Several of the screenings sold out before they were even announced. Many enterprising Browncoats "hacked" the Fandango URL until they found the screenings.
Windows Media Player also has a bunch of stolen QuickTime code, and rumor is Apple was about to sue MS for upwards of 1 billion dollars back in 1997, but then Steve Jobs saw and opportunity and stepped in. He told MS that Apple would drop the issue, if MS agreed to 5 years of continued development of Office for Mac. Plus about $150 million in cash. MS happly complied.
I fail to see what's wrong with moving to a newer, more efficient compression format (same quality lower bitrate). Why waste bits, if you don't need to. More available space = more video and special features.
It would be a bonus disc that you wouldn't watch all the way through (it wouldn't let you), it would be for searching and interacting with the show and it's special feature content.
CD-i was an underpowered piece of junk, and their emphasis was on gaming. But more importantly, I think you are missing the point, highly interactive HD-DVD would still be built for movie watching. But it would take the whole experience to an all new level. Re-read "Better Compression" paragraph to get an idea of what could be done with this future spec.
You are correct, it will increase the cost of a player, but I addressed that issue too.
IMO, far more important than the physical format is the capabilities of the HD-DVD spec. The HD-DVD spec need to be dramatically more powerful than the current spec which has virtually no RAM (16 variables), no processor, no permanent storage etc.
Interactivity, Interactivity, Interactivity HD-DVD will NOT take-off in a big way unless the format supports a greatly expanded level of interactivity. Interactivity that requires much better hardware. I'm talking a REAL computer-level components inside the box; a fast CPU, memory, permanent storage, web connectivity and a 3D GPU. The HD-DVD spec should also support and understand (but not necessarily include) tuners and PVR functionality. And all HD-DVD players should be recordable.
Just simply being HDTV video will not be enough to get most people to buy all new hardware and software... mark my words, I'm not wrong about this! Why? Read on...
DVD is Great Enough In the vast majority of consumer's eyes, DVD is already the holy grail of quality. As was already pointed out, it was both the quality of the format and the value-add of extras (and low cost of software) that caused DVD to be the success that it is. However as far as quality goes we've reached the "great enough" level for the vast majority of consumers. An anamorphic DVD on a well calibrated HDTV is nearly as good as HDTV (especially from film-sourced materials). In fact if you were to conduct a poll and ask people if DVD is HDTV quality, I predict a large majority of people would say yes. Again, to most consumers DVD is "great enough". No HDTV/DVD side-by-side is going to change that. Most people simply can't see the or don't care about the difference.
Value Add (Did I mention Interactivity?) We are going to have to offer the customer much larger value-add. I'm talking interactivity only possible today on a computer or game system. Menus with 24-bit real-time 3D generated graphic "overlays" (think X-Box game menus), interactive viewing experiences (think infinifilm on steroids), interactive timelines, interactive maps, documentary level behind the scenes, "extras" presented in context with the show while you are re-watching it, searchable script-to-screen. All this and much more would be possible if the player actually had some decent hardware and the spec supported it.
Better Compression MPEG-2 is looking a little long in the tooth, support for modern codecs is a must. MPEG-4, AVC, H.264, QuickTime and WiMP, should all be supported. And since we have a CPU, we should be able to come up with new codecs in the future that can be "loaded" on the fly. Better codecs open the door to applications we haven't even thought of yet. Like searchable video. Imagine releasing not just a few episodes of TV show on a single DVD, and not just an entire season. Imagine being able to create an "interactive episode guide" that included the entire 7 year run of Buffy on a SINGLE DVD, all searchable by script, subject, character, and much more. With a modern codec and 28 gigs of space, this is possible (I've done the math). In fact with reduced frame sizes (think of the video as being in a corner with interactive elements around it), you could fit the entire history of Star Trek, every episode of every series and the movies all on ONE disc, all searchable, all obsessively interactive.
** This is the kind of interactivity that will sell a new format. **
Forwards Compatibility Figure out a way to make the HD-DVD format both backward AND forward compatible. People love DVD; they are invested in DVD, both financially and emotionally. The transition between SD and HD needs to be as painless and invisible as possible, otherwise it simply won't happen. That means that tomorrow's HD-DVD discs must play on today's SD-DVD players. This way the industry can start releasing HD-DVD discs immediately, and wait for the hardware penetration to catch up. It won't be easy, but it is possible. We are smart people around here, we can figure out a way. (Perhaps
REALBasic did a great job of re-firing up my interest in programming.
Other options might be Lingo (Macromedia Director) or Action Script (Macromedia Flash). Those are nice because your results can be very visual, immediate and satisfying.
Shortly before Carl Sagan died, he wrote an article in Parade Magazine about how he felt this was a bad idea. His premise being that a rouge government or terrorist organization could use technology like this to turn a "near miss" into a direct hit. Which could be potentially far more destructive than a nuke. Obviously he's looking well into the future. But I think he has point.
Acutally, QuickTime DOES have rudimentary DRM. If you have Sorenson Video 3 Pro, you can enable a Media Key. If you don't have the media key installed in QuickTime's control panel, it won't play. Also you can embed the key in an app so the video will only play from your app. However, this only works for video, nobody has released a media keyable audio codec for QuickTime yet.
Bogus?? How about the best sci-fi TV ever made. Try downloading some episodes off Kaaza and come back with an informed opinion.
There were 12 episodes aired and 15 made. It didn't fail because it was bad (it wasn't), it failed because, as usual, Fox TV failed to get behind it, they barely advertised it, they bounced it around (because of baseball coverage), and they played it completely out of order (like playing the pilot LAST!)
That's not the point. Everybody here (as well as Apple) are missing the main point; Sorenson Spark and Sorenson Video are VERY different products, and not related in the slightest. As I understand it, Spark is based largely on H.263, whereas Sorenson Video 3 is very proprietary and frankly much better.
Sorenson didn't violate their contract with Apple. Sorenson Video is still QuickTime exclusive. Sorenson Spark pro is Flash exclusive. They aren't compatible, they aren't interchangeable in any way. I don't see the problem.
The only similarity the technologies have is the fact that they both start with the word "Sorenson". It's like saying that Adobe Postscript and Adobe Photoshop are the same thing because they both start with the word "Adobe".
IMO, Apple doesn't have any solid ground to stand on in this lawsuit.
Slashdot Mirror
http://www.rasertech.com/tech_g-1.html
Step 1 - Create format war...
V D.html
Step 2 - Include outdated interactive capabilties...
Step 3 - Add overbearing copyprotection...
Step 4 - Lose tons of money!
Read my essay on the subject here:
http://www.fireflymovie.com/HighlyInteractiveHD_D
Several of the screenings sold out before they were even announced. Many enterprising Browncoats "hacked" the Fandango URL until they found the screenings.
Windows Media Player also has a bunch of stolen QuickTime code, and rumor is Apple was about to sue MS for upwards of 1 billion dollars back in 1997, but then Steve Jobs saw and opportunity and stepped in. He told MS that Apple would drop the issue, if MS agreed to 5 years of continued development of Office for Mac. Plus about $150 million in cash. MS happly complied.
So this isn't the first time.
I fail to see what's wrong with moving to a newer, more efficient compression format (same quality lower bitrate). Why waste bits, if you don't need to. More available space = more video and special features.
It would be a bonus disc that you wouldn't watch all the way through (it wouldn't let you), it would be for searching and interacting with the show and it's special feature content.
CD-i was an underpowered piece of junk, and their emphasis was on gaming. But more importantly, I think you are missing the point, highly interactive HD-DVD would still be built for movie watching. But it would take the whole experience to an all new level. Re-read "Better Compression" paragraph to get an idea of what could be done with this future spec. You are correct, it will increase the cost of a player, but I addressed that issue too.
IMO, far more important than the physical format is the capabilities of the HD-DVD spec. The HD-DVD spec need to be dramatically more powerful than the current spec which has virtually no RAM (16 variables), no processor, no permanent storage etc.
Interactivity, Interactivity, Interactivity
HD-DVD will NOT take-off in a big way unless the format supports a greatly expanded level of interactivity. Interactivity that requires much better hardware. I'm talking a REAL computer-level components inside the box; a fast CPU, memory, permanent storage, web connectivity and a 3D GPU. The HD-DVD spec should also support and understand (but not necessarily include) tuners and PVR functionality. And all HD-DVD players should be recordable.
Just simply being HDTV video will not be enough to get most people to buy all new hardware and software... mark my words, I'm not wrong about this! Why? Read on...
DVD is Great Enough
In the vast majority of consumer's eyes, DVD is already the holy grail of quality. As was already pointed out, it was both the quality of the format and the value-add of extras (and low cost of software) that caused DVD to be the success that it is. However as far as quality goes we've reached the "great enough" level for the vast majority of consumers. An anamorphic DVD on a well calibrated HDTV is nearly as good as HDTV (especially from film-sourced materials). In fact if you were to conduct a poll and ask people if DVD is HDTV quality, I predict a large majority of people would say yes. Again, to most consumers DVD is "great enough". No HDTV/DVD side-by-side is going to change that. Most people simply can't see the or don't care about the difference.
Value Add (Did I mention Interactivity?)
We are going to have to offer the customer much larger value-add. I'm talking interactivity only possible today on a computer or game system. Menus with 24-bit real-time 3D generated graphic "overlays" (think X-Box game menus), interactive viewing experiences (think infinifilm on steroids), interactive timelines, interactive maps, documentary level behind the scenes, "extras" presented in context with the show while you are re-watching it, searchable script-to-screen. All this and much more would be possible if the player actually had some decent hardware and the spec supported it.
Better Compression
MPEG-2 is looking a little long in the tooth, support for modern codecs is a must. MPEG-4, AVC, H.264, QuickTime and WiMP, should all be supported. And since we have a CPU, we should be able to come up with new codecs in the future that can be "loaded" on the fly. Better codecs open the door to applications we haven't even thought of yet. Like searchable video. Imagine releasing not just a few episodes of TV show on a single DVD, and not just an entire season. Imagine being able to create an "interactive episode guide" that included the entire 7 year run of Buffy on a SINGLE DVD, all searchable by script, subject, character, and much more. With a modern codec and 28 gigs of space, this is possible (I've done the math). In fact with reduced frame sizes (think of the video as being in a corner with interactive elements around it), you could fit the entire history of Star Trek, every episode of every series and the movies all on ONE disc, all searchable, all obsessively interactive.
** This is the kind of interactivity that will sell a new format. **
Forwards Compatibility
Figure out a way to make the HD-DVD format both backward AND forward compatible. People love DVD; they are invested in DVD, both financially and emotionally. The transition between SD and HD needs to be as painless and invisible as possible, otherwise it simply won't happen. That means that tomorrow's HD-DVD discs must play on today's SD-DVD players. This way the industry can start releasing HD-DVD discs immediately, and wait for the hardware penetration to catch up. It won't be easy, but it is possible. We are smart people around here, we can figure out a way. (Perhaps
REALBasic did a great job of re-firing up my interest in programming. Other options might be Lingo (Macromedia Director) or Action Script (Macromedia Flash). Those are nice because your results can be very visual, immediate and satisfying.
Shortly before Carl Sagan died, he wrote an article in Parade Magazine about how he felt this was a bad idea. His premise being that a rouge government or terrorist organization could use technology like this to turn a "near miss" into a direct hit. Which could be potentially far more destructive than a nuke. Obviously he's looking well into the future. But I think he has point.
Acutally, QuickTime DOES have rudimentary DRM. If you have Sorenson Video 3 Pro, you can enable a Media Key. If you don't have the media key installed in QuickTime's control panel, it won't play. Also you can embed the key in an app so the video will only play from your app. However, this only works for video, nobody has released a media keyable audio codec for QuickTime yet.
Bogus?? How about the best sci-fi TV ever made. Try downloading some episodes off Kaaza and come back with an informed opinion.
:(
There were 12 episodes aired and 15 made. It didn't fail because it was bad (it wasn't), it failed because, as usual, Fox TV failed to get behind it, they barely advertised it, they bounced it around (because of baseball coverage), and they played it completely out of order (like playing the pilot LAST!)
Excellent Firefly discussions at:
http://forums.prospero.com/foxfirefly/messages
As for the actual Firefly software thingie, I liked it, too bad Microsoft smothered it.
Try programming a DVD player. They only have 16 bytes (not kbytes) of user accessible "RAM".
That's not the point. Everybody here (as well as Apple) are missing the main point; Sorenson Spark and Sorenson Video are VERY different products, and not related in the slightest. As I understand it, Spark is based largely on H.263, whereas Sorenson Video 3 is very proprietary and frankly much better.
Sorenson didn't violate their contract with Apple. Sorenson Video is still QuickTime exclusive. Sorenson Spark pro is Flash exclusive. They aren't compatible, they aren't interchangeable in any way. I don't see the problem.
The only similarity the technologies have is the fact that they both start with the word "Sorenson". It's like saying that Adobe Postscript and Adobe Photoshop are the same thing because they both start with the word "Adobe".
IMO, Apple doesn't have any solid ground to stand on in this lawsuit.