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High-Def Digest Talks to FUNimation About Their Blu-ray Releases[teaser]Anime lovers, we've got a treat for you! Read our exclusive Q&A with the FUNimation disc authoring team![/teaser] It's no secret that FUNimation is currently very active with their anime release slate, with multiple box sets arriving on the format each month, including a mix of older series already released on DVD, and a series of new iterations of classic series ('Evangelion 1.11,' 'Dragon Ball Z: Kai,' 'Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood') released day and date with their DVD counterparts. Seeing the evolution of FUNimation's product line has been an interesting ride. Thanks to FUNimation spokesperson Jackie Smith, I was given the rare opportunity to ask the disc authoring team an assortment of questions concerning the studio's release strategy and history. The DVD authoring team has answered these questions as a group, so it was impossible to individually credit each person for their responses. HDD: Some early FUNimation anime titles had commentary tracks hidden away in the chapter selection tab, while newer releases contain them in the extras. What caused this change? FUNimation: This is a programming and design decision made on a case-by-case basis. Some releases will have commentary tracks accessible on episode menus, which is similar to many mass-market titles currently available. HDD: One of the biggest complaints or issues that anime purists have had with the Blu-ray releases has concerned the audio, with the English dub tracks getting a high definition surround track, while the Japanese versions get a dolby digital (lossy) track. Can you explain or shed some light into the 5.1 vs 2.0 sound mixes, and why one receives a lossless track while the other does not? FUNimation: The 2.0 soundtracks in the Dolby Digital format are encoded at a 640 kbps, a data-rate three times higher than the comparable DVD which provides a quality that is almost lossless. However, future Blu-ray releases will include TrueHD lossless for all soundtracks 5.1 and 2.0. HDD: Do you personally feel there is a significant improvement from the source material when upconverting it? Is there any other option available? FUNimation: Upconversion is a process that is applied to masters that are only available in standard definition, also referred to as 480i. The video is digitally scaled to the 1080p format used on Blu-ray. Part of the process is to restore a progressive picture from the interlaced master tape. Standard definition masters are subject to a process called pull-down (or telecine) where some frames are split so only every other line is displayed at a time. This was originally done for compatibility with television standards. Blu-ray does not have this limitation, so part of the upconversion process is to restore the complete progressive frames revealing a sharper and more complete image. The upconverted video is encoded in the MPEG-4 AVC format which is far superior to the MPEG-2 format used on DVD. This allows for little or no added distortion during the encode process which is unavoidable in DVD. Although an upconversion does not have the same level of detail as content natively created in HD, it reveals a sharper and more accurate image that surpasses the quality of DVD. HDD: Many of your early Blu-ray products came with the Region A locked status, though a few in recent memory have had Region A/B playability. What determines how you region code the Blu-ray discs? FUNimation: The region codes on each Blu-ray release are determined by the territories obtained when we acquire rights to distribute any given property. HDD: Can you shed some light into the creation of Blu-ray menus, in terms of time involved, design, and function? FUNimation: Blu-ray menus provide an enhanced user experience over DVD by functioning interactively using animation and sound while being displayed over the video. Graphic and motion graphic designers work closely with the Blu-ray authors to create all the necessary elements for every state of every button as well as associated video menu loops, music and sound effects. All the elements are combined and programmed to respond to user commands by the Blu-ray author. Ultimately, it is the menu designer that gives a look and feel to the Blu-ray that compliments the content of the disc. HDD: There was an issue with the ‘D. Gray-Man: Season 1, Part 1’ Blu-ray, which caused some players to play the same audio track for two different episodes. Has the cause of this issue been found, and was there a running change made to the release fixing this issue? FUNimation: Yes, unfortunately, not all Blu-ray players operate within the same specifications and it is impossible to test our releases on every player available today. However, we are working with our manufacturer to correct these issues. If a consumer believes they have a problem with a disc they can contact our Product Concerns department which will arrange a replacement disc.Posted Mon May 17, 2010 at 02:10 PM PDT by: -
HDD Spotlight Bargain: 'Coraline' Blu-ray $9.99 at Amazon[teaser]Stop-motion lovers have a sweet deal today for under $10! [/teaser] The online retailer has reduced the price of 'Coraline' starring the voices of Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, and John Hodgson to only $9.99 (63% off suggested list price). The film based on Neil Gaiman's award-winning novella and is directed by Henry Selick ('A Nightmare Before Christmas'). Click here to order your copy of this great animated film today!Posted Mon May 17, 2010 at 01:00 PM PDT by: -
'The Missing Lynx' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The misadventures of Felix the jinxed Lynx are headed for Blu-ray this summer.[/teaser] Phase 4 Films will be bringing 'The Missing Lynx' to Blu-ray on July 27. The animated feature is directed by Raul Garcia and produced by Antonio Banderas. There's no word on tech specs yet, but supplements will include pre-production animation, production screenshots, trailers, and a digital download. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.99. You can find the latest specs for 'The Missing Lynx' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under July 27.Posted Mon May 17, 2010 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
'Open House' on Blu-ray[teaser]The independent horror film directed by Andrew Paquin will invade Blu-ray this August. [/teaser] In another announcement to retailers, Lionsgate says 'Open House' starring Anna Paquin is coming to Blu-ray on August 3. The film premiered earlier this year at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival. Specs have yet to be revealed, but supplements will include an audio commentary and deleted scenes. The trailer can be viewed below: Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Open House' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under August 3.Posted Mon May 17, 2010 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
'Middle of Nowhere' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The place where love is lost and found is getting a high-definition release this July. [/teaser] Image Entertainment is working on John Stockwell's witty dramedy 'Middle of Nowhere' starring Oscar-winner Susan Sarandon for Blu-ray on July 13. The film also stars Eva Amurra ("Californication”) – Susan Sarandon’s real life daughter -- and Willa Holland (“The O.C.” and “Gossip Girl”). The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include a making-of featurette, cast-and-crew interviews, deleted scenes, and a trailer. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Middle of Nowhere' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under July 13.Posted Mon May 17, 2010 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
'The Universe: Our Solar System' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]Explore the cosmos in high-definition with a collection of episodes from the acclaimed History Channel documentary series this August.[/teaser] A&E will be bringing 'The Universe: Our Solar System' to Blu-ray on August 24. The release will include a selection of 10 episodes themed around the planets, moons, and the sun in our solar system. Specs and supplements haven't been revealed yet, but it is likely the 2-disc set will feature 1080i video and an LPCM 2.0 soundtrack like the full season releases. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray set is $29.95. You can find the latest specs for 'The Universe: Our Solar System' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under August 24.Posted Mon May 17, 2010 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
'58 HD Advisor FuryEditor'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 Early Adoption of 3-D Q: I was wondering if it makes any sense to wait a while before I buy 3-D hardware. I was one of the first to buy an "HD ready" TV, only to buy a "Full HD" TV two years later. Is there a chance the same thing might happen again technically? I mean, can they make 3-D "more 3-D" in a few years with certain techniques like they HD went from 720p to 1080p? A: Early adoption of any new technology is always a risky proposition. Some people are more eager to live on the bleeding edge than others. If you're feeling skeptical about the new 3-D technology and have the patience to wait a bit, it may be a good idea to hold off buying a new 3-D TV for a product generation or two. I certainly don't see any harm in waiting… other than that you won't be able to watch 3-D content for a while, of course. I don't think that 3-D TVs will become "more 3-D" in the same sense that HDTVs transitioned from 720p to 1080p. It looks to me like the industry has settled on the 1080p 3-D standard and plans to stay there for a while. In that respect, the 3-D rollout is likely to be much smoother than HDTV initially was. Even Blu-ray suffered the quagmire of its "Profiles" in early generation players. On the other hand, the proper technology for 3-D appears to be in place from the start for this launch. However, any new product runs the risk of bugs and glitches, and general performance quality issues, while the manufacturers work out the kinks. As I wrote in a recent blog post, I find it troubling that Samsung has been leading the way with 3-D LCD hardware. I've had my share of problems with that manufacturer over the years, and am personally planning to wait for a better brand. Black Levels on Digital HDTVs Q: Let me start by saying I'm behind the times. I have been wanting a new TV for quite awhile, but each time I am nearly ready to pull the trigger, a question is raised or new product is announced. So I decided to wait . How do newer plasma and LCD televisions stack up to old CRTs in black levels? I have a 36" Sony Trinitron 4:3, 1080i, 200lb set that has a great picture, deep blacks, and looks really great with standard broadcast TV. Of course, I lose half the picture when something is widescreen and there is no HDMI input. (I use DVI). I like plasma blacks but prefer the non-reflective screen of LCD. Are the black levels as rich as my tried and true CRT? What about the standard definition picture? I would love to go to about a 55" screen but I just can't decide which option to pursue and if I will gain the screen size but lose on the other options. Please help put my mind to rest so that I can move on with my life and see movies on a larger screen. A: Generally speaking, black levels have always been an area of concern on most digital displays. For all of its other shortcomings, CRT technology was capable of producing very deep, rich blacks. Digital TVs, especially LCD TVs, have struggled to keep up. In most cases, plasma does better in this area than LCD. The best plasmas (such as the recently-discontinued Pioneer Kuro line) can produce as inky a black as you might ever want. Since Pioneer pulled the plug on plasma production (try saying that three times fast!), Panasonic has stepped in as the next-best successor. However, some consumers have recently discovered that the contrast ratios on Panasonic plasmas decrease over time. And, apparently this was done on purpose. LCDs have an inherent disadvantage in black level reproduction. To compensate for this, most newer models have implemented a dynamic contrast feature that automatically dims the picture during predominantly dark scenes, and raises the brightness level during brighter scenes. This has its benefits and weaknesses. If done well, and quickly enough, you may never notice it. If not done well, or if subjected to tricky video content, you may notice a "pumping" of the picture brightness as the TV tries to calculate the appropriate setting. For example, the opening of the first 'Star Wars' is a good test for this. The movie starts with a dark star field. Then a large spaceship flies overhead, filling more and more of the screen as it goes. As the average picture brightness of the shot increases, you can often witness the star field in the background lightening while the dynamic contrast filter adjusts. At its worst, these artifacts can be pretty annoying. Any contrast ratio specs that a manufacturer may advertise for its TV should be taken with a grain of salt. The way these numbers are measured is often very misleading. You'll be very unlikely to achieve the same results in normal viewing at properly calibrated video settings. I advise checking reviews at a reputable and qualified publication that will give you a more realistic description of what to expect. (In one of my other jobs, I also work at Home Theater Magazine. Although I don't do any TV reviews myself, I know the people who do, and trust them implicitly.) With all that said, you'll need to accept that any new product you purchase will have its compromises. While black level is an important aspect of picture quality, it is certainly not the only important aspect of picture quality. I have a feeling that, when you do finally upgrade to a newer model, you'll find that so the picture is so much better in so many other ways, that you'll be willing to cut the new set some slack on its black levels. And frankly, things are much better now than they were a few years ago. I'm sure you can find something that will make you very happy. Why Haven't You Reviewed Movie XYZ? Q: I just want to know how you guys can review 'The Karate Kid', but not one the most anticipated Blu-rays of 2010, 'Saving Private Ryan'? A: Before I start, I just need to clarify that our review of 'Saving Private Ryan' was published on May 11th. This reader's question was sent in before that article was published. With that noted, I'd like to address this as a general topic. We here at High-Def Digest are often asked this same sort of question: Why haven't you reviewed such-and-such movie yet? I wrote up a response to this same basic question last year, and will ask that you read that. The same conditions still apply. We review what we can as soon as we can, based on when we receive the disc and when we have time to do it. These reviews are often very difficult and time-consuming to write. I'll be honest, I've had a copy of 'Minority Report' in my hands for a couple weeks now. I've watched the movie, and have written the film, video, and audio portions of the review. But this disc has a ton of bonus features on it. Between my three jobs and my work on the Bonus View blog here, I have simply not have the time to dig through all those supplements. I am continuing to work on it, though, and plan to have it finished soon, hopefully around the same time or not long after this column is published. All of us here are busy people with a lot on our plates. As far as I'm aware, none of the reviewers on staff write Blu-ray reviews as a primary means of employment. (And if anyone did, he'd likely soon find himself living in a cardboard box on Skid Row!) We have day jobs too, just like most of you do. Please bear with us as we try to keep up with the ever-escalating flood of new releases that land on our doorsteps. As for 'Saving Private Ryan' being "one the most anticipated Blu-rays of 2010," I have to point out that, although 'SPR' was undeniably a popular movie in its day, it's also a catalog title of a movie that's been available on DVD for over a decade and airs on television regularly. As a general rule, catalog titles on Blu-ray don't often sell in big numbers, no matter how popular the movie. When we reviewers find ourselves backlogged, it is always our responsibility to prioritize new day-and-date releases first. How does that explain why 'The Karate Kid' got reviewed before 'Saving Private Ryan'? Quite simply, they were each reviewed by different staff members. One had more time in his schedule to tackle a catalog title review than the other. (Editor's Note: Just as importantly, Sony mailed us the review copy for 'The Karate Kid' much earlier than Paramount sent us 'Saving Private Ryan.' In a situation like this it could be in a studio's best interest to send review copies out far earlier, in order to save themselves a very costly recall. As for Fox, who have made it standard practice to send out review copies after movies have already hit shelves, well, we can only speculate as to their motivations.) 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! Adding an LP Turntable to the Home Theater Q: I have a home theater system that I mainly use for Blu-rays with my PS3 and Samsung TV. I want to know if I can plug a turntable into it? I am unclear on what devices I can connect to the receiver. Specifically, I have a Sony HT-SS2300 Component Home Theater System and want to know if I can plug a Sony PSLX250H turntable into it. 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 May 14, 2010 at 11:30 AM PDT by: -
HDD Spotlight Bargain: 'Gattaca' Blu-ray $9.99 at Amazon[teaser]A dystopian future filled with genetic engineering can be yours for the bargain basement price of $10! [/teaser] The online retailer has reduced the price of 'Gattaca' starring Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, and Jude Law to only $9.99 (65% off suggested list price). Click here to pick up this sci-fi hit for a very "valid" deal!Posted Fri May 14, 2010 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
Eagle Rock Announces Trio of Classic Concerts for Blu-ray in June[teaser] The Shadows, The Moody Blues, and Emerson, Lake & Palmer are coming to high-definition this summer. [/teaser] Eagle Rock Entertainment has announced 'The Shadows: The Final Tour' for Blu-ray on June 15. On June 22, they will also release 'The Moody Blues: Threshold of a Dream Live at the Isle of Wight' and 'Emerson, Lake, & Palmer: Live at Montreaux' on the high-definition format. There's no word on tech specs or supplements yet, but suggested list price for each Blu-ray is $19.98. You can find the latest specs for 'The Shadows: The Final Tour,' 'The Moody Blues: Threshold of a Dream Live at the Isle of Wight,' & 'Emerson, Lake, & Palmer: Live at Montreaux 1997' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under June.Posted Fri May 14, 2010 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
'Cop Out' Blu-ray Dated & Detailed[teaser]The old good cop/zany cop routine is getting the high-definition treatment this July. [/teaser] Warner Brothers is bringing Kevin Smith's comedy 'Cop Out: Rock Out with Your Glock Out Edition' starring Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan to Blu-ray on July 20. The release will be a Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy combo pack and will feature 1080p video, a lossless soundtrack, and supplements will include: Maximum Comedy Mode with Kevin Smith and Seann William Scott, Focus Points, and Wisdom from The S*** Bandit. Suggested list price for the release hasn't been revealed yet. You can find the latest specs for 'Cop Out: Rock Out with Your Glock Out Edition' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under July 20.Posted Fri May 14, 2010 at 08:00 AM PDT by:
