The first titles to be released on Blu-ray

[HeavyFknMetal]

"Sony Pictures Home Entertainment on Tuesday announced the first 20 titles that it will release in high definition for its Blu-ray Disc system. They will be released as soon as the first Blu-ray players hit the market in the spring. Among the titles are The Fifth Element, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Desperado, For a Few Dollars More, The Guns of Navarone, Hitch, House of Flying Daggers, A Knight's Tale, Kung Fu Hustle, The Last Waltz, Legends of the Fall, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, Robocop, Sense and Sensibility, Stealth, Species, SWAT and XXX. The company also said that, in the future, it plans to release high-definition versions of all movies being put out on conventional DVD. Meanwhile, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment said today that it, too, plans to release 20 films in the Blu-ray format this spring. The films, it said, will include Fantastic Four, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Behind Enemy Lines, Kiss of the Drago and Ice Age. In a statement company president Mike Dunn said, "The release of our films on Blu-ray will provide consumers with in-home entertainment beyond anything they have imagined."

~taken from IMDb.com


I'm kinda curious about the For a Few Dollars More, I'm sure its going to be the special edition, but are they going to re release the rest of the trilogy on blu ray as well.

[Tyler_Durden_208]

As much as I loved the movie, why the fuck is Hitch going to be in the first batch for a supposed superior format? It doesn't really need that much better video and sound quality does it?

[bubutthead]

alright im new at this but what exactly is the blu-ray dvd? does it hold special features? do you need its own blu-ray player or can they play on regular dvd players? enlighten me out

[Digifruitella]

Originally posted by bubutthead
alright im new at this but what exactly is the blu-ray dvd?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blu-ray

[bubutthead]

thank you

[Weapon X]

You know what I think of this whole Blu-Ray/HD-DVD shit? Fuck it. I dunno about you, but I think it's just a bit too soon for my 150+ DVDs to become obselete, okay? I'd like at least another ten years with them before I have to start thinking about new technology. But that's just me.

[Tyler_Durden_208]

I agree, if I do upgrade at all, I'll just get something like a Blu-Ray drive for my PC (when they're available), so I can just play it on there and not have to worry about rigging my whole entertainment system up again.

[AngelDust06]

Yea I dont know about this either. We will just have to see.

[HeavyFknMetal]

As a dvd collector of over 760 dvds I welcome blu-ray/HDDvd. Im pretty content with the majority of my dvds anyway so I doubt I'm gonna double dip that many dvds. I personally think that the picture quality is fine with the dvds I have anyway. I look at it this way, when I see someone that has a huge ass collection of abums, I don't think wow, he's wasted a lot of money on what seems to be an obsolete product. I like collecting dvds, I don't know why but I do, it's an obsession.

I'll be buying the Blu-ray dvd's of movies I don't already own or special editions I want like For a Few Dollars More, but I'm not gonna double dip on perfectly fine dvds.

[blk_flower]

I've read some stuff about the blu-ray vs hd-dvd, I knew the next step in technology would be a better dvd compact disc, sorta like a dvd2. Not a bad idea but again they're supposed to be more expensive and I have trouble with prices sometimes already.

[Weapon X]

My concerns aren't just a matter of the old format becoming obselete, it's also the fact that to get the most out the technology, you'd likely need a high-definition television, which the makers of the new format are basically assuming everybody has. The closest thing I have to an HDTV is a 15" LCD moniter. Assuming I'm using that or any other regular ol' TV, am I really going to tell the difference between a high-quality DVD picture and a Blu-Ray/HD-DVD?

[bourahioro]

As far as I'm concerned, I have around 230 dvds or thereabouts, and there are thousands more, I have zero interest in upgrading, especially when my dvd collection is finally starting to take some form - I am not going to buy a special tv, for a newer special dvd player, I am beyond happy with dvds, and the likeliness of them becoming obsolete anytime soon is little to none.

[blk_flower]

unless if there is a film I don't have then I'll buy it on blu-ray

[APzombie]

Sign me up for the "fuck it" crowd. I'm still in favor of my dvd's, and i'm not about to trade up.

[JohnIan]

I'm not jumping. It pisses me off.

You don't own it, period. Your HD player needs to be hooked up to a phone-line to work. The movie you put in logs in (your disc must be registered) to a registry to see if you're authorized to view it; renewable copy protection. Limits how many other players can view that particular title. You're leasing movies and the player.

From SugarBank (http://sugarbank.com/2005/08/15/the-dvd-market-is-dead-pt-1/) (warning - adult website), August 5th, 2005:
Any new DVD will need a new player which is designed to a specification whish has to stay fixed. As new technology comes along (better sound, 3D, higher resolution) the format will become obsolete and has to be replaced. That's not a huge problem until you realize that the 1080p HD they're designed for is a transitional format.

Color TV lasted essentially unchanged for nearly 70 years (everyone just got better looking), VHS lasted 30 and DVD will last about 10. Sony's 'new' Blu-Ray discs were designed in 1995 and are a decade old before any of us own them. The movie industry produces films at four times HD resolution and is gearing up for 3D. In a digital culture any of these advances could be delivered over the web and decoded with a change in software as soon as they're available. Unless, of course, you get your movies on testicle sized slabs of plastic and feed them into a DVD player which you can't upgrade.

According to the fantasy logic of the movie industry, when they decide we're ready to upgrade, we'll go out and buy another bunch of dumb machines and discs to go with them (and they'll get paid for their back catalogues once more, which will never go into the public domain because they fight constantly to increase the length of copyrights).


From EnGadget (http://www.engadget.com/2005/09/02/blu-ray-players-to-punish-users-who-hack-their-gear/), September 2nd, 2005 (the report also appeared on CNN's website too) :


On top of that, consumers should expect punishment for tinkering with their Blu-ray players, as many have done with current DVD players, for instance to remove regional coding. The new, Internet-connected and secure players will report any "hack" and the device can be disabled remotely.
------

Ad into the mix two more HD formats coming later this year; HSS - Holographic Storage System and VMD.

From MovieWeb (http://movieweb.com/news/news.php?id=10034), November 28th, 2005:

Threatening to make both competing high-definition DVD systems, Blu-Ray and HD DVD, quickly obsolete, a holographic storage system that can store up to 300GB on a single disc is expected to hit the market by this time next year, Britain's New Scientist magazine is reporting in its current issue. The magazine noted that the technology behind it could eventually be developed to store up to 1.6 terabytes on a disk, the equivalent of 300 DVDs. Moreover, it noted, the system employs a laser light unit that allows information to be transferred in a single flash, thereby lowering production costs. The system is being developed jointly by InPhase Technologies and Hitachi.

From The Movie Blog (http://www.themovieblog.com/archives/2005/12/new_hd_dvd_format_threatens.html), December 30th, 2005:

Uses existing Red laser technology. Multi-layer storage increases capacity. VM Disc capacity 20 > 100 GB. VMD Player hosts all standard formats. Prices comparable to existing products.

The reason that this format seems to be able to hold so much is that the other formats (DVD, HD-DVD and Blu-Ray) are double layered whereas VMD has 10 layers on the disc, and although the layer capacities in the newer formats are larger (HD-15Gb, BR-25Gb) with all those layers the total capacity matches the largest of BR at 50Gb per side (HD comes in at 30Gb and DVD at 8.5Gb per side).

What's most attractive for the manufacturers though is that compared to BR and HD this requires minimal changes to the plants (even compared to HD) and costs a mere $0.65 per disc to produce, which is only $0.15 more than the current DVD discs!



We're being screwed. Don't by the hype. I can only imagine what kind of ad campaign they might have in mind. I'm guessing something very patriotic; red, white and blue. Lots of flag waving. The unsubstanciated claim that pirated DVDs are funding Al-Qaeda. If you don't jump to the new copyrighted format you're helping terrorism. Grand.

[dman476]

Originally posted by HeavyFknMetal
As a dvd collector of over 760 dvds I welcome blu-ray/HDDvd. Im pretty content with the majority of my dvds anyway so I doubt I'm gonna double dip that many dvds. I personally think that the picture quality is fine with the dvds I have anyway. I look at it this way, when I see someone that has a huge ass collection of abums, I don't think wow, he's wasted a lot of money on what seems to be an obsolete product. I like collecting dvds, I don't know why but I do, it's an obsession.

I'll be buying the Blu-ray dvd's of movies I don't already own or special editions I want like For a Few Dollars More, but I'm not gonna double dip on perfectly fine dvds.
Ditto, I'll be the same way.
Like I'll double dip on my absolute favorite films (think top 25) but from then on, I'll only buy new releases and SEs that weren't released on DVD. Like you said, I'm pretty damn content with quality and price of dvds.

[Pulp_Joker]

Well, if the system is backward compatable and I can play my dvds I own now on it w/out any harm to them, then I will welcome the technology. It doesn't bother me that much. I will just make my collection a dvd/blu-ray collection. I own't double dip unless there are some great special features that I most own and the picture is greatly increased.

[thedudeman69]

Originally posted by APzombie
Sign me up for the "fuck it" crowd. I'm still in favor of my dvd's, and i'm not about to trade up.

[zombievictim]

Originally posted by APzombie
Sign me up for the "fuck it" crowd. I'm still in favor of my dvd's, and i'm not about to trade up.

Yeah another person with some wits:D

I have this fucking blu-ray shit. I am absolutely pissed about this (not to sound too angry). I don't need anything better than my dvds. They're just fine. I just really like the fact that I've been working on my dvd collection for the longest time and I don't feel like spending 30-40 bucks on a movie! I'll spend it on a TV series or maybe a criterion edition but when it's the same movie I could be getting on dvd (but with a little better resolution) then screw that.

[Cronos]

Originally posted by APzombie
Sign me up for the "fuck it" crowd. I'm still in favor of my dvd's, and i'm not about to trade up.

same here

as long as i can continue playing my dvds theres no way im upgrading any of the discs i have and will continue buying dvds

[AmunRaTRON]

guys calm down seriously, the blu ray disks arent going to cost any more than regular dvd's do already, adding to the fact that these compies dont expect you to stop buying SD-dvd's and start buying HD-dvds altogether. they know that with this one the market is going to shift slowly and gradually over the next 4-7 years.

to answer your questions

1: Will HD-DVD and blu-ray be backwards compatable with your exsisting dvd collection?

Absolutely 100% YES

2: Will i need to buy a new T.V. in order you use Either the Hd-dvd/Blu-ray player?

Yes and no: To take advantage of you're players HiDef capabilities you will need an HDTV, And depending on the model and manufaturer your HD TV will NEED either an HDMI or DVI input(because of copyright infirngment some players will not send the HiDef signal over composite ouput) Howver to view SD-dvd (standerd definition for those of you not following) You wont need a new t.v. though it would be in your best interest to purchase one since you are already buying a HiDef playe, but thats up to you.

3: How much will these Blu-ray HD-dvd Thingy's cost me?
good question heres the answer, Right now Toshiba and its partners have announced that the early HD-DVD players will run the MSRP of 499$ ( a few hundred bux less than what the first ealy SD-DVD players cost when they debuted in '97)so you can probably look for them to retail for about 350-499. HOWEVER! Sony and it's partners have indicated that the first Blu-ray players will go for, and get this, 1,000-1,800$ MSRP. Yeah no joke.One thing that sony is betting on the consumer faith in one of its flagships : the sony playstation3 which, as most of you know will incorporate blu-ray functionality into it. look for it to be the most widely sold blu-ray player as it will sell for 499$(unconfirmed rumor but sony isnt taking any chances tiwht the playstation) which is about the same as toshiba is selling its HD-dvd players for The disks themselves for boths formats will run you about the same amount that current gen dvds run for now, so dont worry other than buying the deck itself your not going to break the bank on the software.

4:will i be able to use HD-dvd disks in my blu-ray player and vice versa?
No

5:will i need to plug the player into the phone line
curently at this time the answe is most likely no. Too many problems arise with this "solution" when dealing with rental agencies and bringing your copy of a movie to a friends house, and adding to the fact is that word around the campfire has it that this method might arouse the intrest of certain consumer privacy protection agencies and law firms.

6: will i still be able to buy SD-DVD's?
NO!......just kidding of course you will.

so thats pretty much it. as for me, i will be upgrading and let me tell you im not some rich bitch who can afford it. I just love technology and i want the best.

hope this helps guys

[boy blunter]

fuck blu-ray and HD dvd. i've spent a shit load of money on my dvds and its too soon for them to be gone. i dont think this new hi def stuff is gonna hit, there are too many problems. Plus if i do invest on hi def, im gonna wait, cause i wanna see who wins, HD-DVD or blu-ray, cause they both cant be there.

FUCK HD DVD, FUCK BLU-RAY, AND FUCK JAPAN!!!!!!!!!!!!

not the people of japan, just their techonology. the japanese are a kind and loving people, plus they invented sword fighting.

[Quigles]

As long as I'll still be able to play my DVDs with ease on the new system, I don't really mind. However, I don't think DVDs really need much improvement. Right now, I'm sort of more on the side of the "fuck it" crowd.