Birds of Prey: The Complete Series Announced! (1 Viewer)

[ChristopherM]

I was referring to the original Warner announcement at Birds of Prey: The Complete Series from Warner Home Video on DVD - Full Screen. At the time, as you say, TVShowsOnDVD did not mention the aspect ratio. It was I (and possibly others) that pointed it out to that website, and the news item there has now been updated.

As I indicated, I don't live in the States, but it was a usually-reliable person over there who that told me that BoP was originally broadcast in 4:3 within the USA. I am extremely happy to learn otherwise, as it increases the hope that the news release was in error.

 

[Daryl L]

It was definitely broadcast in widescreen letterboxed format in the US. I just pulled out my old recordings and took a look. Thankfully the DVD's are being released because somehow the audio got messed up when I transfered them from VHS to DVD-R some time back.

 

[LizH]

Is it coming out in widescreen?


TVShowsOnDVD is saying widescreen while Amazon and WHV are saying fullscreen. :frowning:

 

[TravisR]

I've noticed a number of errors in press releases over the years. I would imagine that this is in its intended aspect ratio (which is apparently 1.78) and the press release is basically a typo.

 

[Daryl L]

No clarification yet on the aspect ratio? I'm assuming they accidently used the AR and sound option of the included webisodes instead. I hope that's the explanation.

 

[LizH]

Aspect ratio: Matted Widescreen (IOW, same as before: 1.33:1 )

They're now including the Unaired Pilot with Sherilyn Fenn.




Birds of Prey DVD news: Update for Birds of Prey - The Complete Series

 

[Will_B]

How would they even find dvd authoring software that would make a non-anamorphic transfer? Was there a time machine to the past involved?

 

[Rick P]

it means they are taking the broadcast masters and not encoding 16:9.

HORSEPUCKY! This isn't released till JULY! Light the torches, get the pitchforks! DAVID! Who do we ... er... express our displeasure to!

 

[troy evans]

I'm just glad to finally get it. Even in the release it's in. I seriously doubt it will be released again after the initial press. Let alone a remastered widescreen release. Sometimes you have to take what you can get with releases of this nature. This is one of those shows that the fans will buy and Warner knows that. I don't think they are targeting the anamorphic widescreen demographic here. For those that may think that the're one in the same, well, most of the hardcore fans already have bootlegs of this. Whatever Warner has to offer on this release is leaps and bounds above that shit. After finally getting the Aquaman pilot last year as bonus disc on Smallville season 5 and seeing it in 1:33 fullscreen, even though it was filmed in 1:78 widescreen, I was happy just to have a quality transfered release. I will be equally happy with this one as well.

 

[cart99]

Had a passing interest in this show when it aired and when i heard it announced for a dvd release I was planning to pick it up.
For me the news about this release being a non anamorphic but instead matted letterbox version has changed my mind.

I will be grabbing the Witchblade complete series anamorphic release instead.

 

[BrandonJF]

I don't quite get that. How is it that they target the "anamorphic widescreen demographic" on almost every one of their other widescreen releases? I didn't even know there was actually a "non-anamorphic widescreen" demographic. You're not even talking the difference between full frame and widescreen - this is still widescreen. Were it anamorphic, those without widescreen displays would never know the difference between anamorphic/non-anamoprhic. So, I guess the theory is that no Birds of Prey fan has a widescreen set.

This one doesn't hurt me as much as Fastlane. I don't really like BoP at all - I'm just a Batman fan and there are about 2-3 sequences that I'd find worth having. But, WB is definitely taking huge leaps backwards.

 

[Daryl L]

Absolutely correct. With everything including televisions going widescreen it's just asinine and complete ignorance to release any material letterboxed nowadays. I'm pissed about this. And to make matters worse my 42" Plasma doesn't even have a Zoom mode, only 4:3 mode, Panoramic mode (the absolute worst I've ever seen) and Full mode (it was a gift, I didn't buy it). As bad as I wanted this on DVD I'm not sure if I'll get this now or not.

 

[Pete Battista]

I am disappointed by the aspect ratio... and thrilled about the unaired pilot. At this point I think I will be keeping my pre-order active. I want this set so bad I am willing to put up with the aspect ratio... especially since I still have a 4:3 TV with no widescreen TV for me in the near future.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

Yeah I don't get it this isn't 2002, Widescreen tv's are the norm and most have them, and Anamorphic has been the standard for quite some time, sorry Warner, No Sale.

 

[Rick P]

There isn't. There is however a 'idiot suit minded demographic' who dosen't realize that a 16:9 re-encode of this would open it up to some markets that could generate a little more revenue (SciFiHD and HDNet come to mind). This is absolutely ridiculous and Warner need to hear from fandom, their buyers, loud and clear.

 

[troy evans]

Well, let me help you "get it." Warner Bros. doesn't care if you or me are happy with this release. They don't care if the widescreen is anamorphic. They don't care if someone has a widescreen tv or full screen tv. What Warner does care about is making some cash on a property that is sitting around collecting dust. Best way to do that is to release it when the new Bat film comes out. Everyone will be clamoring to get all the Batman related crap they can buy. If it wasn't for the new film coming out none of us would even see this released more than likely. Widescreen is not the priority some here would believe it is to the average consumer. Now if you want to talk about what should be standard on releases we could easily say where's the 5.1 surround mix as well. Not even Smallville put this on the sd dvds till season six. WTF? I find it amazing no one seems to complain (or at least not as often) about that shit or refuse to buy it based on that. If the argument is "not everyone has surround sound", guess what? Not everyone has a widescreen tv yet either. So the release is geared towards the average consumer as always. That's why we still have flip discs with widescreen on one side and fullscreen on the other. Now, I will say given what they have done the matted widescreen seems stupid. They should have left it plain old fullscreen. Again, with tv on dvd sometimes you have to take what you get or just don't get it at all. Just know, this is it for this show. I don't expect a re-release of this ever. I'll get it and be content.

 

[troy evans]

I agree and disagree here. I think that the studio should have made this release anamorphic, but they didn't. It would have made sense in the fact that it would be future proof, but they don't seem to care. I don't believe most people have widescreen tvs yet. In the next few years, yes, but not yet. There are still people buying up these damn fullscreen releases even when a widesreen anamorphic release is available. That alone shows that most people do not have widescreen tvs yet. Unless they are complete dumbasses and watch fullscreen content on widescreen tvs for no good reason.

 

[troy evans]

Wow! You understood what I was trying to say. Thank You. Warner doesn't care. Plain and simple. Just be glad that we got it. Because, as they don't care they could just as easily have not released the damn thing and then it would have faded into history. Do we know for fact that this isn't the way they aired it? Was it matted in the original broadcast to give it a widescreen look? Does anyone have any facts about this?

 

[LizH]

As cheap as The Why Bother? Network was, I wouldn't be surprised if it DID originally air in matted widescreen.





Most people aren't the A/V nerds that we are.

As far they're concerned, TV is something you watch Seinfeld reruns on ... lol.

 

[Daryl L]

Most people may still own fullscreen tv's or maybe not but the fact BrandonJF pointed out still shows they could have catered easily to both widescreen and fullscreen owners. Instead they screwed the widescreen owners. As bad as I wanted this set since the show was canceled (Fastlane too) I can't get either. Without zoom mode on my tv I'm stuck watching it letterboxed with sidebars or letterboxed without sidebars (stretched horizontally) and that would drive me nuts and I couldn't enjoy watching it. No BOP or Fastlane for me. :frowning: