I own both HD formats. However, my wife and I just finished watching Blood Diamond on HD DVD and enjoyed the online extras. Does anyone know if Blu-ray will ever offer similar online extras.

Yes, but you will probably need a new player (though a PS3 will probably do it with firmware update).

I suppose if I ever get an HD-DVD/BRD dual player for my PC, then I might care about On-Line Features.

As it is, I have no desire to have my stand-alone player connected to the internet. Except maybe long enough to do a firmware update.

Does anyone know if Blu-ray will ever offer similar online extras.

BD-LIVE profile.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=868226

ted

BD-LIVE profile.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=868226

ted
How soon after 1.1 is Live expected to surface? I was considering buying a player as soon as 1.1 capable player comes out, but if 2.0 is going to be right behind it, I might just wait even longer. However, if it's not expected for another six months after 1.1, I will probably just buy a player in November.

I think Blu Ray will get there, but to be honest, I think they took the right approach with things. I would venture to say the average consumer would rather have discs and players that played reliably and have cool features like web based content come later, rather than the other way around. Am I alone in that thinking? Maybe it's because extras have been very low on my priority list for movies since the second year of DVD.

I don't think you are alone.

I got the Panasonic knowing it would not be the end of things. I have owned a number of CD and DVD players - it is the way of things ;) I am more than happy with the player for watching BDs, which was my goal.

I have the HDA1 and never connected to the internet tho ... so I think BDLive is not something I would do much with.

But it is coming. I am sure it will interest some people, like the OP. :)

The trouble comes if they put essential features as web exclusive content. Web sites come and go and you may wind up with dead extras at some point.

Most of the web based stuff is so they can advertise to you. No thanks.

Place all the pertinent stuff on the disc!

All these high tech extras they are promising are not high on the want list for most film fans. Most of us just want the film presented to us in the highest quality possible.

Video commentaries... or popup videos... or actor/directors heads being overlayed on the pic while I am watching a movie... Do I really want these features? NO! They might have a coolness factor with the sixpackers, but I really just want all the bandwidth dedicated to high quality audio and video.

I am going to go crazy if I hear another actor/director say, "Here's what we were going for.... I think we pulled it off." Do I really need to see him/her in the middle of the film now when he/she makes such an idiotic statement?

The trouble comes if they put essential features as web exclusive content. Web sites come and go and you may wind up with dead extras at some point.

My thoughts exactly ....

Actually, I think many will be surprised at the creative uses of BD-Live. Imagine watching Spiderman 3 this winter. Then, just before Spiderman 4 comes out, you decide to watch Spiderman 3 again. You then access the online features of the Spiderman 3 disc and you are given the opportunity to purchase your Spiderman 4 tickets right there online without ever leaving your couch. Search the theaters, get special pricing for owning the Spiderman 3 disc, etc.

How about actor bios? With DVD, right now they are static. If you go back and look up Tobey Maguire's bio on the Pleasantville DVD, you will see all of the movies he was in prior to Pleasantville and possibly films that were in production during the DVD authoring phase. There would be no mention of Spiderman (which are, arguably, his biggest films ever). With BD-Live, you could put in your Spiderman 3 Blu-Ray and see that he has Spiderman 4 through 20 in his bio too. :)

With the internet, the possibilities are endless. No more static trailers, online fan chats, etc. I am a tab bit worried about unwanted advertising, but we'll just have to see if studios abuse the system. If they do, they will alienate a lot of users. (Just a warning to the studios). Either way, I don't see how BD-Live could be construed as a bad thing.