So, existing Blu-Ray players won't be able to play 3D, either?

[mikemorel]

LOS ANGELES--(Business Wire)--

The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) today announced its plans for incorporating 3D into the widely successful Blu-ray Disc format. The rapid and enthusiastic consumer adoption of Blu-ray Disc, coupled with the format`s technical capabilities and capacity make it the ideal format for bringing a vibrant 3D experience to consumers.

"The BDA intends to take full advantage of the format`s high bandwidth and capacity to achieve the very highest possible quality 3D experience," said Victor Matsuda, Blu-ray Disc Association Global Promotions Committee Chair. "Just as Blu-ray Disc has paved the way for next generation, high definition home entertainment, it will also set the standard for 3D home viewing in the future."

The BDA, comprised of major motion picture studio, IT and consumer electronics companies, is working on a uniform specification to ensure consistent delivery of 3D content across the Blu-ray Disc Platform. The Association is examining a number of criteria and at a minimum, the specification will require delivery of 1080p resolution to each eye and backward compatibility for both discs and players, meaning that 3D discs will also include a 2D version of the film that can be viewed on existing 2D players and 3D players will enable consumers to playback their existing libraries of 2D content.

"Consumer adoption of Blu-ray continues to grow at a very steady pace," said Bob Chapek, President, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. "The 3D theatrical market has been very successful this year. We are just now seeing all of the true capabilities of 3D and with Blu-ray Disc`s superior technical characteristics, as well as the broad industry support of the format, it makes it the ideal packaged media platform for 3D home entertainment."

The current BDA efforts provide individual companies with the technical information and guidelines necessary to develop and announce products pursuant to their own internal planning cycles and timetables.

Yikes. Why even bother with profile numbers?

[recmasters]

Originally Posted by mikemorel

Yikes. Why even bother with profile numbers?

Rome wasn't built in a day, mike.

[mikemorel]

Some may recall this gem from June;

BD Managed Copy Launches in 2010, New Player Required (Update)

2 copies of the film on one disc, one in 2D and one in 3D? Is that what videophiles had in mind when they extolled the virtues of extra BD capacity?

[fitprod]

Mike,

Just stop... Go back to your under-water basket weaving business and quit posting the obvious in an attempt to bait people.

fitprod

[mikemorel]

Originally Posted by recmasters

Rome wasn't built in a day, mike.

Funny part is consumers will be buying old crappy players this holiday season without any knowledge about what is to come.

What do you think consumers will say when told they have to buy new players to get 3D and managed copy?

And I wonder how the PS3 Slim fits in to all of this? You know, the fact that Sony got rid of the Linux option, so people can't hack it as easily.

Will all PS3s have to be "upgraded"? BDA has some 'splainin' to do.

[Grubert]

Originally Posted by mikemorel

What do you think consumers will say when told they have to buy new players to get 3D and managed copy?

New player and new TV. Existing sets don't support 3D either.

[Grubert]

BTW what you bolded is actually good:

- The specification will require delivery of 1080p resolution to each eye

- 3D discs will also include a 2D version of the film that can be viewed on existing 2D players

- 3D players will enable consumers to playback their existing libraries of 2D content

What's the problem there?

[Grubert]

Originally Posted by mikemorel

2 copies of the film on one disc, one in 2D and one in 3D? Is that what videophiles had in mind when they extolled the virtues of extra BD capacity?

Well the extra BD capacity is sure coming in handy... Imagine fitting the two versions in 30 GB!

Come to think of it, HD DVD didn't support 3D either... what would you have done then?

[mikemorel]

Originally Posted by whereismymind?

Does it matter?

Could 1080p streams for each eye even have been done on HD DVD?

Much better to be splitting 50GB vs. splitting 30GB....

I say the videophiles still come out on top with blurays extra capacity....

3D takes almost twice the storage as 2D. So if studios jam a 3D copy and a 2D copy on a BD50 (+ extras) then the 2D copy will be like 9 GB, so it can fit on a DVD9, fit onto an SD card without issue, or be compact enough to sit easily on hard disc storage with Managed Copy.

Which would actually compete with downloads, come to think about it. So there you go.

[mikemorel]

Originally Posted by Grubert

Well the extra BD capacity is sure coming in handy... Imagine fitting the two versions in 30 GB!

Come to think of it, HD DVD didn't support 3D either... what would you have done then?

I paid like $129 for the HD DVD player and got five free movies (and the potential for copying those movies to hard disc in the future). HD DVD was a great, cheap, transitional technology.

I am questioning whether the blu-ray faithful will buy in, given the fact that most ponied up $400 for retarded profile 1.0, then 1.1, then 2.0 players. This, given the fact that 3D might be a questionable proposition if you have to wear special glasses to watch. Might have made some sense if this was 2005, but in 2010? As movie delivery on optical disc is declining, alienating your meager installed base is not a good idea, IMO. At what point are standards useless, if changing them requires new hardware?

Speaking of which, I wonder why Linux was dumped on the PS3 slim? Was it because of copy protection issues? If so, is the PS3 slim the first "3D capable, Managed Copy" player?

[Grubert]

Originally Posted by mikemorel

3D takes almost twice the storage as 2D. So if studios jam a 3D copy and a 2D copy on a BD50 (+ extras) then the 2D copy will be like 9 GB, so it can fit on a DVD9, fit onto an SD card without issue, or be compact enough to sit easily on hard disc storage with Managed Copy.

You're assuming that it will be totally separate video files like they're now with the anaglyph versions. Maybe they'll go for a more efficient solution, similar to the DTS-HD core+extension.

And at any rate, they can always use two discs. Even having two SKUs, one with 2D only and another with 2D and 3D. Success!

[Grubert]

Originally Posted by mikemorel

I paid like $129 for the HD DVD player

"The" HD DVD player? Do you mean "the last" HD DVD player you bought? The $125 player with five free disc offer was on Q4 2007. And I seem to remember you bought into HD DVD much earlier, didn't you?

I am questioning whether the blu-ray faithful will buy in, given the fact that most ponied up $400 for retarded profile 1.0, then 1.1, then 2.0 players.

Wrong. They bought a PS3, then upgraded it to 1.1, then to 2.0.

This, given the fact that 3D might be a questionable proposition if you have to wear special glasses to watch. Might have made some sense if this was 2005, but in 2010?

Well don't buy it and stick with regular BD players. Oh I forgot...

As movie delivery on optical disc is declining, alienating your meager installed base is not a good idea, IMO. At what point are standards useless, if changing them requires new hardware?

That meager installed base is kicking the butt of HD downlads. And people are smart enough to know that some new features require new hardware. Or were you one of those who bought a color filter to make your B&W TV display color images?

Speaking of which, I wonder why Linux was dumped on the PS3 slim?

You don't have to wonder:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/08..._install_loss/

The reasons are simple: The PS3 Slim is a major cost reduction involving many changes to hardware components in the PS3 design. In order to offer the OtherOS install, SCE would need to continue to maintain the OtherOS hypervisor drivers for any significant hardware changes - this costs SCE. One of our key objectives with the new model is to pass on cost savings to the consumer with a lower retail price. Unfortunately in this case the cost of OtherOS install did not fit with the wider objective to offer a lower cost PS3.

Was it because of copy protection issues?

If it was, they'd have removed it from firmware 3.0. Which they haven't.

If so, is the PS3 slim the first "3D capable, Managed Copy" player?

Well if it is, then you really can say that it only does everything.

[punisher]

just another way to pry money from our pockets and to make the half assed movies that are being released have some sort of gimmick to get us to watch them...just start making better movies and better transfers{Gladiator?} of existing movies and you can keep that 3-d trash....

[mikemorel]

Originally Posted by the article

The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) today announced its plans for incorporating 3D into the widely successful Blu-ray Disc format. The rapid and enthusiastic consumer adoption of Blu-ray Disc, coupled with the format`s technical capabilities and capacity make it the ideal format for bringing a vibrant 3D experience to consumers.

Amazing BS from the BSA...er, BDA.

So if the format is so widely successful, then why do they seem to be rushing 3D to market? In April, they said "there will be no 3D Blu-ray players available till 2011 at the earliest. This is because there's no standard for the format."

Why risk freezing the market for existing obsolete players unless new tech is around the corner? Unless of course, consumer studies have shown that very few are considering buying standalone blu-ray players.

And alternate methods of movies delivery are starting to kick in.

[Grubert]

Originally Posted by mikemorel

So if the format is so widely successful, then why do they seem to be rushing 3D to market? In April, they said "there will be no 3D Blu-ray players available till 2011 at the earliest. This is because there's no standard for the format."

They? Who is "they"? Your weasel words are showing, Mike. You're not fooling anyone. Least of all me.



That article said:

Originally Posted by techradar

According to Variety, there will be no 3D Blu-ray players available till 2011 at the earliest.

Misquote #1: mikemorel omits the 2011 date is an opinion, allegedly by Variety.




But wait, there's more! If we go to the original Variety article, it actually said:

Originally Posted by Variety

it seems unlikely 3-D-capable Blu-ray players will be in stores before 2011.

mikemorel misquoting a misquote. I think I've seen it all now.