Disney BD-Live: Comments and Opinions

[goofystitch]

I know that Disney BD-Live isn't exactly new, having been around since October 2008, but I have only recently been able to access these features and I am curious what everybody else who has used it thinks.

So far, Disney Blu-Ray Discs that have BD-Live features are:

Sleeping Beauty
Tinker Bell
Wall-E
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Cheetah Girls: One World
Space Buddies
High School Musical 3: Senior Year
Beverly Hills Chihuahua
Pinocchio
Bolt
Bedtime Stories
A Bug's Life

I've been testing out this feature in order of Blu-Ray release and so far, I am not impressed. While I love Blu-Ray, I feel like there isn't enough worthwhile on BD-Live to make me want to use it again and again.

I don't know anybody who uses Disney BD-Live so I am unable to test out Movie Mail or Movie Chat, although I did enter the virtual theater for a bit and that was kind of cool.

I like the DMR Live feature. For the most part, it seems like the only downloads are additional avatars, which are free. But on Prince Caspian, there are lots of videos, which not only take a long time to select, but also very long to download. Maybe it is just my network, but the amount of time spent downloading doesn't seem worth it.

My favorite feature is Movie Challenge, but this doesn't seem to be a popular feature because I have yet to see somebody else playing it while I am on.

Hopefully the potential for BD-Live will outweigh the current possibilities because its pretty disappointing at the moment.

[Disney Duster]

I...am...GLAD that not very many people are doing BD-Live else while watching the movie. Come on, thinking up the correct answers to a game while trying to watch a movie?

I am GLAD most people seem to be giving attention just to the movie.

If people need to do a whole bunch of things at once, I would hate to see what the future would bring, doing almost everything we can possibly think of all at once.

UNLESS...BD-Live can be accessed without the movie? But even so, the indication that just about no one is using it assures me no one's using it during the movie, either. And in general, I just thought BD-Live was way to much.

I think a trivia game is a great idea...as a bonus feature. Can't you play it by yourself, just seeing if you get the right answers?

[goofystitch]

I think you are confused, Disney Duster. Most BD-Live features don't actually happen while you watch the movie. The only ones that do are Movie Chat, which included an option to text friends on screen during the film or to watch it in the Virtual Living Room where lots of people answer polls. Otherwise, the features are independent of the film itself.

Movie Challenge, the trivia game feature, happens over the course of a specific scene from the film for each round, but you don't do it while trying to watch the entire film. When you select that feature, it jumps to that portion of the film.

One of the advertised benefits of BD-Live has been that you will be able to download extra bonus features in the future. At the moment, the only Disney release that offers this option is Prince Caspian, and as I said, the download time was so long that it wasn't worth my time to wait for them.

But I do think there is a lot of potential for the feature. The release of Snow White will be close to the 1 year anniversary of the feature. My hope is that by that time, they will figure out more creative options for it.

[Disney Duster]

Well, then I guess that's alright, but I still think that all this BD-Live stuff, that BD-Live in general, is just to much. Maybe a trivia game as a bonus feature, that sounds cool. But all the other stuff...eh... Like Escapay said, it's better to have all the possible bonus videos and stuff on the disc, not downloading them online or getting them from winning games or racking up points just by using the features. If you want avatars or digital copies, then okay insert the disc into the computer and maybe connect online for those, but...

It's just too much.

[Escapay]

Well, then I guess that's alright, but I still think that all this BD-Live stuff, that BD-Live in general, is just to much. Maybe a trivia game as a bonus feature, that sounds cool. But all the other stuff...eh... Like Escapay said, it's better to have all the possible bonus videos and stuff on the disc, not downloading them online or getting them from winning games or racking up points just by using the features. If you want avatars or digital copies, then okay insert the disc into the computer and maybe connect online for those, but...

It's just too much.

I vaguely remember saying that, though I don't remember which thread it was in (likely the Sleeping Beauty Blu-Ray thread as that's when BD-Live started). I'm surprised that you remembered it!

Anyway, my cousin has Blu-Ray and several Disney DVDs, and we asked if they set up BD-Live yet, and he said that he read about it and didn't think it'd be worth the effort, so he didn't set it up.

albert

[drfsupercenter]

The only Blu-Rays I've seen that have useful BD-Live features are the X-Men trilogy. Those let you download the 1080p bar fight scene from the new Wolverine movie.

All the other ones have crappy 480p (if not worse!) streaming video, that still kept rebuffering every 30 seconds... My PS3 has an 80GB hard drive, I'd much rather use it than keep streaming.

I, too, like having all my features on the disc. Or on a hard drive

[Escapay]

The only Blu-Rays I've seen that have useful BD-Live features are the X-Men trilogy. Those let you download the 1080p bar fight scene from the new Wolverine movie.

And that immediately becomes useless when the movie hits Blu-Ray.

albert

[drfsupercenter]

I know.

Which is why I'm not a big fan of BD-Live. (And ssh, I've had that scene on my computer ever since it was leaked)

But I'm just saying, those ones at least let you download actual high definition video to your hard drive (or whatever flash memory a BD player has), rather than streaming it as I've seen in others. That works a lot better, but sadly I don't think it's utilized.

[2099net]

Well, I can't comment on Disney's BD-Live because apparently everybody who's not in the continental US is deemed a second class citizen, and not allowed Disney's BD-Live.

However, I think some people here are being somewhat kneejerkingly judgemental when it comes to BD Live - which after all is a new technology, and studios are only now building the physical infrastructure they need to support it properly.

There's nothing wrong with Fox putting a clip from XMO:Wolverine on BD Live - why not? Escapay, you say it should be on the disc (and indeed it is on the ABC discs - because again Fox deems everyone outside the US unworthy of BD Live). But what when the Deadpool movie comes out? Or X-Men: First Class? What if the disc is released, and then the film wins an Oscar or other high-profile award? Wouldn't it be nice to see some reaction or restrospective on that?

In theory, your disc will always remain up to date - even if its mainly up to date with marketing..

I understand from reading forum posts that Fox sort of cocked it up, but only allowing you to see the preview clip when you had bought tickets for XMO:Wolverine on-line through their BD Live service. Which I admit is lame, but its not a fault of BD-Live, its just how the jerks at Fox decided to implement it.

As for other discs, Universals BD-Live area is advertising a whole new commentary download for its Chronicles of Riddick release. I can't confirm this not having the disc myself, but this is the exact sort of thing BD-Live could be doing in future. Or perhaps subtitles for languages not provided on the disc? Universal have also run scheduled movie-chats with directors through their BD-Live service.

As for Disney Duster's comment about not wanting to play a quiz when a movie is on because you should give your full attention to the movie - does that mean you shouldn't listen to commentaries? How about viewing storyboards and concept art in windows at the appropriate point when watching the movie? What about if this is your 20th viewing of the movie and you know it better than the back of your hand?

I've a few discs with production text or trivia pop-ups, and yes, on a repeated viewing I turn them on and they can and often do enhance my enjoyment (but not always).

I don't see how offering a choice for more entertainment or value is a bad thing.

And if you can get a quiz where (again in theory) the questions can change, and you can get some sort of feedback on how well you have done, what's wrong with it?

At the end of the day, the downloaded quiz can even be played in isolation - like the "Which Princess Are you Most Like?" quiz/games on normal Disney DVDs. Again, its how people have chosen to implement the feature rather than the feature itself.

As for small featurette and clip downloads, what wrong with them only being in SD - a lot of Blu-ray discs have SD supplements on the disc already, so downloading or streaming a brief 5 minute featurette isn't exactly busking it - especially when its something you'd otherwise be missing out on.

As for the stuttering, the Universal BD-Live used to be appalling in Europe, but recently they seem to have opened up a more local server farm and the stuttering has all but disappeared.

I firmly believe that with proper infrastructure (both at the studio's servers AND on people's own broadband connections so that will stop the stuttering) and imagination BD-Live will be a significant step forward in how communities (both enthusiasts and professionals) interact with movies and their audience. At the end of the day, a lot of us come onto Ultimate Disney to interact with a community and discuss movies. So what's the big deal?

It's just you need to take baby steps before you run.

[I am the Doctor]

I haven't really done anything with BD-Live, since it would require buying yet another piece of equipment (aka a wireless network router), which at this point I'm unwilling to buy.

That may prove to be BD-Live's biggest challenge, whether people will be willing to buy yet another piece of equipment to allow one to utilize the service.

[ajmrowland]

You don't need a wireless router. You can connect the player into a network socket.

[Escapay]

There's nothing wrong with Fox putting a clip from XMO:Wolverine on BD Live - why not? Escapay, you say it should be on the disc (and indeed it is on the ABC discs - because again Fox deems everyone outside the US unworthy of BD Live). But what when the Deadpool movie comes out? Or X-Men: First Class? What if the disc is released, and then the film wins an Oscar or other high-profile award? Wouldn't it be nice to see some reaction or restrospective on that?

In theory, your disc will always remain up to date - even if its mainly up to date with marketing..

I was actually just referring to the fact that "the ability to download a scene from the new movie" would be quite useless once said movie gets its own Blu-Ray release.

If they can release good content this way, such as a retrospective or whatnot, that's fine. But it still would suck if the only way to get that content is via BD-Live, and then have that content be unavailable some years later because the technology has already become outdated and replaced by something else. That's why I'm not too keen on BD-Live's ability to download content. Who's to say that content will always be available?

It's probably part of my (and most others') "I want something tangible I can hold in my hand" mentality. Owning a download of some behind-the-scenes featurettes just doesn't feel like "owning" the way owning a two-disc extras-frilled set would be.

albert

[2099net]

If they can release good content this way, such as a retrospective or whatnot, that's fine. But it still would suck if the only way to get that content is via BD-Live, and then have that content be unavailable some years later because the technology has already become outdated and replaced by something else. That's why I'm not too keen on BD-Live's ability to download content. Who's to say that content will always be available?

It's probably part of my (and most others') "I want something tangible I can hold in my hand" mentality. Owning a download of some behind-the-scenes featurettes just doesn't feel like "owning" the way owning a two-disc extras-frilled set would be.

albert

But we're talking about hypothetical content which would only be available after the disc was released. BD-Live or not, the quick turn around on most home video releases mean that there's little time for content that reflects on the success (or failure) of a film, because its all "in the can" before the film is theatrically released.

Which means the only way you will get such content is via a re-release. Look at Brokeback Mountain for example - the re-release only added (IIRC) a retrospective on the impact the film had once it was released. Would you really want to double-dip every time?

Now, you and I both know, for major films studios would prefer that everybody bought the re-release - we're unlikely to see anything of any consequence on BD Live on such titles beyond crass marketing. But remember, there's some directors and studios which do care about their audience.

I could easily see Kevin Smith for example putting clips from one of his collage engagements on one of his films, if it was him discussing something about the film. Or Kevin Smith maybe finding a way to stream his weekly ViewAskewniverse Podcasts over BD-Live. Or... well the sky could be the limit.

Likewise, The Lord of the Rings Blu-ray could have the web-blogs from the filming of The Hobbit distributed via BD-Live. Or access to a constantly changing Wiki on Middle Earth, which could jump to clips on the disc where appropriate to illustrate points..

To say BD-Live is pointless now because its mainly used for somewhat limited or crass applications, is like saying television is useless after viewing "I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here". Because something is crap, doesn't mean the medium is crap. Yes, you can do all these things on a computer, but that's not the point. Computers, TV and Entertainment are slowly merging, and BD-Live is one of the examples.

[PatrickvD]

Well, I can't comment on Disney's BD-Live because apparently everybody who's not in the continental US is deemed a second class citizen, and not allowed Disney's BD-Live.

yeah that's completely true.

I see potential in BD Live. But it has to grow I guess. Kinda like how online options for the Wii were limited a few years ago and it's really grown over the years. Maybe BD Live is the same way.

[goofystitch]

Something I discovered yesterday that struck me as odd is that the BD-Live menu is the same for every Disney film with the same options and everything, however not every movie actually has those features. The big example is Bedtime Stories, which doesn't actually have Movie Challenge, so when you click on that option, it tells you that this features is unavailable.

BD-Live is growing on me and with all the great responses, I can see the potential for it. I have a feeling I would like it more if I had friends who had it as well, particularly ones I don't see often. We could take advantage of Movie Chat and even send video messages to each other during the film. Those are the features that I'm really interested to test out.

[Disney Duster]

Okay Netty some really good points there.

But, well, when you download say, some retrospective feature about the film winning an oscar or getting made into a musical, do those features go to your disc or your hardrive?

If it's only on your computer...why does it need to be BD-Live, why can't you just...you know, find out about it online like people usually do, and download the videos? Maybe a web site owned by the movie company would let you download some. They would report news about whatever, and have a video.

One point is that through the movie disc, BD-Live would let you know about things you otherwise might not find just surfing the net.

But, the avid fans who would use BD-Live to find such things in the first place would, well, already find out about the things online in the first place.

Do you honestly think that they will keep up-dating each old release with new BD-Live content? Do you think people will soon be able to pop in Sleeping Beauty, and through BD-Live, access a feature about the new parade and prop book display for the film for D23 people later this year? Why not just download something from D23's site? I mean, even something about the oscars might be long after the film was released to the home, and the film's fans would probably alread know about it.

Yes it would be nice to have it on the disc, but one again does it go to the disc or just your hardrive?

You also asked me about watching commentaries or viewing art while watching a film.

Well, UM...that is very different from playing a game where you have to direct your attention to your own mind and think of the right answers to questions, or chat with people, or see a message they sent you. The commentaries and art have more to do directly with scenes in the film than the games do, unless it's like a "what do you see in this scene?" game or a "who do you think animated this scene?" game, but those can easily be games with a select number of SD scenes, instead of during the whole movie. But it might already be that way, in which case that's okay because it's not what I thought it was, some game you just decide to play in the middle of watching the film.

What I'm against is encouraging people to do lots of interactivity and entertainment (i.e. enjoyment) multi-tasking, when we should appreciate and savor and enjoy things individually, pay attention to the individual things. Mostly it's the chatting and message reading during the film that's despicable.

We are more and more becoming a fast-paced short-attention span culture. Kids have more trouble sitting through the slower-paced older films than the new ones. They need big and flashy, don't care about paying attention to the quieter, subtler, time-taking elements. They are always texting or talking or listening to music at any or every moment of each day of their life.

Maybe this BD-Live thing is okay...or maybe it's what my main point was, it is too much. It's just too much.

[disneyboy20022]

Those of you who already own Paramount's Transformers Blu-ray Disc, and can connect to the disc's BD-Live online options, will be able to access an exclusive sneak peek of the forthcoming sequel, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (which arrives in theatres on 6/24), starting on this coming Tuesday, 6/16. Not only will you get to see the preview, you'll also be able to access an additional 25 minutes of exclusive, all-new bonus material for the ORIGINAL film, including new deleted scenes, Megan Fox's audition tape and more. The complete list of new material includes:

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Sneak Peek (footage from the new film), From the set of Revenge of the Fallen: Day 1 (an exclusive inside look at the first day of shooting), From the set of Revenge of the Fallen: A Day in the Shade (a comical look at the differences between Megan and Shia's on-set treatment), never-before-seen deleted scenes from Transformers, Fly on the Set: Pentagon (on the set filming of the Pentagon Military Command Center), Music and Mayhem (renowned special effects house ILM deconstructs the blockbuster action of Transformers), Metal in Motion (special effects tests and early robot animation), Stunts 101 (an in-depth look at the amazing stunts in Transformers), Choose Your Weapon (a fly on the wall glimpse into the selection of weapons and how they were used by the film's soldiers), The Man in the Ice (from design to production, watch the Arctic come to life on various sets in Los Angeles, California), Voices (the voices behind the Autobots and Decepticons) and Audition Tapes: Megan Fox.

Note that if you DON'T currently have the Transformers Blu-ray, you can either buy the BD disc to get the content, or buy a NEW copy of the DVD (identified by an "Exclusive Sneak Peek" sticker on the package - available in stores on Tuesday) and access the new material via a special online website as instructed in the packaging. The key thing to note is that if you already own the Blu-ray, you're set to access the new material on 6/16. Got it? Okay.

Forget the Xmen Fight Scene....this Transformers thing sounds way more interesting...

[2099net]

Okay Netty some really good points there.

But, well, when you download say, some retrospective feature about the film winning an oscar or getting made into a musical, do those features go to your disc or your hardrive?

It's depends. Most content is streamed rather than stored, but all BD-Live players should have access to memory or a hard-drive, so some BD-Live lets you store it. For example, Sony let's you store their downloads.

If it's only on your computer...why does it need to be BD-Live, why can't you just...you know, find out about it online like people usually do, and download the videos? Maybe a web site owned by the movie company would let you download some. They would report news about whatever, and have a video.

Not everyone who has a BD player hooked up to their TV has a computer which is [a] in their living room or/and hooked up to their TV. Computers, Television and Home Entertainment are blurring together - I know I watch about 80% of my TV from my PVR. It's the same idea.

One point is that through the movie disc, BD-Live would let you know about things you otherwise might not find just surfing the net.

But, the avid fans who would use BD-Live to find such things in the first place would, well, already find out about the things online in the first place.

Do you honestly think that they will keep up-dating each old release with new BD-Live content? Do you think people will soon be able to pop in Sleeping Beauty, and through BD-Live, access a feature about the new parade and prop book display for the film for D23 people later this year? Why not just download something from D23's site? I mean, even something about the oscars might be long after the film was released to the home, and the film's fans would probably alread know about it.

Yes it would be nice to have it on the disc, but one again does it go to the disc or just your hardrive?

I don't think Disney will keep updating their old releases - no. Would they put on D23 stuff on Sleeping Beauty? If they had any brains they would - after all it would be promoting D23. Sadly, I think most BD-Live stuff will be 100% advertorial.

But what about UP?!? That's got to be a shoe in for the Animated film Oscar, and it could win. But I dare say the DVD/Blu-ray will be released before the Oscars are announced. So why not put a bit about it as a download on BD-Live - especially if Up wins? That's the sort of thing Disney should be doing.

Sony's put up content from ComicCon on their Starship Troopers disc, something impossible to include on the disc due to when it was mastered and produced.

I really don't see any downside to this at all - you're getting something for free, which couldn't be included on the disc. How is that bad in any shape or form?

Its basically the internet. With applications written in BDJava to upload, download, and organise information on the internet, with some imagination on the side of the studio and programmers, there should be hundreds of things BD-Live can do.

It depends on the studio but if you download it, you either download it to the PS3 harddrive if you have a PS3, or to flash memory on the bd-player (which could be removable USB sticks or memory cards).

You also asked me about watching commentaries or viewing art while watching a film.

Well, UM...that is very different from playing a game where you have to direct your attention to your own mind and think of the right answers to questions, or chat with people, or see a message they sent you. The commentaries and art have more to do directly with scenes in the film than the games do, unless it's like a "what do you see in this scene?" game or a "who do you think animated this scene?" game, but those can easily be games with a select number of SD scenes, instead of during the whole movie. But it might already be that way, in which case that's okay because it's not what I thought it was, some game you just decide to play in the middle of watching the film.

What I'm against is encouraging people to do lots of interactivity and entertainment (i.e. enjoyment) multi-tasking, when we should appreciate and savor and enjoy things individually, pay attention to the individual things. Mostly it's the chatting and message reading during the film that's despicable.

We are more and more becoming a fast-paced short-attention span culture. Kids have more trouble sitting through the slower-paced older films than the new ones. They need big and flashy, don't care about paying attention to the quieter, subtler, time-taking elements. They are always texting or talking or listening to music at any or every moment of each day of their life.

Maybe this BD-Live thing is okay...or maybe it's what my main point was, it is too much. It's just too much.

But what does it matter if this is the tenth time a person is watching the film. I don't know about you, but I watch loads of films after seeing them two or three times while typing on my computer, writing out cheques for paying bills, eating my meal, even doing a bit of house work.

It's up to the people watching the film how they want to watch the film for that showing. None of the BD-Live stuff is forced.

[2099net]

Talking of streaming podcasts, look at what's on the Hannah Montanna movie blu-ray:

BD Radio Disney – Fans can stream live Radio Disney audio through their home entertainment system, complete with artist and song information and lyrics! Users can also quickly link to site offering their favorite songs for purchase. (BD Exclusive)

It also has a wish-list/shop

The Hannah Montana Store – an interactive experience that allows viewers to create a wish list of items displayed in the film and move desired items onto the internet via BD-Live capabilities. Through "Hannah's Country Store" viewers will be able to click on the products in the movie, obtain information about the product, and purchase the merchandise. (BD Exclusive)

Ugh. What an absolutely vile and crass use of BD-Live. Of course, I'm not innocent enough to think it wouldn't be used to promote other aspects of the Disney empire, but to actually have it in a teleshopping kind of way and so blatantly... ("oh I love Miley's top" - add to wishlist - pester parents - buy top) its really, really, really crass.

[Disney Duster]

Yes, that's yet another thing about BD-Live that's bad.

Maybe what it is, is, for one thing it seems to encourage our short-attention span culture to be do things faster and not appreciate the movie, to not pay attention to the movie. To feel it, get into it.

Also it seems like too much technology taking over our lives.

There should be a video game that makes you have to go outside and explore nature to find out how to do something in the game. Then again kids could probably look it up on the internet.

I guess I'm just mad at what TV and video and the internet has done to us all over the years. Doctors have looked at what television does to children's brains and development, what it does to their expectations and how they interact with life. Hell, how living a satisfied life may become more difficult.

But do you see now how BD-Live won't keep updating forever, they won't put anything more about Sleeping Beauty on, and they probably won't do anything for Up? So it feels like a big waste, because they can't and won't keep updating with content forever. There's nothing wrong with waiting for the next release. And, people can, and will, find out about Up winning the oscar or the Sleeping Beauty parade online themselves if they really care about the films.

Maybe you mean a special in-depth behind the scenes featurette on the oscar win or other event, and that would be nice, but for them to really keep doing that is a dream. I guess people could keep the old Sleeping Beauty or Up and use BD-Live to keep updating it with new features, kind of like upgrading it to a more special and special edition, but you have to think - would Disney really let that happen and lose money on people buying the re-release? Nope.

Perhaps least of all, trying to fill up the discs with more content, and all the interactivity, seems too much in terms of is there enough room. Like, I'm worried the film and important features will lose quality as the discs get more and more filled with all this technology that can do everything at the same time as everything else. Or if not, I think trying to chat with friends and play a game and access the menu and watch a storyboard comparison while the movie's playing is too much.