What is the problem w/ Warner and Blu-Ray?? (1 Viewer)

[MatthewA]

You want lossless on BD, you're going to have to ask for it yourself:

DVD Department
Warner Home Video
4000 Warner Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91522-1543
Telephone: 818-954-6000
Fax: 818-954-6480

 

[RobertSiegel]

I just called Warner home video, and while I only got to a receptionist, who was very kind, she took down the entire explaination of this problem and promised me that within a day she would find out from her management who to complain to, and would call me back within 1 day. I think if everyone starts badgering them with a little pressure, maybe we could at least get uncompressed pcm or at least something other than Dolby digital or DD plus. I will post here when I get the call.

Please call or write to them, before our favorite movies come out with older dvd sound. The phone number and address is located above this post. Thanks Matthew for posting the phone number.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

it wouldn't be the first time consumers made a difference with WB. Remember the 16x9 Willy Wonka? That got them thinking of their "kids movies" in a whole new way.

I'm calling.

 

[Brandon Conway]

Take one off the list of HD-DVD only - The Polar Express arrives on Blu-ray Disc October 30th.

 

[RobertSiegel]

Yes, and the specs for Polar Express are regular Dolby Digital, no lossless. I am not buying any Warner title until they shape up. Why should I replace my equipment (audio) and buy the same soundtrack as I had before when 3 different lossless soundtracks are available to them (not including DTS master) for 30.00 a movie yet.

 

[ReggieW]

Matthew,

Is there a particular person we may address our concerns to?

My issue isn't lossless on BD, but the missing Jean Harlow Boxset they've been talking up for years to no avail. I am a part of a Harlow fan-club, and the members are interested in inundating WHV with as many calls as possible to get the point across.

I guess it would be whoever's responsible for the classic film catalog?

Any insight you can offer would be of great help.

Thanks.

 

[RobertSiegel]

Have any of you seen the new upcoming Warner releases? Nothing has changed. While hd-dvd gets Dolby True, many of the blu-rays are Dolby Digital (not even dd+). Some of these are TROY (DIRECTOR'S CUT), among many others, and I wonder if they are going to do the same with Twister (something I have been waiting for uncompressed because of it's awesome soundtrack). I see that 2001 a Space Odyssey has Dolby True on hd-dvd, and 5.1 PCM on blu-ray which is fine with me. Luckily Twilight Zone the movie gets Dolby True on both formats. Sad to see Warner missing the opportunity for uncompressed on Polar Express. Wild Bunch: Dolby Digital Plus on hd-dvd and Dolby Digital on blu-ray. I just wish they would at least use 5.1 uncompressed PCM at least on all of their releases, including the classics. What's the use of buying these over with similar (and only marginally better) regular dolby digital? I, for one, am into the soundtracks too, and we finally have a format with 50gb space to hold them and they still do nothing. Thanks to Sony and Disney for their 5.1 pcm and Fox for their DTS HD (which actually downconverts to regular DTS at a much better quality than Dolby Digital will, which is why they chose DTS HD (I noticed Paramount hasn't changed, Transformers fans and Shrek 3 fans will have to live with Dolby Digital+ as well as Top Gun and others).

I have to tell 'ya this pisses me off. What could possibly be the reason? Has anyone wrote by potal to Warner about this? I think we all need to do that, it's very important that they know!

 

[Vincent_P]

So Warner Brothers- a studio that actually releases title after title on Blu-ray- is the bad guy, but Fox- a studio that DELAYS AND/OR CANCELS title after title on Blu-ray- is the good guy? Man, do you have your priorities in order...

Also re: DD+ on HD-DVD vs. DD on Blu-ray- in the case of the WB releases, these are the EXACT SAME SOUNDTRACKS. WB encodes DD+ at 640 kb/s- BD doesn't support DD+ at 640 kb/s, so WB simply encodes at standard DD 640 kb/s for the BD releases. According to sources at Dolby, DD and DD+ at 640 kb/s are identical.

Vincent

 

[RobertSiegel]

So Warner Brothers- a studio that actually releases title after title on Blu-ray- is the bad guy, but Fox- a studio that DELAYS AND/OR CANCELS title after title on Blu-ray- is the good guy? Man, do you have your priorities in order...

There is absolutely no reason to insinuate I don't have my own priorities in order, can't you keep a thread at least friendly without personal attack? The post would have been just fine and your point or opinion understood without the final statement. Lighten up.

In response, Fox had reasons to delay their titles, whatever they may be. I understood they were waiting for more interactivity and the additional layer of copy protection to be ready. If you had taken notice, they stopped when news of the blu-ray hacks came out (was within weeks of that news). I don't know why anyone would be so mad at Fox, they have come out now with a great list of upcoming releases and are adding to those constantly since that big announcement. The subject of my post, Vincent, was about the soundtracks, not delaying releases. And on that subject, Fox has done an outstanding job with their soundtracks for blu-ray, every single title carrying DTS HD, which, even when downcoverted to regular DTS, should you not have a DTS HD machine or receiver, is much better that downconverted Dolby Digital for blu-ray. Thus, they were trying to bring the best possible sound to those unequipped to play the new formats as well as those who are. Not everyone can play a 5.1 PCM track either, so every player has regular DTS. I think the decision rather smart. I own a DTS HD receiver and have had the chance to test and write about the new Samsung 3rd generation model blu-ray player. Again I will say Bravo to Fox because the DTS HD is awesome and very well transferred for their discs.

But I digress....this is a thread about Warner Brothers soundtracks.

 

[Cees Alons]

So you didn't read anything about the recent cancellations?

Is DTS-MA HD now decoded on any machine? Have you heard it yourself?
Many BD enthusiast haven't.


Cees

 

[Jari K]

It´ll be. I have no major issues with DTS-HD MA, since it doesn´t "vanish" anywhere from my disc. I can listen the track when the players are updated and in the meantime listen the pretty good 1.5 Mbps "core" (after all, it´s "as good as lossless", right? ). I don´t see what is the major problem here.

Just give me PCM, DTS-HD master or Dolby TrueHD. Life is too short..

 

[MarekM]

+1 here,

Marek

 

[RobertSiegel]

agreed but the problem is that Warner isn't putting them on a good percentage of their movies. Does anyone have any idea why? I would assume that at least 5.1 pcm doesn't cost them any extra to do as there is no royalty, so what gives?

 

[Jason Seaver]

Ironically, it might be space issues - if Warner is maxing out a 30GB HD DVD, they might have to cut something back to fit it on a 25GB BD, if we accept it as a given that 50GB discs are difficult/expensive to manufacture (and maybe the exclusive studios are in the queue in front of them). Although that's something of a wild-ass guess.

 

[RobertSiegel]

Jason, a very good point...if that is the case, I sure wish they would all use 50's, I suppose it will happen eventually, this no-uncompressed issue for now on many titles including classics has me wishing something I thought I would never wish...that my favorite movies do NOT come out from Warner until they see the light on this issue, hehe.

 

[RobertR]

If the problem is the difficulty/expense of BD50 manufacturing, then it isn't a matter of Warner "seeing the light", since that's outside their control.

 

[RobertSiegel]

There seem to be dozens of 50gb discs coming out all the time, so it doesn't seem likely there's a big problem with them, can't think of any recalls I have heard of either. I would hate to think Warner would deny us the good soundtrack because they want to use a less expensive disc. Heck, I'd be willing to pay a few bucks more for uncompressed included.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

some of these discs might have been authored back before WB had their new policy of putting Dolby TrueHD on BD. Of course, if that was the reason for the lack of TrueHD on some of the new BD releases, it would be better if WB would re-author to do it right.

 

[Jason Seaver]

Unless Warner can't get them manufactured as cheaply as the other studios. The rumor that Sony's been subsidizing BD50 manufacturing for exclusive studios has been repeated often enough that many take it as a given, and even if it's not, I sort of suspect that this may be a sticking point between Warner Home Video's desire to sell both and Warner Corporate's desire to support HD DVD - their neutrality may have conditions attached, as in "no spending extra on BD versus HD DVD".

 

[RobertR]

Paramount said the extra expense of BR manufacturing was one of their main reasons for dropping the format.