Sony Announces Release Dates for Blu-ray Discs

[Audioholics]

<A href="http://www.audioholics.com/news/editorials/BlurayDisctitlesBDannounced.php"><IMG style="WIDTH: 100px; HEIGHT: 100px" alt=[bluray1] hspace=10 src="http://www.audioholics.com/news/thumbs/bluray1_th.jpg" align=left border=0></A>Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) and MGM Home Entertainment (MGM) have announced the release date for their first salvo of Blu-ray discs. You can expect to see Blu-ray Disc titles in stores on May 23rd. The first volley of films from Sony Pictures and MGM will include eight titles: 50 First Dates (SPHE), The Fifth Element (SPHE), Hitch (SPHE), House of Flying Daggers (SPHE), A Knight's Tale (SPHE), The Last Waltz (MGM), Resident Evil Apocalypse (SPHE), and XXX (SPHE). On June 13th a second series of discs will arrive in stores.

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[Hanse18]

The dawn of a new time is upon us. They do not tell you on the news, but you can see it on the breeze, feel it in the sky.

 

[Blundaar]

The dawn of a new time is upon us. They do not tell you on the news, but you can see it on the breeze, feel it in the sky.

Perhaps. But it's going to be very slow in the rising.
I'm going back to bed. Wake me up next year.

 

[j_garcia]

Well, I guess I will have to take the wait and see approach. Seems like some of the titles chosen are really not what I would expect to be released to really show off the format. While I like many of those movies, the rest aren't what I would consider worth my time to purchase toward justify the purchase of a player, even if it is backwards compatible. Not to mention I already own all of the ones I really like, so I'm not crazy about double dipping to watch the same movie no matter how good it looks.

What about the sound aspect? When will we start seeing receivers and processors for the new audio formats?

The Fifth Element was the first DVD I ever purchased when I bought my 1st gen DVD player. It may be the first BluRay I buy also...

 

[Hi Ho]

I'm definetely taking the wait and see approach. I'm rooting for HD-DVD mainly because Sony, the one who brought us the brilliant root-kit security nightmare, is at the helm of Blu-Ray.

I see the first Blu-Ray players will be double the price of the first HD-DVD players, which are already available for pre-order.

 

[Spiffyfast]

I can't wait to check out underworld evolutions in HD, its about time we get a date for the release of the new technology

 

[Wayde Robson]

Hi Ho ... I'm with you rooting for HDDVD. I believe it'll provide better PC support.

From what I’ve been able to gather from this whole MMC mess is …

HDDVD seems to be the side (of the format war) with the balls (and that’s why more studios side with Blu-Ray). Mandatory managed copy is gutsy. Although Blu-Ray will support MC it's not mandatory, it's up to the producers of the disc whether or not they'll let you back up your Blu-Ray movie.

Mandatory Managed Copy on HDDVD guarantees at least one copy on your network. But, the wrinkle there is the studios could charge more for multiple copies.

It seems strange to us now with only DVD to compare. But in the future we may see "multi-copy" releases of some movies that cost a little more.

I am interested how VIAO PCs will work. Does Sony/VIAO already have AACS approval for HDCP?

Or are they waiting for the AACS to determine how HDCP compliance is going to work. We’re still waiting for an HDCP compliant video card. We'll need one of those to pipe Blu-Ray from PC to your HDTV or monitor.

The worst thing that could happen is that the AACS only approves brand name HTPC's. That would really suck. I’m interested in how that pans out.

I’m also interested what audio track will be used on the first Blu-Ray/HDDVD discs. Will they use DD+/DTSHD? Will the audio be uncompressed at sampling rates on par with DVD-Audio? Will they use Mpeg4 compression?

Everybody was euphoric about it a year ago when these details were taken as fact. But I’d like to see if the early discs hitting stores really use all the upgraded technologies we’ve heard so much about.

When all is said and done, a lot more gets said than done.

Terminator Trilogy w/ DVD-Audio sound in truly fast HD that suffers no macroblocking / MPG2… now that’s almost worth finding a Blu-Ray player for.

 

[stevecanyon]

HD DVD & Blue-ray players audio format

I see that the new Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, and DTS-HD surround formats will be included on high-definition DVDs and Blue-ray discs.

I am looking into the "possible" purchase of a Toshiba HD-XA1 HD DVD player ($799), or a Pioneer Elite BDP-HD1 Blue-ray disc player ($1,800), but I want to know if these players are capable of producing each of the above mentioned audio surround formats. If not, please explain which of the new surround formats will be produced by each player.

Also, what type of connections do I need on my AV Receiver or surround sound processor/controller in order to receive full and complete Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, & DTS-HD signals from the HD-XA1 & BDP-HD1
players?

Lastly, are these units capable of playing SACDs, DVD-As?

 

[Wayde Robson]

hey Steve. I wouldn't count on them playing back SACD or DVD-A.

But you raise some good questions, I'd like to know. Actaully, I'd like to see it for myself. When they hit stores I'll hit up some of the hi-fi specialty shop in my area and give whatever they have a close examination.

 

[pepar]

<A href="http://www.audioholics.com/news/editorials/BlurayDisctitlesBDannounced.php"><IMG style="WIDTH: 100px; HEIGHT: 100px" alt=[bluray1] hspace=10 src="http://www.audioholics.com/news/thumbs/bluray1_th.jpg" align=left border=0></A>Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) and MGM Home Entertainment (MGM) have announced the release date for their first salvo of Blu-ray discs. You can expect to see Blu-ray Disc titles in stores on May 23rd. The first volley of films from Sony Pictures and MGM will include eight titles: 50 First Dates (SPHE), The Fifth Element (SPHE), Hitch (SPHE), House of Flying Daggers (SPHE), A Knight's Tale (SPHE), The Last Waltz (MGM), Resident Evil Apocalypse (SPHE), and XXX (SPHE). On June 13th a second series of discs will arrive in stores.

Looks like I'll be buying Fifth Element for the THIRD time.

 

[stevecanyon]

Pioneer Elite Blu-ray disc player BDP-HD1 specs.

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/product/detail/0,,2076_292950646_290062577,00.html

Looks like DTS-HD is featured, but no Dolby Digital Plus or Dolby TrueHD.

Elite BDP-HD1 Features:

Spectacular picture quality: This is 1080p high-definition resolution content, the highest resolution currently available.* The visual quality difference is very clear.
Single-wire connections: One HDMITM (High Definition Multimedia Interface) digital connection is all you need from the BDP-HD1 out to your HDMI-capable AV receiver or HD flat panel. Compared to typical connections, the HDMI interface replaces numerous cords without degradation in signal quality between components.
Easy operation and setup: Eye-popping on-screen GUIs for easy navigation, to get you up and running quickly.
Multi-Format Playback: The BDP-HD1 supports playback of BD-ROM, BD-R, BD-RE, DVD-Video, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, and DVD+RW media.
Microsoft PlaysForSureTM protected content: No-hassle playback of Microsoft playsforsure audio or video content downloaded from the Web and stored on personal computers, via a home network system.**
IP Network Capability designed to DLNA guidelines: Enables a link with a networked PC to share content, including movies (even HD movies), music, and photos. (Existing home network with PC running Microsoft® Windows® XP and Windows Media Connect software [free to licensed Windows XP users through Windows Updates] required for use of all home network features.)
Digital home theater sound: The BDP-HD1 features Dolby® Digital and DTS® HD surround sound processing.
Other audio and video support:

Video: WMV, MPEG2, MPEG4-AVC, VC1

Audio: WMA, MP3, LPCM

 

[Audioholics]

Looks like I'll be buying Fifth Element for the THIRD time.

Haha. I was thinking the same thing.

It is an almost certainty that the newest audio formats will not be enabled in digital form on these new players. It's a bit of chicken and egg while we wait on everything to come together and then manufacturers can spit out HDMI 1.3.

As for SACD and DVD-Audio - HDMI will support it, but the first generation (and likely second generation) players won't - at least none that I've seen. They will, however function as upconverting DVD players (via HDMI outs) for standard DVD discs.

Realize that a) since SACD and DVD-Audio never really took off in the mainstream, and b) HDMI will support high resolution audio formats that match or exceed both of those current formats it is possible that manufacturers will not feel a strong urge to implement SACD (and perhaps even DVD-Audio) functionality on the new players.

The big question is what will the recording studios do and will they start mastering to the new audio formats?

 

[pepar]

The big question is what will the recording studios do and will they start mastering to the new audio formats?

I read somewhere that at some point in the last number of years, studios bagan digitizing their movies for DVD at 4K. That's what, four times the pixels of 1920 x 1080? And I *think* that digital recording studios have masters that are higher res than BD/HD-DVD, and older albums recently remixed in 5.1 are on masters at very high bit and sampling rates as well. This makes 'em well prepared for the next gen optical format(s) when they decide to release.

 

[BMXTRIX]

This is so much why I think the PS3 will end up deciding this format war. When DVD came out it was just all so much simpler. The first players could play about all the info that todays players can. No major hurtles to overcome, etc. Oh, and weren't they over a grand back then?

But, I really think that some of the players to be purchased with the first generation are almost foolish because they do lack features that will definitely be on second generation models. Like HDMI 1.3, full HD audio formats w/1080p compatibility.

No, the PS3 won't be the most killer playback unit, but it will deliver the content (or should) that will blow DVD away and be comparible or better than broadcast HD. Plus, even if both formats go absolutely nowhere, I can count on the PS3 to be supported for 3+ years down the road. I have no X360 issues at all - or reall HD-DVD issues. I do question people who are buying a Betamax machine though - and ONE of those formats is likely to end up the Betamax.

I am rooting for Blu-Ray.

The technology is simply a true next generation product. Higher data capacity, higher transfer rates, more studio support. It is missing out on price right now... but I'm not buying right now so it doesn't bug me that much. Oh, and the first player will be a month or two after HD-DVD. Meh.

 

[Hi Ho]

No one seems to care about Sony's not so rosy history with copy protection. I don't trust them one bit.

 

[Jedi2016]

No one seems to care about Sony's not so rosy history with copy protection. I don't trust them one bit.

Doesn't make one bit of difference to me:

1) Store-bought player.

2) Store-bought movies.

3) I don't watch them on my computer. The TV is bigger and has the much better sound system.

As long as you stick to those three things, like 99% of movie buffs out there, you'll be fine. You won't even see anything regarding the copy protection, much less will it affect you. The whole thing's been blown so far out of proportion it's not even funny anymore.

 

[Hi Ho]

Frankly, it never directly affected me either.

However, it was the last event in a long line of events/practices that caused me to turn against them completely.

I don't want to support a company that does the things that they do. It's not just the big things, but the little things as well, such as the fact that they insist of proprietory technology everywhere they can stick it. That drives me nuts and it prevents the other would-be standards from becoming standards. They charge a premium for their non-premium products, like Bose, just not as big.

 

[MACCA350]

Taken from here

**Some content may not be playable due to different recording or encoding formats or physical condition of the disc at the time or recording or playback

WTF One hell of a disclaimer Sony can get F****D They aint getting my hard earned cash!

cheers

 

[avnetguy]

I'm just glad to see release dates, the sooner these technologies get out there the faster we'll find out what the problems and limitations are.

Steve

 

[pepar]

I'm just glad to see release dates, the sooner these technologies get out there the faster we'll find out what the problems and limitations are.

Announcing release dates is good; meeting release dates is better.