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DVD Review HTF DVD REVIEW: How the West Was Won: Ultimate Collector's Edition (1 Viewer)

mdnitoil

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I would have certainly preferred the availability of the smilebox version, but please let's stop with the big screen excuse. This is a forum devoted to all us idiots who went out of their way to watch letterbox on 19" TVs. Screen size wouldn't be an issue.
 

John Hodson

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There is no excuse for the Smilebox version not to be included with the SD 'Ultimate' set. Am I finally pushed into buying a BD player - no, I'm simply not ready. Am I going to boycott the SD set - nope.

Am I going to relentlessly grind my teeth for the next few days after seeing those 'Smilebox' screencaps? Of course...
 

Robert Crawford

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Yes, there is an excuse, but it's not one you will accept with understanding. Maybe, if I was in your same position, I would feel the same way, but Warner still has a good business reason to do what they've done.
 

Simon Howson

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I agree with you. It would make MORE sense to only release a Smilebox version on SD because it has less resolution.

Some people may complain, but hey, people complained about OAR and letterboxing, but in the long term they were rightly ignored.

I still hold out hope that there will be a way to convert the SD version to Smilebox using an AviSynth script. I just want to wait for some screen captures directly off the blu-ray so I know exactly how to distort the SD letterboxed image.

It may take me a while to figure out how to do it, but when I do I'll share my method in this forum.
 

BillyFeldman

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For me, it's bad business, but I've said my piece and will not grind my teeth, just boycott this release.
 

Robert Crawford

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Just read up on recent Warner statements about Blu-ray and you will see why Blu-ray has it and SD DVD doesn't.
 

Robert Crawford

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It's all about growing the Blu-ray market by offering features that are not available on SD DVD. You might not like it, but that's their strategy and even though it might not work on some consumers, it will push others to get into Blu-ray. It's the same reasoning behind Warner bailing on HD DVD so soon. They made a decision that to grow the HDM market, the need for only one format was necessary to make that happen.

Blu-ray is the future of video discs, otherwise, downloads here we come.
 

BillyFeldman

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Blu-Ray may be the future, but a lot of people don't want to be shoved into it like this - forced to buy it or miss out on things like the Smilebox. It was consumers who put Warner Home Video on the map with DVDs and they should show a little respect for them. For now, I'm sure that some person at Warners realizes that Blu-Ray is a niche market akin to laserdiscs right now. It may grow, it may not, but there are millions of DVD consumers who are not ready to make the switch, no matter how better the quality.
 

John Hodson

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Well, not hard to understand at all, and quite logical from a business point of view. What is difficult to swallow is for them to use the title 'Ultimate Collector's Edition' when the SD version clearly is not. Of course, what they want is for us to buy the SD version AND the BD version, which is why, taken on their own, neither will truly satisfy 'collectors'. And so it goes...
 

MarcoBiscotti

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If offering less than the usual expected quality from a company known for exceptional products (and on such a high-end release), is a new policy to push loyal supporters to upgrade to a system which many feel is still inadequate or inappropriate for their needs, than I too will tell that company to take a hike! It IS bad business whether you agree with the decision or not. I think we need to start sending the message LOUD AND CLEAR that if studios expect to create a monopoly on BluRay discs by downgrading their standard DVD releases... we will simply hold out and not buy either!

It's the equivalent of a chef at an upscale restaurant strongly recommending an evening special but than when the patron orders otherwise, he slaps together the order with little care or effort and charges full price for the same dish. No thanks!

If I can't watch this movie in the most optimal format as it is otherwise available and should be the standard seen on a hugely successful commercial format which I've been supporting for years (as opposed to spend ridiculous amounts of money to upgrade to a system that doesn't interest me for SO many reasons right now! than I'll simply spend the money on something else that is presented to it's most effective and fullest potential. I don't support mediocrity and at the very least, WHV could have released a standalone 2-discer for the Smileboxed version of the film, if they weren't going to include it on their incomplete box set that is more about looking spiffy than the actual content and quality within.

I pass on this too... I'll give it a rental and wait for it to be presented as it should be.
 

MarcoBiscotti

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And in its irony, simply another excuse for dissatisfied consumers like myself to not accept BluRay as the new standard format with so many oversights like this which do not appeal to consumers.

DVD is still a hugely commercial source of income and finance for the studios and it's driven by US... to pretend otherwise by downgrading products in favor of a niche format is shameful. Simply put, this was a low tactic on the part of WB and since I wasn't given the option and choice as a consumer, I'm voicing my opinion by not buying any of the releases.
 

BillyFeldman

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I'm glad to see there are a few of us still speaking up. There's no defense for this - Warners used to be my favorite, but with this single action they have moved to the bottom of the barrel.

I'm sure others have noticed that certain studios are doing rather lackluster transfers for standard DVDs so that the Blu-Ray transfers seem to blow them out of the water.
 

PaulP

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And this is why Criterion, in my book, has consistently been the best DVD producer out there. They stated quite clearly that none of their DVDs nor Blu-rays will contain exclusive extras from one another.
 

MarcoBiscotti

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This is worse than withholding extras... it's like making a brand new anamorphic widescreen transfer of a film and than releasing it letterboxed on DVD. Why would anybody buy that??

The most frustrating part of this is that THE TRANSFER EXISTS yet they are holding it hostage and refusing to allow the very people who helped them excel to the top of the elite among DVD producers enjoy it! We spend thousands of dollars a year on plastic discs but still Warner Bros. won't offer us proper presentation of a film without going BR or double-dipping on this title in separate formats??

It's greedy, selfish and absurd!

If the new trend is to stop caring about the presentation of films on standard DVD than I'll simply stop spending my money. This is NOT the way to sell us on Blu Ray WHV!!!

It is a good way of pushing us even farther away though...
 

John Hodson

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It's business; Warners have a policy and we'll no doubt see more of it. Ultimately (no pun intended), the consumer will decide; this consumer momentarily wavered over whether to cancel his Amazon pre-order. Momentarily, but I'm better now...
 

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