HD DVD vs. Blu-Ray Disc vs. Everything Else: Round 4
10-20-06 | 11:31 PM
#527
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Originally Posted by Suprmallet
I think MS announced some upcoming game was planned to be 1080p, but really, I think we'll see a token few and they won't actually look as good as the 720p.
Should have seen this coming.
10-20-06 | 11:37 PM
#528
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From: Mpls, MN
Originally Posted by joshd2012
The Philips BDP9000 has been spoted at a Walmart stock room with a release date of November 18th and a price of $898.
10-20-06 | 11:47 PM
#529
Originally Posted by Spiky
This is really not something that should be hyped by those hoping BD wins. Seriously, just drop Philips from your vocabulary.
There is a bigger chance of me caving in and buying the PS3 over a $900 Phillips player.
10-21-06 | 07:54 AM
#530
DVD Talk Godfather
I think the games and interactivity will only matter on Disney titles. Seriously, what grown adult wants to defuse bombs as Keanu Reeves? 
The addition of "games" to a home video format doesn't make any sense to me. It only makes sense for animation titles where small children might want to be entertained for a few minutes. But I see this as a largely useless feature. The problem with "games" on DVDs wasn't that they weren't cool enough, it was that they were "games" and were unnecessary.
To put it another way, gamers usually don't like games with lots of long full motion video cutscenes in between game time.
The addition of "games" to a home video format doesn't make any sense to me. It only makes sense for animation titles where small children might want to be entertained for a few minutes. But I see this as a largely useless feature. The problem with "games" on DVDs wasn't that they weren't cool enough, it was that they were "games" and were unnecessary.
To put it another way, gamers usually don't like games with lots of long full motion video cutscenes in between game time.
10-21-06 | 09:00 AM
#531
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From: Fort Fun, Colorado
Originally Posted by The Bus
I think the games and interactivity will only matter on Disney titles.
If they want to play games, they do so on the PC or game console. Pure and simple. Adding games to movie titles is a swell little extra, but I don't believe for one second that anyone is going to choose a hi-def format over the fact that it's included on disc...
10-21-06 | 09:01 AM
#532
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From: Dallas, TX
Originally Posted by candyrocket786
DFNYC sent me this...
That said, it is nice that it does it at all.
10-21-06 | 09:35 AM
#533
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by candyrocket786
Well then... all this fucking hype about PS3/1080p capabilities was never about the games.
Should have seen this coming.
Should have seen this coming.
10-21-06 | 11:13 AM
#534
Senior Member
Originally Posted by TylerDurden_73
50GB Blu-ray discs not at potential
The earliest titles have few promised bells and whistles
By Susanne Ault 10/20/2006
OCT. 20 | Studios are rolling out the first high-capacity 50GB Blu-ray Discs but with muted bells and whistles that mostly don’t yet exploit the format’s interactive potential.
Some of the 50GB titles coming to market have exactly the same extras as their standard DVD counterparts, with extras in standard-definition. Others have the same features as standard DVD but with the extras in high-def. On some 50GB discs, the space is required just for the movie, like in the case of unusually long films such as 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment’s nearly 3½-hour Kingdom of Heaven. (See table)
Meanwhile, some titles that are being released with Sun Microsystems’ Java interactive technology are on the more common 25GB Blu-ray discs, rather than the heftier 50GB versions.
Nevertheless, studio executives say it is important to show the industry can produce 50GB discs and are positioning them and the Java-enhanced releases as just a taste of what is to come.
“I think right now, we’re just finding an audience” for Blu-ray, said Sven Davison, Fox VP of DVD production. “Putting out Java and 50GB will definitely help scratch the surface of what we can do. At Fox, we have a huge palate for us to play with, but we are just getting on the playground.”
Some of the upcoming discs do contain features unique from the films’ previous releases, most notably new games included on Fox’s Java-authored Nov. 14 releases Speed and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, both 25GB discs.
“It’s not going to be like PlayStation,” Davison said of the Fox games. “But it’s a cut above [any of the games] you’ve seen on standard-definition.”
With the Speed game, viewers can choose between trying to activate bombs as star Dennis Hopper or trying to defuse them as Keanu Reeves.
League is a first-person shooter game, and players similarly have a choice of characters and weapons.
“The extra Java features are a great incentive for a fan of a movie to reinvest, but it won’t woo over new customers as much as the quality of the movie itself,” said Virgin buyer Chris Anstey, who recently previewed Speed and League.
Lionsgate’s 50GB The Descent, out Dec. 26, is the first announced Blu-ray title to deliver picture-in-picture bonus feature viewing while the film is playing. The horror flick also includes the unique featurette “Caving.”
All 50GB discs are being manufactured at one Sony Corp. plant in Japan, but very shortly, Sony’s Terra Haute, Ind., facility will offer six lines of production targeted toward 50GB titles, said Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s executive VP of advanced technologies Don Eklund.
Additionally, Eklund noted, Sony is testing two advanced compression technologies—AVC (a.k.a. MPEG 4) and VC-1. They can use disc space more efficiently than the more common MPEG 2, which has been used on all of Sony’s Blu-ray titles so far. Other studios use VC-1, including Warner Home Video, and AVC, including Buena Vista Home Entertainment.
“I think the major benefit to consumers at this moment [with Blu-ray] is that pictures and sound quality is vastly improved,” Eklund said. “In terms of wowing them with new types of added value, we have a long time to really explore that.”
He expects Java technology, which offers maximum interactivity possibilities for Blu-ray, will become “dominant” on discs by late next year.
Overall, retailers seem willing to be patient while sitting at the tip of the Blu-ray iceberg.
“Click is currently our No. 1 seller on Blu-ray, where we sold out of our initial order and have just one left right now of our second order,” DVDEmpire.com editorial director Shannon Nutt said. “It offered bonus features in high-definition, and it was part of the first [Blu-ray] batch to have any bonus features at all. That step is in the right direction, but there needs to be more interactivity.”
Video Buyers Group president Ted Engen believes it’s wise to gradually ease consumers into Blu-ray.
Studios “might be able to put 100 things in this thing, but if the consumer knows how to do 10, [they] just wasted 90% of that disc,” Engen said. “Further down the line, they’ll give us more things that will really change the way we watch movies.”
What you get with 50GBs
Title (Studio) Street Date Features
Click (Sony) Oct. 10 Same as DVD, but in high-def
The Searchers (Warner) Oct. 31 Same as DVD
Unforgiven (Warner) Oct. 31 Same as DVD
Black Hawk Down (Sony) Nov. 14 Custom “Blu-Wizard” menu
Kingdom of Heaven (Fox) Nov. 14 Same as DVD
From Hell (Fox) Dec. 5 Same as DVD
Talladega Nights (Sony) Dec. 12 Same as DVD, but in high-def
The Descent (Lionsgate) Dec. 26 High-def featurette “Caving,” Java-enhanced menu
The earliest titles have few promised bells and whistles
By Susanne Ault 10/20/2006
OCT. 20 | Studios are rolling out the first high-capacity 50GB Blu-ray Discs but with muted bells and whistles that mostly don’t yet exploit the format’s interactive potential.
Some of the 50GB titles coming to market have exactly the same extras as their standard DVD counterparts, with extras in standard-definition. Others have the same features as standard DVD but with the extras in high-def. On some 50GB discs, the space is required just for the movie, like in the case of unusually long films such as 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment’s nearly 3½-hour Kingdom of Heaven. (See table)
Meanwhile, some titles that are being released with Sun Microsystems’ Java interactive technology are on the more common 25GB Blu-ray discs, rather than the heftier 50GB versions.
Nevertheless, studio executives say it is important to show the industry can produce 50GB discs and are positioning them and the Java-enhanced releases as just a taste of what is to come.
“I think right now, we’re just finding an audience” for Blu-ray, said Sven Davison, Fox VP of DVD production. “Putting out Java and 50GB will definitely help scratch the surface of what we can do. At Fox, we have a huge palate for us to play with, but we are just getting on the playground.”
Some of the upcoming discs do contain features unique from the films’ previous releases, most notably new games included on Fox’s Java-authored Nov. 14 releases Speed and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, both 25GB discs.
“It’s not going to be like PlayStation,” Davison said of the Fox games. “But it’s a cut above [any of the games] you’ve seen on standard-definition.”
With the Speed game, viewers can choose between trying to activate bombs as star Dennis Hopper or trying to defuse them as Keanu Reeves.
League is a first-person shooter game, and players similarly have a choice of characters and weapons.
“The extra Java features are a great incentive for a fan of a movie to reinvest, but it won’t woo over new customers as much as the quality of the movie itself,” said Virgin buyer Chris Anstey, who recently previewed Speed and League.
Lionsgate’s 50GB The Descent, out Dec. 26, is the first announced Blu-ray title to deliver picture-in-picture bonus feature viewing while the film is playing. The horror flick also includes the unique featurette “Caving.”
All 50GB discs are being manufactured at one Sony Corp. plant in Japan, but very shortly, Sony’s Terra Haute, Ind., facility will offer six lines of production targeted toward 50GB titles, said Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s executive VP of advanced technologies Don Eklund.
Additionally, Eklund noted, Sony is testing two advanced compression technologies—AVC (a.k.a. MPEG 4) and VC-1. They can use disc space more efficiently than the more common MPEG 2, which has been used on all of Sony’s Blu-ray titles so far. Other studios use VC-1, including Warner Home Video, and AVC, including Buena Vista Home Entertainment.
“I think the major benefit to consumers at this moment [with Blu-ray] is that pictures and sound quality is vastly improved,” Eklund said. “In terms of wowing them with new types of added value, we have a long time to really explore that.”
He expects Java technology, which offers maximum interactivity possibilities for Blu-ray, will become “dominant” on discs by late next year.
Overall, retailers seem willing to be patient while sitting at the tip of the Blu-ray iceberg.
“Click is currently our No. 1 seller on Blu-ray, where we sold out of our initial order and have just one left right now of our second order,” DVDEmpire.com editorial director Shannon Nutt said. “It offered bonus features in high-definition, and it was part of the first [Blu-ray] batch to have any bonus features at all. That step is in the right direction, but there needs to be more interactivity.”
Video Buyers Group president Ted Engen believes it’s wise to gradually ease consumers into Blu-ray.
Studios “might be able to put 100 things in this thing, but if the consumer knows how to do 10, [they] just wasted 90% of that disc,” Engen said. “Further down the line, they’ll give us more things that will really change the way we watch movies.”
What you get with 50GBs
Title (Studio) Street Date Features
Click (Sony) Oct. 10 Same as DVD, but in high-def
The Searchers (Warner) Oct. 31 Same as DVD
Unforgiven (Warner) Oct. 31 Same as DVD
Black Hawk Down (Sony) Nov. 14 Custom “Blu-Wizard” menu
Kingdom of Heaven (Fox) Nov. 14 Same as DVD
From Hell (Fox) Dec. 5 Same as DVD
Talladega Nights (Sony) Dec. 12 Same as DVD, but in high-def
The Descent (Lionsgate) Dec. 26 High-def featurette “Caving,” Java-enhanced menu
10-21-06 | 11:59 AM
#535
DVD Talk Legend
Some interesting numbers, on IMDB's daily poll:
Have you purchased a Blu-Ray or HD DVD yet?
No
(98.3%)
Yes
(1.7%)
A total of 6714 votes were collected.
Have you purchased a Blu-Ray or HD DVD yet?
No
(98.3%)
Yes
(1.7%)
A total of 6714 votes were collected.
10-21-06 | 07:54 PM
#536
Suspended
So Talawhatever is free with a PS3. You get the Theatrical Version of the movie with no Extras. This is what Sony has in mind to save Blu-Ray? Considering you get component cables inside the box...it will look like a normal SD DVD. Congrats Sony. With 10 Million or so Battery recalls you will atleast defeat Sega in this system war.
10-21-06 | 08:24 PM
#537
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From: Mpls, MN
No, to start Bluray. (saving it will be a much greater task) And I don't know what you mean about component cables, perhaps you meant composite? And, even though I helped the discussion of it, the battery recall has absolutely nothing to do with BD or the PS3.
10-21-06 | 09:55 PM
#538
Suspended
Originally Posted by Spiky
No, to start Bluray. (saving it will be a much greater task) And I don't know what you mean about component cables, perhaps you meant composite? And, even though I helped the discussion of it, the battery recall has absolutely nothing to do with BD or the PS3.
PS3 will be coming with Component cables (Green/Red/Blue)...not HDMI cables which is what makes the difference between Tallawhatever Nights looking like a normal SD DVD and a Blu-Ray title.
While the battery recall has NOTHING to do with the PS3/Blu-Ray it IS bad press.
10-21-06 | 09:59 PM
#539
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by GizmoDVD
PS3 will be coming with Component cables (Green/Red/Blue)...not HDMI cables which is what makes the difference between Tallawhatever Nights looking like a normal SD DVD and a Blu-Ray title.
10-21-06 | 10:31 PM
#540
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From: Indianapolis, IN
Actually, Spiky is right. The PS3 comes with composite cables.
http://ps3.ign.com/articles/740/740460p1.html
Looks like Taldega will look like an SD DVD.
http://ps3.ign.com/articles/740/740460p1.html
Looks like Taldega will look like an SD DVD.
10-21-06 | 11:10 PM
#541
DVD Talk Legend
Yep, you have to also buy an HDMI or Component cable to go with that PS3 or you get all your Blu-ray movies in lovely 480i.
Nice one Sony. As bad as that is I think one of the $1000 Blu-ray players also ships without an HDMI cable.
Nice one Sony. As bad as that is I think one of the $1000 Blu-ray players also ships without an HDMI cable.
10-21-06 | 11:12 PM
#542
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From: Mpls, MN
Originally Posted by XavierMike
Actually, Spiky is right. The PS3 comes with composite cables.
But actually, I meant what Drexl said. I hadn't looked up what is shipping in the PS3 box. But component is just fine for HD, composite is not.
That article suggests it only has the composite wire in the box. I wouldn't actually expect them to ship component cables with it, goes against their cheapitude.
10-21-06 | 11:29 PM
#543
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by darkside
Nice one Sony. As bad as that is I think one of the $1000 Blu-ray players also ships without an HDMI cable.
10-22-06 | 12:01 AM
#544
Suspended
Originally Posted by XavierMike
Actually, Spiky is right. The PS3 comes with composite cables.
http://ps3.ign.com/articles/740/740460p1.html
Looks like Taldega will look like an SD DVD.
http://ps3.ign.com/articles/740/740460p1.html
Looks like Taldega will look like an SD DVD.
10-22-06 | 12:29 AM
#545
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From: Grazing in a field somewhere...
I'm amazed people are bitching over included cables.
I would prefer all of these folks to not include cables (they have no clue what my setup is, and what cables I already have). Save me cost on the consoles, and I will buy my own cables much cheaper, and most likely I will replace anyway (and it might make a bonus in the +column for your console on cost).
I would prefer all of these folks to not include cables (they have no clue what my setup is, and what cables I already have). Save me cost on the consoles, and I will buy my own cables much cheaper, and most likely I will replace anyway (and it might make a bonus in the +column for your console on cost).
10-22-06 | 12:37 AM
#547
Suspended
You think because Sony chose NOT to include component or HDMI cables the savings is passed down to you? Nope. They know they can sell them for $30 an $50 EASILY. Why give something away for free if you can charge for it?
The same goes for every console as well. MS was just smart enough to include component cables with a $400 system while Sony chose NOT too with a $600 system. Where are those price comparisons again?
The same goes for every console as well. MS was just smart enough to include component cables with a $400 system while Sony chose NOT too with a $600 system. Where are those price comparisons again?
10-22-06 | 12:38 AM
#548
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From: Grazing in a field somewhere...
Originally Posted by XavierMike
But, will the cables require a proprietary connection to the PS3 like the 360? I bet you won't be able to use generic componant cables.
You are probably right on that crap.
10-22-06 | 12:38 AM
#549
Suspended
Originally Posted by XavierMike
But, will the cables require a proprietary connection to the PS3 like the 360? I bet you won't be able to use generic componant cables.
10-22-06 | 12:43 AM
#550
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From: Grazing in a field somewhere...
Originally Posted by GizmoDVD
You think because Sony chose NOT to include component or HDMI cables the savings is passed down to you? Nope. They know they can sell them for $30 an $50 EASILY. Why give something away for free if you can charge for it?
My (dreamworld) pref is for all consoles to just throw down the standard I/O.