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HD Advisor Surprise Symphony No. 94Editor's Note: Each Friday, High-Def Digest's own HD Advisor will answer a new round of questions from our readers. If you have home theater questions you need answered, send an email to [email protected]. If you've already sent a question and don't see it answered yet, please be patient as we work our way through them. To browse through previously answered questions, visit the main HD Advisor page. Answers by Joshua Zyber Audio and Video Drop-Outs Q: I primarily watch Blu-rays on my main home theater set-up. This includes a Panasonic 65" VT25 plasma television, an OPPO BDP-93 Blu-ray player, and a Pioneer VSX-1020K A/V receiver. Occasionaly I will lose both audio and video for just a split second. The television screen will go black, sound is lost completely, and the audio decode display on my receiver will go blank. This lasts for literally less than one second, but I have never experienced this on any of my other televisions, or other A/V receivers. I have a feeling that this entire event is being caused by my receiver, as the television itself has never lost audio and video, or either whilst viewing without the receiver turned on. I have both audio and video going through my receiver via HDMI. If it were the television causing this, I believe I would only lose my video signal. If it were the Blu-ray player causing this, I don't believe it would manifest itself this way. Moreover, I previously used a Sony BDP-S770 before obtaining the OPPO, and this happened once or twice while using that player. If this is being caused by my receiver, is it putting my television, speakers, or Blu-ray player at risk? It's quite disturbing to experience it happening, especially if I have the volume cranked up. Is this an issue that would warrant contacting Pioneer and pursuing a service request? Or is it happening too infrequently for them to be able to pinpoint the problem? I have owned many other HDTVs, receivers, and Blu-ray players, and this problem is unique to my current primary home theater set-up. Do you have your video and audio going through your receiver via HDMI? Have you ever experienced anything like this? A: It sounds to me like you're probably experiencing HDMI handshaking problems somewhere in your signal chain. If the HDMI connection loses its "handshake," video and audio will cease to transmit until the handshake is re-established. If you have an A/V receiver in the middle of your signal chain, the Blu-ray player needs to handshake with the receiver, and the receiver needs to handshake with the TV. The problem could be occurring at either of these junctures. If you believe the receiver is at fault, I would recommend testing this by connecting the Blu-ray player directly to your TV for a while. If you continue to get the drop-outs, the problem must be in either the Blu-ray player or the TV. I would also recommend that you make sure that all of your equipment that offers the ability to upgrade firmware (the OPPO player certainly does) is currently up-to-date in that regard. As I recall, the first batches of the OPPO BDP-93 player were known to have handshaking issues with certain brands of receiver. OPPO later issued a firmware update that fixed this. If your firmware is current, I would suggest that you attempt to contact OPPO Digital first, because I know that company to be more responsive than Panasonic or Pioneer. If you provide them with the details of your signal chain and your issue, they might be able to replicate the problem on their end. Do you have other video sources (such as cable TV?) routed through the same A/V receiver? Have you experienced drop-outs with those? If the drop-outs only occur on Blu-ray, this leads me to suspect the Blu-ray player, or the specific combination of the Blu-ray player with that model of receiver, is the culprit. As for whether these drop-outs are harmful to your equipment, I don't believe so, unless you've also experienced a loud audio pop when it happens. The audio pops could damage your speakers. If that isn't the case, drop-outs like this are really more of a nuisance than anything. You should certainly do what you can to get them corrected, but I doubt that you've caused any permanent harm to your home theater gear. Time Compression on Broadcast TV Q: I've noticed multiple times that movies on TV will be noticeably sped up. The first time I noticed this was 'Spider-Man 3'. If I remember correctly, the channel was TBS. It took me a few minutes to figure out what was putting me off so much. But as soon as I got it, it appeared horribly jarring. It really made the whole thing look cheap. Of course, the commercials were in normal speed. That particularly offended me. I've seen the problem several times since on various channels. Is this now normal? And are the networks just doing it so they can fit more commercials? And how long has this been going on? A: Unfortunately, time compression of movies broadcast on television is not a new phenomenon. Networks have done this pretty much ever since the first movies were ever aired on TV. It's especially prevalent on basic cable channels, but the major networks do it too. Aside from the pay channels, broadcast TV schedules are almost always divided up into neat blocks of half-hour and hour segments. The running lengths of theatrical movies, on the other hand, are rarely so regimented. If a network has a two-hour timeslot to fill, but the movie it wants to air is 2hr. 3 min., it's very rare that a network will let the movie run over. The options instead are to cut footage or speed up the playback so that the movie finishes faster. Depending on the exact length of the film, some combination of both may be used. Of course, you also need to factor commercials into this. Advertising is how the networks actually make money. Per their contracts with the advertisers, the networks will not edit or speed up the commercials. From a business perspective, the ads are more important than the movies being shown. The pressure to fit more commercials into the time slot with the movie often leads to some very aggressive editing and time compression. The pay channels (HBO, Showtime, etc.) are more flexible with timeslot scheduling, don't have commercials, and don't usually have censorship requirements. So, these issues are less common there. That's the benefit of paying for those stations, I suppose. (Editor's Note: Though I recently watched 'The American President' on HBO and was stunned to realize Richard Dreyfuss, the chief foil for the entire movie, had been completely cut from the last half of the film!) "Flipper" Discs Q: Summit Entertainment recently started releasing "flipper" discs. That is, a disc authored with Blu-ray on one side and DVD on the other. I first noticed this on the 'Letters to Juliet' Blu-ray, and then the trend popped more recently with 'The Twilight Saga: Eclipse', and 'RED'. I have not noticed any other studio releasing these flipper discs. I'm wondering if this affects the video quality of the Blu-ray video transfer on the disc? I would assume that dividing up that much disc space for a separate DVD transfer would have to take away from what could have potentially been invested in the Blu-ray video transfer. Am I wrong in believing this? A: "Flipper" type discs like you describe should not compromise the Blu-ray video quality. They essentially amount to a Blu-ray and a DVD glued together back-to-back. The Blu-ray content and the DVD content remain separated to their own disc layers, and are not intermingled together. The DVD content won't be taking up any disc space on the Blu-ray layers. I don't have any of the titles you cite, but the Blu-ray spec provides for dual-sided discs that can contain two layers per side, for a total of four layers per disc. This means that a "flipper" disc can store the same full 50 GB of content on the Blu-ray side as a normal one-sided disc. (Assuming that's how the studio has chosen to author and press the discs, of course.) Homework Assignment: You Be the Advisor The HD Advisor knows many things, but he doesn't know everything. Some questions are best answered with a consensus of opinions from our readers. If you can help to answer the following question, please post your response in our forum thread linked at the end of this article. Your advice and opinions matter too! Bandwidth Limiting Issues with Streaming Content Q: My Roku box and PS3 were working well streaming content in HD, until recently. After hours of talking to AT&T, Netflix, Roku and Vudu help lines, I am still unable to play any of the above in HD. I have checked all port settings and firewall settings for the units. Have any other readers had this trouble? When I directly asked AT&T about bandwidth limiting these devices (Roku, PS3, Vudu), they would not answer my question! The really strange thing is that my computer can play Netflix and Amazon in HD and pulls 5.5 mbps. I'm at a loss. Check back soon for another round of answers. Keep those questions coming. Joshua Zyber's opinions are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of this site, its owners or employees.Posted Fri Feb 18, 2011 at 11:00 AM PST by: -
'IMAX: Mummies - Secrets of the Pharaohs' Announced for Blu-ray 3D[teaser] Unwrap the ancient mysteries of Egypt in the third dimension next month. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Image Entertainment has revealed 'IMAX: Mummies - Secrets Of The Pharaohs - 3D' narrated by Christopher Lee will hit the high-definition format on March 29. The Blu-ray 3D (2D also included) will feature 1080p video, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtracks, and supplements haven't been revealed yet. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $24.98. You can find the latest specs for 'IMAX: Mummies - Secrets of the Pharaohs - 3D' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under March 29.Posted Fri Feb 18, 2011 at 10:30 AM PST by: -
'Chawz' Blu-ray Announced[teaser] The 2009 South Korean black comedy also known as 'Chaw' is planned for Blu-ray at the end of April. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Magnolia has revealed 'Chawz' is coming to Blu-ray on April 26. The film is directed by Jeong-won Shin ('Sisily 2km') and has been described as "'Jaws' with a wild boar." Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Chawz' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under April 26.Posted Fri Feb 18, 2011 at 09:30 AM PST by: -
Redbox Subscription Streaming Plans are Official[teaser]Just who they're working with is still a mystery, but Walmart, Amazon, and CinemaNow are all rumored. [/teaser] Redbox is doing just fine financially, but that doesn't mean that the company is just going to sit there complacent and collapse under its own weight and failure to evolve. That's more of a Blockbuster thing. Instead, Redbox is going to be the next company stepping into the highly profitable business of subscription based streaming, making them the first real competitor to Netflix. Mitch Lowe confirmed this in a meeting with analysts this week, but stated that just who they'll be working with is up in the air. "What we're looking for is a partner that, yes, has customers, but also more importantly has a lot of quality entertainment rights," said Lowe. CinemaNow has often been touted as the logical choice, but the Seattle Times is reporting that Walmart's Vudu service and the upcoming Amazon streaming service are possible Redbox partners. Walmart might be the most logical, since Redbox kiosks are already in thousands of Walmart stores around the country. Source: EngadgetPosted Fri Feb 18, 2011 at 09:00 AM PST by: -
'Taxi' Blu-ray Announced[teaser] As everybody will be frantically rushing out to buy Scorsese's 'Taxi Driver' on Blu-ray in under two months, Fox is hoping some folks will inadvertently grab this 2004 decoy in the April chaos instead. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, 20th Century Fox says 'Taxi' is coming to Blu-ray on April 5. The crime comedy stars Queen Latifah as a mouthy New York cab driver who helps a bumbling cop (Jimmy Fallon) try to solve a string of bank robberies. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and no supplements have been revealed so far. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is still undetermined at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'Taxi' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under April 5.Posted Fri Feb 18, 2011 at 08:00 AM PST by: -
'Fat Girl' and 'Smiles of a Summer Night' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]Breillat and Bergman get the Criterion Blu-ray treatment this May. [/teaser] Criterion has revealed the 2001 drama 'Fat Girl' for Blu-ray on May 3. 'Fat Girl' ('À ma soeur!') is not only a portrayal of female adolescent sexuality and the complicated bond between siblings but also a shocking assertion by the always controversial Catherine Breillat that violent oppression exists at the core of male-female relations. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio, and supplements include: Behind-the-scenes footage from the making of Fat Girl; Two interviews with director Catherine Breillat, one conducted the night after the film’s world premiere at the 2001; Berlin Film Festival, the other a look back at the film’s production and alternate ending; French and U.S. theatrical trailers; and a booklet featuring an essay by film scholar Ginette Vincendeau, a 2001 interview with Breillat, and a piece by Breillat on the title. On the same day, Criterion will also be bringing the 1955 Swedish comedy 'Smiles of a Summer Night' to Blu-ray. In turn-of-the-century Sweden, four men and four women of different classes attempt to navigate the laws of attraction. During a weekend in the country, the women collude to force the men’s hands in matters of the heart. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: Video introduction to the film by director Ingmar Bergman; Video conversation between Bergman scholar Peter Cowie and writer Jörn Donner, executive producer of Fanny and Alexander; Original theatrical trailer; and a booklet featuring an essay by theater and film critic John Simon and a 1961 review by film critic Pauline Kael. Suggested list price for each Blu-ray is $39.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Fat Girl' and 'Smiles of a Summer Night' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under May 3.Posted Fri Feb 18, 2011 at 06:00 AM PST by: -
'The Violent Kind' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The Butcher Brothers' latest thriller is going high-definition in May. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Image Entertainment has revealed 'The Violent Kind' is coming to Blu-ray on May 10. Brace yourself for an unrelenting new horror classic that’s scary, rough, and willing to break all the rules! Your life will never be the same when you meet 'The Violent Kind,' a ruthless pack of unstoppable psychopaths terrorizing the wilds of Northern California. Now they have their eyes on young Cody, the member of a notorious biker gang whose ex-girlfriend, Michelle (scream queen Tiffany Shepis), turns up hysterical, drenched in blood… and carrying a dark, terrifying secret. Unrelenting and wildly unpredictable, this acclaimed shocker from the Butcher Brothers, directors of the horror hit The Hamiltons, shocked audiences at Sundance and takes you on a wild ride you’ll never forget. Specs have yet to be revealed, but supplements will include a making of featurette, deleted scenes, and a trailer. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.97. You can find the latest specs for 'The Violent Kind' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under May 10.Posted Thu Feb 17, 2011 at 12:30 PM PST by: -
'Pale Flower' Blu-ray Dated & Detailed[teaser]Masahiro Shinoda's 1964 crime romance is slated for Blu-ray this May. [/teaser] The Criterion Collection has announced 'Pale Flower' for a Blu-ray release on May 17. In this cool, seductive jewel of the Japanese New Wave, a yakuza, fresh out of prison, becomes entangled with a beautiful yet enigmatic gambling addict; what at first seems a redemptive relationship ends up leading him further down the criminal path. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a uncompressed monaural soundtrack, and supplements include: New video interview with director Masahiro Shinoda; Selected-scene audio commentary by film scholar Peter Grilli, coproducer of Music for the Movies: Toru Takemitsu; original theatrical trailer; and a new essay by film critic Chuck Stephens. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Pale Flower' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under May 17.Posted Thu Feb 17, 2011 at 10:00 AM PST by: -
'The Cincinnati Kid' & 'Point Break' Blu-rays Announced[teaser]A new catalog title and a reissue are planned for Blu-ray in June. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Warner Brothers is working on Norman Jewison's 'The Cincinnati Kid' starring Steve McQueen for Blu-ray on June 14. On the same date, Warner will also reissuing Kathryn Bigelow's 'Point Break' on Blu-ray. The movie has previously been released on Blu-ray by 20th Century Fox and has been reviewed here. Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but suggested list price for each Blu-ray is $19.98. You can find the latest specs for 'The Cincinnati Kid' and 'Point Break' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under June 14.Posted Thu Feb 17, 2011 at 06:00 AM PST by: -
HDD Spotlight Bargain: 'Saw: The Final Chapter' Blu-ray $13.99 at Amazon[teaser]Would you like to play a game for under $14? [/teaser] The online retailer is selling 'Saw: The Final Chapter' on Blu-ray for $13.99 (65% off the suggested list price). Click here to pick up Jigsaw's curtain call on Blu-ray today!Posted Wed Feb 16, 2011 at 12:30 PM PST by:
