Is it possible for episodes of Dragon Ball to be played in..

[IncredibleGuy]

Is it possible for episodes of Dragon Ball to be played in high definition? I ask because once HD DVD comes out (or Blu Ray if you actually believe the market will switch to that when rental stores are still carrying VHS) is it more probable will be seeing rereleased versions of DBZ in high def, or (what I really want) rereleased DVD's with 15 to 20 low def DBZ episodes a piece?

[MajinVejitaXV]

DVD has been around for ages, and we've just now gotten DB/Z/GT on DVD from Japan. I wouldn't worry about the next format until...oh, ten years from now, when it's about to be surpassed ;p

As for FUNi...I don't see them doing it. Also, a show like DB/Z/GT wouldn't really benefit from an HD/Blu-ray format I don't think, but I may be wrong.

-Corey

[IncredibleGuy]

DVD has been around for ages, and we've just now gotten DB/Z/GT on DVD from Japan. I wouldn't worry about the next format until...oh, ten years from now, when it's about to be surpassed ;p

Wasn't that more because of a resurgance of DBZ popularity in Japan, though? I suppose the biggest problem the studios would see with it is that a HD/Blu Ray version might take away from their DVD sales (might... nah, will), but if one HD DVD costs less than three regular DVD's, then Toei could simply keep the prices equivalent to the consumer, and neither party would lose. By the way, if none of this makes sense it's because my head feels all spinny.

[lost in thought]

Wasn't that more because of a resurgance of DBZ popularity in Japan, though? I suppose the biggest problem the studios would see with it is that a HD/Blu Ray version might take away from their DVD sales (might... nah, will), but if one HD DVD costs less than three regular DVD's, then Toei could simply keep the prices equivalent to the consumer, and neither party would lose. By the way, if none of this makes sense it's because my head feels all spinny.

For Japan it was the American popularity that fueled an international popularity once again, that prompted the DVD sales.
But it depends what you're looking for; in America, FUNimation's masters are no better than what we see on the Ultimate Uncut releases, except that they did a bit of bluring to try and sharpen the quality, and get rid of any distortions, etc. So an HD release would only be as good of quality as the Ultimate Uncut, which logically would be a waste of time.
As for the Japanese releases, from what I can tell, the series was re-mastered, and looks as good as it can as well. Remember, we're talking about an animation here, that is quite a few years old, and HD is the product of shooting digitial media and exporting it in a highly lossless compression; so either way, I don't really see any way of making an HD version with any better quality than what they have, so logically for Toei it would be useless as well.

Then again, thats just my opinion, so I could be wrong.

[KT Kore]

I don't see how the show would be converted from 4:3 to 16:9 without some sort of cropping done. However, it is plausible that new releases be made with more episodes on each disc. I don't see it happening, though.

[lost in thought]

I don't see how the show would be converted from 4:3 to 16:9 without some sort of cropping done. However, it is plausible that new releases be made with more episodes on each disc. I don't see it happening, though.

I agree, changing the display resolution, on a series that was formatted for tvs that display in 'pan and scan' would be very difficult, and probably not worth the effort, since it appears that most average anime viewers prefer the fullscreen display, as opposed to the widescreen.

As far as more episodes per disc goes, I really don't see that as plausible in the least. FUNimation has their product released with 3 episodes per dvd, sometimes 4; I think from their standpoint they can milk the series longer with that amount of episodes, than adding more.
As for Toei, well, they've already got the DragonBoxes out, and they're releasing the discs individually now, with I believe 4 episodes (maybe 3, I forget,) so if they're just re-printing DragonBox discs, I really see no logical reason to go through all of the extra work just to add a few more episodes to their discs.

[DBW]

Basically, as lost in thought said, the series can't really look any better than it already does. The masters of the episodes are on 16mm reels of film, and converting that onto DVD, HD-DVD, BluRay, etc. won't make any difference at all. The only thing you can hope for is better remastering technology in the future to perhaps get rid of all remaining grain, and possibly convert the audio into stereo. I doubt this will happen though, since the series is basically good enough as it is, and such minor changes won't be worth the cost.

If DBZ ever does come out on BluRay, you'll just be seeing extremely high episode counts (like 50 episodes or something). But it won't look or sound any better.

By the way, HD-DVDs just have higher storage capacities. It's not like the show will have to be cropped to be put on the disk. And if you're worried about HD TVs, they can all play 4:3 ratios, so there's really no reason to ever crop or alter the show.

or Blu Ray if you actually believe the market will switch to that

Well, the PS3 is coming standard with BluRay technology, so it's not as far off as you might think. Thanks to the PS3, methinks HD-DVD will crash and burn. HD-DVD=Beta, BluRay=VHS, IMO.

[laserkid]

The irony in such is that Sony was a huge proponent of the Beta Player because it was technically speaking superior.

[IncredibleGuy]

If DBZ ever does come out on BluRay, you'll just be seeing extremely high episode counts (like 50 episodes or something). But it won't look or sound any better.

That's really all I'm hoping for. I don't have the space or patience for the number of DVD's Funi plans on distributing. I'd pay 200 dollars just to have the first saga of DBZ on one or two discs.

Oh, and you might want to pinch yourself because you're dreaming if you think the public is willing to switch every DVD player in their house with a Blu Ray one just so 5% of the population can enjoy the added benefits of this new format

[lost in thought]

Oh, and you might want to pinch yourself because you're dreaming if you think the public is willing to switch every DVD player in their house with a Blu Ray one just so 5% of the population can enjoy the added benefits of this new format

I beg to differ. It's just like the arguement of VHS vs. DVD; people questioned why they should get it, when they have a VCR, and their movies are all on VHS. Well, as time went on people have gotten into DVDs, and DVD Players, as the VCR, and VHS releases of popular movies have been severely diminished.
I would say, if history is any indication of what people will, and will not do, there is a high chance that if there is a new DVD format to come along, people will likely replace their players with ones capable of playing the new format just to be concurrent with the times, and changing media formats.

But either way the ball bounces on this matter, any 'new media format' DVDs take, it probably wouldn't become heavily mainstream for five, maybe ten years.

[IncredibleGuy]

I beg to differ. It's just like the arguement of VHS vs. DVD

Except when DVD's came around VHS had already been out for around 25 to 30 years. DVD's have been around for ... how long... 7 years? At most? DVD's were also slimmer and more portable than VHS, produced better picture and sound, and came with loads of extra features at no extra cost. Compare that to next gen formats like HD and Blu Ray which are only going to be introduced so high def TV owners can get a clearer picture. I just don't see the market changing, once again, to an entirely new format just so 10% of the population (if that) can benefit.

[lost in thought]

Except when DVD's came around VHS had already been out for around 25 to 30 years. DVD's have been around for ... how long... 7 years? At most? DVD's were also slimmer and more portable than VHS, produced better picture and sound, and came with loads of extra features at no extra cost. Compare that to next gen formats like HD and Blu Ray which are only going to be introduced so high def TV owners can get a clearer picture. I just don't see the market changing, once again, to an entirely new format just so 10% of the population (if that) can benefit.

For one, DVD players have been around longer than 7 years, but mainstream popularity only kicked in around 2000. As well, look at all the people buying those High Definition tvs you've just referenced; when they started becoming easier to find, people were (and still are) shelling out large amounts of money for "top of the line" goods. These sorts of people will without a doubt go out and purchase the newest technology, like I said, to be concurrent with advancements in digital media technology.
We're living in an age where as newer products come out, and older ones become obsolete, we upgrade to the latest products, and discard our obsolete ones. It's undenyable, people will upgrade their products.

Eventually everyone benefits from the new technology; maybe not you, but others will, and the more that becomes available the more people will want it.

[DBW]

Oh, and you might want to pinch yourself because you're dreaming if you think the public is willing to switch every DVD player in their house with a Blu Ray one just so 5% of the population can enjoy the added benefits of this new format

It's not like we're bumping up to some crazy new format, they're just better versions of DVDs. Its like how most people used to run Windows 95, but now most people use Windows XP.

Once the PS3 hits the market, you're gonna start seeing things popping up on BluRay. Noboby expects you to run out and buy BluRay players, but I can assure you that PS3 owners will start buying BluRay over DVD, and then we'll start seeing a swing in the market. Once things start to swing in BluRay's direction, you'll start seeing price reductions in basic BluRay players, and people will start buying them simply as the new basic electronic appliance (nobody will buy a new DVD player).

You should also understand that BluRay players can still play CDs and DVDs, so you're current collection is perfectly safe!

As for how many people own HD TVs, it doesn't really matter, because pretty soon it's going to be your only option. Non-HD TVs are in the process of being phased out, and *will not* be remanufactured. At the moment, the FCC has set a date for January 1, 2009 for a mandatory switch of all US TV broadcasts from analogue to digital. If you don't have a capable television, you're gonna need to buy a converter box (which is estimated at $50 right now).

So yeah, you're right about people not running out and buying new technologies the day they come out, but eventually it'll be their only option so it's pretty much unavoidable.

[IncredibleGuy]

I don't think you guys seem to understand that HD DVD's also play high definition movies. Just think about it - when these two formats come out, and the market sees that both can do the same thing, yet one requires you to update all the movie players in your house, while the other doesn't, which one do you honestly think they're going to go for? I'm all for high definition, but not at the cost Sony is expecting.. at least not yet. I could see people switching their players maybe 6 years from now.

[lost in thought]

It's not like we're bumping up to some crazy new format, they're just better versions of DVDs. Its like how most people used to run Windows 95, but now most people use Windows XP.

Once the PS3 hits the market, you're gonna start seeing things popping up on BluRay. Noboby expects you to run out and buy BluRay players, but I can assure you that PS3 owners will start buying BluRay over DVD, and then we'll start seeing a swing in the market. Once things start to swing in BluRay's direction, you'll start seeing price reductions in basic BluRay players, and people will start buying them simply as the new basic electronic appliance (nobody will buy a new DVD player).

You should also understand that BluRay players can still play CDs and DVDs, so you're current collection is perfectly safe! Wink

As for how many people own HD TVs, it doesn't really matter, because pretty soon it's going to be your only option. Non-HD TVs are in the process of being phased out, and *will not* be remanufactured. At the moment, the FCC has set a date for January 1, 2009 for a mandatory switch of all US TV broadcasts from analogue to digital. If you don't have a capable television, you're gonna need to buy a converter box (which is estimated at $50 right now).

So yeah, you're right about people not running out and buying new technologies the day they come out, but eventually it'll be their only option so it's pretty much unavoidable.

Very true, and very informative.

I don't think you guys seem to understand that HD DVD's also play high definition movies. Just think about it - when these two formats come out, and the market sees that both can do the same thing, yet one requires you to update all the movie players in your house, while the other doesn't, which one do you honestly think they're going to go for? I'm all for high definition, but not at the cost Sony is expecting.. at least not yet. I could see people switching their players maybe 6 years from now.

What you aren't understanding IncredibleGuy, is that these companies bank on forcing people to upgrade. These companies produce these new products that invariably make old products obsolete, in the effort to make the public have an actual need to go out and spend money to resume their normal viewing of any sort of media. Whether this be television, or dvds, the same thing happened with the Beta/betamax, and VHS; as new products become available, one must become the dominant media. The public has little and no say in the matter, so either they upgrade, or they lose out on everything associated with the changing media formats, and products available.
It's just how life is; they want you to spend your money on these products, so the only way to go about making a market demand, is making old formats obsolete. It may not be right, and people may not want to go through with all of the crap associated with upgraded, but they do it, and you can't escape it.

[masenko]

I watched the entire Dragonball Series on DVD in progressive scan and it's just as clear as HD would be, cartoons always tend to look much clearer in definition than live action during progressive scan. Thats just my advice, get a progressive scan dvd player and some good wires and you're set.

[SonGokuGT]

I watched the entire Dragonball Series on DVD in progressive scan and it's just as clear as HD would be, cartoons always tend to look much clearer in definition than live action during progressive scan. Thats just my advice, get a progressive scan dvd player and some good wires and you're set.

Really good advice! All animation looks great like that! Fullmetal Alchemist blew me away on DVD through component cables!

[masenko]

the only problem I have is that watching DB in higher definition, you catch more film dust and dirt which doesnt help but when it's well cleaned, it's awesome!

[VegettoEX]

the only problem I have is that watching DB in higher definition, you catch more film dust and dirt which doesnt help but when it's well cleaned, it's awesome!

Please type properly. You're being warned.

And folks, this thread had been dead for an entire month before its resurrection again this morning. Please pay attention to the threads you're posting in, because there's another one this would have been better off in...