Puggo - Jar Jar's Yoda said:
Let's try not to forget that the preservations/restorations coming out of this forum keep getting better, not worse! And public outcry is on the upswing, for the first time in history. I'm hopeful.
Really? Because the sales are record-breaking, what makes you think "public outcry is on the upswing?"
Will eBay let you add multiple accounts to the same e-mail address? My mother set one up long ago for a single task and thus she has an account. I'd like to set one up, but the e-mail is in use, and setting an account on another e-mail would be annoying.
red5-626 said:
Look what happened to the Library of Congress. There's a point when things go from Rocky to Raging Bull and I'm just standing there getting beaten to prove something to myself that isn't true. We're done guys. I wish it wasn't so, but every time it looked like we had a chance, we didn't. First the GOUT, then the Blus, then Congress itself. The bridges are burned.
Did every one give up there alcohol when Prohibition was past?
Just because you can’t get the OUT legally its not going to go away.
Sore any one came make alcohol and there it only a limited source of the OUT.
No I am not promoting Piracy. And I am not suggesting we sell OUT bootlegs.
But the OUT must be saved.
We're welcome to try, but fan-preserved version aren't going to be remembered decades down the road.
doubleofive said:
So, not ironic at all then?
I was just hoping that with social networking we might finally be able to marshal the troops, as it were, but it looks like not enough people really do care. So it goes.
It's ironic that social network has managed to organize the Wall Street protestors in multiple states and get people arrested, whereas our number are so small, most people probably don't know about. Or care. Of course it's an unfair comparison since this is, you know, fiction and not as important, but still...
Jaskoen said:
Never give up!Mike O said:
Well, we've been battling forever, and first wound up with the GOUT and now this. It's just hard not to finally just throw up my hands.
Yeah, and look what happened to his career. Look what happened to the Library of Congress. There's a point when things go from Rocky to Raging Bull and I'm just standing there getting beaten to prove something to myself that isn't true. We're done guys. I wish it wasn't so, but every time it looked like we had a chance, we didn't. First the GOUT, then the Blus, then Congress itself. The bridges are burned.
Replaced? What is there no room for both? It's fucking over guys. It's the last nail. We're done.
xhonzi said:
Mike O said:
It looks like this'll set me back almost $700. Wish there was a cheaper option like there was for my DVD player, but doesn't like like it.
I'm just here to be your reality check- let's say a decent region locked BD player is $100. Is it worth the $600 difference to play BDs you haven't even identified yet? What if you just got the $100 BD player and crossed the bridge of "region free" when you actually want it? Perhaps that's so far in the future that prices will have come down much further than the $100 sunk cost of this option.
This has most certainly occurred to me. The problem with that is that I have a number of DVDs that it wouldn't be able to play and switching the players depending on what I want to play would be annoying and I'd like to just kill the whole problem in one fell swoop. Now, if the Oppo is as good as Mr. Sylvester and others have told me, then after all of this sunk money, I'd at hopefully have it and future BR problems permanently solved. Unfortunately, it's not as easy as it was with DVD where I could just pick up almost any player and modify it. It's a question of patience: what could come down the pipe and when. Still, you're right. It's worth thinking about. But patience has never been my strong suit :P.
Jay said:
Mike O said:
Can I get the mod on eBay?
I don't think bluraychip.dk sells their pro mod on ebay. You can get the USB mod there though. Personally, I'd go for the internal mod. It's cleaner and easier to use.
Just out of curiosity, how does that work? You can't hack the firmware, so how does hardware allow this kind of thing? Not important, just curious. Anyway, will the player also handle things like streaming Netflix, software updates, Hulu, etc while still playing everything?
I have no idea how the mod works, it just does. It doesn't interfere with any of the player's functions. The initial mod firmware did cause problems if the rear USB port had something plugged in, but they updated the firmware to take care of that.
I've got a thing about ordering stuff online, especially from places other than the big retailers, but it does sound like the best option.... Obviously, you're vouching for it. Do they take PayPal?
It looks like this'll set me back almost $700. Wish there was a cheaper option like there was for my DVD player, but doesn't like like it.
*Is doing something like this legal? I wouldn't want to be caught trying to pick up something that wasn't within the law just to play DVDs....
I don't really know because I don't pay attention to the region, I just buy them :)
That's what I'm shooting for.
You need a screwdriver to take the top off the Oppo, but installing the mod requires no tools. The instructions provided with the mod (including pictures) take you through it step by step.
Can I get the mod on eBay?
DVD has Region 0, and in most cases, DVDs from any region will play in a player set to Region 0. Blu-ray doesn't have a concept of Region 0. Instead, the disc is encoded as all regions (A/B/C) simultaneously if it's meant for worldwide use. Switching isn't a big deal on the Oppo, you just press a different button on the remote to turn on the power and have it start in the desired region.
Just out of curiosity, how does that work? You can't hack the firmware, so how does hardware allow this kind of thing? Not important, just curious. Anyway, will the player also handle things like streaming Netflix, software updates, Hulu, etc while still playing everything?
twister111 said:
You could just buy one, no mod required. Amazon Link. Got two region free Blu-ray players right now. Still expensive but, it's cheaper then the other player you're mentioning.
I can't give you any feedback about how those work. I don't own either of them.
I'm reticent to do that simply because I don't know how comfortable I am with buying something modded by someone else, unsure how how it'll work. I wanted to just wait until BR players went down in price, but that looks a ways away, and I don't think Oppo or region-free ones ever will.
It would depend on what's coming down the pipe. This is still fairly early in Blu's lifespan, so maybe something that I'll be geared up for but can't play will come along. Most of what I want on BR I can get in my own region, whereas I have a few out of region DVDs, but that could change.
Mr. Sylvester! I am honored!
The region mod is very easy to install, with no soldering or any potentially warranty-voiding changes.
Define "very easy." (You then do.)
You unplug a few cables from the mainboard, connect them to the mod, then connect the mod to the mainboard.
Does this require a screwdriver or any knowledge. I'm not a dummy when it comes to electronics, but I'm clumsy in general, and I just would want to be VERY, VERY careful with something that cost me $500 plus. I don't suppose there's an idiot-proof video that tell how or somesuch?
If you ever need to send the 93 to Oppo for warranty service (which I did due to a faulty capacitor on the mainboard), simply remove the mod before sending it in. You can get a cheaper mod that connects to the rear USB port if you want, the downsides being the loss of that port and the need to boot the player twice (once to start it, then a reboot after you've switched the region). The internal mod lets you start the player in region A/B/C by pressing 1/2/3 on the remote to power it on.
So unlike a DVD player, there isn't a "one size fits all" kind of thing you can do? Even with a mod, you've got to manually switch it? But it'll play all DVDs? Kind of annoying, but workable. Sounds like the Blu-Ray folks have made this a hard thing to circumvent :p. At least it sounds like it's fairly simple to change.
The 93 is more expensive than most players on the market, but its video playback is reference and its build quality is solid. And Oppo's customer support is second to none. They had my 93 back to me in less than a week for that warranty repair. Good luck getting that from Sony or Samsung.
It's SIGNIFICANTLY more expensive. With the mod, that three or four weeks pay for me. It sounds like it's just about the baddest BR player on the market (though it doesn't look something that'll ever go on sale). If I'm sure that it's as good as its rep, I'd be willing to pay, but if it's that much, I'm hoping it'll do everything and a few things besides.
Mr. Bungle said:
Cuchulainn said:
I've got 1 (count 'em) BD!!
Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon.
If you're to only have one, that ain't bad -- even though they fucked up the aspect ratio. ; )
How so?
xhonzi said:
What region are you looking at trying to play? Better: what movies are region locked that you want to play?
A vast majority of my BD are region free. But I suppose when you get into other genres (Anime maybe, I don't know) it becomes an all new ballgame.
Inception is region free. :)
Not 100% sure, things come down the pipe (as you say, anime, martial arts flicks, horror movies, etc.), I just want to be able to put whatever I want in and play it like I can do with DVD and VCD.
This is generally posted from other forums I visit, and I'm too lazy to edit it, but the whole idea is there:
OK, so while I was reticent to adopt Blu-Ray, all interesting special features seem to have been moved there, and I have thought about changing over. However, in doing some searching online, apparently the region-locking issue is significantly more complicated than with normal DVD players. Whereas my wonderful little Phillilps DVP player was a minor expense that I managed to make region-free with a few keystrokes on the remote, evidently region-hacking is a significantly more costly prospect on BR, and apparently, given that BR is updated repeatedly as well as what seem to be features designed by the manufacturers to prevent the consumer from becoming region-free are big stumbling blocks. Some research indicates that I might be well off with Oppo, whom I'm told are the Cadillac of BR players. However, quite apart from the significant expense of the players (The highly-regarded BDP-93 retails, before modding, already puts me back $500!), evidently region hacking is significantly complex, apparently requiring actual hardware modding. This is apparently usually done by an intermediary third party. I'm not particularly comfortable with that, especially since it further raises the price, but I'm unsure as to if I could undertake that extensive endeavor myself without sound damage and voiding the warrantee on a $500 player. There are various features associated with BR players that seem enticing, particularly Netflix streaming, but the region-coding is my prime interest. Exactly what options do I have? It sounds like I'm just SOL if I don't want to spend quite a significant amount of money, but is there any way to ensure a return on the investment? I was not hugely interested in upgrading as my TV and DVD player are still concocted by a coaxial splitter, for the love of Frith, so it seems like any upgrade at this point would he throwing he baby out with the bathwater, but given how fast BR seems to taking over, I though a rundown of how things are and a through understanding of these issues might make my purchase easier, whether I make the choice next week or next year, since both my interest in foreign discs of both SD and HD material, as well as the ones I already own, factor into the decision-making process, for the eventual building of my hopefully not imaginary future home theater system. Fully laid out, how does the whole issue look and what are my best options?
skyjedi2005 said:
Pros for laserdisc over vhs and dvd. No region code and no macrovision.
Pros over Blu ray no drm.
Hacks or ways to bypass macrovision and dvd region lockouts were taken care of though not necessarily legal under USA laws.
Blu ray could have been without region codes or lockouts but Sony and some studios did not want that because of reverse importation.
While a Blu ray movie that is in region A say a japan release will also work in the USA, a Blu ray pS3 game will not.
I don't think there's any way of circumventing that short of buying a PS3 from Japan. Sony and Nintendo did GIANT mod chip crackdowns a few years back, and I don't think there's a legal way to make game consoles region free for games. But I also don't know much about the subject. On that subject, I have an electronics question I have posed in the off-topic forum if anyone would know...
Jaskoen said:
Geez Mike O. Glass half empty much?
Well, we've been battling forever, and first wound up with the GOUT and now this. It's just hard not to finally just throw up my hands.
Based on the sample size of my household, Gears 3 is outselling the Star Wars blu-rays 1-0.
Yes, well, that is just YOUR household though :(.
Now I do not condone Lucas actions towards the originals, but why should he give a shit about the originals when this boxset sold well enough to keep the Lucasfilm gravy train rolling
Exactly. The majority of people don't care. It's like spitting a fire.
But what we're doing here is still important.
It doesn't matter if it's important, it matters if it does anything. And it obviously doesn't.
Wow, thanks for posting those stats! Our people have DEFINITELY made a statement that WILL be heard at LFL. There's no way they can ignore us now.
What do these "stats" indicate? Sales have dropped because it's a new format, maybe a few more people care, so in 100 years we'll have it? They can ignore us all they like until they don't make any money, and that'll be the 12th of never.
Plus, since when has monetary returns meant anything about quality, or people's attitude towards something? "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" was one of the highest-grossing films of all time, but it's also one of the shittiest and universally-reviled movies of all time.
And it still got the sequels green-lit and kept the franchise going. It doesn't matter what it says about the quality of the product, what matters is what it says about the future, and what it says is that people will buy anything with STAR WARS on the package.
Regardless, there's a huge spin here in selling this as some massive success story
Um, a broken record doesn't qualify as a big success?
Well said everyone! What I have noticed, is that FINALLY there are several articles and blog entries about the changes and how bad they are, where's the originals, etc. That speaks volumes.
The only thing that talks here is the money, and it has spoken.
That's an important step that we have taken, and I hope we keep on walking!
Right off the edge of a cliff.
More have realized the crime against culture and history here.
Just because they know is no guarantee they care, and even if they do, like I said, it probably doesn't mean much.
I sincerely hope we are closer to getting the OOT.
I sincerely hope I win the lottery. Wish in one hand...
Promus said:
^ Well, I prefer to remain optimistic. Surely we've had SOME effect, and I'm sure that any effect, no matter how small, is still felt by the higher-ups. They know we exist, and they know what we want - Lucas can't hold out forever.
I think he can, but hopefully you're right.
Promus said:
Mike O said:
We've lost guys. It's over.
"No we're not...what kind of talk is that?"
Just a realistic view of things, I fear.
Puggo - Jar Jar's Yoda said:
Overall, I think the whole Amazon review situation has gone spectacularly better than any of us could have imagined. I thought there'd be a healthy batch of low reviews, but that it would be far outweighed by the gushers. Now, I know it will still sell well, but all told this has been great publicity for the OOT side, way better than I would have ever imagned.
Hardly matters given that all that'll speak here are sales, and this thing is going to sell like hotcakes covered with crack.
MJPollard said:
"Lucas breathes oxygen! An evil plot to deny the rest of us breathable air? Film at 11!"
Honest to God, the outrage over this man has reached ridiculous proportions.
I'm kind of inclined to agree in the sense that, let's face it, there's a big disclaimer on the front of all DVDs about how public display is illegal, so he's hardly outside his rights, or indeed any other filmmaker.
shandy706 said:georgec said:
For every fan that boycotts there are 500-5,000 fans that don't care.
FIXED
Plus the kids that are too young to know/care.
Who are his primary audience anyway, and who will buy anything with the SW brand on it. We've lost guys. It's over.
FunkyDays said:
I've been talking with my wife lately about the "backlash" and how it's even been picked up in the mainstream media this time around. Maybe fans have been pushed to far. I know I have. I don't object to whatever changes George wants to make to his SEs, I just want the freedom to watch the OT alongside them, and judging from the 1 Star reviews on Amazon, it "seemed" like a lot of others felt the same way.
Walked into Future Shop yesterday morning to buy some coffee for my Keurig. My wife says "Do I need to hold you back from the SW display"? Ha ha ha! I go in, and find "every" copy in their AT-AT display sold out! That thing held a lot of copies, and I know they refilled it throughout the day, the day before. Wife looks at me and says "You might as well just buy the damned thing". The sad thing is, I know she's right :-(
QED.
none said:
Mike O wrote: Any word on how this sold?
The NYTimes has some stats either this weekend or early next week. This site:
http://www.the-numbers.com/weekly-bluray-sales-chart
Will have stats in a week or two. (they are currently showing the week ending Sept. 4th) There's probably a site which does daily, anyone know?
I know they're at the top of Amazon's rank. The thing is going to sell like gangbusters, and I think it's just another final nail in the coffin.
Any word on how this sold? I know we've all been hoping in vain for all of the cancelled pre-orders to make a dent, but what's the betting it's one of the best-selling things in the history of capitalism?
Just more proof that we're fighting a losing battle, sadly.
