VG Talk to VG forum, please. Too much FUD.

Didn't see this mentioned, but Panasonic released version 1.6 firmware for the BD30. Looks like it fixes that LFE issue many people were having, as well as handshake issues with some HDTVs (Samsung, Mitsu among others). Just installed it, but won't have chance to check it out until Thursday.

We've been discussing it in the players thread, but I'm cool with talking about it.

I mostly didn't post about it here since I figured someone would swoop in and say "put it in the players thread"!

I think one of the misfires of HDM is this nonsense with handshaking issues. They (meaning all the CEs, not just Panny or Sony or anyone in general) should have a more solidified standard. It just stinks that your TV may have a slight incompatibility with your BD player that is not due to the design of one device or the other but the bus that connects them.

At least these issues can be (and are) corrected via FW updates.

According to Blu-ray insiders, we should hear from now till march 4th from paramount and Dreamworks SKG. Dreamworks Animation is still locked in battle with toshiba over their contract, so movies like Shrek The Third and Bee Movie may not hit BD as soon as we'd hope. But There Will Be Blood is pretty much confirmed as a BD exclusive now. Cannot wait to get my hands on it.

Again, this is all speculation, take it as you will.

And the reason March 4th is significant is because that is when the embargo on There Will be Blood home video details come off and we get to see details of dvd and hi-def version. I have a feeling that 03/04 will be a big day for Paramount and we should get more announcements.

So is Toshiba just being capricious, or are they trying to extract some money from DW to get out of their contract?

Reading through a couple of sites, it looks like Paramount/Dreamworks SKG will be releasing on Blu-ray meaning Transformers is okay to be released but Dreamworks Animation is waiting on Toshiba since they received 100mil and do not want to give it back. Before anyone accuses me of FUD, Katzenberg admitted to the payoff in the reuters article.

Link for proof

http://in.reuters.com/article/techno...32169220080227

MaxPower (BD insider) mentioned tonight that Toshiba and Paramount have tentatively agreed on a compromise on their money dispute. If all goes well, that issue will be resolved soon.

I think we all know everyone got paid off. It was mentioned in an article last week that Warner was paid $300 mill to go Blu.

I just want There Will Be Blood as soon as possible.

Did you mean Dreamworks Animation instead?

No. Paramount.

So as of now, Toshiba paid $100 million for Shrek 3 and Bee Movie. That doesn't sound like a good deal.

Oh ok, just checking.

He had mentioned a few days ago there was a possibility of the 2 parties going to court over the issue, but it appears that isn't going to happen. I'm looking forward to some new Paramount and Dreamworks announcements. Collateral and Gladiator would be nice to have on BD with lossless audio.

Don't forget Braveheart as well! Seriously when it comes down to it, it's all about the movies and Paramount has some pretty sweet catalogs.

Damn right. I think that if we get our way, all three (Gladiator, Braveheart, Collateral) could all be some maxed-out BD-50 2-discers.

I'll throw some more in:

Team America
American Beauty
Road to Perdition
The Godfather I/II
Once Upon a Time in the West
Star Trek series (specifically parts II and IV...Wrath of Khan is a MUST for Blu)
Chinatown (and The Two Jakes)
Forrest Gump
Indiana Jones quadrilogy (obviously)

Hell, I'll take Planes, Trains, and Automobiles or Serpico (two personal favorites) on Blu...their catalog is just full of greatness.

And if and when Criterion starts to go Blu, Days of Heaven better be on the roster.

Don't forget Pootie Tang!

We better get it on the DVD releases...HD DVD...Blu-ray whatever. I want it in HD!

No more PTA blind buys for me after Magnolia, I'm renting first.

Magnolia was absolute genius. Genius. I would break my finger for that to be on Blu-ray right now...along with Boogie Nights and Punch Drunk Love...some day...some day.

I'd be all over Boogie Nights and maybe Punch Drunk Love... but I'd buy Hell Comes To Frogtown before I'd buy Magnolia.

I am with Toshiba on this one!!

Not because I believe they are right about what they did but because at the time of the deal they were a competitor whose goal was to retain Katzenberg and Co. in their camp via a number of titles they would release exclusively. Now, even though they have terminated their business I am pretty sure that the deal Katzenberg signed was similar to the one Universal had -- providing a specific number of titles for a set period of time. As such were not delivered I believe that Toshiba has moral grounds to seek a pro-rated restructuring of their "compensation" for the time frame their deal was active.

Of course, the key phrase here is moral!!

Pro-B

Please don't jinx the possibility of any Roddy Piper vehicles coming to Blu Ray!

I wouldn't break any fingers to own any PTA movie (although I do love Hard Eight, Punch Drunk Love, and There Will Be Blood), but I would allow my arm to be broken if Magnolia could be unmade and wiped from existence.