Forum - View topicNEWS: ADV Films Announces HD Titles
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scxzor
ANN Reviewer
 Posts: 6 Location: New York, NY |
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I feel like many of you are misinformed about what the WMV format can do and what HD actually means.
To clarify, the discs will be on REGULAR DVDs. This means any DVD player will be able to play the discs. In order to watch the HD version, you will need to either: a) have a computer that runs Windows Media 9 or above b) have a DVD player that can run WMV files While this may not be beneficial to most of you, High Definition really is a world better than DVD, just like DVD was a world better than VHS. Only a few movies are presented in HD, the only wide-release feature being Terminator 2, which uses the WMV format. The WMV format is currently the only choice for HD distribution on the DVD medium, because the codec is quite efficient. If you have a high-res monitor (at least 1600 or above, or get a traditional HD unit), and a fairly high end computer, you should consider picking up Terminator 2 extreme DVD, which features an HD WMV file to try it for yourself. |
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cyrax777
 Posts: 1825 Location: the desert |
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hmm sounds just like the Terminator 2 Ulitmate Edition release.
The only movie I know of that used WMV mpeg4 on it. |
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ChrisBeveridge
Posts: 162 |
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The bulk of what's out on WMVHD at the moment is pretty much Imax material: http://www.dvdempire.com/Content/windowmediavideo.asp Very few retailers stock it and I doubt it'll be more than a niche speciality item. But then again, look back ten years; CPM and Software Sculptors were the only companies releasing VCD's in the US with their titles. With roughly a year before the next full on consumer media change coming in, I don't see WMVHD releases on DVD really being all that much of a market, especially for anime. There'll be some people picking it up that can utilize it, but most of the early adopters of technology that are anime fans are going to wait out the format war first or go with whichever side they think is the best one. I don't see them jumping to this unless they already have the capability. |
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GATSU
Posts: 15367 |
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Don't really see the point. There are probablyless HD owners than there are anime fans.
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kyuu
 Posts: 16 Location: Tampere, Finland |
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I actually read a site about this. The DRM was very poorly designed and for example: - playback required an active internet connection - playback was only possible in certain countries (internet activation failed outside usa and canada) - it required a 3rd party playback program, windows media wasn't enough. this playback program had several issues Sure, HD has great quality - I don't know if most animes can really benefit that much from it, but in theory and with certain movies, the quality improvement is quite amazing. How many times in history has it been proved - people need/want, and will buy stuff that works. WMV-HD doesn't work unless you have good computer skills and are able and willing to install at best questionable 3rd party software on your computer. Okay, ALMOST everyone has Windows. But not everyone has an active Internet connection at the place where they watch movies. Or might not even have a computer. Very few can afford external players and manage to get them onto the internet too for activation. Even fewer want to pay extra for a format which has several limitations to playback and usage. This is "fun tech stuff", but it is VERY far from "useful anime fan stuff". Sure, it'll improve, obviously - but I won't say many good words for WMV-HD until I see these improvements. They still have one hell of a way to go in my view. EDIT: No need to buy a Terminator movie to see out the quality improvement, which I agree is considerable - but not specific to Microsoft's HD standard. They have some sample stuff on Microsoft's site: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/content_provider/film/HDVideo.aspx |
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emory
Posts: 615 |
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Oh boy. ADV is using Windows' crappy looking video standard.
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Darkener
Posts: 33 |
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so that must be the reason why blue-ray is supporting that codec... 
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emory
Posts: 615 |
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so? i stand by my statement. |
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Renaisance Otaku
 Posts: 469 Location: Modesto, CA |
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I seem to remember hearing that this particular codec wasn't actually capable of producing true HD. Something about not being about to do it without fudging on the luminece values. I haven't really read up on it recently, but I do remember hearing that it was indeed an inferior format. Personally, I don't see where ADV is going with this. The only reason for them to do this is so they can claim they were the first to do so. That and to possibly test the waters. This makes about as much sense as a D-VHS release(though I'd welcome that).
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Kazuki-san
 Posts: 2251 Location: Houston, TX |
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Incorrect, while, as I pointed out early, this will be on regular DVD-9 media, in order to play it on anything other then your computer you must have a DVD player that has the WMV-HD codec. If your DVD player is a year or two old or if your new dvd player isn't at least somehwere in the midrange, you won't be able to play it.
That's part of the requirement. Below are MS' configuration specs to watch WMV-HD: Minimum Configuration (to play 720p video) # Windows XP # Windows Media Player 9 Series # 2.4 GHz processor or equivalent # 384 MB of RAM # 64 MB video card # DVD drive # 1024 x 768 screen resolution # 16-bit sound card # Speakers Optimum Configuration (to play 1080p video with 5.1 surround sound) # Windows XP # Windows Media Player 9 Series # DirectX 9.0 # 3.0 GHz processor or equivalent # 512 MB of RAM # 128 MB video card # DVD drive # 1920 x 1440 screen resolution # 24-bit 96 kHz multichannel sound card # 5.1 surround sound speaker system For either scenario, an AGP4x-based NVIDIA or ATI video adapter card with the most recent OEM driver updates is also recommended. \ |
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Necros Antiquor
 Posts: 571 Location: Funny in a car crash sort of way |
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I second that. The world just finished upgrading to the DVD format (heck, some people still don't have a DVD player), and how long did it take for the last format to go out? Unlike gamers, who are fine with upgrading to the next system every 5-6 years, the majority of the populace is going to think that this new technology, whether it is WMVHD, Blu-ray, or HDDVD, is a waste of time. (Incidentally, those gamers will most likely be in possession of one of these new formats, since the PS3 is supposed to have Blu-ray technology...) |
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Sir_Brass
 Posts: 476 Location: Prescott, AZ |
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hmmm, *Win XP: check *WMP 9 or above: check *DirectX 9.0: check *3.0 GHZ processor or equivalent: negative (got a 1.0 Ghz PIIIm) *512 MB RAM: check *128 MB video card: negatory (got a built in 64 MB Radeon 75000 mobility) *DVD Drive: Check *1920 x 1440 screen resolution: negatory (max I have is 1600 x 1200) *24-bit 96 kHz multichannel surround card: negatory (I WISH I had a good sound card) *5.1 surround sound system: negatory. Even if I HAD these system specs, I still wouldn't jump for the wmv HD format. As it has been said: shady specs and regs for even basic use. Optimum use requires you to be riding ahead of the tech wave. Minimum use requires to you be up-to-date in the tech wave. In order to market well, you need to advertise to your lowest common denominator in your target range. For computing and other associated things, that means you market and design for the lower mid-range user in mind when thinking of system spec requirements, unless your market is generally riding the tech wave (like gamers. that's why I can't buy most new games, including HL2, because the minimum system specs shot up above my processor range). The video market encompasses not only high end users but the lower mid range as well. Trying to make them ride the wave of Moore's Law is unacceptable in my book. ADV sure as heck won't be getting MY money for those DVDs. |
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Steventheeunuch
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Oh god, this just screams of ADV "DOING IT FIRST" and "BEING THE BEST" and "NUMBER ONE!!!!1!1ooN!". I mean for [edit - expletive deleted -b] sake, it's three cheaply animated shows with roughly 10-12 frames a second or something silly, two of which aren't even widescreen. And I bet this new 5.1 DTS is basically just the same 5.1 track from the previous DVDs, only "louder" or something.
Man, ADV.. |
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ANN_Bamboo
ANN Contributor
 Posts: 3904 Location: CO |
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I don't really see this necessary for the three TV shows they're going to do this for. I mean, I can see HD being useful for high budget movies like GitS: Innocence or something, but for TV shows like Noir and Full Metal Panic? Is that really necessary? There's only so much high res you can do with an anime product. Whoo, cleaner trace lines.
Updating my technology just to play a TV show isn't something I'm willing to do, and I'm not sure just how many anime fans are. |
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Godaistudios
Posts: 2075 Location: Albuquerque, NM (the land of entrapment) |
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I suppose it's not a bad thing for those first getting the shows, but they've been around along enough that I don't think they will sell very well. All it may mean is that I can finish up buying the rest of RahXephon at a cheaper price for the older DVD's... (I hope)
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