BD Live-The New DVD ROM?

[hoytereden]

Does anyone use this feature? Remember when DVDs first came out and the DVD ROM feature was supposed to enhance the viewing experience but withered and died because it was such a hassle to go from player to PC? Honestly, I don't find much about the various BD Live features to make me want to sign-up. Plus, I know that it's one (the?) reason that most discs won't resume play if you stop the disc. GRRRRRRR!!! Probably my biggest pet peeve about the format.

[Michael Stailey]

In most cases these days, there's nothing of value there. The studios tried like hell to use it as a channel for evergreen content (see Transformers HD DVD) and in-movie experiences (see Sleeping Beauty BD), but -- big surprise -- people are more interested in the film itself than any bells & whistles slapped on after the fact.

[Steve T Power]

DVD rom sucked precisely because you HAD to cart the DVD to your PC, BD-Live is good because you don't have to.

Some of the ideas are fantastic - community screenings and chat sessions with the directors etc. recording and sharing your own commentaries, all of that jazz - and the appeal for me is that you don't need to be on the PC to do it.

The flipside is i just don't have the free time or pretentiousness(in terms of commentary tracks) to devote to taking advantage of the features, and i'd be willing to bet that the majority of movie watchers (the same people who hated root menus on DVD) will blissfully ignore the feature. It's like they're trying to convert the process of watching a movie into an idle timesink. That's what i have video games for.

[hoytereden]

The flipside is i just don't have the free time or pretentiousness(in terms of commentary tracks) to devote to taking advantage of the features, and i'd be willing to bet that the majority of movie watchers (the same people who hated root menus on DVD) will blissfully ignore the feature. It's like they're trying to convert the process of watching a movie into an idle timesink. That's what i have video games for.

Exactly. I'm happy with the film and extras but chatting with others while watching the film? I have just about zero tolerance with talking to my own family while viewing much less having a round table discussion while the film rolls by.