2007 DVDs - Request for Blu-ray/HD-DVD

[2CoolVK]

Here's an article from 2003. It's dated but the concepts are the same. The customer determines whether a retailer carries WS or FS or both. With more TV's in widescreen, expect more movies in that format.

http://www.dvd-recordable.org/Article801-m...hreshold0.phtml

[KCWolfPck]

Anyway, back on topic.....what is keeping DCI from giving us widescreen versions of Finals DVDs? There is certainly a market for it. I would gladly pay more for it if necessary.

[Suviduvi]

I own a small production company that specializes in Marching band festival video, this fall, we plan on adding HDV 16x9 JVC cameras to our production, customers can choose either high camera angle 4x3 or 16x9.

also available HDV-DVD, but at a much higher cost

For DCI its would VERY EXPENSIVE, I just priced a blue ray dvd duplicator $5000.00, a Standard definition one is $800.00

Maybe in a few years, only 50% of households have wide screen capability, I went from vhs to DVD when it got to 60%

so hurry out and buy a wide screen

special order after the fact hdv dvd

Anyway, back on topic.....what is keeping DCI from giving us widescreen versions of Finals DVDs? There is certainly a market for it. I would gladly pay more for it if necessary.

[KCWolfPck]

I own a small production company that specializes in Marching band festival video, this fall, we plan on adding HDV 16x9 JVC cameras to our production, customers can choose either high camera angle 4x3 or 16x9.

also available HDV-DVD, but at a much higher cost

For DCI its would VERY EXPENSIVE, I just priced a blue ray dvd duplicator $5000.00, a Standard definition one is $800.00

Maybe in a few years, only 50% of households have wide screen capability, I went from vhs to DVD when it got to 60%

so hurry out and buy a wide screen

special order after the fact hdv dvd

You don't have to have high definition to have 16:9. Widescreen can be done without having to have a blu-ray or HD-DVD replicator. They've been making these DVDs for what.....6-7 years now. Surely equipment costs and production costs are way lower now than when they first made the conversion from VHS to DVD. It's time they upgrade thier equipment to give us a better product. I'm not demanding high-def.....but dang, at least give us 16:9 amnamorphic so we don't have the dang bars pillar boxed on the sides of the TVs. I don't see why that's too much to ask? Is the lens required to film in widescreen that super expensive? Is it that hard to make a P&S (pan & scan) version of a widesceen recording to cater to the people who aren't up with the times? This shouldn't be rocket science.

[Tez]

The only thing keeping DCI from changing to 16:9 is that they think more people still want the 4:3 format. Any DVD authoring software will do 16:9, and all modern videos cameras will film in 16:9, so it's not a question of whether can they do it, but if they will do it.

We need to somehow convince DCI, or whoever is in charge of making the DVDs that tons of fans want a 16:9 format. Drum Corps would benefit greatly from this for the simple fact that a football field is much wider than deep (from how we look at it). Could we start an online petition? Let's try to get some ideas rolling around. This is not a cost issue, so I seriously think DCI may listen if fans voice their opinion. It would probably even boost their DVD sales, as they could use "new WIDESCREEN format" as a marketing tool.

Remember, no additional equipment would have to be purchased by DCI. It really is as simple as just configuring the cameras and software for 16:9. Does anyone have any ideas?

Edited July 11, 2007 by Tez

[sburstall]

Personally, I don't care which one because I have both formats (prefer Blu-ray). Now, I realize that production costs are probably too high to make a high definition version of this years finals available. However, 4:3 is so 5 years ago. Please....finally give us that widescreen version we've been waiting years for. Anyone else with me on this?

- Edited because original post was typed on my iPhone while commuting on the vanpool this morning.

To all...do you have the money to donate to DCI to get the necessary technology to implement this? Remember DCI ran a $500,000 deficit last year.

[VKMello84]

The only thing keeping DCI from changing to 16:9 is that they think more people still want the 4:3 format.

I remember reading a response to a letter in a DCI publication where there representative said that there was not enough of a demand for compact discs to justify the cost of production. This was only about a year before DCI began marketing championship recordings on CD.

[Nite_Maresz_25]

16:9 would be killer!

And I would totally pay extra for HD-DVD versions of the finals DVDs. (If that happened, I would actually have a reason to get the HD-DVD drive for my xbox360)

[KCWolfPck]

To all...do you have the money to donate to DCI to get the necessary technology to implement this? Remember DCI ran a $500,000 deficit last year.

There is no way that DCI doesn't turn a profit on audio/video sales. If it weren't for A/V sales, I'd bet that $500k deficit would be a lot worse.

That said....if I could "donate" money that would insure that this years finals would be available in widescreen format (on top of the $200 anually I already "donate" if the form of CD/DVD purchases).....I would. I would also pay higher prices for a better quality product, as I'm sure many others would.

Edited July 11, 2007 by KCWolfPck

[dannyboy]

For our marketing/recruiting materials, I shot our own (Kilties) performance on 1080i HDV (Canon HV10) - "full field" in Lisle, from the sideline in Racine, plus practice shots. It's really stunning to watch. Even when converted down to standard DVD, it still looks far better than if acquired on normal DV. I did the same for the winter guard my wife instructs - shot in 1080 wide, then res-down to DVD. Sweet.

I agree that from this point on, DCI should at least be published in 16x9 wide DVD. The cost, editing, and workflow is the same assuming the cameras are 16x9. It's just a different display ratio. We're getting used to black bars, right? I am.

But I also think they should at least SHOOT DCI in HD (if that is not already the production company's plan?) while they continue to deliver on DVD -- and then down the road, it could be re-released in HD when the economics make sense to sell it that way.

Here's my frustration: my ability to shoot and edit 1080i and at work burn to Blue-ray -- but don't have a 1080i TV to enjoy it at it's fullest, other than the conference room's 60-inch. For me personally- trapped on the PC monitor!

Edited July 11, 2007 by dannyboy