity

The Phantom of the Opera

User avatar
godardslave
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 4:44 pm
Location: Confusing and open ended = high art.

#8 Post by godardslave » Thu Apr 20, 2006 8:33 pm

i edited my original post to be a bit less confrontational and for clarification.

i really do think the market for this will be pretty tiny, though.
DVD is perfectly acceptable for most people.
i just get tired of the endless technical posts, endless posts about upgrades and resolutions and 1080i, just let it be, already.

User avatar
Gigi M.
Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2005 5:09 pm
Location: Santo Domingo, Dominican Rep

#9 Post by Gigi M. » Thu Apr 20, 2006 8:40 pm

I couldn't agree more. There're so many films that haven't been release on dvd, and now all this new bullshit.

User avatar
hearthesilence
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2005 4:22 am
Location: NYC

#10 Post by hearthesilence » Fri Apr 21, 2006 12:04 pm

Dammit, at least pick some GOOD commercial films. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA? LAST SAMURAI? You want to sell a new format, you launch Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Batman Begins, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, Chronicles of Narnia...those aren't necessarily my favorites, but what do you think's gonna sell?

TedW
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 6:57 pm
Location: A Theatre Near You

#11 Post by TedW » Tue Apr 25, 2006 4:22 pm

I don't quite understand the bitching about the presence of new formats. This is a good thing, something to be encouraged. godardslave and others are perfectly free not to click on a thread labeled "Blu Ray and HD DVD," if they are so sick of the discussion, instead of entering the thread and then complaining about the topic.

Hi-def DVD may well end of a niche format. It's certainly possible, but I don't think it will. At least I hope it won't. The reason is, DVDs, for me, look like ass on any of the current digital displays, especially the larger the screen. 480i presented on a 1080i set does not produce an appealing image. I have a HD CRT which is smaller and DVDs look great... and DVHS looks even better. Demonstrably better. So I'm anticipating that hi-def DVD, whichever format shakes out, will be an excellent experience at my house.

But digital displays now rule the world and so we must have source material to match the native resolution of said displays. This is a positive evolution for those of us who love movies. For masses who don't care, well... when did we start rooting for them to win anything?

User avatar
Andre Jurieu
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:38 pm
Location: Back in Milan (Ind.)

#12 Post by Andre Jurieu » Tue Apr 25, 2006 4:51 pm

If anyone is interested, the latest issue of Premiere (May 2006 - their Summer Movie Preview with X-Men 3 featured on the cover) has a significant portion of its print devoted to the Hi-Def (HD DVD and Blu-Ray) formats. It's a "Special Report" that is pretty much marketing, and I know it's probably filled with mistakes, we will all :roll: at the movies that are being promoted, and bitch that no one is putting out any Bresson, Dreyer, and Eisenstein, but it also includes a decent glossary and a test by their critic Glenn Kenny. Warner appears to be planning editions of Goodfellas, Unforgiven, and Full Metal Jacket (along with Rumor Has It??? Way to use the new technology there WB. I guess they need to test the market).

Hashi
Joined: Wed Apr 26, 2006 2:39 am

#13 Post by Hashi » Wed Apr 26, 2006 11:20 am

To distinguish the new format from normal DVDs, HD-DVD discs come packaged in red plastic keepcases that are slightly shorter, wider, and thinner than typical DVD packaging.
Awww... didn't know they had to f**k up the design. I can take shorter and thinner BUT WIDER! Does this look good.

unclehulot
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:09 pm
Location: here and there

#14 Post by unclehulot » Wed Apr 26, 2006 12:07 pm

Critics Unimpressed with HD DVD
Oh, for crying out loud! I'm sure if they found a small enough set they could make VHS and HD DVD look the same to their myopic peepers!

Why don't they just switch to a video iPod, or get back to their 8-track vs. SACD comparisions........

Solaris
Joined: Sun Jul 10, 2005 3:25 am
Location: Australia

#15 Post by Solaris » Mon May 08, 2006 7:00 am

Two Lynch films are coming to HD. Are Universal going to release Dune?

From Dugpa.com
Recently Studio Canal has announced releases of the Elephant Man and Mulholland Drive on HD DVD.

User avatar
kinjitsu
Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2005 1:39 pm
Location: Uffa!

#16 Post by kinjitsu » Thu May 11, 2006 5:01 pm

Last edited by kinjitsu on Fri Sep 15, 2006 1:38 am, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
cdnchris
Site Admin
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:45 pm
Location: Washington
Contact:

#17 Post by cdnchris » Sun May 14, 2006 4:05 am

If either format wins in the end I honestly think the video game industry will play a big part.

For example there was that video game expo this past week. Apparently Sony's new Playstation, which uses Blu-Ray, didn't do all that well, Nintendo taking all their thunder. Plus Sony announced the system would be $600 (or $500 if you wanted a smaller version.) Apparently that's not going over too well with gamers on the web and I overheard a few gamers in the lunch room not at all happy about the Playstation price, saying they're not buying it until it goes way down in price, instead sticking with the Nintendo, which is said to probably be between $200 and $300. While I know Nintendo doesn't use either technology, it could take a big bite out of Sony's sales, and they've spent a lot on this technology and I know they're hoping the Playstation will boost it. As well, Microsoft has had their new system out for a while (though they purposely shipped out less than demand) and it uses HD-DVD. It's also cheaper. And you can already buy movies for it.

With the violent reaction to the pricing (even the games are going to be more) it looks like Sony might be shooting themselves in the foot.

User avatar
Schkura
Joined: Sat Sep 17, 2005 1:48 pm
Location: Mississippi

#18 Post by Schkura » Sun May 14, 2006 7:44 am

There are also rumors of an HD DVD drive coming for Microsoft's Xbox 360. I think Mr. Pogue correctly surmises that video game consoles will play a noticeable part in the upcoming market battle and that the cost of a PlayStation 3 will be prohibitive for many gamers, putting Blu-Ray at a marked disadvantage.

User avatar
cdnchris
Site Admin
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 2:45 pm
Location: Washington
Contact:

#19 Post by cdnchris » Sun May 14, 2006 12:59 pm

Oh I thought the XBox already used it. My mistake. I just found out it still uses DVD-9 technology, and I'm not sure what Nintendo uses. Those same small discs like their Game Cube?

I saw screen grabs of the new Playstation and the images are amazing, there's no doubt about that. The textures and such are incredible. But $600??

Anonymous

#20 Post by Anonymous » Sun May 14, 2006 1:49 pm

I really hope Criterion will soon release their movies on HD-DVD or blu-ray. DVD just don't cut it, with it's low resolution and even worse, plage with MPEG compression artifacts because of the low bitrate.

User avatar
The Invunche
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 2:43 am
Location: Denmark

#21 Post by The Invunche » Sun May 14, 2006 3:12 pm

There aren't many compression artifacts on my Criterion discs.

User avatar
Nadsat
Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 9:03 am
Location: Sweden
Contact:

#22 Post by Nadsat » Sun May 14, 2006 4:20 pm

The Invunche wrote:There aren't many compression artifacts on my Criterion discs.
Agree with Invunche, can't find any on my discs either, but I think it depends how big screen you have.

User avatar
Schkura
Joined: Sat Sep 17, 2005 1:48 pm
Location: Mississippi

#23 Post by Schkura » Sun May 14, 2006 6:23 pm

and I'm not sure what Nintendo uses
The new Nintendo discs are bigger, but the system will play Gamecube discs as well. As for DVD technology, I'm not even sure if it will play standard DVDs. I would have to guess that Nintendo is going to stay out of it altogether (which I'm cool with as console DVD players usually suck). Also, its going to retail @ closer to 200$, so 360+Nintendo will cost you as much as a PS3. And the Wii-mote looks like fun.

Anonymous

#24 Post by Anonymous » Mon May 15, 2006 12:43 pm

The Invunche wrote:There aren't many compression artifacts on my Criterion discs.
How big is your screen and how close do you sit? I have a 100 inch screen and sit 1,3x from the screen and I don't remember when I saw a DVD without any compression artifacts.

User avatar
The Invunche
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 2:43 am
Location: Denmark

#25 Post by The Invunche » Mon May 15, 2006 2:35 pm

Oh my screen is much smaller. It's a 36'' CRT, but I have in the past watched DVDs on screens the size of yours (no I didn't measure) and compression artifacts never seemed evident. Especially not from decent DVD releases.

Then again I can also not hear the grass grow.

Post Reply