Marshal

Justin forgot to mention you also need DirectX 9, which most of you probably have anyway with your latest videocard. I couldn't get anywhere with it however until I downloaded it. My Pentium 3 PC still isn't powerful enough to run the HD version at anything more than super slow motion and with several dropped frames. So I'll wait on attempting it again until such time that I have the right equipment. Disc 1 however will run fine on any PC and DVD player and the video quality on that one is pretty darn good also. It's also really cool to listen to James Cameron and William Wisher's(?) audio commentary. Very informative and even funny when he gives some of his recollections and even a couple remarks about the upcoming T3 by another director. Justin, with all the cool specs your PC has and the money your family apparently has, you oughta connect it to a 50+" plasma or high-end RP and enjoy all that DVD is capable of. Watching it on a 20" PC monitor or even a small LCD would be a waste for that DVD and simply not do it justice. Anyway, it sure must be nice to be Justin_TX.

When I rate plasmas, I don't grade the picture quality by how pretty or not the frame is. No offense, just talking about how I rate them. Anyway, the Pioneer 50" at BB has a silver frame, but one I saw another place across town has a wide obsidian black frame. Pretty, but again, the picture quality is most important. It delivers there too. Whatever model it is, it's one of the Pioneer Elite line.

When it comes to Philips, I've honestly never been impressed with their products, particularly their plasmas. They've never made anything that Sony, Toshiba, Pioneer and Panasonic couldn't outdo. That $5,500 plasma is just one example. Contrast is too flat, the blacks are distinctively muddy grey. That 50" Pioneer that BB has blows it away IMO. But of course you'll pay considerably more for that better quality, but comparing the two, I'd say it's worth it.

I have at least three Superbits that I can think of right off the bat(no cork), CTHD, Desperado and Fifth Element and they are all exquisite. But I can think of other DVDs that are not Superbit, but have what I would consider Superbit quality: Titanic, T2 Ultimate Edition and now Extreme Edition, Star Wars #1 and especially #2-AOTC and Fellowship of the Ring Extended Edition. Black Hawk Down is excellent too I think and I'm thinking about getting the new 3 Disc DVD set of that one.

One of the best plasmas in 42" and one of the best plasmas period is a Hitachi 42", the model # I can't remember, but I saw it at H.H. Gregg recently. Beautiful color and exquisitely sharp. Priced around $6,999. Another one, but at 50" is the Pioneer Best Buy has been showcasing the last few months. It's there right beside a Sony, Samsung and Philips, and it easily outshines them all. Sharp, crisp, better contrast than the rest and beautiful color also. Priced at $9,999, but you didn't really think it would come cheap did you? I've read a very positive review about the new Fujitsu that replaces the PDS(?)5002. Sorry, I'm no good at all with model #s. Go to Fujitsu's website and you'll probably find it.

How do you like the Denon 2900 DVD player so far? Does it have the chroma bug I've been hearing about that many other players have?

That URL doesn't work. I copied & pasted into browser window and got Page Can't Be Found or whatever.

I just had to share this. It's too funny not to. http://www.cinecon.com/news.php?id=0305221

Foreigner on DVD-A.

I agree on T2 and Aliens. They should've stopped there, but then they had to go mess with a good thing by trying to milk a dead cow. Consequently, Aliens 3, 4 and possibly 5(groan)and soon T3(groan again). X-Men 2 was good though. One thing that I'm sure will not be a disappointment is Return Of The King. The only possible disappointment with ROTK is that the LOTR saga will be over.

Ooooohhh, you have the Sony 777ES. That must be sweeeeet!! How I envy you! That and acoustically tuned room, etc. I don't have that kind of luxury, but the SACD in CD mode does sound excellent and yes, it does kick out the volume. I had to turn the volume down on my PM 5.1s a few notches compared to the Gold MF version I also have. Both are very good, but the Ultradisc might sound just a tiny bit better in the warmth, richness and perhaps detail, although that last item would only be by a hair. As for SACD mode and with the dedicated Sony player? Like I said, it must be nice.

Sorry that link didn't work. Try this: http://www.cinecon.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5087

If you want a DVD to show off your HDTV with or even on your PC, there's a new version of T2 coming in early June that may knock your socks and everything else off. You'll need Windows Media 9 however and maybe(not sure)WinXP to play it. That's the catch for now. But how does 1080P resolution grab you? Check it out: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00008PC2O/qid=1051719603/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/103-7509885-5057456?v=glance&s=dvd&n=507846#product-details

Just got back from seeing it a little while ago. For those who have not yet seen it, you will not be disappointed. Enjoy the show.

The Hotel CA DVD-A is wonderful. As for someone's question about what's the problem with Shine On from WYWH when performed live, well on PF's Pulse double CD set, Shine On is performed with the long guitar intro. That song & Comfortably Numb are Gilmour's greatest moments IMO, FWIW. Yes folks, we do need more PF stuff on either SACD or DVD-A. Ditto for Led Zeppelin. After all these years, "4"(Runes, Zozo, whatever)has still not been converted to high res audio. Thirty years I believe, as with DSOTM.

I definitely want WYWH on SACD so I can hear Shine On... and WYWH at their best! Time to start a petition perhaps?

Speaking of a killer system and DVD to show it off with, I checked out a new upscale electronics store in my area yesterday, and the highlight of my tour was a 50" Pioneer Elite HD plasma TV and Pioneer Elite DVD player, both very recent models, though unfortunately I can't remember the exact model #s right now. It's late and I gotta crash in a few minutes. Anyway, they were playing SW Ep.2 on it and the picture was phenomenal! Of course it's a THX Ultra qualified system with a movie done start to finish digitally. It was so smooth, clear & sharp that it appeared to be as sharp as the HDTV demos I've seen from Nature, NOVA and other programs we've all seen clips from at Best Buy, etc. I would absolutely love to see Fifth Element Superbit and other Superbit discs played on that monitor along with T2:UE and Fellowship of the Ring: EE.

You have 2 obvious choices: #1.Skip the movie and wait several months until it does come out on DVD. Yes, I know that will be a grueling wait. Of course, several months or maybe a year after the first DVD edition of Reloaded & Revolutions, an Ultimate Edition or Extended Edition will be out. #2.See the movie at the theater first, but go to a city with topnotch theaters & sound systems. If you have to drive a couple hours or so for the best theater experience, than go for it. By the way, I read at cinecon.com yesterday that there will be IMAX versions of the Matrix movies coming out sometime within the year. One more option. See the movie at your local theater with the crummy speakers, and when it does come out on DVD, you'll enjoy your HT system so much more. And seeing it the second time, you'll notice stuff you hadn't the first time.

Does anyone have the Sony ##999-ES DVD/SACD? It's supposed to be Sony's best DVD player ever and is very impressive in multi-channel SACD also. And the SA-777ES is supposedly the ultimate SACD/CD player. Anyone have it? Speaking of DVD players, I've been hoping one or more companies would give us a DVD-R/RW and hard disk recorder with MP3/WMA playback capability. The Panasonic HS2 from what I've read is a good kit and with Progressive Scan too, but lacks the MP3/WMA playback ability.That's the only thing holding me back from getting it.

If you don't know already, check this out. http://www.theonering.net/perl/newsview/8/1050856943 The coolest thing is that the EE version in November will have more extra footage than the Fellowship EE. An extra 43 minutes this time. And as with the Theatrical version from last year, this one will also have a sneak preview for the following movie, in this case, RoTK. I'll only be getting one, the Extended Edition just like last year. Maybe it will also have a free ticket to the next one.

Elvis C is a very lucky guy. My best wishes to them.

I wonder what the cinematography will be like for the inevitable Saving Private Lynch. The sound will have to be DTS-ES or DD-EX. I say that almost jokingly, although I do know a TV movie is already under consideration. But my hat's off and a big salute to Jessica and all our other soldiers over there. Hoo-ah and hoo-rah!

Gonna have to get that one.

I wouldn't consider Clapton a jazz guitarist either. But Rock and Blues certainly.

Just read yesterday that The Boss recently put up for the Chicks and defended them saying they are great artists merely exercising the same rights we were fighting to give the Iraqis, which they have. Good point, but what's the first thing they do after we free them? Diss us of course. They want us to leave now, but yet they want us to clean up the mess from the war, rebuild the country and ensure Saddam doesn't come back. Which we're trying to do, but it's gonna take a little longer than a couple weeks to do that, which many of them don't understand. Didn't mean to get off on that long tangent, but anyway, Springsteen was defending the Chicks recently. I've always liked their music and am willing to forgive them if Natalie will not mouth off so much. She has the right to say what she feels like that, but music fans also have the right to express their disapproval by not buying CDs and concert tickets.