Hey towne32!
So, let’s use some round numbers and get a little more concrete…
EACH of the current “official” release MKVs weighs in at a little under 25gb. With a few surplus audio tracks (beyond the 8 “official” audio track limit) being stripped, it’d be tight, but we should able to remux the video and selected audio from the “official” MKV to fit a BD25 (and I know the actual size limit of a BD25 is a little LESS than 25gb, but let’s just call it 25gb for simplicity).
For simplicity, let’s then say that we have roughly 15-25gb of BONUS content for EACH film. “OPTION A” that BONUS content would fit neatly onto a companion BD25 set (or possibly a single compilation BD50 disc), OR “OPTION B” it would take up roughly half of a BD50 if paired with the corresponding feature content.
The reasons why the separation of content (or “OPTION A”) is important is SIMPLICITY and DISTRIBUTION. It would be inefficient (AND confusing) to duplicate FEATURE content by adopting dual BD25 and BD50 distribution models…that’s 25 MORE gb of storage that will need to be uploaded EACH time Harmy releases a new DESPECIALIZED version. That’s 25 MORE gb that I (and others) will need to host on our computers and seedboxes in a P2P networks OR that would need to be uploaded to and THEN downloaded from other distribution resources. That’s ONE more BD50 (instead of a BD25) disc that I will need to burn with every new release IF I want to be able to watch the latest/greatest on my set-top device (and as just ONE of a few different distribution methods, ESPECIALLY for a project that is under active development, that is just a terribly inefficient distribution model).
The reasons I said:
What is you goal? I would suggest that the PRIMARY goal here might be to provide a working and READY-TO-GO m2ts file-set (alongside Harmy’s “official” MKV, AVCHD and DVD5 releases).
…are these:
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This project is what it is (currently) BECAUSE it is tied to Harmy's DESPECIALIZED EDITIONS (and they would feature the current feature release versions). With more and more people that have access to Blu-ray burners and Blu-ray players but LACK the fair amount of technical skill, time, and or equipment required to seamlessly move from MKV to Blu-ray AND neatly package it with menus, ready access to audio AND subtitle options, chapters all on a highly portable format playable on all standard set-top Blu-ray players (with NO LOSS to video or audio quality compared to the “official” MKV)…a timely released FEATURE only BD25 would absolutely be a compelling option and would be a worthy addition to the current MKV, AVCHD and DVD5 “official” release options.
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A GREAT treatment of BONUS content corresponding to those feature films will BEST be realized by the separation of content to help “de-clutter” the project. When removed from a BD50 size where HALF the room on the disc is taken up by the FEATURE content, opting for a (x3) BD25 model basically gives EQUAL size for BONUS content and, hell, if there were some GREAT bonus content on a few well mastered BONUS BD50 discs that’s TWICE the space.
Bottom-line, NO CONTENT (feature or BONUS) is being created here, but rather it is being assembled, streamlined and packaged. Done WELL, this would be a really GREAT benefit to the OT.com community. Not everyone loves Harmy's work…BUT, those same people could be all over a HIGH-QUALITY quality set of stand-alone BONUS Blu-ray content. Some people are JUST going to be after Harmy's latest/greatest DE release and don’t want to be stuck DLing that extra 25gb EACH time. Aside from a SMALL degree of ease-of-use in having all feature and BONUS content on a single disc, I see very little benefit to combining content ESPECIALLY as one of a few distribution options. (I, for one, would not choose it.)
I wish this project NOTHING but success! My suggestions come from experience and I present them in the sincere hope that they might serve to positively influence the course of this nascent project…and represent the end product that I would MOST like to see.
Respectfully submitted,
-A.S.