Plexifilm postpones Wilco Blu-ray release after band discourages fans from purchasing
By Darren Murph 
posted Nov 3rd 2008 9:14AM
posted Nov 3rd 2008 9:14AM
[Via LA Times, thanks Anthony]
posted Nov 3rd 2008 9:14AM
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I like that people in power are taking a stand in this. Blu-ray is already expensive, nobody (producer/consumer) should settle for sub-par quality...that's the whole point of the format! It should be our right as consumers to assume there is HD content on HD media.
I love that an average-at-best rock band is taking on the role of media format analyst.
In other news, Madonna will begin performing audits for the IRS.
You're kidding, right?
So, you reckon this group's recent, direct & exact experience of the charging & tariffs levied for making Blu-ray discs gives them no right to comment and is totally irrelevant?!
Just so as we know, what would if that is your view?
Maybe they should just be told what's value and ignore their own experience of DVD v Blu-ray.
Jeez, I've seen some Blu-ray fanboy comments here but your one is a doozy.
Well done you, you should be so proud.
Yes, how dare they advise their fans to not spent double the amount of money on a product that they felt didn't offer a significant upgrade!
Good for them. I'm tired of the amount of crap out there vs good stuff. I can probably count half a dozen moves that I really enjoy but refuse to buy on blu-ray due to the effort (or lack thereof) that they've done with the transfer.
Wilco, "average at best"?!?!
EGADS MAN!!!
@ Multi-format-mayhem:
Jeez you're kidding, right? I've seen some bitter former HD-DVD fanboy comments, but yours is a doozy. Well done.
You have absolutely no idea what the bands knowledge and experience is with Blu-Ray, so why are you passing it off as if you do? Just becuase the band made the music that was going to end up on the disc does NOT mean they are BD experts. It sounds as if the band is more upset that they were not told until late in the game that the BD version was being released and this is their way of protesting.
Anyway, the band is no more qualified to tell anyone what the value of the BD is than you or any other message poster on an HD internet forum. That decision is ENTIRELY up to the consumer. Unfortunately, the band has forced their opinion on the rest of the world. It's unfortunate, because I'm a fan of the band and probably would have picked this one up.
Brian
Actually the band are probably amongst the best placed to rate the value of the Blu-ray v DVD.
Not only do they have full knowledge of the audio & visual sources
(you know, that slightly important element every one of you 'PS3 bit-rate meter' obsessed watchers ignore almost entirely)
but they are fully aware of the cost structures involved.
Fail.
Go try troll someone else.
The original article suggested that the band was not contacted about this release. I'm pretty sure that played heavily into the band opposing the release, nevermind potential royalty issues.
It sounds like the band hasn't even SEEN or heard the new BD release. So their opinions of it aren't exactly educated.
Because, you know, 16mm film doesn't have enough resolution to manage 1080p....
They sent that to their "fans" because they don't think they're getting a proportionally larger royalty for the HD version's higher price, plain and simple.
Money, people, nothing more.
The description of the original documentary is valid: it is a grainy black & white documentary. I guess it wasn't that high on the most requested movies on Blu-ray.
And, for those who know little about it, Jeff Tweedy from Wilco has been one of the most vocal artists about illegal downloading and free streaming. Their most recent albums were made availaible as a stream on their official site for weeks or months before release. Tweedy has nothing against free downloading. The band allows people to tape the shows and exchange copies, as long as they don't make money with it.
So, I guess the move has little to do with royalties, much more with being faithful to their values.
@ Multi-format-mayhem
The only troll here is you. You've been continually trolling here for weeks thumbing your nose at anything Blu-ray related. You're only purpose is to get arguments started and you use false or inadequate information to do so. You are the very definition of a troll.
On what authority do you have it that the band knows the technical specs of the audio and video sources? You don't. For all you know, the band just plugs in their instruments and plays. They have technical people to work all of that out for them. As for "cost structures", I'm sure they have business managers as well. Stop arguing points you cannot prove.
As for the source, the band itself said that it was shot on 16mm film, which is quite capable of 1080P resolution. See this link:
http://cinematechnic.com/super_16mm/resolution_of_super_16mm.html
This seems to prove the point that the band may NOT know it all. My point is, I don't need the band to watch my money for me. I'll decide how to spend it.
As for you, this is an EPIC FAIL. Stop trolling and add something constructive.
Brian, no, you fail.
(and additional epic fail for the brainless parroting back like a 5yr old)
Actually you're the sort who leaps in to defend what you cannot possibly know.
The band specifically mention they have heard nothing about an improved audio track.
The band specifically mention that they do not think the difference is worth it and don't want to see their fans ripped off.
You on the other hand are so devoted to a video format that you prefer to ignore all that & just can't bear to see anyone say anything that might dent the 'perfection' you seem to imagine it represents.
Grow up.
I have never posted on here before, but probably because I'm not gadget expert...I am, however, an ardent fan of rock music, and you sir, are a fool. You just listen to Sky Blue Sky and come to the conclusion they are "average at best"???? Go give Yankee Hotel Foxtrot a spin and tell me it is not one of the finest records of this decade. Not too mention, Summerteeth, Being There, and A Ghost is Born, all very impressive efforts. Please, you may know your gadgetry, but do yourself a favor and stay away from the music arguments and continue listening to your Yellowcard and Nickelback albums.
I love the zit popping that goes on here.
Ziggy Delta Fubar should be out in a few months, so all you super badasses out there, also known as Wilco fans, can once again locate the meaning of your way-to-serious lives. lol
Foxtrot Out! LOL
From Wilco's Webpage:
In our recent email blast of 10/28 we discussed the impending release of the film "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart" on Blu Ray DVD. It's due out in mid-November. In expressing our reservations about it, conceptually, it appears from a handful of comments that we may have confused the message and a clarification may be in order. Please note that our comments were not in any way intended to be an indictment of the merits of Blu Ray as a technology. On the contrary, for many projects and with careful preparation it appears to be quite a valid (if slightly expensive) enhancement. That said, we'll reiterate that the band were not involved in any way in remastering or otherwise preparing the film for Blu Ray production. That combined with the facts that the film was shot in 16mm b&w and, to our knowledge, the audio was not remastered makes us continue to question whether the potential incremental increase in audio/video quality is worth the price for THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT. For the time being, we're sticking with our caveat emptor.
When the new DVD is released, we're going to purchase several copies and ask for a select few volunteers among you, dear readers, to A/B the original DVD release with the Blu Ray to further the discussion. So look for information re: this in the coming weeks. This is one of those rare cases where we'd actually love to be proven wrong.
That first email update from Wilco was the weirdest thing I had read in a while, but it does seem odd that the band wasn't consulted ahead of time about the release. Their knee-jerk reaction was overboard but maybe necessary to ensure that they are part of the remastering (audio and video) all along the way -- which would be a very good precedent.
Multi,
I'm not going to continue down your road of name calling. I think everyone who reads these posts can see who the troll is.
As you can see from the blog posting that RainDog so kindly copied from Wilco's website, the band is NOT against Blu-ray and finds it to be a valid enhancement. So, that sliver of hope that you had found a high profile indictment of BD is gone. Yes, the band does not believe that this particular film is worthy of Blu-ray treatment because of it being shot on 16mm in black and white. As I've already posted, 16mm is capable of 1080p resolution, so the band is unaware that the video CAN be enhanced from the prior DVD version. As for the audio, they only state that they are unaware of whether it's been remastered. Not exactly concrete proof that it has not been. I'm not aware of the specs for this film being published yet, so arguing with me about that is pointless. We just don't know.
As you can see, the band has already backed off their previous stance significantly. By the middle of November they may be pushing the BD.
My question to you is this: why are you against choice in the marketplace? If I feel the disc is worth the money, why should I not be able to make that choice? That's what free-markets are all about. If BD is not good enough, it will be cast aside. You'd rather make that decision for everyone based on your own opinion that it's not good enough. And you grasp onto any negative comment as proof that your view is valid, no matter how uninformed and ignorant that negative comment may be.
@ Brian (smart one):
I think you may have wanted to respond to "Nate" about his criticism of the band. I'm a huge fan of Wilco and I happen to live in their namesake of Will County, IL. They're awesome.
I don't think I like your screen name though. I don't think anyone would consider me as not a "smart one". Well, except for Multi, but his opinion is meaningless anyway.
Brian, stop inventing you own silly little stories.
My comments here were only related to the story as presented.
It was only about the band's comments regarding the poor value that they believed a Blu-ray transfer of their existing audio & visual material would have been.
The rest is all your own invention & dodging.
It's just a pity the supine sheeple like yourself are prepared to put up with any old poor transfer.
No doubt you'll keep on watching you bit-rate meter with awe and missing the bigger picture.
Alright Multi, since you brought up sheep it's safe to say your completely blathering now. You have provided absolutely nothing to this conversation other than name calling, opinions and unsubstantiated "facts". Yes, the band thinks the original material may not be of enough quality for a Blu-ray transfer. No, you're not sure if they really know anything about what it takes to be a quality Blu-ray transfer. You've convinced yourself that the band is above the MASSES of people who don't know that you can get an HD picture from film. (I don't know why you keep ignoring the fact that the band knows the film was shot in 16mm, but does NOT know that you can get an HD picture from 16mm film, but it's probably because it contradicts your notion that the guys in the band are A/V experts). You have absolutely no idea what the transfer is like and yet you've already judged it as poor. The only one dodging here is you, and I can understand why...you just don't know, but you want it to be bad news for Blu-ray.
I don't think I've ever watched a bit rate meter in my life, so that's another one of your know-it-all theories that's blown to crap. Unless you have something substantial to talk about, I will ignore all your further responses.
Actually (if you could just step back from making a complete t*t of yourself) my comments were originally made in relation to Nate's claims that this band didn't know jack about their own audio/visual products.
But you were too busy leaping up to attack someone you see as not devoted to your beloved video format.
I notice your complete lack of comment or interest in relation to the
'they're only doing it for the money' comments,
which is kind of weird considering what a fan of the band you painted yourself as.
I am not against choice, I am pro honesty.
I am all for an honest group who knew the original source material was not good enough to put out & claim high def audio & images and so rip-off their fan-bass for an additional 50% - 100% over the DVD price.
More power to them, shame more others aren't like them.
(and don't kid yourself they would not know the quality of the original mixes)
You Blu-trolls are far too easy & obvious.
Did Truth Teller make himself a new name?
Lame troll is lame.