Now that the
PlayStation 3 will be BD-Live capable, Sony Pictures also announced this morning it's releasing its first two Blu-ray discs with the technology. On April 8,
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and
The 6th Day will both be released with exclusive downloadable content that will not be available on disc. According to the press release, this is just a preview of what's possible with Blu-ray technology, although any non-PS3 Blu-ray owners might wonder what's so good it couldn't fit on the 2-disc
Dewey Cox set.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Prey521 @ Mar 20th 2008 8:23AM
About time that BluRay caught up with HD DVD. How sad.
Mark @ Mar 20th 2008 10:31AM
Caught up and surpassed. Java plus 1gb local storage means BD Live can do a lot more than HD DVD ever could. I don't believe the feature will mean much to most people though. Seems like a waste of time to me just for the sake of some trailers which you could watch on a computer.
HD4ME @ Mar 21st 2008 8:57AM
@MArk
Yip, 1 GB should be just about enough space for sony to cram in their root kits and any other new viruses they have created for BR, good luck with that!
You seriously don't think the 1 GB is there for YOUR pleasure do you, lol.
Michael @ Mar 20th 2008 8:29AM
Yeah, I'll never understand the idea of, "Let's create content that you can only download, rather than put it on the disc in the first place!"
My thoughts are that if they know about the content before the disc is released... put it on the damn disc! Downloadable content should only be used for stuff they thought of after release. For example, say someone involved in the movie wasn't able to record a commentary track but after the disc is released has the time to do so... make that downloadable content!
Or say some deleted scenes are discovered that they forgot to include... downloadable!
Someone creates a documentary on a conspiracy theory regarding the movie? Download it!
Phoenixxx1974 @ Mar 20th 2008 11:02AM
I completely aggree with you. You made excellent points. I think Sony is just trying to do this so that can say they can do what HD-DVD could do since DAY 1.
I personally think HD-DVD should have won and was suposed to win, they were gaining steam and kept it close despite being outsold 5-10 to 1 because of the PS3 and until Sony paid everyone off. Blu-ray isn't even finished yet, is not region free, riddled with DRM, and is more expensive. Did anyone notice when the format war ended the price of blu-ray movies and players jumped a little? My friends who work for best buy noticed it and were talking about.
Plus all the early adopters are going to be screwed when profile 2 comes out because they can't do java based movies and sony knows about it and doesn't even care they expect their loyal followers to keep buying their crap.
I know, i know you are all going to flame me. Well go ahead i don't care.
There is one more thing i wanted to say. Everyone saying Blu-ray was not the new beta was wrong and everyone saying HD-DVD was the new beta was right but not for the reason you think. Because beta was better then VHS but lost so seeing how HD-DVD was better and lost which means HD-DVD was the new beta haha. :-p
Mark @ Mar 20th 2008 11:31AM
Phoenixxx1974, HD DVD only mandated at least 128Mb persistent storage compared to the 1Gb in profile 2.0. The use of Java also better for content too. So if you must have internet connectivity (as every PS3 is shortly about to receive), you'll have a far better experience in Blu Ray than in HD DVD. It even means in theory that you could download full movies or TV shows and not just trailers. I think profile 2.0 is optional so we're going to see a mix of 1.1 and 2.0 players for some time yet. Take your pick.
Andy @ Mar 20th 2008 11:56AM
I think they will start publicizing Live with games and content that is easy, but eventually they can do what you mention, additional stuff that was not ready when the movie shipped. Or something like Oscar season interviews, and so forth. Essentially keep the title up to date.
But you have to start off with stuff available on the first day, rather than say, hey heres the capability, but we dont have any stuff ready for you to play with yet, wait until they record another commentary track in 2 years.
The idea is to get people used to it, get people connected, and then start exploiting the possibilities to the max.
DrXym @ Mar 20th 2008 4:23PM
I still don't see the point of BD-Live. What content it offers could be stuck on the disk, or it will be so generic that it will be a total waste of time even bothering. Yippee so I can buy a Disney plush toy from my Blu Ray player! And there was I thinking that was what my computer was for.
I also expect that in five years we'll see a new phenomena in HD content - dead links. Internet content suffers bit rot all too easily and its bound to impact blu ray in time too.
Michael @ Mar 20th 2008 5:11PM
@DrXym
I guess you didn't read some of the ideas we put out regarding what cool things could be included.
For example, I really liked the commenter above you's idea about Oscar stuff. I've seen "Oscar Edition" DVDs before, so why not, "Oscar Edition" downloads? Or why not downloads for the movies the studios were too lazy to include special features for? Ya know the ones, where the studio thought no one would care and the fans are outraged?
DrXym @ Mar 20th 2008 6:52PM
I'm not saying you couldn't do cool things. I just question whether any studio will bother. It might be a lovely surprise to see oscar downloads etc., but is that really something that would make you buy a disk or wire up your machine for? Why not just use your computer?
Sammy @ Mar 25th 2008 10:09AM
Why not use your computer??!?
You're kidding right? Please tell me you're kidding.
Because not every one has or even wants an entire computer in their damn TV room.
All you geeks here think the people surround themselves with a computer everywhere they go. Just because you might doesn't mean everyone else does.
I like watching video content on something else besides a 19"-24" monitor. I like watching it on my 61" screen tv with my surround sound kicking without worrying about having a PC hooked up. I don't want to sit on a stupid office chair, I do that all day. I don't want to have a mouse and keyboard combo, I have it all day.
Mark @ Mar 20th 2008 11:54AM
>kept it close despite being outsold 5-10 to 1
LOL. Yeah... real close. Thanks for the chuckle.
HD Tom @ Mar 20th 2008 12:05PM
Seriously, though, what the hell could be extra (and actually be something people want to download)on Dewey Cox that couldn't fit on TWO BRDs???????
mda20 @ Mar 22nd 2008 8:33AM
Here is Sony's way of throwing good money after bad. Only a very small group of people watch the special features. And it it takes buying a new player to download crappy features, I don;t see this working. Bad enough we have to deal with java on BD, now to let java have more to do. Just more reasons for the damn thing to lock up. It does it enough already! Nothing better than putting in a BD and on the first screen you get a warning that you will see several loading screens and this is normal. Normal for who? People who need a five minute break every three minutes before the movie even starts? Who was on the committee that made this format the winner? But like always the one that is the least user friendly usually wins.....