SerenityMovie.net

Duncan · Joined: 26 Apr 2004 Posts: 586 Location: Sherman Oaks, CA

Hey, I just noticed on Amazon that "Serenity" will be released on Blu-ray on December 30th. Shiny!

I've been tracking the price of their "Firefly" Blu-ray set, and the price goes up and down almost every day. Now if they'd just get it back down to 50% off again...

Duncan · Joined: 26 Apr 2004 Posts: 586 Location: Sherman Oaks, CA

As a post script, "Serenity" Blu-ray just got a plug in the latest issue of TV Guide. (Christmas issue, page 13)

Dave_E · Joined: 03 Aug 2006 Posts: 21 Location: Oldham, UK

I have just bought a Panasonic DMP-BD35 to watch my Serenity Blu-ray I bought a few weeks ago* and have a couple of questions.

1. Can anyone find the “We’ll have Fruity Oaty good time” on the extras menu? It doesn’t show up on my copy and I have tried all the same menu tricks at worked with the DVD and HD DVD versions.
2. Has anyone successfully accessed any on the Blu-ray Live features on the disk? When I put the disk in the player it starts the network services but then keeps failing to connect. I have tried just about every router firewall combination (including turning the firewall off) without any luck. It’s the only Blu-ray Live enabled disk I have so I don’t know if it’s the player or not, but the player did update its firmware via its internet connection.

I’m in the UK and the Panasonic is the UK version – the disk was from Amazon UK but like many of the HD-DVDs and the other two Blu-ray disks I have it have a US copyright warning at the start.

The picture quality is every bit as good as the HD DVD version but it’s sad that HD lost out as it was much faster when navigating the disk menus etc.

* Just like with the HD version I bought the disk as soon as it was available and then set about getting a player Smile

– I just hope the format lasts a little longer than HD-DVD. Rolling Eyes

Companion Kate · Joined: 27 Jan 2005 Posts: 2014 Location: UK

Dave_E · Joined: 03 Aug 2006 Posts: 21 Location: Oldham, UK

It was connected via an LAN cable so it’s not on a wireless connection. When I put the disk in it displays a ‘Network Started’ message. But when it starts loading the disk menus I get a ‘Network Failed’ message, and then every few minutes it pops the ‘‘Network Failed’ message – the only way to stop the error message is to re-stat the player with the LAN cable removed.

Unfortunately there is no more information as to why the network failed. I thought one possible reason could be the content may be restricted the US IP addresses only (as with some of the video content on some of the US TV/Film websites). As it’s the only live content enabled Blu-ray I have it makes debugging difficult, other disks which are not ‘Live’ enabled don’t display either the ‘Network Started’ or ‘Network Failed’ message. I know the player can see the network as it is able to check for firmware upgrades and successfully updated itself to the latest firmware.

I guess this is going to make life interesting Rolling Eyes

with disk content having to be compatible with the different firmware and Java versions installed on players. That’s why I’d like to know if people with other players can get to the Fruity Oaty bar feature, I could then report it as a bug to Panasonic. The live content and menu navigation on HD-DVDs seems to be much less error prone.

As for the disk content the picture quality is very good, but the up-sampling on the player is so good the quality difference between the Blu-ray and standard DVD is small – you do get a few more extras over the region 2 DVD like the River Tamm sessions, so for around £13 for the disk it was worth it anyway.

Companion Kate · Joined: 27 Jan 2005 Posts: 2014 Location: UK

Dave_E · Joined: 03 Aug 2006 Posts: 21 Location: Oldham, UK

Just sent Universal Pictures (UK) an email – if I get a response I will report back.

ironbandit · Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 241

How about a shiny review of the Blu-Ray BDS and BDM on the Signal? Side by side comparo with the Red-gular versions?

Lemming · Joined: 20 Jun 2006 Posts: 261 Location: Banbury, UK

ningjingde ren · Joined: 28 May 2006 Posts: 323 Location: UK

Dave_E · Joined: 03 Aug 2006 Posts: 21 Location: Oldham, UK

Dave_E · Joined: 03 Aug 2006 Posts: 21 Location: Oldham, UK

Finally found it – after much searching on the net and endless button pressing on the remote.
1. Go to the Extras menu.
2. Select Extended Scenes.
3. Scroll down to the last item (Mal and Inara in the shuttle) and press the down key again on the remote.
4. The Serenity logo should appear below the last item – select it and enjoy the fruity oaty goodness. Cool

The odd thing is although its an Easter Egg it is listed on the disk case – many of the reviews don’t even mention it and most say there are no Easter Eggs on the disk – all very confusing. Confused

As for the Blu-ray Live on line stuff according to the reviews it only accesses the Universal portal – so probably just movie trailers. Rolling Eyes

The digital tour of Serenity in the U-Control menu does actually work (some reviews say it doesn’t) but to get it to work I had to delete the small file that downloads when the disk is first used – if the player is connected to the net and has a SD card. You are given the option of declining the download (I didn’t) – but I has seen some reviews state that there is a problem with the file which stops some of the advanced features working correctly, like the Alliance Database. I had to go to the SD card management menu on the player setup and delete the ‘Saved BD-Video’. All a bit of a mess

I haven’t had chance to retry the web enabled stuff since deleting the file, but there is one more thing I need to investigate. The BD35 player has a DivX licence code on the setup menu and a web address for more details – maybe you have to register online before some of the web enabled features will work.

Duncan · Joined: 26 Apr 2004 Posts: 586 Location: Sherman Oaks, CA

Dave_E · Joined: 03 Aug 2006 Posts: 21 Location: Oldham, UK

That’s fairly typical of my luck – just as I finally decide to buy a new model comes out. Rolling Eyes

I shouldn’t complain though at £168 it was a bargain and does everything I need for the moment. Also it could be some time before the BD80 is available in the UK and with the way the pound is I expect they could be much more expensive.

ningjingde ren · Joined: 28 May 2006 Posts: 323 Location: UK

I was told by a reputable dealer that I wouldn't need to spend the extra on a BD55 because the amp I was planning to get (Yamaha DSP-AX763) could decode all the audio codecs that the BD35 couldn't. So your choice of player needs to take account of what the rest of your set-up can do.
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Hell, I've been to the edge.

Duncan · Joined: 26 Apr 2004 Posts: 586 Location: Sherman Oaks, CA

Agreed absolutely. I have an older amp without all the fancy HDMI stuff, so I need the 55 or something like it.

And I'm still attracted to the Internet functionality of the post-35 models.

ironbandit · Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 241

I just found "Serenity" in Blu-Ray at BJ's Wholesale Club today. Less than $20 too. If it is the Blu-Ray selections at a place like that, it bodes well for the visibility of the BDM and our BDH's.