The Digital Bits website is reporting (on posts dated 2/6 and 2/7)
that the new, restored ("Smilebox" format?) DVD of "How the West Was
Won" will be released in the third quarter of this year. The
information is apparently based on conversations with folks in the
know at Warners. Two versions, Ultimate Collector's Version and
Special Edition, also available in Blu-Ray which will definitely cause
me to upgrade to that format. More good news: "Ben Hur" in Blu-Ray in
2009. Does anybody have any more info on "HTWWW"? Will "Cinerama
Adventure" be included or not? In any case I can't wait for this one!

http://thedigitalbits.com

John

I would buy the Blu-ray version but knowing how the Blu-ray nazis
have region locked all new BD releases it seems pointless unless I
pay lots of move to buy a US PS3 or BD player as I can't see it being
released where I live any time soon.

"Mutley" <mutley90210REMOVE@hotmail.REMOVEcom> wrote
I would buy the Blu-ray version but knowing how the Blu-ray nazis
have region locked all new BD releases it seems pointless unless I
pay lots of move to buy a US PS3 or BD player as I can't see it being
released where I live any time soon.

All Warner BDs are region free and they have already stated that it will
stay that way when they are BD exclusive as they don't believe in region
coding anymore.

A good site to check to see if BDs are region free is:
http://www.blurayregioncodes.com/
As you can see a lot of BD releases are actualy not region coded.


That's good news. Sure hope that Sony doesn't put the hard word on

The Digital Bits website is reporting (on posts dated 2/6 and 2/7)
that the new, restored  ("Smilebox" format?) DVD of "How the West Was
Won" will be released in the third quarter of this year. The
information is apparently based on conversations with folks in the
know at Warners. Two versions, Ultimate Collector's Version and
Special Edition, also available in Blu-Ray which will definitely cause
me to upgrade to that format. More good news: "Ben Hur" in Blu-Ray in
2009. Does anybody have any more info on "HTWWW"? Will "Cinerama
Adventure" be included or not? In any case I can't wait for this one!

http://thedigitalbits.com

John

On Feb 8, 8:03 am, jwr2...@earthlink.net wrote:

The Digital Bits website is reporting (on posts dated 2/6 and 2/7)
that the new, restored  ("Smilebox" format?) DVD of "How the West Was
Won" will be released in the third quarter of this year. The
information is apparently based on conversations with folks in the
know at Warners. Two versions, Ultimate Collector's Version and
Special Edition, also available in Blu-Ray which will definitely cause
me to upgrade to that format. More good news: "Ben Hur" in Blu-Ray in
2009. Does anybody have any more info on "HTWWW"? Will "Cinerama
Adventure" be included or not? In any case I can't wait for this one!

http://thedigitalbits.com

John

According to Michael Long from  imdb.com Cinerama Adventure will be
included
and the disc is due out in August 2008.

Apparently some new technology is being used to get rid of the seams
but unfortunately this procedure
also lowers the color saturation of the picture. Check out the
following website, scroll down
and click on to the HTWWW pictures for an enlargement comparing the
original image with
joins(but correct color saturation) to the seamless image with
substantially lower  color saturation.

   http://www.hpl.hp.com/news/2006/april-jun/movie.html

I know which one I prefer.  If these photos are a true indication of
what the new DVD will look like
(after correction) I think we need to contact Ned Price Director of
Preservation at Warners.

Also check out:

   http://members.cox.net/ralphhanson/HTWWW/frames.htm

Regards,
Peter Mason

On Feb 13, 7:02 pm, cine...@hotmail.com wrote:
On Feb 8, 8:03 am, jwr2...@earthlink.net wrote:

The Digital Bits website is reporting (on posts dated 2/6 and 2/7)
that the new, restored ("Smilebox" format?) DVD of "How the West Was
Won" will be released in the third quarter of this year. The
information is apparently based on conversations with folks in the
know at Warners. Two versions, Ultimate Collector's Version and
Special Edition, also available in Blu-Ray which will definitely cause
me to upgrade to that format. More good news: "Ben Hur" in Blu-Ray in
2009. Does anybody have any more info on "HTWWW"? Will "Cinerama
Adventure" be included or not? In any case I can't wait for this one!
http://thedigitalbits.com
John
According to Michael Long from imdb.com Cinerama Adventure will be
included
and the disc is due out in August 2008.

Apparently some new technology is being used to get rid of the seams
but unfortunately this procedure
also lowers the color saturation of the picture. Check out the
following website, scroll down
and click on to the HTWWW pictures for an enlargement comparing the
original image with
joins(but correct color saturation) to the seamless image with
substantially lower color saturation.

http://www.hpl.hp.com/news/2006/april-jun/movie.html

I know which one I prefer. If these photos are a true indication of
what the new DVD will look like
(after correction) I think we need to contact Ned Price Director of
Preservation at Warners.

Also check out:

http://members.cox.net/ralphhanson/HTWWW/frames.htm

Regards,
Peter Mason


The first mentioned website should be:

http://www.hpl.hp.com/news/2006/apr-jun/movie.html

Peter Mason

Apparently some new technology is being used to get rid of the seams
but unfortunately this procedure
also lowers the color saturation of the picture. [...]

http://www.hpl.hp.com/news/2006/april-jun/movie.html

I know which one I prefer.

But there is more to this than just colors. Take a close look at the
"Opening the West" banner. In the original, the banner is slightly
sagging in the middle, but in the processed frame, the middle is
slightly elevated. So there is some kind of optical distortion in
addition to the color correction and dirt cleanup.

The first mentioned website should be:

http://www.hpl.hp.com/news/2006/apr-jun/movie.html

cine...@hotmail.com wrote:
On Feb 13, 7:02 pm, cine...@hotmail.com wrote:
On Feb 8, 8:03 am, jwr2...@earthlink.net wrote:

The Digital Bits website is reporting (on posts dated 2/6 and 2/7)
that the new, restored  ("Smilebox" format?) DVD of "How the West Was
Won" will be released in the third quarter of this year. The
information is apparently based on conversations with folks in the
know at Warners. Two versions, Ultimate Collector's Version and
Special Edition, also available in Blu-Ray which will definitely cause
me to upgrade to that format. More good news: "Ben Hur" in Blu-Ray in
2009. Does anybody have any more info on "HTWWW"? Will "Cinerama
Adventure" be included or not? In any case I can't wait for this one!
http://thedigitalbits.com
John
According to Michael Long from  imdb.com Cinerama Adventure will be
included
and the disc is due out in August 2008.

Apparently some new technology is being used to get rid of the seams
but unfortunately this procedure
also lowers the color saturation of the picture. Check out the
following website, scroll down
and click on to the HTWWW pictures for an enlargement comparing the
original image with
joins(but correct color saturation) to the seamless image with
substantially lower  color saturation.

   http://www.hpl.hp.com/news/2006/april-jun/movie.html

I know which one I prefer.  If these photos are a true indication of
what the new DVD will look like
(after correction) I think we need to contact Ned Price Director of
Preservation at Warners.

Also check out:

   http://members.cox.net/ralphhanson/HTWWW/frames.htm

Regards,
Peter Mason

The first mentioned website should be:

   http://www.hpl.hp.com/news/2006/apr-jun/movie.html

Peter Mason

I prefer the stitched together frame, it has a lot more detail in the
background than on the old transfer.

Simon Howson- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Kevin Willoughby <kevinwilloughby@acm.org.invalid > wrote:

But there is more to this than just colors. Take a close look at the
"Opening the West" banner. In the original, the banner is slightly
sagging in the middle, but in the processed frame, the middle is
slightly elevated. So there is some kind of optical distortion in
addition to the color correction and dirt cleanup.

I don't see how a "flat" presentation of a Cinerama movie can be
successful. Smilebox is the way to go.

I've been marginally involved in Smilebox and I support the inclusion of
both versions in any DVD video set.

On 2008-02-14 05:05:31 -0800, Martin Hart <oldtornp...@nospam.net> said:

I've been marginally involved in Smilebox and I support the inclusion of
both versions in any DVD video set.

Both on a single, double-sided DVD is the way to go.

I haven't yet warmed up to the SmileBox® concept, and given my
conservatism, I'm not likely to.

If given only the non-option of the SmileBox version, only, I'd
probably rip it to disk and burn a single-layer low-rez dupe for
personal use.

If given the option of both, I'd probably buy it for my permanent
library, and burn a dual-layer high-rez dupe for the same personal
purpose.

--
CinemaScope® - The Modern Miracle You See Without Special Glasses!
--
Peter