is the planet earth HD DVD the one that was on Discovery in HD like a few months ago? Thanks :confused:

Yes, but with a different narrator.

awesome, thanks

Yes it is. The HD version sold in stores (ie: Best Buy and Amazon) is narrated by David Attenborough. The version shown on the Discovery Channel narrated by Sigourney Weaver is sold at the Discovery Channel Store online.

Yep - the BBC branded release, which is I believe handled by Warner Home video, carries Sir David Attenborough's narration, and is AIUI 1080/24p.

The Discovery branded release, carries Sigourney Weaver's narration, and AIUI it is mastered in 1080/60i?

There is also a BBC UK release - which is labelled 1080i on the back. Anecdotally this is 1080/24p for 4 discs, and 1080i for the 5th disc of extras (which AIUI is absent from the BBC US release). However I don't know if this is the case or not - and whether the 1080i is 50i or 60i. Given that many UK Toshiba players won't handle 1080/50i until they get a firmware upgrade - I expect it is 60i - though I hope it isn't.

(FYI Planet Earth was shot in 1080/25p, whilst the extras were shot in 50i - though I thought mainly 576/50i?)

I also heard that the BBC version has an additional hour of footage adding 5 minutes here in there in each episode for a total of an hour. The reason the Discovery version is shorter is because they edited it for commercials, thus an hour cut out of the series as a whole, not each episode, maybe 5 - 10 minutes each episode.

The answer to your question is here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=940553

Short answer: no, it's a much better version (the original) than the Discovery broadcast.

There is also a BBC UK release - which is labelled 1080i on the back. Anecdotally this is 1080/24p for 4 discs, and 1080i for the 5th disc of extras (which AIUI is absent from the BBC US release). However I don't know if this is the case or not - and whether the 1080i is 50i or 60i. Given that many UK Toshiba players won't handle 1080/50i until they get a firmware upgrade - I expect it is 60i - though I hope it isn't.

It's all 60i I think -- an Alchemist conversion and looks awful imo. Offair recordings are subjectively nicer (if actually more artefacty), although I should probably check it on projector at some point (which can handle 1080p24 input).

Steven

It's all 60i I think -- an Alchemist conversion and looks awful imo. Offair recordings are subjectively nicer (if actually more artefacty), although I should probably check it on projector at some point (which can handle 1080p24 input).

Steven

Cheers Steve - what a shame. I'd specifically avoided buying the US release as I don't have a 24p set, and wanted a 25p/50i version to avoid 3:2 judder.

I guess we aren't going to see many 25/50 releases until Toshiba release the new firmware for their older players - and even then the Beeb/2Entertain may be a bit nervous releasing discs that require player owners to upgrade firmware to play... Suspect the hassle of having to cope with "I bought this disc but it doesn't play on my player" complaints would be too great...

I am amazed that Tosh marketed HD-DVD players in Europe that couldn't play European HD standard releases... (Even though they play European SD DVDs fine...)

I guess we aren't going to see many 25/50 releases until Toshiba release the new firmware for their older players - and even then the Beeb/2Entertain may be a bit nervous releasing discs that require player owners to upgrade firmware to play... Suspect the hassle of having to cope with "I bought this disc but it doesn't play on my player" complaints would be too great...

I am amazed that Tosh marketed HD-DVD players in Europe that couldn't play European HD standard releases... (Even though they play European SD DVDs fine...)

True, the BBC/2Entertain (and other European companies) may be a bit nervous about releasing discs for people that require a firmware upgrade. However other HD-DVDs have been sold with a sheet inside saying "Please ensure that you have the latest firmware update before using this disc...etc.".

So they could either just release discs in the original camera format once the firmware update has been released and with a similar sheet inside the case (and on the product description page of a store maybe saying you need the latest firmware), or they could wait a bit longer till it's believed say at least 60% of players owned (in the UK/Europe?) have the firmware capable of playing it (but still put something in the case saying "if you have any of these players...please ensure you have the latest firmware upgrade". I'm sure lots of people wouldn't mind as it would ensure better quality (by not converting to a lower frame rate). I don't know if the USA players would get this firmware update as well (they should really if HD-DVD wants to continue to be 'region free') - though the USA TVs may not be capable of playing HD at 50hz the firmware update for Toshiba players should give a way for the USA players to play these 25/50hz HD discs even if it has to convert in realtime to something their TV is capable of.

And the insider said the update should come in December so it should hopefully be quite soon.

I just saw a poster for a documentary that just says EARTH in the same font and style as PLANET EARTH. It it a documentary by Discovery. Do you guys know anything about this?

I just saw a poster for a documentary that just says EARTH in the same font and style as PLANET EARTH. It it a documentary by Discovery. Do you guys know anything about this?

I think BBC Worldwide has packaged Planet Earth up in movie format in a similar way to 'The Blue Planet' and 'Deep Blue'.

Of course, the BBC is currently running a series called 'Earth' in HD, (a Nat. Geog. co-production iirc) which is different -- but very interesting.

Steven

the BBC version is the best and unadultered. the american release edited and or cut out scenes to make time for commercials.