New "Remastered Box Set" Information

[InfernoSoul]

You all do realize encoding in 1080p is widescreen(1920 x 1080) and that 16:9 is the international standard format of HDTV. So that is how and why they are getting a widescreen image. If they encode it in 1080p that is how it will look. I highly doubt it is going to be letterbox. As for being cropped I am sure they have thought this through. It is similar to using a DVD player to upscale a 480i image to 720p, 1080i or 1080p. However it will look even better since it will be already encoded for 1080p. Pretty much it will increase the pixel count and make for a sharper, more detailed image. As for all DVD players being able to support this I highly doubt it. I am sure new gen DVD players support it but not all. I have heard of them using the WMV HD compression to get this to work with DVD-ROM. I just don't know how good the quality will be. We will have to wait and see for some picture or new information about this. They should just release them on blu-ray or hddvd in my opinion. True High-Res and HD there.

[Brad Redfield]

They should just release them on blu-ray or hddvd in my opinion. True High-Res and HD there.

As cool as that would be, FUNi would be shooting themselves in the foot if they did that...though they will probably have to shoot their other foot after this widescreen ordeal.

[Meri]

Oh Mr. Vegetto Ex, you wacky Brazilian fire dancer, you...

Please, for the love of Pete, if you have information now, could you let us know what's up? Or is it the case where you'll find out this weekend?

I know it's your site and it's your right to choose how long we drool, but.. DaizEX is a news site (among other things). Shouldn't news sites report news as it comes in?

Sorry if I'm jumping to dumb conclusions and HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

I can confirm that the news is something we won't even find out until this weekend, during the recording of the podcast. So yeah.... we're currently drooling as well, waiting to find out what's up.

[Li'l Lemmy]

Hmm . . . all right, then. So it's important news, it's exclusive news, and you aren't even going to be let in on it yourselves until the day of the recording. Methinks perhaps that this ties in somehow with the interview.

Conscience: Why do you feel the need to solve this?

Shut up.

[b_boult]

What's confusing me is why whatever news they are going to share this coming weekend wasn't made available in the press release. Assuming you got this correspondence yesterday after all the discussion we had I can only ASSUME that whatever is on the cards is backpeddling of some kind.

[JAKEMAN]

I wonder if they will be releasing some kind of american only released merchandise with the boxsets, like what the Dragonboxes had?

[Blitzen]

I wonder if they will be releasing some kind of american only released merchandise with the boxsets, like what the Dragonboxes had?

Nope.

[JAKEMAN]

I wonder if they will be releasing some kind of american only released merchandise with the boxsets, like what the Dragonboxes had?

Nope.

Indeed, that was pushing it abit too far

[b_boult]

They could release a figure with his scalp and lower half cut off to celebrate the dawn of widescreen Dragonball Z.

[BrollysKin]

I wonder if they will be releasing some kind of american only released merchandise with the boxsets, like what the Dragonboxes had?

Nope.

How do you know?

[Casual Matt]

They did include action figures with the Ultimate Uncut Starter Sets, you know.

[ect5150]

I am sure new gen DVD players support it but not all. I have heard of them using the WMV HD compression to get this to work with DVD-ROM.

Actually, the new DVD players (HD-DVD and BluRay) support both new Video Codecs, H.264 and VC-1 (VC-1 is lead by Microsoft, and is basically already incorporated into the WMV version 9 they have in WMV files, just at larger bit rates).

I'm with you though on them thinking thru the widescreen. The 16:9 is the standard, and if they ever want to release the series in the future on HD-DVD or Blu-Ray, they will already have it setup to go, so it would basically be at a much lower cost to them to do so. Players are coming down the pipeline that play both HD-DVD and BluRay (just like DVD players/burners handle both -R and +R versions). So in the end, it probably won't matter, but I'm guessing after all the DVDs are out, they'll release it all again in HD (probably under HD-DVD, I hear those are cheaper to produce than a BluRay disc). The fact that they are all widescreen would point more toward a future release in the HD formats.

Then the question is, do you pass this by potentially and get the HD sets if they ever came out? Afterall, how many version do you want to buy? DBZ in higher than DVD resolution would only be that much more awesome!

[Brad Redfield]

From FUNi's forum:

Response to Dragon Ball Z Season One Inquiries -- 11/14/2006 3:00:00 PM
Wow, what a tremendous response! Its great to see this much passion and enthusiasm from all of the Dragon Ball Z fans. There does seem to be some confusion out there, which has resulted in rumors, speculation and disarray. So, lets take a look and see what I can do.

First, I would like to address the issue that seems to have caused the greatest concern: WIDESCREEN. Many seem to believe that this process will result in a loss of image/content. What you will actually be getting with the digitally remastered and restored DBZ episodes is more of the viewable film that was not used for traditional 4:3 TV version.

I've seen the original DVD video and compared to the digitally remastered footage and you can see the difference! The footage was digitally transferred from the original Japanese film footage, the new transfer will actually allow for more of the original footage to be seen on screen.

Those who were able to attend Wizard World Texas were able to see first hand the care and concern FUNimation has taken in the re-mastering process. The response was overwhelming. This has been a very intense project. We have invested a lot of time and resources into this, both as a company and as fans of this great series. Rest assured, we have listened to your feedback and input. The February 2007 release of Dragon Ball Z Season One The Vegeta Saga (all 39 episodes for $49.98) is going to be great!

Stay tuned for more info to come.

Take that as you will.

[Kirbopher]

...honestly, all of this stuff coming out lately sounds POSITIVE for me. I don't quite understand some of the negative air coming around the fans about the whole thing o_O;

I mean, I can understand if people wouldn't be interested in them going back to redub everything and just USE the Japanese music. I'm interested and'll enjoy that for what it is...but as far as the Japanese side goes, it sounds like it'd be pretty close to what we'd get as a Dragon Box over here, except cheaper and in different segments.

[BrollysKin]

That seems perfect to me! Why the face?

[tarsonis]

First, I would like to address the issue that seems to have caused the greatest concern: WIDESCREEN. Many seem to believe that this process will result in a loss of image/content. What you will actually be getting with the digitally remastered and restored DBZ episodes is more of the viewable film that was not used for traditional 4:3 TV version.

I've seen the original DVD video and compared to the digitally remastered footage and you can see the difference! The footage was digitally transferred from the original Japanese film footage, the new transfer will actually allow for more of the original footage to be seen on screen.

Umm..the only way this makes sense is if the episodes were originally made at 16:9 (or some close ratio) and then broadcast at 4:3, cutting off the sides of the picture, and that they now want to release them as they were made. Of course, if they were truly made that way to begin with, wouldn't we have known that by now? I can't think of any other way you could end up with more footage by going from 4:3 to 16:9 unless you're talking about shrinking the 4:3 picture down somewhat and then adding in what was originally on the sides of the frame. Of course, I could be wrong and not have any idea what I'm talking about. Best thing to do is not speculate until more info is given.

edit: Now that I think about it, the movies were originally 4:3 and then cropped when shown theatrically, so there's no reason to think the episodes were made differently.

[b_boult]

Here is a response from one of Funimation's representatives on the animeondvd forums:

"Response to Dragon Ball Z Season One Inquiries -- 11/14/2006 3:00:00 PM

Wow, what a tremendous response! Its great to see this much passion and enthusiasm from all of the Dragon Ball Z fans. There does seem to be some confusion out there, which has resulted in rumors, speculation and disarray. So, lets take a look and see what I can do.

First, I would like to address the issue that seems to have caused the greatest concern: WIDESCREEN. Many seem to believe that this process will result in a loss of image/content. What you will actually be getting with the digitally remastered and restored DBZ episodes is more of the viewable film that was not used for traditional 4:3 TV version.

I've seen the original DVD video and compared to the digitally remastered footage and you can see the difference! The footage was digitally transferred from the original Japanese film footage, the new transfer will actually allow for more of the original footage to be seen on screen.

Those who were able to attend Wizard World Texas were able to see first hand the care and concern FUNimation has taken in the re-mastering process. The response was overwhelming. This has been a very intense project. We have invested a lot of time and resources into this, both as a company and as fans of this great series. Rest assured, we have listened to your feedback and input. The February 2007 release of Dragon Ball Z Season One The Vegeta Saga (all 39 episodes for $49.98) is going to be great!

Stay tuned for more info to come."

[Kula]

Just thought you might want to see the discussion on 4chan

http://bin.4chan.org/a/res/1349230.html

You'd have to be a de-evolved retard with AIDS and shit for brains to watch DBZ anyways, much less pay for it. Anyone who buys this needs to be stabbed to death and their bodies thrown in dumpsters.

[Blitzen]

I think someone is mixing and mixing up terms about this. So was Dragonball Z (highly doubt it) animated at 16:9? How is it FUNimation are the only ones who knew? Sure, there is more picture on the film compared to the original FUNimation DVDs, but it's still at 4:3.

This is getting ridiculous.

[Blitzen]

Just thought you might want to see the discussion on 4chan

http://bin.4chan.org/a/res/1349230.html

You'd have to be a de-evolved retard with AIDS and shit for brains to watch DBZ anyways, much less pay for it. Anyone who buys this needs to be stabbed to death and their bodies thrown in dumpsters.

yeah but that's 4chan for you. I'm sure it'd be much more acceptable watching a show about someone daydreaming about being beaten by pedobait 12 year olds.