HD DVD goes interactive - 300 and Blood Diamond

[Emannikcufesin]

News
HD DVD Goes Interactive
Discs can offer online downloads and polls.
By Phillip Swann

Washington, D.C. (June 30, 2007) -- HD DVD owners will soon be able to re-edit movies, download trailers and participate in online polls.

The interactive features will be found in new HD DVD discs that will take advantage of the player's Internet connection.

For instance, the HD DVD of the ancient war drama 300, which will be released in late July, will allow viewers to re-edit the film by rearranging the order of scenes.

After re-ordering the scenes, the final edit can be uploaded to an Internet server where other HD DVD owners can watch it. The feature will not be available on the Blu-ray version of the disc.

Blood Diamond, which stars Leonard DiCaprio and will be released on HD DVD on Tuesday, will allow viewers to participate in an online poll after watching it.



After reading this please tell me why anyone who is format neutral would choose the Blu Ray version of 300 over the HD DVD version.

[Paul Cordingley]

That this is getting a lot of press is great for HD DVD.

Having said that, I don't want to edit a movie, and I don't want to watch someone else's edited version either - apart, of course, from the director himself. It seems strange to me ... but the kids today, who knows ...

[TheCrackedJack]

Originally Posted by Emannikcufesin

After reading this please tell me why anyone who is format neutral would choose the Blu Ray version of 300 over the HD DVD version.

I was leaning towards Blu because I hate combos. However, with all the added stuff I've decided to get the HD-DVD anyways.

[Ryan Peddle]

I don't really have an interest in editing the movie either, but it would be cool to edit some scenes or make your own trailer. But these features are hugely attractive and I think a lot of people will enjoy them.

As for the question of why a neutral person would choose BD? Well, IF the bluray used up the additional 20Gb of space and IF the PQ and AQ were superior on BD, I could see purists purchasing the BD version instead...but this will not be the case.

[MidnightWatcher]

Looks like a lot of people are interested in the HD DVD of 300. It's the second HD DVD title now to break the Top 10 on Amazon.com. I don't think that even Blu-ray has managed to do two titles yet.

[oliverjg]

Originally Posted by Ryan Peddle

I don't really have an interest in editing the movie either, but it would be cool to edit some scenes or make your own trailer. But these features are hugely attractive and I think a lot of people will enjoy them.

As for the question of why a neutral person would choose BD? Well, IF the bluray used up the additional 20Gb of space and IF the PQ and AQ were superior on BD, I could see purists purchasing the BD version instead...but this will not be the case.

would be nice to be able to edit a half hour or so out of king kong.

glad they didn't for the release becasue it must be complete. but to play around...

[rover2002]

Originally Posted by oliverjg

would be nice to be able to edit a half hour or so out of king kong.
glad they didn't for the release becasue it must be complete. but to play around...

Bingo

[sedaku]

By "Edit", I guess they mean rearrange the order of scenes, other people will then download the so called "edited" version (1kb of text recording the order telling your player which scene to play). WoW, some advance stuff.

Download trailer and online poll ? Hmm, this REALLY get me excited. I mean a poll, ONLINE, how cool is that. I hope we will be able to surf the net and stuff from our HD-DVD player in the future . Oh wait... I AM on the INTERNET.

[MidnightWatcher]

Originally Posted by sedaku

By "Edit", I guess they mean rearrange the order of scenes, other people will then download the so called "edited" version (1kb of text recording the order telling your player which scene to play). WoW, some advance stuff.

Download trailer and online poll ? Hmm, this REALLY get me excited. I mean a poll, ONLINE, how cool is that. I hope we will be able to surf the net and stuff from our HD-DVD player in the future . Oh wait... I AM on the INTERNET.

With HD DVD you'll eventually be able to download new subtitles, new language audio tracks, the latest new high-def movie trailers, find out about upcoming HD DVD releases, make purchases, attach a USB hard disk drive for increased persistent storage, etc.

[acegamer]

Cool, I was thinking of getting the Blu-Ray version on Amazon because it is 4 dollars cheaper, but now I'll go ahead and get the HD-DVD version anyway. I don't know if I'll even bother to use the extra features but they will be nice to have anyway, just in case I ever decide to play around with them.

[sedaku]

Originally Posted by MidnightWatcher

With HD DVD you'll eventually be able to download new subtitles, new language audio tracks, the latest new high-def movie trailers, find out about upcoming HD DVD releases, make purchases, attach a USB hard disk drive for increased persistent storage, etc.

The only appealing features are downloading subtitle and audio track. Which hardly any appeal at all if you are not foreigner. Even then there is hardly any reason for the subtitle to not be also included. Still it's pretty nice. I give you that. But seeing subtitle is only a bunch of text it's not exactly advanced feature.

And audio track, are we talking MP3 quality here?

High-def movie trailer ? Does hard drive come with that ?

So HD-DVD player is trying to replace personal computer now? Advertising on thing like surfing the web, online poll, purchase (I am gonna enter my credit card on that thing, yeah right), and my personal favorite-"storage"- is hysterical.

I am still trying to get over the fact that people are getting excited because they will be able to take a freaking online poll and getting access to movie trailer. What are we now? Coming back to web 1.0 ?

[MidnightWatcher]

Originally Posted by sedaku

High-def movie trailer ? Does hard drive come with that ?

That was such a stupid question. How old are you?

[RussTC3]

Originally Posted by MidnightWatcher

Looks like a lot of people are interested in the HD DVD of 300. It's the second HD DVD title now to break the Top 10 on Amazon.com. I don't think that even Blu-ray has managed to do two titles yet.

I still don't see the HD DVD version outselling the Blu-ray one. I mean, there are just so many more Blu-ray players out there, it doesn't seem possible.

And we're still at the early adopter stage anyways, which means most don't care about the special features.

Again, I'll be very surprised if the HD DVD version outsells the Blu-ray one. It's not as if all the Blu-ray owners are going to NOT buy the version made for their player.

They should both do very well though. And considering that the special edition 2 disc for DVD is only $3 less, some SD users may pick up the combo.

It's definitely going to be an interesting showdown, one that could go either way.

[Topweasel]

Think about it this way what if one day you decided well I want to watch 300 but only with the fight scenes. It might not be right in some peoples mind but it can be done. I could see myself doing it, hell i could see myself doing not because i would want to watch it that way, just to see it done.

This also is probably the final step before we get actual seemless branching.

[Emannikcufesin]

Originally Posted by sedaku

The only appealing features are downloading subtitle and audio track. Which hardly any appeal at all if you are not foreigner. Even then there is hardly any reason for the subtitle to not be also included. Still it's pretty nice. I give you that. But seeing subtitle is only a bunch of text it's not exactly advanced feature.

And audio track, are we talking MP3 quality here?

High-def movie trailer ? Does hard drive come with that ?

So HD-DVD player is trying to replace personal computer now? Advertising on thing like surfing the web, online poll, purchase (I am gonna enter my credit card on that thing, yeah right), and my personal favorite-"storage"- is hysterical.

I am still trying to get over the fact that people are getting excited because they will be able to take a freaking online poll and getting access to movie trailer. What are we now? Coming back to web 1.0 ?

Have you seen Fast and the Furious 3 or read the reviews of Freedom on HD DVD? The potential for some truly amazing things on this player is happening now, so how can you not be excited? Isn't this why you bought a next generation dvd player, for next generation playback and features? The downloadable audio and subtitle tracks would be huge for HD DVD because the player is region coded free. Think of the possibilities with importing titles, which a number of owners currently do. Imagine the other side of living in China and wanting a US HD DVD release that doesn't offer Chinese subtitles. Not a problem, just download the audio/subtitles of your language and it's a non issue. Oh, I think I see your perspective now, you must have purchased the other player...the one that costs more and offers less. My condolences, I understand your sour grapes now.

[oliverjg]

Originally Posted by RussTC3

I still don't see the HD DVD version outselling the Blu-ray one. I mean, there are just so many more Blu-ray players out there, it doesn't seem possible.

....

what happens if warner simply tells the truth about the hd dvd features in its advertising and during the 300 release weeks toshiba has another instant rebate?

even if the hd dvd disc doesn't come out on top at launch, what happens to hd dvd player sales and then after that the sales of existing hd dvd titles?

[RussTC3]

I'm just saying that it's not a given the HD DVD version will sell more.

After all, Blu-ray owners want their 300 fix too! I'm sure the dual format owners will break towards the HD DVD though.

Will the regular special features (i.e. non HD exclusive) be on the SD side as well, or just the HD side? That's a factor too.

[snookalo]

I'm not a current HD DVD owner, I'll get that out here right now. But I am looking, hard, and counting my money trying to pick up a cheap HD-A1. Now, I really don't see these options as a big deal or a reason for me to pick up a more expensive HD-DVD over a BRD. I would probably rent the HD-DVD version over the BRD one though from Netflix. I do like the fact that the HD-DVD lot is trying to add more to the discs. I think the editing thing is a neat idea, and I would probably play with that some, but the poll thing is stupid.

[AnthonyB]

I wonder how this will work with players like PowerDVD and other HTPC players. I really don't want to have to break out my A1 just because of this.

[sedaku]

Originally Posted by Emannikcufesin

Have you seen Fast and the Furious 3 or read the reviews of Freedom on HD DVD? The potential for some truly amazing things on this player is happening now, so how can you not be excited? Isn't this why you bought a next generation dvd player, for next generation playback and features? The downloadable audio and subtitle tracks would be huge for HD DVD because the player is region coded free. Think of the possibilities with importing titles, which a number of owners currently do. Imagine the other side of living in China and wanting a US HD DVD release that doesn't offer Chinese subtitles. Not a problem, just download the audio/subtitles of your language and it's a non issue. Oh, I think I see your perspective now, you must have purchased the other player...the one that costs more and offers less. My condolences, I understand your sour grapes now.

Hah, typical response of clueless fan.

First, forget about the downloading gimmick that seem so promising. The HD DVD player have what ? under 200Mb of storage space. For that amount of space you are lucky if you will be able to fit 2 hours of 192Kbps MP3 sound quality, so let just forget about "hidef media" that stream at a few megabits/s, btw, YouTube say hello. Expandable USB storage you say ? A media format that need external storage, that's an irony in itself.

Just so you know, all the "internet extra stuff" on the FreeDom:1 disc for example ALREADY LOADED on the disc. Having to connect to the internet and download the permission to unlock it, and you have the nerve to call this "next generation". Look like stone-age to me.

Second, if the company want someone from china to buy their disc, they could have already included a subtitle. Like I said before, a subtitle is NOTHING advance. There is NO reason for the studio to put the subtitle online only and NOT already included in the disc. Oh wait... there is, marketing trick. Where do you think you will download your subtitle from, fan site?

Perspective? I certainly was not let down when expecting an insecure format fanboy to jump in with their half-wit comment and accused me of being the supporter of OTHER format. Don't get me wrong, I actually want you to support HD-DVD. Feel free to pour all your heart into it. So in the end you can fully realize how wrong you was and what a fanboy you are.

PiP is proven to be a commercial failure (Television maker used to market them for decades now, wonder what happen to that idea). The possibilities with PiP and TV channel is incredible, and it didn't even goes through. You think have PiP in a movies and people will jump for it ? Hah. Another marketing trick.

If you don't get it by now, let me spell it for you. MARKETING GIMMICKS. They tried to market something that sound advanced, when in fact, it isn't. What more funny is the people that fall for it and actually praise it. Next gen is here ? Sure.

[Deja Vu]

Originally Posted by sedaku

Hah, typical response of clueless fan.

First, forget about the downloading gimmick that seem so promising. The HD DVD player have what ? under 200Mb of storage space. For that amount of space you are lucky if you will be able to fit 2 hours of 192Kbps MP3 sound quality, so let just forget about "hidef media" that stream at a few megabits/s, btw, YouTube say hello. Expandable USB storage you say ? A media format that need external storage, that's an irony in itself.

Just so you know, all the "internet extra stuff" on the FreeDom:1 disc for example ALREADY LOADED on the disc. Having to connect to the internet and download the permission to unlock it, and you have the nerve to call this "next generation". Look like stone-age to me.

Second, if the company want someone from china to buy their disc, they could have already included a subtitle. Like I said before, a subtitle is NOTHING advance. There is NO reason for the studio to put the subtitle online only and NOT already included in the disc. Oh wait... there is, marketing trick. Where do you think you will download your subtitle from, fan site?

Perspective? I certainly was not let down when expecting an insecure format fanboy to jump in with their half-wit comment and accused me of being the supporter of OTHER format. Don't get me wrong, I actually want you to support HD-DVD. Feel free to pour all your heart into it. So in the end you can fully realize how wrong you was and what a fanboy you are.

PiP is proven to be a commercial failure (Television maker used to market them for decades now, wonder what happen to that idea). The possibilities with PiP and TV channel is incredible, and it didn't even goes through. You think have PiP in a movies and people will jump for it ? Hah. Another marketing trick.

If you don't get it by now, let me spell it for you. MARKETING GIMMICKS. They tried to market something that sound advanced, when in fact, it isn't. What more funny is the people that fall for it and actually praise it. Next gen is here ? Sure.

So, do you own an HD DVD player? As far a next generation goes where in your opinion does Blu-Ray fit in since it currently offers less options than HD DVD? I guess BD's limited features are just more marketing gimmicks too! No point in you owning either format I'd guess.

Cheers,

Grant

[sedaku]

Originally Posted by Deja Vu

So, do you own an HD DVD player? As far a next generation goes where in your opinion does Blu-Ray fit in since it currently offers less options than HD DVD? I guess BD's limited features are just more marketing gimmicks too! No point in you owning either format I'd guess.

Cheers,

Grant

Who said anything about what blu-ray have to offer ? BTW, you have anything else to say or you don't even know what "advanced features" you are paying for ?

And why do I have no point in not owning either format ? Because I don't want to take a freaking poll with the Blood Diamond disc ? Btw, tell me how that work out. Wait, let me CREATE A POLL on this forum asking people how their polling experience is.

I guess you are a gimmick-fan, not movies fan.

,Cheers

[Axiom Divine]

Editing would have it's benefits for a number of good reasons...Some right off the top of my head would be for demo purposes, and even to get rid of long winded boring sections of movies for smaller children, i.e. King Kong. My son likes all the parts with King Kong and the animals, but could care less about the rest...Plus the idea that a scene or line of a movie that makes me cringe everytime I watch it could be edited out...well, let's just say I would have no shame in maintaining a "director's vision" in this circumstance.

Originally Posted by sedaku

So in the end you can fully realize how wrong you was and what a fanboy you are.

How wrong I are and what a fanboy I is.

[evolver]

When are you fools going to realize that HD DVD is dead dead DEAD?! Search your heart. You know it to be true. It even says so on the 300 HD DVD page on amazon, so it has to be true! These special features will not save HD DVD. Why do you persist in supporting a doomed format?

This is madness!

[Axiom Divine]

Originally Posted by evolver

When are you fools going to realize that HD DVD is dead dead DEAD?! Search your heart. You know it to be true. It even says so on the 300 HD DVD page on amazon, so it has to be true! These specal features will not save HD DVD. Why do you persist in supporting a doomed format?

This is madness!

No, THIS IS SPARTA!

[Topweasel]

Originally Posted by sedaku

Who said anything about what blu-ray have to offer ? BTW, you have anything else to say or you don't even know what "advanced features" you are paying for ?

And why do I have no point in not owning either format ? Because I don't want to take a freaking poll with the Blood Diamond disc ? Btw, tell me how that work out. Wait, let me CREATE A POLL on this forum asking people how their polling experience is.

I guess you are a gimmick-fan, not movies fan.

,Cheers

You don't have to be a gimmick fan to want to choose this option. Lets see for an extra 5 bucks you get 1.) A great Movie 2.) A great movie on DVD to play in your other players 3.) Be able to see what you favorite scenes look without all of the CGI 4.) The Ability for a great action movie be able to edit out the longer (while important not necessary) dialogue scenes. Think about just waking up and going hey wouldn't it be great to get right to the blood and gore. Instead of having to forward through certain scenes you just load the action only config. 5.) You get some limited online features with varying degrees of usefulness.

Why would a movie fan not want a version of the movie that allows them to get more indepth? Haven't you ever wondered in CGI filled movie how this might of looked to the director during shooting? Or the Idea of being a a producer just for fun and see if you can make a shorter but just as fun cut? Me I would say that anybody not waiting to pick up the HD-DVD version are the ones that aren't movie fans.

[hmurchison]

I love the interactive features of HD DVD. I don't have my player hooked up to the internet but I will eventually. I never talk down extra features if they don't cause any negative effects. If I don't use a feature that's fine but that doesn't meant someone else won't. I don't text on my cell but if text features are there I don't think they're useless..they're simply not something I personally will value.

As for storage there's 1GB of RAM in every HD DVD (in the A1 at least) for persistent storage. Bookmarks and other current features don't take up a lot of storage. I don't know where sedaku got 200MB...sounds like he pulled that from his nether regions.

Toshiba has already announced the Vardia line
http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/12/t...th-600gb-disk/

In Japan they will have hard disc drives for persistent storage so that stuff like Managed Copy and downloads can be stored locally and syncronized with your movies.

In fact the HD DVD Reference platforms will be based on the Broadcom BCM7440 which has not 1 but 2 SATA connections. I expect to see HD DVD/HDD players next year.

HD DVD has taken the lead decisively regarding interactive features and network support and for this computer enthusiast that makes it the platform to watch.

[Goatse]

re edit films?? why?? I see movies as art and vision intended by the director, why change it?? Its like buying a mona lisa and changing the painting by putting on a sunglasses and a tshirt.

[onthepunt]

think this is another useless gimmick feature like the web browsers on wii/ps3. First off I dont have internet access in my living room with my big HDTV and secondly who gives a damn about an online poll? I can create one now on AVS! Re-arranging the scenes is stupid too, shame HD DVD is desperate for these gimmicks when they should be focusing on picture and sound quality

[Topweasel]

Originally Posted by Goatse

re edit films?? why?? I see movies as art and vision intended by the director, why change it?? Its like buying a mona lisa and changing the painting by putting on a sunglasses and a tshirt.

No its like buying the mona lisa. Then making a copy of that and putting sunglasses and a hat on the copy. Its not like the original is lost, think of it as like branchless seeming for the theatrical and directors cut, cept instead of a DC its a FC (Fans Cut). We already have movies like SoaP that are affected during shooting, why shouldn't we have the ability to personalize a movie we like as long as we aren't affecting the original.