http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17464821/from/RS.5/



~Josh

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17464821/from/RS.5/



~Josh

wow...a thread from you thsat actually has nothing to do with rumors of Universal becoming blu :eek:

Too funny

And this has to do with HDTV Software media how?

Maybe" Warner, Universal partner for new Theater movie delivery service" might not sound misleading...

I think this may be the birth of streaming New Release HD movies to your home if this program ends up becoming successful.

~Josh

I think this may be the birth of streaming New Release HD movies to your home if this program ends up becoming successful.

~Josh

And a rather abrupt end to the format war.

from the article:
That kind of rapid delivery, Reid said, would allow theater operators the flexibility to economically market niche films that could be shown for just a day or two to a targeted audience. It would also allow operators to quickly find more screens for surprise hits.

Agree with the first point. Disagree with the 2nd point because I'm pretty sure they can't download the entire movie in, say 30 minutes, just because they ran out of seats in the other theatres. At movie-theatre resolution, it will at least take a couple of hours to download enough buffer data to start the movie (and continue downloading the rest of the movie while playing it)

Perhaps I'm missing something, but I don't see where this has any bearing on consumer HD video disc whatsoever. Definitely a very excellent idea for the theaters though.

from the article:


Agree with the first point. Disagree with the 2nd point because I'm pretty sure they can't download the entire movie in, say 30 minutes, just because they ran out of seats in the other theatres. At movie-theatre resolution, it will at least take a couple of hours to download enough buffer data to start the movie (and continue downloading the rest of the movie while playing it)

A couple hours is a lot faster than physical delivery of the film. This would mean programming could probably be changed faster than the theater itself could prepare for the change (advertising, marquee, whatever). That should be easily fast enough to meet the goal. (Perhaps turn on additional screens for the second showing rather than the first -- got to be careful with that anyway since patrons may already be lined up for the screens the operator may wish to reprogram.)

from the article:


Agree with the first point. Disagree with the 2nd point because I'm pretty sure they can't download the entire movie in, say 30 minutes, just because they ran out of seats in the other theatres. At movie-theatre resolution, it will at least take a couple of hours to download enough buffer data to start the movie (and continue downloading the rest of the movie while playing it)


I would guess, if you're willing to pay for the bandwidth, you could download it about as quick as you wanted. For commercial purposes, it could be feasible.

I have been experimenting with downloading from various services.

I have verified that it is far far faster to go looking for a video store that has the film that to try to download it!

As far as quality, I downloaded a film and then tried to play it to some company. The skipping was horrendous. Finally, I drove out and rented it on DVD.

The only thing I see this as viable for are very esoteric titles that would otherwise not be published on DVD. For example, old movies, episodes of obscure TV shows (anybody for The Dennis O'Keefe show?).

Hasn't this tech been around for a while now? I was under the impression that some digital cinema presentations were satellite downloaded to theaters for years already?

Seems like a new spin on an old idea.

it's been done, but the download usually takes hours (at least 6 hours, IIRC).

I think this may be the birth of streaming New Release HD movies to your home if this program ends up becoming successful.

~Josh
This has nothing to do with streaming anything into your home. This is specifically for theaters only.

If you wanna stream a movie into your home, we already have Pay Per View.

It has to be said:

Great news for Blu-Ray!!!!

I fail to understand how this affects either format, as the article specifically mentioned that theatres will be the target of this technology as it will make it easier for them to change a screen from one movie to another. Also how many of us have theatre level digital projectors in our Home Cinemas, I don't.

Havent you learned? Its called Beatboy trying to stir the pot in whatever way he can.

I could write an article with one word UNIVERSAL and he would post a link.

Similar things have been around for a while. I believe the 1st ever movie digitally downloaded to digital cinemas was Episode II. I remember you could go to 1 of 6 cities for the premier ( a week before general release), pay a crazy amount of money, get an expensive dinner, rub elbows with some VIPs, and see Episode II digitally via satellite download in a theater.

It was a big deal. Lucas tried to push a new tech with each movie of the 2nd Trilogy.

Episode 1: DD-EX (had TONS of theaters install the rear surround channel

Episode 2: Satellite digital downloading

Episode 3: Actually don't know if he pushed anything for this one...maybe just digital cinemas in general? I know that the digital cinemas got extended scenes, extra scenes, etc.

I could be wrong on some of this...I just remember bits and pieces.

C'mon, deep down inside, ya gotta admit, it's a cool article.

I think this may be the birth of streaming New Release HD movies to your home if this program ends up becoming successful.

~Josh
That's quite a stretch.

That's quite a stretch.

It was quite a stretch, in the 80's, to think that you could get your music from your computer, but its been happening for over 10 years. At the rate technology is moving, I don't think we're that far from being able to download HD movies to our homes. We can already do that with OnDemand services from TV providers.

Cool article though. I like the idea of a theatre being able to shift its programming more quickly to get the good stuff in there. The ramifications to the general public is they don't have to buy into either format, they can instead just download it from the internet to their PCs at home.

At least in my opinion...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17464821/from/RS.5/



~Josh
Maybe related to this AMC, Cinemark, and Regal Entertainment Group form Company to launch Theatre Conversion To Digital Cinema (http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/070306/20070306005247.html?.v=1)

The motion picture industry is at the threshold of another major theatrical transition: the transformation from celluloid 35mm film to digital technology.

Three leading motion picture exhibition companies, AMC Entertainment Inc., Cinemark USA, Inc. and Regal Entertainment Group , have formed an equal partnership to create Digital Cinema Implementation Partners, LLC (DCIP). The company will plan and implement the deployment of digital cinema in theatres.

Digital cinema promises a new world of programming flexibility, picture quality and image consistency. It is expected to expand alternative, non-traditional theatre programming, ultimately providing more choices to moviegoers.

"These are exciting times in the motion picture exhibition industry," Reid said. "Within the next four years we will literally see thousands of auditoriums retrofitted with digital technology. Moviegoers will enjoy a number of additional entertainment options at their favorite theatre including many upcoming releases using digital 3-D technology."

It was quite a stretch, in the 80's, to think that you could get your music from your computer, but its been happening for over 10 years. At the rate technology is moving, I don't think we're that far from being able to download HD movies to our homes. We can already do that with OnDemand services from TV providers.

Cool article though. I like the idea of a theatre being able to shift its programming more quickly to get the good stuff in there. The ramifications to the general public is they don't have to buy into either format, they can instead just download it from the internet to their PCs at home.

At least in my opinion...
In my opinion, interpreting an article about movie theaters downloading movies to make it easier to change their lineups as the beginning of getting first-run movies in the home via download is quite a stretch. It's wishful thinking and nothing more.

And a rather abrupt end to the format war.

and a rather abrupt end to cinemas, do you really think Movie theaters would support a technology that's going cut their throats by drastically lowering already dwindling attendance?

I hope not, I like to get out the dam house at least every now and then.

There is no technical limitation for downloading new release HD content to home. It's purely a policy decision.

This artical is about movie theaters. Once again, there is no technical limitation to downloading new releases to movie theaters. It's purely a policy decision.

There is no technical limitation for downloading new release HD content to home. It's purely a policy decision.
How about the lack of infrastructure? How about the fact that there's a large portion of this country that can't yet get broadband speeds that are fast enough to make HD downloads feasible? Would those not be technical limitations?

How about the lack of infrastructure? How about the fact that there's a large portion of this country that can't yet get broadband speeds that are fast enough to make HD downloads feasible? Would those not be technical limitations?

They are using satellite as well.

Do you have Dish network? You can get HD PPV off Dish right now. If they choose to have fewer channels, they could easily get bit-rates in the 20's.

Let's say you have 10 movies a week. You could run them every 30 minutes, so you would need four channels per movie, or 40 HD channels. Or you could do 20 movies, starting once an hour.

They could do that. The only reason we have 200 SD channels, 16 HD DVD channels is because of policy decisions. There is no technical reason Dish doesn't show first run movies, all HD PPV.

They are using satellite as well.

Do you have Dish network? You can get HD PPV off Dish right now. If they choose to have fewer channels, they could easily get bit-rates in the 20's.

Let's say you have 10 movies a week. You could run them every 30 minutes, so you would need four channels per movie, or 40 HD channels. Or you could do 20 movies, starting once an hour.

They could do that. The only reason we have 200 SD channels, 16 HD DVD channels is because of policy decisions. There is no technical reason Dish doesn't show first run movies, all HD PPV.
You're right. I was thinking of HD On Demand instead of PPV. My bad.

would the movie industry kill the cinema like this? no way. They are not that crazy.

But what could happen.

Movie industry sells Satellite boxes like dish and direct for home use. They release the movies to these set top boxes 4 weeks after theatrical release and you do a PPV system with CC's. Done. Rinse lather and repeat. Another revenue generator for the movie industry if they plan it right.

Or they can do that with dish and direct tv if they also want.

Or they can do that with dish and direct tv if they also want.

That's pretty much what HD PPV is on Dish. It's just slower than 4 weeks.