<![CDATA[High Def Forum - Your High Definition Community & High Definition Resource - High Definition Media]]> http://www.highdefforum.com A place to discuss BD, HD DVD and D-VHS and things that affect adoption of HD Media en Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:02:24 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.highdefforum.com/images/misc/rss.jpg <![CDATA[High Def Forum - Your High Definition Community & High Definition Resource - High Definition Media]]> http://www.highdefforum.com Why are HD movies not as tall as specified? http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103886-why-hd-movies-not-tall-specified.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:36:02 GMT Hello,
I wanted to ask a question that bothers me according to HD media.
lately, when i download a film that is specified as HD resolution, when i come to view it, it turns out to be much shorter then the specified resolution.

For example, a movie labeled '720p' comes across as only 534 pixels high, when '1080p' movies are only 800 pixels tall!

How should i view these movies?
Seems as if somebody tries to take advantage of the black stripes we used to see at 4:3 screens when we played back 16:9 media,
but here this is not the issue!

Can someone explain?

Thanks alot!
YAT. ]]> High Definition Media YAT http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103886-why-hd-movies-not-tall-specified.html Pixar movie resolution http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103882-pixar-movie-resolution.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:44:50 GMT Does anyone know what resolution Pixar movies are originally rendered at? Inquiring minds want to know. Does anyone know what resolution Pixar movies are originally rendered at? Inquiring minds want to know. ]]> High Definition Media GLOW http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103882-pixar-movie-resolution.html <![CDATA[trade your DVD's in for Bluray]]> http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103767-trade-your-dvds-bluray.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:54:10 GMT http://www.dvd2blu.com/ http://www.dvd2blu.com/ ]]> High Definition Media II SAL II http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103767-trade-your-dvds-bluray.html John Adams $24.99 at Best Buy http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103720-john-adams-24-99-best-buy.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:38:13 GMT Was at a local BB today and while the price at the stand had a sale price of $44.99 it does ring out at $24.99 at the register. Not sure how long this sale will last but I have not seen it this low since it first came out. ... Was at a local BB today and while the price at the stand had a sale price of $44.99 it does ring out at $24.99 at the register.
Not sure how long this sale will last but I have not seen it this low since it first came out.


http://www.bestbuy.com/site/John+Ada...dams&lp=2&cp=1 ]]> High Definition Media myturn http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103720-john-adams-24-99-best-buy.html Great Amazon Pixar BD Deal ($11 each) http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103682-great-amazon-pixar-bd-deal-11-each.html Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:51:03 GMT Coupon code is PIXARBLU

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.htm...cId=1000451521

Up, Monsters Inc and Cars for $36 after discounts.


Up and Monters Inc for around $26 if you already have cars.

Great deal on some really good BDs. ]]> High Definition Media kamspy http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103682-great-amazon-pixar-bd-deal-11-each.html Happy birthday Farout777!!!! http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103635-happy-birthday-farout777.html Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:41:51 GMT Hope you have a great day. :D Hope you have a great day. :D ]]> High Definition Media PFC5 http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103635-happy-birthday-farout777.html Best Buy Boosts Blu: Home Media Magazine Article http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103584-best-buy-boosts-blu-home-media-magazine-article.html Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:50:16 GMT ---Quote--- Best Buy Boosts Blu By : Erik Gruenwedel | Posted: 11 Nov 2009 egruenwedel@questex.com *Best Buy Co. is ramping up its Blu-ray Disc software push this holiday season, allocating up to three times as much floor space to the high-definition disc as it did last year and...
Quote:
Best Buy Boosts Blu


By : Erik Gruenwedel | Posted: 11 Nov 2009
egruenwedel@questex.com


Best Buy Co. is ramping up its Blu-ray Disc software push this holiday season, allocating up to three times as much floor space to the high-definition disc as it did last year and working with two studios to test new store patterns.

Throughout its 1,023 U.S. stores, the Minneapolis-based consumer electronics chain — reportedly the nation’s No. 1 Blu-ray Disc software retailer — is allocating up to 30% of its entertainment retail space to Blu-ray, up from 10% in the 2008 holiday season.

In some stores, the Blu-ray Disc software section has been moved up front, replacing CDs, which have been pushed to the back.

The switch is significant as Best Buy typically generates 50% of its holiday foot traffic through entertainment, according to analysts. The chain, which has upped efforts to capture the nascent migration toward digital distribution of movies and TV shows, reported as a 23.4% decline in entertainment software sales in the most recent fiscal quarter.

Best Buy also is working with Universal Studios Home Entertainment and 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment in 13 so-called “movie test stores” in Los Angeles and Chicago.

In those stores, studio retail representatives have created standalone kiosks and product placements showcasing newly released Blu-ray titles that are surrounded by secondary DVD releases and catalog fare, according to Diane Sherwood, Best Buy’s merchant director for movies.

Specifically, Fox created “bull-nose” sections devoted to comedy, horror or drama characterized as “islands of interest” designed to pull in customers.

Universal created similar new-release fixtures in the middle of stores surrounded by catalog fare and highlighted by expressive signage.

“The customer has to walk through the catalog titles to get to the new releases,” Sherwood said. “We are seeing increased consumer interest in that.”

She said Best Buy instituted a policy that lets consumers unable to find a title (Blu-ray or DVD) to order it, and it will be shipped to them for free.

Sherwood said the idea behind the “test stores” is to help customers find the titles they’re interested in, in addition to getting them to “interact” with catalog product.

“Our focus this holiday season is definitely Blu-ray and stepping customers up to [the format],” Sherwood said. “We are definitely driving the industry in Blu-ray promotions.”

She said many Best Buy stores have “re-flowed” entertainment departments to allow Blu-ray Disc titles to be displayed face-out (with the front cover showing) rather than library-style, with only the spine visible. This gives customers a “better shopping” experience, Sherwood maintains.

In addition, home theater departments feature Blu-ray end-caps highlighting the steps and product required to experience HD movies in the home.


Sherwood said stores also have implemented genre-specific Blu-ray sections, in addition to carrying budget-priced Blu-ray titles selling for as little as $10.

Freestanding bins offer DVD titles from $4.99.

“We keep wondering why the [Blu-ray] adoption may not be exactly where everybody had hoped it would be,” she said. “What we’re hearing [in focus groups and test surveys] is that consumers want to get the most out of their high-definition television. And Blu-ray delivers that.”

She said the in-store focus has moved beyond the Blu-ray log to signage changes in the home theater department, online, gaming and brochures spelling out the benefits of the HD format.

Sherwood said the traditional in-store Blu-ray content playing on TV displays has been altered to focus on educating consumers that the HDTV experience can be replicated in movies. The educational process includes training store employees in home theater training, signage and monthly updates in “The DVD Insider” distributed monthly in stores.

“It’s not enough to just call out the Blu-ray logo and say that it’s a premium product,” Sherwood said. “We need to land what the customer is asking for and solve their problems. It is really about making it an end-to-end experience.”

She said no decision had been made whether to emulate Wal-Mart, Target and Amazon by offering fourth-quarter new-release DVDs for $10.

“I hate to see prices dive so low,” Sherwood said.
http://www.homemediamagazine.com/bes...osts-blu-17570 ]]> High Definition Media Kosty http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103584-best-buy-boosts-blu-home-media-magazine-article.html UP Blu Ray for ~$11.50 http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103562-up-blu-ray-11-50-a.html Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:28:03 GMT Hey, yesterday I picked the movie "Up" up from Best Buy. I had a printable $10 off coupon (see link below). Best Buy has it for $23.99, but their website has it for $19.99. I got them to price match the website and use the $10 coupon. I went to Target and the also had up for $19.99, so you may be able to use the coupon there as well. Target had it advertised as "better than the advertised price."

http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/an...p/couponoffer/

Pete ]]> High Definition Media pjc http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103562-up-blu-ray-11-50-a.html Blu-ray discs get Managed Copy; hardware support nonexistent http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103481-blu-ray-discs-get-managed-copy-hardware-support-nonexistent.html Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:49 GMT "Managed copy" has been slouching its way toward our living rooms for years now, but the technology that can make backup copies of films will finally come to all Blu-ray discs on December 4, 2009. Unfortunately, no Blu-ray player yet has the ability to make one of these copies, rendering the whole scheme pretty pointless until consumers purchase the new players (available at some point in 2010) that are capable of contacting an authorization server over the Internet, verifying that this particular disc is allowed to make a copy, making the copy, then slathering the whole thing in a heavy marinade of DRM"


"The genius of the whole scheme is that these very same rights, which are free and easy to exert on non-encrypted digital media like CDs, is that rightsholders can then sell these very rights back to consumers for extra cash. Want to put a copy of your legally-purchased new film on your iPhone or laptop for that flight to LA? You can't—but you might soon be able to purchase the right."



http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/n...onexistent.ars ]]> High Definition Media jjufon http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103481-blu-ray-discs-get-managed-copy-hardware-support-nonexistent.html Netflix likes price-window tradeoff http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103387-netflix-likes-price-window-tradeoff.html Sun, 08 Nov 2009 01:22:15 GMT *Netflix likes price-window tradeoff* ---Quote--- PHYSICAL: Retailer asking for hefty discounts, which studios have yet to give By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 11/6/2009 NOV. 6 | PHYSICAL: Netflix will accept a one-month delay on new releases—an option it is discussing with several... Netflix likes price-window tradeoff

Quote:
PHYSICAL: Retailer asking for hefty discounts, which studios have yet to give
By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 11/6/2009

NOV. 6 | PHYSICAL: Netflix will accept a one-month delay on new releases—an option it is discussing with several major studios—but only if its inventory cost is slashed by as much as half, according to sources.

The subscription rental company is believed to be discussing such an arrangement with Warner Home Video, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment and possibly others. None of the studios has agreed to drop prices as much as Netflix wants, sources said.

The same three studios have already imposed a window of at least four weeks on rental kiosk operator Redbox, as they strive to either push low-cost rentals into a later window or realize more profit from kiosks and subscriptions.

Redbox is suing the three studios and stocking its kiosks with their titles bought at retail, but Netflix is more willing to take new releases in a later window for reduced title costs. In fact, insiders say it’s an idea Netflix pitched to studios several years ago.

“Creating a rental window is not a punitive action,” Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said. “It’s a decision that the retailers and studios can make together. If the studios can entice a rentailer to create a rental window, I believe that rentailers, studios and consumers can all benefit from it.” He would not comment specifically on the pricing Netflix is looking for, but did confirm it is seeking discounts in exchange for the window.

Warner has publicly confirmed its current window negotiations with Netflix. Spokespeople for Fox and Universal declined comment on window considerations with Netflix.

Netflix’s core business is catalog transactions, which make up about 70% of its revenue. That should help ease an introduction of a 30-day delay on new releases, since most Netflix customers are relatively more interested in older content. Redbox, with nearly 100% of its business in new releases, sees the delay as more oppressive to its operations.

Studios and other sources note that Redbox and Netflix are the focus of delayed rental windows because they have much more momentum that bricks-and-mortar stores and are consequently viewed as the biggest threat to consumer sales.

“They’ve definitely grown and are a significant leader in the rental market,” said one studio executive of Netflix. “With a 30-day window, it won’t hurt their model. And they can help us overall with sales revenue.”

Studio sources said Blockbuster has been left out of the window discussion because it orders more product from the studios than Netflix and Redbox and pays a relatively high price for titles.

It’s unclear whether windowing at Netflix is imminent, but the rate at which the company is adding subscribers—it’s now at more than 11 million—is pushing studios into action.

“The economics with Netflix don’t work for us,” said another studio source. “There are several ways to change the outcome, one way is windowing, rev-share or acquisition price. But the economics need to change.”
http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6705990.html ]]> High Definition Media Lee Stewart http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103387-netflix-likes-price-window-tradeoff.html 4Q 2009 off to a great start, DVD + Blu-ray revenues up substantially from last year http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103277-4q-2009-off-great-start-dvd-blu-ray-revenues-up-substantially-last-year.html Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:18:37 GMT ---Quote (Originally by Kosty)--- Thats the first time ever that Blu-ray has had 4 consecutive weeks over $25 M in revenue. Code: --------- Date DVD Blu-ray 10/04/09 166.44 21.81
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kosty (Post 1739800)
Thats the first time ever that Blu-ray has had 4 consecutive weeks over $25 M in revenue.

Code:
Date            DVD    Blu-ray
 
10/04/09        166.44        21.81

10/11/09        156.82        32.70
10/18/09        165.63        25.09
10/25/09        210.66        38.86
11/01/09        170.30        26.52
$123.17 M in last 4 weeks for Blu-ray

$144.98 M in last 5 weeks for Blu-ray already in the 4Q
Great start to the 4Q for Blu-ray.

$123 M (last 4 weeks) is more than Blu-ray did for the first 17 weeks in 2008 (through 4/27/08).

So the first month of 4Q 2009 has already exceeded the first 5 months of last year for Blu-ray sales.

$144.98 M (last 5 weeks) is more than Blu-ray did for the first 20 weeks in 2008 (through 5/18/08).

In the last 5 weeks DVD + Blu-ray revenue combined is also substantially up from last year as well.




2008 to 2009 YEAR TO YEAR WEEKLY REVENUE COMPARISON CALCULATIONS (Matched Weeks)

Code:
Upcoming weeks 2009 Total Box Office Power (TBO) and percentage change from the TBO of the matching week in 2008 $M

11/08/09 TBO $255.41 - 26.60%  (for 2009 Release Total Box Office Power for new DVD releases)

Date            DVD  Blu-ray  DVD+BD  BD/(DVD+BD) BD/DVD*100  BD% of
Week Ending  revenue revenue  revenue  revenue    rev index  top 20 units  YTY Change

11/01/09        170.30        26.52        196.82        13.47%        15.57 13.93%(BD+181.76%  +4.35% DVD TL +14.03% YTY)
11/02/08        163.19        9.41        172.60        5.45%        5.77        8% TBO $257.09 +104.27% 

10/25/09        210.66        38.86        249.52        15.57%        18.45 19.75%(BD+184.88% +23.95% DVD TL +35.91% YTY)               
10/26/08        169.96        13.64        183.60        7.43%        8.03        12% TBO $405.08 +107.89%

10/18/09        165.63        25.09        190.72        13.16%        15.15 16.47%(BD +81.65%  -7.25% DVD TL  -0.87% YTY)
10/19/08        178.58        13.81        192.40        7.18%        7.74        11% TBO $257.09 -23.56%  (for 2009 New Release Total Box Office Power for new DVD releases)

10/11/09        156.82  32.70  189.52  17.25%  20.85 29.44%(BD+195.46%  -9.88% DVD TL  -2.40% YTY)
10/12/08        174.01        11.07        185.08        5.98%        6.36        10% TBO $66.13 -60.84% 

10/04/09        166.44 21.81  188.25  11.59%  13.10 14.85%(BD +05.53% -16.47% DVD TL -14.40% YTY) 
10/05/08        199.25        20.67        219.91        9.40%        10.37        13% TBO $203.51 -46.62% [/color][/b] revised by HMM in Oct 12 issus



]]> High Definition Media Kosty http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103277-4q-2009-off-great-start-dvd-blu-ray-revenues-up-substantially-last-year.html Amazon buy more save more bluray sale http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103271-amazon-buy-more-save-more-bluray-sale.html Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:04:54 GMT Now through November 20:
Buy 3, Save $20
Buy 6, Save $50
Buy 10, Save $100

Looks like all Universal titles, small selection.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.htm...blurayforum-20 ]]> High Definition Media sweetjebus http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103271-amazon-buy-more-save-more-bluray-sale.html <![CDATA[Slow Blu-ray Adoption: A Threat to Hollywood's Bottom Line?]]> http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103251-slow-blu-ray-adoption-threat-hollywoods-bottom-line.html Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:45:30 GMT Slow Blu-ray Adoption: A Threat to Hollywood's Bottom Line?

Quote:
Viacom's (VIA) Paramount Films business makes money through box office ticket sales, DVD sales and TV licensing of its films. In recent years, the DVD business has been the most profitable part of the film industry with many films becoming profitable only after the film is released on DVD. Viacom's recent Q3 earnings indicated that DVD revenues declined 21% year-on-year for the quarter.

Historically, Viacom's US DVD pricing increased from $21 in 2005 to $22 in 2008. We currently estimate that pricing will continue to increase to $26 by the end of our forecast period due to on-going adoption of Blu-ray HD DVDs which are currently priced above regular DVDs.

However, adoption of Blu-ray DVD players has been slow to date, with only 7% of US consumers owning a Blu-ray DVD player, according to a recent poll conducted by Harris Interactive. Furthermore, DVD alternatives such as internet video (YouTube, Hulu) and video on-demand continue to gain consumer attention. For example, Comcast's (CMCSA) video on-demand views (both paid and free) have increased from 1.4 billion in 2005 to 3.3 billion in 2008, and we expect this figure to reach 9 billion by the end of the Trefis forecast period. Netflix (NFLX), the DVD rental company, has been investing heavily in on-demand delivery, both online and through digital boxes, in anticipation of the long-term shift away from DVDs.

Overall, upgrades to Blu-ray DVDs have not had the impact that the Viacom and other media conglomerates had hoped. With DVD sales stagnating or declining, a significant profit driver for big media is at risk.
http://seekingalpha.com/article/1712...-s-bottom-line ]]> High Definition Media Lee Stewart http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103251-slow-blu-ray-adoption-threat-hollywoods-bottom-line.html Article: Blu-ray Player Makers Embrace Online Movie Delivery http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103204-article-blu-ray-player-makers-embrace-online-movie-delivery.html Wed, 04 Nov 2009 01:57:17 GMT An Excerpt:

Quote:
By MIGUEL BUSTILLO AND BOBBY WHITE
Quote:
Some of the biggest companies backing the Blu-ray format for high-definition movies are hedging their bets by introducing players that can also show Internet video, which is making surprising inroads in the home-entertainment market.


Electronics retailers and manufacturers including Best Buy Co., Samsung Electronics America Inc. and LG Electronics USA Inc. are selling Blu-ray disc players that tap into movies from online rental companies. The devices provide an alternative to pay-per-view cable services.



The hybrid movie players tap a growing library of online movies and television shows from Amazon.com Inc., which screens movies for as little as 99 cents, and from Netflix Inc., which allows unlimited movie streaming for $8.99 a month.



Blu-ray supporters fought a bruising and expensive battle over competing formats a few years ago. Now, to salvage those investments, they're incorporating a feature, Internet video, that threatens to make the players irrelevant over time but allows them to sell the disc players as multi-purpose machines this holiday.


Best Buy recently disclosed a partnership with Netflix to offer streaming video through its private-label Insignia players, and last week slashed the price of one older Insignia model by $50 to $99, promising that it will soon be made Netflix capable through a software patch.


U.S. movie disc purchases dropped 13.8% during the third-quarter of 2009 as digital distribution such as Internet streaming and cable pay-per-view rose 18%, according to Digital Entertainment Group, an industry association. Blu-ray disc sales are up 80% year-to-date, according to The Nielsen Co., but remain a fraction of overall disc sales. Nielsen estimates DVD sales are off 14%.


Sony Corp., which led the Blu-ray charge and licenses the technology, insists consumers won't abandon the format.



"The streaming services are complementary," said Lexine Wong, senior executive vice-president of worldwide marketing for Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Customers of such services "don't get to add it to your collection of movies," she said.



"The horse is out the gate and there's no going back. Consumers want Internet-enabled devices," said Reid Sullivan, a vice president at Samsung Electronics America, which also makes Blu-ray players that stream movies. "We can upgrade the software on the players to offer more content or new kinds of services."
Full Article: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...562233046.html ]]> High Definition Media The_Omega_Man http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103204-article-blu-ray-player-makers-embrace-online-movie-delivery.html Studios Say Economy Accounts for Majority of Industry Trouble http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103199-studios-say-economy-accounts-majority-industry-trouble.html Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:58:09 GMT Studios Say Economy Accounts for Majority of Industry Trouble

Quote:
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — The home entertainment industry’s current malaise is 80% due to the economy, and the business should be back in growth mode by 2012. So say the home entertainment presidents of four of the six majors, speaking Nov. 3 at a Blu-Con 2.0 panel discussion moderated by Merrill Lynch senior analyst Jessica Reif Cohen.

David Bishop, president of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, said that had the conference been held last year at this time, none of the presidents would have come.

They were too busy dealing with disaster.

“We were all too depressed,” he said. “We can’t hide from the fact that DVD was in decline 3% or 5%, but as soon as the recession hit, we all felt it in October of last year. Store traffic was down, and our sales fell.”

Now, “we’re already seeing signs of recovery,” Bishop said, as the three other panelists nodded in agreement. “There are some early titles in our business that are doing quite well. We were happy to see the results of Transformers 2.”
http://www.homemediamagazine.com/blu...-trouble-17481 ]]> High Definition Media Lee Stewart http://www.highdefforum.com/high-definition-media/103199-studios-say-economy-accounts-majority-industry-trouble.html